Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Habitual Worship (6)
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When I vaguely came to my senses, the first thing I felt was a pounding headache.
"Urgh..."
I groaned without thinking and clutched my throbbing brow.
Truth be told, there were more than a few uncomfortable spots. My body felt heavy and sluggish somehow. And the feel of something pressing against my back definitely wasn't my familiar bed.
So I blinked my eyes open and looked around more closely. I was lying on some unfamiliar sofa.
Where is this place?
I rubbed my bleary eyes and sat up, scanning my surroundings.
Fortunately, the scene looked somewhat familiar.
The furniture, the layout of the room—I quickly realized this was the office inside the cathedral.
But why had I fallen asleep here?
I tried to recall the reason, but my memories of last night were hazy.
Above all, my head throbbed too much.
First things first, I need to deal with this headache.
I habitually placed my palm on my forehead.
Soon, a familiar warmth bloomed from my fingertips, and a soft, radiant light spread gently through the office.
"Hoo..."
Now I could finally breathe a little easier.
I shook my head lightly to check if the headache lingered, then carefully got up from the sofa.
With my mind feeling much clearer, I peered out the office window.
"........."
It was the bluish dawn of early morning.
Looking down at the cathedral courtyard outside, the crowds that had swarmed there all day yesterday were completely gone.
The alleyways, dotted with flickering neon lights, lay silent in profound stillness.
After gazing out the window for a moment, I opened the office door and stepped out.
"Oh?"
Before long, I spotted a familiar silhouette down the hallway.
Esty?
She was leaning against the window at the end of the corridor, quietly looking outside.
I was a bit surprised by her posture—like she was waiting for something, or standing guard to keep anyone from entering the office carelessly.
Could it be that since I hadn't gone home last night, she'd spent the whole night waiting here at the cathedral?
If so, I'd feel terrible...
Esty suddenly seemed to sense my presence and slowly turned toward me.
Feeling apologetic, I approached her first and spoke up.
"Hey, Esty... Were you waiting here the whole time because of me? I'm really sorry. I must've dozed off somehow..."
But for some reason, her expression looked a little different from usual.
As the distance closed, she seemed to flinch slightly, and it felt like she was subtly avoiding my gaze.
What was it? Her face was as expressionless as ever, but she seemed... somehow hesitant, almost indecisive, which wasn't like her at all.
Am I imagining things?
The moment I tilted my head to get a better look at her expression, she called out to me first.
Her voice was somehow a bit lower than usual.
"Lady Eve."
"Yes? Esty, is something wrong?"
Her uncharacteristic demeanor made me worry suddenly.
Had something happened to the church while I was asleep?
But contrary to my fears, her response was a completely unexpected question.
"Do you... not remember what happened last night?"
"Pardon? Last night?"
Her out-of-left-field remark had me scratching my cheek as I racked my brain.
Right, I clearly remember discussing church operations at length with Yoanna...
After that, though, things got fuzzy. It felt like a film cut had snapped clean through. As I groaned trying to jog my memory, Esty spoke again in a low voice.
"Lady Eve, from now on... you absolutely shouldn't drink alone."
"Huh? Drink what?"
Her sudden advice puzzled me. But then a scene flashed through my mind.
It was a memory from last night.
The image of myself gulping down the leftover wine from a glass because I was thirsty.
Oh, right! The wine... I drank that.
But that's as far as it went. The rest remained vague.
So what on earth had happened to make Esty say something like that?
Anxiety started to well up alongside my confusion.
"Um, Esty. Last night... I didn't do anything weird, did I?"
Even as I said it, I secretly doubted it.
Back in my old world, I didn't have any bad drinking habits.
According to my college buddies, my only "drunk quirk" was passing out dead to the world right there on the spot. And that only happened at friends' places—never once did I lose control in public.
So I'd never worried about my drinking habits in my life.
But oddly enough... Esty right now gave no reply.
"......"
She just pursed her lips slightly, averted her gaze, and looked at me with a subtle expression.
The usual Esty would have answered my question immediately and clearly.
But this blank look was somehow different.
She had so much she wanted to say, yet she was holding it back with effort, as if the words wouldn't come.
And above all... she looked utterly exhausted, in a bizarre way.
Like someone who'd spent the entire night tormented by intense worries.
"......."
"..........."
The silence grew increasingly awkward and uncomfortable.
Her unusual attitude was starting to make me uneasy too.
No way... Did I really do something I can't remember? Something huge?
If it was just some silly drunk rambling or nonsense talk, that might be a relief.
But what worried me most right now was something else.
Even though I looked like this now, just a few weeks ago, I was a hot-blooded guy.
So if... if in my drunken state, the 'old man' buried inside me had broken free like an untethered colt and...
What if I'd done something shady to her?
Esty was beautiful enough to inspire such urges.
Features more refined than an actress's.
A slender, perfectly proportioned figure like a fashion model's.
Her seemingly cool demeanor only enhanced her allure, making her all the more stunning.
The poised vibe she exuded in her impeccable suits was too captivating for words like "charming" alone.
So... what if I hadn't held back and groped around in my drunken haze?
The thought sent a chill down my spine, draining the color from my face.
"W-Wait a second..."
A bone-chilling sense of crisis hit me, and my heart plummeted.
I had to know what happened last night right now. That thought filled my head.
So I pleaded desperately.
"Esty! I didn't do anything, right?! Tell me!"
"......"
But she remained silent, biting her lip faintly and avoiding my eyes.
"Come on, please just answer me!"
In that awkward silence, my anxiety was turning into outright terror.
"Esty—!"
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In the end, I got no answer from Esty about what happened last night.
She didn't scold me, but she didn't clarify the situation either.
She just treated me as if nothing had happened, same as always.
I let out a short sigh and tried to put aside my tangled feelings.
What's done is done. Yeah, forget it.
There were more important things for me to focus on now anyway.
Today was the day of our first large-scale mass, and as the face of the church, I had to appear before the followers.
That's why we were rushing through all these preparations.
"Saintess, please have a seat here."
Following the female followers' guidance, I entered a spacious waiting room behind the chapel.
A space that probably served as a storage room normally had been turned into a pretty decent dressing room for the occasion.
A large mirror covered one wall, ringed by bright lights.
Sitting right in the middle made me feel like some famous celebrity.
"Alright, let's get started?"
The moment I settled into the plush chair, five or six female followers surrounded me as if on cue.
Amid their sparkling eyes full of inexplicable excitement, the full makeup session began.
A soft brush tidied my hair, while other hands applied something to my face, adding a light glow. Cool mist settled on my skin like fog, refreshing it, and soon a fluffy powder brush tickled my cheeks.
Were these women professionals? Their movements had an oddly expert feel.
As I closed my eyes and entrusted myself to their busy yet skilled hands, their nonstop chatter filled my ears.
"Oh my, your skin is so flawless! It's like a baby's."
"Your hair is like silk—so soft, I could touch it all day."
"No way, you really never wore any makeup normally? I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't helped wash your face myself. How can your bare skin look like this?"
Most of it was praise for my looks, which felt a bit embarrassing and awkward to hear.
But there was no flattery or pretense in their voices or expressions. Their genuine awe left me smiling awkwardly without a word.
After what felt like forever, the preparations finally wrapped up.
"All done, Saintess! Take a look in the mirror!"
The eldest-looking follower announced confidently.
At her words, the other women stepped back expectantly. As they did, the mirror revealed my full figure bit by bit, completely unobstructed.
In that moment, even I couldn't hold back a gasp.
".....!"
I still often felt awkward seeing my reflection every morning, but the girl in the mirror now looked like someone else entirely.
Silver hair cascading like silk. Eyes as clear as equatorial seas.
Her snow-white skin was impeccable, and her youthful face blended innocence with mystique.
It was an appearance beyond reproach for a saintess.
A beauty as if sculpted by the gods themselves, one anyone would covet.
But still...
This look felt unfamiliar.
No matter how beautifully made up, it didn't feel like my true self.
Of course not. I was still the man from my past life.
A man who would one day return to his original world. So the beautiful girl in the mirror felt like borrowed clothes I'd wear until then.
Maybe that's why I could accept this 'saintess' role.
Amid those thoughts, I steeled myself for what lay ahead.
"Thanks for all your hard work, everyone. Shall we head out?"
I gave the girl in the mirror a quick nod and stood.
Grand organ music faintly drifted in from outside the door. The followers were waiting.
I took a short breath and stepped toward the chapel where the mass would be held.