Morning Interruptions and Papal Counsel
After a small commotion last night, I had still slept surprisingly well. When I opened my eyes, the sun was already high in the sky.
I let out a big yawn and stretched my body.
“Huuuam.”
“You’re awake?”
“...Celine, where’s Estelle?”
“She went to morning mass. Saint Estelle is the Saint of the Solaria Church, after all.”
“Ah.”
Right. This was Estelle’s headquarters.
I ran a hand through my messy hair to tidy it up. Celine smiled faintly at the sight and stepped closer.
“Stay still. I’ll fix it for you.”
“Huh?”
As I stopped and lowered my hand, Celine gently combed my hair with her slender fingers. Every time those soft fingertips brushed my scalp, an unfamiliar warmth spread through me. I didn’t know why she was doing this instead of using a comb, but the feeling was pleasant, so I let it continue.
Celine finished combing and lowered her hand. I glanced up to find her smiling at me.
“Hero.”
“What?”
“Is it okay to give you a morning kiss?”
“...Eh?”
“Morning has passed, but… I couldn’t because you were late to wake up.”
…Now?
I hesitated, and Celine lowered her head slightly. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her closer.
Celine climbed onto me, eyes closing, and I closed mine too. But just as her soft lips were about to touch mine, the door burst open.
“Abel, you’re awake…?”
…Why did she come in now? I broke out in a cold sweat and greeted her politely.
“...Good morning, Estelle.”
“Right now—”
“What?”
Estelle yelled.
“Take your lips off right now!?!?”
“Uwah! O-okay…”
Smack.
“?”
“?”
I didn’t move. I swore on the sky—I absolutely would not move forward even one millimeter. If anything, I would have backed up. Yet soft lips from a woman brushed my lips.
Celine had lowered her head. Despite Estelle bursting in, she was acting completely bold. It looked like she was deliberately showing off. Celine stuck out her tongue and gave my lips a quick lick.
Startled, I unconsciously parted my lips. Celine’s tongue slipped between them.
…C-Celine!?
Estelle, who had been watching everything, shouted in clear alarm and rushed forward, her face turning bright red.
“G-Give up right away, you wind saint!!”
“Haaam… gulp…”
“I said give up!!!”
Finally, Estelle pulled Celine back by the collar. Only then did Celine retreat. She licked her lips with a satisfied look and said,
“…It’s a bit disappointing, though.”
“What are you disappointed about, you thief cat!!”
“What if I do it too? What’s wrong with lovers kissing each other?”
“W-What…?”
…Honestly, I was startled too.
Estelle’s face turned scarlet as she argued with Celine, and Celine simply listened with one ear and ignored the rest with a smile.
Looking at Estelle’s furious expression, it was like watching a cat yowl at its owner.
“Estelle, come here.”
“...Yes?”
“Quickly.”
I gestured, and Estelle, realizing my meaning, shouted while her face turned even redder.
“No time for that! We have to go see His Holiness right now!”
“…Tsk.”
Shame on me. I would have to postpone the kiss with Estelle for later. She must have felt embarrassed, so she added with her usual arrogant smile,
“...There’s no escape, you pervert hero~♡”
It was exactly as I feared—her embarrassment always made her sassy. It was adorable.
“Hurry and get ready, Abel.”
“Yes, got it.”
#
After Abel headed to the bathroom to wash up, Estelle and Celine were left alone in the room. Specifically, Estelle glared at Celine first.
“You sneaky cat! How dare you cut in like that?”
“Cut in? When did the Saint ever line up? I saw the Saint looking busy, so I decided to comfort the Hero instead.”
“That’s literally cutting in while the person is busy!”
“...Well, that’s true. But I’m also an official partner of the Hero, so isn’t it fine for a partner to show affection however she wants?”
“T-That’s…”
Celine was right. After all, Estelle had acknowledged their relationship. A partner could express affection freely.
Convinced Celine was right, Estelle clicked her tongue and glared, unable to argue back. Celine smiled cutely and offered advice.
“Instead of showing jealousy toward me, it would be better to honestly ask the Hero for what you want.”
“...W-What do you mean ask!?”
“Affection or skinship. Or even whisper ‘I love you’ if you want.”
“H-How am I supposed to…”
“Doesn’t it seem like the Hero wouldn’t do something that small? Rather, he’d probably say he’d do anything you ask.”
Celine had no intention of being enemies with Estelle. She knew her own possessiveness over Abel would cause clashes, but she had no desire for Estelle to completely fall away from him.
On the contrary, she felt grateful. Everything Celine could do so boldly was possible only because Estelle had allowed it.
“So muster some courage. If you keep hiding shyly, you’ll only end up angry at me and achieve nothing.”
Thus, Celine gave sisterly advice. Estelle needed to be more honest with her own feelings. Estelle bit her lip in response to Celine’s words.
“...How can you be so bold like that? Aren’t you embarrassed?”
“I am embarrassed. I’m a person, after all. Of course it’s embarrassing. Especially when it’s someone I like.”
“Then…?”
“The feeling of wanting that person outweighs the embarrassment.”
Celine answered simply. Estelle’s eyes widened at the straightforward reply.
“The feeling of wanting that person outweighs embarrassment or shyness. You don’t feel that way, Saint?”
“...I do want him. Of course I do.”
“Then ask boldly. Who would complain if a lover asks for affection?”
Celine added one final piece of advice.
“I’ll keep asking the Hero too. So work hard to not let everything get taken from you, fish shop owner?”
“You sneaky cat…”
Estelle trembled, and Celine laughed cutely at the sight and added a playful tone.
“Nyaa~♡”
#
On the way to meet the Pope, I asked Estelle,
“Estelle.”
“Yes?”
“T-That… you used divine power. Do you know how much weaker you’ve become?”
“...Hmm, I don’t know exactly. I don’t know how much divine power I’ll lose when borrowing the goddess’s strength.”
…Tsk.
Was my concerned expression that obvious? Estelle smiled with her eyes and said,
“I’m not weak enough to insult the Hero yet, so don’t worry~♡”
“...That’s some relief.”
The word “yet” nagged at me. If I kept using divine power like this, there would eventually come a day when I was weaker than her. It sounded like a warning.
…I need to get stronger quickly.
“But, Estelle. What kind of person is the Pope?”
“The head of the Solaria Church… no, he’s in a position more important than the king of a country. He’s very dignified and wise.”
“I see.”
“Of course, he’s not scary. He’s incredibly kind.”
“Since you said he takes care of you, I assumed so.”
When Estelle told me about her past, the Pope she mentioned had sounded like a kind grandfather.
Of course, as the leader of the world’s largest church, he would be dignified, but even without meeting him, he felt familiar… strange to say.
Abel, Estelle, and Celine stood before the audience chamber guarded by holy knights. One of them lightly knocked on the door and said,
“Your Holiness, the Saint and guests have arrived.”
“Please come in.”
The holy knights bowed and stepped aside. The door opened, and before us stood the Pope—exactly as I had imagined: an old man with a long, flowing white beard, kind eyes creased with wrinkles, and an gentle smile.
“Welcome, Hero Abel.”
That was Pope Pabiano, the leader of the Solaria Church, the continent’s greatest holy order.
Surprisingly, he had a robust build. Tall, and even for an old man, quite sturdy. He radiated health.
I bowed respectfully as he rose from his chair to greet me.
“It is an honor to meet Your Holiness.”
“The honor is mine. Please, sit comfortably.”
I continued, and Celine also bowed politely.
“May the Solaria Grace descend from heaven. It is an honor to meet you, Pope Pabiano.”
Celine did not call him “Your Holiness” because she was from the Ludria Church. For her, the Pope was the Ludria Pope.
Pope Pabiano looked at Celine and smiled warmly.
“May the Ludria Grace spread across the world. It is an honor to meet you, Saint.”
It must have been etiquette between the churches; the Pope spoke with respect to Celine. He treated her with honor even though she was fifty years younger than him.
Abel was a hero, so that was understandable, but the way he treated Celine properly—knowing she wasn’t the true representative—revealed the Pope’s character.
We three sat down, and the Pope also sat and said,
“I have heard the stories. Despite not having been a hero for long, you have achieved great feats.”
“Hehe…”
The Pope’s praise made me feel embarrassed. I scratched my head, and he continued with that same gentle smile.
“And surviving nearly two weeks in the Glacier Mountain Range was impressive.”
“No, if it had been another hero, I would have survived.”
“However… I have the feeling that some caution is lacking.”
“...Eh?”
Pope Pabiano still wore a kind smile, but his words were no longer praise or flattery.
“I have heard every detail of the incident. The Hero opened the box that had transmission magic engraved on it due to carelessness, which caused the Saint of the Ludria Church to fall into the Glacier Mountain Range.”
“...That’s correct.”
“Thanks to the Hero’s carelessness, humanity almost lost a precious hero, the Ludria Church almost lost its representative Saint, and Estelle had to use divine power. You know what happens when a Saint uses divine power, don’t you? Cardinal Antonio explained it to you?”
“...Yes.”
…Suddenly I’m getting scolded. Of course, the Pope’s words were nothing but knife-like facts, so I had nothing to say. It seemed he was angry about Estelle using divine power to save me.
He had said he cherished her like a granddaughter… so I had to apologize. This sermon was probably deserved.
“Wait a moment, Your Holiness. Why are you scolding Abel? Were you calling me here to do this? Even if Abel was careless, who would have thought the box contained transmission magic?”
Yet Estelle confronted the Pope.
…I’m fine. Why are you so worked up.
“...I’m giving advice, Estelle.”
“Your Holiness, I only used divine power because I judged it necessary. If I hadn’t, the Hero might not have been found!”
“The very fact that this situation arose is because of the Hero’s carelessness. Am I wrong, Hero Abel?”
“...Your Holiness is right.”
I thought the same. I was an idiot for opening the box without caution and falling with Celine into the center of the Glacier Mountain Range.
“Your Holiness! If you keep acting like this, I’ll just go! You keep scolding me for one mistake!”
“...Estelle.”
The Pope’s expression softened slightly. It wasn’t anger; he looked like a grandfather who was confused about how to comfort a spoiled granddaughter.
Estelle huffed and turned her head.
“That’s enough. You weren’t calling me here just to scold Abel, were you?”
“……”
…Watching that stubborn attitude, my heart ached.
It seemed I had to restore the grandfather’s pride. I bowed to Pope Pabiano.
“From now on, I will ensure nothing like this ever happens. As you know, Your Holiness, I became a hero only a little over four months ago, so I know little. I was careless, and I’m sorry. After this experience, I will be much more careful. Please forgive me.”
Estelle narrowed her brows and looked at me with a frown.
“Abel!”
“It’s my fault. You do the same.”
“...Why are you telling me?”
“It’s not that… The Pope is Estelle’s grandfather.”
Estelle made a small noise and looked at the Pope. Bowing her head to the still-confused Pope, she said,
“...I’m sorry, Your Holiness.”
The Pope recovered from the apology and shook his head slightly.
“...No. I think I overdid it. My apologies, Hero Abel. This old man forgot that you are still a fresh hero.”
“No. You spoke the truth. I am truly sorry.”
Even though he hit with facts, it hurt a bit… hehe.
I apologized repeatedly, and the Pope smiled kindly.
“Thank you for sparing an old man’s dignity. Your heart is as kind as I heard, Hero Abel.”
“No.”
“Rather… Hero Abel, the reason I called you personally is out of curiosity.”
“Yes?”
What personal curiosity would the Pope have about me? The moment the Pope—the giant of a figure—said he had a question, my tension rose sharply.
Still tense, the Pope smiled faintly and asked,
“What is your relationship with Estelle?”