Title: Continental Common Sense: Religion Edition
Meaning of each word.
.
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Deacon: In modern Catholicism, a deacon refers to a stage one passes through before becoming a priest, as well as a priest who performs a role of service.
However, the meaning of deacon on the current continent is different.
Unlike modern Catholicism, it refers to a disciple who studies under a priest, much like a knight’s squire. For this reason, cases where a priest simultaneously holds the position of deacon are not uncommon.
In some religions where marriage is forbidden, they are effectively treated as godchildren, so one must be careful not to commit a faux pas.
…
I fell silent at the girl’s request to take her as my deacon.
The Church of the Flower Goddess did not forbid marriage, but even so, the meaning of a deacon was not insignificant.
‘I doubt I’ll be caught by a naive girl, but as a fake priest, I can’t have a deacon.’
If I myself were exposed, it wouldn’t matter much.
Worst case, I could just run, and I was confident I could escape without being caught.
But a deacon was a different matter. Even if she knew nothing herself, the moment it was discovered, the odds of her life becoming difficult were quite high.
“I’m sorry, but that won’t be possible.”
So the only answer I could give was a refusal.
“I haven’t heard all the circumstances, but I hope you understand that I too have my reasons and am not in a position to take on a deacon.”
At the outright refusal, the girl hung her head low.
Seeing tears welling up in her eyes softened my heart, but since this choice was for her sake, my resolve did not waver.
Leaving that sight behind, I went up to my room at the inn.
‘…But what circumstances brought such a young girl all the way here alone?’
A sudden curiosity washed over me.
But I soon set the thought aside.
Because even if I knew, the outcome wouldn’t change.
Besides, if it turned out to be a pitiful story, I’d only be left with an uneasy feeling.
However, sometimes things get shoved into your mouth even when you don’t want to eat.
Just like now.
“Um, Priest.”
Sean, the innkeeper’s son, knocked cautiously and called for me, checking my mood before speaking.
“It’s about that priest lady from earlier.”
“…”
And the story Sean told was more than enough to unsettle the heart of one fraud posing as a priest.
…
“So I told you to rest up, but I guess you didn’t rest well.”
Priest Margaret, whom I ran into on my way to work, clicked her tongue.
“I suppose it shows.”
It seemed my fatigue was written all over my face.
“Is it because of that young Flower Priest who came to the village?”
“..How do rumors spread this fast around here?”
“It’d be stranger if rumors didn’t spread in a small town. What, did you expect the city gate soldiers to keep their mouths shut?”
Of course, this alone shouldn’t have been enough for rumors to spread.
That is, if the girl hadn’t happened to be a Flower Priest.
“Well, since you’ve become famous, that girl—being a Flower Priest too—caught everyone’s attention along with you.”
“Me? What do I have to be famous for?”
I was baffled by Margaret’s inexplicable remark.
“..If you ask me, you lack self-awareness. Sure, you’re a Flower Priest, but look at you—wearing that rustic shirt day in and day out.”
This pretty shirt being called rustic. If anything, it wasn’t me who lacked an eye for fashion—it was Margaret.
But arguing with an elder didn’t seem right, so I kept my mouth shut.
“So what’s the concern?”
As she poured tea and asked, I hesitated, my lips twitching, before finally speaking.
“She asked me to take her as my deacon.”
“So?”
“I told her I couldn’t accept due to personal circumstances.”
“And that’s the end of it?”
Margaret’s eyes—how should I put it?
She had the look of a mother who had just witnessed her son do something pathetic.
“..I heard later that the girl lived alone with her grandmother, who was a Flower Priest.”
Perhaps her lukewarm reaction made me feel at ease, because I spilled the whole situation as if in confession.
“Then her grandmother, her only guardian, died, and she was pushed out by a newly arrived church, and at that point she came to me, apparently.”
So to that girl, I had been a sliver of hope.
Priest Margaret, having listened thoughtfully, chided me for worrying over nothing.
“The church is going up soon anyway—just bring her to the church. I don’t know her story, but as long as you don’t make her your deacon, what’s the problem?”
“..How could I do that? If there’s just one priest under me, in everyone’s eyes, that’s what a deacon is.”
You might call it burying your head in the sand.
There was no real difference, I argued.
“If that’s how you feel, I’ll serve as a witness.”
But Priest Margaret, as if my concerns were nothing at all, resolved the situation with ease.
It was only after a brief pause that I bowed my head and expressed my gratitude.
“Then I’ll gratefully accept your kindness.”
“Now you’re not refusing?”
“Isn’t that just proof of how much I lean on you, Priest Margaret?”
“Flattery.”
For the record, it wasn’t flattery. It was the truth.
If Margaret was a priest who could speak her mind even before the Lord, then even if my deception were exposed, she could prevent the damage from spreading.
“Then I’ll take the rest of the day off.”
With my concerns resolved thanks to Margaret’s goodwill, I set down my tea cup and took my leave.
“You’ve been working less than a week, you know.”
From inside the Healing Center, I heard Margaret’s exasperated muttering, but I pretended not to hear.
…
“Oh, the priest lady already left earlier..”
But whether my timing was off or not, by the time I arrived, the girl had already left the inn.
‘Guess I was too late.’
I even tried the city gate, but the soldiers on duty—perhaps having finished their shift—just shook their heads and said they didn’t know.
“I apologize, Priest. If it’s urgent, I can call in the previous shift and ask them.”
“..No. I can’t trouble those who’ve finished their work. Your sentiment is thanks enough.”
Even if she had left, without knowing which direction she went, finding her would be difficult.
‘I’ve been left with a bad taste in my mouth.’
In the end, I gave up on finding the girl.
I had no hobby of clinging to things that couldn’t be helped.
Instead, I returned to the inn.
Since today was my last day of lodging, I figured I might as well collect my belongings.
“You’re heading somewhere else?”
“My stay ends today.”
“For a priest, you could just stay, you know.”
The innkeeper in the kitchen said with a hint of regret, but I only shrugged.
“If you gave so freely, you’d have nothing left for yourself.”
“That’s not really something a priest should be saying.”
What a joke.
No one loved money more than I did.
But there was no need to refute a good impression, so I smiled lightly and finished my farewell.
“By the way, Sean and Ibi will be sad to see you go.”
‘So the daughter’s name was Ibi.’
Come to think of it, I hadn’t even known her name until now.
I had an excuse of being busy, but the truth was I simply hadn’t bothered to take an interest.
“Parting is always a shame, isn’t it? I’m not leaving the city, so we’ll meet again as neighbors next time.”
With that, there was no long goodbye.
Since starting tomorrow we’d see each other as neighbors, a long farewell would only be awkward.
‘So the church is over there.’
After packing my things, the place I headed to was the church.
Not the Church of the Earth, but my own church—the one I had received through the Lord’s goodwill.
‘They said it was almost finished, and it seems that was true.’
From a distance, the church had a fairly respectable appearance.
The weeds had been cleared, and the exterior walls looked freshly painted—at the very least, it didn’t give a shabby impression.
‘Judging by the noise, it seems only the chapel part is still unfinished.’
If that was the case, then aside from the chapel, the rest had already been renovated.
Swish, swish.
As I approached the church building, a sweeping sound from the yard reached my ears, previously drowned out by the noise inside.
I wondered why anyone would be tidying the yard instead of the unfinished chapel—just then.
“..What are you doing here?”
The young Flower Priest who had come looking for me was sweeping the yard.
“Ah..! Priest Flawi! Hehe, I—I was just sweeping the yard!”
I had assumed she’d left the city, but I never imagined she’d be here sweeping the yard.
I felt a pang of regret for the time I’d spent searching for her, and before I knew it, my voice came out gruff.
“I’ll say it again—I won’t take you as my deacon.”
“…”
At that, the girl’s expression visibly sank.
“But, I’ll allow you to stay at the church.”
Her face, which had looked ready to burst into tears, froze as if she couldn’t believe what she’d just heard, then brightened.
‘They say if you laugh after crying, you’ll grow hair on your behind.’
That was a terrible joke.
“Come to think of it, I never asked your name. Now that we’re family at the same church, let me at least hear it. For the record, you already know, but I am Flawi, a humble servant of the Flower Goddess Iris.”
It was only after the girl finally calmed down and stopped crying that I heard her name.
“A tiny, tiny leaf serving the Flower Goddess Iris..”
And when I heard the girl’s name, I couldn’t help but be bewildered.
“Kim Malza.”
“..?”