Chapter 8. Saintess and Knight (4)

The government and the Church still seemed to have a few things left to discuss with the Gnomes, but Ria, our group, and I decided to return to Earth. That didn't mean we went back that very day. No matter how quickly you act, there are procedures that have to be followed.

After telling the government people we were leaving, and telling the Church people we were heading back first, the Gnome Government said they wanted to hold one more banquet before our departure, so we ended up leaving three days later.

During those three days, I took my time wandering around the Gnome Region and wrapped up my remaining business.

The first place I went was the workshop where I had left my commission.

"I never imagined it would be finished this quickly......."

I had actually gone for a mid-progress check, but Clanet already brought out the finished crystal and showed it to me.

If it had taken longer, I'd planned to ask the Church people who were staying behind to handle the cleanup to take care of it.

The crystal was beautiful, and very small. Far smaller than the Mana Stone I'd seen in that vault last time. A little bigger ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠than a diamond that goes on a ring, I suppose.

Actually, it was already set on a ring.

"Normally, the process would involve drawing out all the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Mana from a Mana Stone that once held it, then gradually refilling it with Holy Power while selecting the stone."

"Yes, and?"

When I looked up from examining the ring to Clanet, Clanet smiled a little sheepishly and said,

"Well, that lake you visited, Miss Anna, was already so full of Holy Power that I just took several Mana Stones there and washed them out, and they were ready to be selected right away. I picked the finest one among them and recut it."

"......."

Ah, well.

Right. That made sense. The lake probably still had all those Sacred Objects I'd dumped into it floating around. I'd also done Purification work around the outskirts before pouring in the sand.

"Would you like to test it?"

I nodded and took the ring in my hand.

Then I called up my Holy Power.

Slowly, I felt the power seeping into the ring.

It felt a little strange. When I put Holy Power into an ordinary stone, it felt like pressing my hand firmly against a blocked wall, but now the gem seemed to soak up the Holy Power like a sponge.

Since collapsing would have been a problem, I cut off the Holy Power partway through.

When I opened my fist, a soft light was spreading from the ring on my palm. More precisely, from the gem set in the ring.

There had been no sense of blockage at all, so the ring would be able to accumulate far more Holy Power going forward. It being small, and in ring form, made it even better. It was easy to store, and if I wore it on my hand, there'd be no risk of losing it, and it would be convenient to use.

"Excellent."

When I said that with a smile, Clanet nodded.

"Which finger would you like to wear it on? I can adjust the ring size right away."

"Oh, well."

I thought about it for a moment.

Which finger do you normally wear a ring on just for carrying around? The ring finger is usually for engagement or wedding rings, isn't it?

I think people wear things like class rings on their index finger, but that would actually be a bit uncomfortable for me. Since I handle guns, after all.

"May I make a suggestion?"

As Clanet said that, she held up one more ring.

"Two?"

"Yes. There was another decent stone. With two like this, there's obviously only one finger they'd suit."

No way.

"Oh, um, I don't have a lover or anyone like that yet......."

"Pardon?"

At my words, Clanet's eyes went wide as if she'd never heard such a thing before, then blinked once. Then she looked back and forth between Ria and me.

......Why?

"Oh, but from what I heard—"

"......Whatever you may have heard, it was probably mistaken."

Seriously, who's going around saying what?

Assuming two women together are a yuri couple is probably only something prejudiced foreigners do. In Korea, friends link arms when they walk around. I do that with Ria sometimes when the situation calls for it.

......Ah, or is it that? Maybe it's because Ria and I danced together?

"Ah...... Ah-ha!"

Clanet clapped her hands as if she'd realized something. Then, sweating profusely, she quickly said,

"I-is that so?"

What's "that" supposed to mean?

"Still, I think fitting it on the fourth finger is best. The fourth finger of the left hand is for engagement or wedding rings, but the right ring finger signifies unchanging friendship."

"......Not the left index finger?"

My eyes narrowed.

I'd heard that much before, so I knew. More precisely, I'd read it. I may not look it, but I once read a truly enormous amount of web novels.

Because in yuri novels, when a heroine too embarrassed to buy couple rings buys the protagonist a friendship ring, she often sizes it for the left index finger.

Whether that's actually true or not, I don't really know. No, wait, do women even do friendship rings with each other in the first place? At least between men, absolutely not. You'd be one hundred percent misunderstood.

"In Gnome society, that's how it is. If the left ring finger means unchanging love, the right ring finger means unchanging friendship. Actually, there's a social aspect to it as well. We often work with our hands, you see? The fingers that get in the way least while wearing a ring are the ring finger or the pinky, but since the pinky is on the outside of the hand, it bumps into things a lot."

"Ahh......."

So if you think about it practically, the ring finger really is the only option.

"But even if it means unchanging friendship."

I looked at Ria.

Ria's cheeks were slightly flushed.

Isn't this a bit embarrassing?

I don't know if it's because my sensibilities are stuck at those of an adult man, but friendship itself changes form over time anyway. A friend who was genuinely fun to meet and play with every time when you were young stops being purely enjoyable to talk to once you both start getting worn down by society.

Wouldn't it be the same between women?

"......I'm fine with it. I have to grip a sword anyway, right?"

"Hmm, well, if that's the case, it doesn't matter to me."

"If it's too embarrassing to wear around, I'll have a nice necklace made for you instead. You're a Hero who helped us, so I can make you as many as you like. Wearing the ring on a chain around your neck isn't a bad option either."

Ria nodded at that.

I shrugged as well.

In the end, the ring was fitted that way, practical in more ways than one.

*

"......Is that so?"

At the farewell banquet held before our departure, Glaria, who had asked about the meaning after seeing the ring on my hand, wore a somewhat ambiguous expression after hearing the whole story.

"Why, does it have a strange meaning in Elf society?"

"No, I wouldn't exactly say that...... Actually, Elves aren't really the type to place much meaning on rings. But what I wanted to say is."

Glaria's gaze turned toward Ria.

There was a hint of puzzlement in that gaze.

"That day, the sight I saw from up above was—"

But those words never reached their end.

Whether they'd gotten close or something, Han Yu-ri, who was near Glaria, turned red-faced and scowled sharply, then ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠smacked Glaria's forearm with her hand. It wasn't malicious, just enough to cut off her words.

"Ow, what was that for!?"

Glaria protested at Han Yu-ri's sudden action, but Han Yu-ri grabbed one of Glaria's wrists and pulled her toward herself.

"Let's talk for a second."

Then Han Yu-ri dragged Glaria off toward where Lee Si-yoon was talking with the Church people far away.

Ah, right, she ended up awakening too, didn't she.

It's only natural the Knight Order would show interest. Han Yu-ri probably had her eye on that side of things.

Since all the knights who followed me are women.

Goodness, so much jealousy.

I turned my head toward Ria to try to share that observation, but for some reason Ria's face was flushed bright red.

She even let out a long breath, as if relieved about something.

......Why?

Ria had made the ring into a necklace and put it around her neck. Just in case, I'd infused that ring with Holy Power too. From now on, I planned to steadily accumulate Holy Power in it before bed. Since I never knew when I might need it.

When Ria's eyes met mine, she gave a small, awkward cough, then held out her hand to me.

"......So, want to dance?"

Whether it was because she had nothing more to say, or because she was once again trying to stop someone else from asking me to dance.

Seeing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Ria ask me to dance with her face flushed, I couldn't help but let out a small laugh. Ria did glare at me a little, but she didn't say anything in particular.

"Sure."

I placed my hand on Ria's. A hand that was a little soft, slightly firm, and unmistakably warm.

Ria gently took my hand and pulled me toward her.

Then she slowly led me into the middle of the space where people were dancing, and pulled me completely against her.

Feeling a hand settle on my waist, I looked up at Ria.

She smelled a little nice.

Even though we use the exact same shampoo and body wash.

Honestly, that's just cheating.

.......

Well, even so.

Ria couldn't look me in the face the entire time we danced, her cheeks flushed bright red.

I don't really know why, but well, this once at least, I feel like I won.

I don't know what I won, or how exactly I won it— but seeing that Ria didn't reject me, it probably wasn't anything too bad.

Deciding to think positively, I let Ria's hand guide me and danced softly.

My face was probably a little flushed this time too.