Thirty minutes later.
In the king’s office, Albert, the commander of the Third Knight Order, and Yuri, the head of the Court Mage Division, had been summoned.
The prime minister explained to the two, seated at the reception set in the office, that the Knight Order was to be dispatched to the Klausner territory. Both men, perhaps having anticipated the deployment of the knights to another territory, listened without showing any particular reaction. However, when the prime minister suggested the possibility that a miasma swamp similar to the one in the Western Forest had appeared in Klausner, Albert’s previously expressionless face twitched, his eyebrow rising slightly.
“Dispatching Lady Sei?” Albert asked.
“Indeed. At present, she is the only one capable of wielding the technique to dispel that miasma,” the prime minister replied.
“I see,” Yuri responded.
While Albert’s expression shifted subtly, Yuri maintained his usual smile as he addressed the prime minister. The prime minister’s words could have been seen as an affront to Yuri’s pride as a master of magic, but Yuri’s expression remained unchanged, and his reply was curt. It was the prime minister whose expression shifted upon hearing Yuri’s next words.
“However, she herself is not yet able to wield that technique freely.”
“Not freely?” the prime minister echoed.
“To be precise, she hasn’t been able to activate the Saintess technique since that incident.”
Since returning from the Western Forest, Yuri had reported to the king and the prime minister that Sei was once again unable to use her technique. No further reports had indicated that she had regained the ability to do so. Still, there had been a faint hope that she might have recovered her powers. That hope was now dashed, causing the prime minister’s expression to darken slightly.
“If she cannot use the technique, isn’t dispatching Lady Sei premature?” Albert asked, his voice somewhat firm.
Although Sei had not been injured in the end, the danger she faced in the Western Forest had left Albert shaken. If Sei were to participate in this expedition, there was no denying the possibility of her facing a similar situation again. Moreover, unlike the area around the capital, the geography and circumstances of the Klausner territory were not well understood. The risks in Klausner were likely greater than those in the Western Forest. Deep down, Albert hoped that Sei’s dispatch would be canceled altogether.
Noticing Albert’s concern for Sei and his opposition to her dispatch, the prime minister placed a hand on his chin, deep in thought. Even if there were a miasma swamp in Klausner, sending Sei, who couldn’t use her technique, would not resolve the issue. If her dispatch would be futile, it would be safer to keep her in the palace, where she could be watched over. However, the situation was not so simple.
Though the nation was united in the face of a crisis, the nobility was divided into factions and was not entirely monolithic. Some prioritized their own interests over the nation’s, occasionally acting against the palace’s intentions. Now that the crisis around the capital had subsided, if the palace did not demonstrate a willingness to aid the regions, those nobles would likely raise loud criticisms. If the palace failed to provide assistance in times of need, even the nobles who had previously supported it might turn away.
Simply showing a willingness to help could be achieved by dispatching the Knight Order alone. While the effect might be temporary, it would undoubtedly reduce the number of monsters in the area. The problem was that the nobles were already aware of the Saintess’ effectiveness against monsters.
As the prime minister, he would have preferred to send only the Knight Order if possible, as it would take longer to resolve the issue and the effects would be temporary. With the Saintess’s technique, the problem could be resolved quickly and thoroughly, as had been proven in the Western Forest. However, if only the Knight Order were sent, those who prioritized their own interests would not be satisfied.
Raising his gaze, the prime minister spoke deliberately.
“No, Lady Sei must go.”
“Even though she cannot use the technique?” Albert asked.
“The issue is no longer whether she can use the technique or not.”
Recognizing the growing intensity in Albert’s gaze, the prime minister explained the core of the problem. He emphasized that what mattered now was dispatching the Saintess, regardless of whether she could use the technique. Hearing this, Albert’s expression twisted, his brow furrowing deeply.
“It is Lady Sei’s presence that matters. If we fail to dispatch her because she cannot use the technique, the territorial lords will surely raise complaints,” the prime minister said.
“Even so, if she goes and cannot use the technique, won’t the outcome be the same?” Albert countered.
“It is true that we’ve heard Lady Sei has been unable to use the technique since returning to the palace. But could it be that she cannot use it simply because there has been no pressing need?” the prime minister suggested.
Albert hesitated, unable to respond immediately.
Much about the Saintess’ technique remained a mystery, with very little understood. Thus, as the prime minister suggested, it was possible that the technique had not been activated simply because there was no immediate need, such as a target to purify, unlike in the Western Forest.
There had been reports from the Medicinal Plant Research Institute that the Saintess’ technique had been activated, but the prime minister had not considered this. Since the target was herbs rather than miasma, he believed it might not be a purification technique but a different one altogether.
Ultimately, the conditions for activating the Saintess’ technique remained unclear. The prime minister recognized that sending Sei in the current circumstances was a significant gamble. There was no guarantee that she could use the Saintess technique in Klausner. Yet, despite this understanding, various factors left him with no choice but to dispatch her.
Albert understood the issues the prime minister raised but remained unconvinced about sending Sei in her current state. Even if she went to Klausner, if she couldn’t use the technique, resolving the issue quickly would be difficult. Even with the Knight Order’s efforts, it would likely take time. In the end, wouldn’t the nobles criticize them later? If the criticism fell on them, that would be one thing, but it was Sei who would bear the brunt of it. Negative possibilities swirled in Albert’s mind, and he felt deep unease about sending Sei in anything less than perfect condition.
Just as Albert opened his mouth to protest further, the king, who had been silently listening until now, spoke.
“Lady Sei will be dispatched to the Klausner territory.”
It was a decisive statement, like the call of a crane. It was not the decision Albert had hoped for, but he clenched his fist tightly, swallowing the words that had risen to his throat. Once the king had made his decision, the matter was settled for now. Resolving to find a way to prevent Sei’s dispatch later, Albert left the king’s office alongside Yuri.