Chapter: 401
I ran out of the funeral home and hid in the church’s reception room. As I peeked through the curtain, I caught the frantic eyes of the church members outside and quickly pulled the curtain down.
“Ooooo! The manifestation of the goddess has looked at me! She shall inspire me!”
“That person wasn’t looking at you! She was looking at ME!”
“Stop talking nonsense! The goddess’s gaze was directed at me!”
The somber atmosphere of the funeral had disappeared, replaced by the mad scene of the streets outside. I could feel once again that they were indeed the goddess and her followers.
I could understand ordinary followers behaving like this, but why the hell were the church leader and bishops acting like that? They were really getting into it.
With a frown, I glanced out the window, sighing as I turned my head back inside.
There, on the ground, were a sloppy dog and a bald guy with their heads stuck to the floor.
Though it was a punishment for just watching instead of coming to help when their master was in trouble, the two looked quite relaxed.
Sure, in the Allen Family, they were just a couple of knights, but elsewhere, they were supposed to carry significant roles. Sticking their heads in the ground was probably nothing to them.
Knowing this, I didn’t bother changing the punishment. After all, the intent was more about eating away at their pride than physical discomfort.
“…Hey. Lucy?”
“What is it? A useless fox with nothing to show but its fluff.”
“Can’t you let go of that now? I feel like I might actually lose my mind.”
“Your brains are seriously lacking. That’s exactly why I’m doing this—to make you go crazy. How stupid.”
The sloppy fox in my arms protested with a trembling voice, but I ignored her complaints.
Didn’t she used to say she’d protect me from other perverts? And now, when I needed her most, she joins them?
I can never forgive that. You’re going to be my plush toy for healing my mental state until we get out of this church!
With the struggling sloppy fox easily subdued, I sat back and looked around the reception room.
Before I gained the skill of aesthetic sense, I had just thought this place was neat and nice.
But now, things were different. Having received a blessing from the stalker crow, I understood how meticulously designed this reception room was.
From the placement of the furniture to the color coordination with the walls, the designs of the dishes, and every little detail that seemed insignificant, all were intertwined with an artistic sense.
The one who designed this place must have been a perverted apostle. No one else could have pulled this kind of extraordinary conduct.
As I marveled at the perverted apostle’s brilliance, a funny idea suddenly crossed my mind.
In the game, the skill of aesthetic sense was useless beyond the ability to buy expensive items cheaply.
It was really useful for maxing out merchant play, but other than that, it had no real meaning.
But that was just in the game. Now that the game had turned into reality, wouldn’t things be different? For instance, finding the beauty in martial arts and optimizing it…
“Sloppy dog.”
“Yes! Young lady!”
“Can’t you stop barking? It’s annoying. Or are you trying to pick a fight with me on purpose?”
“I’m sorry. I will correct it.”
“Ah. You don’t want forgiveness? You’re trying to pick a fight with me, aren’t you? Perverted bastard. You’re so disgusting I don’t even want to step on you.”
“I’m truly sorry. Young lady.”
“Enough! Stop your nonsense and get up and swing your sword.”
Despite it being an odd request, Karl immediately stood up and complied.
In an instant, the sword drawn from Karl’s waist cut through the void. I had seen his sword countless times in the Allen territory, but it appeared new to my eyes now.
First of all, the noticeable thing was the hand gripping the sword. His hand, honed over many years of wielding, fit perfectly with the sword.
To someone oblivious to martial arts, it would seem impressive, but to my eyes, now equipped with aesthetic sense, that hand looked like a piece of art.
The sword path created by Karl was similar. At first glance, it may seem trivial, but to me, it looked as precious as gold.
However, it didn’t look perfect. Something was missing. Just a little more, and it could become truly beautiful, but I couldn’t put my finger on that missing part.
Aaaaah. This is so frustrating!
“Do you need more?”
As I pondered with a frown, Karl cautiously spoke up.
“Go ahead.”
I tried to find the shortcomings in Karl’s sword path, but the more I concentrated, the more my frustration grew.
In the end, unable to find the answer, I returned Karl to his place and sat on top of the bald guy next to him.
“Ah. Young lady!?”
“Is there something wrong with my ears? Why is the chair talking?”
The bald guy spoke in disbelief, but he swiftly closed his mouth at my next words. He realized he was in a position of punishment.
Karl also bit his lips tightly. If it were the sloppy dog, would he be wondering why the bald guy was taking his spot right about now?
For reasons unknown, I crossed my arms while sitting lightly on the trembling bald guy’s back, reflecting on the potential of aesthetic sense I’d just seen.
Ultimately, aesthetic sense is, quite literally, instinct. You know it naturally by seeing and feeling it with your body.
In the game, they couldn’t find a way to describe it and turned it into that trashy skill, but now that it’s real, things are different.
I could now find beauty not just in determining the value of objects but in every sight and feeling I encountered.
No wonder that crow was making such a fuss!
This is truly an overpowered skill!
Joyfully humming, I figured I might understand why the sloppy fox and the perverted apostle were making such a scene, so I stood up from the bald guy’s back.
Hmm.
Uuuum.
It’s definitely pretty and cute, but…
Is there really something to touch on?
It does attract attention no matter where I go, that much is true.
But is it worth such a commotion?
Looking at myself in the full-length mirror, I thought maybe I’d be different if I tried to act coy, so I moved around, but I couldn’t empathize with the perverts at all.
No matter how pretty I am, immersing myself in myself seems to be a tough task. I guess narcissists really are something else.
Thud!
Hearing the sound of something collapsing, I turned my head and froze at the sight of the perverted apostle sprawled out outside the door.
Huh. Since when have you been watching? It can’t have been long, right?! Right!?
[Just so you know, I’ve been watching you puff up your cheeks.]
‘…Why didn’t you say anything!?’
[What does it matter? It’s a delightful sight to see a cute girl pretending to be cute.]
‘It’s not so delightful for the person involved?!’
As I stomped my feet in embarrassment, I heard a clearing throat from the side.
Erin and Alsatine were trying to hold back their laughter while looking away.
Realizing there was no way out of this embarrassing moment, I hugged my knees on the sofa and buried my face in the fluffy fur of the sloppy fox.
The sloppy fox, who had long since fainted, obediently covered my flushed face.
*
After the entire church saw Lucy Allen off, the church leader, returning to her workplace from the heated streets, let out a long sigh.
Though I knew there was an overwhelming amount of work waiting for me, nothing seemed to catch my attention.
The inspiration left by Lucy Allen, who was hard to believe was the same person, rather made it sound more convincing to call her a goddess’s manifestation, was shaking my heart.
If it weren’t for my status as a church leader, I would be unleashing my inspirations freely like the other followers right now!
…Do I really HAVE to work now?
I could postpone it, but this inspiration, which might leave if I don’t follow it now, could disappear at any moment.
Even if some problems arise, wouldn’t it benefit the church more to successfully complete an artwork that would elevate its prestige?
While I was rationalizing, something that a church leader should never do, the office door opened, and Prete appeared.
His entrance without knocking was rude, but neither the church leader nor Prete minded it.
For the two who had been together for a long time, small etiquette held no significance.
“Was she sent off well?”
“She left shouting that all the perverts here should be thrown in prison.”
“Well, that makes it impossible to bring the lady back.”
“Who knows? She said she would never go where a pervert like you was a member before.”
Seeing Prete smiling smugly made the church leader’s expression darken.
You little bastard. Haven’t you been monopolizing such a person all this time? Other followers might be one thing, but you should’ve at least shared the joy with me, the church leader.
“Oh? Your expression looks strange?”
“It’s not strange, I’m glaring at you.”
“Don’t you show respect to an apostle?”
“Shouldn’t you show respect to the leader of the church?”
“Respect?”
As soon as Prete chuckled, the church leader’s expression twisted, but her anger didn’t last long.
Before she could genuinely yell, Prete pulled out a painting from his bosom.
The painting vividly depicted Lucy Allen, looking in the mirror with puffed cheeks, almost as if capturing the scene alive.
“Who should be the one to show respect here, I wonder?”
“…What is this?”
“It’s a painting of the young lady charming herself in front of the mirror. I swear on the honor of an apostle that it is no different from the actual scene.”
Unintentionally swallowing my saliva upon seeing the painting, the church leader shook her head after much contemplation, trying to resist the temptation.
“There are probably five more like this, but really, you don’t want them?”
“…I’m sorry! Apostles of the church! I didn’t know my place!”
I couldn’t. That would involve too much that Prete had in hand.
Even though the church leader quietly accepted her defeat and bowed her head, Prete’s arrogance didn’t waver.
“Is that really all the church leader is capable of?”
What the?! Does he have something else up his sleeve? What else could he possibly have?
Meeting the dazed look of the church leader, Prete nonchalantly crossed his arms and continued.
“Love to create art related to Lady Allen. I’ve come to get permission to do so freely.”
“…Really?”
“Really.”
“On the goddess’s name?”
“On my art.”
“Damn it! Hey! Prete! I love you, you bastard!”
“Could you please get away! Church leader! Why are you doing this between us?!”
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.