“Well then, let’s call it a day here.”
“Thank you very much.”
With the division commander’s words, that day’s magic lecture came to an end. I’ve continued taking lectures even after the subjugation. Whether it’s magic or anything else, it’s not something you can master overnight. No matter how interested I am, I’ve only got an average brain. If I had the division commander’s smarts, maybe I could pick it up quickly.
“Are you heading to the Third Knight Order after this again today?”
“Yes, that’s the plan.”
“Mind if I tag along to observe?”
“Is that okay with your work?”
“A little time shouldn’t be a problem.”
I can’t help but sense something ominous in the division commander’s smile, is this really fine? I’ve got a feeling the intellectual glasses guy will show up to drag her back again. There was a time before when, after a similar exchange, she followed me to the Third Knight Order, and sure enough, the intellectual glasses guy came to fetch her. That time, she got so absorbed in observing that she nearly skipped some meeting. It wasn’t just him, the mages were apparently running around the palace looking for her too. I don’t know if it’ll happen again this time, but I’ll make sure someone passes the word to the intellectual glasses guy about where we’re going. That way, it’ll be easier to retrieve her later.
“Then shall we get going?”
“Yes.”
I nod at the division commander’s cheerful prompting and leave the room. I catch a passing mage and let them know I’m heading to the Third Knight Order with the division commander, and they reply, “I’ll inform the deputy commander too,” like they’re already used to this. That person’s probably one of the ones dragged into the division commander search party.
On the way, I chat with the division commander about magic. Not the magic I’m currently learning though, about the 【Saint】’s technique I activated during the subjugation.
There’s a lot we don’t understand about the 【Saint】’s technique. It’s not just me,the division commander too. Since returning from the subjugation, we’ve talked about what that technique might be a few times. Based on the results after it activated, we both agree it’s the 【Saint】’s technique. That much is fine, but things like how to trigger it are still as unclear as ever. It’s only natural since even I, the one who activated it, don’t get it.
I managed to use the technique in the western forest, but I still don’t know what conditions caused that golden mana to appear beforehand. Back then, the mana just surged up out of nowhere, and I activated the technique from there. I’ve tried recalling what I was doing at the time, but nothing special comes to mind. During the subjugation, it was a desperate situation, and it just happened suddenly.
As we walk and talk about it today, I notice some commotion up ahead. We’d just reached an open corridor facing one of the palace’s courtyards, with no walls on one side. What’s going on? I glance at the division commander, and he looks puzzled too.
“Did something happen?”
“I’m not sure, but it’s on our way, so shall we check it out?”
As we approach the source of the noise, the number of civil servants and maids increases. Are they all gathering because they’re curious about the commotion? This corridor gets a lot of foot traffic anyway, so it’s easy for it to draw attention. Groups of people are whispering to each other, but I can’t make out what they’re saying.
At first, it just sounds like general noise, but as we get closer, it becomes clear it’s an argument between a man and a woman. A lovers’ quarrel, maybe? Fighting in a place like this is guaranteed to become gossip fodder for the maids later. With no TV or magazines for entertainment, the people working in the palace love rumors. A lovers’ quarrel is prime material for that.
“You’re so persistent!”
“But, Your Highness…”
Slipping through the growing crowd, I hear a familiar voice. Huh? That voice… It did sound like a man and woman arguing, and the woman’s voice reminds me of someone I know well. I speed up a little and move forward, and then I see them—the people arguing. Yep, it’s Liz.
“It’s not in her best interest to keep things as they are. Please reconsider.”
“You say it’s for her sake, but is it really?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve heard you’re trying to isolate Aira by taking the lead.”
“…What exactly are you talking about?”
The conversation’s getting kind of tense. A crowd has gathered around them, but everyone’s keeping their distance, watching from afar. And no wonder. The one arguing with Liz is the red-haired First Prince I saw once before. Yeah, nobody wants to get caught up in a fight between big shots. Even if they’re curious.
Looking closer, Liz isn’t just with the First Prince. There are probably his entourage, guys I’ve heard about before. A few familiar-looking boys are standing clustered behind him. And next to the First Prince is a girl from my homeland, someone I haven’t seen in about a year. It’s Aira-chan.
Seeing her looking mostly the same as the last time I saw her puts me a little at ease. It seems like they’re feeding her properly and all. Good, good. The delicate pink dress she’s wearing shows she’s being well taken care of. But her expression isn’t great. She’s looking back and forth between the First Prince and Liz with an anxious face.
While I’m observing Aira-chan, their conversation continues, and the content is… well, something. It seems the First Prince thinks everything the noble girls did to Aira-chan, which Liz told me about before, was all orchestrated by Liz. Like not talking to her, giving her harsh advice, and even breaking her textbooks and supplies, all of it. No, wait, Liz was trying to stop that, wasn’t she? I think she said that to fix it, not only the noble girls but Aira-chan too needed to change some things, but the First Prince kept getting in the way, so she couldn’t talk to Aira-chan about it properly. I remember her being mad about that.
“Probably out of jealousy, you did all that…”
“Jealousy?”
“Yes. You’re my fiancée, after all. You must not like that I’m always with Aira.”
“Sigh. How can you jump to that conclusion and still not accept my proposal? The people behind you agree, but isn’t it natural to find it problematic when a man with a fiancée is constantly with another woman?”
“True. But I’m responsible for overseeing the 【Saint Summoning Ritual】. Since we summoned her for our own reasons, I have to protect Aira from anything that might harm her. There’s no ulterior motive.”
“…Aira-sama wasn’t the only one summoned, you know? You don’t seem to be doing anything for the other one.”
“The other one? You mean that woman who’s been the talk of rumors lately. She’s not a 【Saint】, is she?”
…
……
………
…………Huh?
A little promotion:
A site featuring women’s web-origin novels published by KADOKAWA has just launched.
My work, “The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent,” is highlighted as a featured title.
It’s not just Kadokawa BOOKS titles—works from other labels are included too, so if you’re interested, I’d be delighted if you’d check it out.
You might discover a new story you haven’t read yet!
◆ Women’s Web-Origin Novel Special Feature
https://shinbungei.fnovel.kadokawa.co.jp/