Table of Contents
Table of Contents Page
Copyrights and Credits
Point of View: Sirius - The King’s Personal Advisor
Serafina Encounters Her Big Brothers in a Pinch Part 1
Interlude: The Three Royal Brothers
Serafina Encounters Her Big Brothers in a Pinch Part 2
The Secret of the Galle Gold Leaf
Galle Gold Leaf and the Knights’ Food Poisoning Incident
Interlude: Surveillance of the Second Princess’s Garden
Serafina and Magical Enhancement (Preparation Phase)
Point of View: Canopus - A Request That Must Never Be Granted
Side Story: Serafina Corrects Misconceptions of Sirius
Point of View: Sirius - Serafina’s Rebellious Phase
Side Story: Serafina Becomes Sirius for a Day
Point of View: Oligor - The First Spirit Lord’s Golden Eyes
Bonus Story: Scheat Declares He’s “Totally Fine” with Women
Newsletter
The Story Thus Far
THE STORY THUS FAR
“YOU MUST BE SERAFINA. I am your cousin, Sirius Ulysses.”
Sirius, the young knight brigade vice-commander, visited the six-year-old Serafina in the forest she had been living peacefully in with her young spirit friends. However, when faced with mortal danger, Serafina’s extraordinary power was unleashed, and she returned with Sirius to the royal capital to start a new life.
Once there, Sirius established the Royal Red Shield, a unit comprised of capable knights dedicated to Serafina’s protection. However, their all-important first mission was…a beach vacation on the continent’s west coast?!
There, Serafina spent delightful days with Sirius and the rest of the knights. When some of the knights who transferred to the Royal Red Shield from the First Knight Brigade were punished following a scuffle with their former colleagues, Mirach was left picking up the slack and unable to take a planned trip to his hometown. Upon learning of this, Serafina made arrangements to accompany Mirach back on an excursion.
Mirach’s hometown, Galle Village, cultivated special medicinal herbs. But when their famed Galle Gold Leaf vanished, a dark cloud fell over the village. Serafina decided to revitalize the village by finding the Galle Gold Leaf, but as she ventured deep into the forest in search of it, she stumbled across her three older brothers being attacked by monsters!
World Map
Character List
Point of View: Sirius - The King’s Personal Advisor
Point of View: Sirius
The King’s Personal Advisor
ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH, I found myself acting as the king’s personal advisor. Today was one of those days.
I sat on one of the long sofas in the king’s private chambers as we drank together. The alcohol continued to flow as I listened to him moan and groan about the queen treating him coldly or how the first princess didn’t respect him. Out of thin air, the king brought up yet another grievance.
“Have I made mistakes in raising my sons?” he asked, his countenance somber as he tightly gripped the glass in his hand.
For a moment I hesitated, not knowing how to respond. However, I decided that honesty would be the best policy and answered truthfully.
“In some ways, yes. In others, no. But in the end, regardless of your care and guidance, it’s up to the princes to make their own choices and seize their own opportunities. You gave them plenty of love, education, and exposure to various experiences. Whether they learned from those things or not depends on their innate personalities and level of determination.”
“I see…” The king murmured as if something in my explanation had struck a chord with him.
“On the other hand, you act far too informal in front of them. Please don’t take this as if I’m trying to curry favor with you, but you are indeed quite wise. You carefully consider every option and gather all the information you can before making decisions. However, there aren’t many who know your true character, since you purposely downplay these qualities. Thus, most people see your frivolous words and demeanor and believe they are Your Majesty’s true essence, just as you hoped.”
“Hmm. Yes, but acting casual is just so much easier for me.”
It sounded like he was just making excuses, so I continued without acknowledging that statement.
“I fear that the princes see you that way as well. It’s not strange to think they might assume things such as ‘The monarchy seems to be working perfectly fine even though the king doesn’t seem to put in much effort and just has fun. I suppose we don’t have to try too hard either.’”
“Dear me,” the king said with a loud groan. “Your inference is alarmingly precise! I’m certain that’s exactly what those three are thinking.”
The king stroked his face as if consoling himself and gulped down the contents of his glass.
“So, I just need to show my boys how difficult it is to be king! Perhaps it’s still not too late. I’ll call them in regularly from now on to lecture them about the struggles a king faces. Wait, would it be more effective to have them dabble in some political affairs and review their work instead?”
I watched the king expressionlessly as he listed one proposal after another for a bit before offering some additional advice.
“As I said, it comes down to their own innate personalities and determination. No matter how generous you are, you won’t be able to teach them how to handle every little thing.”
The king fell silent for a few moments as if he was mulling over what I meant by that. “Sirius,” he finally said as he gazed at me intently, “do you think the three of them lack what it takes to stand at the top?”
It was a straightforward question, but I honestly told him that I couldn’t give a definitive answer since there were many different kinds of people in leadership positions.
“I can’t say for sure because there are surely many types of kings out there. That said, if we’re talking about a ruler who will be accepted by the masses, I think the first princess, Shaula, would be a good fit. She’s interacted with you just as the princes have, but I believe she understands your true nature and is focusing on her studies to better herself.”
The king heaved a great sigh. “You really are an observant one. That’s exactly what I think.”
He buried his head in hands before speaking once more. “I’m only going to tell you this because I’ve had too much to drink, but in addition to your father, Achernar, I had another younger brother. He passed away before the age of twenty, so no one ever talks about him. That brother of mine was a carefree playboy who shunned hard work and was devoid of any royal qualities. Your father, on the other hand, was a very respectable man, and as for me, well, I somehow managed to scrape by. I was amazed at just how different we could be despite being raised in the same environment.”
He moved the hand covering his face down just enough for me to catch a glimpse of his eyes, which were intently watching me as he continued.
“My three boys remind me of my hedonistic brother. Of course, blood doesn’t determine everything about a person’s nature, so I’d hoped things might turn out differently if I raised them right. In Vega’s case, I was incredibly strict. I tried to be lavish with praise when it came to Capella, and for Rigel, my educational approach was to allow him to pursue whatever he wanted. But in the end, they all turned out the same.”
I could read between the lines of what he was trying to say. All three of his sons had big egos, avoided hard work at all costs, and were easily annoyed by trivial matters. It was difficult to believe any of them had what it took to be the next king.
“Sirius, I want you to know there are only two people in here right now: an uncle and his nephew. There’s no need to mince words or try and protect anyone’s feelings. I just need to know how I can instill a mindset and attitude befitting of royalty in those three.”
“It ultimately hinges on their self-awareness and drive, but there might be a catalyst that fuels that motivation…”
“And what might that be…?”
The king appeared eager as he awaited my response, so I made a single suggestion.
“Perhaps if they were put into precarious circumstances…”
“What do you mean?!” The king spluttered, his eyes blinking rapidly at the unexpected proposal.
“If the princes found themselves in a life-threatening situation and discovered that all their privileges were useless, they might be motivated to alter their mindset, or at least realize their shortcomings. The drive to survive is a strong motivator. In fact, many of the knights who are nearly slain on the battlefield end up turning over new leaves.”
I had witnessed knights whose lives were saved at the last moment, and the difference in how seriously they approached battle from then on was like night and day.
“Hmm…indeed… It’s quite a drastic measure, but perhaps that’s exactly what those three need,” the king sighed.
Yet, not a moment later, he looked at me with renewed vigor and began to heap on the praise. “By the way, Sirius, you seem even more dashing and gallant lately. I heard the Handsome Chief Duke book that was based on you has become a bestseller. They say the female readers have become obsessed with you after making the connection between you and the duke! It’s easy to see why you’re so popular, given how capable you are!”
The king only praised me like this when he wanted something, and considering how thick he was laying it on today…
I cautiously placed the glass I was holding on the table. Just as I expected, the king flashed me a smile before inquiring, “Sirius, might I trouble you for a favor?”
Serafina Encounters Her Big Brothers in a Pinch Part 1
Serafina Encounters Her Big Brothers in a Pinch Part 1
THAT DAY, I’d ventured into Starfall Forest with five of the knights: Canopus, Mirach, Scheat, Fackt, and Miaplacidus. We’d gone there specifically because I’d come across some information that told me we might find the Galle Gold Leaf that Mirach was looking for.
We had arrived at our destination, and I’d just caught a glimpse of something gold when my body tensed in alarm at the distant howl of a fenrir. Lifting my head in surprise, I noticed about ten people that were being surrounded by a pack of five or six fenrirs. Upon closer inspection, I realized exactly who this group was: my three older brothers and their bodyguards.
Still recovering from the shock of running into my brothers in such an unexpected place, I tugged on Canopus’s uniform and wailed, “Th-this is really bad! My brothers are being surrounded by those monsters!”
Canopus was always as cool as a cucumber, and now was no exception. He didn’t seem flustered at all as he nodded in response. “Indeed. Looks like the princes are surrounded by monsters.”
“Huh? Why are you so calm?”
Members of the royal guard were sworn to protect the royal family with their lives. At least, that was supposed to be the case. But it wasn’t just Canopus who was standing around doing nothing—none of the knights made even the slightest attempt to rush to their aid!
“Umm, aren’t you gonna go and help them?” I asked Canopus again, genuinely confused at what was happening before me, but my personal knight responded without even a twitch in his expression.
“My mission is to protect you, Princess. It would be counterproductive if I chose to help the princes and ended up putting you in danger.”
“I-Is that so? Uh, what about you, Mirach?”
It didn’t seem like anything I could say would change Canopus’s mind, so I turned my gaze to Mirach, only to find that he wore the exact same expression.
“I believe Canopus provided you with the perfect response.”
“What?!”
Even Mirach, the royal knight who seemed most diligent about his duties, was refusing to help my brothers. I doubted Scheat or Miaplacidus would be much help in a situation like this, which left me with one remaining option: Fackt.
“Fackt, it would be a problem if my brothers got hurt before your very eyes, wouldn’t it?”
Fackt slowly pushed his glasses up with one hand before responding in a cool and even tone. “Not in the slightest. First of all, it’s nearly impossible to ignore how rudely the princes have treated you. As a royal knight, I can’t quite go as far as saying they deserve this, but their bad deeds have brought this upon themselves. I see no reason to offer them any assistance.”
“Oof!” I exclaimed. So that’s how it was. Fackt was usually the epitome of calm, but when that calm was disrupted, well, he could be pretty sharp-tongued. Not to mention, his expression remained unchanged even when he was angry, making it quite difficult to tell when he was upset.
What to do now? I wondered.
If the knights were insistent that helping my brothers fell outside of their scope of responsibility, it didn’t seem like there were many options left.
“But…I’ll be sad if they get hurt.” I murmured, unsure of where to turn for help. As soon as I uttered those words, the knights gaped at me, their eyes almost bulging out of their heads.
“What?!” they chorused. I looked at them each in turn, confused at what had brought on their sudden shock.
Still wide-eyed, Scheat finally managed to ask, “You don’t want the princes to get hurt? But doesn’t it feel just a wee bit satisfying?! I’m sure they won’t die because the First Knight Brigade is there to protect them. At worst, they’ll just sustain some major injuries.”
Miaplacidus continued Scheat’s sentiment almost seamlessly. “There’s no doubt that they’re rotten to the core! They wouldn’t disparage you so cruelly if that wasn’t the case! This predicament might shake some of that rot off their core and help them improve their attitude toward you.”
Whoa, Scheat and Miaplacidus were harsher than I’d imagined. Saying things like “sustaining major injuries is fine,” and “shaking them to their core will help them improve,” seemed far too extreme to me.
True, my brothers weren’t the kindest, but they had to also have some redeeming qualities, didn’t they?
“I was living in the villa for a long time, right? Maybe they’re struggling to connect with their little sister who showed up out of the blue? We’re family, so I’m sure we’ll work things out eventually,” I said reassuringly as I gazed at Scheat and Miaplacidus, but their only response was to gape in apparent disbelief.
Their reaction only fueled my determination to make one final effort.
“Besides, I heard I’m the only one with my very own royal guard. Canopus, Mirach, Fackt, Scheat, Miaplacidus: All of you are so wonderful that I’m sure my brothers must be a bit jealous of me. Maybe that’s why they’re always saying such mean things.”
Scheat staggered slightly and grimaced as if he was in pain.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” He moaned, “I had a slight inkling already, but it turns out our princess is actually an angel!!”
“Hmm?”
I thought Scheat understood what I was saying, but his response was so confusing that I wasn’t sure anymore.
“Yup! There’s no mistaking it! She’s an angel!” Miaplacidus gushed through the hands he pressed to his mouth. “It wouldn’t be possible otherwise! To forgive those three… No, to go as far as making excuses for them?! How could anyone show them such compassion? The princess is still so young, yet she possesses a heart full of perfect love!!” His words were just as baffling as Scheat’s.
This was bad. Once those two got started, there was no stopping them. There wasn’t much I could do, so it would be up to Mirach or Fackt to reel them in like they always did. I gazed at the other two knights expectantly, and they seemed as cool and collected as usual.
Phew! A wave of relief washed over me as Mirach opened his mouth to speak, but not before he lowered himself to kneel on the ground in front of me.
“Princess Serafina, please forgive me for the many disrespectful things I’ve done toward you. I don’t deserve the honor of speaking directly to an angel, yet I’ve had the audacity to do so multiple times.”
“Uh, Mirach?”
Mirach wasn’t one to joke around much. I studied his face to figure out what he was up to, but to my disappointment, he looked back at me with complete sincerity.
I turned back to Fackt in disbelief, but he stood there with his arms crossed and a smug expression on his face, as if he were judging the other knights.
“I was aware from the beginning that Princess Serafina was a benevolent angel. If she weren’t, then there was no way she would have come to check on us after the chaos we caused with the other knights, let alone offer to smooth things over on our behalf. That was when I truly recognized who she really was!!”
Seeing Canopus heartily nod in approval of this statement, I realized all the knights had lost their marbles. Oh dear, I moaned internally. I probably shouldn’t have asked them to walk under the scorching summer sun for such a long time; it had done their heads in. They all seemed to have heat-induced delirium.
I attempted to snap them out of it by shouting as loud as I could.
“What’s wrong with all of you?! I’m not an angel! I always oversleep, I leave all the food I don’t like on my plate, and I even switched around Canopus’s boots three times!”
The knights blinked rapidly, as if they were trying to grasp what I was saying. Maybe they were finally waking up from their dreamlike state? Feeling a bit more optimistic, I attempted to convey my primary objective once again.
“In any case, let’s go help my brothers!”
I decided to direct my request to Canopus, as he was the one who typically paid the most attention to what I asked. I emphasized my point by giving his hand a little squeeze.
He showed the slightest hint of hesitation.
“Canopus, no!”
“Keep yourself together! Don’t let your guard down!”
But their warnings fell on deaf ears. Canopus looked at me and nodded, “Understood.”
“Canopus!!!”
The other knights hung their heads in defeat but soon lifted them, directing their gazes at Canopus with expressions of resignation.
“I knew this would happen! There’s no way Canopus can deny one of the princess’s requests.”
“I could say the exact same thing about all of you,” Canopus quickly retorted, leaving all the knights momentarily speechless.
“He’s not wrong… We already know what we have to do. The Royal Red Shield was created for the sake of the princess, after all. We can’t refuse her wishes.”
“Exactly! None of us can stand to see the princess unhappy,” Fackt agreed.
Then he turned to me, as if seeking confirmation, and said, “Princess Serafina, our primary objective is to protect you. Given the choice to save the princes’ arms or your hair from being cut off, I would most certainly choose the latter.”
That didn’t seem right to me, but I understood that arguing would just leave my brothers waiting indefinitely for help, so I nodded in silence.
It’ll be okay. If one of my brothers does happen to lose an arm, I can just patch it back together, I consoled myself.
With my resolve set, the five knights and I decided to help my three brothers.
Interlude: The Three Royal Brothers
Interlude:
The Three Royal Brothers
TO THE ROYAL FAMILY, the birth of a baby boy who would one day inherit the throne was of utmost importance. As such, there was elation when the first prince, Vega, was born shortly after the king’s marriage, followed two years later by the second prince, Capella, and the third prince, Rigel, just a year after that.
With three potential heirs so close in age, many believed that this would foster friendly competition among the brothers, ultimately producing a worthy future king and his closest advisors.
Almost two decades had passed since the first prince’s birth. Vega was nineteen, Capella was seventeen, and Rigel was sixteen. Within that span, the first and second princess were also born: the first princess, Shaula, who was twelve, and the second princess, Serafina, who was six. The royal family had become a very lively one indeed.
***
As young boys, each prince was assigned his own tutor and raised in completely distinct ways. However, all three princes exhibited jealous tendencies, causing them to envy each other.
“Vega’s fencing instructor is the highest-ranking swordsman in the country! Of course he’s getting good with a blade!!”
“All of Capella’s tutors shower him with compliments—he’s not really that talented at everything!”
“Rigel gets to do anything he wants! That’s why he’s always good at whatever he does!”
The three of them also hated to put forth any effort and took the easy way out whenever possible. But thanks to their dedicated and competent tutors, they were able to achieve decent grades and acquire a certain level of skill. Still, not a single one of them was able to cross the threshold into greatness. And unfortunately, all three of them believed they were stuck in place due to being assigned the least skilled tutors, unlike the “exceptional instruction” their other two brothers had received.
One day, the commander of the knight brigade they belonged to asked them to complete a task.
“Lord Vega, Lord Capella, Lord Rigel, the other day there were sightings of a dark-colored fenrir in Starfall Forest,” he explained to the princes. “If true, it’s said that the creature is still a juvenile, so I’d like to find and dispose of it while we still can. Would you mind taking some of the knights with you to carry out reconnaissance?”
As expected, the three brothers moaned and groaned, Why does it have to be us? But Commander Wezen merely replied with a blank expression, “Rumor has it this is a black fenrir we’re dealing with. I thought that if Your Highnesses were the first to uncover this impending threat, news of your bravery would spread among the people.”
“That…would be really nice,” Vega mused.
“Maybe it’s actually a pretty sweet deal,” Capella agreed.
“All right, we’ll do it!” Rigel said, closing the deal.
After agreeing to take on the request, the three princes set off for Starfall Forest with a troop of knights and saints in tow.
Since the princes were also knights, they were decently skilled with a blade. As such, the group moved smoothly through the forest. While they did encounter some monsters along the way, they weren’t very strong and it wasn’t too difficult to drive them away.
After a few hours, the princes arrived at a circular clearing surrounded by steep cliffs. Upon closer inspection, they noticed numerous holes at the base—fenrir nests.
“So, the purpose of our mission is to confirm that a black fenrir is inhabiting one of those nests?” Vega asked the knights.
“That’s correct, Your Highness. However, if we venture too deep within, our only escape route will be a narrow path back. Even though we’re a bit far, let’s keep watch from here for a while. If we happen to be spotted by the monsters, we should be able to run away from this vantage point without being pursued too closely.”
The princes followed the knight’s advice at first, but they soon grew bored. Throwing caution to the wind, they approached the openings on the cliffside…
“Eeeek! Hey, stop right there! Don’t you come any closer!!”
“Hey! Give me that shield!”
“Gaaah! They’re attacking us!”
The princes were spotted by the monsters as they encroached on their territory. Perceiving them as threats, the fenrirs immediately turned aggressive.
Though the knights and saints they’d brought along as their guard put up a valiant effort, more fenrirs kept joining the battle.
“We’ll secure an escape route, so please get out of here, Your Highnesses!”
“All saints must prioritize healing the princes’ wounds first!”
“There are too many of them! Please step back, Your Highnesses!”
Ultimately, the knights and saints ended up fighting desperately to protect the three princes, who were cowering in fear behind the group, as the fenrirs proceeded to surround them.
***
There were two figures on the cliff observing the princes and their entourage. One of them cocked his head to the side and asked, “What in the blazes is going on? I’ve sparred with the princes before, and they weren’t that unskilled. But today, the lot of them appear to be in abysmal condition. The situation is so tense they’ve gone catatonic. Their lack of practical experience is painfully obvious. They must have participated in monster hunts several times by now, but have they engaged in real combat? If not, we need to reevaluate our training methods moving forward.”
Once Commander Wezen had finished venting, the other figure spoke in a voice that was entirely calm and composed.
“Fear isn’t something that can be adequately described to someone who hasn’t experienced it firsthand. That’s why we’re here today,” Vice-Commander Sirius’s frosty tone perfectly matched his icy visage as he responded to the commander. “Perhaps a near brush with death will make them rethink how they want to conduct themselves in the future.”
“Damn, it sure would take over ninety thousand years for your icy personality to thaw out…” Commander Wezen muttered under his breath.
“What was that?” Sirius asked casually, despite there being no doubt he’d overheard exactly what was said.
Though it seemed he was seeking confirmation because he was displeased with that offhand remark, Commander Wezen responded breezily, as if he was entirely unfazed.
“Nothing. I just so happened to recall people saying such things about you. I was impressed that being around the princess had somewhat humanized you lately, but it’s clear you revert to your original self as soon as you’re away from her.”
“You don’t need to pay such close attention to me. And…well, speak of the devil. Look who’s showed up.”
“What? Don’t tell me you arranged for Princess Serafina to come here as well.”
The conversation between the commander and vice-commander abruptly stopped when they looked down and noticed Serafina’s fiery red hair and the five knights accompanying her appear on the scene. From that point on, they remained fixated on the princess.
Serafina Encounters Her Big Brothers in a Pinch Part 2
Serafina Encounters Her Big Brothers in a Pinch Part 2
I WAS JUST ABOUT TO HURRY OVER to my brothers when Scheat thrust one hand in front of my face like he was trying to prevent me from moving forward.
“Princess, don’t be hasty.”
“Huh? But…”
The fenrirs were surrounding my brothers. They were going to get hurt if we didn’t rescue them as soon as we could. But in contrast to my growing panic, Scheat looked completely unfazed.
“We will do as you wish, since it’s clear that you want to help the princes. However, they already have a group of knights and saints accompanying them; their lives aren’t in danger at the moment. Rather, the question is why they’re in this predicament in the first place.”
“Maybe they just mistakenly wandered into an area infested with fenrirs and got attacked?” I suggested the first possibility that came to mind, but Miaplacidus didn’t look like he bought it.
“Rotten or not, those princes are the heirs to the throne. It’s too coincidental that all three of them found themselves in the same perilous situation. There could be some sort of scheme afoot.”
Fackt nodded in agreement. “If that is indeed the case, the only one with the power to put all three princes on the same dangerous expedition is the king himself. And the only one who could convince the king to do that is…”
It seemed like Fackt wanted to finish that thought, but he trailed off after glancing over at me. He started scanning the surroundings as though searching for someone or something. When he couldn’t find what he was looking for, his face shifted to one of confusion.
“Well, anyway, I’d wager that the princes are under attack by monsters because individuals well above our pay grade are planning something so ambitious that it’s beyond our comprehension. If that is indeed the case, all the more reason we should stay out of it.”
“Huh? But we’re going to help them, right?” I asked, unable to conceal my surprise.
“We will,” Fackt nodded as he pushed his glasses up a little further. “But let’s wait until the last minute, when they’re on the brink of imminent danger, before we lend a hand. That way, we’ll have an excuse to fall back on if we find ourselves in the line of fire later on.”
“Oh, okay…”
I wasn’t really sure who he could be referring to. Was he suggesting that the commander of the knight brigade had orchestrated this situation for my brothers in order to train them?
“I have a better grasp of the princes’ characters than you do, Princess. They’ll be upset and claim we interfered if we try to help them while they’re still capable of handling the situation themselves.”
“Really?”
Even if my intention was to save them, I’d just be a nuisance if my assistance was seen as interference. It was all starting to make sense now. That’s why Fackt wanted to keep an eye on the situation for a bit longer—so he could determine when they truly needed help.
I watched my brothers as I admired Fackt’s calm assessment of the situation. I’d gone straight into panic when I first saw them being surrounded by the fenrirs, but now that I was looking at the situation with a calmer head, I could see they were with four knights and two saints, a very well-balanced team. Not to mention…
“My brothers are also knights. They can fight too. I’m sure they must be quite strong, right?” I asked, not taking my eyes off them.
While they weren’t as physically imposing as Sirius or Canopus, my brothers were still big. They’d undergone knight training, so they had to be decently capable.
I squeezed Canopus’s hand as I waited expectantly for that confirmation.
“Hey, Canopus. Do you think my brothers can defeat the fenrirs?”
“That…might be difficult. Their Highnesses have demonstrated a certain level of ability during their training, but they have little practical experience. The fear of facing a ferocious monster can also slow your movements until you become accustomed to it.”
“What?! Then, we should act before they get hurt…”
The unexpected reply made some of the panic I’d felt before come flooding back. I started to step forward, but Canopus fixed me with a sincere look and shook his head.
“Princess, facing great harm is a necessary part of a knight’s experience. By preventing that, you’ll be robbing them of the chance to become full-fledged knights. Their Highnesses aren’t little boys anymore. They need to experience real challenges eventually, and to be quite frank, the sooner the better.”
“Is…is that how it works?”
I didn’t know what else to say. I wasn’t a knight, so who was I to determine whether facing great harm was a necessary experience for them?
“Their Highnesses are knights. That means they must take on the role of being ‘protectors’ rather than the ‘protected.’”
One by one, the knights around me agreed with Canopus’s remarks. If all of my wonderful knights were in consensus, then there was no way he was wrong. Understanding, I stepped back.
If my brothers wished to become true knights, just like I wished to one day become a saint, then there were certain roles we’d have to fill. That meant I had no right to interfere with their journey. I decided to put faith in my brothers and just keep a vigilant watch over them.
I glanced back at my brothers. Five or six fenrirs surrounded them. Their movements seemed to be coordinated, so they were probably members of the same pack. The knights of the First Knight Brigade were desperately trying to protect my brothers, but it was proving to be a difficult task with all the monsters closing in on them. Not to mention, they were working in tandem with two saints who needed to be looked out for as well.
Knights that belonged to the First Knight Brigade were supposed to be elite, but with so many people to guard, they were getting stretched thin. My nervousness made me want to immediately jump in and aid them, but my knights didn’t budge an inch.
Scheat, Fackt, and Miaplacidus were now all part of the Royal Red Shield that protected me, but they were previously members of the First Knight Brigade. I was sure they didn’t want to see their former comrades suffer any harm, but they were managing to hold back. That meant it certainly wasn’t my place to interfere yet either. I clasped my hands tightly together as this thought struck me.
That’s when Mirach muttered a single name under his breath.
“Lukbar.”
That name hit me like a ton of bricks. I quickly turned my gaze back to my brothers and their companions.
Lukbar… He was the knight from Mirach’s hometown who’d gotten into a fight with Scheat, Fackt, and Miaplacidus. They’d mentioned he was a member of the First Knight Brigade, so he must’ve accompanied my brothers here as one of their guards.
“Is Lukbar here too, Canopus?” I asked. “Which one is he?”
“The knight with light brown hair fighting directly at the front.” Canopus pointed to the knight that appeared to be the strongest of the bunch. He was standing in front of my brothers and the saints, acting as a shield for them as he slayed the monsters. He certainly seemed like a fine knight to me, so there must’ve been a reason for the fight he had with my knights before.
I tried to imagine what the cause of the scuffle could have been. Mirach spoke of a superstition in his village that suggested people with darker hair were healthier. Perhaps Lukbar’s quarrel with my knights was fueled by jealousy stemming from this belief.
Despite being in the heat of battle, Lukbar seemed to have noticed our presence. Though his face lit up for a brief instant, it was almost immediately clouded by disappointment. He turned his attention back to the fenrirs without further acknowledgment of us.
“Why’d he react like that?” I asked Canopus, who was standing by my side.
“He probably saw us and thought help had arrived,” he calmly responded. “But then, I think he realized who we were and gave up on the idea that we’d provide any assistance.”
“Huh? There’s no reason for him to think that, though.” According to what the knights had told me, we were just waiting for the right time to step in—and when that time came, of course we were going to act.
It was shocking to me that Lukbar’s attitude affirmed that my knights’ decision not to intervene and help my brothers was deemed acceptable by knightly standards. I’d originally thought it was unbelievable when Canopus said, “It would be counterproductive if I chose to help the princes and ended up putting you in danger,” but apparently, I was the one who was mistaken.
As someone who didn’t understand the rules of being a knight, I had no business butting in any further. I pressed my lips tightly together so no more words would come out and watched intently, silently hoping that my brothers and their companions would quickly triumph over the fenrirs.
***
Defeating the fenrirs was proving to be no small task. They were formidable monsters with strong attack power, inflicting injuries on the knights one after the other. Sirius had once taken out a whole bunch of them on his own, though I’d found out later that this was usually considered an impossible feat. When I’d talked with my other knights about it a few days afterward, they told me how a fight like that normally went.
“Usually, fenrirs can only be taken down by a couple dozen knights working together. If they’re decent knights, a group of ten or so could possibly do it, but that’d be pushing the limit. They’re not the type of monsters you battle one-on-one.”
“The only exception to the rule would probably be Vice-Commander Sirius.”
“Or maybe Commander Wezen? But those two have both abandoned their humanity, so they’re not really a good point of reference at all.”
Those snippets of conversation floated through my mind as I looked back at my brothers and their group. The saints were using their healing magic to tend to the wounds of the knights, but they could only heal one knight at a time, and there were more knights than saints. The knights continued to desperately fend off the fenrirs as the saints cast their healing magic, but all the while my three brothers remained frozen stiff. Although I hadn’t intended to, I found myself calling out to them.
“Brothers, your saints and knights are struggling! Please help them!!”
No one had expected me to do that, so the knights around me all looked down in sheer shock. My brothers mirrored the knights’ startled reactions as they also stared at me wide-eyed. However, it also seemed that was the moment they realized we were there, and their response was one of frustration.
“Looks like reinforcements finally showed up!”
“Hey! What are you doing?! Stop standing idly by and come help us at once!”
“I’m a prince, you know!! How do you plan to take responsibility if something happens to me?!”
Despite my brothers bellowing furiously at them, not a single one of my knights moved a muscle.
“Hey! Don’t just stand there! Help us!” My brothers screamed in an angry chorus once more, but this time, Lukbar answered them in a sharp tone.
“It’s futile, Your Highnesses! They belong to the second princess’s Royal Red Shield! They won’t come to help us and risk endangering their charge!!”
“What did you just say?”
“But I’m a prince!”
“That’s preposterous!!”
My brothers argued back, but when the reality that not a single one of my knights was coming to their aid, they gritted their teeth in frustration.
“We’ll remember this, just you wait and see!!” they cried out, clearly vexed.
I raised my own voice and called out to them once more, “Brothers! Can’t you see your companions are in trouble?! You’re all fine knights! Please, help them out!!”
Maybe it was my pleading that finally spurred them into action. Or perhaps it was the sight of my motionless knights that made them realize they had no other choice. Either way, my brothers tightened their grips on their swords and turned their gaze toward the fenrirs closing in around them—monsters far larger than themselves, with sharp claws and teeth to match.
But just as I feared, the reality of actually having to fight the monsters hit them, and my brothers froze in place. Their torsos stiffened in terror, and their legs trembled uncontrollably. Clearly shaken by the overwhelming terror, they instinctively took a step back.
Oh dear! I’m sure my brothers would show just how strong they are if they weren’t paralyzed by fear. But they’re proud knights, after all, so they must rise to the challenge!
My determination was so overwhelming that, although my brothers remained in place, my own feet began to rush toward them—one step, two steps, three steps… Before I even realized it, I was running toward them.
“P-Princess?!” one of the knights called out.
“Where are you going?!”
It sounded like they were starting to panic, but I kept running forward without acknowledging them. I only stopped when the knights who’d come chasing after me were about to catch me.
“Th-thank goodness. Did you finally come to your senses?!”
“We thought you were going to beeline straight for the fenrirs!”
The knights’ panic shifted to relief, but it wasn’t going to last for long.
“I wanted to come to this spot.”
“Huh? Why?”
“I-Is there something here?”
Disregarding the knights’ bewildered questions, I looked up at the sky and called out to my far-away friend in the spirit language.
“Come to me, Seven!”
No sooner had the words left my lips than Seven was right there in front of me.
“What’s going on, Fi?” he asked, then took in the surroundings, his eyes widening as he looped around in the sky. “Hold up! You’re surrounded by monsters! What the heck have you been up to?”
“Seven, my brothers are in trouble! I’ve got to help them right away.”
“Huh? You wanna help those no-good brothers of yours? Do you really need to do that?”
Oh dear. What a terrible thing for my benevolent spirit to say. I looked up at Seven and clasped my hands together in front of my face.
“Seven, they’re my big brothers. Please.”
Seven puffed out his cheeks in annoyance before giving me a reluctant nod.
“…Fine. I’ll help, but only because you asked me to, Fi.”
He spun around in circles as he soared higher into the sky and began channeling his spirit powers into me.
I thrust one hand into the air and cast a spell in the direction of my brothers.
“Invigorate! Attack x1.2; Speed x1.2!”
At that moment, my magic instantly boosted the strength and speed of not only my brothers but all the members of the First Knight Brigade with them as well.
“Huh?”
“What’s going on?”
My brothers looked down at their bodies in astonishment, then swung their swords in disbelief. Their knights were acting in a similar fashion, gazing at their bodies in surprise before tapping their arm and chest muscles.
Conversely, my knights had fallen to the ground with their heads in their hands.
One of them groaned, “Now it all makes sense why she ran here! This was the point where her magic would reach the princes.”
“Ugh! She really didn’t need to go and do that! Once the princes experience something like that, they’ll be hooked for sure!!”
Judging by their reaction, it seemed I shouldn’t have cast that spell. However, given my lack of battle experience, I wasn’t sure what the right choice would have been. Well, what was done was done. Determined to do the best that I could, I went ahead and cast another spell.
“Unseen chains, grow stout and ensnare that which lies before me! Bind!”
That was the spell I had first used during the fight with the demon lions from the Lodrigone Continent, so this was only the second time I had used it in an actual battle.
Last time, I had only managed to fully capture three monsters, or about ten percent of them; if you included random monster limbs, it would’ve been around thirty percent in total. But this was my second attempt, and while there had been about thirty monsters before, there were only six now. I was confident I could do a better job this time around. At least, that’s what I thought as I cast my magic toward the fenrirs.
Please, go well this time! I prayed really hard before looking to confirm the results. But, just like last time, I only managed to completely snare three monsters. My shoulders slumped at the realization.
“Wh-what? That’s the same number as before! And the other three weren’t affected at all—objectively, I got better results the first time, didn’t I? But hold on… I managed to capture three out of six, so that’s half of them, right? So…does that mean I’ve improved overall?”
Regardless, it looked like I was going to have to practice this binding magic more.
I was still feeling disappointed when my brother, Capella, took a step forward with a determined look in his eyes. Raising my head, I saw him run toward one of the ensnared fenrirs and cleave his blade through its shoulder.
“Yes! You did it!” I cheered. I clasped my hands together tightly, impressed by what a knightly strike that was! But then, the knights around me started throwing around unnecessary comments.
“Good grief, that was just pathetic. The fenrir’s stuck in one place for crying out loud. That blow should’ve taken off its head.”
“He should’ve gone for one of the ones that’s still free.”
“That’s all he’s capable of despite having his attack power and speed enhanced?”
Oof. They were being so harsh…
“This is my brothers’ first real fight. Wouldn’t it be better to encourage them with some praise? During my first battle, Sirius and the other knights showered me with compliments,” I said, scolding them.
The knights grimaced when I suggested that they be a little nicer.
“Anyone who criticized your magic would need to have their head checked, Princess.”
“Your first battle was in the Forest of Lent, wasn’t it? I only heard about it through a fellow knight, but your performance was extraordinary from start to finish. If that’s not worthy of praise, then I don’t know what is.”
“It’s hardly fair to make a comparison to someone as extraordinarily talented as you, Princess. Not to mention you’re still just six years old.”
Hmm, it didn’t seem like anyone wanted to spare a kind word for my brothers. Since they were all knights, maybe they were just tough on each other when it came to judging their skills. Or maybe everyone took it easy on me because I was six.
Even so, no one likes to be criticized, right?
“It’s better to praise than to belittle,” I declared again, hoping to make my point clear. But the knights remained silent, making it clear they had no intention of saying anything nice about my brothers.
***
The knights might have had a less-than-stellar opinion of my brothers, but they became almost unrecognizably brave after I used my magic. They were going along with Lukbar and the other knights and charging at the monsters without hesitation.
Scheat was keeping an eye on the battle as he casually remarked, “The knights in the First Knight Brigade are elite. Now that you’ve enhanced their capabilities with your magic and the princes are actually pulling their weight, it doesn’t look like our help will be necessary. Also, I’m curious, Princess. Why didn’t you cast any healing magic?”
“Huh? Well, because they’ve already got two saints with them.”
Since the saints with my brothers were already using healing magic on them, I wanted to do something else to help.
My response earned me more praise from Mirach and Miaplacidus, both of whom looked thoroughly impressed.
“Amazing. Even though fighting fenrirs is an enormous task, the princess still has the wherewithal to afford courtesy to the other saints.”
“I mean, is there even a six-year-old who can show such restraint? I’m truly in awe.”
I was the one in awe. My knights chatting away despite all those fenrirs right in front of them made it seem like they had way more wherewithal than me. Or maybe they were taking my earlier declaration, “It’s better to praise than belittle,” to heart. Oh dear, that would make me nothing more than selfish princess who insisted on compliments from her knights.
I was starting to feel really ashamed of myself when a sharp, menacing growl suddenly echoed through the clearing, snapping me out of my thoughts.
“Grrrr!”
“Aaaooowww!”
It wasn’t just one fenrir making all that racket—the noise was coming from all around. When I glanced up, I saw fenrirs poking out from holes all over the cliffside.
“Eek!” I couldn’t help but exclaim.
Except for the single, narrow escape route, we were surrounded by sheer cliffs that stretched up at about a 300-degree angle. Multiple fenrirs baring their fangs were emerging from the ten horizontal caves in the cliffs. The growls echoing from all directions made it feel as though we were surrounded by them, and I could feel my body trembling with fear.
“C-Canopus!”
I instinctively tugged at my personal knight’s uniform, prompting him to explain in a soothing voice, “Don’t worry. They’re just trying to be intimidating. In all likelihood, the princes were targeted by the alpha pack, which is why the others didn’t intervene. However, thanks to the princes stepping up, only two fenrirs remain. The others seem to be biding their time, waiting for the right moment to strike.”
“Not all the fenrirs will join the attack, so you don’t need to worry,” Fackt added, as my knights formed a protective circle around me. “However, it’s best to play it safe, so you might want to be prepared for a considerable number of monsters coming our way.”
I was starting to get really scared. Being surrounded by monsters is something you never get used to, no matter how many times it happens. As the knights had said, many of the fenrirs were just trying to intimidate us and wouldn’t actually come out of their burrows, but some of them would definitely be aggressive.
As we’d feared, about ten fenrirs came out of three different burrows, licking their chops.
This is really bad! I thought, clutching my skirt tightly. It seemed I wasn’t the only one feeling that way. The knights surrounding me raised their swords and braced themselves.
Altogether, there were about thirty new fenrirs closing in on us.
Just when I was thinking there were way too many of them, I noticed something coming down the slope from the top of the cliff. I turned my head up to get a better look, and that’s when I saw Sirius and Commander Wezen sliding down the cliff.
“Sirius! Commander Wezen!!” I yelled in surprise. The knights couldn’t seem to hide the shock in their voices as well.
“V-Vice-Commander Sirius?”
“What? Seriously? Even if he’s an Ultra Mother Hen, to think he’d sense the princess was in danger and come rushing out here!”
“Hey! You’re not supposed to use that nickname in front of the vice-commander! Just great! Now that he’s here, we have a much better chance of survival, but it also means our chances of getting a tongue-lashing have exponentially increased!!”
Even though there was a lot of complaining mixed in, my knights sounded much more optimistic than before. I was sure they were all feeling relieved now that Sirius and Commander Wezen had appeared on the scene. On the other hand, I was astonished to see them sliding down the cliffside.
“I didn’t know those two could use magic!” I exclaimed, amazed to see they were using wind magic to help them descend. But when I saw that none of the knights looked particularly surprised, I realized this was something everyone already knew.
Sirius didn’t stop until he reached my side. “You did well, Serafina,” he said, ruffling my hair. “You’re the bravest one here.”
That made me wonder if he’d been watching the whole time. Seeing the questioning look on my face, he tried to explain why he was there, though he seemed to be stuttering quite a bit.
“A-ah. You see…I was out picking flowers with Commander Wezen, and we just so happened to, uh, come across all of you.”
“You were picking flowers, Sirius?”
“The vice-commander was picking flowers?!”
My surprised exclamation was drowned out by an even more surprised exclamation from all the knights. Sirius couldn’t even tell the difference between medicinal herbs and weeds. Just what sort of flowers would he be trying to pick?
I was really curious to find out, but Sirius winced like he’d misspoken and quickly tried to change the subject.
“That’s quite a pack of fenrirs… If we’re going to take down the lot of them… Serafina, can I ask you to keep me, Commander Wezen, and the rest of the royal guard healed?”
“Of course!”
Sirius had asked me to take on the duties of a saint, so I happily agreed right away. He then turned his gaze to the saints who were helping my brothers. They seemed to have been listening as well, and when Sirius saw them nodding in agreement with the division of roles, he looked back at me, his expression calm.
“All you need to cast on me and Commander Wezen is healing magic. We’d be able to defeat the entire pack of fenrirs all on our own if you enhanced our abilities, and that wouldn’t look good.”
“Got it,” I chirped.
I didn’t really understand why he’d think that, but I nodded, assuring him that I’d do as I was told. Seeing that, Sirius turned to my brothers. “Vega, Capella, Rigel, that was pretty decent sword work!”
It was only a few words, but my brothers’ cheeks flushed with elation.
“Yeah.”
“Well, of course we can do this much.”
“It’s not a big deal.”
The three of them tried to maintain their composure, though it was obvious they were pleased. Seeing this, my knights began to mutter quietly among themselves.
“Gah! I’m so jealous! Even if it’s just once, I want to be praised by the vice-commander as a knight!” Mirach said.
“That’s something everyone in the Náv Horned Beast Knights dreams of. But if that ever actually comes to fruition, it probably means I’ll be dead the next day,” Fackt lamented.
“You got that right,” Canopus agreed.
No way that’d happen! In a quiet voice, I chimed in, “That’s not true. Sirius compliments me a lot, and I’m still alive.”
“The difference between you getting complimented and us getting complimented is like the difference between heaven and earth,” Scheat said.
“If the vice-commander treated me even remotely like he treats you, I’d probably keel over on the spot,” Miaplacidus added.
The knights were being way more overdramatic than usual. I wondered if being on the battlefield was getting to their heads.
I was still trying to wrap my head around it all when Sirius and Commander Wezen grabbed their swords and started advancing toward the fenrirs.
“Sirius, shall we make a little game out of it? See who can slay the most fenrirs?”
“Sounds good to me. If I win, you’ll give me that mithril sword you received the other day.”
“You don’t miss a beat, do you?! Then, I’ll ask for a hundred bottles of wine imported from your domain!”
Their bantering concluded, the two of them drew their swords and advanced on the fenrirs without a hint of hesitation.
***
Our group consisted of just three saints and fourteen knights, including my brothers, facing off against about thirty fenrirs. Since fenrirs were powerful monsters, it normally took about a dozen knights to deal with just one. In most cases, our force would be severely lacking, but my knights were strong. Not to mention that we had Sirius and Commander Wezen on our side.
Things are probably going to be okay. At least, that’s what I thought as I cast my strengthening magic, which sparked an excited uproar from the knights.
“Whoa! The princess’s magic is as on point as usual! I feel so much stronger now!”
“It’s almost terrifying when you think about it. It’s hard to believe we’ve become this strong.”
“Come on, men. We’ve got no excuses if we lose now!”
My knights scoffed in disbelief as they beelined straight for the fenrirs. While it’s true that I enhanced the strength they already had, their enemies were still stronger. Even though they must’ve been scared, the knights rushed forward like it was nothing. This had to be what true strength looked like.
“Knights are so cool!” I murmured to myself in awe, “If I could be reborn, I’d want to be a knight!”
Since I didn’t really have to play an active role at the moment, I scanned the battlefield to see what was going on.
The first thing that caught my eye was Sirius and Commander Wezen. Even though I hadn’t used any strengthening magic on them, they were cutting through the fenrirs like it was nothing. It was clear they were much stronger than my knights, even after I’d enhanced their abilities. I couldn’t help but wonder how that was possible.
My knights were fighting the fenrir that was closest to me. Scheat, Fackt, and Miaplacidus were facing it head-on while Canopus and Mirach surrounded me protectively. I felt a little bad for those two since they had to watch out for me instead of jumping in on the action themselves.
Glancing over at my brothers, I saw them fighting fiercely against the fenrirs, their faces full of determination. I watched nervously, wondering if they were okay, but the knights from the First Knight Brigade were giving them excellent support. And even when they couldn’t fully cover them, Sirius was always nearby and ready to step in.
Seeing that, I started to get the feeling that maybe Sirius and Commander Wezen were there to make sure my brothers were properly engaging in battle. If that was the case, I could make sure they put on a good show by casting a little more magic on them.
“Invigorate! Attack x1.5; Speed x1.5!”
I cast a strengthening spell that was slightly stronger than the last one on my brothers. I was slightly worried their bodies might not be able to handle it, but as expected of proper knights, they seemed to be adjusting without any trouble. This made me feel relieved—maybe a little too relieved.
Thinking that things were pretty much under control and that I could take a breather, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye: A fenrir was lunging straight at me.
“Ahh!” I yelped.
Due to how quickly the situation had escalated, I didn’t have a chance to move out of the way. Canopus stepped in front of me, shielding me from the attack. Mirach rushed over soon after, and the two of them faced off against the beast. But just then, another fenrir came charging in from the opposite direction.
“Eeeek!” I cried out, curling into a ball as I squeezed my eyes shut.
It’s okay, I told myself, I’m a saint. All I have to do is cast healing magic as soon as it bites me. It’s just going to hurt a little—okay, maybe a lot.
I braced myself for the moment when I’d be bitten, but the pain never came. Instead, I heard the sound of fabric tearing. Realizing this couldn’t be good, I opened my eyes and saw Sirius standing in front of me—and a fenrir ripping into his uniform.
“Nooo!” I gasped.
When I’d last seen Sirius, he’d been a considerable distance away. He must’ve sensed I was in danger and come running. It looked like he had cut it pretty close, as the fenrir’s claws had torn through his clothes.
As I watched his shirt tear apart and pieces of fabric flutter into the air, I felt a scream welling up in my throat. But just then, a flash of light erupted along with a sharp crack, and the fenrir was sent flying backward.
“Huh?” I blinked, totally confused. What just happened? But then I remembered—Sirius! He was the most important thing right now. I grabbed at what was left of his knight uniform and shouted out his name.
I wondered if his chest had been slashed because he protected me. Fenrirs had sharp claws, so if they hit you in just the right spot, the wounds could be fatal. All the blood drained from my face as I realized this. I was just about to cast healing magic on him when, out of nowhere, another fenrir came charging straight at me.
Sirius parried its fangs with his sword and said to me in a calm voice, “I’m all right, Serafina. The moment its claws struck, some kind of protective magic activated and shielded me! My clothes may have been torn, but I’m physically fine.”
“What?!”
Was that really possible? I was surprised, as I’d never heard of this phenomenon before, but that might explain the flash of light and the cracking sound I’d witnessed earlier. Sirius’s movements were fluid, and the skin that peeked out from his torn clothes didn’t appear to be harmed in the slightest.
Well, I guess there are kinds of magic out there that I don’t know about, I thought to myself, impressed.
Just then, Mirach and Canopus made it back to me.
“Vice-Commander Sirius, we’re so sorry!!” Mirach cried.
“We swear not to let the fenrir get close to Princess Serafina again!!” Canopus added.
Both of their faces were full of remorse. They seemed to be in great distress that I’d been put in danger, even though it was completely out of their control. Sirius picked up on their regret and quickly responded to lighten the mood.
“I leave her in your hands!”
“Yes, sir!” both of my knights chorused.
After quickly disposing the fenrir in front of him by slicing straight through it, Sirius hurried off, leaving me in my knights’ care. I hoped they understood that it was his way of showing he trusted them.
Sirius is just amazing, I thought to myself, overwhelmed with awe. I was sure he wanted to personally remain by my side, but he was able to suppress those feelings and entrust the knights with keeping me safe.
“He’s such a great leader,” I murmured, my respect for him growing even more. As I scanned the battlefield, I wondered if there was anything else I could do to help him out.
***
Led by Sirius and Commander Wezen, it didn’t take very long for the knights to dispatch the pack of about thirty fenrirs. Although the battle itself went relatively smoothly, the biggest issue came when my brother Rigel was bitten on the elbow. I’d left the healing of my brothers to the saints who were with them, so I only realized he’d been injured, when he let out a blood-curdling scream.
It seemed like it was taking a while to heal, so I wondered if I should help out even though it wasn’t really my responsibility. But before I could make up my mind, the saints teamed up and took care of it themselves.
“Overdramatic much?” Fackt muttered under his breath. I glanced up and saw him carefully untangling my hair with both hands. Just moments before, I had stepped back to stay out of the way when my hair got caught in a tree branch. In a panic, I’d started yanking at it, but Fackt noticed and quickly came over to gently help free me.
That happened around the time Rigel’s elbow got hurt, so it felt like Fackt’s earlier declaration was eerily spot-on. If I was remembering it right, he’d said, “Princess Serafina, our primary objective is to protect you. Given the choice to save the princes’ arms or your hair from being cut off, I would most certainly choose the latter.”
Hmm, is that really okay? I thought. I still wasn’t totally sure about it.
But even if the knights’ actions were somewhat questionable, their bravery wasn’t up for debate. In fact, the group had ended up defeating nearly half of the thirty monsters. Apparently, that made the rest of the fenrirs start to rethink their decision to fight, and partway through the battle they began looking for openings that would allow them to escape back to their dens.
As the goal of today’s mission wasn’t to cull their numbers, the knights sheathed their swords and didn’t offer chase. To start with, fenrir nests had multiple entrances and exits, so it was meaningless to follow them deep inside; it was highly likely that they’d just escape, and all your effort would be for naught. Commander Wezen was well aware of this, so he gave the signal to call off the battle and halt any further pursuit.
Just as I was breathing a sigh of relief that the fighting was finally over, Sirius came over and gently patted my head. Then, he looked at my brothers and said, “You all did very well for your first real battle. The heroes of the day are Vega, Capella, and Rigel.”
The corpses of several fenrirs lay scattered around my brothers. Even if it was thanks to the help of the other knights, they’d still managed to participate in the battle and slay some of their foes. After receiving protection for so long, they had finally fought as knights for the first time—guarding all the saints, including myself. This was likely their first true day as knights.
“You’re all so amazing!” I gushed at my brothers, clapping frantically. “Absolutely splendid knights!!”
But in response to my praise they fixed me with stern expressions, like there was something they needed to say to me.
“Serafina, what on earth was that magic you used?!” Vega asked in a biting tone.
“Saint magic!” I responded earnestly.
“Liar!” This time it was Capella who shot back instantly. “I’ve never heard of a saint who can make knights physically stronger!!”
But I repeated myself, this time with even more confidence. “I’m a saint, so of course all the magic I use is ‘saint magic’!”
“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard! You’re not even a saint to begin with!!” Rigel scoffed.
But I held up my chest proudly and rebutted, “No, I am a saint.”
Unfortunately for me, by that point, Seven had already flown off, so there was no way for me to prove my claim, and since I’d left my brothers’ healing up to the other saints, it would be even harder to get them to believe me. I looked to the knights of the royal guard to see if they might back me up.
It was Scheat who spoke up first. “Princess, I agree with Prince Rigel. According to your reasoning, all the magic you use would be considered ‘saint magic,’ but the truth is, no other saints are capable of doing what you do. To be more precise, what you wield is ‘Princess Serafina’s original magic.’”
Ugh, he’s not helping my case, I groaned internally, but I doubled down on my argument without any hesitation.
“You’re wrong! Any saint could use the magic I do!”
It’s not like I’d developed the magic I cast; it was something that the spirits had taught me as “saint magic.” It would be disrespectful to the spirits to call it my original magic, not to mention pretentious. However, no one seemed to agree with my opinion. In fact, they were all eyeing me warily.
A silence fell over the group until Canopus broke it.
“Even if, for the sake of argument, the other saints were able to use the same magic as you, I believe it would require about one hundred years of practice.”
Now that was a silly remark if I ever heard one; I had to correct him immediately.
“Well, I know I might seem older because I’m so composed, but I’m not that old! No way the other saints would take that long to learn the magic. I bet they could do it in just three years!”
Another long silence followed.
“Thank you for that explanation,” Fackt finally said as he pushed his glasses up.
Hmph. Even I could tell they were getting to the point where dealing with me was becoming a hassle, so they were trying to wrap things up. I was a bit annoyed by that realization when my brothers started jumping down my throat again.
“Serafina, stop going off topic with nonsense! How are you able to use that magic in the first place?!”
“Because the spirits taught it to me. The one I made a pact with is really kind and a great teacher.”
“A spirit taught you?! How can someone teach you when you’re unable to communicate with them?! Enough with these ridiculous stories! You’re not fooling anyone!!”
What was I supposed to do? They didn’t believe me at all, even though I was being completely honest.
Seeing that I was in a bind, Commander Wezen stepped into the conversation.
“Your Highnesses, this is still a forest inhabited by monsters, so how about we discuss any further details once we’ve returned to castle. By the way, did you happen to spot the dark-colored fenrir?”
My brothers nodded in agreement with Commander Wezen’s reasonable suggestion before answering.
“No, we didn’t see anything like that.”
“Right. We thought a darker-colored one might show up since there was such a big commotion, but we didn’t see hide nor hair of it.”
“If it’s not here, then it’s likely that the rumors about a black fenrir are just that—all talk.”
A black fenrir? Could that mean they were talking about Ludo? But before my mind could process the situation any further, Canopus leaned over and whispered in my ear.
“Princess Serafina, I don’t think it would be wise to mention that puppy.”
“That puppy”? He had to be talking about Ludo, the black fenrir, right?
“Why not?” I whispered back.
“I believe I’ve figured out Vice-Commander Sirius’s plan. This fenrir hunt must have had two main goals: one, to give the princes some hands-on battle experience, and the other, to squash the gossip about a ‘black fenrir’ that has been circulating lately.”
“What? There are rumors like that?!”
I’d told Ludo to keep a low profile, but that little troublemaker must’ve gone and shown himself to others anyway.
“Right. If word spread that the princess was keeping a black fenrir, it would be quite unfavorable for you. The vice-commander probably used the princes to make everyone start believing the rumors were unfounded.”
Wow, Sirius sure was doing a lot of scheming behind the scenes for my sake.
Almost as if to confirm my hunch, Sirius nodded approvingly at what my brothers had told him.
“I see. So it was all just talk, was it? Wow, you reached such a conclusion on your own. Very impressive.”
I got the feeling Sirius was trying to my praise my brothers, but his delivery was completely flat. From the way that Commander Wezen and the other knights were staring at him in stunned silence, it was plain to see they all considered Sirius to be a terrible actor. But my brothers still looked pleased with his compliment, so I guess the three of them were oblivious to the poor performance.
Now that the matter was settled and everyone had calmed down from the battle, I skipped over to my brothers’ side.
“You were all so strong!” I cooed. “I’ll use my magic for you whenever you need it, okay?”
My brothers seemed to enjoy any kind of compliment, no matter who was giving it, so they proudly crossed their arms and nodded haughtily.
“Fine, if you’re that insistent, we’ll allow you to come monster hunting with us.”
Their attitudes caused the knights of the royal guard to sneer in disgust, but I couldn’t contain my smile.
Yippee, hooray! I cheered in my mind. Going on a hunt with them would be a good chance to get to know them a little better.
Sirius must have read my expression like an open book because he came over with a grin and said, “Good for you.”
“Yup!” I beamed back at him.
I was supposed to be in the forest looking for the Galle Gold Leaf, but I’d ended up running into my brothers and Sirius instead. I couldn’t help but smile at the thought that it had given me the chance to get a little closer to them.
I was happy that Sirius was happy for me, so I wrapped my arms around him and gave him a tight squeeze.
Verifying the Galle Gold Leaf
Verifying the Galle Gold Leaf
AS I WAS GETTING READY to head back with the others after the battle, the knights of the First Knight Brigade came up to me and bowed.
“Princess Serafina, we’re very grateful for your help!!”
“Huh?”
They seemed to be confused, so I’d need to set things straight.
“Um, sorry, but I wasn’t the one who was healing you, that was the saints over there.”
I corrected their misunderstanding, since I figured the knights were so preoccupied with fighting the monsters that they didn’t realize who’d healed them. However, Lukbar and the other members of the First Knight Brigade deeply bowed before me once more.
“We are aware of that,” he said. “Thank you very much!!”
With that, the group of knights turned around and headed back to where my brothers were, leaving me confused.
“Why would they thank me?” I mumbled to myself. “If it’s not for the healing magic, is it for the enhancement magic I cast on them at the start of the battle? They’re very polite…”
The knights around me heard my murmurs and sighed overdramatically.
“You don’t get what it’s like to be a knight, Princess!”
“In battle, we strive to be as strong as possible, both to safeguard our own lives and to protect others. They were expressing their gratitude for your role in making that strength possible.”
They were right. I wasn’t a knight. I nodded, acknowledging that it would be hard for me to understand how they felt.
My brothers said they would return home first with their saints and the members of the First Knight Brigade. After seeing them off, and making sure they were out of earshot, Commander Wezen’s expression twisted into a smirk.
“The princes seem slightly more befitting of their titles now. Looks like the extreme methods did the trick,” he chortled as he lightly rapped Sirius on the shoulder. “And with one hundred bottles of the finest wine thrown in, I’d say I’ve earned more than my fair share. I’m truly content.”
Sirius silently cast a frosty glare at Commander Wezen. It looked like the commander had come out on top in their wager about who could defeat more fenrirs.
“Wow! It’s amazing that Commander Wezen beat you, Sirius!” I said, surprised.
“This happens all the time. Despite his appearance, Commander Wezen can be quite childish. Once he makes a bet, he does everything in his power to emerge victorious,” one of the knights murmured in my ear.
“Vice-Commander Sirius always keeps the full picture in mind, so he can stay in control of everything even when he’s competing. He assists the princes, gives us orders, comes to your aid, and so on.”
“Of course, Commander Wezen can also see the big picture, but when he’s in a competition, he hands the reins over to the vice-commander and goes all in to win the bet. The vice-commander believes he can beat the commander while also managing everything, so although he takes charge in many ways, he always happens to fall just short.”
Hmm, so that’s how it was. If you were going to sort them into different categories, you’d probably put Father and Commander Wezen in the same group, and Sirius all alone in another.
After hearing yet another example about just how responsible and hardworking Sirius was, I ran over to him.
“Sirius! Would you mind leaning over? I want to see your chest.” I couldn’t help but ask about the thing that had been bothering me for a while.
Sirius obliged and lowered himself to a position where I could carefully examine his chest. He’d been clawed by a fenrir during the fight but had told me that some kind of protective spell had been triggered, allowing him to remain unharmed. I didn’t cast any healing magic since there was no visible injury, but I wondered what was really going on.
I took a peek under his clothes. His uniform and the undershirt below were torn to shreds, but I couldn’t see a single scratch on his body.
“Whatever could be going on?” I mused, before being struck by an epiphany. “I know! Scheat, is this what you meant by ‘muscle reigns supreme’?”
I thought I’d stumbled onto a revelation, but the knights emphatically shook their heads and chorused a resounding “No!!” Looks like they were all on the same page, at least.
Sirius wordlessly reached into the breast pocket of his shirt and pulled out a handkerchief that I recognized.
“Oh!” I gasped, “That’s…”
As he spread it open, strangely enough, not a single thread was frayed.
“Why is the handkerchief perfectly fine when your breast pocket got all ripped up?” I wondered as the knights who were standing behind us voiced their own curiosities.
“For a handkerchief belonging to the vice-commander of the renowned knights’ order, I must say it is certainly unusual.”
“Check out the embroidery of an obese bear with broken bones. That’s certainly a unique choice. The threads are all also tangled up into bulges in some parts. I dare say that even something handmade by a child would be better quality than this.”
“M-made by a child, you say? Uh, p-perhaps this is your handiwork, Princess? A-aren’t you studying high-level embroidery under one of the best tutors in the country?!”
Why were they more concerned with the handkerchief’s embroidery rather than the fact that it didn’t get torn to shreds like Sirius’s shirt? My knights sure weren’t an inquisitive bunch.
I shot the knights a pointed look, feeling a little miffed by how much they’d criticized my work.
“Funny thing, that ‘best tutor in the country’ you mentioned was full of praise for my masterpiece! And that’s not an obese bear—it’s Sirius, the greatest knight of all! I poured all my hopes and dreams into this!!”
“Whaaaat?!”
“B-but look at how bloated the bear—er, Vice-Commander Sirius’s stomach is!”
“Is he the type who can pull off hiding it under his clothes?” The knights stared at Sirius’s belly in disbelief, but of course that wasn’t the case.
Sirius didn’t respond to the knights’ fussing, squinting a little as though he were deep in thought, “Rare magical swords and shields do exist, but they’re incredibly scarce. Most of them are stored in the royal treasure chamber, so few people know of them. However, those are all ancient items. The real question is whether it’s plausible to think that this handkerchief contains similar magic.”
His conclusion seemed incredibly overdramatic to me.
“Huh?” I said, unable to hide my surprise. “All I did was make a handkerchief out of the materials my tutor gave me.”
“I see. I’ll be sure to confirm that the cloth and thread you used didn’t have any special properties,” he said, gently ruffling my hair. “I don’t have the full picture of what happened since it occurred during the battle, but there’s no doubt that magic was involved. Since this handkerchief is the only thing that remained intact, I’ll assume it’s what triggered the spell and proceed with my investigation. Regardless, Serafina, you saved me.”
“That’s not true! I didn’t even cast any healing magic.”
“It’s all the more impressive that you didn’t need to.”
A straightforward compliment from Sirius was all it took to make me smile.
I nodded along in response, “Heh! If my handkerchief really is behind what happened, maybe I should make ten more!”
But Sirius’s lighthearted expression immediately disappeared, and he said in a serious tone, “If you’re going to sew candy into the handkerchief, I’d suggest waiting until after summer. For now, how about we focus on the investigation and forget about handkerchiefs all together.”
“Really?” After considering his words, I nodded, deciding to put off giving him anymore embroidered handkerchiefs for now.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Mirach staring anxiously into the distance. This caused me to recall the whole point of coming to this forest in the first place.
I gasped, “That’s right! Sirius, hang on a moment, okay?”
I grabbed Mirach’s hand as I called out, dragging him with me to the spot where I’d seen the golden plant earlier. As we got closer, I could see the plant glittering in the sunlight.
This could be the Galle Gold Leaf we’re looking for! I thought, my heart starting to pound as I came to a stop right in front of it. But when I got a better look, I could see that the leaves weren’t gold but yellow.
As I stared at the plant without blinking, wondering if it was the wrong one, Mirach plucked one leaf from it as he stood by my side.
“Unfortunately, this isn’t the Galle Gold Leaf. The leaves aren’t golden, and this isn’t the right shape.”
“…You’re right, Mirach. This isn’t even the right type of plant.” I could tell at a glance that the yellow leaf he’d handed over to me wasn’t from a medicinal herb.
I glanced down at the yellowish leaf, feeling utterly defeated. I’d gotten my hopes up because the information had come from the Saint Knight Brigade, but this wasn’t the Galle Gold Leaf. It was going to take some time, but it seemed like the only option was for me to grow it myself.
Though I was disappointed, Mirach seemed even more disheartened than I was, so I began searching for something comforting to say. But before I could even speak, the other knights stepped in and started calling out words to encourage him.
“Keep your chin up, Mirach! Grass grows everywhere! The type you’re after is bound to be out there somewhere!”
“Scheat’s right! A golden plant would stand out for sure, so you’ll find it in no time! We’ll also keep an eye out whenever we venture into forests or woodlands.”
Following Scheat and Miaplacidus, Fackt pushed his glasses all the way up as he chimed in, “Don’t worry. As long as I wear these glasses, I can clearly see objects in the distance. I’ll be sure to grab anything that has golden leaves whenever I come across it.”
Canopus finished up with an expressionless nod, “I may not know much about plants, but I’ve seen the Galle herbs every day, as the princess tends to them. I know exactly what they look like, so if I come across any, I’ll be sure to gather them.”
This was quite the surprising sight—it wasn’t common for all the knights to come together and comfort one of their own.
Still, I was struck by how Mirach managed to remain so cool and nonchalant.
“You must be way more upset than me, but it’s not showing on your face at all, Mirach.”
“Honestly, I’m not as disappointed as you might think. I’m really touched by how much you and the other knights have done for me, so I have no reason to feel down.”
“Really?” I asked, wondering if that was actually the case.
Mirach looked back with a smile, “Recovering the lost herbs has always been a dream for my village. It’s where I grew up, so it’s only natural for me to hope the Galle Gold Leaf will one day be found. Since this tip came from the vice-captain of the Saint Knight Brigade, I did get my hopes up. That’s why, as soon as I realized it wasn’t what I was looking for, I felt even more let down than usual.”
Well, that went without saying.
“However, more than anything, my happiness has taken over, so the emotion I feel most strongly is joy.”
“Why are you so happy, Mirach?” I asked, confused.
An odd grin crossed Mirach’s face as he chuckled, “Princess, the fact that you don’t understand is exactly what shows how truly good-hearted you and the others are. Even if I had found the Galle Gold Leaf, it wouldn’t have benefited any of you. Yet, all of you came out here without a single complaint. Even when we were attacked by monsters and our lives were at risk, no one protested. And when I couldn’t find the herbs I was looking for, I was offered comfort instead of being subjected to complaints. Anyone would be touched by kindness like that.”
Hearing Mirach’s gratitude-filled speech, the knights flinched in surprise.
“How can you say something like that?! You and the princess are the only ones who blurt out your thoughts so openly! At twenty-three, your honesty is like that of a six-year-old!”
“Scheat’s right! Don’t go around with your heart on your sleeve! Helping you look for herbs is hardly something to make a fuss about!”
Watching Scheat and Miaplacidus flush with embarrassment as they scolded Mirach, it was pretty easy to understand that they were both feeling bashful about this.
Ooh! That gave me the inspiration for a proverb from yours truly.
“‘Octopus or squid, they both turn red’!”
“…What did you just say?”
“Princess?”
Scheat and Miaplacidus looked dumbfounded as I explained with a smile, “I just came up with the perfect proverb for you two: ‘Octopus or squid, they both turn red.’ It means two people who might seem completely different on the outside are actually very alike—especially when it comes to blushing easily!”
“Princess, you do know those creatures only turn red when they’re dead and being cooked, right?”
“I don’t know which of us is the octopus and which is the squid, but either way, it’s not a very flattering comparison.”
Hearing their responses, I crossed my arms and thought, Hmm, coming up with proverbs is tougher than I thought.
We continued chatting as we made our way home, with Sirius and Commander Wezen accompanying us.
***
A few hours later, after we’d returned to the castle and were about to part ways, one of the knights dashed straight toward our group. He cut right in front of me, only stopping when he’d reached Scheat and was able to fire off several complaints to him directly.
“Scheat! You were supposed to go on the inspection today! But at the last minute, you informed us you’d be taking on a different task, so a knight who’d already requested time off was dragged back on duty!”
It was Sador, the knight who I’d seen arguing with Mirach a while back.
“I’m sorry,” Scheat said, looking like he truly meant it. “Do you know who they asked to go in my place? I’ll apologize to him directly.”
However, Mirach cut in before the conversation could continue any further.
“This is my fault; I’m the one who changed Scheat’s plans. The princess decided to head to Starfall Forest, and I needed more men to accompany her. I truly apologize.”
Sador shot Mirach a resentful glare before snapping, “This is between me and Scheat! It has nothing to do with you! He completely bailed on a scheduled task without any kind of warning or explanation. I’m not going to let it slide just because you’ve got some weak excuse for why it happened!!”
“That’s not what I—” Mirach started to say something in protest, but Scheat took a step forward and rested a hand on Sador’s shoulder.
“Sador, you’re absolutely right. You should be mad, and I need to improve my communication skills. How does an early dinner sound? I’m sure there’s a lot more you have to say, so let’s go somewhere we can sit down and eat.”
Having skillfully navigated the flow of conversation, Scheat and Sador started off for the canteen.
Seeing Mirach watch them walk away with a look of clear annoyance reminded me of the quarrel I’d witnessed him and Sador having the other day. Not to mention that Mirach and Canopus also got into an argument, causing me to worry about what was going on. Thankfully, Canopus kindly took the time to explain everything to me.
“Sador has been late three days in a row, including today, so Mirach was scolding him. Up until now there have been no problems with his work conduct, and he had a good reputation in his previous position. I was going to ask if there was a reason for his tardiness, but Mirach prevented me from doing so, and the two of us subsequently had a disagreement.”
Then, Mirach also chimed in with a tense expression, “The rules are meant to be followed. It’s easy to make exceptions, but that doesn’t demonstrate dedication to one’s work.”
Hearing what they had to say, I remembered thinking, “That’s a reasonable point, but there are many things in the world that are unavoidable, no matter how dedicated you are to your work, and perhaps Sador found himself in a helpless situation.”
Now, Mirach was being put in Sador’s shoes, but since the blame wasn’t falling on him, and instead on Scheat, he likely felt a strong sense of guilt over it.
I glanced back at Canopus for guidance, but he quietly shook his head, signaling that I should just let Mirach be.
I started to walk away, but something in me didn’t want to leave things like that. I went back over to Mirach once more and said, “The head chef said today’s snack is a ‘Mega Pudding,’ I’m not sure I can finish it alone, so how about we share it later?”
Seeing him nod in agreement filled me with relief.
I think everything’s going to be okay now, I murmured to myself. After all, there wasn’t much in the world that eating something sweet couldn’t fix.
Saintly Aims
Saintly Aims
MY BROTHERS DIDN’T SHOW UP for dinner that evening. It was just me, Father, Mother, Shaula, and Sirius.
I’m not sure if that had anything to do with it, but Commander Wezen and Sirius headed straight to their office as soon as we got back to the castle. Maybe they were talking to my brothers? I wondered as I silently ate my favorite bread.
“Serafina,” Father said, his face etched with concern as he gazed at me, “I heard you helped your three brothers today.”
Wow. News sure did travel fast! That more or less confirmed that they’d been talking about everything in the office.
“Nuh-uh,” I shook my head from side to side as I answered. “The ones that actually saved them were the knights. You chose a fantastic group of them, Father. They were all very strong.”
“Goodness gracious! Wherever did you learn to be so humble at the tender age of six?!”
“Humble…?” I repeated, unfamiliar with the word’s meaning.
Seeing my confusion, Father’s face took on a pensive look.
“It’s a quality that your brothers lack. They also said that you were quite strong, Serafina.”
Yep, so Father had definitely talked with them about the day’s events.
“What’s that?” Mother chimed in, sounding rather surprised. “Those three boys praised someone other than themselves?”
“At least, that was my interpretation of what they told me,” Father replied.
I can guess that, taken at face value, what they said probably wasn’t very nice.
“Wow! Receiving a compliment from our big brothers?! You’re such a fine saint despite still being so young, Serafina!”
Seeing how genuinely happy my older sister, Shaula, looked for me, a pit began to form in my stomach. I had to come clean.
“I don’t think so,” I protested. “My bind spell wasn’t strong enough to capture all the monsters, and even though Rigel got hurt, I didn’t notice it immediately. I need to try and be an even better saint!”
“What? You’re setting your sights even higher?” Shaula’s eyes widened as if I’d said something truly mind-boggling.
Then Father, in a tone much more serious than usual, asked, “Is that what you really want to do?”
“Yup! I’m going to become a wonderful saint who can protect Sirius and all the knights!”
“Serafina,” Father continued, “I do recall you telling me you wanted to be a combat saint, but I thought that was still a long way off. I only just gave you permission to go into the battlefield with Sirius the other day. I didn’t expect an opportunity for that to become a reality to present itself so soon.”
“We just so happened to fight together today.”
“Yes, and the fact that you were able to jump right in is what’s so unusual. Not to mention, both Sirius and Wezen reported that you performed your duties as a saint admirably.”
I could imagine Sirius saying that, but Commander Wezen had spent most of his time hunting down monsters with little attention on me. Could he really have seen what I did?
I tilted my head confused, as Father sighed, his expression pained.
“This is troubling. If others start to believe that Serafina is a saint capable of fighting on the battlefield, everyone will expect her to take on that role when the situation arises. But she’s only six years old—far too young to be sent into battle. Still, if there are no other saints present, they’ll likely turn to her for that responsibility.”
Fathered drummed his fingers rhythmically on the table.
“If that’s the case…should I be having her train more seriously as a saint?”
To be fair, Father’s concerns were justified. If I were trained to avoid getting injured on the battlefield, my skills as a saint would improve. If everyone started to recognize my abilities, that would then lead to more opportunities for me to be sent into battle. Which for me, that would be a dream come true. I wanted to become an excellent saint who could protect Sirius as soon as possible.
I set the bread I had been eating back on my plate and stood up, pushing my chair back with a loud clatter.
“Father, you once said that you wanted to raise me as a princess who gets everything her heart desires, right? But I’d rather be a saint and save everyone than be pampered as a princess! For me, hearing ‘You’re a saint who saved many lives’ would be far more meaningful than ‘You’re a lovely princess.’”
Father’s expression faltered as I confessed the secret wish I had kept locked away in my heart for so long.
“Serafina!”
I knew this probably wasn’t the best topic to bring up over dinner, but the momentum was already on my side, and I couldn’t stop myself. I clasped my hands together and bowed my head.
“Please, Father! I’d rather train to be a great saint than study to be a great princess!”
“Th-that’s…” Father seemed to be at a loss for words, but I stared at him with pleading eyes, hoping to get my feelings across.
As I was doing that, Shaula looked back and forth between Father and me, then spoke up in a genuinely confused tone, “I’m a saint too, you know. That’s why I train twice a week. The captain of the Saint Knight Brigade even said that with only this much training, I’ll have all the skills I need to become a perfectly good saint. Serafina, since you and I both have red hair, we have the potential. You don’t need to work so hard—you can be a great saint even without pushing yourself so hard.”
“Shaula…” I murmured.
My big sister wasn’t wrong. Just like with sewing or learning a foreign language, training twice a week was probably all it would take to become a respectable saint.
“Still, since you are a princess, when you get a little older, you’ll have to go to things like tea parties, fancy events, and take trips abroad. At those kinds of places, it’s all about showing off how ladylike you are, but in a subtle way, such as throwing in Arteagian words when you speak, or quoting some old poems, just to show everyone how smart and refined you are.”
In other words, I needed to study to the point where I could casually speak some Arteagian or quote old poems without making a fool of myself as a princess.
“You’re a princess, so it’s not like you can ditch those responsibilities altogether,” Shaula continued. “If you only focus on saint training and ignore your princess lessons, you’ll end up embarrassing yourself in the future. You should balance things out and put more effort into your studies as a princess.”
It was probably true that my manners as a princess weren’t very good. I recalled all the times my brothers teased me for my poor etiquette. Sirius always got cross with them when they went too far, but they were just speaking their minds.
“It might sound dull and tedious, but all those little things add up, and then people start saying stuff like, ‘Oh, that princess is really well educated.’ Before you know it, your marriage prospects go through the roof.”
After stating that, Shaula looked at our mother as though she was seeking her support. “Mother, don’t you suppose Serafina’s saying all this because she hasn’t had enough fun experiences as a princess?”
“Huh?” I responded, thinking that I’d had plenty of good times with Seven and the knights.
Shaula stroked both the shoulders of the dress she was wearing, “Wearing pretty dresses is so much fun. And it’s also enjoyable to go to a grand theater and watch a play from an excellent seat. When royalty attends, the actors make small changes in their performance and say lines just for us. It’s such a thrilling spectacle.”
“Oh, really?” I nodded thoughtfully; I’d never experienced any of the things that Shaula was describing.
“You’re only six, Serafina. There’s still so much that you don’t know. If you focus on your education as a princess, your life will definitely be filled with fun!”
I felt like I understood what she was trying to say, and I also knew she was saying it for my own good. Wearing pretty dresses, eating delicious food, and watching a special performance all sounded like a splendid time. It would also be nice to have the right manners and education so people would fawn over you with compliments like “You’re magnificent!” or “How wonderful!”
But if Sirius and the knights got hurt while I was having a good time, I’d probably feel so bad that all that happiness and enjoyment would just disappear.
It felt like everyone in the room wanted me to be a proper princess who was respected by others, so saying anything that went against that felt daunting. But I took a deep breath, mustered up my courage, and finally replied, “I…don’t desire to be a perfect princess. I’ll study as best I can because I don’t want to embarrass Father or Mother, but I don’t need anyone to praise me for being a good princess.”
“Serafina…”
Seeing how bewildered Father, Mother, and Shaula looked, I realized that I was causing a lot of trouble for them, and I immediately felt apologetic for being so selfish. But I was also so overwhelmed with my desire to become a saint that I was only doing what felt right for me. I hung my head, unable to bear looking them in the eye.
No one said anything after that, and the silence hung heavily in the air, only interrupted by the sound of a chair scraping against the floor.
Steady footsteps walked in my direction until someone was standing right behind me.
Still unable to lift my head, I suddenly felt hands reach out from behind and gently rest on my shoulders.
“Your Majesties, Serafina is blessed to have been born your child.”
I recognized Sirius’s voice coming from behind me. So he was the one standing there. My heart soared at the realization he was on my side.
“Please allow Serafina to do as she pleases so that she can become even happier.”
Sirius’s words were so supportive, and when I heard his deep voice, it made my chest feel all tingly. His warmth from his hands made my shoulders, which had been a little chilly, feel all cozy. The heat from his touch soon spread throughout my entire body.
***
“Sirius, you can frame it as making her happy if you want, but even if she wishes for it, I don’t want to force her down a path that I know will be full of hardship. Yes, I did once agree to Serafina becoming a saint and participating in battle, but I never imagined she would want to become one at the expense of everything else.”
Father’s voice was strained, and I could tell he was clearly upset.
“I know all too well how hard it is to continuously keep fighting on the battlefield. I don’t want her to be burdened with such a life, especially at such a young age. And I absolutely don’t want there to ever be a chance that this adorable princess could be ridiculed by others for lacking a proper education. No matter how exceptional Serafina may be as a saint, the nobles will measure her worth as a princess on her manners alone.”
When I finally looked up, Father was holding his head in his hands, his face contorted with anguish.
“I really don’t know if it’s in Serafina’s best interest to let her walk the path she desires.”
Oh dear. I hadn’t wanted to worry or upset Father, yet here he was, worried and upset all the same. Judging by his reaction, maybe what I wanted was too extreme. It seemed I’d need to live as a princess and just be a saint in my spare time.
I was wondering if it would be better to retract my previous statement in order not to trouble Father any further when Mother, who’d been quiet this whole time, finally spoke.
“My lord, may I? We’re married, as you well know. But my family was against this marriage from the moment you started courting me.”
I wasn’t sure why Mother suddenly started talking about the past, but it made Father drop the glass he was holding onto the table, visibly shaken.
“D-Dear, why would you bring that up now, of all times? You may not realize it, but I’m in total shock right now. If I’m pushed any further, I might just break down in tears.”
Father, looking like he might cry at any moment, picked up the glass—now empty after its contents had spilled—and turned to face Mother. But she gave him a dismissive glance and continued speaking.
“That pales to the shock my family experienced back in the day.”
“H-how could you say that?” Father whined, his eyes starting to well up with tears.
Mother merely gave him a cold and detached look. “As you know, you can be quite unstable and frivolous. Also, I was on the verge of being engaged to someone else at the time. My family was only a count’s house, and our social standing was far too low to marry into the royal family. My family opposed the match, arguing that there was no reason for me to marry into a situation where I would face so much hardship, especially when it was clear how difficult things would be.”
“Gaaah! It’s all coming back so clearly now! Despite my unwavering devotion and countless visits to the count’s manor, they never once allowed me to meet with you, though I was always treated courteously. It wasn’t until I had dealings with your family that I truly understood the meaning of the term ‘lip service.’”
Father grabbed his head in hands as if it was throbbing in pain, but Mother just gave him a cool nod.
“I had absolutely no intention of marrying you, so my family was being respectful of how I felt. But one day, my feelings took a complete turn, and I found myself thinking, ‘It’s my duty to protect the king.’”
Now that Mother had reached the part of her story where she’d finally accepted him, Father’s eyes lit up with glee.
“Yippee! That’s the happiest thing that’s ever happened in my life!”
“However,” Mother kept going, “my family continued to be against it. In their eyes, my decision was an incorrect one that would result in unhappiness. More than twenty years have passed since then.”
Mother gazed at Father with an intense, steady look, making him tremble slightly with visible unease. Watching him, Mother couldn’t help but let out a small, almost imperceptible smile.
“I’ve never once regretted marrying the king. Looking back, there were moments filled with pain and sorrow, but even in the midst of them, I never questioned my decision.”
“My queen…” Father trailed off, his voice heavy with awe. Mother gave him a gentle smile in response.
“I could have married into a lesser noble family and lived a peaceful life, one that others might consider happy and content. But had I taken that path, I doubt I would have ever felt truly satisfied or known true happiness. At the very least, I can confidently say that nothing could have been better than this life.”
Perhaps feeling relieved by Mother’s attitude, Father smiled broadly and nodded his agreement.
“Why yes! I completely understand! After all, your husband is quite the fine—”
“My lord.”
At that brief reprimand, Father immediately fell silent. It was, no doubt, the result of years of married life. But stubborn as ever, Father tried once again to emphasize what a respectable man he was.
“I only spoke the truth! But I suppose that’s not quite the point the queen was trying to make…”
After a moment of thought, he finally slapped his knee sharply, as if he’d reached a decision.
“All right! I’ve made up my mind! If this is really what Serafina wants, I’ll support her as her father. After all, I always want my adorable little Serafina to be smiling.”
My eyes went wide in surprise at his sudden change of heart.
“What?!” I exclaimed.
Father let out a sigh of resignation, “You are your mother’s daughter, after all. You surely have a tough side, one where hardship doesn’t get to you and keeps you steady no matter what.”
“Serafina,” he continued, giving me a grave nod, “I will grant your wish. If you truly want to step onto the front lines right away, and it seems likely that such an opportunity will arise, I will increase your training as a saint to ensure you don’t get injured. You may prioritize it over all your other studies.”
“Father!”
But his expression tensed up when I exclaimed with pure joy.
“However, Serafina, this is a temporary arrangement. The queen decided to marry me at nineteen, an age when she had already developed sound judgment and common sense, so her situation was very different from that of a six-year-old. As you gain more knowledge and experience, your perspective may change. So, when that happens, come to me right away. I will help you transition to life as a princess.”
Although Father was talking to me, he was also looking at Sirius, especially toward the end. Maybe it was something he wanted Sirius to be aware of too?
“Also, one more thing. Since Serafina is only spending time around knights, it’s true that her understanding of high-society life is very limited. From now on, I’d like her to accompany the queen or Shaula to somewhere befitting of royalty once a week.”
At that, both Mother and Shaula smiled happily.
“Oh, that sounds like such fun.”
“Oh, wow! How wonderful! Serafina, let’s visit lots of places together.”
I nodded back, though a bit confused, since Father had slumped onto the table, and let out a loud sigh.
His voice sounded as though the world were ending. “Still, am I really okay with making this decision? I’d weep if my adorable Serafina was ever ridiculed!”
“I’m here to make sure that never happens.”
Father slightly lifted his head from the table, glaring at Sirius as his voice bristled. “Hah! We’re relying on the flawless assistance of Duke Ulysses, are we?” Then, Father’s voice dropped, and each word that came out of his mouth felt heavy on my ears.“Sure, if you put your mind to it, there’s nothing you couldn’t accomplish with your capabilities. But I wouldn’t recommend wielding that power to its fullest.”
“I’ll…keep that in mind.”
Although it was still part of the same conversation, the shift in Father’s tone made it seem as if there was a hidden meaning to his words, but I couldn’t quite figure out what that might be.
The mood at the table returned to normal after that, so maybe I was just imagining things. I made the decision not to think about it anymore. When I saw that Mother and Father were intently discussing something, I glanced up at Sirius, who was still standing behind me.
“Hey, Sirius. Now I can do my princess studies in moderation and focus on training to be a saint!”
I couldn’t help but beam with delight, since I’d been able to receive Father’s permission. Now I could train to be a saint as much as I wanted and fight alongside everyone on the battlefield. Just thinking about it made my smile grow even wider, and Sirius returned my smile with a soft, fleeting one.
“I look forward to being in your care, my saint.”
“Of course, my knight!”
I was sure it would take a lot of training before I could join Sirius on the front lines. It probably wasn’t going to be an easy road ahead, but I couldn’t help but think it was a blessing to have people you wanted to protect and the ability to do so.
The Secret of the Galle Gold Leaf
The Secret of the Galle Gold Leaf
“OOH! It’s starting to change color!”
Seeing that the leaves of the Galle Red Leaf and Galle Blue Leaf I’d brought back with me from Galle Village three weeks ago were ever so slightly starting to change color, I couldn’t help but squeal in delight. The color wasn’t the only thing that had changed—the sprouts that had previously just reached my ankles were now fully towering over me. I thought it would take much longer until they were mature enough to harvest.
That was the main reason I’d gone looking for the Galle Gold Leaf in Starfall Forest two weeks earlier. While I didn’t come across any while I was out there, I decided to focus on trying to grow the plants in my garden myself. Interestingly, once I made the effort to cultivate them, they sprouted rather quickly. It only took about three weeks for them to go from tiny sprouts to fully mature plants ready for harvest.
“I wouldn’t have trekked all the way to the Starfall Forest if I’d known it’d be this quick,” I said as I watered the plants, my cheeks puffed out indignantly. Hearing my mutterings, Seven gave me a suspicious look.
“I dunno about that, Fi. You’re always up for a good time, so I bet you still would have gone to the forest even if you’d known that was the case.”
“Hmm…”
I couldn’t exactly deny what Seven said, so I attempted to respond in the most noncommittal way I could think of, hoping to shift the focus of the conversation.
“I’m just glad I had a plan B and that the Galle plants were so easy to grow. Thanks to that, it looks like they’ll be ready to harvest in just a few more days!”
Despite letting out an exasperated sigh, Seven peered intently at the leaves.
“These sure are interesting. I’ve never seen a plant before whose leaves changed in both color and medicinal properties as they grew.”
“Yup. Plus, they mature super fast!”
Seven shot me a glance.
“That’s because of how much magic you’ve got, Fi. The most unusual thing about this herb is that it absorbs a lot of its nutrients from magic. If any other saint besides you tried to cultivate it, well, it’d probably take closer to six months. And if you tried to grow it without magic, you’d be looking at about a year.”
“You really think so?” I questioned him in surprise.
Seven’s response was oddly affirmative. “I sure do. It’s just a little bit, but the leaves are slowly but surely turning gold. At this rate, I think it’s going to grow into a Galle Gold Leaf.”
His words made me so happy that I threw both hands into the air and kicked up one foot, “Abracadabra, alakazam… Galle Red Leaf change into Galle Gold Leaf, pleeeease!”
Seven joined me as soon as I started my prayer dance.
My eyes sparkled with delight as I watched him twirling and weaving through the sky.
“You’re so good at dancing!” I called out. “It’s definitely going to become Galle Gold Leaf now!”
“You better believe it! Now that I’ve done the prayer dance, it’s going to change, no doubt about it!”
Seeing how full of confidence Seven was, it really felt like his premonition was bound to come true. I couldn’t help but smile with joy, wondering if my lovely spirit had the ability to predict the future too.
***
A few days later, a small field of golden leaves shimmered before me. At last, it was time to harvest the Galle Gold Leaf. My eyes grew misty with emotion.
“Phew! It’s been a looong three weeks and two days, but the Galle Gold Leaf is finally ready to be picked! Still, I can’t believe I actually managed to grow it! Even though it eventually turned gold, I was nervous because I wasn’t sure how they would end up. I can’t wait to share this news with Mirach!”
The problem was, how was I going to get him to find out?
I could just drag him over and show it to him, but I figured it would be far more exciting for him if he discovered the field himself. With that in mind, I decided to organize some sort of event so that Mirach could “stumble upon” the Galle Gold Leaf on his own.
“I’m going to have him over for a tea party!” I exclaimed. “I can also take the chance to test how much Mirach knows about the Galle Gold Leaf.”
Since I kept coming up with ways of quizzing Mirach, I decided to have him come to my garden the next day.
I had a garden table and chairs with parasols set up under a large tree, and I was sitting on one of them while waiting for Mirach to arrive. I was smiling to myself, imagining how surprised he’d be when he noticed the Galle Gold Leaf, when I suddenly heard his voice call out from behind me.
“Princess Serafina, you summoned me?”
When I turned my head, I saw him running toward me. Grinning ear to ear, I stood up and pointed to his seat with one hand.
“Take a seat here, Mirach,” I declared. “Let’s have a tea party.”
“A tea party?” His expression immediately shifted to confusion. “Just you and me, Princess Serafina? What on earth is going on here?”
But I just smiled innocently at him in return.
“Heh heh. It’s going to be such a fun tea party.”
As soon as Mirach took his seat, the lady-in-waiting I’d had on standby approached and started preparing the tea. With absolutely no hints, my first little test had already begun.
The tea we were about to drink contained Galle Gold Leaf. I wondered if Mirach would notice. As I watched, my heart racing in my chest, he picked up the cup and brought it to his lips without even glancing at the tea.
“Thank you. This tea tastes especially delicious because I ran here,” Mirach said as he downed the whole cup in one go.
Huh? That’s not how you’re supposed to drink tea at a tea party, I thought.
Since he’d gulped it all down at once, it appeared that Mirach had no idea that he was drinking tea made from Galle Gold Leaf.
Aha! I remembered that Mirach mentioned the Galle Gold Leaf was stolen before he was born. It was highly possible he had no idea what the herb even tasted like. With that being the case, it seemed that I wouldn’t have any choice but to drop some hints for him.
Just when that thought crossed my mind, I saw Lukbar from the First Knight Brigade heading straight in our direction, which was an incredibly odd sight. The only reason Lukbar would come to my garden…would be to see me, right? Oh, but Lukbar and Mirach hailed from the same village, didn’t they? My eyes sparkled with delight, a new plan forming in my mind.
“Princess Serafina, may I have a moment of your time?” Lukbar bowed politely after he came to a stop a few paces in front of me.
I couldn’t have asked for better timing, even if I planned it myself.
I happily let out a quiet giggle. Now that he was here, Lukbar could take part in my little quiz as well.
“Why, certainly, Lukbar,” I replied. “We were just having a tea party, so why don’t you take a seat?”
“U-uh… A tea party, you say?”
Given that the knights usually saw the royal family as lieges that needed protection, Lukbar probably never imagined I’d invite him to tea. He looked around, clearly confused, but as soon as he realized the man I was sitting with was Mirach, he froze in place.
“M-Mirach? What in the blazes are you doing? Sitting in front of a princess such as Her Highness is an utterly disgraceful act for a member of the royal guard!”
“I’m doing this at her request.”
Lukbar widened his eyes at Mirach’s calm response, and then, after a moment of hesitation, he seemed to make up his mind. With determination, he pushed the chair aside and squatted down on his heels in the empty space instead.
“Huh?” As I watched Lukbar kneel neatly on the ground, both knees aligned, I couldn’t help but wonder what on earth he was doing.
Just at that moment, Scheat, Fackt, and Miaplacidus also arrived. Drat… While these three were always fun to be around, they weren’t from Galle Village, so they weren’t welcome at my Galle Gold Leaf quiz session.
Apparently, my mental message didn’t make it through because they all walked over to me and looked down at Lukbar in anger.
“Hey, you! Don’t come near our princess!”
“You despise the Royal Red Shield, don’t you? Go away!!”
“If you’re even the slightest bit rude to her, I’ll pound you into the ground!”
Oh dear, my usually valiant knights were acting more like hotheaded little boys.
“Lukbar is being perfectly polite,” I retorted. “You, my own knights, are the ones who are being unruly.”
Hearing that, my knights frowned in disgust and began berating Lukbar once more.
“You…? Polite? Just how much of a show are you putting on for the princess?”
“Hah! You’re nothing but a loser! You may act tough on the outside, but you’re all sweetness and flattery when the royal family are around!”
“I hate brownnosers like you most of all!”
It was obvious that Lukbar was someone these three had major issues with. They never spoke ill of anyone, but here they were, acting so terribly hostile. Well, they had gotten into a fight with him the other day that had resulted in them being relieved of their guard duties and forced to train endlessly, so maybe some of that resentment lingered. But still…
“Lukbar, I’m sorry for how mean my knights are acting. Usually, they’re very well mannered. The reason they’re behaving like this is for my sake. I hope you can think of it as their way of showing loyalty and forgive them, okay?”
Everyone’s eyes grew wide with astonishment when they heard what I said. It even caused Scheat, Fackt, and Miaplacidus to wipe their eyes as if deeply overcome with emotion.
“Is she for real? To think the princess is that in tune with how we feel.”
“Indeed, any other liege would be reprimanding us for such behavior.”
“Amazing, defending a bunch of rampaging knights like that! Our princess truly is an angel!”
After hearing the words of his three comrades, a smile flickered across Mirach’s face.
“I wouldn’t expect any less from our wonderful Princess Serafina!”
On the other hand, Lukbar bowed his head low to the ground, his face ashen.
“Your Highness, there’s no need for you to explain their behavior. It’s only natural for them to say bad things about me. I…had misjudged you, and I said horrible things about you both to their faces and within the First Knight Brigade. I am deeply sorry.”
“You said horrible things? Like what?”
Perhaps the reason my knights had been acting so aggressive toward Lukbar was because they didn’t want these “horrible things” reaching my ears. That’s likely why they were insulting him without mentioning anything specific. I was curious about just what it was they were trying to hide, but when I asked that question, my knights reacted with panic.
“P-Princess! That’s not knowledge you need to pursue!”
“Everything Lukbar said was unfounded, so no good will come of hearing it!!”
“Hmm? But if he’s misunderstood me, shouldn’t I clear things up so he doesn’t remain mistaken?”
Lukbar and I had never interacted, so it was only natural that he didn’t know much about me. Given that, if he had gotten the wrong impression, wasn’t it my responsibility to set the record straight? I intently gazed at him as I considered the situation.
When he finally opened his mouth and began to speak, his words sounded slow and disheartened. “I…I may have suggested that you weren’t living at the palace because there was something wrong with you.”
“Hmm? That’s not a misunderstanding; it’s the truth. From when I was born until just recently, I was blind. I was sent to the villa so that I could live in peace.”
“What?!”
“Huh?!”
“No way…”
Seeing how flustered the knights became reminded me that my blindness was supposed to be a secret. I quickly pressed my hands to my mouth, as if trying to shove the words back in.
“Oh! My brothers and sister don’t know that, though. I was told to keep it quiet because others might think it was a sign of weakness. So, uh, please don’t tell anyone, okay?”
All of the knights nodded emphatically, which filled me with relief.
“Princess Serafina,” Mirach piped up, his face full of concern, “may I ask you something that might not be…pleasant? Are your eyes fully healed now?”
Oh, he’s worried about me, I thought.
“Yup! They got all better while Sirius was visiting me at the villa!”
“Thank goodness!” the knights chorused.
They looked so relieved that I couldn’t help but feel guilty for making them worry so much. I was internally scolding myself when Scheat hesitantly posed another question.
“Is there a chance your vision could worsen again? If there’s anything we can do to prevent that from happening, could you let us know in advance?”
“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. The reason I couldn’t see was because of the Spirit Lord’s Blessing. It’s not like it was an illness.”
My attempt at reassuring the knight that I wouldn’t go blind again was met with confusion.
“The Spirit Lord’s Blessing?”
“But Princess Serafina, you were blind. How could that be called a blessing?”
It was such an obvious question that I couldn’t help but smile as I replied.
“It was The Spirit Lord’s way of helping me connect with the world of spirits. Not being able tosee allowed me to understand the spirit language.”
“Ooh!”
“So that’s what that was all about!”
The knights let out a groan. They seemed to finally connect all the dots, and they spoke in unison when they finally understood.
“That’s right! You were making all those strange sounds when you conversed with the First Spirit Lord at his palace!”
In contrast to my knights, who appeared satisfied with my explanation, Lukbar blinked rapidly, clearly confused. However, instead of clarifying things, my knights closed in around him with scowls on their faces. They started speaking in much lower voices than usual, as if they were trying to threaten him.
“Hey, Lukbar. You heard her! Our princess was sent to the villa because she had such an incredible gift that she couldn’t live at the castle!”
“She received the Spirit Lord’s Blessing, a rare endowment that allows her to communicate with spirits. That’s why she was kept hidden in the forest and away from the royal capital—to make sure no one could abduct her.”
“Understood? Then don’t say a word of this to anyone! If the princess’s abilities get out, nothing good will come of it!”
I couldn’t believe the audacity of my knights. Of course, I applauded them for digesting everything I said so quickly, but they were using that information to intimidate Lukbar.
Hmm, I guess my knights are a real bunch of troublemakers, I moaned internally.
It seemed my judgment was spot-on, because Lukbar, pale and visibly shaken by the threats, remained kneeling on the ground, nodding in agreement to all their demands.
***
“Let’s not dilly-galle-y anymore and start the tea party!” I suggested in hopes of clearing away some of the awkwardness.
With the arrival of the rest of my knights, my original plan was thrown into disarray. I’d been hoping to have tea with just the two knights who hailed from Galle Village. But when I’d served Mirach the Galle Gold Leaf tea without any clue as to what it might be, he gulped the whole thing down all at once without noticing anything at all. I was afraid the same thing might keep happening if I didn’t change my tactics.
But I was quick on my feet, so I decided on a plan B—subtly dropping some hints in my speech about the true purpose behind this gathering.
But once I invited Lukbar to take a seat at the table, Scheat, Fackt, and Miaplacidus also voiced their desire to take part.
“Princess! Let us sit here and drink tea with you as well!”
“Just before we came here, the vice-commander had us run ten laps around the castle, so we’re all feeling parched!”
“Our legs are so shaky that we can hardly stand upright!”
Oh, sheesh. Considering how buff they were, my knights sure didn’t seem to have much endurance. Sounds like they might need a cup of Galle Gold Leaf tea too. I asked the lady-in-waiting to bring over some extra chairs.
But the three extra knights went to get the chairs by themselves and lined them up next to me.
“Lukbar, it’s 10,000 years too early for you to be sitting anywhere near Princess Serafina! You don’t understand even a fraction of her wonderfulness! You may think you do, but in my eyes, your comprehension is severely lacking!”
“Don’t expect to be forgiven just because you apologized!”
“I mean, it’s not like you had to undergo Vice-Commander Sirius’s drills, so you must still be at full strength! You don’t need a chair! You should stay in a half-squat position throughout the entire tea party as part of your training.”
My knights still seemed to be treating Lukbar with disdain.
“Are you sure about that?” I asked. “If he’s the only one who trains while the rest of you galle-vantaround anddrink tea, he’ll end up with the strongest muscles, won’t he?”
When I pointed out the reality they hadn’t considered, the three knights pressed their lips together tightly.
“F-fine! We’ll at least allow you to use a chair!”
Though Scheat grudgingly allowed Lukbar to take a proper seat, it seemed his anger toward the other knight was overshadowed by the annoyance he felt at the thought of him becoming muscular.
Now we can finally start the tea party, I thought, relieved. I asked the lady-in-waiting to pour us another cup.
“Time to galle-ax with some tea!” I chirped cheerfully, motioning to the full cups, but for some reason, the knights looked wary.
I should’ve anticipated this from my clever knights. They’d quickly realized I was up to something. The same went for Mirach—unlike before, he was just staring at his teacup.
Lukbar, on the other hand, was the only one who didn’t seem aware of what was afoot.
“I humbly partake in your generous offer, Princess,” he said, taking a large swig of his tea. I suppose he was the most naive of the bunch.
The knights of the Royal Red Shield silently observed Lukbar as he drank his tea. Only after he said “It’s delicious” and appeared to be in no distress did they pick up their own cups. Apparently, he’d been quietly chosen to serve as their test subject.
“Oh dear. The sheer galle of my knights keeps growing by the minute!” I murmured to myself.
As I mused whether that was a good thing or not, Mirach—after drinking about half his cup—paused as if he was deep in thought.
“What kind of tea is this? I downed the last cup so quickly that I didn’t notice, but now I can feel my body surging with energy after each sip.”
“Galle-y-gosh! Is that so?”
This was the Mirach I knew! Since Galle Gold Leaf helped reduce susceptibility to many diseases, he was clearly in tune with the changes happening inside him. The other knights started rubbing their muscles, seemingly noticing the effects as well. It looked like they were all the type who were sensitive to such shifts.
“To have caught onto to the minor effects of the tea so quickly, your powers of deduction are in-galle-ible!”
“A knight’s physique is his greatest asset. When you spend every day focusing on your own body, you become so attuned to it that even the slightest changes are easily noticed,” Mirach explained.
Well, that made perfect sense.
Still, I’d been throwing out hints left, right, and center for a while now. It was about time that somebody picked up on them. Maybe I needed to present them with a clue so obvious that even these brawny knights would take notice.
It was time—I decided it was time to drop the biggest hint of all.
“Drat! My hair keeps getting in the way when I drink my tea! Perhaps I need something to ele-galle-ntly hold it back.” I said as casually as I could, gesturing for my lady-in-waiting to put in the hair ornament I’d already prepared.
Even though the knights didn’t seem very interested in what we were doing, they still kept an eye on what my lady-in-waiting and I were doing.
Well, what do you think of my Galle Gold Leaf hair clip?! I silently searched their faces.
Then, to my surprise, they started nodding like they were genuinely impressed.
“Oh! You’ve got a Galle Gold Leaf-inspired hair ornament!”
“It’s very shiny. It suits you perfectly, Princess.”
…Seriously? They seemed to realize that I had adorned myself with a sparkling leaf—how could they not make the connection? At this rate, I was left with no option but to drop every hint I could.
“Thank you so much! I’m so galle-ad you noticed! It’s galle-immering so brightly! Galle-inting in the sun!”
I couldn’t pass up the chance to ever-so-subtly point out the Galle Gold Leaf in my hair, gesturing with my hand to show off how brilliantly it sparkled. The knights, however, looked a little taken aback.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” I groaned in defeat. “Why am I being treated like a silly child when you’re the ones not getting any of my hints!” The pitying gazes of the knights were too much for me to handle, and I couldn’t help but moan about how unfair it all was.
With knights this clueless, it would take at least ten years for them to figure out what was in my hair. Even though I’d just had it put in, I pulled the ornament out and placed it on the table.
“Let me ask you all something: What do you think this is?”
They’d left me with no choice but to just come out and say it.
As soon as I asked my question, Scheat replied, “Huh? It’s a hair clip, of course,” with a bewildered expression plastered on his face.
“That’s not what I meant. What is it made of?”
This time, Miaplacidus replied with a hint of uncertainty, as if he were mulling something over, “It’s a sparkling leaf. You said so yourself, Princess. Oh, but were you randomly trying to include ‘Galle’ in everything you said because you were excited about wearing this imitation leaf?”
“How dense can you all be?!”
I give up, I thought. At this rate, it would be at least one hundred years until any of them noticed.
“Why do you think these leaves are fake?! This is the real thing! So, congratulations to me! I successfully grew Galle Gold Leaf!” I basked in my own triumph, but the knights’ reaction was rather flat, as they all just blinked in confusion.
Hesitantly, Fackt spoke up on behalf of the group, “Princess, you’ve been very busy lately, so I don’t believe you’ve had much time to research or conduct any experiments. The only thing you’ve been able to do is water the Galle herbs you were given, correct? With that being the case, isn’t proclaiming that you succeeded in growing Galle Gold Leaf a little unrealistic?”
“I didn’t just water the plants, I imbued them with magic too,” I stated proudly, thinking of how little these silly knights knew.
“What?” Fackt sounded puzzled once more. “You infused the herbs with magic? I’m genuinely surprised they didn’t wither after something so outlandish was done to them.”
He didn’t understand. That’s exactly what the Galle herbs needed… But explaining everything would take too long, so I decided to keep it to myself and just stay silent instead.
“Princess Serafina, I’m sure you’re mentioning the Galle Gold Leaf for my sake.” This time, it was Mirach who spoke up. “I’m truly grateful for your sentiments,” he added, his voice sincere.
“Huh?”
After seeing the Galle Gold Leaf for themselves (even if it was just as part of a hair ornament) and experiencing the effects of the tea made from it, why wouldn’t they believe I’d succeeded in my cultivation efforts?
“I put a lot of thought into all this! I really did grow Galle Gold Leaf!” I insisted once more, but this time, Mirach’s eyebrows furrowed, as though something was weighing on his mind.
“Princess Serafina, my village specializes in growing medicinal herbs, so everyone from there is quite knowledgeable about the process. If we haven’t been able to cultivate Galle Gold Leaf after twenty years of trying, achieving it in less than a month would be nigh impossible.”
Having remained silent until that point, Lukbar hesitantly spoke up, “You did all this for Mirach’s sake, didn’t you? You’re incredibly kind, Princess.”
“My plan was a total failure!” I groaned loudly.
Judging from what everyone had said, they all seemed to think I hadn’t successfully been able to grow the Galle Gold Leaf and just told Mirach a white lie to comfort him.
I’d made all these plans because I originally thought that Mirach would be even more delighted if he noticed the Galle Gold Leaf without my help, but now I understood that was asking the impossible. He didn’t have the intuition to come to that conclusion himself.
Once I confirmed they were all done with their tea, I got up from my seat and announced, “There’s something I’d like to show you all.”
I internally sighed. Had I known it was going to turn out like this, I would’ve skipped the tea party and gone straight to showing them my herb garden.
As I trudged along, absorbed in my thoughts, the knights followed behind me, glancing around with evident curiosity.
“I see, so this is what it looks like deep in the Princess’s garden,” Lukbar said. “A stroll through the garden after a tea party, how elegant indeed.”
But Mirach followed Lukbar’s praise of my garden with a word of caution.
“I’m not so sure about that. When I planted the Galle herbs here, I noticed that only one part of the garden gets proper sunlight. The rest of it is mostly shaded, even during the day. Walking through here wouldn’t be what most would consider a typical garden stroll. However, if this is where the princess feels at ease, then I’ll certainly respect that.”
My, that was certainly a cheeky thing of him to say! But Mirach was the one I’d created my herb garden for, so what I wanted the most was for him to be surprised.
“Mirach, Lukbar, what I wanted to show you is this herb garden!” I said, pointing at the plot where all the Galle medicinal herbs were planted.
I’d originally received ten seedlings each of the Galle Blue Leaf and the Galle Red Leaf from the village. I hadn’t planted anything else, so my ‘herb garden’ was quite small—only twenty plants in total, with half of them having turned into the Galle Gold Leaf. While I realized the small number would lessen the impact, I’d still been taught that it was important to speak with conviction, so I raised my voice as though what I was about to say was an amazing achievement.
“Congratulations to me! I successfully grew Galle Gold Leaf!” I announced with the same flourish as before. Now that they were seeing it for themselves, this had to be the right time to pat myself on the back—but once again, the knights’ reaction was lukewarm.
No one cried out in surprise or jumped for joy. They just stood there, expressions frozen as they stared at the Galle Gold Leaf.
“Wh-what?” I stammered. “This still isn’t enough? Was growing Galle Gold Leaf not that impressive?”
Having only realized that was a possibility after the fact, my shoulders sagged in disappointment.
***
All I had to do to grow the Galle Gold Leaf was water the herbs and imbue them with magic. Logically speaking, that’s not really a big deal. I should have realized it wasn’t very impressive sooner.
My face fell as this thought hit me. But my expression wasn’t the only thing that dropped—both Mirach and Lukbar sank to the ground as well.
“Huh? Wh-what’s going on?” I called out in surprise, but they just sat motionless, completely fixated on the Galle Gold Leaf.
“My legs…they just gave out beneath me,” Mirach muttered.
“Is that the real thing?” Lukbar asked.
“Of course it is! That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you all this time!”
I’d just reached the conclusion that cultivating the Galle Gold Leaf was apparently not that big of a deal after all. There was no reason for them to be so astonished that it would throw them off balance.
At first, I thought they were trying to console me by overacting, but both Mirach and Lukbar remained seated on the ground, their eyes sparkling with wonder.
“P-Princess Serafina, is that really Galle Gold Leaf? Did you have the extraordinary luck of finding a sprig somewhere and transplanting it? You’re simply amazing! You managed to find something in less than a month that others have been searching over twenty years for!”
“Th-the leaves…they actually sparkle! I thought the elders were just exaggerating, but the Galle Gold Leaf really is as enigmatic as they said!!”
Seeing their genuine excitement, it dawned on me that both of them were truly surprised.
I beamed brightly as I gestured toward the plants. “Why don’t you go and confirm if they’re real or not?”
At my suggestion, Mirach and Lukbar stood up—albeit shakily—and with the assistance of the other knights, they walked up to the Galle Gold Leaf. Once there, they seemed to be deeply emotional while taking in the sight of the plants.
After a few moments had passed, they both reached for the hilts of their swords with trembling hands, drawing out the preserved Galle Gold Leaf they had tucked inside.
“It’s hard to tell the color because it’s dried, but the shape is identical.”
“Yeah, it is. And the leaves of the herbs planted here are unmistakably golden. Which must mean…this isn’t Galle Red Leaf or Blue Leaf—it has to be Galle Gold Leaf!”
Fackt’s brow furrowed as he watched the two of them in awe, as if there was something he couldn’t quite comprehend.
“Princess Serafina, as I recall, you originally planted Galle Red Leaf and Galle Blue Leaf in this garden. To be more precise, the Galle Red Leaf has been replanted where the Galle Blue Leaf used to be, and the Galle Gold Leaf now occupies the previous space of the Galle Red Leaf. There’s still plenty of open space available, so why go through the trouble of replanting them here? Also, the Galle Blue Leaf is missing—has it been transplanted elsewhere?”
Oof, that Fackt. Always wanting all the facts.
“I didn’t replant anything, they just changed color,” I explained. “Mirach said the Galle herbs were originally just one kind of plant. And he’s right! All three of them are actually the same thing. When you infuse a Galle Blue Leaf seedling with magic and let it grow, it turns into a Galle Red Leaf. And if you do the same thing to a Galle Red Leaf, it changes into a Galle Gold Leaf!”
In contrast to Fackt, who merely tapped his glasses in silence, Lukbar let out a startled gasp.
“Y-yes?” I asked.
“H-hang on a moment! Are you trying to say that you changed the Galle Blue Leaf and Galle Red Leaf you brought back from my village into Galle Red Leaf and Galle Gold Leaf?!”
Although he looked utterly shocked, it was the truth, so I just nodded.
“Yup, that’s right.”
Mirach shook his head in a flustered manner, clearly taken aback.
“But it takes about a year for them to mature! You only brought the seedlings back with you less than a month ago!”
Apparently, it was too hard for Mirach to believe that I’d changed one type of herb to another in less than a month’s time.
“If you cultivate the Galle herbs without magic, it does seem to take about a year. But if you use magic, they’re ready to harvest in about one to six months.”
“Six months?!” Mirach and Lukbar bellowed in unison.
Their reaction startled me. “What’s the matter?” I asked.
“No, it’s just…back when we were able to harvest the Galle Gold Leaf in our village twenty years ago, I heard that the period from planting the herbs to harvesting them was about six months.”
Hearing Lukbar’s response, Fackt paused, his expression thoughtful for a moment before he pushed his glasses a little further up on his nose, “How curious. These herbs change as they grow. The first stage has blue leaves, the second has red, and the third, gold, I suppose? So, after turning gold, they go back to being blue again?”
“That’s exactly right! You’re so clever, Fackt!” I beamed, impressed by how quickly he’d caught on to the cycle. Meanwhile, Mirach was trembling uncontrollably beside me.
As I watched Mirach, hunched over and visibly shaken, I couldn’t help but worry that my explanation had been too much for him to handle. But he suddenly straightened up and let out a hearty burst of laughter.
“Ah ha ha ha!” He laughed loudly, as if he couldn’t contain how utterly hilarious he found the whole situation.
Oh dear, I thought, my eyes growing wide with alarm, Mirach has lost his mind.
“Princess Serafina, that’s an unbelievable story! The blue leaves turn red? And then they change to gold after that?! I can’t handle this anymore! It’s gone far beyond the limits of my common sense!!”
“Th-that may be true…”
I could see that Mirach was way more worked up than usual, so I decided to cautiously agree with him, not wanting to provoke him any further.
He laughed for a little longer before saying something that seemed completely irrelevant to the situation.
“I need to apologize to Sador.”
Sador—that was the knight I’d seen him arguing with the other day.
Wasn’t he someone Mirach was at odds with because they didn’t agree on certain things? Why would he suddenly feel the need to apologize?
But Mirach interrupted my thoughts, “Of course, such a clear answer would make me realize. I’ve been shown beyond the shadow of a doubt that the way I believed things should be done was wrong,” He looked refreshed, and the tone of his voice was bright.
He cradled his forehead with one hand as he thoughtfully carried on, “Until now, I’ve always done everything by the book. By sticking to the rules, I could rely on knowledge from the past and avoid any surprises or unexpected situations. That gave me a sense of security, and I believed that was the best way, the honest way of approaching things. And since I trusted myself above all others, I always ended up handling things on my own.”
Although it seemed like Mirach was talking to me, I got the feeling those words were more meant for him to organize his own thoughts. Even so, I nodded along.
“But…Princess Serafina, as soon as I let myself rely on you, my world expanded.”
He placed a hand to his lips as he continued in a voice thick with emotion, “You made the impossible possible. I’m genuinely impressed. In fact, seeing the results has blown me away. Thanks to you, I’ve been able to achieve things I couldn’t do on my own. I’ve come face-to-face with the realization that my by-the-book approach simply can’t produce such outstanding outcomes. Princess Serafina, I pledge to follow you for the rest of my days.”
Since he had just said something incredibly important so suddenly, I casually retorted, “Huh?! But the rest of your life is an awfully long time, you know!”
“It’s still too little time to be by your side, Princess.”
His smile was so content that I had to tightly press my lips together, not wanting to deny his feelings. Although, since he was talking about following me wherever I went, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to bring up the subject of tomorrow.
“I-I see. In that case, I’d, um, like you to start by coming with me to Galle Village tomorrow. You too, Lukbar, if you’d like. Let’s bring the villagers the Galle Gold Leaf.”
“…They’ll all start crying tears of joy.”
“The elders may even start devouring the Galle Gold Leaf on the spot.”
I laughed softly at Mirach and Lukbar’s attempts to be humorous.
“I’m sure the people in Galle Village won’t do that! But I hope they’ll be happy.”
Once I said that, both of them looked at me earnestly.
“They’ll be absolutely delighted!!” they chorused together.
Well, if the two people who originally came from that village were so certain, perhaps that would indeed be the case.
I couldn’t wait to see what the next day would bring.
Galle Gold Leaf and the Knights’ Food Poisoning Incident
Galle Gold Leaf and the Knights’ Food Poisoning Incident
THAT EVENING, an incident occurred at the knights’ private canteen.
The knights set up a grill they’d borrowed from the kitchen in the canteen’s front garden and feasted on the meat of monsters they had hunted in the forest—until a massive food poisoning incident broke out, that is.
With a large number of knights incapacitated, a few hurriedly rushed to Sirius to report the widespread outbreak of food poisoning. We were in the dining room eating our dinner at the time but stopped abruptly when we heard the heavy footfalls of multiple people running down the hallway. Sirius seemed to immediately sense that something was wrong, but no sooner had he realized this than the doors of the dining room flew open and several flustered knights tumbled inside.
“What’s going on?” Sirius asked, quick to get to the heart of the matter.
The pale-faced knights rapidly launched into their report.
“There’s been a mass food poisoning incident at the canteen! The knights were grilling some monster meat they’d been given by the Sixth Knight Brigade, but it appears the meat was poisonous. Many of them are experiencing numbness, headaches, abdominal cramps, and vomiting!!”
Sirius’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly before he asked his next question.
“What type of monster was it?”
“A cockatrice.”
As soon as Sirius heard the name, he shut his eyes tightly in disbelief.
Cockatrices were monstrous creatures with the body of a rooster, the wings of a dragon, a tail like a snake, and poisonous breath. Although certain parts of their bodies were poisonous, the toxins could be identified and, if properly cooked, wouldn’t pose any danger.
However, their toxins were quite potent, so if someone did manage to ingest any of it, they were in serious trouble.
“How many were affected?”
“About fifty men, and maybe ten of them have severe symptoms.”
Sirius immediately stood up, indicating that there was no time to waste. He told Father he was leaving before heading for the door.
“If you’ll excuse me, Your Majesty!” He called as he rushed out, “I will come to your study first thing tomorrow morning to continue our previous discussion.”
I also hurriedly got to my feet and started to chase after Sirius.
“Father, I’ve eaten my fill! Thank you for the meal!”
“S-Serafina! How about leaving the detoxification to the Saint Knight Brigade?”
I froze in surprise upon hearing that. Father had seen right through me, predicting exactly what I was planning to do. I looked up at him and could tell he was upset, so I quietly walked back to the table and grabbed a piece of bread.
“I guess I have a little more room in my tummy, so I’m going to eat this bread!” I announced. Father was probably upset and wanted to give me a small lecture because I’d left so much food behind.
“N-no. That’s not the issue…” he started to stammer, but before he could stop me, I quickly ran out of the dining room—bread in hand—to follow Sirius.
I frantically ran to catch up with him as I stuffed the bread in my mouth. By the time I caught up with his brisk pace, he was deep in conversation with the knights.
“How much time has passed since they ate the cockatrice meat?”
“About two hours for the first knights who ate. The symptoms were only mild numbness and dizziness to start, so the alcohol they were drinking masked the effects. It took about thirty minutes for multiple people to start complaining about their symptoms, and that’s when we realized it might be a food poisoning incident. We put all the eating to a stop at that point.”
It was only at that moment that Sirius finally showed the faintest hint of relaxation. Perhaps if it had only been two hours since they’d consumed the meal, the worst-case scenario could be avoided.
Since cockatrices were highly poisonous, the course of food poisoning progressed quickly, and it was said the shortest time from eating to death was around three hours.
“How many of the men ate it?”
“An additional thirty on top of the fifty who are showing symptoms.”
“How many saints from Saint Knight Brigade can you assemble?”
“Well…due to a combination of expeditions and duties outside the castle, there are only three of them stationed here today.”
That was right about when Sirius realized I was tagging along. He stopped and pulled me into a tight hug, lifting me off the ground in the process. All the knights looked incredibly surprised when he did this, but it didn’t seem to bother Sirius at all as he continued on with the discussion.
“There should be some saints who accompanied the cockatrice extermination. Most likely, they were tired from the expedition and returned to the dormitory early. Send a messenger there immediately and call all of them over.”
Sirius heaved a sigh as the knights scrambled off to follow his instructions.
“Cockatrice, really? Why would they eat something like that?”
“Hm? But isn’t it safe if you prepare it correctly?” I asked, drawing on all the knowledge I had, but Sirius shook his head.
“If it’s prepared by a trained chef, then sure, but that wouldn’t be the case if it were cooked by the knights. The toxins are usually contained in the organs, but there have been reports of toxins being found in the muscle tissue of cockatrices in certain environments.”
“Really?!” I exclaimed in surprise. That was the first I’d ever heard of such a thing.
Sirius nodded gravely. “Yes. It’s especially true for cockatrices found in places where strong enemies are present. Perhaps they evolved in order to protect themselves from those predators. A knowledgeable cook would be able to identify the poisonous parts from the color of the organs and muscle, but the knights would not.”
“I guess that makes sense.” The knights adored meat, so all of it would’ve looked delicious in their eyes. They probably hadn’t considered anything beyond removing the internal organs. The thought of it alone made me drop my gaze and stare gloomily at the ground.
“Serafina.” Sirius’s tone was obviously considerate. “Did you come with me because you want to help the knights as a saint?”
“Yes!” I cried out loudly.
Sirius looked thoughtful for a moment before he continued, “I’ve heard detoxification is a bit peculiar among healing magic, and it can be tricky if you’re not used to it.”
Hmm, he did have a point.
“Since I’m aiming to be a saint on the battlefield, I’m not very good at removing poison,” I admitted. However, I figured detoxifying around fifty to eighty people should be within my capabilities.
“I see. We’ll have saints from the Saint Knight Brigade on hand, so you don’t need to worry too much. However, the knights’ conditions are likely to worsen quickly from here on out. If they begin to lose consciousness, that’s a sign that it’s too late. Please focus on healing those who are worst off first. You don’t need to fully heal them—just prioritize saving their lives.”
“Huh? But then won’t they still be suffering?”
“Even if it’s uncomfortable, they’ll be able to handle it as long as they’re alive. All the saints should start returning here tomorrow, and they’ll be the ones who focus on fully healing them.”
“…Okay.”
But despite agreeing, I still didn’t really understand why he wouldn’t let me completely heal them.
I recalled how, after the fight the other day between the groups led by Scheat and Lukbar, the knights were left in a wounded state. It was obvious they were in pain, but when I asked why they weren’t allowed to be fixed up, I was told, “The use of healing magic is forbidden on wounds that result from personal quarrels.”
In other words, it was as if they were purposely left in an injured state to encourage them to reflect on their actions. I wondered if they were being punished by having to suffer for a few days because they tried to cook and eat the meat of a poisonous monster by themselves. Perhaps this was another one of those situations that fell under the knights’ code.
Sirius would likely give me the answers I wanted, but he was incredibly busy dealing with the precarious situation. Besides, even if I did ask any questions, I’d probably be forced to follow the rules. With that in mind, I decided it would be better to keep my misgivings to myself.
If the knights seem like they’re undergoing immense suffering, I can still fully heal them under the pretense of not knowing the knights’ code, I decided silently.
“What is it, Serafina? You’ve gone quiet. It’s not like you need to feel responsible for what happens.”
“I know.” I replied with the blankest look I could muster as Sirius and I made our way to the canteen.
***
When we arrived, the canteen was even more horrifically chaotic than I had imagined. Many knights were writhing on the floor, while those who seemed healthy rushed around them frantically.
The moment Sirius gently set me down on the ground, he was summoned by the knight who appeared to have taken charge of the scene. He hurried off, leaving me to look around on my own.
The knights lying on the ground seemed to have been heavily affected by the cockatrice’s poison. Most of them were wearing blue uniforms, indicating they were members of the Horned Beast Knights, but a few knights in the red uniforms of the royal guard were scattered throughout, and my attention was instinctively drawn their way.
“Canopus!”
I spotted a familiar face among the royal guard members and ran over to my personal knight, who was sprawled on the ground in a pitiful state. He lay still with his eyes closed, his body completely limp.
“Canopus! Hang in there!”
He seemed to hear me because he opened his eyes and spoke in a faltering voice, “Princess…Serafina… What are…you…doing here…?”
His face was unusually pale, his breathing ragged, and his hand trembled violently as he reached out toward me.
“No!” I cried out. “Canopus! You’ve got to stay strong!”
I slumped down on the ground in front of him and took his trembling hand in mine. I was at a loss for what to do. He was having trouble breathing!
Though I was unable to bear seeing him in so much pain, all I could manage to do was grip his hand tightly. He began to murmur something again.
“Huh? What’s that?”
“Princess…Serafina… It’s too…noisy here… Go back…to your room…”
“Canopus…” Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized that, even amid such suffering, my personal knight was still concerned for my welfare.
Canopus appeared to be almost paralyzed, and in addition to his limbs, his entire body seemed to be trembling faintly. His hand felt cold, making it clear that his body temperature was dropping, and with his breathing now erratic, it was likely he was struggling to focus—yet he was still worrying about me.
“That’s right…”
Just like a personal knight cared for his liege regardless of his own struggles, a saint was someone who healed the sick, no matter what others might say. Though I’d be going against what Sirius asked of me, I decided to fully heal all the members of the royal guard of their food poisoning, starting with Canopus.
Just then, the rest of the knights ran up to me.
“Princess Serafina!”
“Princess Serafina, what are you doing here?! There’s a bunch of knights rushing around! It’s very dangerous!”
“The knights are so distressed and distracted that they could accidentally hurt you! For your own safety, please go back to your room!”
It was three of my knights: Mirach, Fackt, and Scheat.
I looked up at them, my face streaked with tears, and pleaded in a somber voice.
“Canopus… Canopus is suffering…”
The three of them looked stunned for a moment before continuing in more cheerful tones.
“Ah, yes. I know you must be worried about him, but he’s still conscious, so he’s doing okay.”
“Even if someone loses consciousness, they can still breathe on their own for about thirty minutes. There aren’t enough saints to go around, so they’re prioritizing those who have lost consciousness first. It’ll be Canopus’s turn soon enough.”
“It may appear to you like he’s suffering, but this is generally the state most knights are in after they’ve trained with the vice-commander. He’s used to the pain, so he’ll be fine.”
“What…?”
I was so shocked by what the three of them were saying that my tears dried up in an instant.
I dropped my gaze back to Canopus as he started speaking between labored breaths, “Honestly…training with the vice-commander…is far worse than this…”
Of course, he was probably just making a joke, but the calm demeanor of the surrounding knights helped steady my shaken nerves. Now that I had a moment to take in my surroundings, I could see that many of the knights were in just as bad, if not worse, shape than Canopus.
That’s right, it’s not just Canopus. Many of the knights are suffering, I thought to myself, biting my lip.
“Princess,” Scheat said as he extended his hand to me, “it’s like a field hospital in here. This isn’t the kind of place you want to stay for a long time. Let’s get you back to your room, okay?”
His hand wasn’t trembling, and his complexion looked the same as always. Mirach and Fackt were also acting as if this was business as usual. It was only then that it dawned on me that the three of them were fine.
“Thank goodness.” I murmured, “You didn’t eat the cockatrice meat, did you?”
Normally the three of them were the type to dive headfirst into a pile of meat. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief, thinking it was a small blessing amid everything else that was going on. But for some reason, the three of them shook their heads.
“Of course I ate it.”
“I probably ate twice as much as the other knights.”
“I ate three times as much.”
“What?!” My eyes flew wide open at the unexpected responses. I cocked my head to the side, wondering if they’d somehow been fortunate enough to just consume the non-poisonous parts.
But Scheat gave me a little nod as if he knew what I was thinking. “It’s a bit strange, but of all the knights who ate the meat, the only ones who weren’t affected were the three of us! In my case, I think my muscles are so efficient that they squeezed the poison right out of my body!”
I tilted my head even further to the side, wondering if that was really possible.
But next, it was Mirach who cleverly interjected, “Those who weren’t affected just so happened to have attended your recent tea party, Princess. Perhaps we somehow received your blessing.”
“Oh!” I exclaimed, his words striking a chord within me.
“It’s just as Mirach said. Because we had your blessing, we were fortunate enough to only eat the non-poisonous parts of the cockatrice,” Fackt concluded with a grin.
“No, that can’t be it.”
It’s because of the Galle Gold Leaf, I thought. But Fackt continued as if to reassure me.
“The saints will take care of Canopus in due time, so don’t worry about him. There are more than ten others in worse condition, so their treatment must be prioritized. Rest assured, there have been no fatalities so far.”
His words did make me feel better. I looked around the canteen again and saw that there were five saints tending to various knights. Maybe it was one of the Saint Knight rules, but they were only healing one person at a time. It would take a while for them to reach Canopus, and he’d have to suffer during the painful wait. And, as Sirius said before, the saints were performing “lifesaving magic” not “full healing” or “ending suffering.”
I let go of Canopus’s hand and quickly stood up. I had promised myself earlier that I wouldn’t just stand by and watch the knights in distress—I was going to heal them myself. Even if it was part of the knights’ code, I couldn’t just leave them in such a state. Besides, it’s not like I was a member of the knight brigade. I didn’t have to follow their rules.
“Mirach, Fackt, Scheat, would you mind closing your eyes for a moment?” I asked the three knights who were looking down at me with worried expressions.
I realized that if I healed the knights in front of them, they might be considered my accomplices and get in trouble for breaking the rules with me. But if they didn’t see anything, they could argue that they didn’t know what was going on. It was true anyway; it’s not like the three of them had any idea what I was about to do. If anyone was going to face consequences for a breach of conduct, it would be me—and me alone.
With that in mind, I looked up and made sure they were closing their eyes tightly. Relieved to see that they’d complied, I shifted my gaze to the knights sprawled across the ground.
As Sirius had mentioned earlier, detoxification was a little different than other types of healing magic. True, it was a bit difficult, but I’d practiced a lot and was confident I could detoxify all the knights here in one go.
Sirius had told me, “You don’t need to fully heal them—just prioritize saving their lives.” But for me, stopping halfway in that gray area was impossible. So, no matter what, I wasn’t going to be able to follow his request. With that thought, I raised both my hands and began an incantation.
“O maleficent substances gathered within the knights’ bodies, be purified and dispelled completely—Detoxify!”
This was the first time I’d ever cast such a large-scale detoxification spell, so I was uncertain whether it would work. However, as soon as I completed the incantation, my magic spread throughout the canteen, cascading over one knight after another.
It was over in an instant, no longer than the blink of an eye. But that was all it took for the poison to vanish completely from the bodies of all the knights present.
***
Ilowered my hands and glanced at Canopus who was still sprawled out on the ground. Before my very eyes, the knight who had been gasping for breath just moments before suddenly sat up with surprising vigor.
“Princess Serafina, I’m healed,” he said, as if he was making a mundane remark about the day’s weather. The other knights, however, looked like their eyes were going to pop out of their skulls.
“Really?” I asked. “The magic worked without a problem, so physically you should be fine. But shouldn’t you check if you can actually move around properly?”
“The breathlessness, numbness, and chills that I had earlier are all gone now. I’ve fully recovered beyond a shadow of a doubt. There’s no need to check anything.”
“Is that so? You don’t feel bad at all?” As I piled on the questions, Canopus’s expression darkened.
“Well, in a way, I feel completely awful. After merely eating dinner, I fell ill to the point of causing trouble for you, Princess Serafina. I feel so ashamed that I’d crawl into a hole in the ground if I could.”
“Huh?!”
The cause of Canopus’s poor health was that he had eaten poisonous cockatrice meat. Once he’d ingested the poison, he’d need the help of a saint to survive. There was no reason for him to be sorry about what happened.
“That’s what saints are for,” I said cheerfully, trying to make it sound like something simple and not a big deal at all. But Canopus shook his head vigorously in response.
“No, you went above and beyond the role of saint! With this many men down and the limited number of saints available, the main priority would be to heal everyone to the point where no one dies.”
Hmm. That was the same thing Sirius had told me earlier. I was a little surprised that their responses were practically identical, but Canopus continued, his voice sounding glum.
“I was wrong.”
“What do you mean?”
“You healed multiple knights at once on the battlefield before—that in itself is an anomaly. Having witnessed one unfamiliar spell after another and being overwhelmed by a constant stream of unbelievable events, it felt like my senses became numbed. As a result, I blindly accepted that you could cast an area-of-effect spell like this. However, I’ve finally had an awakening.”
“An awakening?”
Canopus might have been limp as a rag doll before, but he’d been conscious and alert the entire time. How could he have been awakened if he was never asleep to start with? I was puzzling over what he meant when a chorus of startled yelps from behind me interrupted my thoughts.
“P-Princess Serafina, what in the world is going on here?”
“How was everyone cured from just one spell?!”
“What just happened?!”
It was Mirach, Fackt, and Scheat.
I turned to look at them, wondering if they were talking about the detoxification magic that I’d cast earlier. At the time, I’d asked them to close their eyes for a moment. Being the obedient knights they were, I was sure they would’ve complied and missed seeing the magic I cast. But for some reason, all three of them defied me and opened their eyes. Not only that, but they didn’t even try to hide their disobedience, going on and on in disbelief about what I’d just done.
“I heard detoxification magic is incredibly difficult! Thinking back to when you healed people on the battlefield, your magic works on multiple people, doesn’t it, Princess?! It’s just completely beyond common sense to think that would apply to detoxification spells as well!”
Well, maybe that common sense worked for knights, but that didn’t mean it was the same for saints.
Besides, that’s not the problem at hand here, I thought as I asked suspiciously, “Why didn’t the three of you keep your eyes closed?”
My carefully concocted plan of having the knights avoid culpability—and Sirius’s wrath—by not seeing me cast the detoxification magic had all been in vain.
Seeing my face fall, Canopus interjected, “There’s something that takes higher priority for the royal guards than obeying commands, and that’s protecting you, Princess Serafina. When you cast the detoxification magic, the entire place erupted into chaos. The knights had no choice but to open their eyes so they could assess what was going on.”
Perhaps. But considering what they’d said, I got the feeling their eyes were open well before I cast that spell…
“Well, it would take a long time to remove everyone’s poison individually, so I decided to use magic that could do it all in one go.”
All four of them—including Canopus—had been hammering me with the same questions for a while, but when I answered honestly, they shook their heads as if they couldn’t accept my response.
“To save time, you say? No, no…we’re not asking the reason why you did it. We’re just shocked that you could do something like that.”
“After all, no other saints are able to use area-of-effect magic.”
“What? Really?”
Thinking back to the battle with the fenrirs, the saints were only healing one knight at a time. And even now, when so many of them were afflicted by food poisoning, they were going around from individual to individual. Maybe there was a rule within the Saint Knight Brigade that said you could only heal one person at a time?
“I guess it’s considered better to heal one person at a time since it uses less magic?” I wondered aloud, puzzled as to why such a rule would be in place. Just then, I saw Sirius striding toward us from the back of the room.
Uh-oh. Fearing he might be angry with me, I tried to run away. But before I could take a single step, he was standing right in front of me.
“Serafina, did you cast mass detoxification magic?!” He questioned as he gazed down at me, a shocked expression plastered on his face.
“…Heh heh!”
His expression set alarm bells ringing through my mind. He seemed to suspect that I was the one who had cured everyone of their food poisoning. He had explicitly told me not to fully heal the knights, and I was sure he’d be upset if he learned I’d broken that promise after all.
In that case, it was time to try a new tactic—never admitting it was me. I’d just smile and laugh, brushing him off with no real response, and try to gloss over the situation.
However, Sirius seemed to misinterpret my intentions, and his expression hardened.
“…I see. You’re right. There’s no need for all the knights to be made aware of what an exceptional saint you are at this current junction.” Sirius clenched his lips tightly, then reached out and gently ruffled my hair. “As you wish,” he said, smiling as if he had given up on something. “We’ll keep the fact that you’re the saint who detoxified all the knights a secret. Serafina, you’ve saved me yet again.”
Oh drat! Sirius figured out that I was the one behind what had happened. Maybe he was just too clever when it came to me.
I still needed to stay levelheaded, though. I couldn’t let his gentle manner trick me into admitting the truth.
“Serafina, as the leader of the brigade, allow me to express a few words of gratitude: Thank you for saving my knights.” With those words, a genuine smile of delight spread across his face.
The decision not to say anything in return was causing my heart to ache. Ngh! Sirius looked so darn happy. It wouldn’t be right for me to not accept his feelings…
“…You’re welcome,” I said with marked hesitation, but this only made his smile widen even more.
His joy seemed to flow into me, and I couldn’t help but feel happy too. Yep, Sirius really loved those knights of his. And I adored them too, of course! Even if I got scolded a little, my feelings for them wouldn’t change!
With a mirthful expression, I threw my arms around Sirius and gave him a big, tight hug.
“I’ll heal the knights wherever and whenever!” I proclaimed.
“Thank you, Serafina.” Sirius said, his face creasing into a gentle smile once more.
***
After Sirius left, I surveyed the canteen again. Honestly, it was just as chaotic as it was when I first arrived.
The recovered knights looked confused, unable to comprehend how they’d been instantly cured of their food poisoning. The saints were busy confirming that the knights were actually feeling better, and the knights who had been fine to begin with were running around, almost in a panic.
Since saints usually detoxified one person at a time, none of them seemed to realize that the knights had been cured all at once. I decided to take advantage of the chaos and get out of the canteen. I started to make my way to the exit with a now fully recovered Canopus by my side. Although Canopus was cured of his food poisoning, he’d been in critical condition earlier—I needed to bring him back with me so he could get some rest.
As expected of my royal guard, Mirach, Fackt, and Scheat said they would accompany us to the canteen’s exit. Since the three of them had been unaffected, they were going to stay behind and help clean up.
I really have the most wonderful knights, I proudly thought to myself as we parted ways. But after just a couple of steps, I remembered I had something I needed to say to them.
“Oh, right!” I exclaimed as I quickly turned around.
The three of them had been watching us depart and were puzzled to see me turn back. I placed one hand over my mouth and spoke in a voice just loud enough for them to hear.
“I forgot to mention it earlier, but the reason you were all safe when the others got food poisoning was because you drank the Galle Gold Leaf tea.”
“Come again?” the three knights chorused, looking utterly confused.
I frowned slightly; I’d expected at least Mirach to be a little less surprised.
“Huh? Why are you so shocked, Mirach? You’re the one who said that Galle Gold Leaf has preventive effects that make you less susceptible to various diseases, didn’t you?”
“Y-yes, I did say something to that extent.” Mirach responded, obviously shaken.
“Well, you drank Galle Gold Leaf tea at my tea party, and its preventive effects kept you from getting poisoned, right?” I asked bluntly.
The three of them fell completely silent; it was almost like they’d forgotten how to speak. Having said what I needed to say, I just waved goodbye.
“Anyway, thanks for taking care of everything!”
With that, I left the canteen hand in hand with Canopus, but for some reason, I could hear the three knights starting to cause quite a commotion behind me.
“N-no way! That can’t be it!”
“That’s completely out of the scope of preventative effects!”
“If what the princess is saying is true, do you realize what an incredible medicinal herb your village possesses, Mirach?!”
Oh dear. It sounded like the three of them were starting to argue—and it was only getting more heated.
“There’s no way that’s possible! This has to be another one of those ‘Princess Serafina Specials.’”
“Right! That must be what it is!”
“I mean, it fits the usual pattern, doesn’t it?!”
That last statement seemed to carry a note of agreement, so when I glanced over my shoulder, the three of them were patting each other on the back, clearly having reached an understanding.
Ah, so this is what they mean by “The best of friends argue the most.”
Feeling relieved, Canopus and I made our way back to my room.
Revisiting Galle Village
Revisiting Galle Village
THE NEXT DAY, I gathered up the Galle Gold Leaf that I’d grown and set off for Galle Village once more.
Sirius, Mirach, and Miaplacidus joined me as my bodyguards, while Lukbar—who had taken the day off—tagged along. Since Lukbar wasn’t a member of the royal guard, he wasn’t permitted to officially join us; however, he really wanted to come too, so he made time in his schedule to tag along.
Miaplacidus hadn’t joined us on our last trip to Galle Village since he was being punished for his role in a personal quarrel, but he was coming this time because he’d also expressed a desire to join us. “I don’t know where my one true love might be,” he’d announced brightly. “I’d love to travel to different places and meet different people.”
I truly hoped he’d find someone special soon, but…
“Even if he finds his future wife in Galle Village, it might be difficult for him to make her like him back…” I mused coolly, watching Miaplacidus excitedly make his way into the village, his sword tucked at his waist.
Miaplacidus reminded me of how I was during my last visit. Coming to Galle Village empty-handed and expecting to win someone’s affection was a clear sign of not understanding the nature of the villagers. That’s why this time, I was perfectly ready.
Not only did I have the Galle Gold Leaf—something the villagers wanted more than anything—but I’d brought along some Galle Red Leaf I’d cultivated as well. Yup. I was more than prepared for those souvenir-loving villagers.
And it seemed as though my efforts paid off. When I removed the cloth that hung over the basket and exposed the Galle Red Leaf and Galle Gold Leaf inside, a roar went up from the villagers who had gathered around.
“What?! Could that be…?!”
“No way! I haven’t seen it in almost twenty years, but that has to be Galle Gold Leaf!!”
The villagers crowded around me, trying to peek inside my basket with unrestrained curiosity. Thrilled to see their interest in the medicinal herbs I’d grown, I carefully handed the leaves one by one to the villagers, telling them they were souvenirs.
But it didn’t take long until I realized they only wanted the gold ones. When I offered them Galle Gold Leaf, the villagers eagerly reached for it, but as soon as I offered the red ones, they pulled their hands back. I didn’t get it. Galle Red Leaf was also a wonderful herb for treating injuries…
However, both the red and gold varieties I was handing out were still unprocessed. They didn’t have any medicinal effects in their current state, so I couldn’t honestly promote it as “an excellent medicinal herb” at this stage. In any case, when it came to the Galle herbs, I was sure the villagers were far more knowledgeable than me.
Before I knew it, villagers who had heard the rumor that I was distributing Galle Gold Leaf began to pour out from all directions, entirely surrounding me. After taking out about ten leaves for Mirach’s family, I handed the basket and its remaining contents over to Miaplacidus.
“Miaplacidus, we’re going to Mirach’s house. Would you mind handing out these leaves in the meantime?”
“Leave it to me! Distributing these leaves might be the key to my destiny! If I do, then you, Princ—I mean, Lady Seraphi would be my own personal cupid!”
Miaplacidus was still getting used to calling me “Lady Seraphi” to protect my identity like Sirius wanted. It was hard for him to lie because he was so honest and upstanding. He had so many good qualities, so I truly hoped he could find his special someone soon.
Leaving him to the task at hand, the rest of us headed for Mirach’s house.
***
Mirach’s younger twin sisters led us to the house’s parlor. We’d heard that his father, the village chief, was home today, and we were set to meet with him.
“Greetings. I am Mintaka Quark, chief of this village. Thank you for taking the time to come and visit us. I truly appreciate it.” I was surprised by how formally Chief Mintaka seemed to be speaking to a group of his son’s friends, but I soon realized why. Not one moment later, Chief Mintaka gave Sirius a deep bow.
“It’s a great honor to meet the esteemed vice-commander of the Náv Horned Beast Knights.”
Mirach looked panicked and tried to stop his father, but his efforts were no match for Chief Mintaka.
“F-Father, what are you talking about?! This isn’t the vice-commander; he’s a vice-captain!”
“His Excellency’s face is known throughout the continent. Did you really think no one would notice? I know I wasn’t present when you last visited, but as soon as I returned home, the first thing I heard was, ‘Vice-Commander Sirius came to our village!’”
Mirach’s mouth gaped open as soon as he heard that.
“How could that be? No one explicitly said or even hinted that they knew I was with the vice-commander, and yet, everyone was aware of his presence?”
“Precisely. Excuse me for saying this, but he has a flawlessly beautiful face, and his unusual silver hair is quite renowned. Not to mention, it’s obvious that the sword he carries is incredibly expensive.”
I glanced over at Sirius when he said that, and it was true—his sword was elaborately decorated, clearly a cut above the ones that normal knights carried.
“I…I see.” Mirach stammered. “So we should’ve done something about the vice-commander’s appearance and his sword…”
But Chief Mintaka paid no mind to his still-reeling son and turned to face Sirius.
“Vice-Commander Sirius, or perhaps…should I call you ‘vice-captain’ for now? Thank you for always looking after my foolish son. Additionally, I’d like to express my gratitude for all the hard work you’ve done and for visiting our village—not once, but twice.”
Chief Mintaka’s explanation made us belatedly realize that all the villagers had known who Sirius was during our previous visit, even though they hadn’t let on at all. I could tell from Sirius’s grim expression that he wasn’t too pleased that he’d been discovered. Still, he immediately masked his emotions and remained composed.
He really is impressive in situations like this, I mused.
“I never imagined the villagers would figure out who Sirius was,” I mumbled, feeling a bit regretful. “But it makes sense. Sirius is so famous that maybe trying to conceal his identity with just a new name and title was a mistake.”
Chief Mintaka nodded understandingly, “His Excellency is one of our kingdom’s heroes. And every man, be he young or old, aspires to be like him. And the women, well, they’re all captivated by his looks.”
“Yeah, that’s right,” I agreed. “Since his face and name are so well known, there’s no way he could go incognito.”
Oh dear. We were putting so much effort into hiding Sirius’s true identity, but they must have thought, “We already know he’s the vice-commander, but they’re going through all this trouble to conceal it. How amusing.” It was honestly humiliating when I thought about it.
Realizing how pitiful I must have looked with my furrowed brow, I quickly thrust the handful of leaves I was carrying forward in an attempt to change the subject.
“Here you go, Chief Mintaka. This is some Galle Gold Leaf.”
“…What did you just say?”
My plan worked like a charm. The chief froze in surprise as his eyes grew as wide as saucers.
“Mirach gave me some Galle Red Leaf seedlings, and I was able to grow Galle Gold Leaf from them,” I explained.
After about ten seconds of silence, Chief Mintaka reached out and stroked the herbs with trembling hands.
“Th-they’re real? I never imagined in my wildest dreams that the Galle Gold Leaf would come back to our village after more than twenty years.”
Chief Mintaka appeared deeply moved as he rested his hand on the golden leaves and gazed at me through eyes that were starting to cloud with tears.
“…Sorry. I don’t know exactly what to call you, but you referred to the vice-commander without his title, so you must be of considerably high rank. Not to mention, the fact that you were able to cultivate Galle Gold Leaf in just a month’s time suggests that you must hold a position of considerable power, capable of influencing many saints. Perhaps allow me to address you as ‘Your Highness.’”
“Eeep!” I squealed in shock, my eyes wide as I stared at Chief Mintaka.
“Y-you were able to see through me too?! There’s no point in trying to hide my identity now! I should’ve known Mirach’s father would be just as clever as him!”
Chief Mintaka shook his head. He looked around the room, confirming that it was only the five us: me, Sirius, Mirach, Lukbar, and himself, before he gathered his resolve and started to speak.
“I’m not clever at all. I’m a complete fool, and I’ll tell you exactly why. To be honest…there’s something I’ve been keeping from the villagers for a long time.”
“Huh?”
“Ch-Chief, what are you saying?!”
Mirach and Lukbar both immediately reacted to Chief Mintaka’s sudden confession, their voices thick with shock. Seeing their reaction, Chief Mintaka sounded anguished as he continued.
“You probably already know this, but in this village, we’ve always lived in harmony with nature, avoiding any reliance on saints in our daily lives. As a result, we do not accept the use of healing magic, the only exception being when a saint imbues medicinal herbs with magic while preparing them for use as medicine. So, I must confess…a saint’s magic is required for the growth cycle of Galle herbs!”
Well, that wasn’t news to me. I’d told Mirach and Lukbar as much at the tea party the other day too. Since it was something we were already aware of, the three of us nodded quietly.
Seeing that we weren’t fazed by his confession, Chief Mintaka seemed to find some new resolve. With a look of determination, he shakily inhaled and continued to speak. “The three Galle herbs are actually all the same plant! If Galle Blue Leaf is imbued with magic and left to grow, it becomes Galle Red Leaf. If Galle Red Leaf is imbued with magic and left to grow, it becomes Galle Gold Leaf. And finally, if Galle Gold Leaf is imbued with magic and left to grow, it becomes Galle Blue Leaf once more!!”
Ah, that must’ve been hard for him to admit, I thought. Good job, Chief Mintaka.
I nodded my head. His admission was the same as what I had observed while I was cultivating the herbs. Chief Mintaka seemed exhausted from admitting his long-standing secret. He put his trembling hands to his forehead and sighed heavily before launching into the history of the Galle Leaves.
“The Galle Leaves first came about as a complete accident. A woman from our clan, driven by reckless curiosity, began infusing the herbs she was cultivating with forbidden magic. As a result of her careless experimentation, a medicinal herb that changed colors unexpectedly sprouted. The village chief at the time decided that, no matter how effective it was, we couldn’t use herbs that were made in way that was contrary to our beliefs. However, that year, many in the village fell ill due to an epidemic. Forced into a life-or-death situation, we had no choice but to use the Galle Blue Leaf.”
“I’ve heard that story from the village elders. They told us repeatedly that this village was saved by Galle Blue Leaf,” Mirach chimed in.
Chief Mintaka nodded weakly. “Yes, many lives were saved because of it. But the chief at the time didn’t tell the villagers that magic had been used to grow it. If he’d been truthful, most of them would’ve refused to use it. As someone who was entrusted with the lives of his people, he had no choice but to keep the true origins quiet. At the villagers’ request, they continued to grow Galle Blue Leaf, but somewhere along the line, both Galle Red Leaf and Galle Gold Leaf also came into existence.”
“That’s the true story? I…had no idea…” Lukbar murmured, stunned as he processed the new information.
Chief Mintaka gave him a pained look before continuing, “I’ve always thought it would be better to bring this to light, as it would be impossible to keep it a secret forever. But, since I’ve always advocated for not relying on magic, how could I confess that a saint was using magic to grow the medicinal herbs that were a source of comfort and hope for the villagers? I knew it was wrong, I really did, but I haven’t been able to tell anyone until now!”
And just like that, Chief Mintaka had revealed everything that was in his heart. He fell silent, his face forlorn. But Mirach immediately rose from the chair he’d been sitting in and started interrogating him in a demanding tone.
“Father, is that really the truth? It’s a terrible betrayal to the villagers to keep something so important hidden for so long! No matter how difficult it may have been to say, you should’ve come clean!! Is there anything else you’re hiding?!”
When I’d explained to Mirach in the castle garden that I’d grown the Galle herbs by imbuing them with magic, he might have started wondering if they had been cultivated the same way back in his village. But knowing how he thinks, he must have dismissed the idea at first, figuring that it couldn’t possibly be true. Now, he was likely furious because he’d had so much faith.
When Chief Mintaka remained silent, Mirach must’ve realized he was on to something, because he pressed even harder.
“What really happened with the Galle Gold Leaf? Is it true that the Galle Gold Leaf this village cherished was uprooted and stolen away twenty years ago?!”
The question seemed to strike Chief Mintaka at his very core. His face contorted as he let out a loud groan.
“It’s…not true. It all started twenty years ago, no, twenty-three years ago to be precise, when an injured young man was brought to this village.”
“I already know that part! He stole our village’s Galle Gold Leaf—roots and all—didn’t he?!” Mirach bellowed over his father, but Chief Mintaka shook his head.
“No… That young man didn’t take the Galle Gold Leaf with him—he stole away my little sister.”
“Huh? Wh-what are you talking about?” Mirach stammered, looking incredibly confused.
Chief Mintaka hung his head like the entire world rested on his shoulders, “I had a little sister, and she was an excellent saint. Every evening, she would secretly imbue magic into the Galle herbs.”
“Heh. Sounds like this story is more convoluted than I thought,” Lukbar laughed dryly as he ran a hand through his hair, as if trying to dispel his growing unease.
Next to him, Mirach was staring wide-eyed at his father, like he didn’t want to miss a single word.
“The knowledge that a saint was required to grow the Galle herbs was a secret that was passed down from generation to generation in our family. Therefore, the village chief would always choose a woman with strong magical abilities to be his wife. If a daughter was born, she would go on to form a contract with a spirit and use her magic as a saint to cultivate the herbs.”
Since magical strength was passed down to children, it made sense that the village chief’s family would seek out women with high magical ability.
“However, twenty-three years ago, an injured young man who was brought to this village fell in love with my sister—so much so that he asked for her hand the day after they met. If you ask me, it was all quite intense. But the young man’s work and home were outside the village, so he asked if they could relocate to his hometown once they married. At the time, there were no other saints in the family besides my sister, so her leaving with the young man would’ve caused us a great deal of trouble. We needed her to marry someone in the village and care for the Galle herbs until the next saint was ready to take over.”
Chief Mintaka’s expression tightened, and his voice grew hoarse as he recalled the events that had unfolded twenty-three years ago.
“I told the young man that my sister wouldn’t be allowed to marry him, that she needed to marry someone from our village… And then, in a moment of desperation, the young man and my sister snuck away from the village together.”
Well, sounds like it was inevitable that they felt they had to flee, I thought to myself with a conflicted sigh.
“When they left,” Mirach’s tone was tense as he posed his question, “did they take all of the Galle Gold Leaf with them?”
Chief Mintaka swallowed hard before shaking his head again.
“No. They didn’t take any of the Galle Gold Leaf. The one who hid all the leaves that had just been harvested…was me.”
“…Excuse me?!” Mirach sputtered.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lukbar demanded.
Despite Mirach and Lukbar’s critical outbursts, Chief Mintaka averted his gaze and continued to speak.
“With my sister gone, there was no one to imbue the Galle herbs with magic. I was afraid the secret of the Galle Gold Leaf would be uncovered, so even though I knew it was wrong, I hid them all!”
***
Now that was quite the confession. After such a heavy revelation, no one knew what to say. The silence lingered, thick and uncomfortable.
Finally, Sirius asked a question in a calm and collected tone, “You said previously that this is a type of herb that will change if imbued with magic while it’s growing. But if magic isn’t used, does that mean the Galle Red Leaf will stay red and Galle Blue Leaf will stay blue without ever changing?”
Sirius’s guess was right on the money.
Considering that the village had fields that were teeming with Galle Red Leaf and Galle Blue Leaf, it was a natural conclusion to assume they could be cultivated without the use of magic.
Chief Mintaka’s expression was pained as he answered, “When it comes to Galle Red Leaf and Galle Blue Leaf…it’s just as you’ve said. But in the case of Galle Gold Leaf, without magic the leaves fade to green, and it ceases to be a medicinal herb at all! That’s why, in order to create Galle Gold Leaf, all three types needed to be cultivated cyclically.”
Seeing the regret etched on Chief Mintaka’s face after he finished his confession, Mirach ran both his hands through his hair, clearly on the verge of losing his composure.
“So, in an effort to prevent a generations-old lie from being uncovered, you fabricated a story about the Galle Gold Leaf being stolen? That’s going too far…”
Mirach trailed off, clearly overwhelmed by the weight of what he’d just learned. Silence settled in once again, even heavier than before.
I looked from Chief Mintaka to Mirach to Lukbar, wondering what to say, when the quiet was interrupted by the echo of rough footsteps coming down the hallway. The door to the parlor swung open, and in stepped a cheerful Miaplacidus, completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere that hung in the room.
“Lady Seraphi, I handed out all the leaves!” he announced. “But unfortunately, I was unable to find my one true love. Or, no, perhaps she is just shy and hiding around here somewhere?”
“Milzam!”
Although his gaze had been fixed on the floor until that moment, Chief Mintaka immediately jerked up his head and ran toward Miaplacidus in a panic.
“Milzam?”
Chief Mintaka didn’t seem to notice Miaplacidus’s protests and grabbed both of his arms.
“Milzam, you’ve returned? Is my sister here too?”
But all the village chief received in response to his feverous questions was a flat denial.
“Milzam is my father’s name. While it’s true I do resemble him, I’m Miaplacidus, his son.”
“His…son?”
Chief Mintaka looked astonished as Mirach and I both echoed his words.
“His son?!”
“His son?!!”
Seeing Mirach and I leap from our chairs in surprise, Miaplacidus crossed his arms as if he was putting two and two together.
“Oh, would that make you my mother’s older brother then?” he said, his eyes widening a bit. “That must mean that Galle Village is the ‘golden village’ where my mother was born! I heard the story from my father many times. He wandered into a village that had fields of gold when he was young and met his woman of destiny—my mother. I wonder if I can do the same today…” Miaplacidus concluded in a dreamy tone.
Just because his mother hailed from this village doesn’t mean that Miaplacidus is also destined to have a romantic encounter, I thought, although I kept that opinion to myself.
But Chief Mintaka, on the other hand, was gazing at Miaplacidus with a knowing smile.
“Yes, you’re indeed the son of Milzam, still clinging to those romantic notions despite being an adult! Not only are you the spitting image of your father, but you’re just like him on the inside as well. Tell me, how are your parents?”
“They’re both well. In fact, they get along fabulously. I’ve hardly even seen them fight!”
Hearing that, Chief Mintaka’s eyes glazed over like he was remembering something from the past, and his lips curled into a soft smile.
“Is that so? That’s good to hear indeed. So their marriage was a success.”
But before the chief’s bittersweet mood could overtake the room, Lukbar yelled out, “I knew my instincts were good! I never liked Miaplacidus, and now I see there was a perfectly legitimate reason for it!”
If Miaplacidus’s father was connected to the disappearance of the village’s precious medicinal herbs, of course Lukbar was going to despise his son. Even so, he looked way too pleased to finally have a belated explanation for his bias beyond simply hating anyone with dark hair.
But Mirach quickly refuted that train of thought. “You’re misguided! It wasn’t his father’s fault that the Galle Gold Leaf was taken at all. And even if his father did do something wrong, that doesn’t make the son guilty! The one at fault here is my father, who kept the truth hidden all this time!” he finished, throwing Chief Mintaka a seething glare.
Chief Mintaka could only nod in response. Now that everything was out in the open, it seemed he had no intention of staying quiet any longer. He bowed his head in apology.
“I’m so sorry about all this. After we’re done here, I will confess everything to the village and ask for their opinions on the Galle herbs. They will get a choice in whether we continue to grow Galle Gold Leaf with magic or live without it. Then, I’ll relinquish my position.”
“Relinquish?”
I wrinkled my nose; that was a tricky word. Next to me, Miaplacidus piped up cheerfully, “I’m not quite following what’s going on, but if you’re my mother’s brother, that makes you my uncle. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”
“Ah! You truly are the son of Milzam and my sister. What a kind soul.”
Chief Mintaka smiled appreciatively as Miaplacidus wrapped his arm around Mirach’s shoulder and gave him a few rough pats on the back.
“Mirach, that makes us cousins, doesn’t it?” Miaplacidus pointed out. “Since you’re a year older than me, I guess you’re the ‘big’ cousin, and I’m the ‘little’ one.” He chuckled for a moment. “That’s a bit amusing, considering you’re so much smaller than me.”
“There’s no correlation between age and height!” Mirach snapped back with a pout.
I gazed up at Sirius, “Sirius, does that mean the relationship between those two is like ours?”
“Yes, although neither Mirach nor Miaplacidus would ever be anywhere near as intense, unpredictable, or helpless as you,” Sirius replied rather sternly. I got the feeling he was disparaging me somehow, so I fixed him with a glare.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Meeting you was my downfall.”
I supposed that was a proper answer, but it didn’t make sense. I tilted my head in confusion as Chief Mintaka gave me a little bow.
“Your Highness, I’m incredibly grateful to you for resurrecting the Galle Gold Leaf once more. Thanks to you, the scales have fallen from my eyes. I will discuss a future course of action with the villagers before deciding anything.”
Worried that, depending on the outcome of this discussion, the Galle Gold Leaf would be deemed unnecessary, I desperately tried to appeal to the herb’s effectiveness.
“Mr. Chief, this Galle Gold Leaf is amazing! It’s not even medicine yet; all I did was harvest it! But when I made tea from it, the preventive effects were out of this world! If it were turned into medicine, it’d be incredible!”
“Father, don’t believe what she’s saying. The gold leaves we just distributed to the villagers are special. If we do continue to grow Galle Gold Leaf in the village, it will never be as effective as those.”
What on earth was Mirach saying? Leaves that were processed into medicine couldn’t possibly be less effective than the ones that were simply picked.
I looked to Sirius for backup, but he just loosely shrugged his shoulders without offering any assistance. Argh!
***
Later, as we were saying our goodbyes, Mirach’s twin sisters appeared at the front door to see us off. Enif and Mizar were all smiles as they ran toward us, but they staggered to a halt the moment they laid eyes on Miaplacidus. I was worried they were scared of him because he was so big, but that didn’t seem to be the case because in the next moment, they flung themselves at him with all their might.
“Found you!”
“We’ve found our prince!!”
Everyone’s jaws nearly hit the floor at the sight of the two girls springing into the air and clinging to Miaplacidus.
The first one to collect himself was Mirach, and in a panic he tried to tear the twins away. “Enif, Mizar! Let go of him! Also, come to your senses! This isn’t a prince, just some towering giant of an old man!”
“Old man? I’m only twenty-two years old!”
Amid the confusion, Miaplacidus managed to deliver a calm retort. In contrast, Mirach’s rebuttal was sharp.
“My sisters are just ten, so you’re practically ancient compared to them!”
“Don’t you think that’s too cruel? On one hand, I’ve been uplifted and declared a prince, but on the other, I’ve been belittled and called old,” Miaplacidus grumbled, rather justifiably.
Lukbar, who was standing next to both men, slapped them on the back as he advised Mirach to give it up.
“Come on, Mirach. Didn’t your aunt fall in love with Miaplacidus’s father at first sight and marry him? This guy supposedly looks just like his dad, so maybe he’s got a face that the women of the Quark family can’t resist.”
“You’re saying this brutish face is what they like?! Please don’t put a curse on the women of my family!” Mirach groaned before Miaplacidus voiced a complaint of his own.
“You’re the one who should stop treating me like a curse!!”
The two of them kept arguing for a while longer, with the twins remaining attached to Miaplacidus the whole time. Honestly, out of everything, what impressed me the most was just how strong they were.
A few days later, Mirach gave me an update on Galle Village.
I had been collecting herbs in my garden, but Mirach’s arrival had put a stop to the usual chatter from the knights guarding me, which caused me to look up and see him. When he hesitantly asked me for a moment of my time, of course I agreed. I’d been curious about what had happened in Galle Village since our visit, after all.
According to him, the villagers were initially furious about the chief’s arbitrary decisions and the gravity of the secrets that had been kept from them, but in the end, they’d unanimously decided to continue cultivating the Galle Gold Leaf using magic.
“Thank you, Princess. It was because of you that everything was able to be resolved. It appears that everyone made tea out of those leaves you distributed, and the effect was so potent that they wanted to keep the Galle Gold Leaf at all costs. Since they’ve decided to accept the herb, I’m hopeful the villagers will all stay healthy from now on.”
Surprisingly, his father would continue his role as the village chief. Hearing that Miaplacidus frowned.
“Is that really okay? I don’t think my mother’s magical prowess is anywhere close to the princess’s, so the future Galle Gold Leaf won’t be nearly as strong.”
Miaplacidus already seemed to be in the know about something. I must’ve obviously looked confused because Mirach quickly jumped in to explain.
“As it turns out, Miaplacidus’s mother has decided to assist with the Galle Gold Leaf. The villagers wanted it cultivated as soon as possible, but since there are currently no saints in Galle Village, they were at a loss about what to do. Thankfully, Miaplacidus consulted with his parents, and his mother agreed to lend a hand.”
“That’s great!” I clapped happily, thinking that since Miaplacidus’s mother was originally from Galle Village, she was probably happy for the opportunity to visit.
“I’m sure they’ll all be excited to see your mother again! Tee hee! Oh, but if everyone was in agreement about what to do about the Galle Gold Leaf, that must mean its existence is very important to the villagers.”
“Yes, I believe they all realized that.” Mirach nodded earnestly.
Next, he told me about how he’d made up with Sador. Wow, that was very good news as well! When I said as much to Mirach, he seemed to get a little bashful, causing his cheeks to flush pink.
“Thank you,” he said. “Because of all of you, I realized that reason doesn’t always include empathy.”
The knights who’d been assigned to protect me had been listening in quietly up to that point. But upon Mirach sharing his breakthrough, they nodded in unison and patted him on the back.
“That’s right!”
“Good on you for noticing, Mirach!”
Mirach had been irritated with Sador for repeatedly being late to his duties. Canopus, who had been present at the time, suggested there might be an underlying reason for Sador’s tardiness, considering he was usually so reliable. However, Mirach wouldn’t budge and insisted that there was no excuse for being late and that it wasn’t fair to make an exception and listen to Sador’s side of the story.
Ever since that incident, there’d been tension between Mirach and Sador, but from what Mirach was saying, it seemed like he loosened up and gave Sador the opportunity to explain himself.
When I told Mirach what I’d surmised, he affirmed that I was right before adding, “By the way, Sador was tardy for the fourth time this morning, so I asked him why. He explained to me that his constant lateness was due to the rather ridiculous reason of taking in a stray cat.”
“That’s really important, though!” I exclaimed, causing Mirach to flash me a troubled smile.
“It’s difficult to judge situations like this uniformly when everyone has different standards. That’s why it’s important to ask for the reasons and sometimes show a bit of understanding and kindness. But in this case, there’s no room for leniency. I made sure to scold Sador and tell him, ‘You can’t use caring for a stray cat as an excuse for being late!’”
He’d ended his explanation on a sharp note, but the knights smirking behind him added some information he’d left out.
“That being said, Sador’s demeanor softened a lot when Mirach went out of his way to ask him why he was late. I think he was somewhat pleased to see this hard-nosed guy actually try to understand where someone else was coming from.”
“Plus, after raving about how that wasn’t an excuse, he went and got some milk from the canteen for Sador. That softened him up even more until he turned into a pile of mush.”
“You don’t need to tell the princess that part!” Mirach huffed, his face bright red. After offering a quick excuse that he needed to speak with the captain, he hurried off, leaving the other knights to continue spouting off some peculiar things.
“I think he finally realized that beingright isn’t always right. Glad he got over that fixation.”
“People are all different, so what’s logically correct for one individual might not work for another. There could be as many answers as there are people.”
“I think he’s finally realized that it’s our job to protect the princess, and part of that means building better camaraderie among the knights. In time, he’ll even start to learn that flattery and setting up little side deals are all just part of the process.”
That last line seemed to have gone too far, because it was immediately met by dissent from the other knights.
“That’s not something the princess needs to hear!”
“Mirach is way too serious, he’d never get to the point of tolerating that!”
Despite the knights’ rough remarks, their affection for Mirach was evident, and that brought a smile to my face.
“You all love Mirach, don’t you?!” I chirped. “So do I! If Mirach has changed so much, does that mean he’ll understand my genuine desire to assist him going forward?”
In the past, Mirach had always been two steps ahead of me, taking care of everything on his own before I had a chance to help him out. I was filled with hope that perhaps this would change in the future, but the knights quickly shot me down.
“No, I don’t think that’s going to happen!”
“Mirach’s overbearing nature is ingrained into his bones!”
Ahh, how frustrating. It seemed like I wouldn’t be able to be a big help to the knights anytime soon.
***
That night, Sirius came to visit me in my room after dinner. When I told him about Galle Village’s decision and Mirach, he solemnly nodded.
“I understand how Mirach feels,” he murmured, causing me to open my eyes in surprise.
“Oh? You do?”
“I used to think the same way. I always felt most secure sticking to what I knew, referencing my own experiences, and believing that doing things my way was the most reliable. But…you turned everything around in a way I never expected. You developed new magic and enhanced my abilities with spells I didn’t even know existed. After going through that, all I could do was surrender in shock and awe. Like Mirach, I’ve also been changed by you.”
“I changed you, Sirius?”
Uh-oh. I didn’t know exactly how Sirius had changed, but he was known as a perfect “national hero” up until this point. Changes probably weren’t a good thing.
I was starting to get really anxious just thinking about it, but Sirius quickly added, “For the better.”
Oh? Maybe being with me had made him smarter, more respectable, and more capable? Well, that wouldn’t be so bad…
Just the thought of it made me grin, but that’s when Sirus said, “I never realized how much more fun things could be just by having you around.”
“…Fun?” That was not the praise I’d been hoping to receive…
I’d been thinking something more along the lines of Serafina, you’re so talented that everything you get involved in turns out perfectly, but it seemed that I’d placed my expectations too high.
“Serafina, that’s the highest compliment I can give. Up until now, I’ve never been moved by sentiment, nor did I find anything truly enjoyable. It was only after meeting you that I understood how emotions can ignite a new sense of purpose.”
“Hmm. That doesn’t sound like the type of compliments I usually get.”
But despite my pouting, it really did feel like he was genuinely praising me, so I couldn’t help but smile and give him a tight hug.
“Sirius, I’ll do my best to make things even more fun for you! To start, I’m going to switch your right and left boots three times before you notice.”
“That’s…not what I meant,” He sounded exasperated, but I caught the slightest of smiles flicker across his face. Right then and there, I decided to start switching his boots first thing tomorrow.
The next day, after swapping Sirius’s left and right boots just as I’d promised, the meaning of some of what he said finally dawned on me. I turned to Mirach, who was watering the Galle herbs with me, and announced, “Hey, Mirach! Half of the Galle Gold Leaf may be created by imbuing it with a saint’s magic, but the other half is made by infusing it with kindness!”
Mirach’s face grew serious as he nodded.
“You’re exactly right, Princess.”
Whoa, now that was unexpected! And here I thought Mirach, who valued correctness above all else, would say something like “A plant can’t be made of kindness.”
This new Mirach is wonderful too, I thought with a smile, happy to have no need for further argument.
Interlude: Surveillance of the Second Princess’s Garden
Interlude:
Surveillance of the Second Princess’s Garden
THE MEMBERS OF THE Royal Red Shield couldn’t help but be confused as they stood posted in the garden of the second princess. They’d been told completely out of the blue to guard Serafina’s garden, but they hadn’t been provided with any instructions regarding the important task.
“Did you hear the news? I’ve been told that, for whatever reason, we’re going to be guarding the princess’s garden twenty-four hours a day on shifts from now on.”
“I sure did. During the daytime is one thing, but what are you supposed to protect in a pitch-black garden in the middle of the night? I understand the need to guard Princess Serafina, but other knights have already been posted around the premises. Are we really just supposed to be surveilling this garden?”
“Well, Captain Deneb has been asking us to kick things up a notch lately. All he mentioned was something along the lines of ‘Guard the second princess’s garden. No one except relevant parties should be allowed in or out.’ No details aside from that. Maybe he wants us to think it over ourselves?”
Mirach glared at the grumbling knights before saying, “This is but one aspect of training. You don’t always have all the information available when you’re protecting someone. This is probably a drill in sifting through limited information, organizing it, and carrying out the mission without making any mistakes.”
“That must be it!” The knights chorused in agreement, prompting a confident smile to flicker across Scheat’s face.
“All right, then! How about we scope out her garden? Captain Deneb said that nothing was allowed in orout. Obviously, suspicious parties would never be let inside, but what about the latter part? My guess is that something precious is being kept within.”
“I think Scheat’s on to something. The princess must’ve brought a lot of trees and saplings with her from the villa she was living at in the Forest of Lent, right? That forest is off limits to everyone but the royal family. The plants there must have some sort of value, so they can’t be allowed to get out,” Miaplacidus chimed in, agreeing with Scheat’s sentiment.
All the knights guarding the garden started to feel that both of their statements probably held water, which led to a unanimous decision to search the garden.
***
“Now that I’ve taken a closer look, it really seems like just this one corner is overgrown. It doesn’t really feel like a castle garden at all.”
As they explored the second princess’s garden, the knights shared their impressions with each other.
“Right? You’d expect a princess her age to prefer large and painstakingly cultivated flowers, but there’s nothing here but trees and grass.”
“I’ve heard that preferences are formed at a young age. The princess grew up surrounded by trees and grass, so maybe that’s just what she likes. She’s always plucking something or another, isn’t she?”
In reality, Serafina was harvesting rare and valuable medicinal herbs that were incredibly hard to find, but the knights didn’t know that and instead assumed she was picking weeds.
“Just looking around here, it doesn’t seem like there are any valuable plants—not that I’d be able to tell if there were.”
“Oh! You too? I just realized I wouldn’t be able to tell either.”
The knights were walking around the garden seemingly without a care in the world, when one of them posed a different kind of question.
“Huh? What’s that hole over there?”
“Hm? What do you mean?” The other knights clamored as they gathered around the hole dug on one side of the garden, eyeing it with curiosity.
“When did this get here?” one asked. “Could this be Princess Serafina’s secret hideout? Perhaps this is where she hides things she doesn’t want Vice-Commander Sirius to see.”
“Hidden secrets, huh? I have to admit, I’m a little curious. I bet she’s stashed away all the tests she’s done poorly on in there. All right, I’m going to take a quick look.”
Miaplacidus hunched his large body down, squeezing his upper half into the hole…but immediately his body jerked, and he quickly pulled back, still in the same hunched over position.
“Uh, that was quick,” Scheat quipped in a cheerful tone, but Miaplacidus’s response was anything but calm.
“Th-th-there’s a black monster…with red eyes!!!”
Scheat and the other knights squinted in confusion, unable to make sense of his words.
“Huh? What are you talking about? Black monsters don’t just spring up anywhere. In fact, there have only been two that are confirmed to exist! It probably just looked black because the hole was so dark.”
“Firstly, if what you’re saying is true, that means there’s a monster in the princess’s garden! That’s…no wait, what if there really is a monster in there and that’s what we’re not supposed to let out?”
“Impossible! There’s no way she’s keeping a monster as a pet in her garden!”
Serafina was known for doing some outlandish things, but no one could have ever imagined her doing something as unconventional as keeping a monster in the gardens of the royal castle. The knights were trying to reassure themselves that the worst-case scenario wasn’t possible as they gazed at the hole from a distance.
That is, until the beast emerged from its resting place.
In an instant, the knights all grabbed onto each other and screamed bewilderedly.
“Eeeeek!”
“I-I-It’s a black fenrir!!!”
There was no denying it—what had appeared before them was a black monster.
“Th-this is it?! This is what we have to prevent from leaving the garden?!”
“No way! This can’t be happening again! The princess has defied all common sense once more! Gah, when am I ever going to learn?”
The knights of the Royal Red Shield were a select group that had been gathered by Sirius himself. Unfortunately, this meant that they were observant enough to realize that the black fenrir was wearing a collar with a jade shell accessory attached to it. These were the same jade shells treasured by the princess, which meant that Serafina was not only keeping this brutal, dangerous monster but also caring for it.
“A knight’s duties are full of unexpected tasks—things you’d never expect! Still…protecting a black monster? That’s beyond anything I could have ever imagined!”
“Bastard! How dare you, a monster, go around deceiving the princess!!”
It’s worth repeating, but the knights of the Royal Red Shield were a select group that had been gathered by Sirius himself. He’d assembled some of the best swordsmen in the brigade, and at this point in time, every single one of them was stronger than the black fenrir. However, it was because of this strength that the knights could sense that the black fenrir had the potential to become even more powerful. In fact, they could predict that it was highly likely the monster would exceed their strength in less than year.
“Let me get this straight. We have to just sit idly by and watch over this thing until it’s strong enough to kill us?”
“No, that can’t be it. We’re not just sitting idly by; we have to actively make sure no one else hurts it. No one except ‘relevant parties’ are allowed to enter, right? That must be to make sure this black fenrir is kept from harm.”
“This can’t be happening! Are we really supposed to just count down until the day our lives are lost? Make sure this is engraved on my tombstone: Here lies a knight who faithfully performed his duty.”
“Sorry, no can do. My soul will be traveling into the sky right along with yours. I just hope there are no black monsters in the heavens…”
The knights were starting to abandon all hope when a sweet voice echoed out from behind them.
“Ludo!”
As soon as that word reached its ears, the black fenrir immediately relaxed its guard and bound in the voice’s direction—straight past the knights—until it reached Serafina.
She greeted it with a huge hug and grinned up at the knights, her arms still encircled around the monster.
“Tee hee hee! I see that you met my adorable friend.”
Just who exactly is this “adorable friend” supposed to be? You really think a black fenrir is cute?! These were the thoughts floating through the knights’ minds, but they managed to hold their tongues.
But as they saw how attached the black monster was to Serafina, their expressions shifted to complete despair.
“Her ‘adorable friend’…” the knights repeated.
They all exchanged glances, fully aware that “adorable friend” wasn’t the appropriate phrase to describe it. But Serafina was so focused on petting the black monster that she didn’t notice.
“P-Princess, a friend is someone you can do all sorts of things with as equals, right? Don’t you think calling a monster a friend is perhaps…questionable?” Scheat asked cautiously.
Miaplacidus quickly backed him up, “He’s right. Monsters and humans are inherently unequal. Rather than fixating on such a terrifying creature, why not find a proper friend instead?”
“I do have other friends,” Serafina countered innocently. “Seven, Oligor, and Sirius.”
At this, the knights fell silent for a moment.
“R-right! In other words, a child spirit who we understand nothing about, the First Spirit Lord, and our very own vice-commander. Strangely enough, when you put it like that, a black monster seems to fit right in,” Scheat groaned, his face slightly twitching. But then he closed his eyes and heaved a resigned sigh.
“All right, I have my orders! What I need to protect in this garden is not a ‘black monster’ but the princess’s ‘adorable friend.’”
Scheat’s conclusion seemed to be the correct answer because Serafina beamed with joy.
“Wow! You’re going to protect Ludo for me? Thanks! He’ll be big in no time and then I’m sure he’ll protect all of you, Scheat!”
“Protect me…? This black monst—I mean, your friend, Princess? No, I’m afraid I couldn’t accept that.”
Although Scheat was genuinely serious about turning her down, Serafina simply thought he was being modest.
“Now, now! There’s no need to hold back!” she said with a happy smile.
“R-right.”
As Scheat reluctantly accepted Serafina’s offer, the knights slowly pulled away from the two. They knew all too well that rejecting any command from their liege was unthinkable. Their faces were dark, as though they could already see the terrible future awaiting them.
***
After the interaction with the knights, Serafina and the black monster played for a bit. But perhaps they grew tired of their frolicking quickly because before the knights could even realize what was happening, Serafina was using the black fenrir as a pillow while they napped together.
As they kept an eye on the sleeping pair, the knights huddled together and started speaking in exhausted whispers.
“She claimed that black monster is her friend! Just how unconventional is our princess?”
“I should’ve foreseen how little common sense she had… A black monster, really? How naive of me to think that his lair was a place to stash away her tests. It would’ve been a hundred times better if I’d found an exam with bad grades in there instead.”
“Wouldn’t guard training with insufficient information have been enough? You said, ‘You don’t always have all the information available when you’re protecting someone,’ but there’s no way this kind of absurd situation happens often! It’s so rare that I don’t think it’s even useful as training.”
Serafina had a knack for taming all kinds of creatures. Starting with Sirius, who was as wild as they came, she went on to charm the king and the three princes in turn…
“Winning the affection of a black monster would probably be a walk in the park compared to Vice-Commander Sirius! I just hope she’ll manage to tame the beast, so he doesn’t end up eating us in the future!!”
“We can only pray!!” the knights cried out, clasping their hands together as they looked back toward Serafina and the black fenrir peacefully snoozing away.
Serafina and Magical Enhancement (Preparation Phase)
Serafina and Magical Enhancement
(Preparation Phase)
“SERAFINA, IS THERE ANYTHING that you want?” I’d been reading in my room with Sirius sitting by my side, but his unexpected question caused me to quickly glance up.
It all started when Sirius came to visit me while I was passing time in my quarters as usual. He didn’t say anything in particular, just sat down on the sofa and looked like he was deep in thought. I guess some days, this is just how he is, I thought to myself, turning my attention back to the Encyclopedia of Medicinal Herbs I’d been reading. It was at that exact moment he asked me that question out of nowhere.
“Hm? Something I want?” I repeated.
Although my first reaction was Why is he asking me that? I found myself wondering if there was something I particularly desired.
“Well, I’d really like to have some herbs I’ve never seen before! It would also be amazing to have a bunch of really rare herbs that are hard to find, even if they’re ones I’ve already seen. Then I could try making all sorts of medicines without being scared of messing up!”
“I’ve already been collecting herbs for you on a regular basis.”
How was I supposed to answer now that he’d said that? Sirius was an incredibly strong knight, so he would sometimes go deep into the forest to exterminate monsters. Whenever he did that, he would always bring me back “medicinal herbs” to make me happy, but…they were almost always just plants that Sirius thought were medicinal herbs. Rarely, actual medicinal herbs would be mixed in, but since they were ones that grew near the entrance of the forest, they were pretty much always species that were readily available.
When we’d visited Starfall Forest the other day in search of the Galle Gold Leaf, I’d been able to collect a wide variety of medicinal herbs that’d been growing in the forest. Sirius was incredibly observant and could easily distinguish subtle differences in the characteristics of monsters, but even in the herb-rich Starfall Forest, everything he picked ended up being weeds. I had a feeling he didn’t care much about plants…
I tested my theory out by giving him my Encyclopedia of Medicinal Herbs the day before, and he only thumbed through a few pages before shutting it. He wasn’t even trying to learn about herbs he didn’t know, which showed me he obviously wasn’t interested in them.
I couldn’t fault him for it though, since I despised having to learn the names of all the nobles. I wouldn’t ever want to thumb through the Aristocratic Directory even if I had spare time. That was probably how Sirius felt when it came to plants. With that in mind, I finally piped up.
“Umm, about that…”
As I was trying to find the right words, a brilliant idea suddenly popped into my head.
“Sirius, where are you planning to go and exterminate monsters next?”
“I’m planning to go to Starvigil Forest, which is located to the east of Starfall Forest.”
“In that case…” I trailed off as I started flipping through pages of the encyclopedia. “This one here is supposed to grow deep in Starvigil Forest. If you find it, could you bring it back for me?”
After staring at the page I’d pointed to for a few moments, Sirius nodded in agreement. “Before, I just grabbed whatever herbs caught my eye, but it’s probably more helpful if you tell me what I should be on the lookout for beforehand.”
“Yes, I think so too.”
Since Sirius wasn’t interested in medicinal herbs, if I simply told him to pick some for me, he’d just grab whatever he saw first. But I knew he had an incredible memory, so if I showed him one or two ahead of time, he might be able to recognize them and get those instead. I was praying that my instincts were right when Sirius returned the conversation to the original topic.
“Is there anything else you want—besides medicinal herbs?”
“Something else? Hm, well, I’d like a white handkerchief to practice my embroidery, lots of colorful thread, and some candy I could sew into…”
Sirius loudly cleared his throat and spoke over me before I could finish.
“Serafina, I really think you should reconsider your idea of sewing candy into handkerchiefs. It’s a wonderful innovation, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think it’s something you should go around showing off. Anyway, I digress. I’m not asking for a list of inexpensive things you’re looking for. What I’m after are requests for items that are of high monetary value. For example, a special gift that would be nice to receive on a birthday or similar occasion.”
Oh! Perhaps he was trying to get a head start on my next birthday present?
“Sirius, you know my birthday is in winter. That’s still quite a few months away.”
“I’m well aware of that. But if you wanted something that was difficult to obtain, I thought it might take a considerable amount of time to acquire it. In any case, I just so happened to bring birthdays up as an example…”
Oh dear, Sirius wasn’t very good at hiding things. No matter how I looked at it, it seemed like he was trying to figure out what to give me for my birthday.
“Something special for my birthday? Hmm… I think I’d like a gemstone or maybe a magic stone.”
“A gemstone I can understand…but a magic stone?”
“Uh-huh.”
Talking about the handkerchief had triggered something in my memory. The other day, I’d given Sirius a handkerchief I’d embroidered. It seemed I’d somehow infused it with magic while I was stitching, which gave it a protective effect. An object being granted a long-term magical effect was unheard of, so when the handkerchief started glowing and Sirius was shielded by a protective power during the battle with the fenrirs, no one understood what had happened.
Sirius was the only one who noticed that the handkerchief remained completely intact after the battle. He said he was going to conduct an investigation under the assumption that some sort of magic had activated from it, but I was skeptical that could even be the case.
But when I’d come home from the expedition and told Seven about it, he’d breezily replied, “Oh yeah, that’s magical enhancement.”
***
“Magical…what?” At the time, I didn’t realize that items could be imbued with magic, so I was completely flummoxed. Seeing my confusion, Seven smirked as he continued to explain.
“It’s the process of embedding magical power into various things and granting them specific effects.”
I’m sure Seven thought that was a perfectly fine explanation, but I still had no idea what he was talking about. As I stood there, scratching my head and trying to figure out exactly what he meant, Seven decided to take a different approach.
“Fi, when you use strengthening magic or protection magic on the knights, you can see those effects on their bodies, right? In the same way, if you cast magic on a sword or shield, it’ll retain that effect for a certain amount of time.”
“Something like that’s possible?!” I asked, my eyes opening wide in surprise.
“Anything’s possible!” Seven declared proudly. “Although, it seems the effect was granted to a handkerchief this time. That’s really rare.”
“Oh? So, that’s what it was?” I gasped, finally understanding what had happened during the battle.
Seven crossed his arms, as if he was thinking about something. “I’m pretty sure that happened because you’re an unusually strong magic user, Fi. There are items that respond to being infused with magic better than others. Something like a handkerchief or thread should only have a one-time effect, and even then, it wouldn’t be a very strong one.”
That effect had protected Sirius’s life, so it seemed pretty powerful to me. But I guess that meant it could’ve been even more potent if I’d used a different object.
“In that case, is it better to enhance items like swords and shields instead?” I asked.
“Not necessarily. True, those items are better than cloth, but the best targets of all are minerals that have been formed over a long period of time.”
“When you say minerals, you mean something like gemstones, right? If it’s a stone that took a super long time to form deep underground, it’s gotta be able to hold a lot of magic! Now that I think about it, a stone that’s soaked up the power of the earth and water for hundreds or even thousands of years and turned into a crystal would probably make a great vessel!”
When Seven nodded in agreement, I asked him another question that had popped into my head.
“Would it be the same for the magic stones created in the body of a monster?”
Since monsters only lived for around a hundred years, when compared to gemstones, it didn’t take nearly as long for the magic stones that could be found inside them to crystallize. But a magic stone in a monster’s body would probably be soaking up magic the whole time it was crystallizing, so it would likely be amazing at storing magic.
“Magic stones from monsters? I’ve never really considered that before, but it might be fun to try and experiment on them.”
I couldn’t help but grin when I saw how his eyes were sparkling with excitement.
“Some monsters also use magic, right? I can’t wait to see what would happen if we enhanced a stone from one of them that’s been bathing in magic for years and years!” It was always fun to try new things, especially when you had no idea how they’d turn out.
Seven and I excitedly promised each other we’d experiment by enhancing magic stones.
***
Of course, Sirius had no idea about that promise, which was probably why he sounded like he was choosing his words carefully when he finally responded to me.
“Serafina,” he began with a clearly troubled look on his face, “magic stones are almost always dark shades—colors that clearly signal danger. They’re not the type of thing you’d wear as an accessory.”
Oh dear, it seemed he’d misunderstood why I wanted the magic stones and thought I wanted to turn them into jewelry, like rings or necklaces.
“No, no! I’m not going to make accessories with them. I don’t plan to wear them at all, so rather than a big gemstone or magic stone, I’d rather have a whole bunch of small ones!”
Magically enhancing objects was something new I was just getting ready to try. I would probably mess up a lot while I was still getting the hang of it, so nothing would make me happier than having a plethora of small stones to practice on.
When I explained how I felt to Sirius, he stared at my face intently before finally nodding his head.
“I understand what it is that you desire,” he said.
With that, he left my room. Yup, I was pretty sure this whole visit was just him trying to figure out what I wanted for my birthday. Having gotten his answers, he probably left to start making plans as quickly as he could.
Sirius told me that he was only bringing up “birthdays” as an example, but that had to be it.
Heh heh, Sirius is always so sincere, I thought, smiling as I let myself imagine what kind of stones I might receive for my birthday.
“Since it doesn’t matter how tiny the gemstones or magic stones are, getting around ten or so would be fantastic. Or maybe I’m being a little too greedy? I’ll be turning seven this year, so even just seven would suffice! Hmm…but would that still be asking for too much?”
I was having fun daydreaming about what might happen, completely unaware that my idea of a “whole bunch” and Sirius’s idea of a “whole bunch” were as different as night and day. But I wouldn’t realize just how big of a disparity that was until my birthday came.
Point of View: Canopus - A Request That Must Never Be Granted
Point of View: Canopus
A Request That Must Never Be Granted
THIS EPISODE TOOK PLACE on a day when I was guarding Princess Serafina as she picked herbs in the castle garden.
“Canopus, there’s something I’d like to ask of you.” The princess’s eyes sparkled as she gazed up at me, clearly hoping I would do her a favor.
I was a member of Princess Serafina’s Royal Red Shield, a knight whose purpose was to protect the princess. In other words, someone who was in this position must try and comply with her demands as much as possible.
While I was keenly aware of that fact, my previous experience had taught me that whatever the princess said next would most likely be a request that I could never ever grant for her. Honestly, I wanted to turn her down without even hearing what she would say, but unfortunately, that wasn’t a possibility.
Although I really didn’t want to respond, I managed to force some words from my lips and ask, “And what might that be?”
“So, you remember how we fought those fenrirs in Starfall Forest the other day? During the battle, one of them lunged straight at me.”
Ah, yes. I remembered it quite well.
I’d been trying to fend off another fenrir when that monster targeted Princess Serafina of all people. If Vice-Commander Sirius hadn’t stepped in when he did, there’s no question she would’ve sustained an injury. The sheer thought of it made my body grow cold. It was a memory steeped in regret, one that chilled me to the bones whenever it came to mind. In that moment, I had completely failed my duty as Princess Serafina’s personal knight.
“Yes, of course I remember,” I said, my teeth clenched tightly. “I could never forget that moment because it was when my own untrustworthiness put you in danger.”
“Huh? That’s not true.” The princess breezily refuted my statement. “You did great, Canopus. Anyway, that wasn’t where I was going with that. I’m going to be on the battlefield a lot from now on, so I’m sure I’ll find myself in a ton of dangerous situations like that going forward.”
“You most certainly will not, Princess. I’ll lay my life on the line to ensure such a thing never happens again.”
“Well, um, I’m not sure that’s quite right… I don’t know if I can be a real saint if I’m too afraid of getting hurt. But when the fenrir leaped at me, all I could do was…crouch down without thinking. I believe that’s where I messed up. I should’ve kept my eyes on the attack so I could heal myself right away if I got hurt.”
All the blood drained from my face as I listened to her.
“There was no way that would have been possible! Your opponent was a monster that was many times larger than you, with claws and fangs that could rip you apart. As someone who doesn’t have combat skills, there’s no way you could’ve take an attack like that head-on.”
Since many of the body’s vital organs and essential parts were in the front, Princess Serafina’s decision to turn her back to the monster wasn’t wrong from a defensive standpoint.
“But if I don’t keep an eye on the battlefield, I might miss seeing which knights need my magic. I shouldn’t be turning away, no matter how scared I am. That’s why… Canopus, would you mind striking me with your sword?”
“…C-come again?”
I couldn’t tell whether it was my mind or body that suddenly began to falter.
“I’d like to experience something similar to the impact of being attacked by a monster. Of course, I’d ask that you use a wooden sword and weak blows to start. But I’d like you to increase the power behind them little by little and eventually use the sword you have at your waist.”
I…
She…
…Huh?
Being asked the impossible by Princess Serafina, the person I was meant to protect, left me in a daze—no, more like in utter shock. I collapsed to one knee.
Just the thought of swinging a wooden sword in her direction made me want to empty the contents of my stomach on the spot.
“…Princess Serafina, you’d be better off telling me to die!”
“What?!”
“Even if you ask me carry out such nonsense, there’s no way I could ever comply!”
“Huh? But it’s just to help me train. That’s all it is.”
“Such training does not exist!!!”
It was the first time I’d ever screamed so loudly in front of the princess that I thought my throat might tear apart. Since this was such unprecedented behavior, the other knights, who had been lingering nearby, quickly rushed over to us.
“Whoa there, Canopus. What are you shouting for?”
“That scream would have been appropriate if you’d accidentally stumbled upon a body, not aimed at the princess.”
“Ha ha. Did she play a prank on you or something?”
What Princess Serafina had asked of me was something I could never utter with my own mouth. As I knelt there, staring down, the princess took it upon herself to repeat everything she had said. I looked up, still unable to speak, and noticed that my fellow knights—who had been listening so intently at first—were growing paler by the second. By the time she had finished, I could see that they’d all tumbled over and joined me on the ground.
“P-Princess! You must never ask for such a thing again!”
“I…I… Oh no, I’m sure this is going to haunt me forever!”
“If I ever did anything to harm the princess, I would take my own life!”
Evidently, the other knights felt the same way as I did. Seeing them covering their faces with their hands and crying like young maidens, confirmed to me that my reaction was natural.
Despite this, Princess Serafina, seemingly oblivious to what was happening, continued trying to persuade us.
“Since I’m a saint, I’ll be able to heal myself right away if I get hurt! Aren’t you the ones who are always going on about the importance of training?!”
Her question was met with complete silence.
Clearly, none of us were going to voice our agreement. All we could do was look at her with clear disapproval. It was only then that she seemed to realize that our resolve in this instance was firm, and her expression began to waver.
“…Um, so you’re all opposed to it? Are you worried that you’ll get in trouble if you hurt me?”
She didn’t get it at all. Obviously, anyone who hurt the princess would be beaten within an inch of his life by the king or Vice-Commander Sirius, but we weren’t refusing the princess’s request out of fear of corporal punishment. It was painfully clear that none of us ever wanted to harm our liege, the one we cherished more than anyone else, with our own hands.
There was only one thing we could say to her as we all trembled in terror. From where we knelt on the ground, we all screamed so loudly that it felt as though our throats might rip apart.
“Please, use your protection magic on yourself!!!”
She always cast her protection magic on us, when it was her who should be the true target.
“Oh, I guess that could work as well.” Princess Serafina chirped, lightly clapping her hands together as if the thought had just occurred to her. All of us felt the strength leave our bodies as we realized it was something she’d never considered before.
As we all still lay sprawled on the ground, Princess Serafina innocently devised a new plan.
“That is a good idea, but there may be times when I can’t protect against everything. So I still think it’s important to prepare for the worst and do some train—”
“There’s no need for that! We’ll protect you, no matter what!!”
“Princess! Please, dismiss the thought from your head right now!!”
“If you wish to put us at ease, never speak of this again, not now, not ever!!”
“…A-all right.”
Princess Serafina nodded, seemingly taken aback by how vehemently the other knights and I were responding one after another, although it didn’t seem she had any idea why.
But seeing as the princess had agreed to our request, it didn’t seem like this conversation needed to continue any longer. We knights were about to finally get back to our feet when Scheat and Miaplacidus, who’d been a considerable distance away, came running over.
“What’s gotten into you all, shouting like that? We could hear you from a mile away!”
“Why are you all lying sprawled out on the ground? Is this some sort of training exercise?”
“Well…”
When we saw that Princess Serafina was about to dutifully explain herself for the third time, we all shouted from the ground, hoping to avoid a repeat of what had just happened.
“It’s nothing! You two get out here, right now!!!”
It was a desperate plea, born from the fear that if the same thing were to happen again, we wouldn’t make it through. And yet that duo, who were always so carefree, mocked us by pretending to shiver, completely oblivious to the gravity of the situation.
“Oh, scary.”
“Come on. Did you all lose your wallets or something? You seem to be in terrible moods.”
We’d interrupted the princess to protect ourselves, but there was no doubt we’d saved these two as well. Despite this, they were both smirking without a clue to what was happening around them. Deciding to ignore them entirely, I instead turned to Princess Serafina and sincerely pleaded with her.
“Princess, there are some wishes that can’t be granted, and this is one of them! I know you’re a very clever girl, so please try and understand.”
“Please try and understand!” The other knights pleading voices echoed behind mine, and Princess Serafina nodded in agreement once more.
“O-okay!”
Hearing that, all of us knights on the ground finally let out a collective sigh of relief. Staggering to my feet, I—along with all the other knights who stood up at the same time—shuddered, each of us trembling at the thought of how many more times the princess would ask us to do the impossible.
Scheat and Miaplacidus’s eyes lit up with interest at our shock, as if they were wondering what exactly had gone down. All I could think as I gave them a sidelong glance was that ignorance is bliss. Still, knowing what I did about the two of them, they would try and get to the bottom of this and stumble on the truth eventually. That will lead to them both taking severe mental damage, I thought to myself, almost perfectly predicting the near future.
Curiosity killed the cat. I knew that quite well, but I was far too drained by that point to give the two of them a thorough warning. Although I felt a few pangs of guilt, I decided to let the matter go for the time being.
It was undoubtedly a great honor to be entrusted with the princess’s protection, a source of pride beyond measure…but with my mind weary and my body tired, I also came to realize just how much hardship it entailed.
Luntia’s Key
Luntia’s Key
THAT DAY, with a single key in my hand, I set out with Canopus to the knights’ training grounds. The knights of the royal guard paused their intense practice when they noticed I’d arrived. When they eventually looked at me, I held out the key I was holding to show them.
“Okay! It’s time for Detective Serafina to reveal her true abilities! Even though detectives usually work undercover, Canopus said I should show off my amazing skills to everyone. So that’s why I came here—to get some reinforcements! Mirach, Fackt, I want you to come with me!”
Although I’d just requested their help specifically, Mirach and Fackt gazed at me in silence before swallowing hard.
“Is that the key you got at the hidden palace from the First Spirit Lo—I mean, your spirit friend?” Mirach finally asked.
I nodded, confirming that was indeed the case.
“Uh-huh. Oligor said it was the key to his friend Luntia’s secret room! Oligor said I could see something interesting in there, so it’s my mission to get to the bottom of it!”
“Your ‘mission,’ is it? There’s plenty of hidden information in the world that’s better off remaining uncovered. I think leaving that key in your toy box would be a better way to memorialize your trip to the West Coast. But I’m guessing that you’re determined to complete your mission, am I right, Princess?”
When I nodded again at Fackt’s probing words, he asked another question with what seemed to be a sense of resignation.
“And the spirit told you there’s a secret room in the villa within the castle grounds?”
Even though Fackt hadn’t accompanied me to Oligor’s palace, the information he had was so accurate it was like he’d been there himself! I nodded once more, feeling satisfied. Fackt was certainly the right knight for the job!
“Yup! Since the villa isn’t being used at the moment, I had to get permission to go inside, so I asked Father if I could check it out, and he said yes! Anyway, let’s go find that secret room!”
“So the king finally gave in and granted his permission after all,” Mirach sighed.
“How unexpected. I thought she might’ve ended up stuck in a holding pattern forever. Seems like even the king is no match for the princess’s relentless pleading,” Fackt chimed in.
No sooner had they finished making their slightly rude comments than Scheat strolled over, a wide grin on his face.
“Hey, Princess, I’ll come too!”
Mirach and Fackt looked appalled at his offer.
“You must have nerves of steel, popping up uninvited and boldly including yourself like it’s no big deal!” Fackt said.
“Indeed. This mission requires brains—which means you’re practically guaranteed to be no help at all, Scheat,” Mirach added.
Their words were undeniably harsh, yet it was oddly amusing, since Scheat didn’t seem fazed by them in the slightest.
“Heh! Looks like you’re all set for an adventure, Scheat! Hopefully, we’ll find something interesting there.” I smiled brightly at him, and then the four knights—Canopus, Mirach, Fackt, and Scheat—and I made our way toward the villa.
***
Seven was already waiting for us at the villa when we arrived.
“Fi, you sure took your sweet time!” He pouted as he buzzed around in the sky. Since my knights acknowledged him with a little bow, it seemed he’d made himself visible today.
He must be so excited to explore the secret room that he’s showing himself to the knights, I chuckled to myself. My mischievous spirit friend was always happy to find new sources of amusement, so learning about the room’s existence was likely a big thrill for him. Seeing his exhilaration made me beam with happiness.
I recalled what Oligor had told me when we last met: “This is the key to Luntia’s secret room. She got up to a lot of interesting things in there. I helped her with some of them, which made it even more fun. At first, I locked the door so nobody could come in and see…”
Oligor might have been a bit of a crybaby, but because he was a spirit, he probably enjoyed getting up to some hijinks as well. Since he’d said that whatever was in there was so interesting he didn’t want anyone else to see it, I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of secrets might be concealed inside.
Turning my gaze to the villa, I could see some knights posted at the entrance. The Second Knight Brigade, which Mirach had previously belonged to, was tasked with guarding the royal castle. Mirach chatted casually with some of the knights on duty, and they smiled before giving me a bow.
“We received word from His Majesty. Please, enter.”
“I got permission to go into the house of fun!” I giggled as I excitedly stepped through the door.
Mirach’s expression immediately turned serious as he corrected me. “Princess, this isn’t a ‘house of fun,’ this is the villa where the mother of the first King of Náv resided.”
Fackt chimed in with some additional information. “This villa was sealed off for two hundred years after she passed away.”
“So even though no one’s been in here for two hundred years, there are still guards posted at the entrance?”
That has to mean something incredibly important is being kept inside, I thought as I stepped into the foyer and looked around. It almost felt as though I’d been transported back to the Forest of Lent.
“What is this…?” I gasped, taken aback by what I sensed. When I made eye contact with Seven, I could tell he was just as surprised as I was.
“This is a space that’s really soothing for spirits.”
“A soothing space for spirits…” I mumbled, nodding in agreement with Seven.
The villa didn’t particularly resemble the Forest of Lent, but rather the atmosphere of both was similar. Just like that forest was a haven for child spirits, this villa also felt like it would be a really comfortable place for spirits to stay. As I was wondering why exactly that was the case, I noticed that the ceiling of the foyer was made entirely of glass.
“That glass is special, isn’t it? It gathers sunlight…no, gathers isn’t the right word. It’s more like it chooses what and what not to allow in.”
“Right.” Seven agreed as he flew up to the ceiling and examined the glass by pressing his face up against it, “It looks like only the purest sunlight from the dawn of time is allowed to enter this villa. What an amazing mechanism—truly the pinnacle of spirit craftsmanship.”
Hearing Seven’s explanation, I felt like I understood why the villa felt so comfortable. Spirits could make really incredible things, but no one understood how they did it. The materials they used were completely different from what we knew, and it was said they must have magical techniques that were completely unknown to us.
Now, it was my turn to share some information with Seven in return for his explanation.
“I heard that the first king’s father was the Spirit Lord, and he was also said to have lived in this villa about two hundred years ago. Since spirits live such a long time, he might still be alive, right? If that’s the case, I’d love to try meeting him someday.”
“…I’d rather not see him again. The First Spirit Lord and his entourage are in a league of their own. They’re so different from us that it’s like we’re not even the same species. Being in their presence is almost suffocating.”
Oh dear, that must mean the Spirit Lord was probably the intimidating type. If that was the case, maybe I wouldn’t want to interact with him too much either.
The knights and I ventured further into the building. Once we’d climbed the staircase, we ended up stopping in front of a certain door. There were plenty of rooms on both the first and second floors, but I sensed that this had to be the one that could be unlocked with the key Oligor gave me.
Hesitantly, I tried the key, and as I inserted it into the lock, it let out a high-pitched click while turning, confirming I did indeed have the right door.
“It worked!” I couldn’t help but give a cheer. “Now I’m going to open the door. Heh! I can’t wait to see what kind of amazing things are inside.”
Seven and I exchanged excited glances as we peered in, full of anticipation, but as soon as we saw what was there, my mouth dropped open.
“Whoa.”
The door led to a space that didn’t look like any room I had ever seen. There was a huge tree right in the middle and half of the floor was covered with all sorts of plants, all healthy and strong. I looked up, and sure enough, the same special glass was covering the entire ceiling here too, just as it had been in the foyer.
Wood grain showed through in the parts of the floor not covered with plants, and there were also normal indoor furnishings like a desk, a table, a rocking chair, and a sofa. The walls were lined with bookshelves crammed full of books, and dried plants I’d never seen before hung from the ceiling, along with bird feathers and animal horns.
Honestly, everything I could see was fascinating, but what really caught my eye were the plants growing along the floor. I looked at a few that seemed particularly interesting, and upon further inspection, they turned out to be rare medicinal herbs with very powerful properties.
“Huh? This herb is typically found only at the peaks of tall mountains—how is it growing here in the villa?” According to my Encyclopedia of Medicinal Herbs, this herb was supposed to push through the snow. I couldn’t understand how something that thrived in the extreme cold could flourish in a place like the royal castle, where the hot summer sun bathed everything in warmth.
And that wasn’t the only mystery. The secret room also contained rare herbs that could only be found in the deepest parts of the ocean, along with others that grew only on the horns of monsters.
I was really impressed. How did Luntia cultivate all these plants? Not to mention, if no one had been in this room for two hundred years, how were they all still lush and flourishing? The other day I’d been surprised to hear that Mirach’s village grew their own medicinal herbs rather than picking them from the forest, but what I’d seen in this room was several times more shocking than that.
Still shaking my head in wonder, I approached the next thing that had caught my eye: the giant tree. It was lined with birdhouses, so I peeked inside one of them only to see a mound of black feathers. Though they were just feathers, the moment I saw them, a chill ran down my spine and I instinctively grabbed onto Seven for comfort.
“Black feathers…that belong to a black creature? Sirius said that, besides Ludo, there are only two other black monsters on this continent. Could these belong to one of them?” I blurted out the first thing that popped into my mind, but my question was met with silence.
***
Seven and I were still clinging to each other and trembling, but it was strange that the knights hadn’t made a single peep, so I raised my head to glance up at them.
“Canopus…” I called out, but my personal knight’s lips were tightly clenched, and he remained silent. Now that was a rare sight—he hardly ever acted like that. But when he did, it usually meant he knew the answer but didn’t want to say it.
“Canopus,” I repeated, “do these feathers belong to a monster?”
Still, no matter how much he didn’t want to answer, Canopus would always reply if you asked him a direct question.
“…I don’t think so.”
Well, that was curious. His answers normally weren’t so short. Canopus would always answer a question if he was asked, but for him not to offer even the slightest of explanations meant he really didn’t want to talk about it.
But I still wanted to know, so I pressed further. “Then what’s the deal with these feathers?”
Canopus slightly winced at my follow-up question, and after a long, thoughtful silence, he finally responded.
“I’ve never seen one myself, so I can’t say for sure. This is only speculation, but…I believe they belong to a demon.”
“A deman?” I’d never heard that word before, but I wondered if it was a type of monster. “I don’t think I know what that means. Is it a monster that’s like a person?”
“Yes. Something like that. Demon is the general classification for monsters who take human form. However, it’s been about a hundred years since they were last seen, so it’s believed that they would no longer be encountered in our lifetime.”
His voice was strained, and he wasn’t making eye contact with me, which was quite unusual. I could tell he really didn’t want to say anything more. In that case, I’d have to turn to someone else for my next question.
I glanced over at the other three knights and noticed that Scheat was looking uncharacteristically pale.
“What’s wrong, Scheat? You don’t look so good,” I called out, unable to hide my surprise.
In response, Scheat crouched down on the spot and covered his face with trembling hands. “Um, yes, well…I don’t really like black feathers. So, if you wouldn’t mind, could we stop talking about them?”
“Huh? Are you all right?” I gasped, taken aback. But this time, it was Mirach and Fackt who answered instead.
“He’s fine, but Scheat can be surprisingly sensitive at times. How about focusing your attention on something else instead?”
“There are many books in here, Princess. Ah, this one seems to be an herb encyclopedia that was made by the keeper of this room.”
“An herb encyclopedia?”
Even though I didn’t understand why, those black feathers terrified me too. I didn’t think it was necessary to keep talking about something Scheat didn’t like, so I quickly took advantage of Fackt’s attempt to change the subject. He handed me the book in question, and I moved over to the sofa to flip through it. I spent the rest of my time in the room quietly reading.
It was starting to get dark, and when the knights insisted it was time to get going, I looked up from the book I’d been reading with a contented sigh.
“This room truly is wonderful! It’s filled with so many interesting things.”
But the contents of the room must have been more intriguing to saints than knights, because not a single one of them agreed with me. Well, that couldn’t be helped. Different people liked different things.
Rising from the sofa, I stood up and declared, “Since I’ll be taking fewer princess lessons, I plan to visit this room a lot more from now on!”
Slowly but surely, I’d explore everything in that room. After all, learning new things was so much fun!
“Seven, you’ll do it with me, right?!”
“I guess I’m getting wrapped up in this too.” Seven sounded a little annoyed, but I just grinned at him.
“Weren’t you the one who said that spirits can’t stand boredom? Now you’re guaranteed to be entertained for a long time.”
“I did say that, but this wasn’t the kind of activity I had in mind.” Seven whined, but I don’t think he hated the idea as much as his words let on, since a smile almost immediately returned to his face. “Still, wouldn’t it be something if we could complete the unfinished research of the previous king? When I think about it that way, I can’t help but get fired up.”
Now that I knew what had caught his interest, I decided to heap on the praise to encourage him even further, “There are so many things I can’t understand on my own, so I’d feel a lot better having someone as smart as you helping me out, Seven!”
“You drive a hard bargain, Fi,” he moaned as his cheeks started to turn pink. “But if you’re that determined to do this, then sure, I’ll lend you a hand.”
“Thanks so much, Seven!” I swooped him up in a big hug. What a wonderful feeling! With my clever spirit by my side, there was nothing I couldn’t do!
I’d made up my mind. From now on, I’d examine everything in this room bit by bit and eventually complete Luntia’s research!
***
However, in the not-so-distant future…
“…What? A demon?”
I was about to unexpectedly cross paths with a nonhuman, someone with black hair and dark eyes.
But that was still a little ways off. It would still take some time before I fully understood the importance of what Luntia was studying.
Side Story: Serafina Corrects Misconceptions of Sirius
Side Story:
Serafina Corrects Misconceptions of Sirius
RECENTLY, I’d come to an important decision: I needed to clear up some misconceptions regarding my wonderful knight, Sirius. This all started because I overheard an unexpected conversation between some members of the Saint Knight Brigade while Mirach and I were out at a restaurant together.
***
“By the way, what do you think of Vice-Commander Sirius? His ‘eternally icy’ demeanor seems to have thawed a little bit. He might actually thaw out in a thousand years.”
“No way. More like nine thousand, if you ask me. He’s just as demanding of us saints as ever. It’s easy enough for him to say things like, ‘just take two more steps forward,’ but that’s the difference between us being walloped by a monster or not!”
***
The saints had even more to say about Sirius after that, but it had all been based on misunderstandings. I knew I had to be the one to take a stand against the rumors. When I returned to my room at the castle, I was probably acting a bit odd since I was so preoccupied in thought. The knights who were guarding me became concerned, assuming that something was wrong.
I was about to tell them all about what happened at the restaurant, when I recalled a certain phrase from the saints’ conversation that I hadn’t really understood. I asked Scheat about the precise meaning of an “‘eternally icy’ demeanor,” but his response completely threw me for a loop.
“You want to know why people would say someone has an ‘eternally icy’ demeanor? Well…let’s see, it would be used for someone who’s ruthless and unfeeling, like a demon without a human heart.”
I was so surprised that I asked Scheat again for confirmation, just to make sure I’d heard right.
“I-It’s that bad?! So…saying their icy demeanor would thaw out in nine thousand years means their personality has gotten much better?”
Nine thousand years was obviously less than an eternity, so I expected that to mean a big change, but Miaplacidus, who’d been standing next to me, shook his head.
“Princess Serafina, how many years do you think people live? Maybe one hundred years or so, right? Whether it be an eternity or nine thousand years, that’s much longer than the human life span. When you think of it from that perspective, both phrases essentially describe the same thing: someone who’s ruthless and unfeeling, like a demon without a human heart.”
“Oh nooo!”
Here Sirius was, so kind and warmhearted, yet the saints completely misunderstood him, thinking he was cold and unfeeling!
“This is horrible! I have to do something about this!” I uttered with firm resolution as the knight’s expressions gave way to wariness.
Fackt seemed to act as their representative as he pushed his glasses a little further up on his nose and queried, “Princess Serafina, I don’t really want to press the matter any further, but I predict our future selves will end up suffering if we try and sweep this problem under the rug. So, with that in mind, may I ask what it is you wish to do?”
“Well, I know you’re not going to believe this, but the person that they were saying had an ‘eternally icy’ demeanor that would ‘thaw out in nine thousand years’ was Sirius!”
I just hope they wouldn’t be too surprised, I thought, as I revealed the top-secret information. But for some reason, all the knights just nodded like they completely understood.
“Ah, I see. That’s a very accurate depiction! Whoever came up with it has quite a way with words.”
“Right? It’s the perfect way to describe the vice-commander’s unyielding coldness!! That phrasing makes it crystal clear who they’re speaking about!”
Oh dear, it seemed that both the knights and the saints held the same misconceptions. In that case, it was even more imperative that I set things straight!!
When the knights noticed how my eyes were twinkling, they immediately seemed to realize that their choice of words was mistaken.
“Oh! Uh, I mean…wh-what a shock! To think that someone would say that Vice-Commander Sirius has an ‘eternally icy’ demeanor.”
“I imagine that ice that never thaws would be quite shiny. Since the vice-commander is a very handsome man, perhaps they meant to say they want to see his beautiful face reflected in it. Yes, that seems quite believable.”
The knights spoke in a frantic rush, but everything they said felt forced or off-topic. I paused and thought for a moment, “Even though you’re around him all the time, I guess these types of misunderstandings can still happen. I want you all to know that Sirius is incredibly kind.”
Even though what I’d said was the absolute truth, all four of my knights—Mirach, Scheat, Fackt, and Miaplacidus—shook their heads.
“That’s only when it comes to you, Princess.”
“He’s kind to us, sure, but what he puts us through is ten times tougher! For instance, if we get injured by a monster, he trains us ten times harder to make sure it doesn’t happen again! Ten times, I say! That’s beyond ordinary reason!!”
“If we happen to be in trouble when a monster attacks us again, the vice-commander will come to our aid without hesitation. So yes, you can say that he’s kind. But the training before that is so intense that the feeling of being pushed to our limits is what sticks with us.”
“I’ve seriously thought the training grounds would be my final resting place at least ten times!”
“Oh, that’s what you mean, huh?”
Sirius was deliberately hardening his heart and training his knights rigorously so they wouldn’t be caught off guard if anything ever happened to them. Since all the knights could process was how intense their training was, they couldn’t understand how Sirius felt. That meant their feelings of frustration outweighed their gratitude.
Ding! Suddenly, a light bulb went off on in my mind.
“Aha! I’ve got it! Sirius is worried about all of you, which is why he’s so strict, you know. If you don’t want him to be so tough on you, all you need to do is get stronger. That way he won’t have any reason to be concerned!”
It was a brilliant flash of inspiration. But when I presented the knights with my idea, their faces began to slightly twitch.
“You want us to become so strong that Vice-Commander Sirius won’t worry anymore?”
“What would the measuring stick even be? Strong enough to defeat a dragon on your own? Or perhaps strong enough to land a single blow on the vice-commander himself?”
The knights bombarded me with questions, but they already jumped to their own conclusions before I even had time to answer.
“There’s no doubt about it! Being put through the wringer by the vice-commander would be ten times better than training to do that!”
“Whether it’s training to defeat a dragon on my own or being drilled by the vice-commander, either way, the training grounds will be my final resting place!”
Uh-oh, my knights still completely misunderstood Sirius. It looked like I’d need to clear up their misconceptions first before I could do the same for the saints. Still, it didn’t seem like it’d be easy to change their minds. I couldn’t figure out how to do it on my own, so I’d have to rely on a friend for help. With that in mind, I headed to the garden I’d recreated to resemble the Forest of Lent.
***
I’d heard that the spirit’s voices sounded like the blowing of the breeze or the crackling of a fire to everyone else but me. If that was true, no one would be able to catch what Seven was saying, but just in case, I had the knights guard me from a short distance away.
Seven and I squatted under one of the trees together, whispering as we discussed our plans.
“Okay, Seven. I don’t want you to be too taken aback, but all the knights think Sirius is ruthless and unfeeling—that he’s like a demon without a human heart!”
Even after revealing this shocking news, my friend didn’t look startled in the least. Well, that was Seven for you, always cool as a cucumber.
“Yeah, that’s not surprising. Sirius always puts his knights through hellish training, so it’s no wonder that’s what they think of him. To be honest, that training is the root of the problem. The knights end up getting all emotional, thinking, ‘But the vice-commander is sweating and sparring alongside us!’ That encourages them to keep going, but because Sirius has incredible physical stamina, the training never seems to end.”
“R-right. So you’re saying they should stop training?” If that was the problem, the logical answer would be to stop, but when I voiced that thought, Seven shook his head.
“No need to go that far. They may moan and groan about it, but the knights like to be active. In fact, I think they’d be even more disappointed if the training stopped.”
“Oh, Seven, you really are something else! You can pick up on subtle things that no one else notices, huh?” I was surprised by how well Seven could read how the knights felt, but he waved off my praise.
“It’s only because the knights are so simpleminded. Whenever the knights are at the training grounds, they all line up in front of Sirius itching to spar. In any case, all you want is for them to think that Sirius is kind, right?”
“Yep, exactly!”
“Heh heh.” Seven chuckled, his face the picture of confidence. “All right, I have the perfect solution. Your own ladies-in-waiting were talking about it just the other day. The answer is simple: show off an unexpected side of him! If someone who’s typically seen as cold shows kindness to dogs and cats, others will often think, ‘Wow, they’re so nice!’”
“Is that how the world works?!” I was taken aback. “But ‘dogs,’ you say? So, all I need to do is have the knights see Sirius being nice to Ludo, right?” Now that I had a plan, I wanted to put it into action straight away.
“I don’t think so. Ludo’s not a dog but an incredibly rare black monster. Seeing Sirius being kind to a creature like that might make it seem as if he were trying to tame a vicious beast. That’ll likely end up making Sirius seem even more terrifying. …Hey! Fi! I’m talking about something important here! And…she’s gone.”
I couldn’t wait any longer. Even though I could hear Seven calling after me, I kept running without paying him any mind. Once I’d gotten to the entrance of Ludo’s burrow, I got on all fours and crawled inside the hole.
***
Three days later, I was walking toward my garden with the knights. I thought having them witness the scene in their “free time” would probably have more of an impact, so I’d asked them not to wear their uniforms. Don’t get me wrong, they were still on duty, protecting me, so whether it could truly be considered free time is debatable. But despite that, they all complied with my request without any pushback.
At first, the knights were talking and joking like they always did, but the deeper we went into my garden, the more their steps grew hesitant.
“P-Princess, we’re going further in?”
“H-hold on. This is one of the castle’s restricted areas. This is where th-that black creature…”
“Ahh, I messed up! I didn’t bother polishing my sword today since I figured I’d just be working around the castle grounds. I never imagined I’d end up visiting one of the restricted areas!”
Scheat, Fackt, and Miaplacidus seemed to physically shrink as we ventured deeper. I cast a sideways glance at them before suddenly freezing in my tracks and trying to look as surprised as I could. I placed my index finger to my lips to signal that we should be quiet and pointed out the scene unfolding before them.
“Oh! Would you take a look at that? The usually mean and scary Sirius is petting a small, weak puppy!”
As expected, Sirius was right on time. He had come to my garden exactly when I asked and was gently petting Ludo, who was resting in his lap. It was the perfect depiction of someone who was usually a bit intimidating having a soft spot for small animals.
I glanced at the knights, hoping that seeing Sirius like this would tug at their heartstrings, but all they did was stare, eyes bulging, when they heard what I said.
“Huh?”
“Vice-Commander Sirius is petting a puppy?”
“Well, that’s sure unexpected! But he’s likely just considering if it would make an acceptable emergency ration.”
Hmm. I usually wouldn’t be thrilled with that final remark, but just for today, I’d choose to look the other way. It seemed important to show off his unexpected side, so hopefully the eventual shift in thinking from “Sirius is cruel” to “Sirius is kind” would paint him in an even better light.
I quickly stepped aside to give them a better view, keeping an eye on their faces as they watched him. Although they had initially looked in the direction I pointed out with suspicion, they soon tensed up in surprise. Next, they clenched their fists at their sides, their expressions clouding as if they were witnessing something unbelievable.
…Th-that wasn’t the reaction I was hoping for. I wondered why they were acting so unexpectedly when Scheat frantically called out to me.
“Princess! Take a closer look! That’s not a puppy the vice-commander is petting—it’s the black monster! The very same elite creature that’s sure to be far stronger than us once it matures!! For him to be petting it…all I can surmise is that he’s training it to be the final nail in our coffin!”
“What?” I gasped, my eyes widening in surprise. I hadn’t expected him to say that. I was so taken aback that I was momentarily at a loss for words. It was then that Miaplacidus and Fackt, who both appeared equally incredulous, began to voice their thoughts as well.
“This is incredible! That monster is letting Sirius do as he pleases without showing any aggression at all! Something on its level should be able to gauge the capabilities of an opponent, so it must understand that defying the vice-commander would be unfavorable. Is the vice-commander so powerful that he even has a black monster at his disposal?”
“It seems the vice-commander is truly a force to be reckoned with! Though, I wouldn’t expect anything less from a man whose icy facade never thaws. He even has an untamable monster under his command.”
“…Uh, what?”
This didn’t seem right. The knights were saying things that were the complete opposite of what I had expected. I followed their gaze and stared at Sirius.
Perhaps we were all seeing something different? I needed to make sure that wasn’t the case. But all I could see was the same scene as earlier; Sirius sitting under one of the trees petting Ludo in his lap. It was the perfect picture of kindness.
There was nothing strange about that, was there? All he’d done was exactly what I’d asked him to do yesterday. I thought back to the conversation we had the day before.
***
“Sirius, Ludo is still just a baby that needs a lot of cuddles. Would you mind taking over petting duties for me tomorrow?”
Even though my request had come out of the blue, Sirius didn’t show any surprise. All he did was give me a slightly bemused look.
“That’s fine, but I think Ludo would appreciate the pets coming from you, no?”
“B-but I’m busy tomorrow!”
His retort had taken me by such surprise that I blurted out an honest answer. I wouldn’t be available the next day because I had plans to sneak the knights into the garden to witness Sirius being kind to a small animal, and I needed to be there to encourage their inevitable praise of how nice he was!
Sirius gave me a look before nodding, as if he understood, and a wave of relief washed over me.
***
And now, just as I’d planned, Sirius was gently petting Ludo.
This wasn’t the outcome I was expecting, though. I’d been so sure that the knights would be pleasantly surprised by Sirius’s kindness and start commending him, and all I’d have to do was nod and say things like “Right? Isn’t that amazing?!” But no one was saying anything about how nice Sirius was at all. I had no choice—I had to go over the top in singing his praises.
I clapped my hands together, a huge smile on my face. “Look closely, everyone! Sirius is petting that puppy so skillfully! Isn’t he kind? So very kind, indeed! Aww! He usually seems a little intimidating, but seeing him with that puppy must mean he’s actually suuuuper kind!”
The knights looked down at me, their expressions strained. “Princess Serafina, please regain your composure. Being kind means showing compassion to those who are weak or unable fend for themselves. The vice-commander is training that monster to be his minion so that he can use it to punish us! There’s nothing kind about that!” Scheat rebutted, but there was one thing he said that didn’t sit right with me.
Just to make sure there wasn’t something wrong with his eyes, I asked, “You said he wanted a minion…but that’s just a small dog.”
“That’s not a dog, it’s a fenrir!”
When the three of them spoke up in unison, I was a little surprised by how perfectly coordinated their response was. It was almost like they’d intentionally planned to say it at it exactly the same time.
“Well, that might technically be true, but right now, Ludo’s not much different from a puppy.”
As I said that, all the knights fell to their knees with their heads in their hands.
“Ah, yes. She’s unconventional in this regard.”
“From the very start, it was the princess who wanted to keep that black monster. No way our common-sense opinions are going to get through to someone who sees a black fenrir as a pet.”
“Just how are we supposed to handle this?”
They were whispering among themselves in low voices so I couldn’t hear, which was usually what happened when they had less-than-kind things to say.
My initial thought was, Isn’t that a little rude considering I’m righthere? But then I reminded myself that these things happen sometimes. I would need to be the bigger person and let it slide. Besides, I needed to focus on carrying out my plan to make them realize that Sirius was actually nice.
“You know,” I said, staring at the knights with my hands on my hips, “my tutor said that if you want to understand someone’s kindness, you need to have that same kindness inside you to begin with. If you can’t see how clearly nice Sirius is, then maybe you’re the ones lacking in kindness.”
After exchanging glances for a moment, the knights nodded as if they agreed.
“You’re absolutely right, Princess! The vice-commander’s kindness and ours are completely different types. That’s why we can’t make heads or tails of it!”
“It’s the same thing as saying, ‘A little bunny can’t understand the kindness of a lion.’”
I didn’t quite get the comparisons that Scheat and Miaplacidus were trying to make, but what they were saying was convincing enough that it made me pause and think.
“So, you don’t understand how Sirius is kind, but you do understand that he is kind?”
The knights looked visibly unsettled when they heard that, and they started whispering among themselves out of my earshot again.
“Uh, according to the princess, we’ve all just agreed that we think Vice-Commander Sirius is kind.”
“Well, he’s unmistakably kind to her, that’s why she’s got it in her head that he treats us the same way.”
“If we don’t go along with this, it could drag on forever.”
I could see that they’d all nodded in agreement, so it seemed like they’d reached a conclusion. All the knights stood tall and said as one, “You’re absolutely right!!!”
Although it took them a while to discuss it, the fact that they all made the same statement simultaneously was likely evidence that they genuinely believed it.
What a relief! I beamed happily, knowing I had finally gotten across to them just how kind Sirius was.
“I was really worried because everyone thought he had an ‘eternally icy’ demeanor, even though he’s such a nice person. I’m so relieved that my knights are finally able to see his true self.”
“Right…”
Scheat, Fackt, and Miaplacidus agreed in unison again, but this time their tone was oddly subdued.
Even though I thought that was a bit out of character for them, the misunderstanding appeared to be cleared up, so I decided not to dwell on it too much. I looked up at them, thinking it was time to move to the next phase of my plan.
“So, it seems like the saints in the Saint Knight Brigade also have the misconception that Sirius is a cold person. Next time you see them, I hope you’ll let them know all about Sirius’s act of kindness.”
“Understood!” the knights chorused, quickly snapping to attention. “We’ll be sure to let them know that Vice-Commander Sirius was patting the head of an elite monster!”
“Will that really do the trick?” I asked. “Wouldn’t it be better to say puppy instead of ‘elite monster’?”
“Information should be conveyed accurately! We’ll say that the vice-commander was patting the head of a ‘juvenile elite monster’!”
“All right, if that’s the phrasing you think would work best! Hee hee. I hope that they understand just how nice Sirius is.” I smiled, hoping the knights would agree with me, but I was met with silence.
Even though I’d picked up on something a bit off about the knights’ responses today, I figured it was better to just let it go. With that, Scheat, Fackt, Miaplacidus, and I left the garden.
***
A week passed by. It seemed that my upstanding knights told the saints all about Sirius’s act of kindness, just like they said they would. I was sure this would cause their attitudes toward him to change dramatically, but twice I saw some of the saints turn around and walk back the way they’d come as soon as they were about to cross paths with Sirius.
I was so confused. Why were the saints avoiding him even more than they had before? Had my plan failed? And if so, where did I go wrong? I couldn’t think of a misstep I’d made.
I was in my room, lost in thought after dinner, when Sirius sat down in front of me with a soft smile.
“Something on your mind, Serafina?” he asked.
“There sure is. Something that’s really hard to understand.” I moaned, causing him to quizzically raise an eyebrow.
“Two heads are better than one. I’d be happy to help if you think I can.”
I glanced up at him. I was sure he’d be hurt if he knew that the saints thought he was coldhearted. If I was going to talk to him about this, I needed to choose my words carefully.
“You’re so kind, Sirius, and yet, it’s strange that the saints can’t seem to grasp it.”
“Ah…”
Sirius looked like he knew exactly what I was talking about. Seeing that, I couldn’t hide my frustration any longer. “Where did I go wrong?” I mumbled to myself.
My words seemed to trigger something in Sirius’s mind.
“I see. You mentioned you were busy that day I was with Ludo, so I assumed you brought the knights to the garden because you no longer had anything to do. But I assume your real plan was to have them all come and see me.”
“Huh?! You noticed we were secretly spying on you?”
My startled question was met with an exasperated sigh. “I have to ask—did you really think you’d go unnoticed coming in such a large group?”
“Ack! A-as expected of such an amazing knight! Nothing gets past you! I, uh… I just wanted them to see you being kind to a small animal so they could tell the saints about it. But that still didn’t seem to change how you’re perceived by them at all, so it just doesn’t make sense.”
Actually, I thought their attitude toward him had gotten even worse, but since I was choosing my words carefully, I kept that thought to myself.
After glancing at me briefly, Sirius causally asked, “How about you, Serafina? You’re also a saint. What do you think about me?”
“Huh?! Obviously, I think you’re super kind and nice!”
Sirius lightly chuckled. “Is that so? Well, that’s good enough for me. I don’t care about what anyone else thinks.” He suddenly seemed to recall something that caused him to reach into his inner pocket and pull out a small jar. “This is honey from a berserk bee nest that I discovered while I was in the forest today. It wasn’t a very large nest, so I couldn’t gather much, but this honey tastes sweeter than the usual kind.”
“Wait, so this is…”
“A souvenir from my business trip.”
Sirius had just been out on an overnight monster extermination mission. It was the type of business trip that you don’t customarily bring a souvenir back from, but he’d made the effort to acquire this precious honey for me.
“See! You are super nice, Sirius! I have to find a way to make sure the saints hear of this kindness,” I said, clenching my fists with determination.
A faintly amused smile flitted across Sirius’s lips. “I don’t think that’s necessary. The knights already say that I spoil you too much. Given my position, it’s probably for the best that I come across as a bit stricter, so it’s fine to keep the status quo for now.”
“What? You really think so?”
“I do.”
After mulling over what Sirius said for a couple of moments, I nodded enthusiastically.
“Okay, then. If that’s what you really want, we’ll just leave things as they are! Besides, kindness is something that naturally shines through in the end.”
“Indeed. As long as you understand, that’s good enough for me.”
Good enough for him? I giggled at that; he’d used the exact same phrase twice now.
“Also, Serafina, no matter how hard you try, it’s doubtful that anyone else will ever consider me kind.”
“Huh? But the knights also…”
I hurriedly started to tell him that definitely wasn’t the case, but he interrupted me, which was something he rarely ever did.
“Really, it’s just you.”
I didn’t really think that could be true, but for some reason, I found myself agreeing with him.
“…Yeah.”
His smile after I said that looked incredibly satisfied, so I figured it was just best to leave it at that. No matter what happened, I vowed to myself that I would always believe that Sirius was a kind soul.
Point of View: Sirius - Serafina’s Rebellious Phase
Point of View: Sirius
Serafina’s Rebellious Phase
IT ALL STARTEDwhen I made a stop by the Office of the Captain of the Royal Guard. As I poked my head in, I was greeted by a heavy sigh. Sitting at the table was Captain Deneb, looking unusually downcast as he exhaled deeply.
“Something on your mind, Deneb?” I inquired, wondering what the matter could be.
But as soon as I spoke, Deneb immediately sat up straight and briskly replied, “Ah, Vice-Commander Sirius! Apologies that you had to see that. Workwise, everything’s fine and dandy! It’s more of…um…a private matter, you see. I’ve been worried about my son.”
“Your son…you mean Hadar? I recall him coming to the annual mock battle between the knight brigades up until not too long ago.” Memories of a boy with a physique similar to Deneb’s, gazing at his father with eyes full of wonder, flashed through my mind.
“Th-that’s a very impressive memory you’ve got! And to think you recall his name as well! I can’t believe your powers of recollection, Vice-Commander.”
“Well, you did introduce us once.” I plainly said, stating the truth.
Deneb looked like he had a retort he wanted to let loose, but he held back and simply continued with his explanation. “My Hadar’s going through a rebellious phase. They say all children have two of those, so I was relieved when both of them passed, but lately he’s started up again. When I looked into it, I found out that there’s actually an ‘intermediate rebellious phase’ that happens when children are around five, so there are actually three in total.”
Serafina was currently six years old. Perhaps her intermediate rebellious phase had already passed?
“How long does the so-called ‘intermediate rebellious phase’ usually last?”
“Well, in Hadar’s case, it was about five years. His friends were all about the same as well, so that’s probably a general estimate.”
“Five years?!” That was roughly the same period that had passed from Serafina’s birth until present day.
“Everybody’s different, of course. Some children go through it from age five, while others start from six.”
“From six, you say…” That was Serafina’s current age.
“Also, how they react differs as well. It ranges from disagreeing in a cute way to completely ignoring what they’re told.”
“You’re saying that being disagreed with can be cute?” Being told no was hurtful, and I couldn’t imagine it being an endearing expression. Not to mention, if a child completely stopped listening to their parents, they would probably be completely overcome with shock.
“I feel for the king,” I couldn’t help but mutter under my breath. Noticing that I was thinking about Serafina, Deneb nodded his agreement.
“True. His Majesty dotes on Princess Serafina, so I’m sure he’ll be in for a shock when her rebellious phase starts. On the other hand, I’m sure you’ll take it in stride, Vice-Commander.”
“Why am I a part of this conversation?”
Deneb looked truly surprised at my question. “Huh? Well, it’s often said that children rebel against those they trust the most, and I believe it’s fair to say that Princess Serafina is probably closer to you than the king. With that being the case, you’ll probably take the brunt of it.”
Was he implying that Serafina would rebel against me?
“You’re saying she’s going to disagree with me and stop listening to what I tell her?!”
“Ha ha, exactly! If you want to prevent that, you’ll need to stop pampering her and make sure she doesn’t become too attached to you. Well, even if she does go through a rebellious phase, it won’t last forever. Just five years, give or take.”
“Five years!”
After that bombshell of a statement, Deneb quickly left the room, muttering some excuse about “having to call the knights to assemble.” He didn’t spare me another glance as he departed, leaving me in my shocked state.
***
“Training is the key to everything,” I scolded my trembling legs as I somehow managed to get myself to Serafina’s door. Taking a deep breath, I tried to settle my nerves before stepping inside.
Serafina was drawing something on a piece of white paper, but when she saw me, she broke into a big smile and stood up. “Sirius!” She happily called my name, running toward me, her footsteps softly pattering across the floor. From what I could make of her behavior, it didn’t seem like she had any ill feelings toward me, which gave me a comforting sense of reassurance.
That’s fortunate, I thought to myself. It didn’t seem like Serafina wasn’t in her rebellious stage—for the time being, at least. After spending a few moments with her, it seemed like she was acting as she always did. I found myself sighing in genuine relief.
“What’s wrong, Sirius?” Serafina asked me curiously, seemingly aware that I had my guard up.
“What do you mean?”
“I was just wondering why you keep staring at me today.”
Ah, that Serafina. She was a sharp girl.
“I was just worried that one day you’d start refusing to listen to me and start ignoring what I had to say.”
All I’d done was answer honestly, but Serafina suspiciously peered at me. “Are you thinking about that because you did something bad?”
Her outrageous accusation made me throw both hands in the air in complete defeat. “Serafina! I don’t believe I’ve ever done anything bad to you!” I stated confidently. Thinking back on all my actions toward her, I couldn’t find a single one that could be considered a wrongdoing.
But Serafina continued, her eyes still locked on to me. “When my continental common language tutor wanted to increase my homework, I was told that you agreed.”
“That’s not a bad thing. It’s for your own sake.”
Looking like she didn’t buy my logical explanation one bit, Serafina kept on with the accusations, “My ladies-in-waiting say that you never use that handkerchief I made for you.”
“Of course I do! I just don’t bring it with me when I work outside the castle. I mean, the bulk of my duties aren’t done here…”
“That means you’re not using it!” Serafina’s cheeks puffed up indignantly. I tried desperately to think of a retort, but I found myself at a loss for words.
“W-well…” It’s because you sewed candy into it. If I took it out with me on a sunny day, my pocket would end up a sticky mess.
But saying all that would hurt her feelings. Unable to find anything that felt safe enough to say, I ended up falling silent. Unfortunately, this only seemed to provoke more misunderstandings because Serafina gave me a soft smile and said, “There’s no need to pretend, Sirius! I already know that you can be absentminded, and that’s why you always forget to bring it with you.”
Once again, I had no response. She was making it seem like I was the one in the wrong, of all things. I wasn’t exactly thrilled with how this conversation had gone, but I didn’t see any point in discussing the handkerchief any further. I mustered a reluctant nod of agreement before finally broaching the reason I’d come to see her in the first place.
“The reason I came here today was because I want to build up my tolerance. That way I’ll be prepared if that day ever comes.”
“Tolerance?” Serafina cocked her head to the side at the unfamiliar word.
“Experiencing a mock version of the phase beforehand should lessen the shock if I’m ever faced with the real thing. This is part of my training, all right? Whatever I say, you need to respond with ‘no,’ and once I tell you, ‘We’re all done,’ don’t respond at all—just stay quiet.”
“Okay.” Serafina nodded, looking like she didn’t understand what she was agreeing to at all. Perhaps I needed to start with something enticing.
“Serafina, would you like to go into town and eat cake with me?”
“What?! Of course!” Her eyes lit up, and for a moment, she seemed to forget everything she had just promised me. But then, she suddenly remembered that I’d asked her to disagree with everything I said and quickly shook her head. “Oh, is that what you thought I’d say? Actually, I mean ‘no.’”
I felt a wave of relief that hearing her say ‘no’ wasn’t as painful as I’d initially expected.
“I see. Then, how about going to buy some toys? You mentioned wanting a new hair clip, so we could stop by an accessory shop as well.”
“N…”
One look at her face told me she was barely holding herself back.
“Not…going to happen. No.”
Serafina kept her promise and rejected my offer, but her tense expression made it clear that it was forced. Depending on your perspective, it almost seemed like she truly disliked having to answer me.
“…I see.”
It was strange. Even though I knew she was saying no because I told her to, why did that strained expression of hers make hearing those words come as even more of a shock? If I felt this way despite knowing it was merely practice, how would it feel if she turned me down for real?
Just that brief exchange with Serafina made the outcome of this training clear to me. The belief that exposure therapy would ease the shock was a misconception. Instead, being exposed to it any longer would only amplify the damage I took. With this new understanding, I realized that dragging it on any longer was pointless.
I staggered to my feet and offered a word of thanks. “We’re all done now, Serafina. I appreciate you playing along.”
I gave her head a soft pat, but she just stared up at me in silence.
“Serafina, what is it?”
She didn’t offer a single peep in response.
“Want me to buy you some cake? Or maybe a toy? Oh, the hair clip…”
I began listing all the things she usually liked, but she just kept looking at me, not a word escaping her lips. Could it be…? Was this the start of her rebellious phase?
“If you’re upset with me, then…” I started to address my fears, but Serafina clasped both hands to her mouth like she was unable to speak at all. Seeing that gesture reminded me that I’d asked her not to talk once I’d said we were done.
“Oh, that’s right! Serafina, you can talk now. I completely forgot that I told you to keep quiet.”
In the end, being terrified that her rebellious phase had legitimately begun was absurd. But hearing her say “no” or having her ignore what I told her turned out to be harder on me than I had originally imagined. Perhaps the best thing was to follow Deneb’s advice and put an end to my pampering. Still, it’s not like I was spoiling her that much. Maybe I just needed to be a little stricter from now on.
…But I wasn’t really keen on that.
As troubling thoughts swirled in my mind, Serafina released her hands from her lips and dramatically exhaled the breath she had been holding in before staring up at me with flushed cheeks.
“Not talking is really hard! By the way, are we done with the training now? Is it okay to tell you what I think? Sirius, I want cake and a toy…and a hair clip!”
“Now that’s the Serafina I know!”
Serafina was at her most endearing when she was being candid about her heart’s desires. Indeed, there was nothing better than a child expressing themselves honestly. That’s why, when I went out that afternoon, I made sure to buy her everything she wanted.
I returned to the castle laden with bags of cakes, toys, and accessories when I passed by Deneb in the hallway. He glanced at everything I was carrying before noticing that I was headed straight for Serafina’s room. Putting two and two together, he realized that all the gifts were for her. His face took on a disapproving expression, and he stopped in his tracks to offer me a word of warning.
“Today’s not the princess’s birthday, is it? You’re spoiling her too much, and that’s putting it mildly.”
“That is far from the case. I was the reason that her language homework increased, but she still completed all of it. This is a fair reward for all her hard work!”
“…Is that so.”
Deneb didn’t seem like he was convinced, but he hunched over in resignation and walked away.
“Tsk! He doesn’t know a thing about raising children,” I scoffed to no one in particular as I continued toward Serafina’s room, “They can’t just be scolded all the time. You can’t expect anyone to be motivated if you don’t provide them with a little fun. This is the correct approach to education!”
Serafina was beyond delighted when I gave her the bags filled with cakes, toys, and hair accessories I’d bought for her.
“Thanks so much, Sirius,” she squealed, throwing her arms around me, a huge grin on her face. Indeed, being gazed at with a smile was infinitely better than being rejected with a loud “no.”
As I watched her beam, I mused that there were probably children out there who never went through a rebellious phase. I prayed with every fiber of my being that Serafina was one of those children.
Side Story: Serafina Becomes Sirius for a Day
Side Story:
Serafina Becomes Sirius for a Day
“YOU’RE ‘CAPTAIN FOR A DAY’?” I repeated.
That was the unexpected answer Fackt had given me when I asked him why he was wearing a fancier knight uniform than usual.
“Yes, that’s right. It’s a public relations-focused endeavor in which someone who doesn’t usually hold a position temporarily assumes full responsibility for the role and its duties for an entire day. When tasks are handled by someone who doesn’t typically manage them, it piques curiosity and generates greater interest in them. This initiative aims to highlight and reaffirm the value of those responsibilities.”
Well, now it made sense why Fackt looked so dazzling in that captain’s uniform adorned with a ton of decorations.
“Reaffirms the value, huh…?” My eyes lit up as a brilliant idea suddenly struck me, but the other knights immediately started shouting words of warning to their current “captain for a day.”
“Fackt! Why’d you have to open your big mouth?!”
“Do you see the look on her face right now? There’s a one hundred percent chance—one hundred percent, I tell you—that she’s thinking of getting into some unnecessary mischief!!”
Well, that was rude. All the ideas I had were intended to benefit others.
“Hmph. There’s nothing unnecessary about what I just came up with. It’s something to help Sirius. I’ll think up ideas to help the rest of you next time.”
I felt a little bad that the plan I’d come up with was for Sirius, even though he wasn’t there and all the other knights were, but they didn’t seem to mind. In fact, they let out sighs of relief.
“Oh? That means it doesn’t have anything to do with us, does it? Thank goodness…I think? There shouldn’t be any consequences for us if we’re not directly involved, right?”
“I don’t think we’ll be in harm’s way. And if we’re talking about the vice-commander, he should be able to handle anything himself.”
The knights looked relieved, although I could still see some traces of skepticism on their faces.
Standing as tall as I could, I announced confidently, “I had a great idea! Since I messed up showing how kind Sirius is, this time I’m going to show how valuable he is! And to do that, I’ll become ‘Sirius for a day’!!”
The knights collectively grimaced at my declaration.
“…Huh?”
“Wh-what in the world are you saying, Princess?”
“This is bad! I have no clue what it means, but all I can smell from ‘Sirius for a day’ is trouble!!”
Seeing the how the knights reacted, it was clear that Fackt spoke the truth. I wasn’t Sirius, but just the fact that I said I would be him was enough to make everyone pay attention right away. It was easy to see how someone handling tasks they didn’t usually manage would “pique curiosity” and “generate greater interest.”
“Okay, I’m going to do it!” With my resolve firmly set, I headed to see Father so I could make my plan a reality.
***
“’Sirius for a day,’ you say?” Father regarded me with a disapproving gaze after I made my request. “Vice-commander of the knight brigade is an important position indeed, but don’t you think being a king is even more impressive? Why not be ‘king for a day’ instead to learn how much my position entails? If the chancellor understood my worth, he wouldn’t try to impose such a demanding schedule on me.”
“But the king is an irreplaceable position, Father. I can’t just take it over for one day.”
Father slightly grimaced at my response. “Very true, Serafina. You’ve made a wonderful point. Next time the chancellor comes around, would you mind telling him that in the loudest voice you can muster? He seems to be under the impression he can work me as hard as he pleases because I’ve got a strong constitution.” Then, he mumbled something barely audible under this breath. “I wish he’d appreciate all my hard work…”
“I’ll do just that!” I chirped back, which seemed to put Father in a good mood because he told me that he’d let Commander Wezen know about my request to become “Sirius for a day.”
About a week later, I visited Sirius in his office. While he greeted me with a smile, his expression immediately grew weary the moment he saw what I was wearing.
“…Serafina, what is the meaning of that outfit?”
“Heh heh! What do you think?”
Mirach was standing behind me, and Sirius threw a glance in his direction before returning this gaze to me.
“That looks like the uniform of a member of the Horned Beast Knights. And judging from the adornments, it appears to be above the rank of captain…” Sirius trailed off mid-sentence, something he rarely ever did.
Turning to him, I clapped my hands excitedly. “Nothing escapes you, Sirius! Your powers of deduction are just amazing! So, who do you think I am?”
“Do I have to answer that question?” Sirius asked, looking as if he didn’t want to accept the obvious. Finally, he sighed and asked, “Are you supposed to be me?”
“Bingo!” I cheered, “How could you tell?!”
“The sword at your waist is the same as the one that I use.”
“Heh heh! Good observation! But this sword is even better than yours! Ta-da!”
I pulled a large sword-shaped candy out of the scabbard with a dramatic flourish. “This isn’t a sword—it’s candy! You can munch on it as much as you like when you get hungry.”
Seeing a candy version of his sword seemed to catch Sirius completely off guard, and he stared at it in shock.
“What a complete misuse of the head chef’s abilities.”
“Hm? What was that?” I couldn’t quite hear what Sirius had mumbled under his breath.
“I was just praising the head chef’s handiwork,” Sirius responded in his normal tone. “It’s so impressive that it could be mistaken for a real sword at first glance.”
“Wow, Sirius. You have such a good eye! With this, I’m completely ready to become ‘Sirius for a day’!”
Sirius observed me skeptically for a moment but then nodded in understanding.
“So that’s what this is. A new game of sorts. And quite an elaborate one if you’ve got a costume to go along with it.”
“A game? No, no, no. This is work! Fackt was ‘captain for a day’ not too long ago, remember? This is just the Sirius version of that.” Although I thought my explanation was very easy to understand, Sirius’s response slightly deviated from what I’d told him.
“So you’re imitating Fackt in order to play with the knights, then?”
Well, this wasn’t something you saw every day. Sirius was attempting to direct the conversation in a way that would get him the answer he desired. But unfortunately for him, I wasn’t planning to be steered off course.
“Nope! I talked to Father and Commander Wezen about all of this a while ago. They both want me to be the best Sirius I can be.”
That was the exact moment Sirius realized this was an “officially sanctioned task,” and his eyes widened in astonishment. “You received approval from the king and Commander Wezen?!” he gasped. “Then why didn’t either of them say a word about any of this to me?!”
“Huh?”
“They must’ve known I’d be against this idea and do everything I could to thwart the plan! Hats off to them for having such keen insight, I suppose.” Sirius squeezed his eyes shut and placed a hand to his forehead as he answered his own question.
“Sirius?”
He looked like he had the wind knocked out of him for a second, but when I called out his name to ask why, he opened his eyes again and shook his head at me.
“What does being ‘Sirius for a day’ even mean?”
“Well, it obviously means I’m going to take over every single one of your jobs! I’ve been watching you for sooo long, so I totally know how everything works. You can leave it all to me!” I declared, standing as tall as I could and confidently tapping my chest.
Something seemed to click in Sirius’s mind as he looked back at me. “Is that why you came to my office every day last week?! I assumed you had simply developed a taste for the candies kept in there. How could I have misread the situation so badly?” Sirius held his head in his hands as he murmured in a much lower voice, “I’ll have to be on high alert whenever you do anything out of the ordinary from now on.”
He stayed like that for a moment or two before seemingly snapping out of whatever funk he was in. With a quick shake of his head, he reached out and lifted me into the air. With me safely in his arms, he briskly walked toward his desk.
“It appears that this ‘Sirius for a day’ idea has already been set in irreversible motion, so…with that being the case, Vice-Commander Serafina, please take a seat.”
“Got it!” I beamed happily. Now I could finally start being Sirius.
Sirius gave a wry smile at my delighted expression before gently lowering me into the chair. As soon as I sat down, I realized the desk was perfectly aligned with the bottom of my face. What an excellent chin rest, I thought as I immediately utilized that function of the desk and grabbed a nearby piece of paper that was resting on top of it.
Mirach, who’d been assigned to guard me that day, called out my name in a scolding tone, but I was Sirius today, so I didn’t see the need to respond to him.
I glanced over the document. My tutor had been praising me a bit more lately, so I was sure I’d be able to decipher most of it, even if it contained some difficult words. But for whatever reason, the entire paper was written in Arteagian!
“Oh, boo!” I moaned loudly, “I’m pretty smart, so I was confident I could read the entire thing if it was in Návian, but Arteagian? That’s way beyond me!”
Well, that was the end of me trying to read that paper. In that case, I would have to try holding a pen instead, like most important people did. I stretched out my arm to grab one, but the pen stand was too far away for me to reach from where I was seated on the chair.
I groaned, straining as I stretched as far as I could to reach it, but a knock on the door interrupted me—it was Canopus.
“Princess Serafina, you forgot your sash,” he said, stepping into the room.
He produced a sash with Sirius for a Day written on it in big letters and helped me put it on over my left shoulder and around the right side of my waist.
“Thanks, Canopus!” I smiled brightly.
In contrast, Sirius’s expression darkened as he stared at my sash.
“Canopus, the scope of this ‘Sirius for a day’ thing is limited to the knight brigade, correct? If I’m not mistaken, I believe the goal is to raise awareness of my duties and manage how I’m perceived within the brigade, is it not?” he questioned sharply.
“Yes, that’s correct! In Fackt’s case, it was a public relations initiative, but this time, the knight brigade is the only target. The king was hesitant to permit anything that would expose Princess Serafina to the public eye.”
“That was an uncommonly wise decision on his part,” Sirius muttered quietly as he eyed me still straining to grab the pen. He reached over and picked me up again, lifting me from the chair.
“Since you’ll be doing my work today, let’s call off the administrative tasks and head outside. Being cooped up in an office all day would be boring, don’t you think?”
“Sure, okay!” I readily agreed. I had put in all that effort but hadn’t even managed to grab a single pen, so I probably wasn’t cut out for desk work. I’m sure I’ll do a much better job working outside. With that in mind, I headed to the training grounds with Sirius and the other knights by my side.
There were a lot of knights mulling around the training grounds. As soon as they noticed me with Sirius, they stopped whatever training they were doing and looked our way. But when they caught sight of the sash I was wearing, they cautiously moved away from us. I was really impressed by how far they managed to get from us without ever interrupting their training. They must’ve been really afraid of Vice-Commander Serafina (Sirius) to try and distance themselves so much.
I broke out into a grin. I couldn’t let them run away anymore, so I trotted after the escaping knights and called out, “I’m happy to spar with you! Does anyone want to go toe to toe with the vice-commander?”
You could almost hear a pin drop in the silence that flooded the entire training grounds.
Maybe they hadn’t heard me? Not a single one of them stopped their training to take up my offer. Well, that was strange.
Sirius called out and issued a similar challenge, which got all the knights to immediately line up in front of him. I tilted my head to the side in confusion. But before I could figure out what was going on, Sirius heavily stomped on the ground. This seemed to startle the knights, because they flinched for a moment before starting to walk toward me with resigned expressions.
“…That’s an adorable knight uniform you’re wearing, Princess. You really did become Sirius, just as you said. You’re certainly capable of taking matters into your own hands! We were hoping it would turn out to be a joke, but it seems things never go the way you want them to.”
“Ha…ha ha. I used to wish the vice-commander was kinder, but now that I see our gentle princess in his place, I realize how shallow that wish was.”
Scheat and Fackt slumped disappointedly while Miaplacidus aimed to dial back some of what they’d said.
“There’s no doubt that if the mini vice-commander gets hurt, the wrath of the real vice-commander will be one hundred times that. Instead of using the sword you’ve brought, how about I gather some wooden sticks from over there for us to play with?”
“You don’t have an eye for detail, do you, Miaplacidus? Ta-daaa! This isn’t a real sword—it’s candy!”
I drew the candy sword from its scabbard and immediately started licking it, causing Miaplacidus to gape in horror.
Silly Miaplacidus, I giggled to myself. He’s still so naive and unaware that the world is full of surprises!
Seeing as Miaplacidus seemed incapable of speech, Mirach spoke up in his place. “I’m glad to see you so content, Mini Vice-Commander. But you wouldn’t want to get that important candy of yours dirty, now would you? For now, why don’t you use this instead?” He reached out and offered me a long piece of paper that was rolled up like a stick.
“Way to go, Mirach! You really come through when it counts!”
“Now the princess won’t get hurt!”
I glowered at the knights as they cheered.
“Even if I’m only Sirius for a day, I’m still plenty strong! You shouldn’t be worried about hurting me, you should be worried about me hurting you!” I declared as I began swatting at the knights with my rolled-up piece of paper.
After working up a good sweat, I remembered the actual purpose of today and decided to praise the knights in Sirius’s place.
“That was so much fun. Ah, I mean, you’re all incredibly strong! I wouldn’t expect any less from the royal knights!”
“Thank you very much!” the knights all said with a smile, which in turn caused my face to light up with a grin.
“Even though I’m praising you instead of the real Sirius, the truth is, he thinks you’re all wonderful knights too! Isn’t that right?” I said, turning to Sirius for confirmation.
“If I didn’t, you wouldn’t have been assigned to the Royal Red Shield,” he reluctantly said with a small shrug.
“Vice-Commander Sirius!!” all the knights cried out.
Since Sirius wasn’t the type to offer much praise, the knights were almost moved to tears when he said that, which made me happy. Even if it was just a little, it seemed that the knights were able to truly understand just how much Sirius relied on them.
After training, we went around to inspect the castle. Apparently, it was an important task to check for areas intruders could easily sneak in and places in the castle that might be dangerous for the residents.
“Oh! I’ve never seen a butterfly like that before!”
“The sunlight in this spot is perfect! I bet taking a nap here would feel like heaven!”
“Whoa! This place has so many suits of armor! I can’t think of a better spot to play hide-and-seek!”
The inspection proved to be very useful because I discovered so many new things about the castle grounds.
We also inspected the food at the canteen.
“Serafina, over here you’ll find the knight’s canteen.”
“Hmm, I’ve always wanted to try the food there.”
My goal in becoming ‘Sirius for a day’ was to focus as much attention on him as possible so I could reaffirm to everyone just how amazing he was. With that in mind, visiting the knight’s personal canteen, where I knew many of them would be, was a must.
When Sirius and I stepped inside, the raucous buzz we’d been hearing lowered to a hush. With all eyes on us, I couldn’t help but grin widely and proclaim, “We’ve come to eat at the canteen!”
Fackt and Scheat were standing near the entrance, apparently having just finished loading their trays with food, which they quickly offered to us.
“We’ve just prepared meals for the two of you!”
“Would you like to take a seat over here?”
Well, that was quite a smooth move, wasn’t it? I was pretty sure they’d gotten those trays for themselves. Still, the meat they’d selected looked delicious, so I was happy to accept it.
“Our apologies, but we’ll be eating at a separate table,” Fackt and Scheat tried to be considerate, but at the urging of the other knights, they ended up sitting with us.
“Damn them! I won’t forget this!”
“Who do they think they are, offering us up as human sacrifices?!”
The two of them were muttering about something or other, but I decided not to pay them much mind. Besides, enjoying the delicious food was the most important task at hand.
Today’s meat offering wasn’t a dish you ate with a fork and knife, but one where you held the bone with your hands. I thought that was pretty interesting, but when I tried it, the meat wouldn’t fit in my mouth properly, and my cheeks ended up sticky and covered in sauce.
“Hmm?”
But while I was still considering how to tackle this meal, Sirius cut the meat into small pieces and plopped one in my mouth. Then, he wiped my messy cheeks with a napkin.
All the knights were watching us with startled expressions, so I took it as a sign to loudly emphasize just how kind Sirius was being.
“Thanks, Sirius! You’re being super, super, super nice, just like you always are!!”
While it’s true that my goal was for everyone to see how amazing Sirius was, it wouldn’t hurt to have them know that he was a kind soul as well.
Despite a hush falling over the canteen when we first walked in, a smattering of conversations was starting up again, and fewer and fewer knights were glancing in Sirius’s direction. Perhaps they’d already gotten the message that Sirius was nice? I couldn’t help but feel a rush of happiness if that was the case.
***
Having ticked one task after another off the list, I let out a big sigh once we returned to Sirius’s office, prompting him to ever-so-casually ask me, “You must be tired, Serafina. Isn’t it about time for your nap?”
“‘Sirius for a day’ doesn’t nap.” To be honest, I was feeling a little sleepy, but I forced myself to open my eyes as wide as I could.
“Is that so? Then, how about trying some desk work?”
Hmm. He’d usually try at least one more time to get me to take a nap, so I found it a little odd that he’d give up so easily.
I was giving him a suspicious look when one of the knights came in carrying a bundle of papers and stacked the new batch of documents next to the ones already on the desk. When I took a good look at Sirius’s desk again, the pile of paperwork was several times larger than it had been in the morning.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“All the paperwork that needs to be dealt with. Ordinarily, the commander would approve all these documents, but he occasionally passes them along to me.”
That reminded me of something that Mirach once said.
“Mirach told me that Commander Wezen passes them along to you all the time.”
“Yes, that does seem to be the common trend. But everyone has their strengths and weakness, after all.”
His brisk reply sparked my curiosity.
“What’s your weakness, Sirius?”
He studied me for a few moments before smiling amusedly.
“For you to ask me that of all people. Obviously, my weakness is you, Serafina.”
“Huh?! I’m not your strength?”
Sirius let out a chuckle at my startled response. “I’m honored that you’d think that. However, there’s no one else who’s as impossible for me to predict as you are. You’re incredibly hard to comprehend.”
“Because I’m a child?”
That was the only reason I could come up with, but he dismissed it with a shake of his head.
“I don’t believe that to be the case. Even when you mature, I can’t imagine a future where I’ll be able to foresee what you say or do.”
This made me giggle happily. “Shaula told me that men are intrigued by women with an air of mystery.” Perhaps I was already a mysterious woman like she hoped to become?
Sirius frowned in response. “Mysterious…? You’re not someone with such a common quality that could be found anywhere. If it were that simple, I wouldn’t be struggling this much.” Sirius swept a hand through his hair and sighed.
“Even if it’s just for a single day, I don’t know anyone else who would want to be me.”
“That’s true. I guess no one would want to be you because it’s so tough,” I responded, completely serious. “Just spending one day in your shoes made me realize how much you have to deal with. I’m honestly amazed that you can handle this all day, every day!”
Sirius stared at me intently. “Wow… You’re the only one who gives me this much praise.”
“Huh? I am?” He’d never told me that before, so it took me by surprise.
“Sirius,” I continued after catching my bearings, “if you ever feel unsure of yourself, come to me, okay? No matter how many times you ask, I’ll always tell you how amazing you are.”
He continued his intense gaze for a bit before his lips twisted into an indecipherable expression.
“You really aren’t the type of mysterious person who can be found anywhere. There’s only one of you in the world—a unique presence I can’t live without.”
“You’re important to me as well, Sirius. I need you too.”
His words made me so happy that I replied in kind, causing a joyful smile to slowly spread across his face.
“I see. If that’s the case, nothing else matters to me.”
He said that, but in my heart, I couldn’t agree with him. Sirius was so wonderful, and I wanted others to know that too. That’s why I worked so hard to be him for a day, to grab everyone’s attention and have them reaffirm how valuable he truly was.
Anyway, I suppose I could try my hand at desk work…
“Ugh! Even though this is Návian, I still don’t understand a single thing it says! I never realized there were so many difficult words out there…”
Was it because I ate so much delicious food at lunch? Or maybe because it was my usual nap time? Perhaps the documents I couldn’t make heads or tails of were at fault. Whatever the case was, I started feeling incredibly sleepy. I’ll just slowly blink a couple times, is the last thing I remember thinking before my memory faded away.
***
“I figured the paperwork would be so boring that it’d lull her to sleep…”
I could hear Sirius’s voice even in my dreams.
“Well, this is right around the time she usually takes her afternoon nap.”
Not only Sirius’s voice but Canopus’s as well.
“Even if it was only for a day, whatever would prompt her to want to be me?” Sirius mumbled, seemingly to himself, but Canopus answered him in a serious tone.
“It all started when Fackt told her that being ‘captain for a day’ was a public relations-focused endeavor. After hearing that when tasks are handled by someone who doesn’t typically manage them, it piques curiosity and generates greater interest in them, she declared that she wanted to become you for a day to show everyone how valuable you are.”
“She did this for my sake? Serafina, you…”
At that, he lifted me into his arms.
“This feels nice,” I murmured with a sleepy smile, when Sirius’s shocked voice rained down on me.
“Why are you grinning while being carried away by someone you might not even know? You’d be so easy to kidnap!”
Huh? But I’d only smiled like that because I knew it was Sirius.
“I knew it was you… Everyone will understand soon enough. How hard you’ve been working…and how amazing you are…”
Even though I was falling back asleep, I knew it needed to be said and somehow managed to get the words out. But doing that seemed to drain the last of my energy, and I drifted back to sleep. At least, I thought I did, but I still heard a gentle voice in my dreams.
“Since you’ve done so much for me, I must continue to stay worthy of it.”
After a week had passed, I wandered around the knights’ headquarters, hoping to see some results from my ‘Sirius for a day’ activities. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice any changes in how the knights behaved toward Sirius.
As I slumped in disappointment after realizing my efforts had no effect, Canopus whispered in my ear, “We all know that the vice-commander is admirable and works hard. Why, just the other day, you proved that to us yourself. Because of that, the knights have been feeling more determined than ever to reduce the vice-commander’s burden and are doing their best to make themselves of use to him.”
“Really?!”
To me, it didn’t seem like anything had changed, but if that’s what Canopus said, then maybe they had finally started to acknowledge all of Sirius’s hard work.
I cackled gleefully and clenched my fists with renewed determination, “In that case, maybe I’ll make ‘Sirius for a day’ a yearly event!”
But for some reason, I noticed the knights—who’d been keeping their distance from me—deeply frown. Then, they all spoke up in unison. “We fully understand the vice-commander’s value, so there’s no need for you to trouble yourself any further, Princess!!!”
“Wow! You knights are acting unusually humble! Could this be another effect of me being ‘Sirius for a day’?”
If that were the case, I would definitely have to do it again next year!
Point of View: Oligor - The First Spirit Lord’s Golden Eyes
Point of View: Oligor
The First Spirit Lord’s Golden Eyes
“YOU’RE CRYING AGAIN, my lord?” The slightly exasperated voice echoed from behind me. Irked by the question, I stayed as I was, not even bothering to look back as I responded.
“That’s right, so why don’t you just leave me alone? Right now, my heart feels like it’s going to tear apart from intense emotion.”
There was a brief pause after I spoke, but then the voice continued—the questioning voice of Wentus, my aide.
“…Is that so, my lord? Ever since her ladyship ascended to the heavens, your heart has been consumed solely by grief and longing for her. Do you think it’s possible for any other feelings to emerge?”
“Could you not make it sound like I’m some gloomy spirit? Of course it’s possible! Why wouldn’t my heart be able to be moved by something new?!”
After another brief silence, Wentus spoke again, this time as if deep in thought.
“You received some guests at the palace a few days ago, did you not? Your children and grandchildren used to visit in the past, but it’s been about one hundred years since another soul set foot in here. If someone were able to find this palace, does that mean they were your kin? Perhaps someone who resembles her ladyship?”
He always did have good instincts. Still, that didn’t mean he could ask whatever he pleased. The mere thought of Luntia still saddened me, so he shouldn’t be asking questions that would send me deeper into my memories of her.
Turning to my aide, I answered in a slightly sharp tone, “You really have no sense of delicacy, do you?! But, yes, you’re right! One of my descendants came to visit me. She was the spitting image of Luntia. Not only that, but she had my eyes as well.”
“Well, isn’t that nice,” he replied in a lighthearted tone. “I hope she’s blessed with good fortune.”
Seeing his pleasant smile despite not understanding what that meant, I fixed him with a steely glare.
“You don’t get it. Listen closely: She doesn’t have golden eyes like my other descendants—she has my eyes.”
Wentus abruptly took a step back, looking stunned.
“That can’t be! There’s no way a human child could inherit your eyes.”
He was so shocked that it almost made me feel a little smug. “Usually, yes. But she possesses magic, the scale of which is hardly ever seen. She speaks the spirit language too.”
Wentus looked as though he was on the verge of fainting in surprise. In a hoarse voice he choked out, “She speaks…the spirit language?”
“I heard she spent much of her infancy with spirits. That’s how she came to understand how we spirits live…er, or rather, breathe…perhaps I should say, how we exist.” I paused to chuckle slightly, “It seems that her eyes were sealed until just recently, and she believed that it was the Spirit Lord’s work that she could learn to speak with spirits.”
“I see…” Wentus clenched his lips tightly as if there was something he wanted to say but was holding back, unable to phrase his retort in a suitable manor. As he gazed at me with desperation in his eyes, I answered the question he was unable to ask.
“She believes that her eyes were sealed as a temporary blessing, meant to help her learn the spirit language. But in fact, it was she who sealed them in order to protect herself. My eyes are far too powerful for a human to endure, and her body wouldn’t be able to handle them at first. As a result, she sealed her own eyes so that nothing would be reflected in them.”
“So now that they’re open, it means she can exist like a spirit, channel magic through her body, and withstand the strain of possessing such eyes, yes? How remarkable.”
“Indeed. They’re my eyes, so it wouldn’t have been easy to open them. The current Spirit Lord must’ve lent her his strength and given her the push she needed. But now that they are open, just as you said, her body is able to endure the burden of possessing them.”
Hearing that, Wentus became so overwhelmed with emotion that his eyes started to fill with tears.
“‘Spirits of the Beginning’ like us are whole on our own and don’t require a partner. However, despite your extraordinary abilities among the ancestral spirits, you still sought a companion, my lord. Because you took a human wife, all of your children were human as well and unable to inherit your powers. To be completely honest, I’ve always thought that was quite regretful.”
He had never brought up something like this while I was married to Luntia, so now I was the one looking at him in stunned shock.
While I empathized with the grateful tears streaming down Wentus’s face, I still couldn’t hold back from speaking my mind.
“All of the children Luntia and I had together were remarkable.”
Wentus lifted his head and partially agreed, saying, “For humans, yes, but only because they inherited your power, even if it was just a fraction. Among humans they were truly exceptional. However, the power spirits possess is completely different. That’s why I’m so elated. Would you mind if I give this descendant of yours my blessing as well?”
“Your blessing? You mean, ‘The Wind of Beginnings’? That would be going way too far. I ask you to wait, at least until Serafina is a little older.”
Wentus was born from the first breeze that touched this world. He was the second most powerful spirit after me. I’d been in such a haste to stop him that I accidentally spoke Serafina’s name.
Wentus’s cheeks flushed with delight as he chuckled. “Lady Serafina, is it? What a lovely name. So, what is it exactly that reflects in your eyes? Could it be the life span of a creature, or perhaps it’s weaknesses, just to name a few examples?”
“Even if I could see what you’re describing, it would only be possible if I was intensely concentrating.”
“If she inherited even half of your capabilities, it would be quite a fearsome thing to behold. And since it seems she’s been able to master the spirit language, she should be able to wield those powers she’s inherited one day.” He sounded almost mirthful. “How wonderful… To think your power has been passed down to the next generation.”
I supposed he was right. My power was too great, so it didn’t seem like something that was necessary for Serafina to have.
“If you have great power, you must use it. Though I don’t know whether possessing such a thing would be of benefit to her.”
“Then, rather than proclaiming how you’re going to dissolve into the light, why not stay in this world for a little longer and observe Lady Serafina’s future?” Wentus suggested with a warm smile. “At the very least, I’ve decided not to join you in melting away. After all, it’s my duty to protect your successor.”
“Why, you…”
Such a shocking lack of loyalty he has toward me, was my dismayed thought, but Wentus was marvelously capable, so he would be an excellent candidate to watch over Serafina.
“Still, she already has another spirit by her side. She can’t make a contract with you,” I pointed out.
“That’s fine, I suppose. There are plenty of ways around it.”
Yes, Wentus was quite the schemer.
“You better not force her to do anything against her will.”
“I’d never!”
However, the satisfied expression on his face made me worry. Why did we spirits have to possess such a strong sense of attachment? Deep in my heart, I apologized to Serafina for bringing her to the attention of my cunning aide.
Bonus Story: Scheat Declares He’s “Totally Fine” with Women
Bonus Story:
Scheat Declares He’s “Totally Fine” with Women
“YOU’RE ‘TOTALLY FINE’ with women?”
Scheat’s confusing statement caught me off guard, so I stopped mid-bite, unsure of what he meant. I didn’t go to the knight’s personal canteen much, but I was there that day, having lunch. Scheat’s intense expression told me that he was going to start discussing something I didn’t know much about, so I figured I’d better swallow the food in my mouth and prepare to listen closely.
As I desperately started to chew, a torrent of words came pouring out of his mouth, “You heard me! I’m totally fine with women! And next time you have the chance to speak with the members of the Saint Knight Brigade, I’d like you to loudly tell them just that!”
This conversation was triggering something in my mind. I felt like I understood why Scheat was saying this…I just couldn’t recall the exact reason. I was trying to remember as hard as I could when he banged his hands down on the table.
“Can you believe this?! There’s talk among the saints that I have a phobia of women! That’s why they think Miaplacidus and I are so close!! Isn’t that just ludicrous?! That’s what Mirach told me after I mentioned it seemed like the saints were avoiding me recently.”
“Oh…Mirach said that, huh?” Once I heard that name, the pieces all clicked into place.
I knew exactly why the saints were gossiping about Scheat, and also how Mirach found out so much about what they were saying. It had all stemmed from a baseless rumor. In fact, Mirach and I had been at the restaurant right when the saints began adding on embellishments to the story. Still, Mirach must’ve considerably toned down the contents of that rumor for Scheat’s sake—according to the saints, he and Miaplacidus were lovers.
When I had first heard them gossiping, I knew it was completely groundless. I decided I had to help clear up the misunderstanding with the saints at some point.
“They’ve got it completely wrong!” Scheat continued to splutter. “I’m not afraid of women, not one tiny bit! In fact, I’m fine with them! Totally fine!!”
“…Right.” I tentatively reassured him, looking around the cramped room and making eye contact with Canopus and Fackt. Although we were eating at the canteen, it had been deemed “improper” for a princess to be eating in a common area, so we were seated in one of the two small private rooms.
Today my guard detail consisted of three knights: Canopus, Scheat, and Fackt. As I was mentally considering the option of holding a secret meeting between just us to discuss how we could clear up the misunderstanding, I heard movements coming from the room next door.
Listening more closely, I could make out the voices of women. They were giggling loudly, and I couldn’t help but think, Sure sounds like they’re having a good time.
But my thoughts were interrupted by Fackt’s hushed murmur, “Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. It appears the members of the Saint Knight Brigade are using the room next to ours.”
“Hmph! What a carefree bunch they are! All right, I’m going to go over there right now and show them just how totally fine with women I am,” Scheat bravely proclaimed, but at that exact moment, we heard his name being mentioned from the other room.
“Scheat, you say?! He’s being all lovey-dovey with Miaplacidus, as always!”
Scheat paused in his tracks for a moment, then muttered in a somewhat befuddled tone, “Huh? I’m what with Miaplacidus? I must’ve misheard that, right? Hey, Canopus, did you hear that just now?”
“…My hearing’s a little off today, so I couldn’t quite make it out.”
“Liar! You’re someone who can hear even the tiniest creaks coming from the ceiling…” Scheat started to complain, looking like he didn’t buy Canopus’s response at all. But before he could say anything more, he was cut off by Fackt snapping at him.
“Quiet, Scheat! We can’t hear what they’re saying!”
Scheat immediately shut his mouth, and we all focused on the room next door. Since we were only separated by a thin wall, the saints’ jovial conversation reverberated through.
“But get this: Miaplacidus’s perversion knows no bounds! Now he’s set his sights on little girls, two of them at the same time, in fact!”
“No way! What a degenerate! Two little girls? Disgusting! But what’s going to happen with him and Scheat?”
“About that, apparently he met those little girls while on a job that Scheat wasn’t a part of, so he doesn’t know a thing!”
“I feel so bad for poor Scheat! And when you consider that Miaplacidus is the only one that he can turn to for comfort, it’s even more heartbreaking!”
The saints’ lighthearted giggling continued, echoing through the thin wall.
Seeing Scheat frozen in shock, Fackt gave him a firm shove on the shoulder.
“All right, Scheat. Now’s your chance! This is your opportunity to burst into that room and tell those saints exactly how fine you are with women!”
“H-hang on! I’m not sure I’m processing all of this, but far from having a phobia of women, apparently, I’m not even interested in them?! But that’s not true at all!! Where in the world are the saints getting this information from? It’s all lies!”
“Well, they’re not wrong that Mirach’s younger twin sisters took a shine to Miaplacidus. Stories based on half truths are certainly the most troublesome of all.”
But Fackt was quick to sharply dismiss Canopus’s calm observation.
“That’s just what rumors are. Doesn’t matter if they’re true; as long as they make for fun conversation, that’s all that counts.”
I recalled that both he and Mirach had mentioned something similar before.
Fackt glanced back over to Scheat, who was standing as motionless as a statue. “So, you’re not going to go next door?”
“I can’t! By barging in on the saints, all I’ll be doing is adding fuel to the rumor fire. I have no doubt they’ll twist whatever I say into gossip that’s even worse!!”
“But at this rate, new rumors will keep spreading and you’ll continue to be known as someone with a phobia of women,” Fackt pointed out, his expression serious.
“You know what, I welcome those rumors! I want nothing to do with getting close to those saints!” Scheat responded in a fiery tone.
Then, he turned to me. “Princess, I take back what I said about being totally fine with women! In fact, I’m terrified of them!!”
“Okay…” Apparently, his ability to handle women had flipped on a dime. “But…are you still going to be okay protecting me?” I asked hesitantly. I was a girl, after all.
Scheat looked stunned at that question. “What?! You’re my princess! I’ve vowed to serve you with my heart and soul!”
Phew. It looked like his phobia wasn’t applicable to me.
Since Scheat appeared to want to keep the status quo, maybe I didn’t need to step in and stop the saints from gossiping about the knights just yet.
“So, you don’t want me to tell the saints they’re wrong, Scheat?” I asked. “I suppose I should at least set them straight about Miaplacidus.”
“That won’t be necessary! He has those two girls, so it’s not like he needs anyone else!!” Scheat retorted without missing a beat.
I thought about arguing back, but it seemed that Scheat, who’d been the target of countless harsh rumors, didn’t want Miaplacidus to be the only one who had his misunderstanding cleared up. I understood where he was coming from, so I smiled and nodded at Scheat, whose face was set in a stubborn frown.
“…All right!”
But at the same time, I thought in my heart of hearts, I think I get why all those bad rumors about the knights spread. Please stay strong, Miaplacidus!
Of course, Miaplacidus didn’t let those rumors get to him, and so he was just fine.
Afterword
Afterword
THANK YOU SO MUCH for purchasing this book! It’s thanks to you that this series has reached its fourth volume! This volume continues the Galle Village arc that started in the previous book and, as you can see from the cover, follows it to the delightful conclusion. The cover illustration is so warm and inviting that just looking at it brings you joy! As with the previous volumes, chibi once again provided the amazing illustrations for this one.
Since Serafina’s basket was filled to the brim with golden leaves, I also requested that the obi (the paper wrap around the dust jacket) for the Japanese version of this volume use gold paper, both for this reason and another I’ll explain in a bit. Gold really is wonderful, isn’t it? Thank you once again, chibi, for your fabulous illustrations!!
As mentioned on the dust jacket flap of the Japanese version, the main story of A Tale of the Secret Saint ranked 2nd, and A Tale of the Secret Saint ZERO ranked 21st in the “This Light Novel is Amazing! 2024” rankings in the light novel and novels category! This is all thanks to the support of you readers! I really appreciate it! On a side note, I’m also writing a light novel series for another publisher called The Villainess’s Guide to (Not) Falling in Love, which came in 3rd in the same ranking. I truly can’t believe it.
In celebration, both works were featured on each other’s obi in a collaboration that transcended publishers. I’m beyond delighted it came to fruition. Thank you so much!! So now, I’d like to take a moment to introduce my other work, The Villainess’s Guide to (Not) Falling in Love. It features a heroine who’s reborn as the villainess of an otome game and struggles with both love and magic as the so-called “only magic user in the entire world.” Since this story took 3rd place in the “This Light Novel is Amazing!” rankings, you can be sure that it’s entertaining! (Not that I’m saying that myself, of course…) A manga version has also been published, so definitely check it out!
Speaking of manga, the first volume of the A Tale of the Secret Saint ZERO manga is now out in Japan! The serialization started after the previous volume of the novel was released, but thanks to the hard work of the manga artist, Shiina, the first volume of the manga was released alongside this novel. It’s like, when did that happen?! Honestly, the person who was most surprised was me. It’s incredibly cute and entertaining, so please give it a read! Additionally, the tenth volume of the main story’s manga was also released on the exact same day! It’s finally reached double digits! Congratulations to the artist, Mahito Aobe!! This manga is also incredibly interesting, so I highly recommend you check it out!
Lastly, thank you so much for sticking with me all the way to the end. I’m truly grateful to everyone who helped bring this work to life and to all of you who took the time to read it. I had a hard time getting the writing done for this one, and I ended up spending three days over the New Year’s holidays finishing it up. I’m so relieved to finally get it to you, and I truly hope you enjoy it!