A Childish Punishment and a Letter from Rin
And so the girls were punished together. And of course, we were punished too.
“Sigh, you two really. What on earth were you doing in my room?!”
In a room that featured an extravagantly expensive glass window, the simple, stiff bed belonging to Azalea felt entirely out of place. There, Pirel and I knelt with our arms raised high, literally receiving the sort of punishment given to children.
“Huuueeeng……”
Pirel kept her hands up while kneeling and sobbed openly. Truth be told, I was pouting a little myself, thinking that even from this Pirel beside me—in other words, from my own mother—I had never once received this kind of punishment.
“What are you doing, behaving like young nuns who enter a monastery during puberty and end up falling for each other…? You two are family!”
Azalea stood with both hands on her hips, scolding us with an expression of utter disbelief.
“B-but… Kaira was… licking my… my embarrassing place…”
“What?! Pirel started it! You kissed me on the lips while I was asleep… and pushed your tongue… all the way inside my mouth!”
“Hoo……”
Seeing Azalea’s face—the look of someone staring at truly pathetic children—we stopped our childish bickering. It really did feel like being scolded by Mom.
By the way, acting like young nuns. Even in the frozen atmosphere, my curiosity got the better of me and I asked.
“…Um, so the nuns… do that sort of thing too…?”
Azalea’s expression flickered with amazement at the fact that I would ask such a question right now, but the saint let out a long breath and explained.
“Yes. Well, our denomination doesn’t impose foolish rules like chastity on its monks or clergy, so it isn’t treated as a grave sin. Still, it does create noise and disturb the atmosphere, so when newly ordained young nuns satisfy their curiosity by rubbing against each other, we impose a light regulatory punishment.”
As she spoke, something seemed to occur to Azalea. She let out a small “Ah,” and continued.
“If you’d like, you can experience the punishment the nuns receive. There’s a triangular wooden horse, a nine-tailed leather whip, sturdy leather straps that bind the entire body, a gag that seals the throat completely, and a blessed wooden phallus for girls who have already lost their virginity. Interested?”
I could feel Pirel trembling in fear just from hearing the description. Utterly dumbfounded, I protested.
“Th-that’s a light punishment?! Why does the main temple even have those things?!”
Azalea, as if our reaction was exactly what she had expected, covered her mouth with her right hand and let out a small laugh.
“Hehe. I went through it many times myself when I was a nun. Still, since neither of you is a nun, that sort of punishment would be a bit much, wouldn’t it? Ah, and since our denomination makes no distinction between male and female, young boy novices who disturb the dormitory environment receive the exact same punishment.”
I thrust my lower lip out in a pout.
“You really didn’t need to explain that part……”
“I understand. Well, this much punishment should suffice. You may lower your hands. And Kaira, I have something for you. During the service, a carrier pigeon arrived from the Imperial Capital addressed to me, but no matter how I look at it, it wasn’t meant for me.”
Pirel and I instantly dropped our trembling arms and exchanged glances. News from the Imperial Capital. Could it be from Naixon?
“Eh…?”
Azalea handed me the tiny capsule that had been attached to the pigeon’s leg, then immediately turned to Pirel.
“And Lady Pirel. Last night I refrained from doing anything further so you could rest properly, but by the authority of the saint I would like to perform one more verification of corruption and exorcism. While Kaira reads the letter, would you follow me to the side room with the small door? It won’t be as humiliating as yesterday.”
“Ehh… Y-yes, of course……”
Though clearly a little frightened, Pirel stood with a resolute expression and took Azalea’s hand. Since she knew something still remained inside her body, there was no helping it. Only the saint could do anything about it.
Once the two of them had disappeared through the small door, I unrolled the tightly furled letter.
Light Denomination Direct Territory, Central Main Temple, the one most beloved by God, the Burning Rage, the Manifestation of the Unsetting Sun, the Holy Woman, Her Eminence Azalea.
At this time of year when the protection of the sun gradually wanes, may Your Eminence’s noble body…
Thanks to the concern shown by Your Eminence and the one you hold dear, the one freshly baked and blessed with sacred power, the new venture has finally reached the main road and races forward like a carriage.
The new medicine developed with your kind assistance last time has now reached the stage of mass production and refinement. It is spreading by word of mouth among the friends of free citizens who spend their days in the eastern district of the Imperial Capital, generating considerable sales.
With the help of the one freshly baked and blessed with sacred power, we obtained a clue for producing the medicine in question. According to that clue, it is a medicine that must be taken daily throughout the entire period one wishes to prevent conception. While this makes it an ideal business model in terms of continuous revenue, the supply side has encountered greater difficulties than expected in keeping up with the growing demand.
Therefore, for the time being we intend to devote all available means of production to the business. As such, we regret that we cannot dispatch the split entity you requested. Though I have two people most precious to me, if I must choose one, you already know which it will be.
I am deeply sorry to deliver such news, but I trust you will understand. However, I will complete the research to increase production as quickly as possible and join you. Should you find a place to stay for more than a few days, please send a letter from there.
The letter began with such archaic, flowery prose that it clearly wasn’t meant for me, but the sender’s name written just below changed my mind.
Imperial Capital, Southern District, Stromah Street 71, Pharmacist, Chemist, Naturalist and Alchemist, Naixon, with respect.
There should have been no connection between Naixon and the saint. Even if there were, he wouldn’t have sent a pigeon at a time like this. The moment I saw it, I instinctively knew this letter had been sent by Naixon—who must have foreseen my arrival here—or rather, by Rin.
The greeting was typically fussy and old-man-like. I skipped it.
I had forgotten. The whole reason for creating Rin was to mass-produce contraceptive pills. Rin’s main body had remained with Naixon, assisting the research with the intellect she had gained from me. It seemed they had succeeded in producing and refining enough to sell.
I had never taken birth control pills, but the requirement of daily dosage meant they had created something essentially identical to the pills from Earth. Naturally, the number of pills that needed to be made would skyrocket compared to the number of customers.
From a little earlier, various parts had felt strange, but now I understood clearly. The one who had written this letter was not Naixon.
Looking at it now, the lower part of the paper was excessively damp, as though written by someone sweating profusely, making the handwriting bumpy. The very bottom looked as if it had been dipped in water.
The one who wrote this was……
I folded the letter carefully and hugged it to my chest, murmuring.
“Yes, I love you too. Rin……”
After I spoke, I looked back at myself—feeling maternal affection for a slime-like, inhuman monster—and shuddered in horror.
Still… even though she was a creature that wasn’t even human, she was a being I had given birth to, a being who had inherited my consciousness, an intelligent being I could converse with, and she had even protected me. It would be stranger not to feel maternal love for her, I told myself, trying to calm down.
I found my robe and slipped Rin’s letter into the inner pocket that held my precious pocket watch. Just as I sat on the bed and let out a sigh, the two of them emerged from the side room.
Pirel’s face wasn’t flushed with shame like yesterday, but it wasn’t particularly bright either. Azalea’s expression was somewhat stiff as well.
“Kaira.”
I looked up anxiously at the saint who called my name.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t purify it.”
My eyes fell on Pirel’s small hand, anxiously clutching the hem of Azalea’s sleeve.
“No matter how much holy power I pour in, it can only be suppressed. It’s a darkness that cannot be completely uprooted… I don’t understand how something like this is possible.”
Though not bright, Azalea still managed a smile that showed she had tried her best.
“But aside from that, we can manage somehow. No matter how strong a light I pour in, it doesn’t disappear, yet even the tiniest amount of light completely suppresses the activity of that… root-like darkness that clings like tentacles. If she stays here with me and learns just a little, Pirel will be able to endure the corruption with her own power alone. Semi-permanently. Until then, I will suppress it myself.”
I barely managed to form a smile in return.
“I see. Please take good care of Pirel.”
“But just where did she acquire something with such deep roots from beyond…? If what Kaira said is true, those cultists were nothing more than small fry.”
…It was probably because of me. Because I kept tearing holes in reality, Pirel had become vulnerable to corruption… But that was only Viran’s hypothesis, and I didn’t have the courage to mention it.
I rose from the bed and approached the two of them. I wanted to touch the hem of Pirel’s childish camisole, still bearing damp yellow stains, and clean it.
Hoo…… Rewind.
Time Rewinding
Activated — No change detected.
“What’s wrong, Kaira?”
Pirel’s voice reached my bewildered ears. If I told them that time hadn’t rewound, they would only worry. I made up an excuse.
“I just wanted to touch Pirel’s shoulders for a long, long time—shoulders I might not get to touch much anymore.”
Having instinctively sensed our impending separation, Pirel’s face crumpled into tears. Azalea pulled me into a tight embrace.
“Kaira.”
There was moisture in the saint’s voice. She knew she had to send me away now.
“Saintess……”
“Ever since that day in the forest where everyone gathered, I’ve wanted to do this. Poor Kaira, oh, poor Kaira… I wanted to wrap you in light from head to toe and hold you this tightly. It doesn’t hurt anymore, does it? It’s all right for me to hold you like this now, isn’t it?”
That was something for Azalea to decide, not me. Her heart had calmed, and my existence no longer appeared to her as unforgivable evil. Therefore, my body did not burn.
“Yes……”
The white radiance emanating from Azalea’s body grew stronger and stronger, to the point I could barely keep my eyes open.
Yet even with such intense light right before me, it wasn’t blinding. It wasn’t painful. It wasn’t hot or agonizing. It felt like sinking into warm water, like burying myself in a perfectly dried cotton quilt. It felt so good that I wanted to remain like this forever.
Azalea had lamented that she possessed no talent for healing, but this pure saint clearly had more than enough talent for healing hearts.
“Kaira, you smell so good…… And right now, somehow……”
Azalea took several small breaths.
Sniff, sniff.
“Unlike the past when there was a strange sense of incongruity—fragrant yet somehow not human—your scent truly smells like a person now… It’s even better……”
Somehow embarrassed by the saint’s words, I stayed wrapped in Azalea’s arms, my eyes meeting Pirel’s teary, upturned gaze, and felt my cheeks grow warm.