Chapter 22 – The Purification Reward.

“It’s amazing! The sugar muscat sapling is growing!”

　The sapling, which had been the size of a hand earlier, was now almost as tall as Jeanne.

　The small potted plant was cracked and roots were growing from everywhere.

“What the..?!”

　The old man jumped up and rushed over to Jeanne.

“Oh, …… it’s growing. …… It’s a miracle. …… It’s a miracle!”

　The old man jumped up and down, throwing his hands up in the air.

(The Sugar Muscat is growing. …… I didn’t use any such magic. …… Hmm?)

　Hirune noticed a sleeping being at the base of the sugar muscat.

(Oh, the alter ego of the purification magic I skipped.)

　There was a mini-Hirune, a collection of stardust, sleeping there.

　Perhaps the mini-hirune noticed her gaze, it popped its stardust nose ring and woke up with a start.

　She stretched in the exact same motion as Hirune and turned her attention to the sugar muscat trunk.

“Is this Hirune’s purification magic?”

　Jeanne, holding the sugar muscat, nodded her head.

“that little Hirune …… is the only one left? The purification magic should have worn off by now, right?”

　Holly peeked at the glittering mini-hirune and wondered.

　That’s when it happened.

　The mini-hirune laughed at her and was sucked into the sugar muskrat, and then dissipated into stardust.

“–Ah!”

　Jeanne shouted.

　A small fruit grew on the thin branch of the sugar muscat, and it grew and grew.

　After a few puffs and puffs of stardust, the fruit eventually grew into a large cluster of sugar muscats.

“There’s a fruit! Look, Hirune!”

　Holly pointed happily.

　The weight of the fruit caused the branch to droop down about fifty degrees.

“It’s true.”

(Did she understand my intentions? It seems that girl wasn’t a slacker after all. …… Thank you ……)

　  Smiling, Hirune used holy magic to cut and harvest the sugar muscats.

“What does it taste like?”

“Sugar muscats, ohhh! It’s a miracle! A miracle of the Saint!”

　The old man was so overcome with emotion that he cried loudly.

“Come on, Holly and Jeanne, let’s try some.”

　Hirune held out a sugar muscat for them to take.

“Hirune-sama and Holly-sama’s hands are dirty. I’ll feed them to you.”

　Jeanne smiled, pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket, carefully wiped her hands, and plucked a sugar muscat fruit.

　The juice overflowed from the spot where she picked it, and the sweet scent spread.

　The fruit was about the size of a ping-pong ball, and was a light green color.

“Yes, Hirune-sama, ahhh.”

“Ahhh.”

　In a fluid exchange, a sugar muscat was placed in Hirune’s mouth.

“…..oh!”

　The moment she ate it, she was shocked.

(Sweet! The refreshing flavor of muscat, it feels like sugar when chewed …!)

　Sugar Muscat has a high sugar content, the sugar coagulates in the fruit and about 20% of it becomes crystals.

    When you bite into it, you can enjoy a unique crunchy sensation.

“Hirune, what do you think?! Does it taste good?! Sweet?!”

　Holly, who was waiting for her turn, couldn’t help but be curious.

“Oihii. It’s sweet.”

　Hirune moved her mouth gingerly.

　When she swallowed, she said, “One more,” and opened her mouth.

“Ahhh.”

　Jeanne quickly threw a sugar muscat into Hirune’s mouth.

(Hall of Fame deliciousness! Sugar is the best when you’re tired~~…)

“One more, Jeanne. Aah!”

“Hey! I want to eat some …… too. ……”

　Holly raised her voice and then suddenly felt embarrassed and blushed.

　Hirune laughed and looked at Jeanne.

“Yes Holly, ahhh.”

“…… Ahhh.”

　A sugar muscat was dropped into Holly’s mouth as well.

“–Oh!—oh!—-oh!”

　　Holly’s body trembled as if an electric current had run through it, and she began to chew the sugar muscat with all her might.

“Aaahhhh! Oihii!”

　Holly pressed her cheeks with both hands, her face slackening loosely.

“Please eat too, Jeanne.”

“Yes! Thank you very much.”

　At Hirune’s words, Jeanne picked up a piece of sugar muscat and put it in her mouth.

　Jeanne nodded with a big smile, probably because she had eaten one before.

“This is it. It’s sweet and crunchy.”

　Jeanne said as she chewed on a large piece of fruit.

　After the three of them had eaten the sugar muscats for a while, the old man farmer finally stopped crying and bowed deeply to Hirune and Holly.

“Jeanne, give one to grandpa.”

“Yes.”

　Jeanne smiled and gave him a sugar muscat.

　The old man cried and wiped his face with his sleeve, saying “this is it, this is it.”

“Thank you. Seeing the saint’s miracle gave me hope for life. I’m sure the Sugar Muscat will recover.”

　The old man let go of her arm and raised his face.

“Thank you so much for purifying the orchard, Saint. Now we can grow all kinds of fruit again. ……”

　Hirune, Holly, and Jeanne looked at the old man and then, at each other.

　The three of them looked like they had been caught by a fox.

“What’s the matter?”

　The old man wondered about the reaction of the three.

“Um, no. …… Well, your face is ……”

“Excuse me, but the …… mud is ……”

　Jeanne and Holly put their cheeks together and stifled their laughs.

“Fufufu……I rubbed your face with my sleeve, what trouble I’m in…..!”

　Hirune pointed her finger and held her stomach.

　The face of the old man had been blackened by the mud, and it had been removed only from his eyes, giving him an exquisitely salted comical face. In addition, there were traces of tears under his eyes, adding to the ridiculousness of his face.

“Fufufu…… pfft!”

　Hirune began to laugh with her hands on her stomach.

“Hahahaha! Grandpa has a funny face.”

“Hirune-sama …… that’s …… Fufufu, pfft.”

“Hey, don’t laugh. …… pfft, excuse me. …… pfft.”

　Jeanne and Holly couldn’t hold back their laughter either.

　The old man began to scratch their heads in embarrassment when he realized it was his face.

“Well, was I rejuvenated by all this mud? I wouldn’t want to get any more manly than I already am, though! Hahahaha!”

　The old man laughed hysterically as he said it to himself.

　Hirune, Holly, and Jeanne laughed along with him.

　If you looked closely, you could see the mud on their faces, and their clothes were almost completely black.

　Noticing this, Hirune and the others pointed at each other’s faces and laughed. They couldn’t stop laughing.

　For a while, the orchard echoed with the laughter of the three girls and the old man.