Chapter 1: Time for some counseling!

“I am Miss Kokorisi Amore’s dog.”

A bustling square.
Bright, dazzling sunlight.
A harmonious crowd.
And warm golden hues everywhere.

“First of all, her form is as exquisite as an angel’s.
In those eyes there is always a gentleness and compassion directed toward everyone.
Slender yet soft limbs support a body still carrying the tender youthfulness of a girl.
Even though the nun’s habit obscures it, her figure remains a hazy, moonlit beauty.
And that face—truly beyond the power of any paint to capture.”

People stream past in endless commotion, wearing expressions that say they’ve seen this before.
It seems no one is willing to stop for this passionately ranting young man.

“Secondly, though she is of the feather-kin race, she carries none of the usual feather-kin arrogance.
As the nun of our little town she treats everyone equally.
That pair of ear-feathers only unfurl when she is truly listening to someone’s suffering,
and gently wipe away the tears of the one who is pouring out their heart.”

Finally one or two children pause, gazing with open curiosity,
but they are quickly ushered forward by the adults behind them
and soon leave the overheated young man behind.

Yet the youth shows no discouragement.

“I believe that someone so perfect, so magnificent,
must surely carry burdens that ordinary people like us cannot comprehend—
for example… loneliness.”

At this point he notices the crowd slowly thickening around him.
His words grow more confident.
The head that had been bowed now lifts high,
as though he intends to stare straight into the sun
and proclaim his thoughts toward its blazing face.

“We pour all our pain out toward Miss Kokorisi.
But what about Miss Kokorisi’s own troubles?
Where is she supposed to release them?”

“So.”
He spreads both arms wide, then folds them around himself.
“I am willing to become Miss Kokorisi’s dog—
to stay by her side, to soothe her worries and sadness.
This is the tiniest, most insignificant thing I can do for her.”

“Right? You all feel the same way, don’t you?”
He stretches a hand toward the gathering people,
seeing the smiles on their faces and believing he has found kindred spirits.

But those smiles… do not quite seem to mean what he thinks.

Two soft coughs drift over, accompanied by the faint elegance of iris blossoms.
A graceful, slender girl stands not far behind him—
having quietly listened to every single word.

The young man turns at just the right moment.
The fervor in his eyes finally finds its true target.

“Miss Kokorisi!”

“Hm?”
The black nun’s veil cannot hide her snow-white hair.
It falls down her back and flutters gently at thigh level in the breeze.

She tilts her head slightly, blinks at the youth before her.
Those gray-white eyes—exactly the same shade as her hair—
are like the only snowflake drifting among the crowd.

Crystal clear.
Beautiful.
Fragile.

And yet they radiate warmth.

“Miss Kokorisi……”
All the earlier狂热 melts instantly into meekness.
Like a child who knows he’s done wrong, he lowers his head,
the passion and fervor from moments ago completely gone.

“You mustn’t do this kind of thing next time, okay?”
The girl steps forward lightly.
No longer just one white iris—
an entire field of them seems to sweep over him.

“I……”

“If you do this in the middle of the street, it will bother everyone, won’t it?”

“I’m sorry, I……”

“And also……”
She turns her head just a little.
In the brilliant sunlight her evasive gaze is softly shielded by the delicate ear-feathers curling forward.
Her lowered hands tighten slightly on the edge of the bamboo basket she carries.
“If you say things like that in front of so many people… I get shy too, you know……”

Finally she lifts her eyes just a fraction.
Those eyes carry an utterly pitiable look.

Even the fervent sunlight seems to pause for a moment.
In this square there is a treasure more dazzling than itself.

The crowd, too, falls still.
The youth’s final shout becomes the period at the end.

“I will offer my life for you!”

And then he bolts away in a flash—
putting at least one punctuation mark on this absurd street scene.

“How many has it been this month?”
An old woman walks up and stands beside the white-haired girl.
“These young lads really don’t give anyone peace.”

“I’m happy that everyone can like me.”
She denies nothing, only smiles gently—bright yet soft.

And perhaps this is precisely why almost everyone adores Miss Kokorisi.

“Listen, little Liris, you really ought to think about it.
Otherwise who knows how many more scenes like today we’ll have to watch.”
The old woman continues, “Speaking of which, my useless boy managed to land a decent post in the royal capital, and he happens to be single……”

It seems the young man’s earlier words were not entirely treated as a joke.
Some people truly believe in Kokorisi’s loneliness.

“Granny Susan.”
The girl called little Liris suddenly speaks with solemnity.
“I have already decided to dedicate the entirety of my life—from the past up to the future—
to the Radiant Goddess who guides us against the Abyss.
I will take the Saintess or Hero She chooses as my guiding star,
and realize the meaning of my existence within the Church.
My whole life belongs to the Church and to the people.”

The gentle tone carries the most resolute words.
Even the most devout preacher would probably feel ashamed
that their own conviction did not reach the height this young girl has attained.

“And what I need to do is simply listen to everyone’s troubles,
help as many people as possible.
That is what I must do—and right now, it is what I most want to do.”

“Little Liris, you……”
The old woman pauses.
“Sigh… never mind, never mind.
By the way, are you out shopping today?”

“Yes. I came to buy some easy-to-change undergarments.”
The girl is still holding the bamboo basket covered with black cloth.

It looks more like a small flower basket.

“Undergarments, ah.”
At those words—even though the black cloth clearly conceals something—
the old woman asks no further questions.

Then she looks again at the girl standing apart from the world,
pure and pristine like a white iris.

“The Church is truly fortunate to have someone like little Liris.”

“No, no. The Church was willing to take me in when I had nowhere else to go,
allowed me to become a nun here in this town, live among everyone every day,
and help ease people’s worries.
That is my fortune.”

With that she lifts the basket and steps away—
light yet dignified.

“Then, Granny Susan, I’ll be going now?”

“Mm……”
The old woman watches the girl’s retreating figure for a long moment before sighing,
“Our worries can be soothed and cleared away… but what about yours, little Liris?”

“We ought to be allowed to share some of your burden too……”

Kokorisi does indeed have worries.
She does feel loneliness.

But right now she does not need the help of the townspeople.
She has already found her solution.

One arm carries the small bamboo basket, black cloth draped over it.

As a member of the clergy.

She is about to begin her prayers.