Chapter 6

While attaching flour to the tip of his nose, he mixed the cookie dough. It wasn’t intentional; it just happened somehow.

He rolled the mixed dough into a long, thin shape. In his previous life, there were cookie cutters to make heart-shaped and star-shaped cookies, but there were no such things in this world.

He gathered the dough into a long, round shape and thinly sliced it to bake. It felt like homemade cookies from the countryside.

Today, there were two types: plain ones with nothing added and ones with nuts.

I like the ones with berry jam that my sisters sometimes pick for me the most.

“Marie, are you going to take these cookies to the church?”

“Are you going today?”

“Yeah, anytime is fine.”

“Then let’s take them today. Freshly baked ones are better!”

“Yeah, I like the crunchy ones.”

That afternoon, Marie and I decided to take the cookies to the church.

“Let’s hold hands.”

“Okay.”

Marie and I walked hand in hand. Ah, it’s slow. Super slow. Because I’m still a kid, my steps are short.

Still, Marie didn’t rush me. She smiled and chatted about trivial things as we walked.

The church is located a little off the center of the town. I’ve never been there. I’ve only been in this town for a year. Being a kid, I can’t go far by myself.

So, there are many places I haven’t been to.

“Ah! Roro! Marie!”

Nico, who was working in the field, spotted us and called out.

“Nico! I’ve baked cookies for a snack, so please eat them when you get home!”

“Okay, thank you!”

While Marie was speaking loudly, I waved my small hand. It’s peaceful.

When my parents died and I was kicked out of the house, I was only two years old. So, I don’t have any memories from when I was a noble.

Actually, I don’t remember much from before I started recalling my previous life.

My sisters might have their own thoughts, but I’m quite content with my current life.

“Roro, can you still walk? Do you want to be carried?”

“Marie, I’m fine.”

“It’s just a little further.”

“Okay, huh?”

I pointed to the church building that came into view with my short fingers.

“That’s right.”

The streets in the town aren’t flat like the asphalt in my previous life. They seem to be made of cobblestones, but they don’t feel like stone. I think they are some kind of mineral. They are not bumpy like cut stones and are more white.

But, they aren’t smooth, so it’s hard for me to walk at three years old. Plus, the town is crowded, so I feel scared if I’m not holding Marie’s hand.

We passed the bustling center of the town, where there were shops and guild buildings, and a row of stalls. After walking a little further, the church building was right there.

It’s not a large church. It’s surrounded by white walls. It has a triangular roof and white walls. There’s a circular mark carved into the upper part of the central front. In the back, you can see a dome roof.

There are a few steps in front of the arched entrance, and the door is wide open.

“Roro, these are the steps. We can go directly to the orphanage from outside, but today let’s greet the priest.”

“Okay.”

With a “yoisho,” I climbed the steps one by one. We went under the arch and entered the chapel.

At the far end, there’s a statue that looks like a goddess, and the top part is arched. Sunlight streams through the stained-glass windows, creating a mystical space.

In front of the goddess statue, there are several rows of long benches. Is this the weeping goddess? It’s quite different from what I imagined. The goddess statue seems more divine.

This is the first time I’ve entered a church since my previous life.

The church itself isn’t very large, but the tops and bottoms of each pillar are intricately carved with floral designs, and there are large stained-glass windows. The attention to detail is evident. The place is well-maintained, and it’s clear that it’s well-cared for.

From the back, an elderly priest with gray hair came out. He’s wearing a black cassock. He’s about the same age as Marie?

“Oh, Marie. It’s been a while.”

“Oh, you’re still alive?”

“Hahaha, that’s my line. If you’re back, you should have come to see me.”

“I’ve been busy.”

“Marie?”

They seem very close. From their conversation, it seems they’ve known each other for a long time.

“This is the church’s bad priest. He’s often drunk and sleeping, even though he’s a priest. We’re childhood friends.”

“Huh?”

“Hahaha, not really. I’m a legitimate priest.”

“Priest?”

“Is this little one Marie’s grandson?”

“No.”

“He’s the young master of the house I served.”

“Oh, a noble.”

“Things happened, and now we live together.”

“You live together?”

“Roro, can you greet him?”

“Okay. Nice to meet you, I’m Roro.”

“You’re a good boy. I’m Biotina. You can call me Grandpa Biot.”

“Grandpa Biot?”

“Yeah.”

Do I not have to call him ‘priest’? I looked up at Marie.

“It’s fine. Everyone in this town calls him Grandpa Biot.”

“Hmm.”

Is he a bit of an oddball? Or is he just that well-loved by the townspeople? I wondered.

Thank you for reading!

Some of you might be curious about Roro’s use of “のだ.” Please understand it as part of his personality. It will gradually decrease. I would be grateful if you could watch over him with a warm heart.

If you like, I would be happy if you could rate or bookmark this. Thank you! (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)/