I shook my head vigorously to dispel those unpleasant memories.
‘If it’s only about serving the Incompetent God, then I won’t have any complaints.’
However, attending to the deity as a saintess did not have the exact meaning as stated.
The partner was a deity.
He was an existence that must be revered.
Even though I thoroughly understood these things, there was an appropriate reason for me to refuse.
‘I also have a fiancé, notwithstanding I’m a substitute!’
The saintess chosen by the deity is – in other words, it is the bride of the deity.
The meaning of service also included serving in bed.
Furthermore, this depended entirely on the deity’s whims.
If one was chosen as a saintess, but they did not have a marital relationship, then having a human lover was acceptable in some cases.
However, a married couple is still a married couple.
It was common practice that she could not marry anyone else as long as she was married to the deity
‘It was a political marriage, you know? There’s no meaning if the marriage didn’t push through! It’s not a laughing matter that my engagement got cancelled just because of a deity!’
Indeed, I also wanted to be the saintess before.
However, once I realized I did not have the aptitude for it, I gave up and decided to live as a proper young lady of the count’s household.
I also decided to be on good terms with my fiancé, and to become a splendid madam of an aristocratic household after marriage.
For that to be cancelled just because of a mud-like incompetent god, it couldn’t even pass as a joke.
‘Father said he would try to do something about the engagement, but…’
The Shrine venerated the deities and they had the Saintess by their side, so they wielded a powerful political influence within the country.
It was unthinkable for a mere noble to run his mouth against them.
Besides, Father doted on Amalda more than his own daughters, so it was uncertain how serious he was in doing something for us.
‘To think that..in this dirty room, I had to serve the incompetent god…’
How long should I stay as a substitute? Why did I…
“….Excuse me.”
“…Really, why did I end up this way.”
“…Excuse me?”
“It’s all Amalda’s fault. She’s been like that ever since! But she’s not a bad girl, though…”
She’s not a bad girl per se, but she had always imposed herself on me, so she’s the person I wanted to cut-off ties with as soon as possible.
Amalda was the daughter of Father’s bosom friend, so she often went to our house to play.
During those times, Father, Elder Brother, and even the staff would always be enraptured by her.
My elder sister and I would stare at her coldly as she stood surrounded by people, mostly males.
‘Eleanor. Be wary of Amalda. In particular, never let her come near the man you love.’
I recalled the words of my sister who had left the home after her marriage.
‘Whatever we do, we will eventually be treated as villains. As much as possible, do not be involved with her. She may not be a terrible child, but that girl’s character is great.’
Sister got her engagement cancelled because she was told that her partner ‘fell in love with Amalda’; thus, her words had some weight.
Afterward, she found a partner who was even better and they got married. My sister was strong.
“…That’s right.”
Despite Amalda’s existence, Elder Sister was not discouraged, and she managed to find a better partner.
Even at that time, Amalda kept pestering Elder Sister’s husband – His Excellency the Duke, as always, saying things like ‘as the lover of my best friend, I would like to support you’, or ‘if you have any worries, I am here to listen.’
In the end, Elder Sister told her to stop bothering them, but she replied, ‘How terrible, I didn’t mean to do that’ and cried. In the course of events, rumors from the surrounding people saying ‘She did not do anything, yet she was suddenly reproached’ spread all around.
‘To anger the young lady of the count’s house…I’m sure I did something out of the line as a baron’s daughter. The Duke was also kind, and he always accommodated me, so I became spoiled.’
In fact, I did hear her say that.
No, really.
If you understand, then don’t do it.
Purposely calling out to my sister while they were on a date, then joining them with coincidence as pretext, then making His Excellency treat her on the pretext of being the baron’s daughter; as expected, it was too much.
Even so, Father and Elder Brother, who were overly soft towards Amalda, said, ‘What are you doing, outrageously tormenting Amalda just because you have a backer.’ Because of that, our household became on the verge of collapse.
But Elder Sister was strong.
She managed to overcome it with her current husband, and she thrusted a letter to Father stating she was breaking off their relations, and she obtained happiness safely.
Everything was entirely due to my sister since she continued to look forward.
‘Yup.’
I took a deep breath after I remembered Elder Sister.
By the way, she sent a letter breaking relations with the family, but we still have a good relationship, enough to exchange correspondence normally.
‘I should follow her example!’
“There’s no point in grumbling now! I should do what I had to do in this case!”
I continued to cheer ‘Yeah!’ inwardly, and I forcefully clenched my fists..
“Anyway! At the very least, I should greet Kami-sama! Don’t know if my words would get through, though!!”
“…Greet me, you said?”
“Yes!!!!”
I answered with all my might, then I suddenly noticed.
Yes?
Where did the voice just now come from?
Flustered, I looked around, but the scene around me didn’t change.
It was a gloomy, dusty room inside the Shrine.
Insufficient light passed through the window, and the furniture was shabby.
And then there was a gigantic dirt mountain wriggling –
………..Err.
Don’t tell me.
“….Kami-sama?”
The mountain of dirt vigorously wriggled its body once.
As if giving a slight bow –
“Indeed, nice to meet you. I am the Kami-sama you speak of….Probably.”
–––––––-
T/N: Whoa, the making of a home-wrecker…And Eleanor’s sister was really admirable for handling it pretty well! 🙂 Kami-sama and Eleanor finally met 🙂
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