Blessings.

They are the foundation of the mysterious system that governs this world. People receive a god's blessing from a priest or priestess and obtain a "Vocation". Occasionally, a god assigns a person a task called "Guidance," and upon completing it, they are granted a "Magic Stone."

Actually, calling it a "task" feels a bit off. It's more like the god sets a mission and pays out a reward.

I later learned that, besides the Great Spirit Le Baraka, there are other gods in this world: Vars, the Goddess of the Night Sky (who just blessed Ion), and Megi Lamana, the Sun God. Each god grants a different type of Magic Stone:

- Spirit Stones from the Great Spirit.

- Night Sky Stones from the Night Sky Goddess.

- Sun Stones from the Sun God.

The names are completely lacking in originality, but apparently, that's just how it is.

When I asked Shamash about the differences, she explained: "People tend to think the three are equal, but in reality, the Great Spirit is in a league of its own. The Night Sky Stones from Vars are just high-purity mana crystals, and Sun Stones are basically only useful for offensive purposes."

In short, unlike Night Sky Stones and Sun Stones—which can be replaced by other things—Spirit Stones alone are special.

To put it bluntly: Elves are special.

Spirit Stones are generally proficient in all types of "support" effects. For daily life, those support effects are far more useful. Above all, the ability to rejuvenate—to actually make someone younger—is an overwhelming advantage.

—Back to the matter at hand.

Ion received the Blessing of Vars, the Goddess of the Night Sky.

While everyone watched with bated breath, Ion glanced back at us for a moment before whispering, "Vocation, Vocation, Vocation..." and checking her Vocation Board.

According to Shamash, different gods tend to favor certain types of Vocations. The Sun God leans toward warrior types. The Night Sky Goddess leans toward mages. The Great Spirit leans toward miscellaneous support roles.

Because of that, we really had no idea what she would get. Would it be a mage-type Vocation?

Ion's eyes suddenly widened in surprise as she confirmed her Vocation. Then, her long eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly closed her eyes.

"...What could this mean...? Have I been forgiven, or..."

She murmured in a voice so low it was barely audible, and tears began to overflow from her closed eyes.

In the quiet living room of Shello-san's house, we stood watching her every move.

Apparently, the moment of receiving a Blessing is considered a sacred ritual, and it's customary to watch solemnly.

...I'm not great with this kind of atmosphere.

Still—what was going on?

She's always been a bit emotionally fragile, but... did she get some weird Vocation?

The Vocation system has been notoriously known to hand out things like [Swindler] without hesitation. And the Night Sky Goddess sounds a bit "dark," so maybe she got some edgy Vocation like [Avenger]? Something that feels like falling into the dark side of Vocations...

Regardless, getting a totally unexpected Vocation and being super disappointed is a very real possibility.

While everyone hesitated to speak, Ion wiped away her tears and turned back to us with her usual dignified expression.

"Everyone, thank you. Today, I have been reborn as a child of Vars, the Goddess of the Night Sky."

She bowed. It seemed like a scripted phrase for someone who had just received a Blessing. I was dying to know what her Vocation was, but it felt rude to push her.

"Congratulations, Ion," Diana said. "I'm an Elf, so I don't know much about the Night Sky Goddess nodesu, but you should treat this as a true rebirth and devote yourself to Goshujin-sama."

"This is a joyous occasion, de-arimasu! A Blessing is something to be celebrated de-arimasu!" Marina added.

"Congratulations, Ion. The past is the past. I might still get hung up on things sometimes, but let's get along from here on out," said Rebecca-san.

"Princess... no, Ion," Shello-san said. "Today is a truly wonderful day. Not only are you alive, but you've received a new Blessing. I'm sure Isaac is rejoicing in the afterlife. He always wished for your growth. Before he met you, he never had anyone with the same Vocation, so he was overjoyed to have someone to pass his techniques to. After all, his real age was... wait, maybe it's better to keep that a secret."

Everyone offered their congratulations.

I was a bit curious about Shello-san's little "secret" bombshell, but I let it slide for now.

"So then—what was your Vocation?"

Rebecca-san asked, cutting to the chase.

Usually, asking for someone's Vocation out of the blue is a social taboo, but right after a ritual of Blessing is an exception—mostly because it's usually only done among family.

While everyone looked on with eyes full of excitement and anticipation, Ion answered as if she'd made up her mind.

"Yes. My... my vocation is—"

She paused for a brief moment, as if hesitating.

Was it a dud after all?

"[Wizard]."

Oh! A Wizard! That might be the first one I've seen besides myself. That's not a dud at all! It's true that the Night Sky Goddess favors magic-type Vocations. Well, Shamash was teaching her magic.

"And... [General]."

Whoa, seriously? A Double Vocation?!

So you can get the same Vocation again... Well, since it's literally her former Vocation, I guess that makes sense. But a [General] and a [Wizard]? That's like a Magical General... How terrifying.

"...And furthermore... [Paladin]."

That makes three.

A Holy-Magic-Knight-General.

This is getting crazy. She only used to be a General; did her "recharging period" actually pay off?

I remember someone saying you can somewhat influence what Vocation you get based on your lifestyle... if that's the case, wouldn't it be better to train first before getting a Blessing?

Well, that's probably just a difference in religious views. I bet some people think it's offensive to "game" a god's blessing. Regardless, the result was great. Triple Rare Vocations are more than welcome (though apparently Wizard isn't that rare).

"Ion... [General] and [Paladin]... that's just like—"

Rebecca-san's face went stiff. Having both [General] and [Paladin] was the hallmark of that legendary handsome guy.

"Oohhh! Just like Isaac!" Shello-san laughed. "It means his teachings are... they're living on inside you, Ion. Hahaha! We're having a feast tonight!"

I see. Her training with Isaac gave her the foundation for a Paladin, and her time with Shamash gave her the foundation for a Wizard.

Either way, it was something to celebrate. It's custom to hold a banquet on the day someone receives a Blessing. Let's do it.

"...Uuu... I'm so glad, Ion..."

"Hmm?"

I heard sobbing from somewhere. I looked back and... of course, it was Shamash-san.

This woman is seriously a crybaby!

But man... Wizard, General, and Paladin...

As expected of someone who was once a princess of a nation—what incredible potential. Keeping her locked up as a maid in the mansion is starting to feel like a total waste of high-spec talent.

* * *

After the simple party wrapped up, I watched Marina and Aurica busily cleaning up in the kitchen.

The party had been held in the garden of our mansion.

Well, calling it a "party" might be an overstatement—it was a modest gathering. But since it featured Japanese snacks, alcohol, and various other treats, it was quite luxurious in its own way. Even Shamash-san, who has lived a long time, and Ion, a former royal, were surprised.

It was their first time eating Japanese sweets. In this world (or at least in Erishe, the only place I know), food is generally delicious and cheap, but sweets are a bit lacking. Most notably, there is no chocolate. Because of that, even cheap chocolate is a massive hit.

Alcohol is also basically cheaper if I bring it from Japan. Large-scale commercial-sized bottles of shochu and whiskey from wholesale stores are a great value, so I keep them stocked at the mansion. We have quite a few drinkers, and when I drink with Shello-san, the supply vanishes pretty quickly.

After the party ended, I told the guest of honor, Ion, that she was exempt from cleaning. Right now, she's out at the garden table by candlelight, enjoying a chat with Shello-san, Rebecca-san, Shamash-san, and Diana.

Aurica is a hard worker. Since I left the management of the mansion to her, there have been almost no problems. If she has a request, she tells me directly or through Marina. Marina is a hard worker too; whenever she's home, she's usually helping Aurica or taking care of the horses.

In that regard, Diana is hopeless. Her soul is that of a princess, so the concept of "helping out" doesn't even exist for her. Her hair is long, and she's not suited for housework anyway. I don't even count her as part of the labor force.

However, I felt I had to reward Aurica's loyalty—though "loyalty" might be a bit grand. She stayed behind to watch the house all by herself during our trip to Lucraella.

"Aurica. Is there anything you want? Anything you want me to do for you?"

I asked her directly as she passed by carrying things for cleanup.

When it comes to things she "wants," I've already provided everything she needs for her work at the mansion. There shouldn't be any shortages in that regard.

And now she even has a subordinate: Ion. Given Ion's insane triple Vocation, she'll likely end up in the Knight Order eventually, but for now, her official job is maid. With more hands on deck, the workload should be distributed, making things easier.

"Not as a maid, but as Aurica's personal request."

"Huh?! Where did this come from so suddenly, Danna-sama?"

"Why...? Well, let's call it a celebration for getting a subordinate. Starting today, you're the Head Maid."

I'm clearly just making this up as I go. Thank you very much.

"Head Maid... I think Ion-san would be much more suited for that than someone like me..."

"Why's that?"

"Because she's so beautiful. And she's not clumsy like I am..."

Hmm. She's already feeling intimidated by Ion.

Even though they're almost exactly the same age, Ion is indeed a flashy beauty with a great figure, even if she has a bit of a gloomy air. Aurica is cute in her own way, but it's true their charms are in different categories. But that has absolutely nothing to do with housework.

"Hey now, Aurica. Don't let some newcomer who just showed up get to you. You're the one who's been looking after this mansion. You handle the cleaning, laundry, horse care, cooking, and shopping perfectly. You're a huge help. You're her senior now, so you need to be firm and teach her. Besides, Ion is the same age as you."

They don't really look it, but they're both 17. Maybe I should buy her a nice handkerchief or something.

"Same age... Right, I'm the senior... I'll do my best. I'll do my best!"

Aurica squeezed her fists tight, renewing her resolve.

"Now that you're fired up, I'll ask again: is there anything you want?"

"Really... anything at all?"

She asked, looking up at me and lowering her voice.

Wait, did she just say "anything"? Is this where she traps me into a verbal contract?!

"If it's within my power."

I answered normally, waiting for her reply.

Aurica looked a bit apologetic as she spoke.

"...Danna-sama, I know you're busy... but could you help me with my studies?"

* * *

Aurica's wish was for me to tutor her in Japanese. It was a much more modest request than I had imagined.

Come to think of it, I hadn't been able to help her much lately. I'd given her some textbooks, but self-study is brutal without a teacher, especially since there are no "Other-Worldly Language ↔ Japanese" dictionaries. Personally, I would have been fine with a more selfish or extravagant request, but this is what she wanted.

"...'Kare mo hito nari, ware mo hito nari.' What does this mean, Danna-sama?"

"It means, 'He's human, and I'm human too.' Since we're both human, there's no reason to think that something he can do is something you can't. It can also mean that since we're all people, there's no need to humble yourself excessively before others."

It was night.

After the day's work was done, I allocated some time before bed to study with Aurica.

We were using children's educational materials. She's still mostly focused on Hiragana and Katakana, but since her reading and writing have improved significantly, I was teaching her proverbs and maxims today.

Before Aurica met me—or more accurately, since she received her Blessing—she had received "Guidance" to learn a foreign language. That's why I've been having her study Japanese. She hasn't cleared the Guidance yet, but at this rate, it won't be long.

Once Aurica's Japanese reaches a certain level, I plan to have her translate books. Then, when I have more breathing room, I'm scheming to publish books of Earth's proverbs and maxims translated for this world. Translating maxims isn't too hard, and they're easy to read. The content should translate well, too; after all, Earth's books of maxims are just collections of wisdom from all times and places.

...To be honest, in terms of what would actually sell, adult books might be a safer bet, but that would involve higher costs and might get me arrested for violating public order and morals.

I also considered bringing over manga and selling pirated translations, but I'm worried if people who have never seen a manga before can even figure out how to read one. Above all, the production cost for manga is too high, even for pirated copies. You need at least 200 pages per volume. Photo books and adult magazines would have the same cost issue.

It might be difficult, but since I'm already selling fabric, translating books on Western dressmaking might be a good idea. Since the production cost is high, I could just rent them out or sell them at a premium price of around 50,000 yen per book. Since it's a hobbyist book, it would probably sell at least a little.

"Um, Danna-sama. 'Tonbi ni aburaage o sarawareru'? What does that mean? What's a tonbi? And abu-raage?"

Orika, who had been reading the book with a serious expression, looked up to ask.

'To have a piece of fried tofu snatched by a kite.' Huh...

For someone in a world with neither kites nor fried tofu, it must sound completely incomprehensible. Then again, even for modern Japanese people, it might be a proverb that's not all that intuitive.

"That one's probably not something you need to memorize..."

Yeah. I'm going to need to do some selective filtering.