“— It’s really annoying! Argh, that fatty priest!”
“Isn’t that person a bigwig from the Shrine’s higher-ups, right? So why did he even bother coming to the cafeteria for lower ranked saintesses, huh!?”
We were on our way to the lodging house after leaving the cafeteria.
Marie and Sofie were really irritated as they glared back at the building.
“What’s wrong with being a bit excited! Acting so high and mighty!”
“Really! He could’ve just cut us some slack, right!”
The two girls were devotedly hurling insults towards the priest since we left the dining hall.
Recently, the saintesses and the priests were all tense because of the filth’s disturbance, and there had been a lot of conflicts.
Thanks to this situation, these two seemed to have accumulated a lot of grudges, too.
“They said they’re going to investigate the source of filth, but those priests are just doubting us, in the end! Even though they’re bowing like chickens to Amalda!! This is too much!”
“Marie’s right! It’s unbelievable that they have the guts to suspect Saintesses!”
“If you’re going to doubt someone then don’t make them a saintess in the first place! Arghh! I really hate that guy!!”
They kept on badmouthing him, but I just let it pass without attempting to stop them.
I just walked a little further than the two of them — Honestly, I was a bit relieved that they’re distracted from the topic earlier.
‘I shouldn’t have consulted them.’
The night was cool even though it’s summer.
I heaved a sigh while stepping on the dry ground.
<b>“— What’s wrong with being conscious, huh?”</b>
I couldn’t hear the ruckus the two of them made while walking in front of me.
Marie’s words earlier kept on swirling in my mind, instead.
<b>“It’s not like you don’t want to because your partner is the Incompetent God, right!?”</b>
‘Yeah, that’s right…’
I inwardly agreed with the voice in my memory.
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‘It’s not like I hate Kami-sama.’
Of course, it’s because of my maiden heart that I couldn’t readily agree when told to sleep on the same bed.
Of course I’d feel some reservations after being told to live in that narrow, confined space together.
But it wasn’t because he’s the “Incompetent God”. Even if the partner was switched with another deity, I would still have some misgivings.
‘I’m worried precisely because I don’t hate him’
I had unwittingly dropped my gaze, staring at the dark shadow beneath my feet.
Just how long do I have to live this way — I heaved another sigh at the thought.
At first, Kami-sama had been unwilling with this arrangement, but he’s unexpectedly comfortable now.
Kami-sama is really kind, and once you get used to his appearance, it’s nothing.
The jelly-like body has its own emotions, and you could grasp if he’s happy or confused just by looking at him.
His body would ripple, as if chuckling while listening to my story.
He would tense his body and peer at me when he’s anxious.
There were times when he would do unexpected things that made me cringe — it would confuse me, but I didn’t hate it.
‘But…’
I inwardly shook my head.
No matter what, I am still a fake saintess — just Amalda’s substitute.
I parted ways with Marie and Sofie, and I was finally back at my room in the lodging house.
Inside the dark room, I dropped my gaze on the table.
A messy stack of letters sat on top of it.
The one on the very top was the letter I received from Father just the other day.
I focused on the line written on that letter, almost glaring at it.
“The date of the meeting with Eric Cervan has been decided.”
My life with Kami-sama has been very pleasant.
However, I cannot remain here forever.
I’m not the chosen Saintess, but the fiancee of Eric.
Ever since the day I gave up on being a saintess, I had poured my all into this wedding goal.
‘This is the critical moment.’
I strengthened my resolve while gripping my hands tightly, alone inside this silent room.
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