Southbound Prayer: A Beach Encounter

“Hey! Junior! From the south!”

“Karl Adelheit, the benefactor. I would like to hold a prayer meeting for the benefactor in the southern part of the Empire. If you can attend, it would be an unparalleled glory for our Empire’s southern territories―”

Hmm. Umm. Strange. Isn’t it vacation time? Vacation, right?! Kyaak!!

Please stop looking for me! Don’t you know that even the military doesn’t touch you during vacation?!

Ever since I returned from the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Holy See. Exactly after that “miracle” shower. Suddenly, people from every corner of the Empire started hunting me down like mad. Begging me to visit.

Especially the Diocese side near the 1st parish and the south where the 4th parish is.

The Diocese side wasn’t just moving the parish. It looked like the Empire side, or rather the Internal Castle, was acting together.

That made sense. If the “owner of the miracle” or “one loved by the gods” turns out to be an Empire noble, it would be an enormous national gain, so of course.

And the 4th parish was similar. Rather, it might be even more urgent than the 1st parish.

Until recently the parish had been shaken by the loss of the holy relic. But then a young man found that holy relic? And the same guy received a miracle at the Holy See?

“Even so, if the 4th parish doesn’t invite me, the parish head and cardinal will be scolded.”

Eventually I had to go somewhere. To be precise, I had to visit every parish in the Empire.

But from the 1st to the 5th. Which one to visit first. That was important―

“Understood. Then let’s begin with the 4th parish in the south. Then sequentially the 5th in the north, the 2nd in the east, the 3rd in the west. Finally the 1st in the Diocese. By the time we reach the 1st, the vacation should be over, and we can return to the academy immediately, right?”

This was the best decision I could make.

After all, the 4th parish was the first one directly tied to the church, so it made sense as the starting point. And choosing the 1st parish last was also because the vacation would end around that time. But ultimately, the first and last are the most memorable, so I did it that way.

“Yes. This is correct. Honestly, thinking about the cardinals who blessed me with blessings in my last exam, this is right.”

So, after returning from the Holy See, within a week I found myself heading to the 4th parish in the southern part of the Empire.

And the moment I arrived, I was surrounded by Cardinal Beolant of the 4th parish and various church officials, and I had to endure being called the benefactor, dear guest, and even a saint.

I hadn’t just woken up from a wheelchair or been resurrected from death. I hadn’t parted the sea or walked on water. Calling me a saint felt a bit excessive.

So I tried to say that, but the atmosphere made it impossible.

Instead, if I had said “I am definitely not a saint” right there, they might have all knelt and declared “He is a saint!”

The one who proves me is myself, but the one who defines me is ultimately others, as the saying goes.

Something strangely sad, yet also right in a way. What could I do. No matter how much I insisted I wasn’t, if others said yes, one of the two had to happen. Accept it or prove it wasn’t.

However, in this situation, proving I wasn’t a saint was harder than simply accepting it.

Now asking the god “Would you please take away the light?” sounded ridiculous, and if I did, the opposite might come back: “The god is angry! He’s not a saint, he’s an evil person!” which was a little scary.

“By the way… even if my score with Selena’s grandfather is perfect, if I touch the granddaughter from now on, I won’t be able to stand it, so I won’t have anything to say. Tsk.”

Anyway. For these reasons, after arriving in the south, I did my best.

If it seemed too much to accept all the church people, I quickly used a kind of “let’s pray” to calm them down in one go.

But I couldn’t use it too much. Every time I did, Cardinal Beolant was staring at me with eyes like “Oh! The benefactor has such deep faith!”

“Hmm. Hey. Your Highness. Since I came to the south, I want to see the sea a bit. Last time I saw the south’s winter, so I want to feel the summer too.”

I couldn’t hold back anymore and said it in a casual tone. That is, I was asking for some time to rest because I felt ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like dying.

Fortunately, our Cardinal Beolant was not the type who would eat his words.

“I see. Indeed, last time it was a hot spring, so this time it should be the sea. Hehe! It happens that students from the academy are at Lidea Beach, which can be called the pride of the south. I’ll take them to greet the juniors and rest there. Benefactor.”

Having received the responsible person’s permission, without looking back I dashed off. Honestly, I had done enough. I won’t do more than this! If you want more, pay money or whatever!

“What? I donated to the church and the endowment foundation too?! Ah! I’ll sign it later!”

“Phew.”

So I arrived at Lidea Beach, which is one of the top three beautiful beaches in the southern part of the Empire.

Shua―

Tap!

So, what feeling comes to my mind now?

“Hmm. Water. Hmm. Sand.”

No matter how I called it desolate, I couldn’t help it. In my previous life and this life, I didn’t like the sea much.

Why am I going into this salty water. Huh? Why into water full of salt! Rather, go to the valley! It’s much better!

After all, I had come here to avoid the situation where people surrounded me shouting “Benefactor! Saint! Saint!” But actually, there was nothing to do even after coming to this beach.

“Hmm. What to do next with this patent item or idea? Looking at this, it seems a bit different from the beach I remembered from my previous life.

“If I set up parasols or sunbeds like this, it would look more like a beach―”

“Eh.”

That’s Lepia, right? It’s Lepia junior. Wow, coming here like this?

“Lepia junior.”

“Eh?!”

Why the reaction like that. I guess I saw something I shouldn’t have seen. Suddenly feeling wronged. Uuu. How much have I taken care of our Lepia junior!

“K-Karl senior? How did you get here?!”

“Ah. That.”

I was about to explain, but it seemed too long. And too boastful, so I gave up.

“Just because there was some business. But since I was too troubled, I came here to rest.”

“Run… away?”

“Yes.”

Lepia’s expression became even stranger. It seemed like she was asking “If Baba Yaga’s son ran away, what kind of business is it!? Are assassins chasing you?!”

However, junior? Rather, assassins can just stab or cut me. The people surrounding me right now can tear apart and eat the assassins who are targeting me alive!

“Instead, I went on a trip with my classmates for club activities. Here it is.”

“Yes? Ah, yes. The southern sea of the Empire is completely different from my motherland…”

“Lasquer. Yes, right. It’s a bit tilted to the north, so even if it’s summer sea, it’s more terrifying than the winter sea of the southern Empire.”

“So that’s why you were dressed so freely? Lepia junior.”

On my words, Lepia laughed “Aha ha!” Her outfit, what should I say. It looked like a swimsuit but also like a cool outfit for summer.

Looking at her not being particularly embarrassed, it was a world that was quite open in this regard.

“Ah. There was another junior next to her. Sorry. I was greeting Lepia junior.”

“No way! Karl senior! It’s an honor to meet you like this!”

“Strange. Is that female junior a military officer hopeful? If she has no interest in the military, why show such a face―”

“I heard the news! You showed a miracle at the Holy See! The benefactor of the church! The light benefactor! The saint! To meet such a person!!”

“…”

“So that’s it. It seems another crazy achievement was added to the medal ‘like’ level. Haha.”

“Ah! My mind!”

The female junior suddenly shouted and patted Lepia’s back.

“Hic?! Why, why?!”

“Work hard! I’ll get rid of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the interrupter! Lepia fighting!”

“What? W-wait! Wait…”

Despite Lepia’s earnest shout, the female junior was already running far away.

Even the other students, hearing her words, shouted “Fighting!” or “Ooooo!”

“…”

“S-Senior! This ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠is real! So my friends misunderstood!”

That’s right. Misunderstood. It’s not that kind of relationship. But, I guess I know roughly.

“Let’s go. Lepia junior.”

“Yes?”

“If I say here ‘Ah. I have no business with Lepia junior.’ then the junior’s position becomes quite delicate. Hearing that she quickly adapted because she was close to me.”

“That’s…”

“So, I’ll sell you enough. So adapt quickly. Next time, without me, you can mix well with Empire people.”

How could I leave someone in trouble. That wouldn’t suit me as a noble, as a Medal of Honor recipient, and as a benefactor that the church is calling a saint.

I cautiously extended my hand. Lepia, staring at it for a moment, conflicted with “What to do!”

But soon she grabbed my hand and muttered “Please take care until then.”