When I got home, my whole family was waiting for me with deeply worried expressions. The moment the front door opened, Turi and Mom let out visible sighs of relief, while Dad, who had been wearing the same expression, immediately let loose a barrage of angry words.
"You're late! Just how long are you going to make us worry before you're satisfied!"
"Sorry for worrying you, Dad."
Having heard all sorts of things from
I eyed the already-prepared dinner as I went to put my luggage in my bedroom. The moment I set foot back in the house, hunger and exhaustion came crashing down on me all at once.
"I went to the Temple, then to Benno's shop, and then to the commercial guild, so it took a really long time. I'm tired, and I'm starving."
After washing my hands and plodding over to the table, Dad furrowed his brow and narrowed his eyes.
"What on earth happened?"
Dad's words seemed to capture what everyone in the family was feeling, because both Mom and Turi gazed at me with anxious eyes.
"I'll report everything, but can we eat first? I'm starving, and it's going to be a long story."
"...Fine."
Whether it was because Dad was turning things over in his mind or because nothing good was likely to come from what I had to say after dinner, the whole family's expressions were dark, and everyone seemed lost in thought.
I was searching my memory for a bright topic when something suddenly came to mind. A story about Corina would surely liven up the conversation a bit.
"Hey, Mom. Today at Benno's shop, I was told that Corina wants to see my festive clothing and hair ornament. Is it okay to show them to her?"
Mom, who had been eating her soup, dropped her spoon with a clatter. Her eyes went wide, she looked around in a panic, and her face flushed red as she shook her head.
"Wh-what!? Those aren't the kind of things you show to Lady Corina!"
"...I see. Then I'll turn her down."
I had thought she might hesitate, but I hadn't expected her to reject it this strongly. It didn't feel right to cause Mom any more confusion, so I figured I should just decline.
My refusal had been made out of consideration, but it only made Mom even more flustered. She waved her hands about, her eyes darting everywhere.
"Wait, just wait a moment, Mine! You mustn't refuse. Please, just wait. Ahh, I can't give you an answer right now!"
Mom had completely descended into a state of panic. She was happy that Corina had acknowledged her, apparently, but since Corina was someone as far removed as a figure in the clouds, she had no idea what to do.
Noticing Mom's state of mind, I smiled softly. It was a little amusing seeing her like this, so different from her usual self. Cute, even.
She was muttering about this and that, unable to make up her mind, and I was enjoying watching her scramble without making any progress on her dinner when Turi poked my arm from the side.
"Hey, Mine. Are you going to bring those to Corina's house?"
"I think so, probably?"
Since Mom herself had said I mustn't refuse, I figured it was settled—I would bring the festive clothing and hair ornament to Corina's place. Whether Mom would come along or I'd go alone, I wasn't sure, but one way or another, we'd be bringing them to Corina. We certainly couldn't invite her to come here.
Turi gazed at me with sparkling, expectant eyes, clasping her hands together in front of her chest. It was Turi's most adorable pleading pose, and I blinked and tilted my head.
"What is it, Turi?"
"Can I come too this time?"
Last time, when I brought the letter to Rinshan, the invitation from Corina had been addressed specifically to me, so Turi had held back her desire to go and stayed home to watch the house. This time there wasn't any particular invitation, so when I gave Benno my reply, I could just add that Turi would be coming along too.
"Corina is kind, so I don't think she'd say no... Beforehand, I'll tell her that Turi made the bigger flower for the hair ornament, and ask if you can come."
"Mine, I love you! Thank you!"
Turi's face lit up bright and radiant as she let out a happy cheer with pure, innocent joy. Seriously adorable. As expected of our household's angel. For Turi, who was an apprentice tailor, Corina was something like the ultimate charismatic tailor—someone to admire from afar.
I was watching Turi with a warm feeling when Mom suddenly reached out and held up a hand to stop us.
"Wait, both of you. Please wait. We haven't even decided to go yet..."
"Huh? But you said you wouldn't refuse, right?"
"Well, yes, but..."
The words spilling from Mom's mouth as she scrambled were already meaningless.
"I think Corina probably wants to hear from the person who actually made the clothes, but if Mom really doesn't want to go, you don't have to. Turi and I can just bring the clothes and hair ornament by ourselves—"
I was about to finish my sentence when Mom shook her head firmly.
"I never said I didn't want to go."
"Oh. Then I'll tell them all three of us are going."
I said this with a bright smile, and Mom was rendered speechless. Turi looked at Mom and giggled. I couldn't help but laugh too, and then Mom let out a resigned sigh before breaking into laughter as well.
Watching us laugh, Dad narrowed his eyes and wore a complicated smile, as though he couldn't quite bring himself to laugh openly.
"Well then, shall we hear about everything that happened today?"
While preparing tea after the meal, Mom said this, and the cheerful, lighthearted atmosphere instantly grew heavy. The entire family's gaze focused on me, urging me to speak.
"So, starting with the Temple. I turned down the offer to be a Shrine Maiden Apprentice, but when they found out I was Self-Eating, they said they wanted to speak with my parents, so I brought this invitation. The day after tomorrow, at the third bell."
When I pulled out the wooden tag from my bag, Dad's face changed color. As a gate guard, Dad knew about the existence of invitations and must have seen them countless times. He understood all too well what an invitation from the High Priest, a member of the Nobility, meant.
When he saw the summons, his mouth tightened into a grimace.
"Mine, what did you do!?"
"I didn't do anything! I just chatted and was allowed to read the Holy Book..."
"Even if you were 'allowed' to read it by someone of the Nobility, you..."
"...I mean, at the time, I didn't know the Chief Priest was a member of the Nobility."
I pouted as if to say it wasn't my fault, and when I told the story of how the Holy Cup had lit up in the Temple, my parents stared at me as if their souls were leaving their bodies. It seemed I had exceeded their capacity to process things.
I fluttered my hands in front of my stunned parents and tilted my head slightly.
"Can I keep going?"
Dad, who had been in a daze, snapped back to reality with a shake of his head, scratching vigorously at his hair.
"Yeah, go on."
"After the Temple, I went to Benno's shop. Benno knows more about Self-Eating than I do, and he's well-versed in the Temple and the Nobility, so he taught me all sorts of things."
"All sorts of things?"
I looked around at my family, who were watching me with skeptical expressions, nodded once, and took a slow, deep breath.
"So, the heat from Self-Eating—it's Magic Power. And there's no escaping the Temple or the Nobility."
"No way..."
Mom and Turi covered their mouths with their hands, trembling as if in fear. I couldn't tell whether it was fear of me having Magic Power or fear of the power of the Temple itself. I lowered my eyes slightly and continued.
"But the Temple has Magical Tools, so if you go there, your life can be saved."
Dad, Mom, and Turi all looked at me with faces mixing hope and anxiety. Seeing that they weren't afraid of my Magic Power but were genuinely worried about me, I felt a wave of relief wash over my body.
"Hey, Mine. If you entered the Temple, your life would be saved, but we wouldn't be able to see you anymore, right?"
"If things stay the way they are, probably..."
At my words, Turi shook her head with tears in her eyes, protesting tearfully.
"...How is that any different from being kept as a plaything by the Nobility? I don't want to hand Mine over to the Temple."
Dad's voice came out strained, as if squeezed from his throat. He was right. As things stood, I would enter the Temple as a Gray Shrine Maiden Apprentice, have my Magic Power taken, have my Donation taken, and be treated however the Temple pleased—that was the only future visible.
"Hey, Dad. Do you know about the movements in the Central Region? Have you heard anything about a coup and changes in the Nobility's activity?"
"A merchant told me about that a few days ago. Since I'm a gate guard, the information reaches me, but it doesn't seem to have much relevance to us here?"
Perhaps Benno had received word of it through
"That's why I'm being called to the Temple. Apparently, the number of Nobles has decreased recently, so Magic Power is needed at the Temple. I can't tell if what Benno said is true, but can you, Dad?"
As if something had clicked, Dad drew in a sharp breath. He stroked his chin and narrowed his eyes slightly, as if recalling something.
"There's no doubt that the Nobles have scattered elsewhere. Nobles are leaving, but none have been coming in lately."
"So what Benno said is really true? Then maybe things will work out somehow."
"What do you mean?"
My family leaned forward eagerly at my murmur.
"Benno said we'd be lucky. With fewer Nobles, the Temple is in a bind, so if we negotiate skillfully, we might be able to get treatment close to that of the Nobility. I can't tell if what Benno said is true, but Dad, can you tell?"
As if something resonated, Dad held his breath. He stroked his chin and lowered his eyes slightly, as though piecing something together.
"Undoubtedly, the Nobles have spread out to other regions. Nobles leave, but none have arrived recently."
"So Benno's words really are true? Then maybe we can work something out."
"What kind of thing?"
At my murmur, my family pressed forward, hanging on my every word.
"Benno said we'd be lucky. With fewer Nobles, the Temple is desperate, so if we negotiate well, we might be able to get treatment close to that of a Noble."
"Tell me in detail."
Dad's eyes took on a fierce, intense light—the look of a man facing battle.
I explained as carefully and clearly as I could everything Benno had taught me. I also told them about Contract Magic and the workshop registration.
"...So, he said we won't know until we try, but if we emphasize my frailty and negotiate for a commuter arrangement, or better treatment... He said that under the current circumstances, the other side would probably make some concessions. He told me to fight for my life."
At my words, Dad's eyes gleamed.
"Fight for our lives, huh? Depending on how you look at it, this could be an opportunity."
"Mm."
Negotiating to get treatment close to that of a Noble by emphasizing our Magic Power offering and my frailty.
Emphasizing my frailty and parental concern to gain permission for a commuter arrangement.
Using financial leverage to persuade them into allowing the workshop to continue.
"There are other things I want to push for, like access to the Library, securing labor, and other selfish requests, but if we get this far, I think we can call it a victory."
"Understood. Then let's do this. I became a Soldier to protect my family—this whole city. What kind of protector would I be if I can't protect my own family? I'll win you the best possible outcome for living, Mine."
His eyes blazing with fire and a fierce grin spreading across his lips, Dad wore the face of a man who had set himself for battle.
The next day, both parents took the day off from work. I was still worn out from moving around so much the day before and could barely move, so I spent the day recovering.
And the day after that was the appointed day of the Temple summons. Both parents wore their best clothes, and I put on the apprentice outfit I used when going to Benno's shop. Together, we set off for the Temple.
"Dad, protect me, okay?"
Just like I had seen at the gate, I clenched my fists and bent my elbows as if flexing a bicep.
It was the gesture Soldiers made when wishing each other good fortune in a fight. Dad's eyes widened slightly before he let out a sharp laugh. He clenched his fists the same way, bent his elbows, and lightly tapped his fist against mine.
"Leave it to me."
There seemed to be a notice at the Temple gate, because a Gray Priest guided us without delay straight to the High Priest's room.
We passed by the usual worship hall, through the area where Commoner lodgings were located, and on into the zone reserved for the Nobility.
With each step, the hallway grew incrementally more opulent. Dad walked with his jaw tight and fists clenched hard, as if steeling himself for something. Mom, watching him with a panicked expression, was visibly pale with tension.
The hand holding mine was tense, trembling in small, rapid shivers.
"The High Priest, a girl calling herself Mine, and her parents have arrived."
The Gray Priest announced this and opened the door to the High Priest's room.
At a table in the center of the room, the High Priest and the Chief Priest were waiting. Behind the table, in the space beyond, four Gray Priests stood in a row.
I hadn't known yesterday that they were orphans, but even knowing now and seeing them again, they seemed remarkably well-groomed for orphans. Perhaps their treatment wasn't that bad after all. Or perhaps those who served as attendants to the Nobility were kept presentable.
"Good morning, Your Grace."
"Oh, Mine."
The High Priest greeted me with the same amiable, grandfatherly face I remembered. But then, catching sight of my parents, his eyes bulged. He stared in disbelief, his fists trembling.
"Are these... truly Mine's parents?"
"Yes, they are."
"What is your occupation, if I may ask?"
"My father is a Soldier, and my mother works at a dyeing workshop."
When I answered his questions, the High Priest glanced over my parents with an impudent, appraising stare, then let out a dismissive snort of contempt. Without a single word, that alone made it perfectly clear: he was looking down on us as poor Commoners.
I was struck dumb by the sudden, complete reversal in his demeanor. The grandfatherly warmth from moments ago had vanished without a trace. I witnessed firsthand the gap in social standing, and with it, the power of money—the very reason I had been treated so well until now.
"Well then, let's get this over with quickly."
Without any greeting, without even being permitted to sit at the table, we were made to stand and listen to the High Priest's words. Perhaps this was the norm, but knowing how kind the High Priest had been before, I couldn't help but furrow my brow.
Seated beside the High Priest, the Chief Priest watched us with a calm, expressionless face. He didn't look at us with contempt like the High Priest did, but he also made no move to restrain the High Priest, maintaining his composed demeanor.
The High Priest cleared his throat, shifted his eyebrows, and spoke in a thoroughly condescending tone.
"I understand that Mine wishes to become a Shrine Maiden Apprentice, but I hear you are opposed to this."
"Yes, that's right. We have no desire to send our precious daughter into the same environment as orphans."
Dad's voice was quiet but sent sparks flying as he fixed the High Priest with his gaze. The High Priest, however, showed no interest in Dad's attitude, stroking his beard as if Dad were beneath his notice.
"Hmm. Perhaps so, but Mine is Self-Eating. A Self-Eating cannot live without Magical Tools. The Temple has Magical Tools. Out of mercy, the Temple shall take her in."
This was an order that left absolutely no room for negotiation. The High Priest's tone and dismissive attitude were so condescending that I, unaccustomed to status differences, couldn't help but feel a surge of irritation.
I apparently wasn't the only one who bristled at his blatant contempt—I noticed Dad's body twitch.
"We decline. Mine cannot survive in the same environment as orphans, no matter what."
"That's right. Even without being Self-Eating, Mine is extremely frail. She collapsed twice at the
Mom's hand, clasped with mine in a protective gesture, grew tighter. Refusing across the gap in social status was an act tantamount to staking one's life.
The High Priest, who clearly hadn't considered the possibility of being refused even for a moment, turned crimson all the way up to his thinning forehead at the sight of both parents rejecting him. He flew into a rage.
"How dare you both be so insolent! Hand over your daughter quietly!"
I was exasperated—what kind of holy man acted like this? His emotional, unsightly outburst made my cheek twitch. I didn't want to accept the fact that this man was Noble, and we, as Commoners, had to bow our heads to him.
Dad was surely seething with rage, but his voice remained quiet as he refused once more.
"We decline. The Temple has plenty of orphans. If you wish to exploit them or use them as playthings, please do so among them. I will absolutely not throw my precious daughter in with a bunch of orphans."
Mom squeezed my hand so hard it hurt and nodded firmly at Dad's words. For me, my parents' words filled me with happiness and pride—I almost wanted to smile. But for the High Priest, it was only adding fuel to the fire.
"Don't be ridiculous! Seize these insolent parents and lock Mine away inside!"
The High Priest spun around and screamed at the Gray Priests standing behind him. Whether it was impulse or whether negotiation had never even crossed his mind, the High Priest kicked his chair aside and stood up, immediately resorting to force.
"Stay back."
Dad stepped forward to shield me and Mom. At the same time, the Gray Priests rushed toward us. Fortunately, the table stood between us, so they couldn't all pounce at once—there was a slight time gap between them.
The High Priest wore a nasty grin as he looked at Dad, who had quickly assumed a fighting stance.
"If you raise your hand against a Priest, I'll have you executed in the name of the God."
"The moment I decided to protect Mine, I was prepared for that much."
Dad drove his fist hard into the abdomen of the oncoming Priest, doubling him over, then delivered a knee to the jaw that knocked him unconscious. He then spun to the Priest rushing from behind and smashed a backfist into the space between his brows, sending him flying.
Dad moved through the Priests like a flowing river, striking vital points one after another and rendering them unable to fight. There was no hesitation whatsoever. More than anything, Dad—a Soldier trained extensively in combat—versus Gray Priests whose main duties were tending to Noble affairs was never going to be a contest. The remaining two Priests, apparently unaccustomed to that level of violence, stared at Dad with frightened eyes as they edged backward.
"Hmph. You can handle one or two, perhaps, but can you keep it up against many?"
As if mocking Dad's resolve, the High Priest opened the door. Whatever method he had used to summon them, more than ten Priests stood beyond the door and poured into the room all at once.
Something inside me snapped at the sight of the High Priest's smug expression.
That's enough!
My entire body burned as though the blood within me was boiling, yet my head was strangely, unnaturally calm and clear. I could feel every part of me surging with fury.
"That's our line. Don't touch my Mom and Dad."
The moment I stepped forward, the High Priest—who had been laughing condescendingly—the Chief Priest—who had been sitting quietly and watching the situation unfold—and every single one of the Priests who had rushed into the room all stared at me with looks of shock, for some reason in perfect unison.
It was supposed to be Dad's moment as the hero protecting his family.
Next time: Negotiation and Resolution.