Kays Translations

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.

Chapter 24: Waking Up in the Night.

　The setting sun has set, and the dimness had turned to night.

　Ixendahl, the city of iron and smoke, never sleeps.

　Even after the inauguration of the Great Saint Hirune, the lights of the city have not been extinguished, and the sound of hammering iron echoed in the industrial districts. In the night sky, there were streaks of black smoke, illuminated in red.

　The people looked up at the golden ward and smoke, and praised the Great Saint Hirune, who protected the city from the threat of miasma.

　Here's to a night without miasma.

　Here's to the Great Saint Hirune.

　They exchanged cups over and over again, never getting tired of each other.

"......Mmmm ......  Great Church ............ baked potato.........."

　Such was the frontier city that never slept - 2 am in the middle of the night.

　There was a girl turning and dozing on a big bed.

　A Great Church, a baked potato. What was she dreaming about?

　The girl flushed her long platinum blonde hair out of bed and hugged the beautiful girl with light blue hair next to her.

"Holly's ...... baked potato. ......”

　What was she really dreaming about?

　The light blue haired girl she hugged was sleeping soundly, she was dreaming a happy dream.

"The ...... sweet potatoes are going to ...... burn ............."

　The blonde girl, the Great Saint Hirune, mumbled in her sleep, rubbed her face against the light blue haired Holly's nightgown, and slowly opened her eyelids.

"...... hmm? Is it already morning ......? Is it still night?"

　Hirune yawned and looked at her sides, relying on the moonlight.

　On her right side was Jeanne, her ponytail untied

　On her left side, Holly was asleep.

　She pressed her cheek against Holly's soft shoulder and breathed in through her nose.

(Holly's body is warm,......, but that's not the point,......)

　Hirune looked up at the ceiling.

　The unfinished Great Church was being renovated at a rapid pace.

　The holy Quartz, a high-grade material, was being used for the exterior walls, and 70% of the walls have been restored. The ceiling and the areas leading up to it were still the same, and the difference between the new and old parts was clearly visible in the colors.

　Hirune blinked several times to make sure she wasn't daydreaming.

(I woke up at night for the first time since I came to this world: ......)

　What a surprise, Hirune opened her mouth.

　She was surprised that she had woken up in the middle of her sleep, considering how sleepy she was every day.

　In order to find out the cause, she got up slowly and got out of bed quietly so as not to wake them.

　Putting on her shoes, she walked across the scripture-carved floor, trying not to make a sound.

　After passing through the many laces, she saw the statue of the Goddess at the back of the Great Church, looking down at her with a gentle gaze.

(I can't get used to the atmosphere at night. ...... Come to think of it, the only time I've stayed up late was when I was an apprentice saint. ......)

　It reminded her of the jewel apples in the church of the Royal Capital.

　Oh, that juicy apple goodness was delicious. With that in mind, Hirune sniffed the air.

“Something stinks. It smells like burnt rice.”

　With a small sniff, she lifted her chin and walked in the direction of the smell.

　She opened the window.

　A lukewarm breeze, peculiar to the southern region, blew through.

　The smell of something burning carried on the wind.

(Is the smell from the city? ......?)

　The city was quiet at night.

　 It didn't seem like there was a fire going on or anything.

“Let's go to the city. I can't sleep because of the smell."

　She couldn't have her restful sleep disturbed.

　Hirune used the holy magic of lighting to illuminate her feet and changed into civilian clothes in a room at the back of the Great Church.

　It seemed to be a disguise.

(I woke up in the middle of the night and I'm hungry. I need a snack. ......)

　Rubbing her flat stomach, the easy-going Great Saint slipped out of the Great Church, down the grassy hill, and snuck into the kitchen of the Southern Branch Church.

(The thing I'm looking for is ......There it is, there it is ......)

　In the refrigerator compartment of the kitchen, fresh sugar muscats were lined up.

　After purifying the orchard and restoring it to its original state with holy magic, the trees immediately began to bear fruit. As an offering to the Great Saint Hirune, the orchard sends them sugar muscats every day.

　The priests and citizens were delighted to hear that they would eventually be distributed in the city.

　Incidentally, the orchard village had always been reluctant to establish a Mephistophelian church, but now they were eager to build a big one. The cultivation of the Mephistopheles faith was progressing without Hirune's knowledge.

(It always looks so delicious, doesn't it?)

　The Great Saint of Dozing, who knew nothing about the matter, smiled when she saw the sugar muscats.

"The great thief of the other world EverSophia is me, ...... fufu fufufu ......."

　Hirune had woken up in the middle of the night and was feeling buggy.

　If she woke up the priest in charge of the kitchen and asked "Please give me one", he will gladly give it to her, but she can't seem to get rid of her little commoner habits. She woke up in the middle of the night, so she felt guilty that she might gain weight, but still opened the refrigerator to eat some cheap pudding.

　In the quiet kitchen, she picked up a sugar muscat fruit.

"Yum!"

　Hirune tossed them into her mouth and felt the crunch of the sugar crystals and the sweetness spreading throughout her mouth.

　When she was satisfied with a few pieces, she spread out a handkerchief and placed the stripped fruit on it. She took the four corners of the handkerchief and lifted it up to use it as a bag, then twisted it into the pocket of her civilian clothes.

　Her pockets were full.

"Got a snack!”

　Hirune sneaked out of the kitchen, headed outside the church, and used the holy magic of levitation.

　She jumped over the wall with ease.

　She left the grounds of the southern branch of the Mephistopheles Church and landed in a secluded alley.

"...... wind."

(If I stand out too much, they'll know I’m the Great Saint.)

　She was dressed as an ordinary citizen, but no matter how you looked at her, it was obvious that she was the Great Saint Hirune.

　The aura that she exudes, her elaborate doll-like appearance, her long platinum blonde hair that shimmered even in the moonlight.

　With her pictures circulating all over the city, it would take a very insensitive person to look at her and not recognize her as the Great Saint Hirune.

(It's nice to walk the streets as an ordinary citizen.)

She was quite serious.

　It must have been partly because she's gotten used to seeing herself as a beautiful girl every day in the mirror, and partly because she still feels that it's not real, and her senses are numb.

(If Wanda found out that the great saint was taking a walk in the middle of the night, I’d have to listen to a two-hour sermon course)

　It was quite hard to endure not dozing off during the sermon.

　Hirune walked quickly through Ixendahl at night, observing the city. 　

(It's like a city dedicated to fighting demons, with steel plates reinforcing everywhere and zero fashionable stores.......)

　She walked around the city, eating sugar muscats with gusto.

　In Ixendahl, there were only solid and practical stores.

　After being attacked by demons every night, Ixendahl has been struggling to survive. It was the fate of the miasma-ridden southern region that no culture of its own had sprouted.

　Hirune's blond hair fluttered as she flicked her nose in the direction of the burning smell.

　Heading north of the city, she entered a district of rugged steel mills gathered to form an industrial area.

　The area was brightly lit by torches, and black smoke was rising.

(Is this the cause? ......)

　Hirune pinched her nose and muttered, "Kusai.” (It stinks)

　The sound of hammering iron echoed.

　It was two o'clock in the morning, but the surroundings were as bright as day.

(I was told that they burnt a lot of demon coal to make iron. It smells like burning a large amount of fallen leaves ......)

　The smell of burning demon coal filled the district.

(The wind is blowing from north to south, so the smell hits the Great Church directly. ...... It seems the wind direction is the reason I didn't notice it before.)

　Light spilled out of the windows of the steel mill, and a high-pitched metallic sound resounded regularly: klank, klank, klank.

(This is a nuisance to the neighbors. Also, it's black, it’s in violation of the Labor Standards Act.......)

　Hirune turned her half-lidded, haunting gaze toward the steel mill.

　There were no labor laws in this world.

“working until two in the morning is outrageous. The frontier city of Ixendahl will be reborn as a white city.”

　Perhaps it was the tension of the middle of the night.

　Hirune pinched her nose and raised her voice strangely.

“Let's go," She declared and opened the large doors of the steel mill.

　By coincidence, Hirune was headed for the largest steel mill in the frontier city, the one that was synonymous with Ixendahl.

Chapter 25 - Steel Mills and Black Smoke.

　Hirune entered Morgul steel mill, the largest steel mill in the frontier city, to find out the cause of the burning smell.

　The large doors were heavy, but she used holy magic to create a gap for one person.

　It was hot inside the steel mill, and the air felt thin.

(It's hot. ...... No wonder, they’re burning iron. ....... Oh, that's the steel-making equipment. It's huge.)

　She looked up at the steel-making equipment in the center of the building.

　Craftsmen with their shirts rolled up were hard at work.

　A wheelbarrow of black stones was being wheeled by hand and thrown into the bottom of the flaming device.

“There's not enough heat! Add more demon coal!”

　The person who seemed to be the master of the place shouted. "Yes!” A reply echoed.

(Put the demon coal into the oversized furnace and burn the iron raw materials on it.)

　Hirune looked at the bottom of the steel manufacturing equipment, then to the top. She also moved her face to the side.

(The liquified iron flows through there and is poured into the mold, where it becomes iron.......)

　There are two main types of iron.

　Square and Rod-shaped.

　The Rod-shaped is taken out of the mold and beaten with a hammer to turn it into a shape like a square.

(Hey, why are they hitting it with a hammer......? Why don't they just pour it into the mold without hammering and turn it into the shape of a square?)

　Hirune looked at the hundreds of craftsmen at work.

　All of whom were moving at a brisk pace.

(But the black smoke is so terrible, it looks like it's sticking to the ceiling because there's not enough ventilation.)

　Smoke was rising from everywhere.

　The air was filled with the smell of burning leaves.

"Alright! Team 2, take a break! Let’s go, let’s go!”

　A craftsman who seemed to be the master gave the order.

　He was coughing, probably because of the smoke.

　Hirune yawned and approached the device, rubbing her eyes.

　As she approached, she could feel the heat on her skin. Sweat began to pour out of her body.

(There's not that much smoke coming out of the demon coal. The problem is ...... is it the iron ore?)

　As she stared up at the iron making equipment, a craftsman who seemed to be the master of the equipment, who was going around giving orders, spotted Hirune and approached her in a stride with an angry look on his face.

"Hey, hey, hey! What is a kid doing here at this hour?”

(Oh, he's going to get angry. Was it too much to go for a civilian appearance?) 

　She looked up at the craftsman who seemed to be the master, vaguely thinking about that.

　He was wearing a sturdy-looking short-sleeved shirt with thick arms extending from the sleeves.

　There were numerous burn marks on his arms.

　He looked to be in his mid-forties, with deep wrinkles etched on his large face.

"Get away from here, it's dangerous. If a little girl gets hurt----“

　He noticed something and froze when he saw Hirune up close.

　Blue eyes like a sea of stars, a well-defined face, blond hair that almost reached her knees...

　It was the Great Saint Hirune, who was rumored to frequently appear in the city in stealth.

　She looked just like the picture he saw at the bar yesterday.

　Everyone in town is saying, "If you come to our store, pretend you don't know she's the Great Saint.” All the citizens were of the opinion that the Great Saint was worried about the citizens and was cutting down her time to make rounds.

　He had burst into laughter yesterday, saying, "There's no way she's coming to the steel mill. Hahahaha!" 

“............"

　Even he, who had several hundred subordinates, was speechless, surprised at the appearance of the Great Saint.

　When he looked at her sparkling eyes, he wanted to kneel down right there and make the holy seal, thanking her for saving the city.

“I’m sorry for entering without permission."

　On the other hand, Hirune apologized anyway.

　There was zero planning involved.

(Is he the big guy? I'd like him to show me the steel-making equipment for a good night's sleep.)

　The craftsman who seemed to be the master somehow managed to resist making the holy seal at the sound of Hirune's voice.

“...... Miss, what brings you to the steel mills? This is a dangerous place."

“Well, I came as part of a field trip.”

"Oh, I see. Hmm. Well, come back in the morning. It's already late."

　The craftsman who seemed to be the master of the company smiled and bent his back to look at Hirune.

“I can’t do that. It has to be now."

　Hirune stuck out her lower lip and put her hands on her hips.

　There was nothing he could do if the Great Saint said so. He made a serious expression, wondering if there was a serious situation.

“okay….. I understand. I'll show you around then.”

“Yes. I'm sorry for the sudden visit. Thank you very much.”

(I'm glad he's a nice person. Even a child could be shown me around, right?)

　 Maybe it’s because she was a great saint, but Hirune doesn't quite understand how things work.*

“I’m from the southern branch of the Mephistopheles Church,….I live nearby ............ and my name is ...... Makura (Pillow). What’s your name?"

　In a spur-of-the-moment decision, the Great Saint said her name was Makura.

　The craftsman who was the master of the company was a man who had devoted his life to making steel. He was not good at belly tricks. He nodded, exaggeratedly.

“I'm the master of the steel mill, Zuguri. Nice to meet you.”

“Master Zuguri. It's a pleasure to meet you.”

 Hirune bowed to him and he smiled.

　 Even though she was a great saint, she didn't pretend to be high and mighty, and was a polite child.   He could understand why everyone was whispering that she was the alter ego of the Goddess Sophia.

　Besides, talking with this girl made him feel strangely peaceful.

　Master Zuguri smiled naturally and looked at Hirune - or rather, Makura.

“What do you want to see, Makura-chan?”

“I want to see the muffled place.”

(First of all, the center, right?)

　Master Zuguri nodded and guided Hirune.

　The other craftsmen were surprised to see the master with a blonde girl, and even more surprised when they realized that it was the rumored Great Saint.

　Of course, they didn't show it on their faces.

　They understood what was going on and went back to their work.

　The news of the Great Saint's secret visit was instantly relayed to the entire steel mill.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

"Master Zuguri, do you have a cold?"

　Hirune was worried about the coughing master. He seemed to be in a lot of pain.

“It's not that. It's called the steelmaker’s Medal.”

“A medal?”

“Yes.”

　As they ascended the stairs to the central part of the ironworks, Zuguri took a wooden water bottle from the water station on the way and handed it to Hirune with a smile on his face.

“It's hot, isn't it? Take some water. And take some salt.”

“Thank you.”

　Hirune accepted the bottle and opened it to drink some water.

(I was so thirsty it was sinking in. I also have to take some salt. ......)

　She took a pinch of salt from the plate piled high next to the water station and licked it off.

　It was salty, but delicious.

　She took another drink of water. Then took out a sugar muscat from her pocket and offered it to Master Zuguri.

“Here you go, sir. It’s the last one.”

"The last one? Are you sure?”

“Yes. I ate a lot on the way here.”

(Master Zuguri is a good man. I'd like him to have some.)

　 He took the yellow-green sugar muscat from Hirune and threw it into his mouth.

　When he chewed it, he heard a crunching sound and the sweetness spread to his mouth.

　He hadn't eaten a sugar muscat since the days when the miasma hadn't contaminated the frontier city to this extent and sugar muscats were still in circulation. It was about seven or eight years ago, Zuguri thought.

"It's ...... delicious.”

“That’s right. It's very good.”

　When Hirune smiled, Master Zuguri laughed along with her.

　After drinking some water, Hirune put the water bottle in a used basket and followed Master Zuguri.

　When they arrived at the central part of the iron manufacturing unit, the surroundings were a scorching hell of flames and the heat of burning iron.

(It's hot. ...... this is outrageous. ......)

　Sweat was dripping down her face.

　She could see why the steel mill was so bright even though it was the middle of night.

“It's like magma. It's so thick, it's flowing over there.”

“Yes, it is.”

　 The liquefied, red-hot iron flowed.

　The black smoke rose incessantly.

“It's smoky. Cough, cough”

“Don't inhale too much, or you'll end up like us.”

“Are you all sick because of the smoke?”

　 At Hirune's question, Master Zuguri looked away and crossed his arms, staring at the flowing iron.

“I don't think we're sick.  but it's what we call burning lungs. When you work for a long time in a row, you can't stop coughing.”

　Zuguri squinted up at the ceiling as if looking for something that wouldn't come back.

“The iron ore from the frontier cities is full of impurities, and the quality of the iron is poor even when it's processed, and when it's shipped, it's bought at a low price.  So we have to work until midnight like this to sell as much as we can.”

“...... I see.”

“I… I hate this black smoke.”

　 Zuguri mumbled and laughed.

“I'm sorry. I couldn’t help, saying all this to Makura-chan."

“No, I didn't know there was such a situation, and I called the smoke smelly. I'm sorry.”

　Hirune bowed her head.

　She couldn’t help but be reminded of herself when working in her previous life.

　She worked for a black company, and no matter how hard she worked, her salary never went up. Her body was tired, her mind was tired, and she was losing hope. But still she kept working.

　She was sure it’s the same for the steel mill workers. No matter how hard it is, they work until midnight, swinging hammers and burning coal to make iron for their families.

“Before the arrival of the Great Saint, their faces were much darker. That's why I'm really grateful to her.”

　Master Zuguri looked at the craftsmen and laughed, his face blackened by the heat from the steel mill and with many wrinkles.

"I see.......”

(Is there anything I can do to help? ......)

　Hirune turned her large eyes to Master Zuguri.

Chapter 26: The Cause of the Black Smoke.

(He said that iron ore has a lot of impurities, right? If that's the case, I wonder if it's caused by iron ore. It seems that the demon coal also emits smoke.) 　

 　Hirune exhaled and wiped the sweat dripping caused by the heat.

“Master Zuguri, when you burn iron ore, you get black smoke, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

“What about demon coal?　　Does it give off any smoke?”

“Demon coal hardly emits any smoke. It's that kind of mineral.”　 

　Master Zuguri turned to the craftsman who was just bringing in a wheelbarrow of demon coal passage, He said "I'll take one," and snatched it up. 

　The craftsman looked at the master and Hirune, wondering what would happen to the steel mills, and took more time than usual to load the demon coal into the furnace. He was curious about what they were talking about. 

"Look here, Makura-chan.”

"Yes." 　

 　Master Zuguri crouched down and showed the demon coal to Hirune. 　

 　The size of the coal was the size of a man's palm, and it was a beautiful hexahedron.

 （It looks like some kind of ornamental stone like this.. It feels like a bit of a waste to burn them. ...... Ah, there's magic moving inside.) 

“Is there fire magic inside?”

“As expected of the young lady." 　 

　Master Zuguri nodded.

“It burns at once when the temperature rises to a certain level. It has a strong burning power.”

 　 　After explaining this, the master stood up and threw the demon coal into the flames in a familiar manner, next to the craftsman who had finished putting the demon coal into the wheelbarrow. 　

 　The flames flickered loudly. 

“The next one should be four thirds. Keep up the pace.”

“Yes!" 　

 　The craftsman replied vigorously, looked at Hirune a few times, and left.

 (The problem seems to be with the iron ore.)

"Master Zuguri, may I see the iron ore?" 

“Ok. It's hot here. Let's move quickly.”

“Yes, sir.” 　 　

　 Puffing, Hirune wiped the sweat from her forehead with the sleeve of her shirt.

 　Sweat was pouring out of her entire body, making her shirt sticky

 (There's not much point in wiping it off.) 　

 　She followed Master Zuguri back down the stairs, stopped for water on the way, and went up the stairs at the back of the steel mill. 　

 　The stairs were made of iron, so they made a clanking sound as they walked. 

　 　The smoke was getting closer and her nose smelled more of burning. 

"Are you okay?" 　 

　Master Zuguri looked at Hirune with concern. 

“Yes, I'm fine.”

　 　They arrived at the iron ore depot. 　

 　 It was located at the top of the iron manufacturing equipment. 　

 　Looking down through the railing, she could see the entire steel mill. 

(It's spectacular. There are hundreds of people working here. ......) 　 

　The craftsmen were hard at work at their posts. 　

 　When she returned her gaze back to the iron ore storage area, she saw a slide-like lane where the iron ore was being transported to the central part of the plant. Men were shouting, "Heave-ho, heave-ho," and pulling the pulleys to raise the boxes containing large quantities of iron ore to the designated position.

 (They have to take the trouble to raise it from the bottom to the top. It sounds like a lot of work.)

“You're carrying it from the outside to the inside, right?” 

“Yes, that's right. You see that fountain outside?”

“The fountain?” 　

 　Hirune looked out the window. 

　 　There was a large fountain in what looked like a courtyard, from which water was being drawn to wash the iron ore.

“You wash the iron ore before burning it?”

“Yes. If you don't wash it, you can't burn it. The surface is covered with dirt. If you burn it while it was taken from underground, black smoke will come out.”

 "I see. ......" 　 

　Hirune chanted a scripture in her mind and used the holy magic of sensing.

　 　　Stardust glittered in both of Hirune's eyes.

"......" 　

 　 Master Zuguri pretended not to notice and looked between Hirune and the steel equipment. 

(Yeah ......? I feel like there’s something unpleasant stuck to the surface of the iron ore)

 Hirune felt a reaction from the iron ore, albeit a slight one.

“ If you'll excuse me for a moment.”

“Oh ...... please come in." 　

 　The craftsmen held out their hands with a look of trepidation. 

(They're nice people, aren't they? I’ll have to thank them.) 

　 　Hirune tried to pick up one of the boxes full of iron ore that had just been transported using a pulley.

 "......!" 

(It's too heavy!) 　

 　 She couldn't carry it at all.

　 She looked for a smaller piece of iron ore and lifted it this time.

 (Well, let's see. ......)

　She stared at the iron ore while using the Holy Magic of Sensing 

(Hmmm ...... . I can't see it because it's too small. There's something sticking to it. ...... It looks like miasma. ......)

 "Master Zuguri, can you hold this for me?" 

　 　Hirune handed the iron ore to Zuguri.

“Oh, please lower it to my point of view."

“Like this?”

“ A little lower.”

“Like that?”

“Yes, yes, like that.”

“ Ok.”　

 　 Master Zuguri sat down and held out the iron ore to Hirune with both hands.

 　 　The iron ore glowed with a dull silvery light.

　　Hirune made a circle with her hands and placed it over her eyes like a pair of glasses.

 (Magic power sensing, magnified eyes.)

 　A magic circle shone at Hirune's feet, and stardust glittered around her eyes.

 "Ah!" 

 　Master Zuguri was startled by the sudden magic circle and made a gesture of silence to his subordinates who were about to shout. 

(It's miasma in particulates! It's clinging to the iron ore. ......! Of course no one's going to notice it.) 　

 　In Hirune's eyes, the iron ore was magnified.. 

　 　There was an amoeba-like miasma on the iron ore.

 (Come to think of it, the miasma in the Royal Capital was spiky, but the miasma in the south is sludgy ....... Well, that's okay. ......) 

　 　Hirune turned off her holy magic and looked up at Master Zuguri.

　　 　The magic circle disappears, and the residue of stardust softly fizzles into the air. 

"Master Zuguri."

“Oh, oh. What is it? I didn't see any magic circle.”

　 　The master was a terrible liar.

 "Magic circle? More importantly, there's something I'd like to try, if you don't mind. It has a great deal to do with the future activities of the steel mill. A good night's sleep and your health could be greatly improved."

“What does that mean, ......?”

“It's a trade secret.” 

“What's that?”

“Please all of you turn around. I’d like to do a trick.”

　“ Now, come on," said Hirune, pulling the hands of Master Zuguri and the craftsmen to turn them around.

"Oh, and please close your eyes."

(Is this pile of iron ore ok? ......) 

　 　Hirune looked at the iron ore piled up in the storage area and opened her hands.

 (Omitting scriptures ...... Holy Magic...... Purification!) 

　 　 With a click, a magic circle unfolded and stardust happily leaped out of Hirune.

　When Hirune gave the command, the stardust was sucked into the iron ore, glittering and shining.

(Magnified eyes.)

　 　Hirune used her hands as glasses and observed the iron ore. 

　 　The miasma was slowly disappearing.

 　 　The impurities were also disappearing, probably thanks to the purification magic.

 (Is that enough?)

 　 　Hirune lowered her arms and said to Master Zuguri, "it’s ok.”

　 　As she had said, they had closed their eyes, but opened them to the glow of the holy magic, and were thrilled to see purification magic for the first time. They looked at each other, trying not to let their excitement show on their faces. It was deeply moving to think that this light was protecting the frontier city. 

　 　The craftsmen working elsewhere could see the light as well. 

　 　Some were holding hammers, some were carrying demon coal, some were managing the equipment, but all of them stopped to look up at the iron ore storage area.

“ Now, I casted a secret spell, so please try to melt this iron ore."

"A spell, huh?" 

　 　Master Zuguri smiled, sat up and looked at Hirune. 

“Yes. It's a special one.”

 　 　She also smiled at him.

"All right, boys! The iron ore is under Makura-chan’s spell!　　Carry it!"

 　 　The craftsmen managing the iron ore shouted, "Yes! Let’s go!” 

　 　Something was going to happen. A feeling of foreboding spread through everyone's hearts.

(Well, I hope it works. ......) 

　 　Hirune stared at the iron ore rolling down the lane.

 "Switch to number three!" 

　 　　At Master Zuguri's direction, the lane switching device moved, and Hirune’s iron ore fell into the third furnace.

 (Now, how about ......!)

 "Increase power! Concentrate on the third furnace!" 

　 　The instructions flew, and demon coal was added. 

　 　After watching the situation for a while, the iron ore gradually turned red and eventually transformed into a slushy thick liquid. The entrance to the lane opened and the liquefied iron ore was poured into the mold.

“Was there any black smoke?" 

　 　Hirune looked up at Master Zuguri. 

　 　He came to his senses at the sound of her voice and shuddered.

“It didn't ...... come out, did it?"

“You're right. It’s a success.”

“Well, if you do the ...... purification, you can ......”

(It seems that the smoke was caused by miasma. ...... The craftsmen sometimes cough because the miasma has entered their lungs in the form of fine particles and has not been purified. ......?) 

　 　Next to Hirune's thoughts, Master Zuguri closed his eyes and shook his body. 

　 　The cause of the smoke that had been troubling him for so many years had been revealed by the Great Saint, he felt anxious about whether he could let his men work, worried that everyone would get sick if they continued at this rate, and remembering his son who had died of a bad lung. The fog in his mind lifted as he realized that he didn't have to be afraid of unknown causes anymore. 

　 　Master Zuguri looked down at Hirune.

 "......" 

　 　The girl, only ten years old, had solved the mystery of the steel mill with ease.

“ ...... Thank you, Makura-chan.”

“What for?”

“For finding out the cause of the black smoke. Thanks to you, I'm going to sleep better today.”

 　 　Master Zuguri stared at Hirune with puffy eyes.

“I'm glad to hear that. A good night's sleep is important.”

“ Now we have a little hope. We'll stay here for the time being, but eventually we'll build a smokeless steel mill.”

"Uh, Master Zuguri. I see you're finishing up, but we're not done yet.”

"Not yet? Is there anything else?”

 (If I go home like this, I'll still smell the smoke. I can't sleep well.) 

　 　Hirune then walked down the stairs and headed for the fountain outside.

Author Note:

 ---------------------

 Dear Readers

　 　Thank you very much for reading this story! 

　 　I'm happy to announce that the release date for the "Reincarnated Great Saint's Journey to a Different World" book has been set. 

　 　This is all thanks to everyone’s support.

 　 　Thank you very much... (˘ω˘) 

　 　 ()

        The book will be released on March 2nd! 

        Click here for more information about the book.

https://kc.kodansha.co.jp/product?item=0000347800

　　　　　　 　()

 I've written three bonus short stories for the book! 

"A story about Jeanne brushing the teeth of a sleeping Hirune" etc ... lol.

・ Gamers / Benefits: 4-fold SS paper

・ Melon Books / Benefits: SS leaflet

・ Toranoana / Benefits: Double-sided illustration card

 If you purchase from the above three companies, you will get a great deal. 

　　　　　　 　()　 

　By the way, the illustrator and manga artist are the same person, Mr. Kidaniel...!　　He draws Hirune in a very cute way, so it's a must-see. Please check out the cover alone. It's just what I imagined. I can't deny that my vocabulary is declining, but I can't help but think that she's even cuter than I imagined her to be... lol.

　I apologize for the long text.

　For now, I'd appreciate it if you'd just remember that "The Reincarnated Great Saint's Leisure Trip to Another World" will be released on March 2nd ...!

　Then, thank you for your continued support of this work.

　Author (˘ω˘)

Chapter 27 - Fountain Modification

　As Hirune and Master Zuguri headed for the courtyard, the craftsmen cleaning the iron ore stopped at once.

　They had all heard through the grapevine that the Great Saint was there secretly.

　A few of them ran to call their colleagues who were taking a break, saying, "She's at our post!”

(Looks like they're busy here too. ......   I'll be bothering you for a little longer.)

　Hirune made up her mind when she saw the craftsman running.

“ What are you going to do when you see the fountain, Makura-chan?  There's nothing but water spewing out here, you know?"

　Master Zuguri's words fell on deaf ears as Hirune observed the fountain.

(It's like a working water fountain, isn't it? What’s the principle behind the water spraying out so vigorously?)

 Hirune stared at the water gushing out with the holy magic of sensing.

　The fountain was surrounded by a stone circle.

　It was similar to the fountain in the park she had seen in her previous life.

　The difference was that the water channels were designed so that the spouted water flowed in four different directions, one flowing into the washing area of the steel mill built next door, and the other three into the city. The fact that the waterways were reinforced with iron plates made her think that this was an important place that should not be destroyed by miasma demons.

(The water splash is cool. ......)

　The heat had built up in her body from being indoors.

　The flying drops of water felt good.

(......)

(Hmm, I can't see much below the fountain......)

　Hirune put her hand on the edge of the stone to climb it.

(At the height of a ten year old, ...... ugh ......)

　She couldn’t climb it because she was not strong enough. Jeanne would’ve been able to fly up it.

　She was groaning, then suddenly her body was lifted up softly.

“Do you want to see inside?”

“Yes. Thank you very much.”

“Be careful.”

　Master Zuguri lifted Hirune and gently placed her on the stone.

　The water level was high, it looked like it was too deep to touch.

　In the center and around the center, the surface of the water had changed into a mountain shape. She could see how strong the spouting force was.

(The holy magic of sensing: ...... Magnified eyes, tenfold!)

　She cupped her hands like a pair of glasses and used holy magic with more magic power than before.

　A magic circle floated at her feet, and her vision expanded to the center of the fountain.

(Can't I just discern more with holy power? I’ll put a little more magic into it. ......)

　Stardust danced happily, shining gold and supporting Hirune's vision.

　Perhaps this is also thanks to the fact that she was reincarnated from earth, the stones and ground became translucent like a 3D graphic analysis, and only the magic power flowing in the water was visible.

(This is very convenient. Is the magic power what appears sparky?)

　The water seemed to come from underground veins, and on its way up to the surface, it was imbued with magical power.

　It seems that when it takes on magical power, the gushing power increases.

(I see, I see. ...... There's a lot of holy Quartz around there. I can feel the holy power. I wonder if the magical power of the holy Quartz is increasing its momentum. ......?)

　Hirune says it's around there, but the Holy Quartz was buried around several hundred meters underground. Only Hirune, who used holy magic in an insane way, would have been able to find it.

(I didn't know that the good night's sleep stone had this effect. ...... As expected, it's a stone that I approve of.)

　Cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

　The holy Quartz was a stone of the highest quality.

　 Hirune cut off the holy magic of sensing, nodded pompously, and pointed her finger shrewdly underground.

"Alright! I'm going to make this fountain special! It's all for a good night's sleep!”

　It was completely a late night kind of thing.

　When she woke up in the middle of the night, her eyes were alert and she got excited unnecessarily.

　It's the kind of thing that makes you feel embarrassed later.

“Makura-chan..…what’s going on? I thought you might have fallen asleep watching the fountain.”

　Master Zuguri said with concern, holding out his hands.

　He was going to catch Hirune if she fell. He was a kind master.

“I'm sorry. I, Makura, would never do anything rude like dozing off. I can't even imagine falling asleep standing up, no."

It’s hard to believe this was coming from someone who sleeps during prayer.

"Ok, yeah, right. You can always tell me if you get sleepy.”

“More importantly, what's going on with those guys?"

　She noticed that a group of craftsmen had gathered at the fountain in the courtyard.

　It seemed that everyone had come to see what was going on as the Great Saint continued to unfold the magic circle with the holy magic of sensing.

"Oh, they were wondering about Makura-chan…."

"Then close your eyes, master."

　Hirune interrupted him. Zuguri, who was about to give the order for everyone to return to their post, stopped talking.

"Close your eyes, everyone! My spell is a trade secret!”

     What is she talking about?

　The craftsmen looked at each other and whispered, "It's a secret," "It would be a pity if we upset the Great Saint," "Right, let's close our eyes.”

　Eventually, they all smiled and closed their eyes in silence.

(Okay, okay. Now they won't know. Wanda will be furious if word gets out that the Great Saint was here.)

　Hirune looked at everyone who had closed their eyes, nodded, and held up her hands to the base of the fountain.

　The target was the holy Quartz underground.

　The effect is to permanently purify the water.

　Hirune chanted the scripture slowly in her mind, creating an image of the Holy Quartz filtering the water.

　The filtered water would automatically transform into holy water--in other words, all the water in the fountain would become holy water.

　If Holly had heard, she would have said, "All holy water? And all the time?” she was sure Holly would scream.

(Scripture chanting complete -- impart holy magic of purification to the holy Quartz --!)

　When Hirune opened her eyes, a magic circle of elaborate shapes spread out at her feet.

　It grew bigger and bigger, and became a huge magic circle that swallowed the entire steelworks beyond the courtyard

"Oh, it's too big......, this will expose me as a saint......."

　It was too late.

　Irrespective, Hirune injected her magic power.

　Stardust gushed out of Hirune's body and covered the entire area around her.

　A golden wave washed over like at the beach, covering the shoes of Master Zuguri and the craftsmen.

　As expected, they all opened their eyes to check the current situation.

“...... This is amazing."

　Master Zuguri was transfixed by the fairytale-like scene.

　In the center of the glittering magic circle and the sparkling stardust bouncing happily as if the stars in the sky had come down to earth, there was the youngest great saint girl in the world.

　Master Zuguri forgot to close his eyes and watched as Hirune's long blond hair swayed fantastically.

　The sight stirred his heart irresistibly, and he felt like running out right now and telling the whole town, "The Great Saint is here!” But his eyes and feet were glued to Hirune.

　The stardust that flew out of Hirune gathered in one place, shining brightly, and when it transformed into a large sphere, it flew into the fountain.

(Still more magic power injection!　　Good luck, stardusters!)

　A large amount of stardust pushed the sphere of stardust and plunged into the hole where the water spouted out.

　The fountain was covered with stardust, and the water stopped flowing.

　The surrounding area fell silent, and the only sound was the rustling of the stardust.

"......"

　Master Zuguri looked at the fountain, where the water had stopped flowing, unsure of what was going on.

As if being sucked into the hole, stardust slid in one after another as if saying, "Go for it.”

(The water has stopped, hasn't it? But that's okay. ......!)

　Hirune regained her energy, and the stardust fell into the hole in a spiral pattern.

　After a while, it was clear that the stardust had reached its destination, and Hirune let the Holy Quartz absorb the stardust as it jumped in.

　The filtration device using holy Quartz -  purification granting was completed.

(Fufufu ......, this is good. I've got the energy to keep it up for years to come.)

When Hirune cut off the holy magic, the magic circle that had been deployed became smaller and disappeared, and the stardust flickered in small flickers and fizzled out.

"That should do it. ...... Hmm?"

　 Hirune heard a gurgling sound coming from the hole and turned her eyes.

　That was the moment.

　Water spurted out with a force that broke through the ground.

　The people around shouted, "Oh!” and "Water!” and "Water!”

　It seems that the water that was being held back by the stardust rebounded and spurted out all at once.

"Oh, so this is all holy water, huh? It's so luxurious.”

　Hirune says this carefree.

“It's soaking the entire place.”

　Hirune looked at the water falling like a downpour and spread her hands.

　The water hit her head with a big splash. It was quite painful.

“O- bububu."

　Hirune was drenched for a while.

"Ah..."

“It's dangerous, little girl. Get down.”

　Master Zuguri picked up Hirune and brought her down from the edge of the stone steps.

“Thank you very much. You're soaking wet too.”

　Hirune giggled, enjoying herself.

　It was funny to see Zuguri's hair sticking to his forehead.

　The master lowered his eyebrows in annoyance and looked at Hirune with a side glance at his men who were looking up at the fountain.

“Tell me alone, Makura-chan. That's holy magic, isn't it ......?"

'Yes, it is. That's right. I guess you found out.”

　Hirune scratched her head and hesitated, wondering how to explain, then looked up.

“I'm the Saint of the Stream, Makura.”

　The great saint said with a crisp face.

　Master Zuguri froze.

　Now, what's a stream saint? The question came to mind.

“I'm making my rounds in the guise of an ordinary person. I am not the Great Saint Hirune. I'm not the Great Saint Hirune by any means. I've said it twice because it's important. Please understand that much.”

"I see. Oh. I see."

　When the Great Saint told him, he could only reply, "I see.”

　That's enough for now, thought Master Zuguri, and decided to ask a question to get his mind back on track.

“By the way, Makura-sama, saint of the stream.”

“Makura is fine.”

“Makura-chan, can you tell me what you did?”

“Yes."

　Hirune nodded and glanced at the fountain.