No, How Can an Atheist Become a Saintess!?

No, How Can an Atheist Become a Saintess!? – 60

EP.60 Friendship and Relationship (4)

The lecture covered a variety of topics.

This world was different from the original one, but that didn’t mean those “differences” were entirely accepted as common sense.

It hadn’t been that long since the catastrophic events caused by the Gates. For most ordinary people, knowledge about the Gates wasn’t crucial to their daily lives.

Especially for Hunters, many of them had either been in their youth before the Gates' disasters occurred or were already adults by then. No one in the Association expected Hunters to have discarded all their prior knowledge or acquired expertise the moment they entered the field.

Even if they had passed the licensing exam, a rookie was still a rookie. They needed to relearn or acquire more specialized knowledge.

In the lectures that Ria and I attended, one recurring topic was—

“—So, the most important thing when dealing with Gnomes is their gemstone processing techniques. We’re making efforts to acquire those skills, but it’s no easy task…”

—exactly that: stories about other races and civilizations.

This was also a subject of interest to the Church.

Not all religions might be like this, but most of them believed their God to be the ultimate truth of the world, treating the concept of God itself as an absolute truth.

Inevitably, religions sought to spread that “truth” elsewhere, whether through peaceful means or otherwise. Regardless of the methods, the outcome was often the same. Until recently, however, such efforts had not been particularly successful.

The problem was, an exception had now emerged.

Although there was the issue of people considering me not as a Saintess but as a Goddess, the Church seemed to view this as a “significant breakthrough.” Annoyingly so.

Perhaps the Church had a hand in arranging for me to attend these lectures in the first place.

“Learning these techniques isn’t just a matter of upsetting the Gnomes. If we consider the case of the Dwarves, who share extensive interactions with them, it’s likely this won’t be resolved anytime soon.”

Gnomes were renowned for their gemstone processing skills, and the origins of those techniques lay with the Dwarves.

It was difficult to say which race was superior. Generally, Gnomes excelled in precise, intricate craftsmanship, while Dwarves were known for their superior skills in constructing massive machinery.

The main issue lay in the size limitations of the Gates.

Even if large machinery was crafted, unless it could be disassembled and transported, it was often useless. There was no point in purchasing something that couldn’t even be utilized.

Moreover, many of the Dwarves’ “technologies” could now be replaced by modern methods. Things like massive drills, cannons, and tanks could fulfill similar purposes.

Previously, these technologies had been nearly monopolized by the Dwarves according to the standards of their world. However, with the opening of the Gates, the situation had changed drastically.

“Runed gemstones, which allow precise energy control with just a few words, are indispensable materials! Most of them do have a limited number of uses, but they’re incredibly valuable.”

As a result, the Dwarves, who traditionally required far more advanced techniques by their own standards, were gradually being outpaced by the Gnomes’ technology after the Gates opened.

Since their specialties lay in different areas, catching up overnight was impossible. After all, light and heavy industries were fundamentally distinct fields.

Thus, dissatisfaction among the Dwarves had been slowly increasing—this was the gist of the lecture.

When dealing with these two races, one should keep this in mind.

…Though, honestly, I already knew most of this.

*

The lecture content was meaningful and engaging.

In the novel, such explanations might be brushed over lightly, but here, they turned into detailed lessons almost on par with a college liberal arts course.

I had always been interested in history classes and similar subjects. Stories like these, when divorced from the pressure of grades, often became simply enjoyable “narratives.”

“You actually find that fun?”

When I returned to the Church wearing a contented expression, Ria asked incredulously.

Ah, I see.

She was fresh out of high school. For someone like her, just hearing the word “lecture” could likely induce dread. After all, that period of relentless exams... Well, for me, it had been during my college years, though neither of us had actually experienced university life yet.

“I’ve always enjoyed listening to stories like that.”

“Really…”

As I spoke, carefully slotting the textbook—filled with my notes—into the desk's bookshelf, Ria looked at me as if surprised.

“I told you before, didn’t I? I’ve always been diligent about attending classes. The only subject I struggled with was theology.”

“Shouldn’t theology be your strongest subject, considering you’re a nun?”

“If you saw the grades of other nuns, you’d drop that argument right away.”

Sure, I was ostracized a bit for openly declaring my atheism, but there were definitely a few nuns whose grades were worse than mine. Overall, the academic standard for theology wasn’t particularly high, either.

Shrugging, I thought about the average scores among the nuns and smirked.

“Anyway, that’s why I find it interesting.”

I had imagined it before.

Earth, as it was, had already been thoroughly explored by adventurers. No matter where you went, it would ultimately amount to tourism at best.

But a different world? That was a different story.

If there were countless worlds beyond the Gates, each one held the potential for adventure and exploration. Though I hadn’t been involved in such work in my previous life, it was enough to spark a romantic fascination.

…Of course, romanticism was just that—romanticism. I could already envision the grueling hardships that would come with actual exploration.

So, for now, I was content with just learning about it.

“...?”

Huh?

Lost in thought, I found myself staring directly at Ria’s face. Normally, I would’ve averted my gaze, but this time—

Ria, looking slightly uncomfortable, shifted her eyes around uneasily.

“What? Are you embarrassed because I’m staring at you so intently?”

“Uh, no, but don’t people usually feel awkward when someone stares at them like that?”

Why?

She hadn’t been like this at first. Wasn’t she the one who used to keep staring when I looked away?

Hmm.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?”

For some reason, it amused me.

Since I was usually on the receiving end of such things, stumbling upon this dynamic by chance felt satisfying.

I walked over to where Ria was sitting on the bed and deliberately followed her gaze, trying to meet her eyes.

If Ria had been the one staring, I would’ve looked away, but now that she’d fallen into my rhythm, there was no reason for me to feel embarrassed.

“What? Am I too pretty to look at directly? Hmm?”

“Shut up, you brat.”

“Blep.”

Unable to endure any longer, Ria pressed my cheeks with both hands.

Even with my squished cheeks, I gave her a victorious smile. After all, in situations like this, the one trying to stop the game was the loser.

“…...”

Perhaps realizing this, Ria muttered,

“Your cheeks are always so squishy. Are you a rice cake?”

“You’ve compared me to a rabbit, a deer, and now a rice cake—do you think I’ll get mad if you keep throwing random comparisons at me?”

When I answered incredulously, Ria finally let go of my cheeks.

I returned to my seat and began tidying up my belongings. There wasn’t much to do, though; I’d already put my books away.

“But, Ria.”

Suddenly reminded of something, I turned to look at her.

“Hmm?”

“How long do you plan on being my knight?”

“...Why?”

Ria blinked at my question, answering cautiously.

“Well, it’s just that, considering how things are going, I feel like I might end up staying at the Church for a long time.”

Maybe once everything is over and I’ve aged a bit, I might be able to leave.

When that time comes, I’ll probably go traveling. Whether it’s in this world or another one, it’ll be after everything is resolved somehow.

The problem is, I have no idea when that will be.

…In the novel, it was all tied up neatly—destiny, ownership, or whatever. But this isn’t a novel.

I appreciate the thought behind her desire to protect me, especially since she volunteered after seeing the stalker incident.

But still, I can’t let her spend her entire youth cooped up in a convent. It would be much better for her to stay for a while and then rejoin society.

My hands, which had been idly organizing my things, suddenly stopped.

“…...”

A boyfriend for Ria, huh.

This is the problem with imagination.

Once you’ve indulged in a certain fantasy, the thought of that girl ending up with someone else—even if it’s just as a fleeting notion—leaves you feeling... unsettled.

It’s not quite like betrayal or jealousy, but rather, it’s just... something about it feels off.

“I’ll stay as long as you’re a Saintess candidate, so don’t worry about it.”

Ria spoke in a tone that felt both casual and firm, before the sound of her plopping down onto the bed reached me.

As long as I’m a Saintess candidate, huh.

…Well, if that’s the case, then it feels like something I can manage to some extent.

Letting out a small sigh, I pushed my bag under the desk.