Chapter 6: The Love Life of a Mob Priest

The timeline rewinds slightly.

Ever since Reina began her academy life, Clarel had also started a new chapter in the town of Eggbell. With Reina gone, the number of visitors to the temple had drastically decreased. People who came specifically for her were no longer showing up.

Even so, injured people were still brought in as usual, and devout residents continued to leave offerings. Clarel had no trouble making ends meet. With his workload reduced just enough—neither too busy nor too idle—he was able to lead a well-balanced life.

“Rejected again…”

Yet despite these supposedly peaceful days, Clarel was slumped in a chair in the living room, his head hanging low. In his hand was a single letter—a formal document sent from a certain noble family.

“Rejected again… What did I even do wrong…?”

The letter stated that they were declining a meeting to discuss marriage with Clarel.

After Reina left the nest, Clarel decided it was time to find a marriage partner and consulted his family, the Burn Marquisate. To his surprise, the Burn Marquisate had received several marriage proposals addressed to him. Apparently, news of a new saintess had spread in the capital. As a result, Clarel’s name, as her guardian, was gaining attention as well. Noble families hoping to form a connection with the saintess were seeking marriage alliances with Clarel.

Political motives, huh… I’m not exactly thrilled about this.

He couldn’t help but think that, but Clarel was, after all, a noble. He was about to turn twenty-four. In Japan, that might still be fine, but in this world, he was already past the prime marriageable age. He wasn’t in a position to be picky, so he decided to meet a few women who were willing to marry into the Eggbell family.

“And… the result is a total failure. Seriously, what’s wrong with me…?”

Clarel tossed the rejection letter onto the table and clutched his head. The moment he sent a reply agreeing to the marriage meeting, a rejection letter arrived from the other party. He had bought new clothes, gotten a haircut, and prepared for the meeting, only to be left waiting.

“To begin with… weren’t they the ones who sent the proposal first? So why am I getting a ‘sorry’ just when it’s time to meet…?”

The reasons for the last-minute cancellations varied: a lover presumed missing in a shipwreck was found, a noblewoman eloped with a commoner after finding true love, or another couldn’t give up her dream of becoming a teacher. The last young lady even wrote an earnest letter claiming a muscular, stuffed-animal-headed angel appeared in her dream, declaring, “You’ll regret marrying him. Chase your dreams instead.”

Even if they wanted to refuse, couldn’t they come up with more reasonable excuses? It made him wonder if they were mocking him.

“Kuma kuma.”

“Oh… Kuma, are you trying to comfort me?”

As Clarel wallowed in his gloom, his housemate, a stuffed bear, patted his shoulder. It offered him a cup of tea as if to say, “Here, drink up.”

“Hmmm… Getting rejected over and over like this really shakes your confidence, doesn’t it? Is there some fatal flaw in me as a marriage prospect?”

“Kumaa, kuma kuma.”

“There’s no such thing? Nah, men and women see things completely differently. Not that I even know if you’re male or not.”

Come to think of it, he had died a bachelor in his previous life too. Sure, he was a workaholic with no time to think about marriage, but maybe he had some unnoticed flaw.

“Kumaa.”

“You’re right… There’s no need to rush into marriage. Maybe I’ll take it slow and easy.”

Marriage isn’t the only path to happiness. Rushing into meetings and ending up with a strange woman would be far worse. Believing that a fated encounter might come someday, living as a carefree bachelor noble didn’t sound so bad. Clarel told himself this, half-escaping reality.

“Yo, Clarel! You in there?”

“Hm…?”

At that moment, a knock came from the chapel door. The familiar voice of a friend echoed into the living room.

“Roywood, huh? Got some business with me?”

Roywood Bellen, a friend from his student days, showed up at the temple in broad daylight. Dressed in a gendarmerie uniform, his friend raised a hand with a casual “Yo!”

“I’m playing guide for a bit. Brought someone who wants to see you.”

“Someone wants to see me…? Who’s that?”

“…It’s me.”

A woman stepped out from behind Roywood—a woman around his age with long, flowing red hair. It was the face of an old friend.

“You… Erika?!”

“H-Hey, long time no see, Clarel.”

She was Erika Jamy, one of his friends from their student days. A daughter of the Jamy Earldom, she had attended the academy in the same year as Clarel.

“What’s up? Why the sudden visit to a backwater town like this? Did you come to see me or something?”

Clarel greeted his friend, whom he hadn’t seen in years, with an unusually relaxed tone.

“Don’t be ridiculous! As if I’d come all the way to this boondock just to see you! It’s work, work!”

“Work, huh… Oh, right. You became an adventurer, didn’t you?”

Erika was a noble lady, but she had always been a woman who loved swinging a sword, even back in her school days. She was supposed to marry for political reasons after graduation, but hating the idea of being tied down, she chose to become an adventurer instead.

“Still keeping up with the adventurer life?”

“What do you mean, ‘still’? Of course I am!”

For some reason, Erika crossed her arms with a huff, pouting her lips.

“I just got promoted to A-rank the other day. I’m a veteran adventurer now!”

Adventurer ranks range from A to E, with A being the highest.

“Wow, that’s pretty impressive! You must be a celebrity in the capital.”

“Celebrity, huh… Didn’t expect to hear that from you.”

“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re the talk of the capital, you know. ‘The great priest who raised the saintess.’”

“What? Great… priest…?”

“The saintess has been telling everyone, apparently. ‘I am who I am today because of Clarel-sama.’ They’re even talking about nominating you as the patron saint of childcare and education at the Grand Temple.”

“W-What’s that…? That’s completely news to me…!”

He never imagined things had escalated to that level. A ‘patron saint’ is the highest honor bestowed upon a priest or cleric for outstanding achievements. If appointed, his name would be etched into the temple’s history.

“You used to say stuff like, ‘I’ll live off donations in the countryside and take it easy.’ And now look at you, climbing the ranks. I figured I’d come see your face. You’ve still got that same slacker vibe, so I’m relieved.”

“Haa… I see…” Clarel muttered, then suddenly froze as a realization hit him. “Wait, didn’t you just say something about work? That you didn’t come here to see me…?”

“I stopped by to see you while I’m here for work! Don’t nitpick every little thing!” Erika’s face flushed bright red as she stomped on the temple floor with a loud thud.

“Hey, hey, how long are you guys gonna keep chatting? The folks outside are getting tired of waiting,” Roywood cut in, jerking his thumb toward the door.

“Hm? There are more people here?”

“Yeah, my party members are here too. I’ll go get them,” Erika said, stepping outside the temple. She returned with two women in tow. “Let me introduce you. These are my party members, Tina and Kitty.”

“I’m Tina. I’m a mage.”

“Kitty. I’m a thief.”

The newcomers were a woman with long blonde hair and a petite girl with short brown hair.

Both looked every bit the part of adventurers, Tina carrying a staff and Kitty armed with a knife.

“I’ve heard a lot about you from Erika-san…” Tina said with a mischievous tone. “Like when she’s drinking, or stories about camping during school and sharing a tent with you, Clarel-san…”

“Hey, Tina! Don’t go saying unnecessary stuff!” Erika snapped, her eyes narrowing as she glared at the mage.

Meanwhile, Kitty was wandering around the chapel, eyeing everything curiously.

“What’s that kid doing?”

“Kitty, what are you up to?”

“Hm, no sign of anything valuable.”

“Don’t go snooping around someone’s house the first time you meet them!”

“Bummer,” Kitty muttered, returning after Erika’s scolding.

“Well… they’re quite the colorful bunch. All women, huh?”

“That’s right. We’re ‘Fairy’s Blade.’ An all-female adventurer party!” Erika declared, crossing her arms with a sharp, almost biting tone.

Including her, they were quite the unique party. He’d heard that strong adventurers often had eccentric personalities, and it seemed that wasn’t wrong. They’re quirky, but they must be skilled adventurers. To reach A-rank in their teens or twenties is no small feat, Clarel marveled inwardly.

Tina placed a hand on Erika’s shoulder. “Erika-san, more importantly… have you asked about that thing?”

“Ugh… That’s…”

“Hurry up and ask. We’re really in a bind here.”

“…………”

Erika turned to Clarel with a reluctant expression.

“…What’s up?”

“……………………Let us stay here.”

“Huh?”

“…Let us stay at this temple for a while.”

“……………………Come again?”

Clarel was dumbfounded as Erika, face red and eyes averted, made her request.

Tina chimed in from behind Erika. “So, we went to the inn earlier to book rooms, but it was fully booked, and we couldn’t find a place to stay. Then we thought, since Erika-san’s friend lives at the temple, maybe we could stay here.”

“Fully booked… Well, I guess that can happen, huh?” Clarel said. It was a small town, after all. There weren’t many inns, and it wasn’t unheard of for them to fill up.

“…Well, I don’t mind letting you stay. If you’re fine with staying in a guy’s place, that is.” The temple already had rooms for apprentice priests in training or traveling pilgrims. They’d need some cleaning, but there was enough space to accommodate three people.

“We did it, Erika-san!”

“Yay.”

“We didn’t ‘do’ anything! Don’t get the wrong idea!”

Clarel tilted his head as the three women started bickering for some reason, while Roywood watched them with an amused, “What a bunch” smile.

“Kumaa…!” Peeking through the door’s gap, the temple’s other resident, Kuma, let out a wary cry.

◇ ◇ ◇

And so, life together with the three female adventurers, including Erika, began. During the day, they left town and headed to the nearby forest, searching for a rare magical beast as part of their quest.

“We’re looking for a rare creature called a Carbuncle,” Erika explained when Clarel asked about their quest.  A Carbuncle, a magical beast said to symbolize good fortune, resembled a rabbit, with a red gem on its head, rumored to have the power to ward off disease.

“There’ve been sightings in the forest nearby, but the request isn’t to hunt it—it’s to capture it. Some rich guy wants a pet for his sick daughter, and a Carbuncle, said to bring luck and good health, is perfect for the job.”

“That’s practically a legendary creature, isn’t it? Finding it won’t be easy… Couldn’t this end up being a wild goose chase?”

“Maybe… But we got a decent advance, so it’s fine even if we fail,” Erika said, spreading her hands with a shrug. “We’ve been taking on tough quests lately and were pretty worn out… So wanting to get away from the city and relax in the countryside was part of the reason. And just so we’re clear, it’s definitely not because you live in this town! I absolutely didn’t come here as an excuse to see you or anything!”

“I get it, I get it… No need to yell,” Clarel sighed, seeing her off as she fumed.

The three members of ‘Fairy’s Blade’ spent their days searching the forest and returned in the evening. They slept and lived in the temple’s living quarters, but their presence didn’t exactly cause any strange troubles. No accidental run-ins in the bathroom, no walking in on someone changing, no subtle hand brushes while reaching for something—none of those rom-com clichés happened.

“Kuma!”

Whenever a moment ripe for a rom-com mishap seemed imminent, the bear stuffed animal always intervened. Sometimes it blocked the bathroom or bedroom entrance, sometimes it wedged itself between Clarel and the women. In any case, it prevented any physical contact.

“Hey, Clarel. Got a minute?” Erika asked, her face flushed as usual.

“Hm? What’s up?”

“U-Um… It’s not a big deal, but as thanks for letting us stay, how about I treat you to a meal or…”

“Kumaa, kumaa!” Kuma bounced up and down, asserting its presence.

“Hm? What’s up, Kuma? Wanna play or something?” Clarel said, turning to the bear.

“Kumaa!”

“Oh, got it, got it. Sorry, Erika, if it’s not a big deal, can we talk later?”

“Ah…!” Erika seemed about to say something, but Kuma dragged Clarel away, cutting the conversation short. Her face was red, likely on the verge of another outburst. Clarel silently thanked Kuma for giving him an escape.

“Alright… what should we play?”

“Kuma kuma.”

Completely oblivious, Clarel didn’t notice Kuma’s sly grin. Even living with women, no rom-com antics unfolded around him. After all, he had a powerful bodyguard created by the saintess watching over him.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Hey, Clarel. I hate to ask, but… could you help us look for the Carbuncle?” Erika said on the morning of the seventh day since her arrival at the temple.

“Huh? What’s this all of a sudden?” Clarel replied, caught off guard.

The setting was the living room deep within the temple. Only Clarel, Erika, and Kuma—perched on Clarel’s lap to keep Erika in check—were present.

“We found traces of the Carbuncle in the forest, but we haven’t seen the creature itself. Since Carbuncles are holy beings, there’s a saying that they’ll approach a cleric. You’re technically a priest, right?”

“A holy creature, huh… If Reina were here, this would’ve been a lot easier…” Clarel mused. If it were Reina, the Carbuncle would probably leap right into her arms. What’s she doing in the capital right now? He’d exchanged a few letters with her, and he knew she was doing well, but sometimes he couldn’t help but worry about her out of the blue.

“…………”

“…………What’s with that look?”

“All you ever talk about is the saintess, you know.”

“…Do I? I didn’t mean to.”

“You do. You might not realize it, but it’s always about what she likes or her hobbies. It’s like a doting dad bragging about his kid.”

“Yeah… you might be right about that…” Clarel admitted. Whether he was alone or with the three women staying here, Reina was always on his mind. Man, I’m really overprotective… I thought I’d gotten over letting her go, but I guess not.

“It’ll be a nice change of pace, so come on, help us out. I’ll make it worth your while,” Erika urged.

“…Yeah, that sounds good.” There weren’t any strong magical beasts in that forest, so heading out with a picnic vibe didn’t sound bad. Come to think of it, in the five years since he was assigned here, he’d barely left town. He’d always been a homebody, indoorsy type. Even in his past life, he spent his days off gaming.

“Alright, I’ll help.”

“Thanks! Let’s head out right away.”

“Whoa, right now?”

“You’re free in the mornings, aren’t you? After a week of living together, I can tell!” Erika said with a grin. As a priest, Clarel handled healing and prayers, but at this temple, those tasks were scheduled for the afternoon. Emergency patients might show up, but in this peaceful town, that was rare.

“Fine, fine… Let’s go.”

“Kuma kuma.”

“…You’re bringing that thing too?” Erika asked, eyeing the bear.

Kuma clung to Clarel’s back, insisting on coming along as if it were a given.

“Well, it’s pretty useful in a lot of ways. You can trust it,” Clarel said. This bear once saved Reina from a kidnapping attempt, so it had solid combat skills. Bringing it along shouldn’t be a problem. “It might be way more useful than me. Reina summoned a holy spirit to reside in it, so it could even attract the Carbuncle.”

“Talking about the saintess again… Whatever, it’s fine. Do what you want,” Erika muttered, her lips pursed in a sulky frown.

She was suddenly mad again, but Clarel had no idea why. Come to think of it… She’s always been hard to read, even back then. Back at the academy, she’d pick fights with him over the tiniest things and yell at him out of nowhere. Thinking they didn’t get along, he tried keeping his distance, but for some reason, Erika kept coming to him. When they were together, she’d get mad, flustered, or embarrassed, her face cycling through every expression imaginable. A woman whose thoughts he could never figure out—that’s who Erika was to Clarel.

She’s not a bad person, though… She helped me out when I was struggling with assignments. Though she made me treat her to sweets afterward…

“…What? Why’re you staring at my face?”

“Nah, nothing. I’ll go change, so wait for me.” Clarel shrugged and headed to his room to prepare for the forest trip.

Dressed in comfortable clothes, Clarel joined Erika and the rest of ‘Fairy’s Blade’ to head to the nearby forest. The forest wasn’t home to particularly strong magical beasts, and Eggbell’s residents regularly visited for hunting, gathering firewood, or picking wild herbs.

Brushing aside overhanging branches, Clarel asked the three members of ‘Fairy’s Blade,’ “Is there really a Carbuncle in this forest? I’ve never heard the townsfolk mention anything like that…” With Tina and Kitty present, he switched to a more polite tone.

“There’s an adventurer in the capital who claims they saw it in this forest.”

“We were skeptical at first, but after investigating, we found traces.”

Tina carefully unwrapped a handkerchief, revealing a few strands of golden animal fur inside.

“What’s this?”

“We found it during a search the other day. It’s definitely Carbuncle fur,” Tina explained. “Carbuncles are covered in golden fur, with a red ruby-like gem on their forehead, and they look like rabbits.”

“Catching it means a huge reward,” Kitty added, making a circle with her thumb and index finger, a grin spreading across her face.

They continued chatting, stepping over branches and following a narrow beast trail. A few times, they encountered magical beasts, but the creatures were timid and fled at the sight of humans. After about an hour of walking, the four reached the heart of the forest—the spot where the trio had found the Carbuncle fur a few days ago.

“Shall we split up to search? Kitty and I will go together, so Erika-san, you search with Clarel-san.”

“W-Wait, why do I have to go with Clarel?!”

“Clarel-san’s a priest and can’t fight, so it makes sense for him to team up with the strongest, Erika-san, don’t you think?”

“W-Well, maybe, but…”

“Even if there aren’t strong beasts in this forest, we can’t put our helper in danger. You get that, right?”

“…Fine, I get it.”

As Tina presses her point, Erika reluctantly agrees, shooting oddly meaningful glances at Clarel.

“Alright, let’s meet back here in an hour. Oh, and we’ll take this little guy.”

“Kuma!?”

Tina scoops up Kuma.

“Kuma!?”

“This one’s got holy power, right? It’s more efficient to have Clarel-sama and this guy search separately,” Tina said.

“Cute.”

“Kumaa, kumaa!”

Kuma squirms, but Tina hands it to Kitty.

If it got serious, it could probably break free, but being hugged tightly by the petite girl, Kuma can’t bring itself to shake her off.

“See you in an hour. Good luck, Erika-san.”

“Uuu…”

Tina leaves with a cryptic comment, waving cheerfully as she disappears into the forest.

Kitty and the carried Kuma are gone, leaving Clarel and Erika behind.

“…………”

“…………”

An awkward silence envelops them. Clarel doesn’t feel it much, but for some reason, Erika radiates intense nervousness.

“Uh… alright, let’s search around here—”

“H-Hey, we came to a forest together back then too, didn’t we? You know, for academy classes.”

As Clarel moves to search through the bushes, Erika speaks up, her expression stiff.

“Hm? Oh, yeah, during the beast extermination?”

Clarel recalls the past, responding to her words.

At the academy for nobles, there were classes where they went to forests or mountains to exterminate magical beasts. Nobles, destined to lead, were obligated to protect people by fighting beasts.

Though Clarel aimed to be a priest, he joined as a healer.

“Now that I think about it, that was a close call, wasn’t it? We got separated from the group because of a beast attack, lost our way back… and had no choice but to share a tent.”

“Yeah… We were low on food, so we split some jerky and cheese between us.”

“Right… I sprained my ankle because of the beast, and you were out of divine power, so you couldn’t heal it with holy magic. You carried me on your back and somehow found the way back…”

“Hahaha, talk about nostalgic… Hm?”

“…………”

Erika reaches out and grabs the sleeve of Clarel’s jacket.

“…Even though you’re a priest who’s not good at fighting, you desperately tried to protect me. You were really cool back then.”

“…Thanks?”

Erika’s face is bright red as she speaks. Clarel braces for her usual anger, but… her teary eyes and trembling lips show an expression he’s never seen before.

She’s always been loud or angry when she opens her mouth, but this is the first time she’s so openly shared her feelings.

She’s… kinda cute, isn’t she? Clarel thought, a new feeling stirring within him. Back at the academy, he’d never seen her as a woman, yet now, strangely, she looked cuter than usual.

“Uh… Erika…?”

“I-I’m an adventurer, but I’m turning twenty-four this year. I’m starting to feel anxious about the future…”

“A-Anxious…?”

“You feel it too, don’t you, Clarel…?” She grabbed his arm with both hands, closing the distance as if pleading. The gap from her usual self made her oddly adorable face come closer, almost touching Clarel…

“KUMAAAAAAA!”

Right then, Kuma the stuffed bear leapt between them.

“Whoa!”

“Wha—!”

“Kuma kuma! Kumaa!” Clarel and Erika jumped back, creating distance. The one who dove in to separate them was Kuma, who was supposed to be with Tina and Kitty. In its short arms, it held a small, rabbit-like creature.

“Kyuu.”

“That’s… a Carbuncle!?”

A rabbit-like form, golden fur, and a red gem on its forehead—it was unmistakably the Carbuncle, said to bring good fortune. Caught by Kuma, it didn’t struggle, remaining docile and blinking its cute, round eyes at Clarel and Erika.

“Oh, no, Kuma-san!”

“We messed up.”

A moment later, the bushes rustled, and Tina and Kitty returned, looking oddly apologetic as they rejoined.

“Kuma found it, huh… Erika, this means the quest is complete!”

“…………”

Clarel glances at his friend, but… Erika stands there with a blank, soulless expression.

Her doll-like, emotionless face gives no hint of what she’s feeling, making Clarel wonder if the cute girl from moments ago was just his imagination.

◇ ◇ ◇

Having captured the Carbuncle, Clarel and the three members of ‘Fairy’s Blade’ returned to Eggbell. The Carbuncle, despite being caught, playfully tussled with Kuma, showing no sign of escaping. There was no need for ropes or cages.

For some reason, Erika remained in a daze the entire way back, but the job was successfully completed.

“Priest-sama! It’s an emergency!”

Just as they were about to rest at the temple, a town resident, Eddie, rushed in, his face pale with panic.

“What’s wrong, Eddie-san?”

“Th-The old blacksmith collapsed, and it’s bad! Can you come quick!?”

“Grandpa Welly… What happened!?”

The blacksmith, Welly, was a familiar face, an old man who used to visit the temple diligently before Reina left for the capital.

“W-Well… the old man was like, ‘If I get sick, Reina-chan will come back!’ and he stuffed himself with barley porridge until he collapsed…”

“Is he an idiot!?” Clarel snapped, throwing aside his polite tone.

He knew the old blacksmith was a devoted fan of Reina, but he never imagined the man would do something so foolish. At his age, fawning over a girl not even twenty years old? Clarel felt the urge to lecture him.

“Sorry, everyone. I might be back late, so go ahead and rest!” Clarel called out to Erika and the others before hurrying out of the temple.

“Now… time for a lecture.”

The three women left behind saw Clarel off and sat at the temple’s dining table. Tina cleared her throat with a cough before speaking.

“Erika-san… So, you didn’t end up confessing your feelings?”

“…………It couldn’t be helped,” Erika muttered, pouting sulkily.

“I tried my best, you know… but something always interrupted at the critical moment…”

“That’s pathetic.”

“Coward.”

Not just Tina, but even Kitty spat out harsh words.

“B-But…!”

“If you were serious about confessing, you could’ve pushed through despite interruptions and just proposed. Deep down, aren’t you relieved you didn’t have to confess?”

“Uuu…”

Erika faltered. Tina’s words hit the mark. While Erika felt regret for not confessing, part of her was relieved. Normally bold and assertive in everything, she somehow became timid whenever Clarel was involved.

As one might guess, Erika had been harboring a crush on Clarel since their school days—a complicated one at that.

“To begin with… why didn’t you confess back when we were students?”

“That’s… well… back then, I was rejecting the marriage proposals my father arranged and planning to become an adventurer, so I thought it’d be a burden…”

“And why didn’t you contact him in the five years after graduation? You’ve long since made up with your family, right?”

“W-Well, I wanted to establish myself as an adventurer first, you know, for income and stability and stuff…”

“And after coming to this town and reuniting, why didn’t you make a proper move, let alone confess?”

“B-Because that bear stuffed animal…!”

“Sure, that bear does get in the way a lot, but if you really wanted to, you could’ve made it happen, right? That wasn’t the only chance you had to propose.”

“U-Uuu…” Erika growled like a beast, turning her face away from Tina’s accusing gaze.

Tina was utterly exasperated by her friend’s pathetic display. “Erika-san… aren’t you just looking for excuses to avoid confessing?”

“Coward.”

“Hau…”

Pierced by their sharp words, Erika slumped her shoulders.

“B-But… if I confess and get rejected, it’ll ruin our relationship, and I won’t even be able to face him properly anymore…”

“You’re saying that after not contacting him for five years?”

“Coward.”

“B-But… whenever we meet, I end up snapping at him, so I thought he might hate me…!”

“Maybe he doesn’t hate you, but you haven’t made a single step forward!”

“Coward.”

“Au…” Running out of excuses, Erika went silent, her eyes teary.

Tina shook her head, sighing as if giving up on her. “Clarel-san’s at a good age, and he’s probably thinking about marriage too. He must have women he’s interested in. If you keep dawdling, someone’s going to snatch him up.”

Erika was already failing to capitalize on the advantage of being his friend from school. She must’ve noticed the shadow of a powerful rival like the saintess, so how could she not see she was heading straight for defeat?

“Are you okay with Clarel-san belonging to another woman?”

“That’s… I don’t want that.”

“Then… you know what to do, right?”

“…………”

Prompted by Tina, Erika bit her lip tightly and stood up.

“Alright… I’m going to propose to Clarel!”

“Yes, that’s the spirit!”

“Next year! I’ll polish my feminine charm, take on tons of jobs to save up for marriage expenses… and next year, I’ll definitely confess and propose!”

“…………”

Tina’s face twitched, speechless at her friend’s enthusiastic chickening out.

“Coward.”

Kitty’s mutter echoed hollowly through the temple.

◇ ◇ ◇

With the Carbuncle captured, ‘Fairy’s Blade’s’ job in Eggbell was complete. The day after finishing, they prepared to return to the capital.

“It was a short stay, but thanks for having us.”

“Yeah, take care on your way back.”

At the town entrance, Clarel bid farewell to Erika and the others.

Though brief, he was glad to catch up with an old friend.

What’s most relieving… is knowing a friend my age is still single like me. I’m not the only bachelor noble out there. Clarel gave a wry smile, thinking something he’d never dare say to Erika. Five years since graduating and being assigned to Eggbell as a priest, many old acquaintances had married, making him feel pressured. He’d been invited to weddings and even asked to officiate some. Amid that, a friend staying single and focused on work was honestly a relief.

Even Roywood’s talking about marrying his girlfriend someday… Man, meeting Erika really put me at ease.

“It was great seeing you, Erika. Keep doing your thing in the capital.”

“W-What’s with the sudden sappiness… I-It’s kinda gross.”

Despite Clarel sharing his honest feelings, Erika’s face turned red.

Seems he made her mad again. Maybe she somehow sensed he’d mentally labeled her as his fellow single buddy.

“Haha, just kidding, just kidding… Oh, here’s a bento and some food for the Carbuncle. I prepared it, so take it with you.”

“Oh, how thoughtful. I’ll take it without hesitation.”

“And… about the reward for capturing the Carbuncle…”

“I’ll make sure it’s transferred properly. Your bear was the one who caught it, after all.”

“Got it, that’s fine then.”

Having said what he needed, Clarel raised his right hand. “Alright, take care.”

“Yeah… let’s meet again in a year. You’d better be ready!” Erika left a cryptic remark and climbed into the carriage.

Tina and Kitty, already inside, poked their heads out the window and waved.

“Goodbye, Priest-sama.”

“See ya.”

“Yes, let’s all meet again.”

The carriage started moving, passing through the town’s gate and heading out. It gradually grew distant and eventually disappeared over the hill, out of sight.

“Well… back to living alone.”

“Kuma kuma!” As if refusing to be forgotten, Kuma clung to his back, asserting its presence.

“Oh, my bad, my bad. Man… it’s getting pretty hot, huh?” Being stuck to Kuma outside, Clarel couldn’t help but feel summer’s arrival.

“The Royal Academy’s summer break is coming up… I wonder how Reina’s spending it.” She probably had holy tasks at the Grand Temple, but she should get some time off. He’d asked the Cardinal to look after Reina and told her to protest directly if she was being overworked.

“Kuma, kuma kuma.”

“Nah, nah… she won’t come back here. Wanting to spend summer break in a boring rural town like this? No way she’d think that,” Clarel said with a wry smile at Kuma’s words (?).

Right now, Reina was probably making friends at the academy and building relationships with capture targets. If the game’s storyline held, summer break events should trigger. She wouldn’t have time to return to Eggbell.

“Reina’s living her youth to the fullest. Coming back to this town is probably…”

I’ll definitely come back.

“Nwah!?”

Someone whispered in his ear.

He clapped a hand over his ear and whipped around, but… no one was there.

“J-Just my imagination…”

I’ll definitely come back…… so, no cheating, okay?

“…………”

Again, he thought he heard someone… no, the familiar voice of her.

“N-No, it’s just my imagination. Yup.”

Could he, too, be suffering from saintess withdrawal, hearing hallucinations? He couldn’t laugh at the old blacksmith anymore.

“Yeah… just my imagination. Totally.”

Rubbing his ear as if escaping reality, Clarel headed back to the temple.