I Was Caught up in a Hero Summoning, but That World Is at Peace (WN)

Chapter 2451 - Requested Item ⑨

The Central Cathedral isn’t all that far from Kaori-san’s shop, so we decided to head there on foot. Leaving the store behind, I walked alongside Kaori-san towards the Cathedral, chatting as we went.

[By the way, Kaori-san, do you usually come to the Central Cathedral?]

[Hmmm, I do attend the Heavenly Light Worship at least, but that’s really about it. In this world, there are quite a few people who worship once a month or so, so I think I’m on the low end.]

Heavenly Light Worship refers to a form of worship held twice a year…… during the Heaven Month and the Light Month. In other words, you participate in Godism’s prayers once every half year, making it the most common style of worship in this world.

It’s basically like New Year shrine visits in Japan, so it seems most people living in this world do observe Heavenly Light Worship. That said, it’s more of a custom than an obligation, there’s no fixed rule about which day you have to go, and there are surely people who don’t go at all.

During the Heaven Month and the Light Month, the areas around the temples fill up with extra stalls catering to worshippers, so the atmosphere really does feel a lot like a New Year’s visit.

Incidentally, the Light Month came to be called that thanks to Neun-san’s achievements. Before that, it was known as the Earth Month, and prior to the friendship treaty, the practice was apparently called Heaven-and-Earth Worship.

[So, Kaito-kun, do you do Heavenly Light Worship?]

[Nope. If I go, complaints start coming in……]

[Complaints? If you showed up, I’d think the temple staff would be thrilled……]

[No, not from them…… It’s more like complaints from the Sanctuary saying “If you’re going to a temple to pray anyway, wouldn’t it be better to just come here?”……]

[A- Ahh, I see…… so that’s what you meant……]

Yes, rather than complaints coming from temple officials, it’s from the one way higher up…… complaints from the God of the world herselves, the one on the receiving end of worship. If I’m going to go to the trouble of heading to a temple and offering prayers to God, then just come directly to the God instead, that’s the complaint she lodges.

(Of course, that’s a perfectly reasonable request. I’d be much happier if Kaito-san came to visit me than if you prayed at a temple, so that’s what you should do.)

……And so, because the God being prayed to makes that demand, I go to the Sanctuary for tea instead of attending Heavenly Light Worship.

While chatting about such things as we walked, we soon arrived at the Central Cathedral. No matter how many times I see it, it’s an enormous building, truly befitting of the center of the Friendship City.

There wasn’t any particular event going on today, but even so, there were quite a lot of people around, which really shows just how strong the faith of this world’s inhabitants is.

When Kaori-san and I entered the Cathedral, a priest who had been standing near the entrance approached us and bowed.

[Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for visiting the Central Cathedral. Shall I announce your arrival to Founder-sama?]

[Ah, yes. Please do.]

[Certainly. This way, please. We will prepare a room for you.]

After giving a small nod, we were led into what seemed to be a staff-only corridor and guided along it. Ever since my first visit, whenever I come to the Central Cathedral, a nearby priest or cleric usually approaches me right away and offers to take me to Olivia-san, making things extremely smooth.

If anything, no, without a doubt, it’s something Olivia-san herself has thoroughly arranged.

[……As expected. You’re basically on face-recognition terms with the Central Cathedral. As always, this kouhai of mine is just absurd.]

[It’s definitely on Olivia-san’s instructions though.]

[Yeah, probably. There’s no way Olivia-sama wouldn’t have informed the priests about how to handle anything involving you, Kaito-kun. When you put it that way, it certainly makes sense.]

Apparently, while we’re being guided like this, Olivia-san is already getting a rapid report, because I’ve never had to wait even 5 minutes. It’s incredibly thorough, an astonishing level of VIP treatment, but considering Olivia-san is at the top, I can see why Kaori-san would find it perfectly reasonable.

[Please wait here. Founder-sama should arrive in about 2 minutes.]

[Understood. Thank you very much.]

[You’re too kind.]

It’s great that everything is handled so smoothly, but if I had to point out one problem, it would be that nearly everyone affiliated with Godism in the Central Cathedral, including ordinary priests, treats me with such reverence that it’s like they’re dealing with a God herself. I can’t help but give a wry smile at that.

Well, if you include that sort of thing too, it’s certainly just like Olivia-san but still……

[……So, uh, what kind of position do you think I’m being seen as here?]

[Ah, right, your interactions with Olivia-san are almost entirely at your shop, aren’t they, Kaori-san?]

[Unn. So I doubt the priests know who I am, and unlike Kaito-kun, there’s no reason for Olivia-sama to have issued any instructions about me to the clergy. In that case, am I being seen as just some unfamiliar civilian you brought along?]

[Maybe…… they think you’re some outrageous existence they just don’t know about yet?]

[Eeeeh…… please cut that out. Seriously. I’m begging you……]

It’s hard to say for sure, but in reality, Olivia-san and Kaori-san do get along quite well. Even if she were introduced simply as a friend of the Founder…… that would probably still result in a fairly high level of VIP treatment anyway.

<Afterword>

Serious-senpai : [Well, even if it turns into some absurd level of VIP treatment with total face-pass privileges…… once you think about Olivia being the one in charge here, it somehow just feels like “yeah, figures”. It’s strange…… So is this faith……?]