Chapter 31
“Good work, both of you, this morning. Here, Layla, your reward.”
At the reception desk, Sam, a small person sitting on a tall chair, handed me some copper coins.
—Just a little prayer, and I actually get paid? I’m thrilled…
“Hmm, it feels like the amount is more than last time…”
I tilted my head, counting the coins I had received. Sam answered,
“The director said to increase it.”
“The beginner parties you’ve been praying for these past few days haven’t had any injuries,” said the director, who had been looking over some documents in the back.
“Well, many of the requests are not that dangerous—like getting rid of poisonous rats on farms—but even so, usually some people get bitten and can’t move. But there were none this time. Some reports even said that when they got to the site, the monsters had already fled into the mountains, so there was no need to fight them. Really, the reward is still a little low for that, but we couldn’t raise it too much, sorry about that.”
“I thought I’d be teaching you as a senior priest, but at this rate, maybe I’m not even needed,” I said.
Theodore scratched his head and laughed. “Hahaha.”
At the same time, Lil came in cheerfully, “Good morning!”
“Oh, by the way, Theodore, you haven’t received a reward, have you?” I suddenly realized and asked him.
“It’s fine since I’m family.”
The director, ears perked up, replied without looking up from the documents.
…Family?
“Natasha, I’ll be returning to the church, but are you still working? You didn’t come back yesterday either; I think you should rest a little,” Theodore said to the director.
“No, not yet—” the director began, but Lil interrupted.
“Natasha, I’ll handle the rest, so go home and relax. Isn’t Noah probably feeling lonely too?”
“He’s just being bothered by me, that guy,” the director replied bluntly.
I didn’t understand the conversation and tilted my head with a “?” above it. Seeing this, Lil explained,
“Theodore is Natasha’s husband. Noah is their son.”
“Eh! Really!?” I blurted out in surprise.
“It’s not like we’re hiding it,” Theodore said, smiling shyly.
I had prayed together with Theodore many times but had never noticed…
Also, “It’s fine for Theodore to be married, right?” I thought of the Grand Temple of Kiara.
The teachings of the Goddess of Light were to serve without possessions, let go of desires, and act with the heart of someone who has nothing. “Having nothing” included family, so there were no married people among the archbishops, sisters, or priests.
—The archbishop had said that the marriage of a “saint” to the crown prince was okay for the sake of the country.
“Oh, Layla, you’re a priest of the Light Goddess, right? My deity’s teaching is, ‘Make yourself happy—and make everyone happy.’ My happiness was marrying Natasha, so it’s not against my teachings.”
“Whoo,” whistled Sam.
“…Go back quickly,” the director muttered, facing the wall, sounding somewhat angry.
The yellow ears seemed a little… reddish.
Are they blushing? Are they really blushing!?
It might be rude to think this about the director I owe so much to… but it’s cute.
Just like Raiga, it seems many beast people are shy. Ah, but Raiga is a werewolf, so maybe different from other beast people.
While I was thinking that, Theodore smiled with concern and said, “Don’t push yourself too hard,” before leaving.
