November has come to an end.
The world map changed in chaos hundreds of years ago, as nations collapsed and were unified, giving rise to new religions that embraced new gods. Even now, the war determining humanity’s fate has not ended, and no one knows when the demons will attack again. Yet, people still celebrate the end of the year.
In a world where new gods play an important role in religion, the origin of Christmas is likely no longer of great concern to people. Whether Jesus Christ existed or not, to the people living in this modern world, he is just a character from long ago.
Still, people continue to celebrate Christmas. Even if that day is no longer a celebration of the birth of a certain saint, with it being just five days before the new year, it was a perfect date to reminisce about the past year and prepare for the new one.
It is said that even when the world was crumbling and people were running away from the invading beasts and demons, they still celebrated Christmas. No matter what, the minimal humanity and daily lives they held onto had to be preserved. Considering that the largest demographic among the surviving modern humans is from Europe, one can roughly understand why this society ultimately managed to keep Christmas alive.
Anyway, even though the original meaning has somewhat faded due to the existence of the new gods that people began to worship 500 years ago, Christmas still remains an important holiday in this one remaining nation.
Therefore, when December arrives, people start to feel excited, bringing trees to decorate their homes, buying cards in advance for Christmas Eve, and happily contemplating what gifts to pick for their loved ones.
Well, just like Christmas in the world I used to live in, there are differences for each person, but generally, that’s how it goes.
In fact, those individual differences can be quite stark. For example, for a workaholic without a girlfriend, Christmas is just a day off. I did die before I could celebrate Christmas while working, but even before that, I was just a loveless college student with no plans for the holiday. Of course, I avoided Christmas when hanging out with friends over drinks just because I didn’t want to walk with a guy.
To be honest, I thought that my Christmas life in this world would not be too different.
The religious significance of Christmas is somewhat at odds with today’s church; most of the people living in the cathedral are invincible… or rather, ‘the gods’ solo brigade.’ It’s needless to say, the priests, the Mother Superior, and all the young nuns are very far removed from the idea of having a significant other.
I, too, along with Aurora and Linea, share the same predicament. Not only do we lack boyfriends, but there are also no signs of budding romances with any men. The shallow setting I created about wanting to make a nun heroine felt too barren with just what I had written. Instead, I had to accept the harsh reality that ‘a priest having a romantic partner is unreasonable’ as a common fact.
On the flip side, Jian must be a lucky guy… but this topic is just going to make me feel bitter, so let’s leave it at that.
Anyway, for various reasons, I thought I would just sleep through Christmas at the convent.
“Thanksgiving prayer?”
Clearly, my laid-back thoughts were somewhat naïve.
Hearing my surprised voice, Father Nguyen calmly continued to explain.
“Yes, that’s right. Once a year, on that day, we gather to reflect on the past year and give thanks for our survival.”
“…”
Well, now that I think about it, the customs of wrapping up the year or welcoming a new one exist in every country in the world. The only difference might be whether the date follows the solar or lunar calendar. In fact, it’s hard to find a people who wouldn’t celebrate their own established ‘year,’ regardless of two methods.
The same goes for the church in this world. Even though the deity served has changed, this church was born by absorbing the original religion. It’s not strange that they continue to utilize the existing traditions.
I was just underestimating the significance of that holiday.
“But… can’t we just stick to the schedule?”
Well, my presence might slightly alter the schedule. But not just because of me; with four saintesses in total, it would surely proceed somewhat differently than the events of the past 50 years. The Pope’s tasks will be taken over by the saintesses… and since there are four of them, they could adjust their positions so that none would stand out too much.
Do I really have to spend Christmas so exhaustingly? I was feeling a little disheartened when Father Nguyen shook his head.
“No. There are too many changes this year.”
“Changes?”
“Most notably, the existence of the ‘Goddess.'”
“……”
Oh.
“Until now, the Thanksgiving prayer was a prayer sent by the believers to the gods as they gathered. Naturally, it was expected that only the believers would gather, as the deities rarely descended to this world. But this year, the Goddess is right beside us, isn’t she?”
“Uh—”
“Not only is it a blessing to have three saintesses, but having someone to directly hear our prayers is an even greater blessing. Apparently, since last week, the Central Church has been looking forward to the prayer being held this year.”
Hearing the calm voice of the priest, my mind momentarily went blank.
Ah, right.
I understand now.
The discomfort I felt when the Pope entered my sect at the end of last month.
Obviously, praying at a religious organization at year-end is a given! Praying at the start of the year is also standard!
But to have the subject of the prayer directly in the world! What kind of naïve ideas had I been entertaining until now?!
What’s more, the one being prayed to is me!
Wait a minute.
Could it be that the Pope entered my sect to announce something significant at year-end? No, it’s not a big announcement! Many priests have followed after the Pope into my sect, not just those newly ordained. I also heard that many who were previously aligned with the Pope have followed suit.
Thanks to that, I was able to live a relatively comfortable life without using my own powers—
“So, who should we pray for during this Thanksgiving prayer? Me… I mean, if you include me, we’re three who can receive prayers. Even if I represent and receive the prayer, I can’t disregard the other two gods…?”
Trying to create an excuse to avoid it, I found the priest’s response seemed predetermined.
“Of course, prayers will be directed at all the gods. However, not many can consider all three equally. Until now, everyone has mostly prayed to the Goddess. Very little is known about the Demon God… and, as I say this, it might sound very disrespectful, but Clara Anderson’s existence was only recognized now.”
That’s only natural.
“Then, let’s just proceed as we did before! I’ll pray for the other gods too!”
“However, the last one to appear concealed her identity and willingly endured harsh persecution to sacrifice for us.”
“No! It wasn’t harsh at all! In fact, it was quite pleasant!”
Of course, that’s a lie. It was harsh, alright, but I hadn’t much of a pleasant life. The plumbing and boiler only recently returned to normal, anyway.
But if I back down here, it’s all over! If this continues, I’ll end up being the subject of a joint prayer by all humanity! I risk being sainted on the spot!
“Thank you for saying that.”
“And I haven’t sacrificed at all!”
But before I could finish, Father Nguyen’s gaze was already directed toward my hand. Since a few months ago, I had burned through my glove, revealing my bare skin. In the middle of my hand, there was a wound that looked like it hadn’t fully healed. While it wasn’t a gaping hole, the injury appeared to be quite deep.
“Uh, um, this is…”
Oh no.
I had nothing to say about that wound. Even I acknowledged it as a sign of sacrifice. Denying this injury would be denying the countless sacrifices made by numerous people up to this point.
“Even if you deny your own sacrifice, you’ve still made sacrifices on our behalf. For the last 500 years, humanity has been slowly withering under the constant invasion of demons. Even if we don’t perish right away, looking decades or centuries ahead, we had no means of winning. Of course, we know well that we… no, the Goddess has not yet achieved complete victory.”
Just as I was about to open my mouth for a rebuttal, I had no choice but to close it again due to the priest’s sensible reasoning. I mean, if he acknowledges it, what can I say?
“However, thanks to the Goddess, we’ve been able to dream dreams we couldn’t before. One day, retrieving vast lands beyond that wall, reviving human civilization, and helping those who lost their homeland return to their own world became possible. The day we thought would never come, you brought it right before us.”
“……”
“Even if we were to omit the many beneficial acts the Goddess has performed since coming to this land, we still have far too many reasons to be grateful to her. A single day of thanks will hardly cover it.”
“…Even so, I only came to this land thanks to Goddess Ariel and Demon God Baal.”
“Yes, that’s why we thank both the Goddess and the Demon God. Sending Clara Anderson to us is an unparalleled joy.”
As the priest spoke, his eyes became misty.
And as a result, I became incredibly awkward and uncomfortable. Being thanked is already awkward enough, but when someone looks misty-eyed while expressing their gratitude, I can’t even bring myself to look at their face.
“But just because there are two of them, it doesn’t mean the Goddess’s contributions diminish. We’re merely guiding the believers and telling them how to pray; the focus of their prayers is determined by the believers themselves.”
And perhaps, the high likelihood is that I will be the object of their prayers. That’s what it’s implying.
…
In the end, I couldn’t hold back the urge to place my hand on my forehead.
*
“How about thinking positively?”
After hearing the priest’s words, I returned to my room, buried my face in the bed, and remained completely still for a few minutes. Finally, Aurora, unable to withstand the silence, spoke first.
“That just shows how grateful the believers are to Clara!”
“……I didn’t do it to be appreciated.”
I worked exceptionally hard just to escape the church. It was merely that the results of my actions were wildly disproportionate to my expectations, constantly poking at the emotional aspects of the people around me.
Now I wasn’t just worried about escaping the church; I worried I might ascend once a year.
“Actually, it’s not just once a year. Important church events are clustered in January and February.”
That’s right. Besides Christmas, the last day of the year, the first day of the new year, the day Ariel first revealed herself and the discovery of Holy Power, the day the first miracle occurred—all happen within the first two months of the year.
This wasn’t framed since I set it; it naturally evolved as this world developed. Since many holidays fall at the beginning of the year, many companies take holidays altogether, apparently. That’s when schools are on break, too.
Honestly, when I first learned that fact, I thought, ‘Oh, there are plenty of reasons to take a break at the beginning of the year!’ and felt happy. But with all those dates being significant to faith, I would likely end up participating in those activities. And I’d be playing the role of the one being prayed to.
“And Clara’s crossing into this world…”
“Right now, but your day being designated as the Goddess will likely be celebrated later as well.”
“……”
I let out a deep sigh while still lying face down on the bed. The mattress absorbed my sigh, but the fabric touching my mouth felt warm and damp, leaving me somewhat uncomfortable.
Of course, my mood wasn’t exactly great to begin with.
“And if you really want to avoid that gratitude, it’s best to be careful about what you say.”
Linea advised me.
“Statements like ‘I didn’t do it for the sake of gratitude’ are something only truly noble heroes say.”
I turned my head to look at Linea while still in a prone position. I glared at her deeply, but she merely shrugged her shoulders.
“Even if you genuinely believe that, or rather especially because of that, people will thank you. How many individuals in this world help others without expecting any reward? Firefighters, police, even heroes who work day and night to save people all receive salaries.”
“I get a salary too.”
Quite a hefty one at that. Although it’s not called a salary, but more of an activity fee, I hardly spent any of it while working. Except for some occasional snacks, the rest just accumulated in my bank account. Recently, I couldn’t even stop by cafés while heading back since I drove directly to the church.
I heard that my favorite café had become a pilgrimage site for believers, making it a place I couldn’t go even if I wanted to. People flocked day and night, and the owner apparently looked like he was on the verge of collapse from the stress.
Even if I could visit a place, such occurrences would undoubtedly follow me everywhere.
…Reflecting on it, that’s really grim.
“But you’ve never used that substantial salary publicly.”
“Well, you need a reason to spend it!”
As I retorted and rose to my feet, Linea laughed, clearly amused.
“So, disregarding your salary, living humbly back at the convent when you could demand anything from people is?”
“That’s just because I thought living in an expensive place would make me unnecessarily tired from dealing with people…”
“Even if you think that, it won’t appear that way in people’s eyes.”
“Still, when I needed it, I flew around on airplanes and had people at my beck and call.”
As I argued back, Aurora let out a light sigh.
“And every time Clara acted, those acts returned huge benefits to humanity. Punishing evil, solving societal issues. If sending an airplane to resolve a gnawing societal problem is that easy, would you even think of the flight cost being an issue?”
“……”
With that, I had no further words to say.
Anyway, looking only at the outcome, it’s indeed true.
It was just that I had terrible luck, constantly colliding with problems everywhere I went.
“And it wasn’t at all without risk at that. Just admit it already. To people, you are already a hero that cannot be replaced by anyone.”
“Just relax and receiving gratitude from people isn’t a bad thing.”
Though Aurora and Linea said that, I still had things to say.
“No, I mean, we don’t know what might happen if I receive the prayers of so many people.”
I pointed at my slightly glowing face. While the light emanating from my face wasn’t bright enough for tactical use at night, it was still bright enough to see clearly even in the dark. According to Selena, it’s ‘a dazzling beautiful light,’ and while it was indeed better than the ridiculous amount of light before, it was still somewhat awkward for people to gasp at my face.
Upon hearing my words, Aurora and Linea exchanged glances and nodded, then turned to look at me simultaneously.
“That’s probably not something to worry about too much.”
“Yes, the Pope is likely to have thought this through.”
“……Is that so?”
I questioned back with skepticism.
“Well, if you don’t trust the Holy Pope, how about trusting us?”
“There are two saintesses serving Clara right here. We’ll help you control your powers.”
“……Oh.”
I briefly lost my words and then gently flopped back down on the bed.
“……Thank you.”
I likely blushed a bright red, so I spoke while burying my face in the mattress.
“Knowing you’re grateful yet clueless about accepting that gratitude is quite something.”
“No, that’s a different matter.”
And once again, the conversation returned to square one, and I sighed deeply. The mattress dampened once more.
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