This was Souma, the guy who could be said to be crazy for collecting talented personnel. Even if it meant some political risk, he wasn’t likely to hesitate in employing a person as well learned as Merula.
“Just to be sure, I will send you with a letter recommending you to the castle signed by Master Kagetora and myself,” finished Inugami.
“…That decides it,” said Merula. “Let’s go, Souji.
With Merula urging him onward, all Souji could do was smile wryly. “Honestly, there you go, deciding something this important for me…” Though Souji didn’t seem to mind it that much. “Well, even if I stay in this country, it’s a bit too stifling for a guy like me. I don’t have any choice, so I guess I’ll go impose on this king of yours.”
Even as he acted like he was being forced into it, he easily agreed to go to the Kingdom of Friedonia. Thus did the Kingdom add two new talented members to its staff.
Souji Lester, the Commandment-breaking Bishop of the Orthodox Papal State of Lunaria; and the high elf researcher, Merula Merlin. What impact might these two joining the kingdom have on its future?
No one could have known at this point, though perhaps the Lunalith did.
Flashback finished. Let’s get back to the present.
Having joined the Kingdom in the way described, on this day, Bishop Souji Lester appeared before the People of Friedonia for the first time via the Jewel Voice Broadcast.
Souma had only just finished announcing that every religion that registered would be recognized as a state religion. With the bishop of a monotheistic religion like Lunarian Orthodoxy coming on directly after him, followers of all religions, including the Orthodoxy, were waiting with bated breath to see what he would say and do.
However, as if to say he didn’t care one whit about their anticipation, Souji briefly introduced himself and then began talking in an easygoing tone. “Now then… King Souma was saying he would recognize any religion that registers as a state religion, but, by some luck, our Lunarian Orthodoxy have been allowed to become a state religion ahead of the rest. It seems like Mother Dragon worship has been, too, and godbeast worship practiced by the dark elves of the God-Protected Forest was also registered by the second primary queen, Madam Aisha. For the rest of you people out there in the other religions and sects, you should hurry up and register yours quickly.”
The citizens were by and large bewildered by the easygoing way that Souji spoke. The believers of Lunarian Orthodoxy were especially surprised. That was because their bishop, the head of the believers in the Kingdom of Friedonia, was speaking in a way that recognized other religions.
Due to the nature of the kingdom as a multi-racial state, the vast majority of believers in the kingdom were moderates who abhorred causing friction with the other races. Even so, they still were hesitant to actively get involved with the followers of other religions. However, the way Souji was talking now removed that hesitation.
Ohh. I guess it’s fine for us to get along…
The believers had a look on their face as if they had been freed from something that had been possessing them.
Souji continued.
“Also, Young Miss Roroa was asking if we had any sort of religious events. I’m sure our believers all know this already, but it’s almost time for the Spring Announcement Festival.”
The Spring Announcement Festival was the biggest spring event for Lunarian Orthodoxy. It was a festival to celebrate the end of winter and the coming of the season when the flowers would bloom.
During this festival, the children of the believers would dress up as fairies and walk around with baskets of picked flowers giving them to the adults. In other words, the children became “envoys of spring.” Then the adults would give those envoys of spring candy in exchange for the flowers, and they would pray for a bountiful harvest that year.
And, well, it was a festival that felt basically like a spring version of Halloween.
“Now, about the Spring Announcement Festival… I have happy news,” said Souji. “Young Miss Roroa has agreed to recognize it as a national event. This may seem sudden, but it will be held next weekend. Towns and cities with Lunarian Orthodox churches should already have been notified. Everyone is free to participate. Whether they are a believer or not, every child will be receiving candy. We’d like for the adults who belong to other faiths to help out, too, if they can. If a child comes to you, take their flower and give them candy, that’s all. Simple, right? I think it’ll be a fun festival for adults, too, so please take an active part in it.”
The crowd erupted into applause at Souji’s words. It seemed that it sounded like fun to them.
In the time since Souma created broadcast programs, a tendency to enjoy these sorts of events had taken root in the people of the kingdom. When the day came, many of them would surely be there to enjoy the festival.
Souji said, “Thank you for listening,” stepped back, and Roroa stepped forward once again.
“This time we’re doin’ a Lunarian Orthodox festival, but if any of you out there involved with the other religions’ve got some interestin’ festival to share, just you let us know. We’re gonna give this country some color with events from all sorts of religions. I’m thinkin’ it’ll be wonderful. Let’s liven this country up, believers and non-believers alike!”
When Roroa raised her fist in the air, the people cheered.
“Now, let the preparations for the festival begin!”
The last day of the 3rd month, 1,547th year, Continental Calendar — Day of the Spring Announcement Festival
On this day, I brought Aisha and Tomoe down to the castle town with me. The town was crowded with people there for the festival. I was wearing my usual outfit for when I went incognito, the traveler’s outfit from the Nine-headed Dragon Archipelago Union, but with the number of people there, maybe I needn’t have bothered with a disguise.
“I–I’ve come with spring blessings…” Tomoe stuttered. “Okay!”
In all that hustle and bustle, Tomoe, who was wearing a white mage’s robe with feathers sewn into it, was offering a flower to an old lady at a street stall.
The old lady smiled and said, “Oh, dearie me, what an adorable little fairy,” accepting Tomoe’s flower with a soft smile and giving her a bag full of candy.
Once she had accepted the candy, Tome bobbed her head up and down, thanking the lady before she rushed back in my direction with her little steps and showed me her candy bag.
“Big Brother, look what I got!”
“Yeah, I saw. Good for you.”
“Yeah!”
When I patted her on the head, Tomoe’s tail happily wagged back and forth. Seeing Tomoe like that, Aisha, who was disguised in a school uniform, had a silly grin on her face.
“Ohhh,” Aisha said. “Madam Tomoe is so adorable.”
“Here. You have some, too, Aisha,” Tomoe offered.
“Can I?! I love you, Madam Tomoe!”
“Eek!”
Aisha picked Tomoe up and rubbed their cheeks together. Like always, it felt like I could see an invisible tail wagging back and forth on Aisha’s rear, too.
…And hold on, what was she doing, letting an eleven-year-old tame her with food?
While I was watching Aisha with some exasperation…
“Hey, if it isn’t the king himself,” someone suddenly called out to me.
When I looked in the direction the voice came from, Souji was there, sitting in one of the patio seats in front of a bar and drinking wine. He had a wooden mug in hand, and already looked pretty plastered. Was this man drinking in broad daylight really a member of the clergy? There was what looked to be a woman sitting across from Souji, and this one was sipping away at her drink a little at a time.