“LADY Mizuha! Happy birthday!”
“Happy birthday! Priestess Mizuha!”
“MiZUha! Happy birthday to you!”
I’m taking a leisurely ride in a carriage down the main street of Grantz’s capital, bordered on all sides by crowds of people.
✦ ✦ ✦
Bands perform catchy songs around the carriage. Grantz Kingdom’s knights march in perfect step to the beat. What seems like a parade is being held entirely in my honor. Wearing a light-blue gown that doesn’t suit me hasn’t gone to my head and made me think this is all for me—it’s undeniably true that this parade is for me.
“I’m so glad we made it in time,” Cia says, sighing with relief where she sits beside me.
Cia asked me about my birthday the day before yesterday. I’ve had my hands full with the zombie apocalypse ever since I was launched from my bed into this world, and it’s not like there’s a calendar around. Because of that, I had entirely forgotten about my birthday until she asked, but since she did, I counted how many days had passed since being hurled here and realized that today is my birthday.
Once I told Cia that, it was decided on the spot that a birthday celebration was to be held for me, and things moved rapidly from there. It’s mostly thanks to Cia’s gusto, but the king and queen were surprisingly all for it, which is why it happened so fast. When they set their minds to it, this family can make anything absurd happen. This was the moment I worried about the future of Grantz Kingdom for the millionth time.
“Uh, but don’t you think this is going overboard…? I would’ve been happier with something small.”
“You are the holy priestess who saved our kingdom, Big Sister. Your birth should be celebrated on scale with your great deeds.”
Cia says that like it’s only natural, but this parade is hard to accept as someone who was just a normal high school girl up until recently. Lex rides close to the carriage on Vianta, probably because I’m still frowning.
“Please put your mind at ease, m’lady. No one was compelled to be here. The soldiers gladly volunteered, and the citizens came because they wanted to.”
I certainly don’t see anyone who looks unhappy to be here. They are all cheering for me with broad smiles.
“Lady Mizuha, thank you for everything you do!”
“I am only alive today thanks to you, Priestess Mizuha!”
“MiZUha! I’ve awoken to love thanks to you!”
Countless words of gratitude, with the occasional weird comments thrown in, are showered on me from the crowd. The powers I have as priestess are not my own, but I’ve been through lots of horrible, scary, stinky…and stinkier experiences. That’s why their gratitude feels like they are recognizing what I endured for them, and that honestly makes me happy.
“W-Well…I can accept that, then.” I sheepishly look away from Lex, sweeping my gaze over the crowd instead.
A little over a month has passed since I met with Goddess Sadia. Many areas still haven’t been repaired yet, but the rebuilding process is proceeding quickly thanks to everyone’s hard work.
If we keep this up, it won’t be long before I can see how beautiful the capital once— No, how much more amazing the capital will become than it ever was before.
I’m going to work even harder so as not to lose out to the others, because this is my problem now!