Chapter 15: Prince Selection Announcement
I thought, 'I'll deal with this later.'
I asked the deputy master, "Is there anything else wrong with you? Any dizziness or discomfort?"
The deputy master's body had been carefully calculated so that no other members' mana would enter, but there was still a slight possibility.
The deputy master stared at me fixedly.
He moved his lips as if about to speak, then shook his head.
"No abnormalities in the body."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Sorry. Since you've been enduring pain for so long, I don't trust it easily. Vice-Duke, it seems we need a doctor's diagnosis and a priest's judgment."
"..."
At that moment when I said it firmly.
'Wait?'
Something felt off about the atmosphere.
When I turned my head, the expressions of the members who were sticking to the doors and windows, staring at us, were strange.
"The deputy master..."
"Wow..."
Some were amazed.
Others were dumbfounded and told him to stop.
Especially Antonio's chair's face was flushed red, waving his hands and grabbing his neck in a mess.
'Ah, did I look too composed?'
Thinking that it might have surprised the regular members, I turned my head.
Antonio and the deputy master were frozen in place as well.
"I've known since the young lady first clung to the deputy master's leg on the mountain slope that he's tough..."
"..."
Hmm. It seems even the elite were surprised.
I glanced at the deputy master, wondering if he was upset.
"Really, there's no abnormality in the body."
But the deputy master had a calm expression.
'See? He's much better than what everyone thinks.'
So, it was fortunate that he was healed.
It was really fortunate that he didn't hurt more.
After that.
I received confirmation from the doctor that there was no abnormality in the deputy master's body.
And in the afternoon, the priest came.
The old man who was once a priest placed his hand on the deputy master's belly and moved it a few times, then said.
"Normal. Perfectly a monster."
As he said that, he extended his hand to the deputy master.
The deputy master let out a sigh of relief and handed him a basketball-sized sack.
The former priest quickly took it, opened the entrance, took out silver coins, and bit them hard with his teeth...
'Silver coins?'
So, that's all silver coins?
It looked like more than 500 at least?
The former priest chuckled.
"From now on, don't make me come and go; come to my house. Do you know how troublesome it is to carry a sack this big?"
Antonio had an irritated expression but just clicked his tongue and said nothing.
The deputy master sighed and said.
"Elder, please don't do that and examine carefully. Is there really no other abnormality?"
"Well, it's perfectly a monster."
His attitude was extremely rude.
Of course, the assassin guild couldn't call a temple priest, so there must be a priest working in the shadows.
As people working in the shadows are, the fee would be high.
But it wasn't enough to receive 500 silver coins.
And that too, with such a nonchalant attitude for a matter involving a person's life.
"Um... former priest."
When I called him, the former priest looked at me with a start.
"What?"
"I was troubled about how to address you since I didn't know your name."
"Did you not hear that the old man calls me 'elder'?"
His voice rose to a shout.
I answered calmly.
"This person is not the former priest; he is the captain of the San Miguel knight order. If you show proper manners, I will respect the former priest as well."
The deputy master was startled and looked at me.
Antonio's eyes widened in surprise.
It was the part where the former priest's rudeness to the Irregulars was known.
The former priest stood up with an unsatisfied expression.
"Anyway, young people. Do you think I would swallow my pride because you're the captain of the San Miguel knight order?"
"I didn't say anything about swallowing pride."
"You are foolish. Those who can't properly address a priest properly are dangerous the higher their status is. If I report it..."
"Will we be the ones arrested?"
"What?"
I smiled and said.
"If the former priest reports it, we won't be the ones arrested. It's not about using a shadow priest that bigger the crime is."
"If I reveal that you are Irregulars to me...!"
"You will return."
"..."
I waved my hand, pointing at Antonio and the deputy master.
When the word "Irregular" came out from the former priest, Antonio and the deputy master were glaring with wide eyes.
The former priest was startled.
"Even if we cooperate, we can't show loyalty when one side is pointing a knife at us. The Irregulars are not gentlemen."
"Then, what do you mean...!"
"I'm just saying that our positions are very different."
So, the former priest should show manners too.
'Especially...'
I glanced at the sack with silver coins.
The former priest flinched.
"When calling a priest, it's usually 10 silver coins, and if using a shadow priest, it's five times that, right?"
"..."
"Right?"
"... Damn. The kid is tough like that."
The former priest placed the sack on the floor.
Then picked up only 50 silver coins and put them in his pocket.
Just as he was about to leave.
"Former priest?"
I called him again with a smiling face.
He flinched and said.
"There is really no abnormality in the deputy master's body. It means he's in perfect health."
"Hmmm..."
"By the grace of Teressa god, I swear... Even if I look like this, my faith is real..."
He said dejectedly.
I bowed deeply at that moment.
"Thank you, elder."
"...Where did you bring this kid from?"
He grumbled that he hadn't been this flustered even when taken to the central temple.
The deputy master chuckled.
"We didn't bring him; he came on his own. It was a stroke of luck. Shall I escort you to your home?"
"No need..."
The priest elder waved his hand.
"Good bye, elder!"
After looking at me with a look of disbelief once more, he smiled.
'Good, then the problem is solved.'
I looked at the deputy master and smiled, and the deputy master stared at me quietly.
"You're strange."
"Me?"
"Where?"
When I tilted my head, Antonio and the deputy master had expressions of disbelief.
But soon they burst into laughter.
The deputy master's expression also seemed a bit softer somewhere.
Finally, it was night.
As soon as I arrived at the room, I washed up and collapsed on the bed.
"The day was long..."
No, since the deputy master's curse, every day has been long.
But it ended well, really fortunate.
While thinking that, my fingertips caught my eye.
There were black lines on my nails.
I was startled.
"It's a symptom of mana poisoning."
In other words, mana mixed with the body is getting sick.
Since I had accepted so much mana from others, it was expected.
'But fortunately, I know the mana purification method, so I endured the pain and tomorrow...'
With a stern face, I gently pressed the nail with the black line.
But at that moment...
'Wait?'
The black line started to slowly disappear.
"What is this...?"
I looked at my hand.
Suddenly, the sentence that floated in the air after completing the healing popped up.
'If it's the Purifier...'
When starting the game, the character Stella couldn't be changed, but the job could be chosen.
And those jobs could be job-changed.
1. Knight → Holder of the Sword of Courage
2. Mage → One who manifests in the mind
3. Warrior → One with fighting spirit
4. Shaman → One who shakes the world's principles
Etc.
And the job change order for 'Purifier' is like this.
Priest → Purifier
'I can purify the mana poisoning as a Purifier.'
It seems I had the talent for the priest class.
But why priest of all things.
In the game, almost no one chose priest as a job.
Because it's a job that can be used in all situations like mage and shaman, and it's a job that looks cool to others.
But what the priest can do is only support.
It only helps in purifying curses using mana, and even if mana is used up, it's game over.
That is, death.
It has the worst disadvantage and doesn't help break the story, and in the ending...
"I will leave the god's domain. Father, brother, goodbye..." Stella bid farewell to her family and entered the convent.
It was close to a bad ending, causing player complaints.
'But being a Purifier is helpful for my life... No, it can't be.'
If others find out, they might want me.
My future would turn into a medicine used anywhere for curse or poison in the protagonist's long-term storage.
Then, if I exhaust all mana while purifying, I would die.
"I should keep my mouth shut and live."
With an amiable expression, I decided and went to sleep.
When the hardship ended, peace came.
"Wow..."
Everyone let out a sigh of admiration seeing the deputy master wearing the robe with the San Miguel emblem.
The members of the deputy master who had been stabbing the side of the Esgard central minister hard while carrying money and going to San Miguel had expressions of excitement.
Yes, the deputy master had risen to the position of lord.
And I...
"Even if I think about it, growing flowers is tough. The north is too cold. Let's plant trees instead."
"But isn't it pretty to have colorful gardens?"
"We plant coniferous trees so that when snow falls, they look like flower petals. Usually, we hang glass balls."
"Hmmm. That sounds pretty too."
I was decorating the garden with Antonio's chair.
Since the deputy master had just become lord, many guests would come.
Decorating the garden was an official duty.
'But it's so fun.'
I like to produce the maximum result within limited resources.
The work that clearly showed that was really fun.
When I was at Andres, I always catered to my father's taste and was anxious if it didn't please him.
It was stressful rather than fun.
But with the deputy master...
"Before starting the garden leader, I want to know the young master's taste. To minimize the possibility of failure. Please refer to example materials."
"...?"
"Um... if it's bothersome, just the color scheme..."
"The garden is not mine. It's the whole castle's. The gardener's intention is most important."
"Ah..."
"If it fails, it will be experience too."
...I told him that.
Recalling the conversation with the deputy master, I smiled.
"The young master is a really good person, isn't he?"
"...Yes?"
The chair who was checking the number of trees stopped.
The members of Antonio's chair who were moving dirt also turned to look at me startled.
When I looked at them as if asking why, the members came running in a group.
"Young lady. It's good that people are kind. No, good. But being too kind to the point of being naive is not allowed."
"What if you don't have eyes to see people like that? No, what? Do you have long-term? Did you bring one for each? No way."
The spice shop uncle who always got his salt stolen by 5 coopers in the market would have been furious.
I quietly tilted my head, but the chair said in a serious voice.
"Young lady."
"Huh?"
"You must remember. Being handsome doesn't mean good people."
"..."
"Try it."
"...Being handsome doesn't mean good people."
"Okay."
The chair let out a big sigh.
"The young master is not a good person but a strong person. A rational person."
Everyone nodded.
"Our young lady is too naive. What can we do. We have to stick close and protect her."
"From now on, never send her alone. Long-term is dangerous."
"Yes. Everyone, be careful."
It's true that long-term is dangerous, but in my view, Antonio is too naive.
It was a surprising reaction for me, who brings extra holiday pay every time I get paid in this world that doesn't exist.
One of the members opened his mouth again.
"When saying 'good person' from now on, always put 'follow' in front. Follow good..."
At that moment.
Ahem.
A clearing throat sound was heard.
People who turned their heads thinking something was wrong froze in place.
Antonio with a smug smile and the deputy master with a troubled expression, and...
"Th, th, young master."
Um. He was there.
Probably listening to the conversation the whole time, and when it didn't end, the deputy master gave him a signal.
Antonio laughed loudly...
"Yes, young lady. Being too naive is not allowed."
When he said that.
The deputy master brought his hand down on Antonio's side at an incredible speed.
Antonio fell with a scream, and the deputy master approached me.
"The prince selection notice has been issued."
Finally, it came.
I stood up.
The deputy master's and my gazes met.
Summarizing the notice that came from Esgard:
1. The prince selection is hosted by the Esgard main castle.
2. Each jurisdiction can send one prince candidate.
3. From the time the notice is issued, you cannot have private meetings with the central ministers of the main castle until the prince is finally selected.
And the date of the prince selection and the location of the selection test site were included.
'Only two weeks left.'
It wasn't a tight period for preparation, but the deputy master's expression was not good.
"The situation has become difficult."
"Why?"
He pointed out the part 'you cannot have private meetings with the central ministers of the main castle until the prince is finally selected.'
"You can't bribe them."
He had planned to bribe them.
It wasn't because he didn't trust my ability.
It was probably for another reason.
"Since I'm from the Andres family. The Andres family doesn't have good relations with the Esgard."
"Correct."
At first, the deputy master knew I was the eldest daughter of a great noble family but recommended me as an adopted daughter.
After the girls were all kidnapped and the situation reached the extreme, he had no choice but to send me to the adopted daughter test.
The reason was exactly this.
The Andres and Esgard were different forces.
And with the previous Andres duke, that is, my grandfather, and the current Esgard duke, they became like sworn enemies.
Even if I was the daughter who was driven out of the Andres, I probably wouldn't be welcomed into the main castle.
"Originally, the Esgard central minister who was allied with us should have been the overall head of the test."
"Up until now, he had been taking bribes and trying to make me the prince by any means."
"Smart. But..."
Antonio clicked his tongue and took over.
"That greedy old man got caught after taking from other places too. He's in the underground prison now."
Um, so that's it.
Indeed, the situation had become difficult.
For the Irregulars.
'My thoughts are a bit different, but.'
I said.
"Then, if I don't take the test and become the prince, what?"
The deputy master and Antonio frowned.
They had expressions that such a method couldn't exist.
"Do you intend to be directly nominated by the princes? That would be difficult. The princes' movement routes are kept strictly secret, and even if you know, there's no way to approach them."
"Hmmm. Please look at this."
I took a letter out of my pocket and showed it.
Yustea, go ahead.
Since you're heading north, I miss you. You went on a beast hunting expedition with the supply unit where you worked in the cold past. When the supply line was cut off by a blizzard and you were in deep trouble, you alone caught a wild boar and said 'Can I carry this and make it into tteokbokki?' You were more excellent than any soldier. That tteokbokki you ate then still makes me crave... (omitted)... Also, mandu, yangsu yuk, shakshpin. The time with you is like a dream. Is the place where you said you got lucky still there? I'm worried if the employers are not harsh on you. If so, anytime... (omitted2)... Ah, mandu...
— Missing your mandu, Rani.
"Heading north...?"
"Rani, the captain of the imperial guard...?"
Yes.
Rani, the captain of the imperial guard, is coming to the Esgard in the north with the prince.
I smiled.
"There seems to be a way?"