Isekai Milf Story - Nunnery Arc (8)
Heading right from the main nunnery building led to the dining hall. Stepping inside with Irina, I saw it was spacious enough to comfortably seat over eighty people. The tables were set up with straight benches on either side, each one able to accommodate about a dozen diners, lined up in neat rows. I'd half-expected them to be in rigid straight lines like something out of a movie, but it felt more free-spirited, almost like a campus cafeteria. And it wasn't just the vibe—nuns who were already eating were chattering away lively and carefree. For a nunnery, the atmosphere was surprisingly friendly and buzzing with energy.
What's going on here? Don't they usually keep a solemn mood during meals? Is religion in this world just... like this?
"Ah! That's the kid we were talking about."
"I didn't picture it from the stories, but wow... such a cute little face."
"Shh. She'll hear you. Let's not make him uncomfortable."
As I glanced around, I could feel all the eyes turning toward me. The nuns were trying not to stare outright, just flicking their gazes my way, but with dozens doing it, there was no hiding it. Still, since it was all friendly attention, it didn't feel bad. I'd get used to it soon enough.
Irina led me over to an adult nun who was wandering the hall. "Oh, Sister Irina, you're here."
"Yes. I've brought the new devotee Raoul. Could he join for a meal too?"
"Hehe, of course. Have a seat. I'll bring something over."
The nun glanced at me with a soft, warm smile. But calling me a "devotee" already? I hadn't even joined the faith yet. It felt like they were naturally assuming I would.
"Let's sit here."
"Sure."
Irina scanned around and found an empty table, sitting down side by side with me. As we chatted idly waiting for food, the girl peppered me with questions in her gentle, soft-spoken tone. Most were pretty light stuff like, "Where are you from?" "What did you do there?" "Any hobbies you like?" Anyone overhearing might think we were on a blind date.
Soon, other nuns brought over plates of bread, vegetables, and stew. The taste... not bad. Nowhere near Cecilia's cooking, but decent enough. As I chewed away at the surprisingly edible meal, two nuns about Irina's age appeared across from us. Their bread was already half-eaten, so they'd probably been eating earlier.
"Hey. You're Raoul, right?"
The redheaded nun with long hair asked me bluntly in casual speech. Her slightly upturned eyes gave her a mature look for her age, but the way she stared at me with wide, sparkling eyes suggested a personality as fiery as her hair.
"Y-yeah... I mean, yes."
I almost matched her casual tone but caught myself and switched to polite speech.
"I'm Kate. Mind if we join you?"
"Um... Kate... Devotee Raoul's first day here... They might be having an important talk... Irina..."
I flicked my eyes to the nun next to Kate, who was trying to hold her back. She had soft, droopy eyes and a plump, gentle face overall. Her brown hair was long like Irina's but fluffier, like wool cascading down. Another standout feature was her perky chest—pretty developed for her age, almost like Eli's.
"Eh, whatever, Linda. If it's something important, we can fill him in. So, Raoul, you cool with that?"
Linda, huh. Total opposite of Kate, but if they hung out together, they must be close.
"Sure. Join us for the meal."
"Sweet. Then..."
"Excuse us..."
The two sat down across from us, setting their plates on the table. Irina pouted a little at the sight.
"What're you doing, Kate? We were in the middle of something important with the devotee."
Kate grinned like she found it adorable. "Hehe. Your face says you're thrilled, so don't lie. We've always been tight as a trio—over one boy?"
"It's not about him being a boy...! I was just purely welcoming the newcomer. The abbess asked me to, anyway."
She argued point by point like when we'd first met at the window, but now Irina seemed more girlish, less reserved around friends.
We ended up eating and chatting as a group of four. Kate and Irina led the conversation, the three of them bantering away, while fluffy-faced Linda listened quietly or chimed in with agreement. The rhythm felt natural, like Kate said—they probably stuck together like the three musketeers.
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"Oh? So you'll be joining our morning lessons too, Raoul?"
"Yes, Sister Kate. What do the lessons involve?"
Kate kept using casual speech with me, but since all three were a couple years older, they mixed in some politeness. She said to treat her casually, but that could complicate things later.
Irina shot Kate a glare for manners, but I waved it off, saying it was fine.
With a girl like that, polite speech from her would feel weirder.
"Dunno... We gather in the chapter room and listen to stuff, but... I don't really remember."
Kate crossed her arms and tilted her head. Irina, sitting beside me, jumped in.
"Of course you don't—you sleep through it every time. To explain: it's mostly for regular nuns, covering virtues for cloistered life or scripture readings. Senior sisters are too busy to come much."
"...I get Kate, though. It's not that fun..."
"......We're not here for fun. It might be boring, sure."
Linda quietly defended Kate, and Irina made a reluctant "mmph" face, conceding a bit. I'd thought Irina was a total devout type at first, but she was more like a patient model student. She could rise high—maybe paladin or priestess someday.
So that's the vibe with nuns my age. Makes sense—they're at that curious, fun-loving stage. Staying cooped up without complaint wouldn't fly.
As I listened, Irina continued in her signature soft tone.
"Sister Bereani isn't that free either. Think about it from her perspective, squeezing in time to teach us."
"Yeah, but... sleepy is sleepy."
"Sister Bereani?"
The name sparked a question in my head—not because of it, but "priestess." The goddesses had stuffed my brain with background knowledge kindly enough, but ranks were vague.
"Um, Sister Irina? I don't know much— what do priestesses do? Do they handle teaching nuns like you mentioned?"
I looked at her curiously, and Irina smiled warmly, explaining patiently.
"Not exactly, Devotee Raoul. Most priestesses live at cathedrals or major parishes. Teaching directly like this is rare. Normally, Sister Bereani would be at Tierin Cathedral, but she seems more comfortable here. It's just minutes away, no issue."
She paused for breath.
"As for their duties... Priestesses have purer divine power than others, so they pray to the goddesses, commune directly, and receive oracles. Amazing, right? Meeting goddesses one-on-one... We see her daily, but it's hard to believe someone that incredible is right here."
Irina got lost in her own explanation, clasping her hands with shining eyes, imagining a private audience with a goddess.
Got it... Priestess Bereani. Guess I'll see her at tomorrow's lesson.
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Chatting through dinner made faces familiar, a bit closer. Kate was straightforward, Linda a good listener—no real awkwardness. Nuns were just nice by default.
In front of the senior dorms.
"See ya tomorrow, Raoul?"
"Tomorrow, Devotee~"
"…………."
The three who'd walked me back waved goodbye. Only quiet Linda gave a soft hand flutter.
"Thanks for showing me around today. See you all tomorrow."
I waved casually and pushed open the dorm door. Before heading to my room, I glanced at Stella's door—faint page-turning sounds meant she was reading. Her, reading? Maybe a novel?
I'd casually asked about Stella earlier; she'd only been here twenty days or so. Must be stifling for her personality. I could head to the general store this weekend via guild "community service," but she probably couldn't. Or maybe—rules seemed lax, nunnery freer than expected. She might sneak out with excuses.
-Argh! Thud.
Ah, book thrown. Yeah, that tracks. As if you'd read.
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I lit the candle wax and slowly recapped the day. Just one day in, but plenty of meetings. Gentle, motherly Abbess Olivia; unexpected ex-owner Stella. The tight-knit trio: Irina, Kate, Linda. And unseen priestess Bereani...
Lots more to meet, but already, nunnery life seemed fun.
"But training my divine power... how?"
Now that I was in, peers started with mental indoctrination. My frail body and "visitor" status gave no excuse to learn handling it. Over eighty eyes—no hypnotizing randomly. Beg Olivia and show "talent" maybe.
...Nah. Don't overthink. It'll sort itself once they're all mine.
With that, I pulled up the covers.