Chapter 23: Thank You from the Orchard

　After eating sugar muscats and having a good laugh in the purified orchard, Hirune, Jeanne and Holly headed to the old man farmer’s house.

　They asked him to boil some water for them so that they could remove the mud from their bodies.

(I can remove it with purification magic, but I’m in the mood for a good …… wash.)

　Jeanne wiped her down quickly and soon she was clean.

　Just in case, she cast a purification spell on herself, Jeanne and Holly.

　The saint’s clothes were cleaned with the stronger purification spell.

　When they were refreshed, the sun was just about to set.

　The three of them went to the living room for a drink of water and some mini berry jam and bread, as recommended by the old man.

“Hirune-sama, Let’s hurry back to Ixendahl. We have a job to ward the city.”

　Jeanne ate a slice of bread and said anxiously.

“Oh, it’s okay. The warding will work automatically for a day or so.”

“What ……?”

　Jeanne’s eyes lit up.

　Holly was also surprised by this.

“You’re kidding right? I’m already amazed at the fact that the entire city is warded, but …… the warding is automatically activated? What do you mean?”

“The ward is activated starting from the statue of the Goddess of Mercy in the Great Church. You know that, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Actually, the Great Church is super amazing. Oh, the water – purification.”

　Hirune quickly purified the water that the old man was about to drink.

　Water tastes better when it is purified.

　He looked at the glittering stardust and drank the water with relish.

“What do you mean?”

　Holly shook her head.

“First of all, the statue is a reservoir of magic power. And the magic circle carved into the floor, …… Zigi-sama told me that it had forty layers that work to amplify holy magic to the maximum.”

“The Great Church is amazing……. ”

“I set a warding spell before I came out today, so we can take our time going home slowly.”

　Don’t talk about city-level holy magic like it’s a recording of a TV show!

(I don’t want to rush …… I’ll sleep on Holly’s thighs when we’re on the move. ……)

　Glancing at Holly’s legs, Hirune yawned and allowed Jeanne to feed her a piece of bread with plenty of jam on it.

　Holly didn’t realize that her thighs were being targeted and mumbled, “That’s …… why the church was so particular about the Great Church,” 

　Then, as they were eating bread and talking, they heard a cheer from the direction of the orchard.

　Apparently, the villagers had noticed the purification.

　The old man ran out of the house. He was going to go explain the situation.

(Hmmm …… I’d better help with this. I can’t wait to eat more Sugar Muscats.)

“Shall we go too?”

　Hirune stood up and Jeanne and Holly followed.

　The orchard was full of holes from the previous purification, but the villagers were all hugging each other in joy that the miasma was gone.

“Aren’t you glad, Hirune-sama?”

“Yes, very much.”

　Jeanne smiled, and Hirune smiled back.

Behind her, Holly shyly cleared her throat.

“Hirune ……, thanks for that ……, for helping me out.”

　Holly then turned her head away.

“We’re friends, you know.”

　Hirune gave a cute little lift of her shoulders.

(It’s nice to have friends. …… I didn’t have any before. …… It’s kind of heartwarming.)

　Hirune, who had been unhappy in her previous life and had not been able to socialize as much as she would have liked, smiled when she saw Holly, who had become her friend.

(I’m glad Holly is my friend, and also a saint. ……)

　Hirune blinked a few times and stared at Holly with her blue eyes.

　Holly was the one who wanted to say thank you. Her cheeks reddened and she stroked her hair impatiently as if her feelings were being conveyed.

“It’s not like I couldn’t have purified it by myself! I’m better at holy magic than you are!”

　

     With that, Holly turned away from Hirune completely.

　Jeanne is smiling as she listens to their conversation.

“I’m glad you’re all happy.”

“Yeah, …….”

　Holly nodded at Hirune’s words.

　As Hirune and the others watched the happy villagers for a while, a soldier came running towards them.

“Hirune-sama, Holly-sama. Wanda-sama is here to see you. She seems quite worried, so please, if you could return as soon as possible.”

　The young soldier said with a smile.

“I hope we didn’t worry her too much.”

　Jeanne nodded as Hirune looked in the direction of the village.

“Wanda is always worried about you, isn’t she?”

“It seems to me that there are too many penalties with that. ……”

“That’s because you’re always breaking the rules. Come on, let’s go.”

　Holly began to walk to the village where Wanda was waiting.

　Hirune and Jeanne also followed suit.

(Oh, yeah. Don’t forget to do it. Don’t forget to help.)

　Hirune stopped, turned to the orchard and put her hands on the ground.

“Hirune-sama?”

　Jeanne shakes her head.

(I’ll use the healing as an infusion of nourishment like I did before in the Royal Capital–concentrate.)

　When Hirune closed her eyes, a magic circle appeared, and stardust flew out in pieces and swirled.

(Scripture chanting in my brain–)

　In order to inject nourishment into the vast area, she chanted the scriptures firmly in her mind.

(Yes! Heal the orchard–!)

　The stardust that had been swirling around Hirune flew out into the sky all at once.

　They glided through the air, glittering, and showered the orchard with stardust of healing.

“Wow! Amazing!”

“You amaze me every time ……!”

　Jeanne and Holly looked up at the shower of stardust.

　the world shone as gold and silver sparkles filled the sky.

(Whoa, that’s nice.)

　Hirune could see the orchard returning to its original state.

　The fallen trees were rising, and the withered fruit trees were regaining their freshness.

“Thank you–thank you–“

　She thought she heard such a voice from the trees in the orchard.

(Thank you, too, for the delicious sugar muscats.)

　Hirune thanked the orchard.

“Stardust! The trees are coming back to life! It’s the miracle of the saints!”

　The villagers cheered and danced under the stardust, cried and laughed, hugged each other and shared their joy with anyone who would listen.

“The orchard is back!”

　The old farmer who helped Hirune and her friends jumped up and down several times. He might have been old, but he was a very strong jumper. If there were a Guinness Book of World Records in this world, he would be certified.

“All hail the saints! Thank you, saints!”

　Hirune saw that the trees in the orchard had been restored to their original state and stopped the magic.

“That’s it. The next time I come back, I’ll have all the fruit.”

　 Hirune yawned an oversized yawn, leaving behind abandoned lines like some kind of thief.

(No. …… I’m too sleepy.)

　She leaned against Jeanne, drowsy and unsteady.*

“Hirune-sama? Are you okay?”

　Jeanne quickly took Hirune in her arms.

“ … I’ve been moving all morning, so I’ve been …… hhhhhaaaaaaaahhhh …… sleepy… …”

“Here, hold on to me here.”

　Holly supported Hirune from the opposite side of Jeanne.

“I’m sure I’ll …… fall asleep in the carriage even without Holly’s lap pillow… …”

 “I knew you were going to sleep after all.”

　Holly giggled.

“You could say that. …… Ahh. ……”

“It’s no use. See, Wanda is waiting for us, let’s go.”

　She was carried by Jeanne and Holly back to the village, and the four of them, including Wanda, boarded the carriage.

　Wanda breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Hirune and the others.

　She seems to think she should have accompanied Hirune and her friends, even if she put off the work she had today.

“Mmm-hmm …..springy ……”

“Don’t say springy.”

　 Hirune fell asleep comfortably as she nuzzled her face into Holly’s thighs, which she had longed to do.

　　　　　　()

　After that day, the beneficial information about the “miasma that takes root in the ground” was shared, and the purification work in orchards and farms in the southern region was greatly improved. Another page in the legend of the Great Saint of Dozing had been engraved, but she was not aware of it at all.

“ …… mmm……so crunchy…… sweet……”

　Holly, Jeanne, and Wanda looked at each other and giggled at the sleep-talking Hirune.