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Chapter 7
Clunk—
After arriving in front of the prayer room, Welpion grabbed the doorknob and turned it to the side.
With a heavy sound, the massive door opened, revealing the inside, where a soft glow lingered.
“Please, come inside.”
Welpion entered the prayer room first.
Estelle and I followed behind him.
“Wow……”
At that moment, a sound escaped Estelle’s lips—whether it was surprise or admiration, I couldn’t tell.
Because I couldn’t understand what she meant by that strange sound, I turned my head toward where her gaze was fixed.
And soon, I understood why.
In front of the prayer room’s wall stood a statue of the god Havika.
The statue depicted Havika holding a single daffodil and slightly lowering their head.
It was so lifelike that even though it was only a statue, the gentle expression and noble aura made it feel as if the god had truly descended into the world.
Along with the sense of wonder came a strange feeling of pressure.
Without realizing it, I swallowed dryly.
“The prayer room is simply a place where you can come closest to Havika without being disturbed. There is no need to feel nervous. Please remain here with a relaxed heart.”
As if he noticed my feelings, Welpion lightly patted my shoulder.
Then, gently running his hand down my arm, he took my hand in his.
“Then, let us pray to Havika.”
After Welpion finished his brief prayer for me, I carefully opened my eyes.
Then I moved my gaze and looked at Estelle sitting beside me and Welpion praying for her.
When he prayed for me, he had clasped both of my hands together.
But with Estelle, he was kneeling on one knee and placing his right hand above her head.
‘Oh. This is actually pretty good?’
Looking at them like this, Welpion and Estelle seemed like quite a good pair.
Estelle’s beauty was naturally outstanding, and Welpion’s appearance was also breathtaking.
It was a kind of gentle, benevolent, sacred beauty that didn’t match his teenage years.
Furthermore, Welpion was someone destined to become a cardinal in the future.
He had the power to protect Estelle when she was struggling.
And since their age difference wasn’t that large either, if their relationship developed positively, it would be a truly wonderful thing.
Character – Welpion: Trust Level: 0
……Although it looked like we would have to work hard.
Faith: 4 (+4)
Morality: 33 (+3)
It seemed the prayer was over.
As Welpion’s hand gently brushed down Estelle’s head before falling away, her Faith and Morality stats increased.
I quickly closed my slightly opened eyes.
Then I slowly lifted my eyelids and pretended as if I had been praying sincerely.
“Ugh!”
However, perhaps because I had been kneeling for too long—
When I tried to stand up, a tingling sensation shot through my legs.
My legs gave out for a moment, and I lost my balance.
I fell back down onto the floor.
“Are you alright?”
When I looked up, I saw Welpion staring at me with worried eyes.
It seemed he had seen me try to stand up only to wobble and collapse.
Embarrassment rushed over me as I realized I had just performed some ridiculous physical comedy in front of him.
“Please take my hand and stand up. I will support you.”
“Th-thank you.”
Just as I was about to grab the hand Welpion offered—
Estelle suddenly grabbed my hand and pulled me up.
“Thank you for your prayers. Then we will be leaving now.”
While I was still confused, Estelle spoke in her usual blunt tone.
Then, holding my hand, she quickly left the prayer room.
I followed her pace as we walked, but I turned my head back.
Inside the prayer room that was growing farther away, I saw Welpion still standing silently in the same place.
I hurriedly bowed my head slightly toward him in farewell and rushed after Estelle.
The backs of the two people walking away down the corridor gradually became too small to see.
Welpion carefully closed the prayer room door and turned around.
Step.
Step.
The sound of Welpion’s footsteps, which had echoed rhythmically throughout the prayer room, stopped in front of the statue of Havika.
He lifted his head and looked directly at the god’s face.
“The moment I saw that person, I felt it.”
Welpion took a deep breath.
Then he closed his eyes and whispered after opening them again.
“I feel as though I will meet her often in the future.”
His lips curled upward.
Perhaps because of that smile, his tightly closed lips seemed to hold a gentle expression.
“This must be the will you have given me.”
The excitement of the festival did not die down even after evening arrived.
At every street stall, merchants shouted to attract customers, while laughter from people wandering through the streets echoed everywhere.
Estelle and I also enjoyed the festival like everyone else, looking around at various interesting things.
And before we knew it, quite some time had passed.
“I think I’m getting hungry. How about you, Estelle?”
My stomach felt completely empty.
That was because we hadn’t eaten anything since leaving the temple.
I rubbed my growling stomach and asked Estelle.
“I’m hungry too.”
“Then should we go somewhere and eat something?”
“Earlier, all the restaurants looked completely full.”
“Don’t worry about that. Even on days like this, there’s a place where we can eat without waiting in line. And of course, the taste is guaranteed!”
Estelle looked at me suspiciously, as if asking whether such a place really existed.
I thumped my chest and told her to trust me.
Then I firmly grabbed Estelle’s hand and pushed through the crowd.
A little while later, the place I brought Estelle to was an inn near our house.
“You haven’t been here before, right?”
“Morris Inn……?”
Estelle tilted her head while looking at the name written on the sign.
It seemed strange to her that the inn’s name was the same as my surname.
I could feel her curious gaze, but instead of answering her questions, I entered the restaurant inside the inn.
Inside the restaurant, a moderate number of people were sitting and eating.
Compared to the restaurants with lines stretching outside, it had a relatively quiet atmosphere.
I walked inside naturally and found a seat.
Then I called out loudly toward a middle-aged woman with a sturdy build who was carrying dishes.
“Miss Kate!”
At my shout, the woman turned around.
The moment she spotted me, she quickly walked over with a bright smile.
Her strong-looking features softened into a warm and gentle expression.
“Oh my, isn’t that Reina? How long has it been!”
“It’s been a while, Miss Kate.”
“Exactly! It really has been a long time! I told you to come more often.”
“Hehe.”
Kate approached me and hugged me warmly.
Her embrace, filled with affection and warmth, made my heart feel cozy.
“By the way, who is this little lady?”
“Ah. I should introduce you first. This is Estelle.”
“Estelle? You mean the one from that rumor?”
So Julie had said rumors about Estelle were spreading.
It seemed Kate had heard them too.
She placed both hands on her waist, raised one eyebrow, and smiled brightly at Estelle.
“Hello, Estelle. I’m Kate. Just call me Miss Kate.”
“I’m Estelle. I owe Miss Morris a lot. Please call me Estelle.”
“Oh my. You call Reina ‘Miss Morris’? That sounds so formal.”
Kate looked startled by Estelle’s greeting.
However, she quickly relaxed her expression and shrugged.
“Well, I suppose I was planning to call Reina ‘Miss Morris’ too once she returned to the inn.”
“Wait, Miss Kate. What do you mean by that?”
“I’m only a temporary owner. When the original owner returns, the representative should return to their rightful place.”
“Temporary? Seriously, Miss Kate. When are you going to accept it?”
I crossed my arms and pouted at Kate’s answer, which she said as if it were obvious.
Seeing me like that, Kate burst into hearty laughter, hugged me again, and gently patted my head.
Then, when I happened to glance beside me, I saw Estelle staring at Kate and me with her lips tightly pressed together.
There was a strange hint of curiosity hidden beneath her expressionless face.
From the inn being named Morris to the conversation Kate and I had just shared—she seemed unable to understand the situation.
I slipped out of Kate’s arms and spoke.
“The inn’s name was Morris, right?”
“Yes. It was the same as Miss Morris’s surname.”
“The people who raised me like their own daughter were the Morrises. They were the original owners of this inn.”
I roughly smoothed down my messy hair with my hand.
Then, looking proudly at Kate, I continued.
“Before they passed away, they handed the inn over to me. But I gave it to Miss Kate instead. I didn’t have the confidence to run the inn as well as she could. Miss Kate had worked here for a long time, so she knows everything about it.”
Kate placed one hand on her waist and shook her head.
“Even so, I’m only a temporary owner and a representative.”
“Legally, you’re the owner, you know.”
“What does that matter? I only have to return it when you come back.”
Ah, seriously! I told her I don’t have the confidence to manage an inn!
I hit my chest in frustration and looked at Kate with a resentful expression.
That was when—
Grrrroooowl—
A loud sound came from somewhere.
