Blessing of purification (1)
“Dad!”
“Lizeyaaa!”
It’s only been a few days, but it felt like a long time ago.
I had gone to meet him at the front gate of Hisera beforehand, and I caught Rize as she jumped off the carriage, and I turned around in place while holding her in my arms.
Irina, who was in the driver’s seat, put on a tired expression, but that was normal, so I enjoyed meeting Rize without raising an eyebrow.
Still, it was a busy place and it was even more crowded because of the New Year’s celebrations, so it was impossible to continue, so we quickly got on the carriage together.
Rize sat next to me, and the companion who met me was seated across from me.
Rize, who belatedly realized its existence, asked with a puzzled expression.
“Are you my dad’s friend?”
Responding to Rize’s question, Astell, who was wrapped up from head to toe instead of armor, stretched out his chest and gave a confident voice.
“May the blessings of the rich land be with you. Nice to meet you, girl. I am Astel, who serves Lady Di Gena, the goddess of the earth.”
Why is he talking like the first time we met?
I was wondering what to say, but I decided to watch it for a while because I wanted to know what to do.
“hello? It’s called Rize. Did Priest Astel come here to bless people too?”
“… … .”
“What is your relationship with Lu Nera? Where is the Digena church?”
“… … .”
“Priest Astel must be one of the most prominent people in Digenaism, right? So, are you here to help Hisera?”
“… … .”
Rize’s pure question mercilessly dug into Astel’s stomach.
In the end, Astell turned his head towards me and let out a weeping voice.
“Abyeeein… … !”
“So why are you bluffing that doesn’t work?”
I said that with a sigh and gave a rough explanation of Astel’s situation to Rize.
I didn’t even talk about the Jisat kingdom, but Astel is the last priest of Digena, a forgotten god, and he is training in Luneraism for the revival of Digenaism… … I was just trying to explain.
“Lizee! I’m having a hard time!”
Astell was expressing his sadness to Rize to the point where he wondered if it was the first time they saw each other today.
Of course, it was not about the difficult life before becoming a priest, but about the education she was receiving from Miriam.
I know that I live a very tight life as it is my job to train my faith, but… … I wondered what he was doing to a child six years younger than himself.
Now, he knelt down on the carriage floor and propped his upper body on Rize’s legs, pretending to cry.
Even if she wanted to take it off, Rize reached out first and lightly patted Astell’s hair and stroked it.
After all, she was the world’s best daughter in kindness.
In the end, he continued to do so until he reached the Great Church, so I had to grab Astell by the back of his head and raise him up.
Seeing me getting off the carriage, Irina raised the corners of her mouth and said in a mocking tone.
“You picked up something interesting again.”
“Not funny. I’m glad I have some skills.”
“yes? ability?”
I let go of Astel, who stupidly questioned me, and landed with a perfect sense of balance.
Even though he usually looks dumbfounded, the defensive ability that came out of that body was beyond imagination.
As long as there is still room for further development… … I didn’t know that in the future, it might become an impenetrable barrier even if I exert my full strength.
Although I can’t imagine it at all right now.
As we left the carriage and entered the main church together, a person who seemed to have been contacted in advance came out to meet us.
“Geg!”
Miriam glared at Astel, who let out a short scream, then turned her head to Rize and smiled.
“May the road ahead be full of light. welcome. I was waiting. You are the benefactor of the church.”
“Hello, High Priest Miriam!”
Since they already knew each other, Rize greeted her with a happy face, and Miriam also showed her happiness with a smile.
Then, this time, he looked at me and spoke.
“As I said, the blessing of purification was carried out by me. We are currently making final adjustments, so we will guide you to a place to rest for a while.”
“Is the high priest himself?”
“Someone wants to see you two. I will only accompany you until the guidance because of preparation.”
“aha… … .”
It was roughly expected.
Of the outside guests in Hisera right now, there are only a handful of people who want to meet the two of us together.
With Rize, who still didn’t know who the customer was, they followed Miriam down the hallway and arrived at the parlor that looked the best in the church.
Miriam knocked and spoke to the inside.
“This is Miriam. We have brought guests who have been waiting for us.”
“Come on in.”
Rize opened her eyes at the slightly urgent voice.
The door opened, and Miriam, who first greeted me inward, stepped aside and spoke to me.
“Then I hope you can share your stories. When we are ready, we will send someone.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
After seeing off Miriam, who smiled once and left, went inside and found that only four people were seated in the spacious drawing room.
Two of them were handmaidens, and one was Roxana, the escort knight holding the door.
And the one left… … .
“Rize!”
“Diana!”
As soon as Roxana closed the door, Rize and Princess Diana ran to each other and embraced each other.
Seeing the friendship overflowing, I smiled naturally.
The ladies-in-waiting, who were not familiar with the situation, looked a little surprised, but soon returned to their original duties and prepared to entertain guests.
“Lord Irina is here too. I thought you’d be drowning in household chores.”
“That’s all nonsense, Roxana? Isn’t that the one whose sword has become dull? Does it look like it will lose even to me like this?”
“Where would you like to try it?”
“No specifications. It’s been a long time since the new year has come, but I can’t ruin it with trivial things like fighting with you.”
Seeing Irina and Roxana snarling as soon as they met, it was strange that they were in complete contrast with the other side.
Roxana immediately turned her head to the side, clicking her tongue at Irina.
“Is this someone you haven’t seen before?”
Astell looked around as if he hadn’t grasped the situation, but when he met Roxana’s eyes, he came to his senses and flinched, then put his hands on his chest and bowed.
“May the blessings of the rich land be with you. nice to meet you I am Astel, who serves De Gena, the goddess of the earth.”
It was a perfect introduction to the point where I wondered if Miriam had intensively trained me on that greeting.
Come to think of it, it was similar when I greeted Rize.
When it was revealed that the identity of the person wearing a suspicious outfit wrapped tightly was a priest, Roxana looked a bit surprised and took a stance in moderation.
“Ah, you are a priest. nice to meet you I am Roxana Diorson, the first sword to protect Princess Diana Rita Faerun.”
“Hwahwahwa, are you the princess?!”
Astel’s mask was immediately shattered by the completely unexpected words.
Then, with eyes of disbelief, after seeing Rise and Diana still hugging each other, she turned to me.
It’s just what it looks like, nothing to explain.
As soon as he nodded his head in that sense, Astell began to tremble like an aspen tree.
It seemed that he couldn’t stand being in the same room as the princess.
I was anxious to leave it as it was, so I roughly dragged it by the scruff of its neck and sat it on a chair in the corner. Then, when I turned my head, I saw the two girls who had finally broken their arms.
“how have you been?”
“Yes, thanks. Rize seems to have gotten stronger while I haven’t seen her, right?”
“Hee hee, can I? You will become stronger in the future.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it. Oh, come on, sit down. I have prepared some delicious tea for you.”
Diana, who was about to sit on the sofa with Rize, belatedly realized my presence and greeted me in embarrassment.
“Oh, sorry. It’s late to say hello. Irvin-nim, have you been well?”
“Yes, I was able to live comfortably thanks to the princess.”
“Even if you say it like before… … .”
“There will be another opportunity next time.”
Diana still wants me to treat her as her friend’s father, but there are also eyes here, so I shouldn’t have been comfortable with me either.
Still, at the word next, Diana smiled faintly and nodded.
I had a relaxing break after a long time listening to the chatter of the girls sitting next to each other.
Maybe it’s because I’ve been a bit busy with the Dark Truth Church lately, and I ended up getting involved with the Dark Lord, so this time felt very sweet.
* * *
A chapel with a solemn atmosphere.
Divine power was subtly filled inside, and the priests around it sang chants to further boost the divine power.
In the meantime, Rize was walking slowly surrounded by three priests.
Seeing that serious expression on Rize’s face, I was emotionally moved.
Rize, who had descended into the hollow floor prepared under Miriam standing on the podium, was wearing pure white clothes.
It was so thin that I was worried that it would be cold.
Miriam opened her mouth after confirming that Rize and all other priests were in their places.
“Then now, Lu Nera’s clear light shines here.”
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At that moment, a faint light from somewhere in the slightly dark chapel began to illuminate Rize.
The sight was very solemn and even wonderful.
“He who has become dirty with the turbidity of the world wants to shake off his filth here.”
Immediately after, the priests who were waiting around Rize scooped a bowl of water from a previously prepared basin and started pouring it on Rize’s body little by little.
It must have been specially purified holy water.
Wouldn’t it be cold?
It may be a necessary process, but I couldn’t help but feel anxious just watching it.
Contrary to my worries, Rize quietly accepted it without flinching.
Every time Miriam’s words continued, the hymn the priests sang gradually raised the heat, and with him, the divine power that filled the chapel became more and more powerful.
Suddenly, the light dwelt in the water up to Rize’s ankles, and soon even the water flowing through Rize’s body began to emit light.
“The brilliant light will drive away all the darkness in the world. The stains of darkness on this little body will disappear without a trace.”
With her eyes fixed on the air, Miriam’s prayers recited more and more heat, and the more she did, the stronger the light that covered the holy water grew.
I was worried about the health of Rize’s eyes because it was so dazzling even when I was watching from behind.
“Lu Nera, please lend me that brilliant light here.”
The moment Miriam said that and prayed with her hands together, the light of the holy water reached its peak.
As if countless stars were competing, countless sparkles covered Rize’s body, and soon faded one by one, revealing Rize’s body again.
Rize was obviously soaked in the holy water, but now she couldn’t find even a trace of it.
Up until then, Rize had been calm, but soon she flinched, and anyone could see that she was paying attention.
Miriam, who was watching from the front, also saw through it and spoke with a light smile.
“It’s over, now you can open your eyes.”
“Puha! This feels really weird! My whole body was drenched, and the light seemed to tickle me, then it felt so clean as if I had just taken a bath, and then… … .”
Rize seemed to have been holding her breath together, and she poured out her words excitedly.
It was the moment when he tried to approach Rize.
“… … Rize?!”
It was a sudden light.
There wasn’t even a window, but an intense light that I couldn’t tell where it came from was pouring into Rize.
Seeing that Miriam was also taken aback, it was clear that this was unexpected.
I hurriedly threw myself at Rize, but… … Before I arrived, the light slowly diminished in size.
Rize, who was revealed again, was also making a puzzled expression, and I quickly checked Rize’s physical condition.
“are you okay? Are there any strange places? Has anything changed?”
“Uh, uh, yes. I’m fine… … . It was a very warm feeling. What happened?”
There were no injuries or anything, but I didn’t know anything about this phenomenon either.
In the end, she turned her gaze to Miriam and demanded an explanation.
“Lunera… … Rize, to the believers… … directly… … You have blessed the light… … !”