Newbie Summoning Meeting
"You've arrived, my lord."
Chiron arrived at the mansion, cradling the sleeping Sisilia in his arms. All the mansion's servants, Mari included, were lined up waiting.
"Isn't it time to clock out?"
"Please forgive us just this once."
Mari smiled gently.
"You've worked hard."
"...Yeah."
The end of his long journey as head of the house. No other words were needed. That was enough.
Mari reached out toward the soundly sleeping Sisilia.
"I'll take Sisilia-sama."
Chiron shook his head.
"No, I'll take her myself tonight."
"Understood."
Mari bowed her head quietly. Chiron slowly made his way to Sisilia's door.
[Barge in carelessly and you're dead meat!]
A crookedly scrawled nameplate. She'd hung it up out of nowhere around age eleven.
'Right around when puberty hit.' Chiron chuckled, recalling the past. The maids' bewildered faces were still vivid.
"Forgive me this once."
Chiron opened Sisilia's door and entered. The room was filled with a pleasant scent. He paused for a moment.
"The smell of new clothes is overpowering."
His brow furrowed slightly. But tonight, he decided to let it slide generously, carefully laying Sisilia on the bed and tucking her in. As he turned to leave, he stopped, then slowly sat before her.
"Come to think of it, I forgot to tell you something."
A story he'd promised to share once she overcame her trials. Now, belatedly, Chiron was about to begin it—while she slept.
But he hesitated to start. After much inner turmoil, he finally spoke.
"...Sisilia, I..."
Something he'd buried deep in his heart, telling himself I must, I must—and ten years had passed. He'd always wanted to say it, but facing her, he could never bring himself to. Such a gloomy tale didn't suit her.
"By the time I met you, I'd already lost my pregnant wife."
Another scene filled Chiron's vision.
Whoosh—
The atmosphere, the smells—everything from that day lingered vividly.
"Human."
The mansion blazed. A demon with a serpent tattoo gripped a blood-smeared sword and addressed Chiron.
"You were too strong."
Ma-gye rank 3, Four Heavenly King Jahar.
"Your family died because of it."
He'd come personally from his castle in the demon realm to punish Chiron in his own territory.
"If you have even a shred of conscience left..."
Jahar passed by Chiron.
"Live with regret for massacring demons so mercilessly."
"Back then and even now, I'm a pathetic parent..."
Chiron had drawn his sword and charged at full speed, but he'd only sliced an afterimage. Jahar vanished without a trace.
"...Not even fit to be a knight."
Deep down, he'd known instinctively. Even if Jahar hadn't fled, he couldn't have won. The relief he'd felt rushing back to the mansion—that shameful truth.
A disgrace beyond mere humiliation. Denying it desperately, Chiron burst into the mansion and searched for his wife first.
And witnessed it.
A horror beyond words. Two corpses deliberately killed in the most agonizing way possible.
"I'm a pitiful wretch with no qualifications whatsoever."
So Chiron didn't cry upon seeing his brutally murdered wife's body. No—he couldn't.
His chest felt like it would tear apart, his mind on the verge of madness—beating his breast did nothing, his silent screams produced no sound—yet he couldn't cry.
He didn't deserve to.
"Even as I truly think of you as my daughter."
After that, Chiron had sealed away his emotions completely. But meeting Sisilia...
He slowly regained his smile. It was miraculous. He'd sworn never to laugh again, deeming any smile a mockery of his dying wife.
Yet with Sisilia, that resolve crumbled effortlessly. She'd barged into the Windsor Knights with her tiny feet, messing everything up—just as she'd stormed into his heart, turning it upside down.
Truly, no one was as wild and free-spirited.
But.
"If... the moment ever comes when I lose you."
He knew it. This one thing would never change.
"I surely won't cry."
Chiron couldn't forgive himself.
...Sisilia. You'll surely surpass me.
Chiron smiled faintly, stroking her soft cheek. Not a hope—a certainty. Sisilia would exceed him. And soon.
"Can I ask one favor?"
Four Heavenly King Jahar—perhaps nothing to Sisilia someday.
"Jahar of the Four Heavenly Kings."
Chiron bit his lip. Blood trickled down.
"...I'll kill him."
Chiron desperately wished that day would come. To cry freely at last, to send his wife off in peace.
After Chiron left.
Sisilia cracked her eyes open slightly.
"...Four Heavenly King Jahar. Noted."
She murmured, closing them again.
"As long as I don't kill him, right?"
News of Chiron's retirement spread throughout the capital.
"A fine knight."
"He was a good man."
Mourners formed lines. Countless had received his aid.
Sisilia stood there blankly, arms full of bouquets, muttering.
"...My dad's not dead yet, though."
Even Sisilia got this sometimes!
'But this ain't bad.'
Sisilia eyed the items in her arms. Condolence money came in such heaps? The flowers were pretty, their fragrance delightful.
'...Payday's soon, but more money's always better.'
She'd need practice spending if she ever got that budget proposal through. No choice. For the greater good. For the Windsor Knights.
She'd gratefully accept the condolence gifts.
"Thank you all for coming today..."
"Sisilia-sama! What are you doing here?! Her Majesty the Queen is waiting! Because of you!"
Beatrice dragged Sisilia away from the odd crowd(?).
As Beatrice pulled her wrist, Sisilia glanced at the passing scenery.
'People will surely like it.'
Through modern eyes, Terezia remained beautiful. They'd be confused at first, but in time—they'd get it. This world wasn't bad.
"Sorry! I brought Vice-Captain Sisilia!"
"Good work, Betty."
"N-no, Your Majesty, th-this is just my fated duty..."
Safely in the meeting room, Sisilia sat beside Edward. He looked half-contemptuous.
"Late to your first major meeting as vice-captain? Are you insane?"
"Nyaang."
"...Sorry for asking. Of course you're not."
Edward berated his own foolishness.
Lydia smiled broadly, clasping her hands. Her eyes overflowed with excessive mana, blue haze rising. She seemed inhuman. A sign her Authority was about to manifest. Pure mana amassed over 300 years transcending magic into mystery.
"Urk."
Lude, most sensitive to mana, clamped his mouth, suppressing nausea.
Beatrice was already cowering. Only three remained unfazed.
"Your Majesty. I understand you can't contain your power, but please restrain it. We can't hold a meeting like this."
The Queen's guardian knight, Sword SaintErterion.
"Must you go this far?"
New Knight Captain, HolyEdward.
"Betty, pay you back next month."
New Vice-Captain, Sword PrincessSisilia.
'Edward's knightly qualities are ample. Sisilia-nya goes without saying.'
Lydia smiled in satisfaction. A new era. New changes. Whether good or bad, time would tell.
"Well then, shall we begin?"
Whatever it was, Sisilia was confident.
'Even if idol newbies come, I'll crush 'em.'
Because they'd be cute.
"Finally, the otherworlder summoning agenda—"
"Your Majesty, must you really go that far?"
A chilly dawn. Erterion draped a blanket over Lydia as she gazed at the moon on the terrace.
"All preparations are complete. No need to worry."
"...You know that's not what I mean."
Erterion eyed her worriedly.
"Vice-Captain Sisilia's systematic education plan isn't bad. Resorting to such cruel methods..."
"Eagles drop their young off cliffs to teach them to fly. Heartless, no?"
"..."
"What happens to eagles that don't?"
Lydia smiled sweetly.
"The chick fears the sky, clings to its parents forever, and dies. Sir Erterion, hear me clearly."
Her gaze turned icy.
"We have no time to wait for them to adapt. I never intended to ask their consent. We have no choice, nor do they."
The Queen's duty. Lydia had upheld it for centuries, killing as needed. No reason to hesitate now.
"...There will be backlash. It could spark rebellion."
"Indeed. You're right, Sir Erterion. But..."
Lydia spoke emotionlessly.
"How do you rebel against a goddess?"
Otherworld summoning. Caster: Lydia. But people would blame the goddess. No one would suspect deliberate mishaps.
Except the goddess herself.
Snore...
Sisilia slumbered deeply. A faint smile played on her lips—truly a happy dream. She envisioned an outing with soon-to-arrive newbies.
The innocent newbies' attention flocked to Sisilia amid the chatter. She puffed out her chest proudly, beaming triumphantly.
Behold! This gleaming medal! She was Sisilia, recipient of the Silver Merit Badge, strongest beauty Sword Princess, and vice-captain of the elite knights! Praise her, newbies!
And the newbies gazing at her...
Sisilia's world crumbled.
"Gah!"
Sisilia bolted upright. She scanned around, sighed in relief at no newbies yet—but then grabbed her chest in cold sweat.
"As expected."
Good thing time remained before newbies arrived.
"...Time to wear it."
Her last shred of pride—but Sisilia wouldn't hesitate now.