Quite a few people probably know I was summoned through the [Saint Summoning Ritual]. Of course, I didn’t go around announcing it myself. Saying “I was summoned in a ritual” is basically the same as declaring “I’m the Saint,” right? There’s no way I’d do that. So, the people who know are likely those who were told by the palace.
Not just the Director and the Commander, but the knights and court mages probably know too. The maids might know as well, I’d guess. As for the people at the institute, I haven’t explicitly told them, so I think they split into two groups: those who’ve vaguely figured it out and those who haven’t. That’s the impression I got from watching the researchers’ reactions.
This divide between those who know and those who don’t probably comes down to whether the palace decided it was better for them to know or not. The knights and court mages need to know for national defense reasons, I’d assume. The maids, from what I gather, were originally gathered to look after the summoned [Saint], so that’s why they’re in the loop. On the flip side, I didn’t think Liz was someone the palace would deem necessary to inform. That’s why I’m so surprised she knows.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“Since when?”
“From the start.”
“The start… Like when we met in the library?”
“That’s right. Though meeting you there was pure coincidence.”
According to Liz, running into me in the library was genuinely by chance. But she’d already known about the [Saint Summoning Ritual] beforehand and guessed I was the summoned one based on my eye and hair color. They’re apparently rare in this country. She became certain after we started talking in the library. She figured it out because I could read books in various languages but had no grasp of their grammar. Yeah, it’s pretty unbelievable to be able to read something but not know its grammar at all, huh?
“The other one was the same way.”
“Oh, really?”
The “other one” is probably Aira-chan. Now that I think about it, Liz attends the Royal Academy too, doesn’t she? Are they classmates?
“I heard she can read Slantanian and ancient languages but doesn’t know their grammar either.”
“Oh, wow. Wait, are you and Aira-chan classmates?”
“No, she’s a year above me.”
“Huh.”
“More importantly, you know her, Sei?”
“Yeah, sort of.”
I’d heard about Aira-chan from the maids and civil officials right after being summoned. She’s the other girl who was summoned with me, after all. I’m curious about her. Since we haven’t met since then, I only occasionally wonder how she’s doing, but I’ve been a little worried too.
“Is she doing alright?”
“Well… she doesn’t seem to be sick or anything.”
I tilt my head at Liz’s slight hesitation, and she gives me a troubled look.
“Did something happen?”
“Yes, well…”
Liz raises her hand lightly, and the maids around us retreat like the tide going out. Whoa, that’s impressive. While I’m marveling at that, Liz confirms they’re gone before continuing.
“Do you remember when I mentioned having a troublesome classmate?”
“Uh…”
Now that she mentions it, I vaguely recall a conversation like that. Wasn’t it about a classmate who kept popular guys around her or something? Did something happen with that girl? No way…
“No way—that classmate is Aira-chan?”
Liz nods with a wistful expression, and I can’t help but look up at the sky.
“I said ‘classmate’ back then, but it’s definitely Aira-san.”
“Oh, I see.”
Well, whether they were classmates or not didn’t really need a detailed explanation at the time.
“I’ve been trying to do something about it since then, but it hasn’t gone well.”
“Wasn’t it about her getting too close to a guy with a fiancée or something?”
“That’s the one.”
“Ah…”
Liz’s story makes me stare off into the distance. Even in Japan, getting overly friendly with someone who’s engaged or even just dating can cause misunderstandings and disapproval.
But it’s probably less of an issue in Japan than here. Actions that wouldn’t raise eyebrows in Japan often become problems in this country. Like fanning your skirt when it’s hot or showing bare feet in front of the opposite sex. I got scolded for that by Liz once, didn’t I?
Maybe it’s the same for Aira-chan. If she’s treating people here the way she would friends in Japan, not knowing it’s an issue by this country’s standards… Wait. Didn’t Liz say they warned her a few times?
“You warned Aira-chan directly, right?”
“Not me, but I heard someone else did.”
“I see. And her behavior still hasn’t changed?”
“Did you notice something?”
“Well…”
Since Liz asked, I share what I was just thinking. That the threshold for problematic behavior differs between Japan, where Aira-chan and I are from and this country. Compared to here, Japan’s pretty lenient. Maybe Aira-chan doesn’t realize that.
“Just telling her to think about how relationships work or that being friendly with guys is a problem might not get through.”
“That makes sense.”
“I only figured it out because you taught me, Liz. Though maybe the guys around her are explaining it?”
“No, they aren’t.”
Liz laughs awkwardly but answers firmly. Her expression isn’t too bad, but there’s something intimidating in her vibe that makes my spine shiver. It’s not like I can see it, but it feels like she’s radiating a dark aura. Uh, Liz-san? What’s going on?
“If they were considerate enough to do that, it wouldn’t be such a problem now.”
“Y-yeah, you’re right.”
She’s got a point. There’s a hint of exasperation in Liz’s voice that’s honestly a little scary. But why is she so upset (or is she?) about this? Thinking it over, I recall something Marie-san said. Wait, Liz’s fiancée…
“Hey, is one of those guys your fiancée by any chance?”
“Yes.”
I ask nervously, and the answer’s a YES. I’d like to think it’s just my imagination that the air behind Liz got even darker.
“Your fiancée’s, uh, that guy, right? The…”
“Prince Kyle.”
Her answer’s exactly what I expected, and all I can muster is a dry laugh. Oh, so he’s her fiancée.
“I heard he caused you quite a bit of trouble too, Sei.”
“Hm? Oh, yeah…”
Thinking back to when I was summoned, I can only laugh now. Yeah, that was something. I flash a probably strained smile, and Liz straightens up. Her gaze is deadly serious.
“On behalf of His Highness, I apologize for what happened then.”
“Huh? You don’t need to apologize, Liz.”
“But—”
“It’s fine. It’s not your fault.”
Liz still looks uneasy, so I try to smile and insist it’s not her burden to bear. I get the idea of apologizing on her fiancée’s behalf, but since she didn’t do anything wrong, it leaves me unsure how to respond.
“More importantly, let’s figure out how to fix Aira-chan’s situation, okay?”
“Sei, honestly…”
Talking more about the prince will just complicate things, so I forcefully change the subject. Liz seems to catch my intent, murmuring in mild exasperation but not pressing further. I’m grateful she picks up on those nuances. From there, we discuss how to improve Aira-chan’s environment. We toss around ideas. This way, that way, and before I know it, a good chunk of time has passed. We’ve roughly mapped out a solution, so I figure Liz can handle the finer details from here. And with that, my first tea party comes to a successful close.