◇

"Here's the barbecue."

"We've put some vegetables too."

Arisa and Hikaru presented me a plate with some food.

Before my eyes, Lulu and the partic.i.p.ants of the cooking contest are currently grilling the barbecue like they're competing while treating the meeting partic.i.p.ants in this barbecue meeting.

"Are you still worried about it?"

"What is it about?"

Arisa and Hikaru exchanged words while taking seats besides me.

"There's a loli girl eating meat between Pochi and Tama right?"

"The girl in high spirit who's really enjoying herself is it."

"Right that's her, that girl is 80 year old you see."

"Hmm, and?"

Is there any problem, Hikaru said while looking puzzled.

"'And', aren't your reaction too light to see someone who looks 70 younger than she is?"

"I mean, since she's a level 50 saintess, it's not strange for the country to a.s.sist her in prolonging her life isn't it. Looking at her skill composition, she probably can use Prayer magic too."

Prayer magic is a magic that can grant every kind of wish, its user is extremely rare.

According to Hikaru, there was a time where the user even successfully revived someone.

However, the criteria for the prayer magic to be granted by the G.o.d is unsettled, the combination of the praying clergyman and the granting G.o.d and the situation seem to be changing.

It'll be hard for the wish to be granted if you keep asking for the same thing or something selfish.

"By a.s.sist-- you mean something like the 『Rejuvenation Medicine』?"

"Un, that's right. Most Selbira explorers don't do it, but explorers in Saga Empire regularly get ahold of several pieces of Blood Beads every month from the [Bloodsucking Labyrinth], so it's not something that rare."

Yet I think they're not circulating in the market.

When I asked about it to Hikaru, she said, "One of the beads only rejuvenates several years of your life. Maybe the n.o.bles of Saga Empire bought them all up?"

During the time when Hikaru was excessively hunting the [Rejuvenation Medicine], she often disputed with the retainers of the lineage n.o.bles too it seems.

Come to think of it, the pope of Holy State Parion was youthful even though he was 150 year old.

I wonder if he's keeping his youth using [Rejuvenation Medicine] and [Prayer Magic]?

"So, what's the relations.h.i.+p between that loli girl's rejuvenation and Satou's listlessness?"

"That's--"

I stop Arisa who was going to answer Hikaru and talk about it myself.

"I've ended up reviving someone who should have died a natural death."

"Hmm? It was before she died right? Prolonging your life with [Rejuvenation Medicine] was normal during my nation founding time you know?"

From Hikaru's perspective, it doesn't seem to be different than healing a sick person with magic potion.

However, that's not the problem here.

"Even though the person herself had accepted her death, I acted contrary to that and kept her alive out of my selfishness."

It was before her death to be exact, but there's no mistake that I had twisted the Head Miko's will.

"But, you know."

Hikaru pats my head.

It seems I've lowered my head due to the remorse before I realized it.

"The person herself looks really happy you see?"

Arisa pushed her flat chest to my head, and turned my head toward the venue.

There's the figure of loli Head Miko happily racing toward a whole roasted haired cow together with Pochi and Tama at the place where Arisa is pointing at.

"Wait, Arisa. I was about raise my affection level, don't steal the march."

"Fuffuun, first come first served!"

Affection....

"Moreover, it seems Satou regards life span as a sacred thing, but isn't that the sense of value from earth?"

"--What do you mean?"

I don't think that I regard it as sacred though....

"Life is absolute on earth. There's no human who doesn't die after all, things like human clone and copying consciousness to a computer to prolong life only exist in SF type literary works right."

I agree with Hikaru.

It's natural for living creatures to die a natural death.

"However, it's different in another world (here). Even if we regard the eternally living immortals, or elves who live a long seemingly-eternal live as special cases, there are many fairykins who live for thousands of years, and there are even normal humans who live for hundreds of years by continuing consuming Rejuvenation Medicine."

--The sense of value is different from the earth's because the premise is different.

It seems that's what Hikaru wanted to say.

"Besides, I know that there's an preconception of someone forcing someone else to keep living against their will on earth, but isn't it different in this case."

"That's right. There are probably not a lot of people who would refuse getting rejuvenated to their young body, though there are probably going to be a lot who would if they have to keep living in their aged body."

"Even if there's some, it's probably due to religious reason right?"

"Yeah, like refusal of blood donation or something."

I wonder how is the doctrine of Tenion Temple?

"Master~?"

"We've brought the most delicious meat nodesu!"

Tama and Pochi brought a bulging steak on a large plate.

Together with loli Head Miko.

"Satou-san, are you not feeling well?"

The Head Miko who totteringly walked to me, climbed on my lap and peeked at my face.

"He's worried as to whether he has obstructed Lily's natural death."

"--Obstructed?"

Hearing Arisa, loli Head Miko looked puzzled.

"Ah.... The words from that time is it? You're cruel--"

Loli Head Miko swelled her cheeks and glared at me.

As I thought, what I did was just imposing my hypocrisy....

"Telling everyone about my embarra.s.sing words like this!"

"--Eh?"

What does she mean?

"I was just slightly enraptured by the situation. Being embraced by a gentleman who had good will during your death's bed, wouldn't that tickle your maiden's heart?"

--Head Miko-san?

"I understand!"

"Ah, nothing you can do about that."

Arisa and Hikaru also agreed.

"...Do you not hold a grudge?"

"Ara? I had conveyed my grat.i.tude that day though?"

It did feel like she said, "Thank you, Nanas.h.i.+-san."

"There is no falsehood in my words that day. Furthermore, I'm even more thankful now."

Loli Head Miko sits on my lap and stretches her hands toward the sun.

"Being young is wonderful. I can freely move my arms and legs, my joints aren't aching too. I can run without running out of breath, I can immediately stand up when I sit. I can even eat again the meat dish that I liked. Moreover! I had completely forgotten that food have such rich flavors."

The Head Miko's smile that won't lose to the sun is dazzling.

Although there's a feeling like she's trying to cheer me up, there is no fabrication in that smile.

"Right now, I'm really happy you know? That's why please don't look so gloomy okay?"

I was feeling gloomy until just a while ago, but I felt as if her smile washed that away.

As expected of Saintess-sama.

"But, where did Master and Lily get acquainted?"

Arisa talked like she was a wife probing her husband's affair.

"I think it was in Tenion Temple's sanctuary?"

Since loli Head Miko looked troubled, I told them that we met for the first time during Sera's revival through the [Revival Artifact].

I've talked about it with Arisa before, and Hikaru seems to know the existence of the [Revival Artifact], there should be no problem.

In addition, Tama and Pochi have gone to refill the emptied platter, so they're not here right now.

"Even though we talked a lot, we had only met three times huh."

My interaction with Head Miko-san can be counted with one hand, but the times I had with her were comfortable.

As for the reason why I was so upset when she was dying, I don't know whether it was because I didn't want to lose those comfortable times, or because I saw the death of my companion on her.

During that time, I felt a mysterious uneasiness in my mind, "I can't let this person to die here."

I don't have [Foresight] or [Prediction] skills, but when I think about it in hindsight, there's no doubt that my uneasiness was the reason why I denied her death.

"Now now, let's end the difficult talk. Satou-san, let's enjoy the barbecue meeting with everyone!"

"Yes, let's go."

While holding Loli Head Miko, I go to the venue together with Arisa and Hikaru.

Let's enjoy today too.

◇

"--To everyone who's gathered here. Yuu Tenion Head Miko has gone to G.o.d Tenion's side."

Several days after the barbecue meeting, we went to the funeral service of Head Miko at the Tenion Temple's cathedral in the n.o.ble district.

"It sure feels strange to go to your own funeral."

"Head--Lily-sama, I don't care if anyone heard it okay."

Interposing between Sera and me, loli Head Miko--Lily dangles her legs while looking at the funeral.

"From now on, the t.i.tle of Yuu Tenion will be succeeded by a.s.sistant head miko Neyuna to a.s.sume as the new Head Miko."

Looking at Lily who's clapping her hands the foremost, Ms. Neyuna smiles bashfully.

The day Lily was rejuvenated--.

At first they were going to announce that Lily was rejuvenated by G.o.d's miracle, but in the end, it was decided to announce that the Head Miko had pa.s.sed away and pa.s.sed the baton to the a.s.sistant head miko, Ms. Neyuna.

The reason was because there was a high possibility that old people in the continents would flock here to seek for the rejuvenation miracle.

It seems that loli Head Miko is going to support Tenion Temple as an apprentice miko Lily.

Further, the duke, the king, the king's body double who are all Lily's old friends have been informed about the rejuvenation via Hero Nanas.h.i.+.

Lily's acquaintance during her time as a hero's attendant--the warrior, Mrs. Blum Julberg and Ms. Sebelkea in the labyrinth city--are going to be informed gradually, so I didn't help contacting them.

◇

"Nana and Nana's masita!"

"Nana, play!"

Nana and the sealionkin's children who are playing with her wave their hands toward me.

The girls are wearing uniforms of Echigoya Firm's spinning mill.

Of course they're not formal staff members, but they're hired to work on odd jobs.

"My, how cute."

"Cute? Miko is cute too."

A sealionkin child who's being held by Nana is looking at Lily adorably.

They look of the same age outwardly, so it's somehow heartwarming.

"Master, requesting the ultimate colored lunch box for the lunch."

"Since I didn't prepare any lunch box, should we buy from the stalls?"

"Masita, sardines tasty."

"Masita, octopus skewers tasty."

As requested by the sealionkin children, we head toward the shop which sells octopus and dried sardines skewers.

"Do they suit your palate?"

"Yes, I often ate them ever since I was small."

Lily who's holding a sardine skewer and an octopus skewer on both hands bragged a little.

She's probably enjoying her return to child's mind.

"Obchan, buy me some food."

"You, are you out of job again?　Eat these pickles if ya like."

"Waa, thank you. Obchan I love you!"

I heard a deja vu conversation from the crowd.

"You seem busy nowadays."

"Un, the girls who couldn't stand working as prost.i.tutes have all gone to work on the spinning mill, so I got a lot of customers, my waist hurts."

"To hire people without letters of recommendation, Echigoya Firm sure is generous."

"Ahaha, at first everyone gossiped that they were a new fraud."

"You don't want to go there?"

"I can only work as a prost.i.tute, I won't go there. I have some regular customers too."

"I see, then do your best kay."

"Un, that's why please give me a bit more pickles!"

It's the combination of the obchan and the prost.i.tute onee-san who taught me about Kuhanou Pickles before.

It seems they're as energetic as ever.

I was thinking of calling them, but stopped since I was with children.

After sending the sealionkin children to the spinning mill, I joined everyone, and enjoyed the singing of Cyriltoa the diva.

We stayed longer than planned, but since we're not in a hurry in this trip, it should be fine.

Our airs.h.i.+p flies away while being seen off by the people of the Duchy Capital.

Next, we'll be going to the self-governing dominion of the dwarves.

Let's go meet Elder Dohar in Bolhart city!