Chapter 41 (1/2)

An outdoor mass was held after the meeting. Going outside in this weather? I looked out at the already busy front yard in amazement. It is a murderous scorching sun that even looks like a haze. I didn’t want to go out at all, but it was mandatory for anyone living in Luce, so I had to follow along.

“Sit here.”

He, here? I hesitated too much in a chair where only the high-ranking people could sit, so Karein said it was okay and dragged me to the seat next to him. Why is it that humans, along with the murmur, always draws a trembling gaze. I sit because I want to sit, so why are you staring at me? If you disagree, argue with Karein!

I must have sat for some time, feeling the hot gaze, and the bell tower towering over the Temple of Luce rang 12 times, signaling noon. The tiger priest, who had been glaring at me distastefully at the meeting earlier, coughed hum, hmmm, and picked up a loudspeaker that looked like a willow leaf.

[Saint Lucia.]

With the solemn voice, Lucia appeared on a platform that seemed to be designed to appear right between the two suns. Wow! The Luce citizens cheered her up and looked at her dazzlingly as she stood on the high podium.

Noon when the sun rises highest. Standing on the highest church in the Temple of Luce, reading the scripture, and preaching a sermon praising Solar. It was one of the things a saint did, which had appeared briefly in the original work.

With the help of the maids, the veil that covered her face was lifted away, and the citizens of Luce briefly exclaimed at her beautiful appearance. There were some people who were not Luce citizens who came to see the saint who had just woken up, so there were a lot of attendees at the Mass.

[Hello.]

In response to the cheers with a slight smile, Lucia opened her mouth with a cheerful voice.

[We welcome all citizens who attended today as well. I will start the Mass.]

Maybe she practiced a lot, she doesn’t have a nervous expression, and her comments are very natural. Her platinum blonde hair, which looked white in the sunlight, gently fluttered in the wind. It’s hot, what’s up with the wind? Glancing at the back of the podium curiously, the maids are sweating profusely from the back and waving.

Is it like a stage effect? While holding back my laughter, I noticed that Lucia’s gaze was somewhat off. It was such a subtle discrepancy that the citizens from afar could not notice it, but I can see it very clearly because I am close to the podium.

[Solar said stay with…… the light of all light. Lighting up the whole world forever…… ]

Besides, it was strange that she was constantly glancing through the air, so when I looked behind, I saw fairies flying around with large parchments where my eyes could reach. What is that? Looking at her in an absurd way, Vivina whispered.

“The saint could not get used to it. She’s been doing this for a few days.”

Then why the hell did she ask Karein and the Hippo Priest? Did she even ask them how to preach? After watching Lucia for a moment, glancing at the stretching cheat sheet, I suppressed a yawn. The sermon was more ordinary than I thought, and it was needlessly long. Still, I think she read it line by line for 20 minutes.

[Next, there will be time to sprinkle holy water.]

I wondered if it was just over, so she sprinkled holy water, and again, the words of blessing and the praise of the Canary Choir, O Solar.

Boring aside, the problem was that it was 12 noon. That time when the sun is the strongest and the hottest! Fortunately, I was able to avoid a ripening disaster because Vivina secretly used her wings to create shade, but the citizens sitting in the front yard without any shade were almost drowning.

Isn’t that how you get heat stroke? I looked at the monsters who were sweating with pity. In particular, the salamander monster sitting in the third row had its skin cracked like Soboro bread.

“Hold on, we’re almost done.”

The situation was not so different with Wazowski. I took it out because it was at great risk of being caught by the other maids who cleaned my room from time to time, but I had to get rid of the constant red thread. It was like bringing a snowman to the sun.

I felt pity for Wazowski, who was wandering around with the red thread, and wanted to hug it openly, but if Assand and other priests saw it, it was obvious that they would ash it right away. So I reached into my bag and stroked it.

“Are you very hot?”

“Yes, a little…… ”

When the hell is this going to end! Karein, who noticed a noticeable impatience, asked worriedly. Above all, my heart started throbbing a little while ago. Right after the Mass started, the feeling of being in a steam room began to suffocate, and at one point, a sharp stabbing pain stimulated my stomach.

“Lian, are you okay?”

The worried voice that was away, became closer.

[At the end of the ceremony to welcome the new saint, I will leave a sacred handprint.]

Meanwhile, Lucia’s handprints, which had been immersed in the bright yellow water that melted pure gold, were imprinted on the wall of the podium, and everyone stood up and applauded.

At the same time, Karein grabbed my shoulder. It was hard to even move because of the bulky priest’s uniform, but even Karein grabbed my shoulder and wouldn’t let me go, so I couldn’t move.

“Go to the ward. Miss Lian, you look very uncomfortable.”

“No. It’s not like that. I think I just got a little bit hot.”

“Your complexion is really bad.”

Let’s go. No, because it’s fine. Even if I go, they can’t fix this throbbing pain. We were arguing with each other, but as if the mass was over just in time, the crowd was pouring in and we were pushed to the side of the stairs.

“It is dangerous. Miss Lian, I will support you.”

“It’s okay.”

He treated me like a patient who can’t go down any stairs. I’m not that much. I was very nervous, so Karein followed me and asked me to hold him, but I coolly refused. And I regretted it three seconds later.

Why is it so high! One of the stairs, which was purely tailored to the size of the monster, became three times the height of the normal stairs. When I went up, I went straight to the central temple, so I didn’t know it, but it was this high. It was time to go down precariously, step by step, moaning with the feeling of descending. Someone tapped my back and pushed me.

“Ouch!”