A young girl in a village without protection

"Please, sit down."

"Thank you."

The next day, Zerisina took her foot to Lucaria's office.I wondered if it was the reception room, but it was this place because there were materials that could not be brought out.

When Zerisina sat on the sofa, Lucaria raised her hand and paid the bill.

――

Zerisina is anxious to know what to do when she sees her absent proximity to Lucaria.If you let Jade out of the room, we'll be alone.

Zerisina has a fiancé named Solatik, and since she's unmarried in the first place, she can't be alone in a room with a man....

(But that's not what you can say.)

Proof of that would be Lucaria's proximity when she left the room.

There's no way a priest doesn't know it's bad to leave an unmarried woman and a man alone.

"Jade"

"... yes"

When Zerisina called out her name, the jade behind her went out of the room as an example.Now there are only two people in the room: Zerisina and Lucaria.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done this in the first place, but I don't have to tell people much about it."

"No, I know that."

"Thank you for your understanding."

Lucaria smiled relieved, so she probably shared Zerisina's concerns.

(You must have been worried about paying someone.)

I don't think I can bother Lucaria any more with my protection.

"Thank you so much for taking the time to protect me today."

As Zerisina lowered her head deeply, Lucaria told her in a hurry, "Please stop."

"Originally speaking, there is no temple that could not see through the protection of Zerisina.Having been inconvenienced all this time, it must have been very difficult to live. "

"Ah... no, I've been blessed by my family and the people around me."

He was never abandoned because he had no protection, and Solatik never abandoned his engagement.

The nobles have said many things in the shadows, but the king and his wife have done well for Zerisina, and now they are lords, and they are full of them every day.

I can tell you that it was a happy day without protection.

Seeing Zerisina's expression soften, Lucaria smiled too.

"Before we talk about the protection of Zerisina, let me talk about the ritual."

"--yes!"

Of course, nod.

Zerisina was given protection or performed a ritual of protection at the age of six, about eleven years from now.

It was the small temple of the Kingdom of Alvarad that Zerisina performed the ritual of protection.The man from the priest told me, "There is no protection from anyone."

How cruel the words were in this world where protection was the norm.

"It was a blessing priest named Carter who was in charge of the blessing ceremony.I've heard about him, but he really didn't know how to protect Zerisina. "

…………

Zélicina listens quietly to Lucaria's words.

Apparently, the people involved at the time were alive.I didn't introduce myself properly, but if I was told, I might have been a man of that name.

(I don't even remember my face....)

"Of course, I checked not only with Carter, but also with the priests and witches of the day.There was no such thing as lack of protection, there was no precedent, so everyone remembered very well. "

Marquise, fiancée of the prince of the kingdom of Alvarad.

That alone is easy to remember, but Zerisina was branded without protection.You can't forget that.

It's just that, really, there was no protection?It will be difficult to come up with a clear answer.

(I didn't even realize I was protecting myself.)

"Everything is a shortage of power in the temple.It wasn't good that Carter made a quick decision.I'm really sorry, Zerisina. "

"Please raise your face. Though the temple's judgment is not the fault of Lucaria."

"... you're so kind."

Lucaria continued saying, "It's about punishment."

"Carter was stripped of his position in the shrine and became a priest apprentice in the small shrine.You won't get any higher status in the future.You may wish for more punishment - the status quo is full. "

Unfortunately, Lucaria once again said an apology.

I once wondered what punishment would be given to a blessed priest who knew that he had the protection of a goddess and made a judgment without protection.

Considering the identity of Zerisina, it would have been a bad decision.Had it not been for a neutral institution called the Temple, the death penalty would probably have been imposed.Even a blessed priest, Carter is not noble.

But this is a temple.

The temple will have its place as a temple and its rules.

(Worst, I thought maybe a few months of caution...)

Carter was probably in his 40s when he performed the ceremony of Zerisina's protection.With that in mind, it is possible that his position in the temple is now stable, he has no problem with money, and he is living in a calm old age.

Losing that status and becoming an apprentice for the rest of my life... seems like a very thoughtful punishment from the reborn Zerisina.

I can't say that the punishment is light.

"Enough. Thank you for your response."

"No, thank you, Zerisina."

After the conversation, Lucaria had a cup of tea, so Zerisina also moisturized her throat.Because I was nervous, my throat seemed drier than I thought.

(Delicious....)

A sigh of relief emptied the tea.Luckily, the teapot was right there, so I could brew a refill for Lucaria and my teacup.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Zerisina is a customer."

"No, don't worry about it this much."

"... thank you."

I just had a short break and had a cookie to calm down a little.