Chapter 23: Miss Priest Becomes a Dress-Up Doll

At night, after Celia put on the Black Ribbon, she slept very comfortably.

The only imperfection was that, upon waking, the Saint Celery on the Magic Wolf Meat hadn’t completely dissipated.

Today, I have to keep wearing the Black Ribbon.

Even though she had lost her sight, getting dressed was no problem for Celia.

Celia lifted the blanket and fumbled around until she grabbed her nun’s robe. After putting it on, though, the fabric felt a bit tight, and her chest felt oddly empty.

Well, it must just be my imagination.

The first priority now is breakfast.

Celia pushed open the door and heard the sound of sweeping.

Hero is cleaning the backyard again today.

“Good morning, Hero.”

Celia greeted Elent.

“Good morning, Priestess Mi…ss?”

“What is it? Why are you so startled?”

The Black Ribbon covered Celia’s eyes, giving her delicate little face an air of coolness and abstinence.

That is, if you ignored her clothes.

The buttons on the Priestess’s robe were completely misaligned, exposing a wide expanse of snowy collarbone to the air.

Combined with the Black Ribbon over her eyes, the bizarre mix of sanctity and allure was a nuclear-level attack on any pure-hearted young man.

“Priestess, your clothes…”

“What about my clothes?” Celia touched her collar. Naturally, she couldn’t see a thing.

“It just feels a bit chilly.”

“It’s not about being chilly, your buttons are all wrong—completely wrong!”

Just as Elent was panicking and trying to explain, not daring to step forward to help, the doors of the Church swung open.

“Celia, come help me try on these clothes!”

Accompanied by a cheerful voice, Yuna walked in carrying two large suitcases.

Seeing the scene in the courtyard, the baker’s granddaughter froze.

“Wow.”

Yuna’s gaze darted back and forth between a beet-red Elent and the disheveled Celia, finally settling on the Black Ribbon.

“Is this some new kind of game? Blindfold play?”

“No, it’s a Seal.”

Elent immediately stepped up to explain to Yuna:

“The Priestess had to seal her sight to suppress the rampaging Saint Power inside her.”

“As for the clothes,” Elent faltered, clearly searching for the right words.

“It’s for ventilation!”

“Ventilation?” Of course, Yuna didn’t buy that nonsense.

But, as someone determined to shine at the upcoming Fashion Festival, her focus quickly shifted.

Yuna circled around Celia, her eyes growing brighter.

“So you can’t see, which means you won’t be shy no matter what you wear?”

“Elent, close the door. Lynn, come help!”

“Celia, given your current special condition, you need professional dressing guidance. As it happens, I have a batch of newly designed sample outfits here, and I urgently need a model.”

“No, I want breakfast.”

Celia refused.

Being a model? That just sounds exhausting.

“As payment, after you’re done, I’ll treat you to the bakery’s latest Cheese Custard Tart.”

“No way.”

“Unlimited.”

“Deal.”

……

The Church’s main hall became a temporary changing room.

Elent was ordered to sit on a bench facing away from everyone, serving as the judge.

“Wow, isn’t this one too short?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine! Showing some leg is cuter!”

“Lady Celia has such beautiful skin.”

Listening to these conversations, Elent felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, not knowing what to do with himself.

For Celia, this was a novel experience.

Yuna and Lynn fussed around Celia like she was a giant Window Display Doll.

“All right, turn around!”

Celia was nudged to spin around.

“Elent, turn back and give your opinion!”

Elent turned his neck, then held his breath.

Before him, Celia was dressed in a modified gothic-style dress.

The black layered skirt stopped just above her knees, revealing legs in white over-the-knee socks.

The upper half was a fitted bodice, outlining the soft lines of a young girl not yet fully grown.

Paired with the Black Ribbon over her eyes, the Priestess now looked like a delicate, fragile, dark porcelain doll.

“Well?”

Celia fidgeted with the skirt, feeling uneasy. She couldn’t see, so she could only judge by the reactions around her.

Then, she heard Elent swallow.

What kind of reaction is that?

“Is it ugly?”

“Not at all.”

Elent looked at the girl before him, her toes digging nervously into the floor from embarrassment, and all thoughts of chivalry vanished from his mind.

“You’re really cute.”

“Ahem, really?”

“Really. Just like the most expensive Window Display Doll in the Capital.”

“Next one, next one!” Yuna was clearly pleased with the reaction, and immediately fished another outfit out of the suitcase.

“This set is the latest trend!”

Then, Celia felt a fluffy headband being placed on her head, and a collar with a bell was tied around her neck. Whenever she moved, the bell jingled.

“Turn around!”

Celia spun, but before Elent could speak, Yuna poked her in the waist.

“Since you’re wearing this, shouldn’t you at least give us a ‘meow’?”

“Why ‘meow’?”

“That’s not important.”

“Do I have to?”

“Cheese Custard Tart. Double cheese.”

“…Meow.”

So cute.

Clatter!

Elent fell off the bench.

“Elent?! Why did you fall?”

“N-no problem, just a bit of anemia.”

The scene before his eyes was simply too much for Elent.

Celia was wearing a classic blue and white maid outfit. The skirt barely covered the tops of her thighs, with a crisp white apron tied around her slender waist.

On her head was a pair of fluffy white cat ears, which quivered slightly as Celia moved.

Adorable.

Too adorable.

So adorable Elent felt his blood gauge might actually hit zero.

The next hour, for Celia, was the longest fashion show of her life.

With every outfit change, Elent provided a different reaction.

Meanwhile, Celia gradually learned to judge outfits by the sounds she heard.

If she heard a gasp, it meant the outfit was probably quite revealing.

If she heard the bench scraping against the floor, it meant Elent was squirming and the outfit must be odd.

If there was silence, the impact must be overwhelming.

“The last one!”

Yuna produced her prized creation from the bottom of the suitcase.

It was a pure white dress, simple in design, but adorned with a great deal of lace and sheer gauze.

When Celia put it on and stood still, there were no expected sounds at all.

No gasps, no swallowing, not even the bench.

“Hey, where is everyone?” Celia grew anxious, reaching out and waving her hand in the air.

A broad, warm hand caught her flailing hand.

“I’m here.”

Elent’s voice was right in front of her. So close, Celia could feel his breath on her cheek.

“Priestess.”

“Mm?”

“If Saint Celery had a form, it would probably look like you right now.”

Elent gazed at the girl before him, wrapped in white gauze. The Black Ribbon hid those perpetually languid eyes, making her appear even more pure and alluring.

Celia was stunned.

What kind of compliment was that?

Even though she couldn’t see, she could easily imagine Elent’s expression at this moment.

“I’m tired. Change me back to my original clothes. I want my Cheese Custard Tart.”

“All right, all right, the Cheese Custard Tart is coming.”