My Duties

“That’s not right, Delia. During the Starbind Ceremony, we wear the noble colors of the God of Darkness and the Goddess of Light, so the decorative cord and sash should go like this…”

I was learning how to put on ceremonial robes from Nadina, a gray shrine maiden who served the High Bishop. There were differences in the way we dressed and decorated the High Bishop for his daily wear and for ceremonies. Even with attire worn when visiting the Noble’s Quarter, if you didn’t understand how to structure the layers and the order when dressing, you wouldn’t be permitted to help. Recently, however, I had finally been permitted to assist with the dressing. I’d been able to participate in tasks like arranging the hem and fetching the next cord to be used, gradually coming into the High Bishop’s view.

…and yet, to think that I would be assigned to serve a commoner apprentice blue shrine maiden…

Sister Myne only came to the temple either to assist the High Priest or to read books in the temple book room, and once she was done with either, she quickly returned to the lower city. She didn’t even have her own room within the temple, and whenever she visited outsiders, she took her attendant from the lower city, so there was no work for me to do.

…she really only does paperwork, in the High Priest’s office…

If she were having some kind of secret discussions with the High Priest, there would be something more for me to report to the High Bishop, but she just silently did calculations. Even so, the High Bishop was pleased, “The High Priest must be significantly burdened if he has to rely on a commoner child for support.”

…I was only assigned to Sister Myne to gather information, as I’m still just an apprentice attendant to the High Bishop.

It would have been ridiculous to stand behind Sister Myne with Gil in the High Priest’s office the entire time she spent there. I’d decided to spend my time in the High Bishop’s chambers whenever Sister Myne went to the High Priest’s room. The gray shrine maidens serving the High Bishop were usually busy. There were many visitors from the Noble’s Quarter, and they were often summoned by the High Bishop, so they didn’t have much time to dedicate to my training.

“When the High Priest is present, there’s no need to offer ‘flowers,’ so we can progress your training more smoothly, Delia.”

“Oh, is the High Priest here to report again today?”

“Yes. He will likely continue until the temple gets accustomed to Sister Myne’s presence.”

Nadina said this with a chuckle. Usually, when there were guests, the gray shrine maidens, referred to as “flowers,” were summoned. Even though my training as an attendant was still in its early stages and I usually had restrictions on appearing in front of the High Bishop, I was granted permission to enter as a “flower candidate.”

However, it was different when the High Priest visited. The High Priest seemed to dislike gray shrine maidens. I was never summoned, and gray priests were favored over gray shrine maidens.

…He probably prefers gray priests to gray shrine maidens. What an odd person.

“Nadina seems relieved, but Jenni said she hates it when the High Priest comes because it puts the High Bishop in a bad mood. Isn’t it strange to complain despite being favored by the High Bishop?”

“I don’t think it’s strange at all. Jenni has the hardest job after all. She’s doing a great job. Thanks to her I have been saved many times.”

I didn’t know much about it, but it seemed that the High Priest came from a high-ranking noble family. The gray shrine maidens were always meticulous with their preparations to receive him. Although the High Bishop is the highest authority in the temple, the High Priest is special. The High Bishop’s demeanor towards him is slightly different from how he acts towards the other blue priests. Everyone always seemed a bit on edge before the High Priest’s arrival, and the atmosphere became tense.

“Why does Jenni have it the hardest? We all prepare together, don’t we?”

“Because as a former attendant of Sister Christine, Jenni is highly-trained.”

Sister Christine, who was a former apprentice blue shrine maiden here at the temple, came from a high-ranking family and had a deep appreciation for the arts, with even the smallest details of how tea was served being important to her.

Since Jenni was taken as an attendant in the High Bishop’s chambers, the gray shrine maidens there had become almost like noblewomen, receiving high praise from the guests. Even now, while we are ordered to stay away, she alone remains stationed in the High Bishop’s chambers or the head attendant’s room.

…I still think it’s selfish to complain despite being favored by the High Bishop.

“I don’t mind when the High Priest visits. As you said, it helps with my training.”

“Right, Delia, you’re indeed quite diligent. You’ve learned how to put on ceremonial attire, haven’t you?”

Praised by Nadina, I smiled and nodded. I wanted to learn as much as possible so that I could serve the High Bishop closely as well. If I could, I would be able to sleep on the large, soft bed in the High Bishop’s room just like Jenni, and I wouldn’t have to fetch water early in the morning, being able to take my time getting up, without anyone complaining.

“I’ll continue doing my best. My goal is to receive the High Bishop’s affections like Jenni.”

”…I hope you grow just as the High Bishop desires, Delia.”

“Nadina…”

Nadina smiled gently and lightly patted my shoulder. However, her smile seemed to carry a hint of resignation rather than pure kindness.

Just as I was about to say something, Jenni knocked and entered. She looked down at me, raised an eyebrow slightly, and smiled.

“Delia, the High Bishop is calling for you. Hurry up, please.”

“I’ll take care of the tidying up, so go on.” Gently pushed by Nadina, I headed to the High Bishop’s room with Jenni.

I followed Jenni into the High Bishop’s room. It seemed the High Priest had already left, as he was nowhere to be seen. The High Bishop was tapping his fingers irritably on his desk, and it was clear at a glance that he was in a very bad mood. Scattered around the room were wooden boards, which the gray priests were tidying up.

…This is kind of scary. What happened?

I knelt and greeted him, but the High Bishop didn’t look my way, nor did he have his usual gentle smile. He slammed his fist on the desk with a loud thud.

“Utterly infuriating. Making decisions without consulting me… How insolent for a High Priest!”

As he exploded in anger, the High Bishop glared at me with his deep green eyes.

“Delia! Why didn’t you report to me?”

”…What do you mean?”

I couldn’t think of anything that I needed to report to the High Bishop. My confusion must have been showing on my face. Seeing my expression, the High Bishop’s eyebrows shot up and his eyes widened.

“You don’t know? That commoner child was given the orphanage director’s chambers!”

“Wha…?”

…What’s going on?

My mind went blank. I didn’t know anything about it. There hadn’t been any mention of such a thing. They said no room would be given to a commoner commuting from the lower city, so why was she suddenly given one? What happened? I had no idea.

Seeing my bewilderment, the High Bishop sighed in exasperation. “Staying here, you won’t bring me any important information.”

As he said that, he glanced around the room and waved his hand dismissively. That seemed to be the signal, as my fellow gray priests and shrine maidens grabbed my arms and started to push me out of the High Bishop’s chambers. No matter how I struggled, I couldn’t match the strength of adults.

“Please wait! High Bishop! High Bishop!”

Even as I called out, there was no response from the High Bishop. I was easily thrown out of his chambers. Jenni quietly said, “Go to the orphanage director’s chambers.” I couldn’t believe it.

I had been told that even if I was assigned to Sister Myne, I was still an attendant to the High Bishop. Yet, the door closed mercilessly before my eyes. …Why? How could this happen?

It was all so sudden. I had no idea what to do. I just sat there, staring at the door. I hoped that someone might come to check on me or that the High Bishop might explain things in detail… But there was no sign of the door reopening. Sitting on the cold hallway floor, my body began to feel chilled. At the same time, my mind started to clear. There was no way the High Bishop’s decision would be overturned. I had to understand that I had been kicked out of the High Bishop’s office.

…Why, why did I have to be thrown out?

The reason was clear: it was because she had been given the orphanage director’s chambers without telling me anything. I clenched my fists tightly on my thighs.

“Geez!…It’s all her fault!”

Three days had passed since then. I was now working as an apprentice attendant to Sister Myne. Driven by rage, I had initially stormed into the orphanage director’s office, only to be smacked on the head by a merchant who was visiting. Fran had then explained why I had been cut off. I had been told they have been managing fine without me, and I could be replaced and returned to the orphanage. While I was crying and refusing to go back there, Sister Myne accepted me. She said I could stay in the orphanage director’s chambers so long as I worked earnestly.

…I absolutely refuse to go back to the orphanage.

With that determination, I did my duties. My tasks included helping Sister Myne change from her lower city clothes, cleaning, and overseeing the kitchen.

“I’ll go and fetch some water,” I said to Fran before leaving the orphanage director’s chambers. Fetching water was an important task. Before I became Sister Myne’s attendant, she had apparently used the water prepared by Gil in the men’s attendant room to clean herself. I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard that.

The gray priests’ rooms were off-limits to gray shrine maidens unless commanded by their masters. It was no place for an apprentice blue shrine maiden. Geez!

…Really, I could never predict what she’d do next. She didn’t act like a blue shrine maiden at all. But now, we had a bath prepared in the room, I’d received cute clothes, and the food was delicious. The environment wasn’t as bad as I had initially feared.

…The only real issue is that there are no other gray shrine maidens around.

At the moment, I was the only female attendant. Having only served the High Bishop for about a year, I could barely manage to keep things in order. There was no adult to guide or educate me on the other duties of a gray shrine maiden. Fran was a gray priest, so his responsibilities were different.

…For now at least, Sister Myne’s visitors don’t seem to want any “flowers,” but it would be troublesome if they did.

Fran, as the High Priest’s attendant, didn’t seem to think “flowers” were necessary, but preparation was key. At the very least, I should make sure he knew to call on the gray shrine maidens from the orphanage if needed.

While thinking about the duties of a gray shrine maiden and drawing water at the well, I saw Jenni approaching from the noble section with a bucket. As soon as I saw her, memories of being thrown out of the High Bishop’s office came rushing back, and I felt my heart tighten painfully.

My heartbeat quickened, and my fingers started to tremble. I wanted to flee from the spot, so I grabbed the jug I was filling with water. It had less water than usual, but it would likely be enough. If not, I could always come back later.

“Delia.”

As I turned to leave, I heard her call out to me, forcing me to stop in my tracks. Was she planning to mock me for being cut off? With such thoughts in mind, I turned around, but there wasn’t any trace of ridicule on Jenni’s face.

“You haven’t reported in at all. The High Bishop is waiting. Could it be that Sister Myne is keeping you too busy to move?”

”…Huh?”

I couldn’t understand what she meant by “waiting”. I stared at Jenni, but she didn’t seem to be teasing me. She just tilted her head curiously.

“There’s no way the High Bishop is waiting for me, surely? I was cut off by him… You saw it happen yourself, Jenni.”

She didn’t just see it. She followed the High Bishop’s orders to eject me and told me to “move to the orphanage director’s chambers.” It’s only been three days; how could she have already forgotten?

At my words, Jenni blinked as if realizing something. “The High Bishop only suggested moving rooms so you could gather more information on Sister Myne. He didn’t cut you off. Delia, you’re still an apprentice attendant to the High Bishop.”

Her voice was gentle, but I couldn’t trust her. The image of the door closing in front of me and the cold floor was still vivid in my mind.

I reflexively tightened my grip on the jug.

”…Are you saying it was just a misunderstanding?”

“Not a misunderstanding, but perhaps you didn’t understand because that was your first time? It was your first time seeing the High Bishop in a bad mood right after meeting with the High Priest, wasn’t it?”

It was indeed my first time. Due to my lack of training, I rarely appeared before the High Bishop, so I had never seen him directly after a meeting with the High Priest. I had only ever seen him smiling.

”…Is he always like that after meeting with the High Priest?”

“The degree varies, but generally, yes… That’s why his tone and attitude were harsh that day. But the High Bishop never intended to abandon you, Delia. He just wanted you to move to the orphanage director’s chambers to better gather information.”

Jenni, who sometimes entered the High Bishop’s room while the High Priest was visiting, was probably right. Still, I couldn’t fully trust her. The sudden abandonment still occupied my mind, making me remain skeptical.

“Is the High Bishop really waiting for me? I don’t want to be kicked out or yelled at again. I’m scared.”

“Shall I accompany you then? Besides, even if the High Bishop scolds you, you can return to the orphanage director’s chambers right away, can’t you?”

Upon hearing Jenni’s words, I thought about it briefly. Despite everything, the highest authority in the temple was undoubtedly the High Bishop. It was not that Sister Myne was in the wrong, but considering my future, it was better to maintain a connection with the High Bishop.

Though the idea of being yelled at or thrown out again is frightening…

I already had my own room with Sister Myne. Simply being afraid wasn’t enough to get me sent back to the orphanage. That alone provided some reassurance.

”…When the third bell rings, Sister Myne and Fran will head to the High Priest’s office. It’s impossible before then.”

“I’ll inform the High Bishop. They’re waiting with your favorite rutrebs prepared.”

Suppressing my restless feelings, I waited for the third bell while cleaning. Once it rang, Sister Myne and Fran went towards the High Priest’s office.

“I’ll leave the kitchen to you, Gil. I’ll handle cleaning the bath and such.”

“Yeah, got it.”

In the kitchen, there were dedicated chefs. Since they were still new, we couldn’t fully trust them yet. That meant that keeping an eye on them was necessary. Watching over the kitchen, under the guise of taste-testing, was Gil’s favorite task. I sent Gil to the kitchen and quietly left the orphanage director’s chambers.

Jenni was already waiting by the well. “The High Bishop is waiting. Let us go,” she said.

I followed behind her, feeling a bit guilty as I glanced back at the orphanage director’s chambers. It was Sister Myne who had been kind to me after the High Bishop cut me off. “Is it really alright for me to go see the High Bishop?”

“What’s the matter all of a sudden, Delia?”

“It’s just… I feel like I’m doing something wrong…”

Jenni chuckled softly. “It’s not anything wrong, Delia. You’re originally serving under the High Bishop, after all. And Fran is in a similar position. Even though he serves under the High Priest, he also serves Sister Myne, right? Fran diligently reports to the High Priest about Sister Myne’s affairs as part of his duties.”

“Fran’s duties…?”

“Yes. The High Priest sent Fran, and the High Bishop sent you, both provided attendants to her. Since no one knows exactly what a commoner apprentice blue shrine maiden might do… it’s only natural to report to your lord. You don’t need to feel guilty about it.”

…Just like Fran.

Hearing that it wasn’t just me, my sense of guilt disappeared. I was transferred to gather information about Sister Myne and report it to the High Bishop. Since I hadn’t gathered sufficient information, the High Bishop had instructed me to stay by her side, moving me from the High Bishop’s chambers to the orphanage director’s. Yet my position remained as attached to the High Bishop’s chambers.

That’s right, Jenni’s explanation made perfect sense to me. I wasn’t cast out as incompetent; I was merely instructed to act in a way that made my duties easier. Thinking this way brought me some comfort.

But… does the High Bishop truly see it that way too?

With a hint of anxiety, I entered the High Bishop’s chambers. On the table was a plate filled with my favorite fruit, rutrebs, and the High Bishop beckoned to me with a kind grandfatherly smile.

“Delia, I’m glad you came. I’ve been waiting for you. It appears you’ve been doing your best in an unfamiliar place.”

Just as Jenni had said, the High Bishop had simply been in a bad mood the other day. I hadn’t been cut off. I was still his attendant. Like Fran, it was my job to report on Sister Myne to my lord. I could feel my wounded pride beginning to heal.

“Now, please give me your report.”

I responded with a firm “Yes.”