The room was too big. It was almost half the size of her 3- Bedroomed Apartment in Mumbai. White washed walls. Tall ceilings. Marbleled floors. A big bed in the middle. A desk and a shelf. The room looked pristine but cold. It looked empty. The white curtains on the tall windows gave the room a holy vibe.
And there was a door with a bathhouse attached to it. Garima opened the door and entered. It was large with cream coloured walls. A bathtub made out of marble and tiles. A wooden partition to change. There were no taps or buckets. So it meant water was filled manually. Garima hurriedly checked the square bathtub. It had a drainage outlet. It relieved her, she didn't want anyone else touching her bathwater. Then she looked around. This bathhouse meant only a room suitable for bathing. There were no toilets attached. Her mind was starting to fill with dread. She regretted writing only the fantasy setting, she should have included modern elements too. She didn't want to sit on a pit. It would be too much. She wanted an adventure. Not hardships of the mediaeval period.
Garima turned to look at the Priestess named Ava
"Where should I go to relieve myself?" She asked awkwardly.
"Pardon! If you mean for peace, you can go to the green…..." Ava started answering
"Oh, no,no!" Garima shouted, there was no point being roundabout or polite " I mean where should I go for defecation?" She asked. There it was. She said it out loud. And she was proud.
Ava blinked. Then looked at her in disbelief. Now it was Garima's turn to be shocked. What was that expression? Do they expect her not to poop? Being a Saintess meant she couldn't pee?. It was ridiculous. She stared at Ava incredulously. It was common biological need.
"Just so you know Ava, I am human too," Garima said, feeling shocked. Was there a reason to give such an explanation?.
Ava shook her head looking flustered. " I am sorry, sorry, I didn't think about it, I was told you were raised by the Goddess, we have never met a Saintess, Sorry we are ignorant" she fell to her knees and started begging.
Garima sighed. She was tired. Her mind was exhausted too. But seeing such reactions she wanted to know too. Fantasy novels didn't describe toilets, they just described beautiful sparkly bathtubs. She wanted to call Cosmo. Is this a plothole too? And since she is a medium, does she need to poop or pee? She is curious
"Okay, okay, it's fine, don't kneel. As I said, maybe a Saintess" Garima walked towards her and pulled her up." I am human too, just like you"
Ava got up and smiled. "I will keep that in mind Your Holiness, The woman's lavatory is near the Priestess quarters down the hall" She answered.
"Do you want to go, your Holiness?" She asked.
Garima shook her head. "No, not now" then she entered the bath house. She wanted to soak. It would be her first time using a bathtub. It was unlike the modern ones. But it will do. She was excited.
Fresh clothes arrived fast. Ava knocked on the door. And Garima finished washing herself. Now she was washing her clothes with soap balls. Which contained a familiar smell of wood ash.
She sighed
"Come in" she answered as she hid behind the wooden partition.
"You Holiness, here are your clothes" Ava said and kept them on a small wooden stool near the partition and left closing the door.
Fingers trembling, Garima lifted it slowly. It was long, white coloured robes. Fringed edges with delicate threads.
"Woah, Fancy!" She whispered.
She put them on as fast as she could. The robes fit her perfectly. It hung nicely.The binder felt comfortable too. The perks of being flat-chested.
She walked out within ten minutes. Ava and Hill were waiting and a few others she had seen before.
The white colour colour of the robe stood out with the rich tone of her skin. Her hair wet falling past her shoulder.
She looked radiant, powerful and divine.
"Uff" She stumbled suddenly, her foot catching the robe's edge.
The priests and priestesses' eyes widened.
"Why is this so heavy and long?" Garima muttered. She was used to wearing gowns and maxi dresses. Why does this dress feel so complicated? She couldn't understand. And she didn't dwell on it anymore.
She looked at the priests and the Priestesses. They had come up to greet her. But soon found themselves pinned by queries.
"How big is the city?" "Where is the Adventurers Guild?" "How is the Kingdom?" "Who is the King?"
"What about the Devils" things she wrote about and the details she had missed. She wanted to know everything.
A priest named Evan blinked. "Your Holiness,Do you know about Devils? They seemed to have vanished centuries ago."
Garima froze, She was not supposed to tell this early. The plot hasn't started yet.
"Uh, Divine Knowledge, keep this a secret for now" She smiled sweetly, her voice suggesting a threat.
The Priests and the Priestesses stood speechless. Nobody had words.
This Saintess looked human but also…. different.
Her complexion set her apart from others. But her eyes were always sparkling with excitement.
She wasn't calm, quiet like they imagined a holy figure to be. She was the exact opposite,vibrant, chaotic and curious. Different from the one mentioned in the ancient text. It didn't match the old tales at all.
An old priestess named Aila murmured " She doesn't look like a Saintess, She looks like a storm"
But she came. After hundreds of years. And she brought back belief and hope.
This was enough for them. It doesn't matter how she behaved. She was their Saintess and she deserved their utmost respect.
Garima is unaware of the thoughts running in the priest and priestess's mind. She walked forward with determination.
"Let's start my Isekai journey and reach the top of the world," she muttered.
Nobody understood what she said. But they smiled. Their Saintess looked excited and happy. And that was all that mattered.