Published: August 3, 2025
I borrowed a pen and ink from the high priest and rewrote the story of Cinderella right then and there. It was a complete overhaul. After many revisions, I finally managed to create a story that satisfied the high priest.
I learned something this time. This is a fantasy world with mana and magic, so the casual fantasy stories I’m used to won’t be accepted. It’s going to be tough making stories from now on.
“High Priest, there’s one more thing I’d like to discuss.”
I tapped the rewritten paper on my lap to straighten it and looked up at the high priest. Noticing my gaze, he closed the documents he had been reviewing while I was rewriting and set them down on the desk behind him.
“It’s about preparing the orphanage for winter…”
“Preparation for winter? …Ah, the divine blessing of firewood and food is expected to be roughly the same as last year, but we’ll have Fran report the detailed situation later. Until the Azure Priests return from the harvest festival, I can’t give a definite answer.”
“H-How can you make a prediction?”
I didn’t understand how he could predict anything before the Azure Priests returned from the harvest festival.
“There has been almost no change in the number of Azure Priests this year, the weather was stable, and there were no major epidemics. Therefore, we should receive about the same divine blessing as last year.”
The high priest rarely leaves the temple, so I blinked a few times in surprise at his words. I usually hear rumors and information at the market or through the Gilberta Trading Company, but the head priest never went out into town.
“How do you know about things like epidemics in the rural villages? You don’t leave the temple, do you?”
“…I have my own connections. Though I never go downtown, I do go to the Noble District.”
To me, the town means the downtown area where my home is, but for the high priest, “town” means the Noble District. Knowing that, I nodded in understanding. It’s probably a biased thought, but I imagine there being very cutthroat information wars among the nobles.
“Myne, have you made any progress on the orphanage’s winter preparations?”
“Yes. Through master Benno, we’ve arranged to prepare the tools and materials. Since this is winter preparation for themselves, the gray priests will help, and we plan to have the children assist as well.”
“…The children? You mean the toddlers who haven’t been baptized?”
The high priest’s eyes widened in surprise. Being a noble who never acts on daily matters himself and who doesn’t allow unbaptized children to leave the orphanage, he seems to have no concept of having small children do work.
But such customs don’t hold up against poverty. In the orphanage, where “those who do not work shall not eat” is deeply ingrained, the growing boys compete eagerly to help out, and even the youngest children—who receive the divine blessing last—are not lacking in effort.
“Yes. It’s natural here in downtown, and even very young children can help a little. …Though I’m bedridden every year and don’t contribute much.”
“Well said.”
The high priest nodded, as if to say “That figures.”
“So, the pork processing itself will be done in the village, but after that, making glue and candles from beef fat is planned, which I think will produce quite a strong odor. Even though it’s the orphanage, wouldn’t it be a problem if a foul smell wafted inside the temple?”
I nervously watched the high priest’s reaction, and he made a slightly troubled face and sighed.
“If the smell comes from the orphanage, the Azure Priests will be quite upset.”
“…I thought so.”
Since glue making and candle making both produce strong odors, the plan is to do them outside the Myne Workshop. Although the Noble District and the orphanage are a little apart, there’s no way the smell wouldn’t be noticed. If it becomes unavoidable, we’ll use the Myne Workshop warehouse, but it’s cramped, doesn’t fit many people, and moving the tools is hard. I’d prefer to make them at the orphanage if possible.