Chapter 61

The Moment of Being Rewarded
Ah, when something incomprehensible happens to a person, their mind goes completely blank, huh. I learned something today.

Taking a deep breath, I reset my thoughts for a moment.

"Um. Why stroking your heads?"

Could it be, perhaps there is some ritualistic reason.

Including why it was me, I tried asking, but...

(We want to be praised.)

An outrageous answer came back.

Wanting to be praised... it's not like you're children or anything.

As I backed away a bit, an aged Saint laughed cheerfully.

(Hoho. You won't make him understand with just that. Here, leave it to me.)

(I-I am terribly sorry, Predecessor-sama.)

Whether he was the highest-ranking among them or an old-timer, the other clergy fell silent all at once.

Unconsciously, I straightened my back too.

Even though he should be long deceased, his presence was incredible.
In front of this person, I feel like confessing everything. Even though I haven't done anything bad.

(Dyrel-kun. Do you think we have ever met the Goddess?)

"As for that... wouldn't you have?"

Far from getting married, unable to even come in contact with the opposite sex.
Constantly striving for temperance, praying for the sake of the people, and even in death still guarding the Sacred Remains Cave.

For them, who cast aside mind and body to serve the Goddess, to have never seen their Lord...

(Hoho… we have not. Far from it, we have not even heard her voice.)

"Ngh...!"

Unintentionally, I tightly gripped my clothes.

That's way too cruel. Can something... this unrewarded even exist...?

(You are kind, you are. There is no need to be angry. We aspired to the path of the clergy knowing that full well. Once our duties here are finished, we can pass on to the Goddess's side, you see.)

… Earlier, he said it.

That with this many of them, only ten people had crumbled away so far.

Just how many years must pass before the rest of the people can meet the Goddess?

(The successors who come here cannot hear our voices until they are on the verge of death… it is the first time. A young person other than clergy who can converse with us like this.)

Emotions of loneliness rode upon the aged Saint's voice.

The other people weren't uttering voices either, but I felt sorrow in their slightly leaking sighs.

(We want to be touched. We want to feel warmth. We want to be praised… that is why we imposed upon you. Wanting you to stay here forever.)

"... That's why only the perceived time I felt was abnormally long, wasn't it."

To my words, no one replied. It was silent affirmation.

That is... somehow, understandable.

For me too, my parents died early.

If Lufen hadn't been there, I might have strayed from the path.

Because she was there for me, the me of today exists.

But these people do not have that.

There are people who give thanks to them, but... nobody praises them.

There probably isn't anyone who would carelessly try to touch those who serve the Goddess.

That is precisely why they want to be praised.

Like a parent. Affectionately.

............

"I'm sorry. I cannot praise you in the way you all desire."

I lowered my head deeply.

From everyone, sighs of disappointment leaked out.

(... No, it's fine. We are the ones who should be sorry. Asking for such a strange thing…)

"Precisely because of that. I can only do something like this."

When I touched the barrier of light, while feeling a little resistance, I was able to enter inside.

It was warm, and my heart became calm.

This is inside the barrier cast by the Goddess... It feels like all wicked thoughts are vanishing away.

I knelt in front of the aged Saint.

Truly, he was in a beautiful state to the point where he looked ready to breathe again at any moment.

Wrapping both of my hands around his praying hands, just like that... gently, I hugged him.

It's cold. But... as expected, a little warm.

I embraced him for a few seconds.

(Ohh... ohh... the warmth of a person... I had long forgotten it...)

When I silently parted our bodies, the aged Saint's body was clad in a faint light.

"The numerous proud achievements that you all have accomplished. To praise them, my words are far too light. But... from the bottom of my heart, I can embrace you. Even if this is all I can do..."

One person, and then another, I hugged.

Everyone's bodies glowed, and they looked satisfied.

(Thank you... truly, thank you...)

(This is the first time I have been embraced by a gentleman.)

(It pays to live a long life, doesn't it...)

(You're dead, Predecessor-sama.)

Just because the numbers were great, I did not cut corners.
Putting my heart into it, I continued to embrace them.

Perhaps because I was inside here, I didn't get hungry. I didn't get sleepy either. I didn't even get tired.

Several hundred, several thousand people, I repeated it.

Just how much time had passed, I wonder.

Before I realized it, I had finished hugging all of the clergy.

"... Huh, here...?"

There was a space gaping wide open.

I see... the ten clergy who had crumbled away were praying here, huh.

Having come this far, I can't leave these people out.

Even though there was no one there... in the same way, I embraced them.

… Mysterious. Even though no one was there, the sensation of a hug was firmly present.

Exactly ten people. Down to the very last one, I hugged them with all my heart.

At that moment. Suddenly, the light of the clergy's bodies began to shine intensely.

Wh-What is this...?

(Thank you, young man.)

(With this, we too are rewarded.)

(From here on, may your journey be a good one.)

(We shall be praying…)

The light became ribbons, swirling and gathering at my chest.

B-Bright. I can't keep my eyes open...!

Ugh, ohh...?!

"Dyrel-sama?"

"... Ngh!? Mi... Michelana...?"

In front of my eyes, Michelana was there with a worried face.

Behind her, Aslo and Eleriana were also there, and...

"Dyrel-sama, are you all right? The final trap has been disarmed, you know."

"H-Huh...? Wasn't I in the room of the predecessor clergy until just now...?"

"... What are you saying? Dyrel-sama, you have not moved a single step since sitting down here, you know."

That's impossible...?!

Hurriedly standing up, I approached the wall.

I tried touching it, but... it was hard. No matter how hard I tried, it didn't seem like I could go beyond this.

A dream...? For that, it felt a bit too real, or rather...

While I was bewildered, Aslo placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Are you really all right? If need be, I will go retrieve the Holy Iron Ore. You rest here for a bit."

"Ah, no, I'm fine. I'm going too."

"... Understood. But please don't overdo it."

Aslo and Eleriana moved forward, while Michelana stuck right by my side.

Was it really a dream...?

To sort out my thoughts, I scratched my head. And then... a clinking sound rang from my chest.

"Hm...?"

Beneath my clothes, there was a strange sensation.

Unbuttoning to check... a pendant shining in gold appeared.

This... if I remember correctly, was it... the emblem of the Goddess? It's something every devout believer possesses.

Of course, I didn't possess one. I wasn't a believer, after all.

"Huh? Dyrel-sama, since when were you worshipping the Goddess?"

"Ah, no... well, a lot happened."

I tucked the pendant into my chest.

It became clear… that wasn't a dream.

In that case, this pendant... becomes a unique item with no second in the world, imbued with the power of successive generations of clergy.

… If active clergy find it, it's definitely gonna turn into a massive pain.