VOLUME 2: Chapter 5 – The White Priest
The Hero’s comrades are all good-looking. The Shinto priest[1] Renas-sama is, of course, also good-looking.
He has a slight wavy, pale green hair that extends up to the base of his neck. His jet black eyes are like obsidian. His handsome appearance is different from Greed-sama’s divine looks, as well as from Rufus-sama’s noble elegance. To emphasize it, he looks gentle as a whole. He is always radiantly smiling and I can feel his broad-mindedness from the white priest’s clothes he wore. Perhaps it is because he is a priest who is the representative of the goddess.
A Shinto priest[1], or generally speaking, Shinto priests is a collective term for clergymen who serve in the goddess’s temple. It is not a title that represents Renas-sama’s official position.
According to the newspaper “Hero Times”, which is my main source of information about the Hero’s party, Renas-sama’s status is a priest [2].
The position of the the priests[1] in the temple are roughly divided into three: bishop, priest [2] and deacon. Among these three, the priest [2] has the important central role, which is to be assigned to various places in order to spread the goddess’s power. Although its position is not the highest as that of a Shinto priest [1], but since there are not so many bishops who are of a more superior rank, it can then be said that the priests have a high position [2].
And when we talk about the priests, they are further subdivided. Their ranks are determined by the priest’s garments they wore. It seems that the more powerful the sacred magic they use, the higher their rank will be.
Renas-sama’s priest’s garment is white, which is the color of the highest ranking priest.
In short, Renas-sama is especially powerful among the priests.
The stupid “Blessing” that was put on this bracelet is one of his powers.
But Renas-sama, the great priest, being humble before me now is kind of, err . . . I cannot feel the mystique nor the dignity.
That’s because the first thing he said after he stopped prostrating himself when I requested him not to was—
“Sorry. I also thought that the ‘Blessing’ is going to be dangerous, but you know, Greed . . .”
What an elaborate excuse!
A light tone! I felt my reverence for this person gradually fade away.
In any case, the main point of his excuse was—
When the Hero and the others were returning home after saving the princess, they stopped by the second city of Schwarze.
As soon as they arrived at the inn, Greed-sama told everyone—
“I’m going to pick up the item I ordered.”
And left as soon as he said those words. Everyone knew what the item was and they turned pale except for the princess. Because it was an engagement bracelet Greed-sama ordered for his beloved, which was me, without complete regard for my own will.
As I thought, I inwardly said when I heard that.
For Greed-sama to say those things and hand me the engagement bracelet as form of a misunderstanding, it was actually a premeditated crime!
For sure, he asked the artisan in a way that he would be misunderstood on purpose. Moreover, making me wear it on my left wrist when I could have worn it on my right was also absolutely deliberate!
……THAT. WRETCH.
While secretly seething in anger, I listened to the continuation of the story.
——That night, Greed-sama suddenly came to Renas-sama, who was making out with Milly-sama.
……Wait, I am sorry for digressing but, Milly-sama and Renas-sama were in that kind of relationship?! I haven’t heard about it nor did I notice.
No, no,
priests can marry but since Renas-sama and Milly-sama are childhood friends, it seems impossible for them to be in that kind of relationship!
It is somewhat surprising. The two of them are lovers. It was not written in the “Hero Times”.
But, well, if that’s the case, Milly-sama can protect Renas-sama.
What I don’t understand is that she just stood by, watched with interest, and did not stop him from kowtowing . . . It looks like a part of their relationship is complex, or maybe not . . .
Oops, let’s go back to the story. Greed-sama, who came to their room, ignored the flirty atmosphere between the two, showed Renas-sama the bracelet and said.
“Please put a ‘Blessing’ on this.”
The two of them were amazed. Not because their nice moment was disturbed but because he requested to put a priest’s “Blessing” on the bracelet.
Because usually, the “Blessing” is applied on the bracelet and it is given when a man and a woman exchange vows in front of the priest. It gives a reassuring “Blessing”, something like “May you have tons of happiness”.
However, the contents of the “Blessing” Greed-sama requested were—
First and foremost is that “bam”.
And then . . .
“Your bracelet and its other pair is equipped with a notification function. That is, if you are more than 100 meters away from Greed, it will automatically alert him that you are far away.”
“—What?”
“And, it also has mechanism that will tell him where you are at that moment.”
“—What?”
“But even if it doesn’t work, Greed can use the spirits and will always know your whereabouts.”
“—Whaaat?”
“It seems that he wants to make sure he knows where you are, even in those places where the power of the spirits could not reach.”
“—What?”
“Oh, and that bracelet will enter defense mode if something happens to you while it notifies him of your location.”
“……I’m sorry, but I don’t know where to start.”
I pulled a face.
Rather, I wanted to shout “Noooo!” in my worst tsukkomi!
The notification function will activate when I am more than 100 meters away! Greed-sama would constantly keep track of my position by using the spirits! What the heck is a defense mode?!
There’s a lot more. I want to retort to all the statements!
However, what I want to retort to the most right now is the “did-I-do-a-good-job” in front of me. That’s what the smug expression of Renas-sama is implying!
What was that kowtow a while ago, is what I wanted to say!
No, what I want to say even more than that is—
“What about my human rights?!”
“Gah!”
When I noticed it, I found myself gripping the collar of the white priest’s clothes.
Translator’s notes:
Aria’s patience is at its limit. XD
Gah! Haha, it’s difficult to differentiate the the two “priests” in English so I put a label on them. The [1] Priest is [神官] and [2] Priest is [司祭]. I don’t know how they differ but . . . if you’re curious, you can Google it yourself. XD