Chapter 5: Going to bed with Jeanne

　When I returned to my room after completing my morning and afternoon tasks, I found Jeanne, my maid, sitting on a chair with an exhausted look on her face.

“Jeanne, what’s wrong with you today? I didn't see you earlier..... Do you have a stomach ache?”

　Hirune asked, taking a seat across from her.

　Jeanne stood up, removed Hirune’s Saint Apprentice clothes, and brought her a nightgown.

　She looked very tired. Her ponytail seemed to have even lost some of its shape.

"Oh, I can do it myself."

“It's my job. ...... Please let me do it."

　After getting dressed, the two girls went to the dining room together, ate dinner, and came back to the room.

　Jeanne, who didn’t talk much, was finally starting to worry her so Hirune took her hand.

“What's wrong? Are you tired?"

“Actually, ...... I am. If I can finish my work quickly, I can take care of you, but ...... because I don't have the stamina, I can’t finish in little time.

“Apprentice maids go to the Saint Apprentices after they finish their assigned tasks, right?　　Is that what you've been working so hard on?

"Yes."

　Jeanne gave a small nod.

　The West Church is a large church with fifty Saint Apprentices and a hundred priests.

　Inevitably, there’s a lot of work to be done.

　The amount of work distributed to the apprentice maids varied widely, and if you were unlucky, you may be called up in the middle of your work and told to do some task. It took several years of training to be able to finish everything in a reasonable amount of time.

“But I get tired in the middle of the day, so I guess I still can't. ...... My eleven year old senior also recently said that she could now finish her duties and was finally able to be near the saint of her charge.”

“But can’t we still meet like this in my room.”

“But we don’t have a chance to see all the saint apprentices in their glory, do we?　I’d have liked to see you read the Bible in the chapel this afternoon.”

　Bible reading is the role of the priest.

　The Bible may be read aloud by the saints on public holidays and other occasions, but the Bible reading by the saints is not open to the public.

　It is a privilege for the maids to be able to see them up close.

　The sight of the girls reading the Bible so hard strikes a chord with people. It is said that some aristocrats who are saint freaks and donate a lot of money to the Mephistopheles Church sometimes force their way in to come and watch.

　Jeanne wanted to see Hirune working hard to become a Great Saint.

“Well….. then let’s sleep together today.　You won't be lonely then, will you?"

　Hirune was glad that she wanted to be with her and invited her to sleep with her.

     Since she was in the next room, I’ve always thought it would be nice to sleep together.

"Me, sleep with Hirune-sama?)

　Jeanne had said this because she wanted to see Hirune as a saint, but apparently Hirune had a different interpretation.

　Still, Hirune's proposal was appealing.

　She was lonely in her room all alone.

“Is it okay?”

“Of course it's fine. It’s good, warm, and cozy.”

“Maybe so, but ...... it’s not very respectful ......”

“I'm just a girl with amnesia. Don't worry about it. Alight?"

Hirune’s smile spread all over, filling the air in front of Jeanne’s eyes.

Her starry blue eyes were covered with long golden eyelashes which narrowed when she smiled, becoming crumpled and thin.

 Jeanne felt that nothing she could say would be able to match Hirune's smile, so she nodded honestly.

“ Okay, I'll go change.”

“Come quickly, please."

　At these words, Jeanne hurriedly left the room.

(Come to think of it, maybe this will make one of my dreams come true ......)

　Hirune sprawled out on the thin futon.

Just before she died in her previous life, she wanted healing. One of her desires was to "tickle a pretty girl and bask in the sun.

　It's not basking in the sun, but it's not a bad idea to sleep together at night.

　While she was thinking about this and looking up at the old ceiling, Jeanne came back into Hirune's room after changing into her nightgown.

　Jeanne had untied her ponytail, let her hair down, and was holding a pillow in her hands.

　Her nightgown was a simple dress.

'What's the matter? It's cold in front of the door.”

“Is it really okay?"

　Jeanne still seemed to feel uncomfortable about sleeping with her.

“It's okay, it's okay. Come on, hug me, please.  Cam on, Cam on." {TN: Cam on was her attempt at english}

　Hirune's true intentions were leaking out. She beckons her again and again from her bed. She doesn't seem to want to go get her. 

"Okay, okay.”

　A resigned Jeanne approached the bed and sat down.

“Here, put the pillow next to me."

Pat, Pat . Hirune patted the bed.

　Jeanne put down the thin pillow that she had been holding. She was fidgeting when Hirune stared at her, and she lay down hesitantly. Then Hirune pulled the quilt over her.

“It's warm. ......"

　Jeanne mumbled.

　The quilt was warmer and more comfortable than she had expected.

　In fact, this quilt had holes in it, but it had begun to take on holy blessing after Hirune had slept in it for a week. Just by wearing it, the quilt would keep out evil and make people feel comfortable.

"It's so warm when we sleep together.”

　Hirune, who was laying right beside her, smiled at Jeanne and leaned in towards her.

　Jeanne naturally smiled as well.

“I'll have to ask you to come over every night. The two of us will have to make up for the thin quilt. I think that's a great suggestion. ...... Don't you think so Jeanne?"

"That may be the case"

“Don't you agree?”

“Yes."

　The two of them laughed at each other and looked up at the ceiling.

　After a few moments of silence, Hirune turned her sleepy eyes to Jeanne.

“By the way, where was Jeanne born?”

　At Hirune’s question, she stopped breathing for a moment, blinked a few times, and then slowly exhaled.

“I was born in the ...... south."

“Southern. ......”

(It was the most dangerous area in the kingdom, right?　　A lot of saints have been sent to the area,......, and now that it's being purified, I hear it's getting safer,......)

　Hirune remembered the explanation she had heard in the afternoon geography lecture.

"The village I was in was attacked by demons ...... and my grandmother and uncle, who raised me, had to protect everyone in the village ......."

　After Jeanne said that she covered her face with the quilt.

　She felt sad and seemed to have burst into tears.

"So that's what happened. ...... I'm sorry I asked. ......"

　Hirune hugged Jeanne.

“I'm sorry. ......kusu ......”

“You had a great grandmother and uncle, right?”

“Yes ......."

Hirune rubbed her shoulders and Jeanne nodded.

“Since I lost my parents early, they raised me. They were both hunters, you know. They hunted white bears and used their pelts as bedding for me. ......”

“How was the bedding? Was it fluffy?"

　Hirune, hearing the word "bedding," immediately took the bait.

"Yes, it was very warm. 

“I see. ...... The south might not be so bad.”

"When I was attacked by a demon, ......"

Perhaps she hadn’t heard Hirune's mumbling, but Jeanne peeked out from under the covers.

“The Saint saved us who were running away. She stopped the demons with her beautiful holy light. At that time I thought …. I also wanted to help her. That’s when I knew I wanted to be of service to her.....”

“That’s why you came to the Western Church to become the saint's maid, right?”

“Yes, I was taught by a villager who escaped with me, and I was able to enter the Western Church six months ago.

“With good looks, good capacity, and good character, ...... Jeanne will make a wonderful maid.”

　Hirune smiles.

　In fact, for an eight-year-old, Jeanne is a very attentive girl. She might be more attentive than Hirune was in her previous life.

(I feel like I'm totally losing out on girl power. ......)

“That’s not true. Hirune-sama is much better isn't it?”

“I get sleepy easily, and I say what I think out loud.”

"Hirune-sama is very kind. You smiled at me when we first met, and youinvited me out like this today.” ......'

“Ahh, it’s kind of embarrassing….I feel embarrassed when you say things like that.”

　IHirune had never slept with a girl her own age before and was embarrassed by the compliment.

“I'm sorry, ......."

　Jeanne's shoulders shrunk and her cheeks turned red.

“This is a punishment. A punishment, okay?”

“Huh?”

　Hirune wriggled her hands under the covers and grabbed Jeanne's waist.

“Here, tickle, tickle, tickle.”

“Hey…. Hirune-sama….please stop tickling me….ahahaha! Ahahaha.”

“Come on, come on, come on.”

Jeanne struggled, and the offensive continued for a while.

“Hora, tickle tickle tickle tickle.”

“Hey, ...... Hirune-sama...... tickling me like this...... ahahaha! Please let me go”

“Now, It's Jeanne's turn. Please do it for me too.”

"What? To Hirune-sama?　　I can't do that.”

“No, no, no. Tickling doesn’t work unless you do it to each other.”

　Fearfully, Jeanne tickled Hirune's waist, and when she was told to do it harder, she tickled Hirune for real. Her tickling was quite effective.

　They tickled each other a few times, and when there was a lull, they both said, "Let's go to bed.”

(It was fun ...... tickling each other, but next time let's do it with ...... sunshine... ...)

　Satisfied, Hirune pulled the covers up to her neck and closed her eyes.

“Jeanne, good night.”

" Yes, Hirune-sama, good night.

　Hirune looked at Jeanne's profile in the moonlight.

　It seemed wonderful to see the little girl working hard towards her dream.

(Jeanne is shining, isn't she? ...... I hope this child will not get tired and stay healthy forever. ......)

　Hirune fell asleep praying.

　While they slept, stardust fluttered and glittered from Hirune and was absorbed into Jeanne's body.

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