Traces of a Black Magician
“Saintess, please set aside your anger.”
“I’m not angry.”
The Bombardment Fairy remarks that no matter how much you insist you’re not angry while wearing that face, it has absolutely zero persuasive power.
What does she take me for? I really wasn’t angry. Of course, not getting to check out the new function I’d just acquired was pretty disappointing.
Still, if I really wanted to test it, I could always do it out on some wide-open flatland with nothing around. The firing range… well, I didn’t feel like punching any more holes in it, so that was out.
But still—if I could fire at actual moving targets, I’d know in a single go whether this function had any real combat value or not, right? So yeah, the disappointment was real.
Right. I was absolutely not angry. My expression just happened to look terrible because the disappointment was so huge.
“Your safety comes first, Saintess. I had no choice.”
“I know. But once you step onto a battlefield, don’t you have to throw away a certain amount of self-preservation?”
The Bombardment Fairy is utterly appalled, demanding to know if that’s any way to talk to someone who was only worried about you.
…Fine. I know I’m acting childish right now!
“…I’m sorry. I was being a little spiteful.”
“Not at all. You must have been deeply distressed, Saintess. To watch so many die at your side and still be unable to strike back at the true culprit—that is more than enough reason for fury.”
Uh… huh. He’s spinning it like that? My brain short-circuited for a second, but if he was going to package it so nicely for me, there was no reason to kick the gift horse in the teeth.
I answered in a slightly weak, distant voice.
“I guess I got a little angry without realizing it… at the thought of just having to keep taking it like this.”
“It is all right. One day we will surely overcome the threat of the demonkin.”
“…You think so?”
Watching Andreus nod, I allowed the faintest smile to touch my lips.
“That helps a little. Thank you, Andreus.”
Even I had to admire the Saintess performance. Maybe I actually had a natural talent for the job? Maybe being a Saintess was my true calling all along.
How else could I pull off words and gestures this perfectly saintly?
I was busy patting myself on the back when a voice came from outside.
“May I enter?”
“Ah—yes, come in!”
The words had barely left my mouth before Kalpas, the man who had commanded the front lines this time, stepped into my tent.
“Andreus. You’re here as well.”
“I committed a discourtesy toward the Saintess. I am here to offer my apologies.”
“You saw with your own eyes how terrifying the Saintess was on the battlefield, and you still managed to offend her? This friend of mine has no sense of fear in the world!”
He was grinning as he said it, so anyone could tell he was joking.
I decided to play along a little.
“Oh, come on. Terrifying? That’s laying it on a bit thick.”
“…Pardon?”
“Huh?”
Why were they reacting like that?
“Sir Kalpas? Just how did I look on the battlefield to get that kind of response? Or wait—don’t tell me the regular soldiers are saying things like that?”
“…A message has arrived from the Imperial Palace.”
“Don’t change the subject! Is it true? Do they all actually find me scary?!”
The Bombardment Fairy admits that you may have fought a little too aggressively.
This was bad. Deliberately chipping away at the Saintess image would do me no favors at all. Especially when it came to getting the most out of the Goddess’s Shield, that noble Saintess image was a massive help.
Even the same words carried different weight depending on the speaker’s image, after all.
I was already wondering whether I should throw myself into relief work starting tomorrow, exhaustion be damned, when Andreus shook his head.
“Kalpas, you have far too much of a playful streak. Do not worry, Saintess. I have never heard any such talk among the soldiers, nor is there any such atmosphere.”
“…Sir Kalpas?”
When I said his name while lifting my eyes just a fraction, Kalpas immediately looked away and cleared his throat.
“Ahem. I only meant that your exploits were that magnificent.”
…I should just drop it.
“So, what was the message from the Imperial Palace?”
“The demonkin have withdrawn from every front. An official declaration that the large-scale invasion has ended will likely be issued sometime tomorrow.”
“Really? That’s the best news I’ve heard in a while.”
I could finally go back to the Holy See. The thought of feeling the familiar texture of my own bed after so long made my heart give a little skip.
I even swore to myself that aside from meals, showers, and the occasional bombardment session, I wouldn’t leave that bed for an entire day.
After more than a month of hell on the battlefield, I figured I was allowed at least one full day of rest. The Goddess would tell me to take it easy too.
“Ah, and apparently an interesting rumor has been circulating in the capital lately.”
“An interesting rumor?”
“Indeed. They say a righteous thief is active in the capital itself. This figure anonymously exposes the misdeeds of corrupt officials and merchants, then distributes a portion of the wealth they hoarded to the poor.”
…Why? It was clearly a heartwarming story, yet a strangely ominous feeling prickled at me.
It felt exactly like a friend I’d only recently gotten close to was out there causing some spectacular trouble.
Which was probably why my reply came a beat late.
“Uh… well. I see.”
“Perhaps for that reason, even with the large-scale demonkin invasion, the mood in the capital hasn’t been all that bad. People who cheer for the righteous thief are slowly starting to appear, they say.”
I turned my head just slightly and locked eyes with Andreus. He seemed to be thinking the same thing; he gave a small nod.
Why? There wasn’t a single scrap of evidence, yet I was ninety percent certain the identity of that righteous thief was Chartia.
What on earth was she thinking? And more importantly—was the Imperial Palace just sitting back and watching? Or did they have no idea what Chartia was up to at all?
No. This was pure speculation on my part. The righteous thief might not even be Chartia. That would also explain why the palace showed no movement whatsoever.
Thinking that way made me feel a lot better. There really was no need to go looking for things to worry about.
With my composure restored, I could answer Kalpas without difficulty.
“Giving people hope and energy… that seems pretty worthwhile, doesn’t it? Hope and energy matter a lot in life, after all.”
“When the Empire’s current hope herself says so, the words carry even more weight.”
“…Even if you put it that way, I’ve never actually seen how people react, so I wouldn’t know.”
Aside from two battlefields, one trip to the imperial capital, and one visit to a fallen nation’s capital, I had never set foot outside the Holy See.
Of course, if I asked the Pope, I could probably go out freely enough with an escort attached.
I simply never felt the need, so I stayed inside.
The Holy See was so vast that wandering around it already felt like taking a stroll through the neighborhood.
And even if I did nothing, food, clothing, and shelter were provided as a matter of course—no, provided at excellent quality.
The only real downside was that there wasn’t much in the way of leisure, but I’d been living so busily that I never had time to get bored.
I’d even sworn I’d learn the guitar, yet I still hadn’t started practicing a single chord.
Still, just in case anyone might misunderstand and think the Church was locking me away against my will, I quickly changed the subject.
“Anyway, even if it wasn’t intentional, hearing that people draw hope from me makes me a little proud.”
We exchanged a few more words after that, and then Kalpas was the first to take his leave, ending the conversation.
Well, I wouldn’t have any chance to check just how popular I was among the people for a good while yet.
A stretch of recovery followed by more training would be waiting for me, after all.
…Yeah. Past me had thought exactly that. I really shouldn’t have.
Looking back now, that was a full-blown flag.
Originally, the Holy Knights’ withdrawal was supposed to happen slowly. Hadn’t they risked their lives fighting on the front lines?
They had left a decent garrison at the Holy See as well, so there was no need to rush back. The plan had been to stay in the nearby region for a while and loosen the belts that had been cinched so tight.
In other words, a party for the Holy Knights. Andreus had told me the Church had even set aside a budget for it.
I’d been looking forward to finally having a drink after so long.
The morning after I went to bed with those expectations…
“…Huh?”
Every single Holy Knight was frantically packing their gear. If that had been all, I might have just thought they were getting ready early.
But every face was grim. As if something had gone terribly wrong.
The Bombardment Fairy says it looks like something has gone wrong.
So at least I wasn’t the only one thinking it.
I hurriedly swept my gaze around, searching for someone who could explain the situation.
“Saintess?”
“Ah, Andreus! Perfect timing! What on earth is going on?!”
“…It seems we must return to the Holy See at once.”
Those words meant no party time—and no party time meant I could forget about drinking altogether.
Why?! I nearly let out a scream of pure resentment at reality’s cruelty, but somehow managed to hold it in.
Andreus spoke to me then.
“They say traces of a black magician have been detected in the capital.”
…What?