Chapter 273

“…Should we go in early today?”

While shopping outside, Sofia Sub-priest uttered these words with a worried expression. I shook my head in response.

“No, let’s have lunch before we go back.”

“But… you look a little unwell…”

A year is quite a long time. It’s enough for relationships to develop between people, and to grasp simple habits or personalities.

It seems that Sofia Sub-priest has become quite adept at noticing my expressions.

“…What happened yesterday?”

Watching Sofia Sub-priest carefully ask this question made me realize even more how well she knows me. Her deep green eyes were fixed on me.

‘Something did happen.’

I wanted to confidently say nothing was wrong, but such a lie would undoubtedly be exposed quickly. I briefly summarized what happened yesterday to Sofia Sub-priest.

Of course, I omitted the fact that Mrs. Melissa had a stillbirth. No matter how much Colonel Meijhem confided in me, there are limits to what can be shared with others.

I phrased it as “Colonel Meijhem had something very unfortunate happen,” and Sofia Sub-priest slowly nodded in understanding.

“…I see. Colonel Meijhem…”

“It was not good. Even I felt gloomy hearing about it.”

“I hope he can overcome this.”

Sofia Sub-priest seemed to pray earnestly for him, bringing her hands together. I waited for her as she paused.

“…Yes. It’s done. I should attend the worship service tomorrow and offer a proper prayer.”

“Colonel Meijhem will get through this. He is a strong person.”

“I hope so…”

Colonel Meijhem is a strong man. Even after having completed surgery on his severed right arm, he wore what seemed to be a cheerful expression on his pale face.

Even if he felt gloomy at the graves of fallen troops, he wouldn’t be someone to make a wrong choice. Since we hadn’t seen each other in a long time, I just hoped he could rise on his own strength.

Moreover, if I could help him, I wanted to assist even more. It was necessary to guide him so that he wouldn’t feel guilt.

“…Then, let’s head to the cafeteria.”

Having just stepped outside the academy, I intended to go to the seafood restaurant Colonel Meijhem had recommended. Personally, it was a place I found tastier than the one we had visited yesterday.

However, Sofia Sub-priest paused for a moment, deep in thought, and then shook her head with a gentle smile.

“No. Let’s go back today.”

“Sofia Sub-priest. But…”

“I’m fine. Let’s just make something in the dormitory. That would be better.”

“…Understood.”

Her insistence made me give up on pressing the matter further.

“It looks like it’s going to rain soon.”

Sofia Sub-priest looked up at the sky and spoke. As she said, the slightly gloomy sky appeared dark and muddy, as if it would pour rain at any moment.

The humid air was quite unpleasant. Sofia Sub-priest and I proceeded toward the dormitory, not having bought umbrellas as a precaution. We planned to just walk in the rain if it fell.

Conversely, the people running along the main street appeared anxious.

Given the likelihood of rain any moment, pedestrians who had forgotten their umbrellas hurriedly rushed past us. Amid that busyness, we felt out of place.

For a moment, I felt as if Sofia Sub-priest and I existed in another world.

‘…Childish.’

And so, we walked toward the academy in silence.

Even as we returned to the academy, Sofia Sub-priest was lost in thought. I felt frustrated, having no way to know what she was thinking.

One thing was certain: she had something to say to me.

*

By the time we arrived at the staff dormitory of the academy, the sky had finally started to sprinkle raindrops.

The raindrops landing on the dark gray brick floor left deep black marks. We hurried inside the dormitory.

“That was close. We almost got caught in the rain…”

“I’m glad we’re not late.”

“Yes, really.”

As we climbed the stairs, the sound of rain outside grew increasingly intense. The sporadic drizzles that had been lightly wetting the ground had now become thick enough to start soaking everything.

The world welcomed spring with the rains of new life. Both Sofia Sub-priest and I stared blankly at the rain pouring through the hallway window.

“…That was really close.”

“If we had gotten caught in that, we would have caught a cold.”

If we had been a minute late, we would have entered the dormitory soaked to the skin. Sofia Sub-priest and I sighed with relief as we opened the door to our dorm room.

Once we organized the groceries we had bought and prepared a simple snack together, we sat at the dining table and ate without exchanging any substantial conversation.

It wasn’t awkward. We had met for meals several times over the past year. We were already accustomed to this.

The rain streamed down steadily outside the balcony. With the sound of rain as our background, we slowly finished our meal.

I was waiting for Sofia Sub-priest to open her mouth. Had the plan gone as expected, we would have gone to a restaurant together and eaten something a bit more proper while chatting.

Riding the smoothly flowing situation, I’d likely have turned the conversation toward what we had discussed in the Holy Empire. After that, I would have confidently shared my response to what Sofia Sub-priest had said.

If only that had happened, what would come next?

I had no way of knowing. Imagining a future that could no longer happen was nothing but a fantasy.

After both of us finished our meals in silence, I washed the dishes while Sofia Sub-priest prepared some black tea. I found her blank stare in front of the slowly rising kettle a little troubling.

When I returned to the living room after finishing the dishes, the fragrant aroma of black tea tickled my nose. A familiar scent.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

I took the teacup that Sofia Sub-priest handed me. The familiar scent of cheap factory-bought black tea bags was one that was hard to forget.

For quite some time, the bitter taste spread throughout my mouth. I gazed blankly at the raindrops hitting the window. I wished there wouldn’t be any conversation between Sofia Sub-priest and me, lingering on for quite a while.

“Head Priest.”

The one to break the silence was Sofia Sub-priest.

“Did you call for me?”

I turned to look at her. Sitting on the sofa opposite me, she, like me, was staring blankly at the rain cascading outside the balcony. The steam rising from her black tea released a different aroma than mine. She was drinking the same black tea that Professor Esther had gifted her.

The first black tea I received from Professor Esther had run out months ago, but since Sofia Sub-priest liked it, I had stocked up on some.

The aroma wafting from my cup was qualitatively different. The tea in Sofia Sub-priest’s hand was much more luxurious and fragrant.

My cup held something else entirely. It was slightly bland, with the characteristic boring scent of mass-produced tea. There was a hint of paper smell. Within it, a faint aroma of black tea lingered. It was clear that it used low-quality tea leaves.

We both had different preferences. Perhaps it was my stubbornness, but that was how it seemed to me.

Soon, Sofia Sub-priest slowly began to speak. I tore my gaze away from my teacup and turned my focus to her.

“Regarding the ordination ceremony for priests that you mentioned last time…”

“Oh, yes.”

The ordination proposal I had made to Sofia Sub-priest. As I was bound to become the top student professor in my second year, I thought it would be necessary to nominate a new sub-priest to assist us.

No, it wasn’t just a backup plan. It would also be a good opportunity for Sofia Sub-priest.

So, she shouldn’t have any reason to refuse.

“Is it possible to just pretend it didn’t happen?”

Sofia Sub-priest gave an answer different from what I expected.

“…Can I ask why?”

It was an unexpected response. Simply moving from sub-priest to lay priest would open up more paths. This choice would not harm Sofia Sub-priest in any way.

If she became a lay priest, another sub-priest would come in, allowing Sofia Sub-priest, who has been busy, to finally have a breather.

“I just… like it this way.”

Such inquiries were completely erased with Sofia Sub-priest’s response.

Ah, I see.

Sofia Sub-priest was anxious too.

Any change usually comes with a sense of unease. People instinctively take a conservative stance.

Few people venture to challenge when they’ve built a sense of stability.

Sofia Sub-priest was no exception.

She probably feared that the routine she had maintained so far would crumble. Having experienced so much, it would be burdensome to introduce unpredictable variables.

So ultimately, it’s my fault.

Having observed me, she likely thought that any sudden change would not be beneficial.

My heart felt uneasy. It felt like Sofia Sub-priest had given up her future because of me.

Of course, it’s not that conducting the ordination for a sub-priest to become a lay priest is entirely within my control. However, after everything Sofia Sub-priest has experienced, she deserves it.

“Head Priest. I’m fine.”

“Sofia Sub-priest. But…”

“I just prefer things to stay as they are. If I can be with you, Head Priest, I couldn’t wish for more.”

“…….”

I was taken aback by Sofia Sub-priest’s kindness. And I realized how genuine her feelings were.

I came to a realization.

Suddenly, a self-deprecating laugh escaped me. I found it laughable that I had intended to throw some words of comfort at Sofia Sub-priest over a simple lunch.

“Sofia Sub-priest.”

So, I could no longer contain my mouth as it moved on its own.

“I want to respond to what you said last winter… I wonder if you remember.”

“…Head Priest?”

“Sofia Sub-priest, I want to offer you a response to those words.”

The teacups we held in our hands contained black tea with differences in content, quality, and quantity. The disparity in aroma gave me a sense of anguish.

Just like our two teacups, which held different types of tea, Sofia Sub-priest had lived a life different from mine.

Is it alright for me to approach someone like her?

In the past, I would have said no.

But things have changed now.

I mustered the courage to speak to Sofia Sub-priest.

“I… don’t have the eloquence, so I’m not sure if my answer will be satisfactory.”

“…….”

“You said you liked it this way, but I don’t want to stay this way.”

The relationship between a priest and a sub-priest, and the relationship between a professor and a teaching assistant.

It’s possible to remain in this same relationship indefinitely. That future would undoubtedly be stable.

However, isn’t the path of life inherently filled with unexpected challenges?

But since I’ve decided to move forward…

“So, Sofia Sub-priest.”

Even after walking that thorny path, there will still be places to rest.

“Please be a shelter in my life.”

I wish a part of my life could be filled by Sofia Sub-priest.

If I ever needed a place to rest, I hoped that there would be Sofia Sub-priest.

Flushing with some embarrassment from this confession, Sofia Sub-priest trembled slightly as she smiled.

“…That’s childish.”

“…….”

“But I like it. As I mentioned before…”

Sofia Sub-priest stepped a little closer, and her face was near. In the space where our breaths intertwined, she whispered.

“I love you, Head Priest, as you are now.”

Our breaths intertwined. While gazing into her deepening eyes, I closed mine.

The soft sensation that touched my lips lingered.

Outside, the rain continued to fall.

But the rain could not penetrate this place.

In this long-awaited shelter, I found a sweet respite.