I sat up in my inn bed and stretched in preparation.
While I'd made it to the city, I still had no idea what I was supposed to steal.
Well, even if I fail it should be fine since I'm a new recruit.
"I'm sorry beard, I'm sorry," I muttered, stroking my chin in front of the mirror. My facial hair wasn't that thick, just some peach fuzz.
...
As I walked around the edge of town after leaving the inn, I noticed a girl watching me.
She was on a small hill with a single tree. Definitely younger than me, but how old?
She had a childlike air, but her face was well-formed. She wore a white sundress with a white hat that had a blue ribbon.
Her hair reached to her waist, and it was pure white, even the ends.
The girl sat in the shade of the tree, simply staring at me.
Feeling oddly self-conscious, I approached the girl.
Even when I got within talking distance, she didn't break her gaze, only looking straight ahead. A stare down, huh?
Not one to lose, I stared back.
We gazed at each other in silence. At some point, the chance to speak naturally had passed.
No, this was a contest. Whoever talked first lost.
Enjoy the awkward atmosphere with a stranger, little girl.
A pointless battle I'd started on a whim. As we kept motionless, a gust of wind suddenly blew past.
It lifted the girl's hat into the air.
"Ah..." she uttered. Victory is always hollow.
"Your hat."
I picked up the hat that had fallen at her feet.
"Good thing it didn't blow too far away."
"Ah..." Thank you?
"Who's there?"
I shouted badly-imitated Kansai dialect and flung the hat I'd picked up to the opposite side of the girl.
The battle hadn't even begun.
Glancing at the girl's face as she turned around, she watched her hat flutter in the wind with an uneasy look.
Then tears welled up in her eyes. Hmm.
I ran full speed. It was maybe ten meters?
Figuring I wouldn't make it like this, I used a certain spell to give myself a speed boost.
Thanks to the acceleration, I somehow managed to slide and catch her hat before it hit the ground.
I let out a breath and slowly returned to the girl.
"My... hat..."
"Here."
As she reached out for it, I reflexively pulled the hat back a bit.
Her hand grasped at empty air.
"...Huh?"
I brought the hat near, then pulled it away.
Her hand grasped at empty air.
We stared emotionlessly at each other. Tears were pooling in the girl's eyes again.
"This is..."
You looking to die?
"Hello there?"
"A greeting!"
I threw the hat behind me again and looked at the girl's reaction before running to retrieve it.
I was like a dog playing frisbee, endlessly throwing then fetching it back. Although in this case, I was both the dog and the owner.
I felt like something was off, but greeting someone is never wrong.
Calm down, don't let her lead you around. I'm still me, Howse.
"Yeah, hello," I replied.
"Um, can I have my hat back?" she asked in a slightly timid voice. How unreasonable. I'd intended to return it from the start.
While I'm a thief by trade, I had no plans to actually steal anything. Throwing her hat was just a little test.
I gave a small smile to reassure her and held the hat out.
"Here you go."
But contrary to my considerate gesture, the girl seemed to think I'd yank it away again and lunged to grab it.
Since I'd just been planning to hand it over, her tackle knocked me flat on my back.
"Oof! What're you doing, you—!"
The girl lifted her face from my chest.
After a brief apologetic look, she opened her mouth.
"Thought you were teasing me again."
"Moron! Have some faith in others! You think I'd do that?!"
Honestly, what does she take me for? All I did was toss her hat around a little.
"...Yes," she declared resentfully.
We'd just met, yet she had a poor opinion of me already.
I felt resentment at her suspicion of a total stranger.
"So, who're you, mister?"
"I'm Engy. I'm sightseeing here. And you?"
"Claire. I was... sitting here."
"I see."
Yeah, I know you were sitting there.
Talking to Claire didn't seem likely to get anywhere, but we'd introduced ourselves at least.
I figured I should ask if she knew anything about the tears of the gods.
"I heard if you come here, you can feel the power of the gods. That true?"
"Yeah. Everyone says so. I don't really get it."
So she hadn't experienced the gods' miracles herself?
"How about something called the tears of the gods, know anything?"
"Nope."
Thought so. I'd been discreetly asking around town about them all morning, but turned up no real info.
People said stuff like, I've been feeling great since coming here! or I can use magic again that stopped working for ages!
Suspicious claims like infomercials popped up here and there, but those had to be psychosomatic or something.
Well, what to do? I'd hoped the tears of the gods was some poetic metaphor that actually referred to a gemstone or the like enshrined somewhere, to make things easy.
Guess I'd have to wait and see what this "miracle of the gods" tonight brought.
"That was amazing, earlier."
"Hm?"
Lost in thought, I was startled when Claire spoke to me.
"The hat. Whoosh!"
Whoosh?
"I just used a spell to strengthen my body."
I wasn't hiding it, but that wasn't totally accurate.
While body enhancement magic existed, what I'd used was different.
"I wanna do that too."
"Wouldn't recommend it. Takes time to learn, and you'll collapse if you try without enough mana."
I couldn't teach her the spell I'd used, but if it was normal enhancement magic...
On second thought, no. I sensed only a minuscule amount of mana from the girl.
"I have... mana," she insisted, removing a bracelet from her arm and closing her eyes. She began circulating mana through her whole body.
"Oh?"
She had been suppressing her mana. I didn't know why, but the bracelet must be sealing it.
Even now her reserves were considerable, and with a bit of practice she could probably learn beginner spells like body enhancement. However...
"Seems okay for now, but that magic tool—whoa!"
Just then, I noticed a bald man in clerical garb running over from town.
He had a sturdy build and heavy footsteps. His clothes were neat, but his head was bare.
The man jogged up to us, an anxious and angry look on his face.
"Hey! I've told you time and again not to remove that bracelet!"
"...But."
"No buts! You're one chosen by the gods. That bracelet is a sacred object housing their power. You mustn't remove it except in their divine presence!"
What, her bracelet? It didn't look particularly special to my magic sight.
As I pondered that, I saw Claire shoot pleading glances at me while listening to the man's lecture.
Well, no choice then. I was a bit curious myself.
"Excuse me," I cut in.
"Hm? Who're you?"
"Arrived just yesterday. I heard about experiencing the gods' miracles here."
He'd been focused on scolding Claire and didn't notice me until now.
Seeing me, the bald priest's face softened.
"Oh, is that so? I'm Blyle, the priest of this town."
"Nice to meet you."
"The miracle of the gods, you say? You're in luck, tonight is the night! I'm sure the miracle will come to you as well. Look forward to it!"
Sounds like even I can witness it.
While I don't believe in gods one bit personally, wonder what'll happen.
"That's great. I came a long way just for this, so it'll make the trip worthwhile."
"Yes, quite! Oh, and if you plan to offer donations, I highly recommend giving as much as you can."
So you can feel the miracle's power more strongly, huh.
"Are donations necessary?"
"No, not strictly required. But it's said you'll be able to experience the god's miracle more grandly."
So that's how it is.
As I gave noncommittal responses, the bald priest awkwardly continued.
"This is a remote little town. Can't deny certain business aspects. On the day the miracle occurs, we give priority placement near the miracles' temple to those who donated more, you see."
"I see."
I'd pegged him as the aggressive conversion type, but he seemed surprisingly forthright.
Maybe it was refreshing to meet an outsider who was candid in turn, even if I had no plans to donate.
I asked the priest, who seemed knowledgeable about the miracles, for more details.
He explained that after the shrine maiden chosen by the gods performed a ceremonial dance in the temple of miracles, the miracle occurred when she channeled mana into the "Godstone" enshrined there.
Moreover, whether you donated or not, the miracle would reach everyone in town.
So it's a state of mind? Like food tastes better when you pay more for it.
But the Godstone...could that be the tears of the gods?
"What about the girl?" I asked, glancing at Claire.
"Oh dear, apologies for that unsightly display earlier. She's the shrine maiden chosen by the gods. For the miracle to occur, certain things are necessary... The bracelet is one such."
"Huh."
Some kind of tradition? If so, it wasn't my place to interfere.
When the priest finished talking to me, he resumed lecturing Claire.
She briefly met my eyes again pleadingly, but there was nothing I could do for her now. My bad.
"The gods are merciful. The bracelet... well, this much should be fine. Today is important. You'll be waiting in the temple of miracles."
"...Okay."
The priest would take Claire to this so-called temple of miracles now.
Claire slipped the bracelet back on her arm and stood up.
There was nothing I could do here. Didn't intend to do anything either. But still.
"Good luck."
"Yeah."
As I watched her go, Claire glanced back after walking a short distance.
"If I try my hardest... No, never mind."
She'd started to say something but gave up after a moment's thought.
For some reason, her sad expression just then stuck in my head.