Chapter 29: A Thunderstorm Night, the Saint, and the Futon
Several days after the merchants departed from the village…
“Eight. I have a favor to ask.”
“Hm? Hinoka? If this is another request for food—”
“I am not a glutton.”
With a look of mild annoyance, Hinoka handed him a sheet of paper.
Eight glanced down at it.
Written across the page was a surprisingly mundane list of items: lumber, metal fittings, saws, hammers, nails, and various other construction materials and tools.
“I want these,” Hinoka said matter-of-factly. “Use your power to acquire them.”
“…This is going to use up almost all my remaining points.”
Eight rubbed his temple.
“Can I at least ask why?”
“For security improvements.”
“Security improvements?”
The words were so unexpected coming from a deity that Eight found himself staring blankly at her.
“Um… security?”
“Yes.”
Hinoka crossed her arms.
“My compatibility with the land surrounding this region is poor. Because of that, the periods during which I sleep are longer than they should be. Furthermore, people carrying ill intent seem unusually drawn to this house. Preparations are necessary.”
“Wouldn’t having me around solve that?” Eve chimed in cheerfully.
“I am also present,” Raphiel added.
“When it truly matters,” Hinoka replied flatly, “you two seem unlikely to be useful.”
The moment those words left her mouth, both Eve and Raphiel launched simultaneous attacks.
“Take that!”
“How rude!”
Hinoka effortlessly caught both girls by the head with one hand each.
Their protests died instantly as she held them in place like troublesome kittens.
“But how does wood improve security?” Eight asked. “What exactly are you making?”
“Oh!”
Eve’s eyes sparkled.
“Maybe traps! If it’s traps, then I’m basically an expert! I grew up in a Demon King’s castle filled with them, after all☆”
“I, too, am skilled at making traps,” Raphiel declared proudly. “I once dug pitfall traps throughout a temple.”
“Raphiel, please stop saying things that would make temple management cry.”
Hinoka merely shook her head.
“I am not making traps.”
“Then what are you making?”
“You shall see.”
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
“One night will be sufficient.”
“““One night?!”””
After that, Hinoka carried the supplies into the yard and immediately got to work.
The sight was bizarre.
Dark shadows extending from her feet moved independently, wielding saws and hammers with astonishing precision.
Wood was cut.
Nails were driven.
Boards were assembled.
Watching living shadows perform carpentry was surreal enough that Eight found himself staring longer than he should have.
So those shadows can be used for that too…
“Hmm?”
Just then, the weather suddenly changed.
Without warning, rain began pouring from the sky.
A moment later, a brilliant flash split the darkened heavens.
CRACK!
Thunder roared across the countryside.
“Whoa.”
Eight looked up.
The sky had become almost pitch black.
“Rain and lightning all of a sudden… Hinoka, shouldn’t you stop working?”
“You need not concern yourself.”
The shadows above her head spread outward, forming a giant umbrella that shielded her from the rain.
Without slowing down, she continued hammering away.
“Uh… just don’t stay up too late, okay?”
“Mm.”
Though she answered casually, Eight still felt a little worried.
Then again…
Worrying about a god was probably ridiculous.
Thinking that, he headed back into the living room.
The moment he stepped inside, he froze.
Raphiel was sitting beside Eve, who was enthusiastically playing a video game.
But something seemed wrong.
Very wrong.
Raphiel’s entire body was trembling.
Not subtly.
Violently.
“Eh?!”
Eight stared.
“What happened?!”
“Oh?” Eve glanced over.
“I wonder why Sainty is suddenly shaking like that☆ Could it be because my combo attack was so amazing that she got scared?”
“S-Shut up, Eve.”
Raphiel’s voice wavered.
“More importantly, shouldn’t you hurry and take your bath?”
“Ah!”
Eve jumped up.
“That’s right! I forgot there’s an anime starting at midnight that I want to watch!”
She dashed toward the bathroom.
After watching her disappear, Raphiel slowly turned toward Eight.
Her face remained expressionless as always.
But her eyes were watery.
“Eight.”
“Yes?”
“The truth is… I am not good with thunderstorms.”
“Oh…”
That explained a lot.
“So that’s what it is. Raphiel-san has a cute side too—”
“During my training,” she interrupted, “I was once thrown into a thunderstorm and left there until I nearly died.”
“…Wow.”
Eight blinked.
“That escalated way beyond what I was expecting.”
That sounded less like training and more like attempted murder.
As he struggled to process that revelation, Raphiel suddenly made a shocking request.
“Eight. Please sleep with me tonight.”
“…What?”
“I cannot sleep during thunderstorms unless someone hugs me.”
Eight nearly choked.
“No, wait. Couldn’t you ask Grana-san instead?”
“Grana goes to sleep at ten every night.”
“…Right.”
He had forgotten.
Grana maintained a lifestyle so healthy it was almost intimidating.
“B-But isn’t this a bad idea? A man and woman sleeping together is a little problematic for a Saintess—”
“But I’m scared.”
For once, Raphiel’s voice sounded genuinely vulnerable.
“Every time thunder strikes, I feel like I’m going to wet myself.”
“Feel like?”
“I already leaked a little.”
“GO CHANGE YOUR CLOTHES!”
Raphiel ignored his outburst.
Instead, she looked directly into his eyes.
“…Eight. Please.”
The plea was devastating.
One thing should never be forgotten.
Raphiel was unbelievably beautiful.
A breathtakingly gorgeous girl who almost never showed emotion.
When someone like that looked up at you with tear-filled eyes and quietly begged for help…
Who could possibly refuse?
The answer was simple.
Nobody.
“…O-Okay.”
And so…
Eight found himself standing inside Raphiel’s room.
Like the other guest rooms in the inn, it was a modest six-tatami space equipped with a small television and an air conditioner.
However…
The room itself was a disaster.
A futon remained spread out in the middle of the room.
Manga volumes were scattered everywhere across the floor.
Some looked suspiciously like books taken from Eight’s own collection.
“…You should really clean up occasionally.”
“…I’ll do it tomorrow.”
“That’s exactly what people who never do it say.”
Avoiding eye contact, Raphiel slipped beneath her blanket.
Then she opened both arms.
“Eight. Hurry and hug me.”
“A-Ah. Right.”
Like someone walking toward his own execution, Eight climbed into the futon.
Immediately, a faint fragrance enveloped him.
A soft, pleasant scent that seemed uniquely Raphiel’s.
Danger.
This was dangerous.
Extremely dangerous.
“Eight.”
“Y-Yes?”
“Hug me.”
“L-Like this?”
“More.”
“More?”
“Tighter.”
“…Okay.”
When he carefully wrapped his arms around her, he immediately regretted it.
Her body was soft.
Very soft.
Particularly in one area.
Guhhhhhh!!
Calm down!
What you’re touching is merely fat!
Just ordinary biological tissue!
Nothing inappropriate whatsoever!
As Eight desperately fought for his sanity, another clap of thunder shook the night.
CRACK!
Raphiel’s shoulders jerked violently.
Another flash.
Another tremble.
Only then did Eight realize just how frightened she truly was.
…
His expression softened.
“It’s okay, Raphiel.”
“Eight?”
“Thunder isn’t going to hurt you. Everything’s fine.”
He gently stroked her silver hair.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Like comforting a frightened child.
After a few moments, her breathing grew steady.
Then quieter.
Before long, she had fallen asleep.
Listening to her peaceful breathing, Eight came to a realization.
If he stopped seeing Raphiel as a beautiful young woman and instead viewed her as a child in need of protection…
Most of his inappropriate thoughts vanished almost immediately.
Was this parental instinct?
Protective instinct?
Perhaps.
Even though Cardinal Larsa had already fallen from power, Eight couldn’t help thinking the same thing.
The temple had been completely insane.
Making someone this adorable undergo training that went far beyond mere abuse…
What kind of environment had she grown up in?
“…Mnn…”
Raphiel mumbled in her sleep.
“…Eight… I’m full… I can’t eat anymore…”
Eight chuckled quietly.
“Heh. Eating in your dreams too?”
Really.
She was unbelievably adorable.
◇ ◇ ◇
The next morning.
“…WHY IS THERE A SHRINE IN MY YARD?!”
“I built it.”
Hinoka answered proudly.
“Eight,” Raphiel asked while staring at the structure, “what is a shrine? Is it food?”
Before them stood an unbelievable sight.
Dozens of vermilion torii gates stretched across the yard in neat rows.
At the center stood a small but unmistakably authentic shrine.
A shrine.
An actual shrine.
Built overnight.
In Eight’s yard.
“HOW?!” Eight shouted at the heavens.
No answer came.