Chapter 9

At nine o'clock, the church bells ring. It's almost time for the Mass to begin.

"Hurry up!"

I pull Serea by the hand and run to the church.

"Brother! Don't get separated!"

The line was already forming. We join the others.

Shrigan and Bell are a bit behind us.

Bell is responding to Shrigan, who is talking with a scary smile. "Are you in the mood for a date? Don't forget your job!"

"It's a double date," Serea says mysteriously.

"What's that?"

"It's when two couples go out together and play around the city. It was an event in a game. You have to act lovey-dovey in front of rival characters or target characters, so someone's affection always goes down. It was a stomach-aching event."

That game has a lot of detailed settings...

I look up at the church. It can probably hold about a hundred people. It's small.

"The church in our territory is about this size too."

"This is a city church. We'll probably have our wedding in the cathedral on the castle grounds."

"That sounds grand and scary... I'd like to have my wedding in a normal church like this. When there's a wedding in the territory, family and friends gather to celebrate. It always looked so happy and I envied it."

"Yeah... That sounds nice."

The priest at the entrance is surprised to see our faces.

I put a finger to my lips and make a shushing gesture.

The priest nods in understanding, bows like the other believers, and lets us through.

A sister plays the organ, and we all sing hymns.

Then, the priest explains the teachings of the goddess Ranates from a passage in the Bible.

The priest is a good speaker and gives an easy-to-understand sermon without using difficult words, suitable for commoners.

Shrigan, stop sleeping.

I give Serea a silver coin, and we both pay our offerings before leaving the church.

"That was a nice church."

"Why do girls like churches so much? I don't really like them because it feels like the priest is always telling me what I can't do. I don't disbelieve in God, and I think what they say is reasonable, but..."

"Because the stained glass is sparkly and beautiful, and it feels mysterious."

Is it because it's a goddess church? The design seems feminine. It feels a bit off to me as a man. It's like a "flower field"...

"Well, our job here is done. Where should we go next?"

You're amazing, Shrigan. You can say that even though you were sleeping the whole time.

"Let's see a play. How about it, Serea?"

"Yes, I agree!"

Shrigan, who is clueless about such things, looks at Bell.

"Is there anything playing now, Bell?"

"There's 'Hamlet' at the Globe Theater. It's popular."

"Let's go see that then!"

It's the worst.

It's so dark. What is this story?

It's about Prince Hamlet avenging his father, the king, who was murdered. The murderer is Hamlet's uncle, who killed the king. The king's ghost appears to Hamlet and tells him to avenge him, but Hamlet's mother, the queen, has remarried the new king, Hamlet's uncle, making it impossible for Hamlet to avenge his father.

The worst part is when the prince, pretending to be mad, tells his lover Ophelia to "go to a nunnery" and breaks up with her. Later, Hamlet kills Ophelia's father, and Ophelia goes mad and drowns in a river.

In the end, Hamlet ends up in a duel with Ophelia's brother, and everyone dies: the king's murderer, the queen, and Hamlet. What kind of story is this?

It's the worst possible ending. There's no redemption. Why is this play so popular?

The line "To be or not to be" from the play has even become a catchphrase in the city. This play should be banned. But as a king, I can't do that... I'd be laughed at by the citizens for being petty.

This is bad.

It's similar to the bad ending in the game Serea was playing.

It's exactly like the villainess who is condemned and exiled by her fiancé, the prince, and ends up dying. It's even worse that Ophelia, his lover, is completely innocent.

Why did you choose this play, Bell?

"So, how did it end?"

"Everyone died..."

Shrigan, were you sleeping again? What are you even here for?

Serea is pale. She won't say a word.

"I'm sorry, miss. I thought it would be a bit better..."

Bell apologizes, but it can't be helped. Even eating at a restaurant or shopping at a store feels like our hearts aren't in it.

We need to do something to cheer her up.

"I'm going in, Shrigan!"

"Huh?"

It's a jewelry store. I pull Serea by the hand and go in, followed by Bell and Shrigan.

When Shrigan enters, the atmosphere in the store suddenly turns cold. It's as if a jewelry thief has entered. Being scary has its downsides.

In the store, which is filled with sparkling jewelry, we look around the display cases. I head to a particular corner.

This is good. How about this?

"Can I see this pair of rings?"

The clerk smiles.

"Sir, these are wedding rings. Isn't it a bit early to give them to your girlfriend?"

He dramatically frowns at us, who are only ten years old.

"It's fine. We're engaged."

"Kids these days are so mature... You're not nobles or princes, are you? Such customers wouldn't come to a cheap store like this. But if you're customers, that's different. Are you the guardians of these children?"

"Yes, I guess."

"That's right."

Shrigan and Bell answer.

"Isn't it a bit too early? Of course, we'd be happy if you bought them, but we don't have such small sizes."

"It's fine."

I say, and the clerk reluctantly brings out the gold pair of rings.

I try on the larger one, but it's too big.

"Serea, show me your left hand."

I put the smaller ring on Serea's finger, but it's also too big.

"Can you make this into a pendant with a chain?"

"Sure, but it'll cost two gold coins."

"Here you go."

I take out two gold coins from my pocket and place them on the counter.

"Wow, I'm surprised. You've saved well, kid! If that's the case, I'll do a good job. Wait a moment."

He threads the ring onto a silver chain.

"Here, take it."

I put the necklace with the ring around Serea's neck.

I also put the ring around my own neck.

Serea starts crying and hugs me.

The clerks and customers in the store cheer and clap. It's a bit embarrassing.

Next time: "10. Shall We Dance"