Chapter 71

“Why are you doing so well?”

“I mean, I told you to stop bringing that up, right?”

Ria kept teasing me with dance stories, so I shot back like that.

The biggest reason I shot back was that every time she mentioned it, I couldn’t help but think of that embarrassing situation from earlier.

It wasn’t that I was ashamed of being outsmarted by Ria.

When it came to pride, I had to admit that I knew nothing about dancing, while Ria had at least some knowledge about it. It’s not weird for someone who doesn’t know anything to learn from someone who does.

Besides, to be fair, the idea of dancing was originally mine. Ria suggested it first and initiated the dance, but in the end, I was the one who requested it directly.

So, there was no reason for me to be embarrassed in this situation. That was a rational judgment.

But my feelings—

As soon as I got back to the room, I dove onto the bed.

I could hear Ria climbing on her bed beside me.

There wasn’t enough space for us to sit and chat on the bed like we used to in the dorms since the beds were almost touching.

So, despite feeling awkward, it meant we had to be close together.

“… Or maybe you just didn’t want to dance?”

Ria asked like that.

“……”

Her voice wasn’t any different from usual. It wasn’t like she was disappointed or anything.

But I knew the original Lee Chae-eun. Even if she seemed that honest on the surface, she was quite good at hiding her feelings.

I turned to look at Lee Chae-eun, who was sitting on the bed facing me.

Lee Chae-eun was looking at me.

“… No, it’s not that.”

The real reason I felt embarrassed was that I didn’t feel bad when I was wrapped up in Ria’s arms.

It smelled nice and felt soft. Of all things, Ria had a nice figure. I couldn’t help but notice her chest right below my face.

Wait, thinking about it again, was there really a reason for us to be that close? Is social dancing normally like that? I wasn’t sure. Somehow, it felt like that might be the case in this world. Considering the atmosphere when Ria and Lee Si-yoon were dancing, it would make sense.

“I just felt embarrassed. It’s not like I really enjoy standing in front of others like that.”

“Ah.”

Ria chuckled as if she understood my answer.

“There’s no need to worry about that too. It’s not like you need to dance perfectly in those places. If you start worrying about that, a lot of people might get more embarrassed! There are many who only dance there out of obligation after not dancing all year.”

Ah, that makes sense.

…

Wait, does that mean it’s normal to dance like that in this world too? Am I going to have to dance in front of people several more times?

Oh right, it wasn’t just once that Lee Chae-eun danced with Lee Si-yoon. I remembered seeing other heroines competing to dance with Lee Si-yoon a few times too.

“Ugh.”

I shivered and buried my face back into the bed.

“Saint Candidate, I really shouldn’t have done that.”

“Can you just stop acting like you have the option not to?”

With that, I had no more arguments, but as I sprawled on the bed like a dried fish, Ria gently patted my head.

“Well, don’t worry. I’ll help you. Once you’ve danced even once, you won’t need to watch others anymore.”

Is it similar to when I was dragged to karaoke? After half a song, no one would force you to continue.

Dance practice. Besides, dancing with Ria at every party means—

…

It’s a bit of a strange thought, but I didn’t dislike it.

How could I possibly dislike it? Not with Ria’s looks in mind. Damn.

And why is she so rough with me normally but pats my head so gently now?

Wait, is her attitude somehow much softer than usual?

Is it just my imagination?

*

They say if you can’t avoid it, enjoy it.

From the moment I decided I would come to the Gnome country, I had sort of made a plan in my head.

I wasn’t stupid enough to think that every plan would fit perfectly.

But usually, if you make a plan, you can manage to accomplish a few things within it.

Every ‘possessor’ I’ve read about in novels seems to grab onto the destined opportunities or artifacts that they’ve seen in the medium.

I was thinking the same way. Otherwise, being born into this other world would have zero meaning.

The morning following the banquet, a bit later in the morning, we headed to the building to meet with the Gnome officials.

Most of Gnome society operates underground. It doesn’t mean they hate the sun, but like to be beneath the cool ground rather than under the hot sun.

I heard their surface is a scorching desert, while the Dwarf territory is a place where snow falls year-round.

For about an hour from ten to eleven-thirty in the morning, then from one-thirty to about four in the afternoon, I hardly had to speak up during the meeting.

Naturally, it was more sensible for the people from the government to discuss with the Gnome representatives than for a nun who knows nothing to interject. The Gnome representatives, people sent from our side, and church members exchanged various conversations.

How much we could buy the mined gem for.

If we could send gem processing engineers from our world.

If our side could provide technology.

And—

“Please discuss matters regarding sacred items with the church representatives.”

I answered like that, seeing the gazes directed at me.

“It isn’t a huge problem to create them, but still, we shouldn’t make too many deals without coordinating.”

That was about the extent of my opinion.

No matter who you are, making sacred items takes effort. They say after creating a finely crafted gem’s magic power, you can’t help but feel exhausted for several hours afterward, sprawled out on a bed.

The Gnomes were really interested in those “sacred items.”

…This is probably something even the government officials are aware of, but the Gnomes are in a territorial dispute with the Dwarves.

The northern part of the immense desert where the Gnomes live is Dwarf territory. It might sound strange that there’s a polar region just north of the desert, but this world doesn’t operate under the same logic as the world we live in.

Furthermore, the place where the Dwarves live is at a very high altitude, meaning temperatures must be totally different.

And the comparatively temperate zone that borders the Dwarves’ territory with the Gnomes is precisely the region of conflict.

Gnomes have mastered small, intricate gem processing, but they are somewhat lacking in the ability to create massive machinery like the Dwarves.

Dwarven “machinery” has a lot of substitutes on Earth. However, conversely, there’s hardly anything in this world that can replace it.

Even if there’s infantry equipped with anti-tank weapons, that becomes a different story when the enemy brings armored units and helicopters.

“……”

I listened to the conversation in silence while sipping tea.

While it may seem like the government is favoring one side, it’s actually that from the government’s perspective, the Dwarves’ capabilities aren’t that valuable either.

…Furthermore, I had already conveyed my opinions to the church in advance.

I would never let the Gnomes win decisively in a war. If they needed an excuse, they were free to use mine.

Once they hear that we have provided the sacred items to some extent, the Dwarves will make contact too. Then, we can proceed with the matter separately then.

More importantly—the fact is, something else is likely to pop off before a war ever starts.

*

As soon as the meeting ended, I headed to the workshop where Clarnet from yesterday was. After we danced, we exchanged such and such conversations and I had gotten her contact details.

Following the guide provided by the Gnome government, we walked for about twenty minutes.

“Oh……”

“You’re practically a noble.”

Ria and I were a bit impressed as we looked up at the house.

The places we had visited so far were all significantly large enough for humans to be able to enter, but Gnomes’ other residences barely took humans into consideration. The doors are small or the ceilings too low.

But the building before us was a huge mansion even by human standards.

Well, when I entered, I found that each room wasn’t that spacious. Still, I was thankful we could move around freely.

“Saint Candidate.”

“Just call me Anna. It’ll be easier for me too.”

Clarnet, whom I met today, was wearing leather work clothes that were different from yesterday. Her hair was tied back.

Because of that, her impression seemed nicer, and personally, I found her this way to be a bit prettier. Reflecting on it, yesterday’s makeup might have been overdone.

After casually greeting each other, we got right to the point.

“So, may I ask why you came to visit me today, Anna?”

I sat down on a slightly uncomfortable small chair and tried to maintain a relaxed expression while opening my mouth.

“I want to carve a sacred item.”

“A sacred item… carve?”

“Yes. I know that the Gnomes also have an understanding of Saint Power. And the method for creating reusable magic stones has been passed down, right?”

“Yes, of course, but… Is it really okay to do so?”

Clarnet looked at me cautiously.

No problem.

I had already settled this with both the government and the church.

The contents of today’s discussions were thoroughly about ‘interstate transactions.’ Acquisitions and exchanges. My roughly constructed idea of a ‘disposable sacred item’ is just part of that.

However, what the government desires is to make sure that they can reuse the stones that have lost their magic power.

Furthermore, they want to research how to create them.

So, requesting that an individual produce such objects is a thing that the government and church would really want.

Additionally, I think it seems useful.

You never know what might happen in the future.