Chapter 17
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Stealing the Saintess
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To cut to the chase, all hell broke loose.
First off, my mother.
"Don't tell a soul."
She was laying down the law to everyone around her with a dead-serious look on her face.
"Before that, take a good look at how incredible my child is."
"..."
I wish she wouldn't say that to the physician.
Look at him. He's already wearing that utterly clueless expression, like he has no idea what to do.
Somehow, her face hasn't gained a single new wrinkle from the day I was born until now.
As that thought crossed my mind, Mother turned her gaze back to me.
"Theo, you're not feeling unwell or anything, are you?"
"Ah, no. Not at all..."
She's smiling, but how do I put this?
I glance at Mother's complexion.
She seems a bit worried. Or maybe I'm imagining it.
"If you're feeling sick or... if something's bothering you, come to me right away without any hesitation, alright?"
"Ah, yes."
I'm not sick or anything.
With that in mind, I look at Isfil standing beside me.
Isfil, who came rushing over the moment she heard I'd used holy power.
Time has passed, and Isfil has grown so much.
How old is she now?
Eleven?
"Theo."
Before my thoughts could finish, Isfil grabs both my hands.
A white light seeps from her body, and soon a warm energy flows into mine.
"Your holy power isn't overflowing. You should be fine, no major risks."
She mutters to herself, then meets my eyes.
"Probably because you've been drinking holy water regularly... your body's stabilized."
"Yeah...?"
"For now, you need to keep drinking the holy water."
Isfil looks at me.
Her hair rustles softly as it falls, and her perpetually tear-streaked face stares at me with utter seriousness.
Isfil's grown up a lot, too.
"I'll leave the Holy Grail here even when I go."
"...Okay."
Come to think of it, there's one year left.
The Empire can legally keep Isfil for five years.
After that, she has to return to the Holy Kingdom.
"..."
I'd been racking my brain for ways to prevent her from leaving, but nothing solid had come to mind yet.
Guess it's time to start thinking seriously about it.
"Don't overuse your holy power. You could wear yourself out."
"...Can't I even practice?"
"..."
Isfil narrows her eyes at me, then slowly nods.
"Practice is fine, but..."
"Okay."
"Do it when you're with me."
"Got it. Thanks, Isfil."
Isfil gives a small smile, and for a split second, I swear Lily-sis and Ravire-sis's gazes land on her.
So, it's okay to use it in moderation.
With that thought, I turn my eyes elsewhere.
So many people looking at me.
Mother, Lily-sis, Ravire-sis who's shown up at some point, Isfil, and even Clue.
When something happens, I've got all these people who'll come running.
As that realization sinks in, I close my eyes, open them again, and thank everyone who's gathered.
"Thank you, all of you."
Everyone smiles softly at my words, and soon it's just me and Clue left.
Clue, still looking like she's thirteen.
"Master, are you alright?"
"Yeah. I'm fine."
I answer as I stare at my hands.
"..."
Holy power, huh...
Just a little practice. Just a bit.
I close my eyes and focus.
What did it feel like when I healed Lily-sis?
It was like something shooting out from my fingertips.
I know it's a weird way to put it, but like firing a beam...
"..."
Eyes closed, I concentrate my mind.
If I'm going to heal a wound anyway, somewhere that hurts...
"Ah."
I got a bruise on my leg sparring with Ravire-sis today.
Let's try that first.
I slowly roll up my pant leg.
"Kyaaah!"
Clue's sudden scream makes me look at her.
"Clue?"
"I-I didn't see anything!"
She's covering her eyes with both hands and turning away.
"..."
It's not like seeing it matters.
Or is there some imperial rule against showing legs?
I'll ask Lily-sis later.
Anyway, I look at my calf.
Let's see.
There it was—a nasty purple bruise.
Perfect.
"...Hoo..."
Eyes closed, I focus my mind.
It's different from casting magic.
Magic rises from your lower abdomen, but this is the opposite—like firing a beam from your fingertips.
Suddenly, a tingling sensation at my fingertips.
-Fwaaah!
A white light bursts out, hitting the bruised spot,
and in no time, the bruise vanishes like it was never there.
"Whoa..."
"There was a light just now... Master, is everything okay?"
I brush off Clue's worried voice and poke at the spot where the bruise was.
Hmm. No pain.
"...Master?"
"Oh, Clue. You can open your eyes now."
Clue lowers her hands from her eyes and looks at me.
"The wound on your calf..."
"It's all healed."
"That's a relief..."
Clue lets out a sigh of relief.
I should practice holy power from now on, too.
But how did Clue know I was channeling holy power into my calf?
No, more importantly.
"Clue."
"Yes, Master?"
I beckon her over, and she toddles up to me.
"We need to prepare for something."
"Prepare... you say?"
"Yeah."
"What should I prepare?"
Clue tilts her head, and I just gaze at her steadily.
No matter how much time passes, Clue never changes.
Homunculi don't age, I guess.
"Preparations for a deal with the Holy Kingdom."
"...Pardon?"
Clue tilts her head again.
*
Isfil walks down the imperial palace corridor.
A soft smile graces her lips.
'Theodor's just like me.'
A sense of kinship blooms within Isfil.
Theodor could wield holy power, just like her.
Theodor had always only studied magic and swordsmanship.
Now, she could join in on that studying, too.
Not just the two princesses who focused solely on magic and swordsmanship, but her as well...
"..."
Isfil gazes out the window with a smile.
In all these years, the number of times she'd left the palace could be counted on one hand.
The reason was the Empress's orders—fear that the Holy Kingdom might snatch her away at any moment.
A smile spreads across Isfil's lips.
The palace wouldn't let her go, but she'd never once felt like a bird in a cage.
Quite the opposite. She was happy.
No one here tried to use her.
Of course, there were people she didn't get along with.
A prime example.
"Oh."
"..."
A familiar voice reaches her ears.
Isfil slowly turns her gaze, and there she sees Lily and Ravire.
Both are looking right at her.
"...Greetings, Your Highnesses."
Isfil curtsies slowly, and the two exchange a glance before returning the gesture.
"Saintess, you've worked hard."
"...Saintess."
Lily curtsies gracefully, while Ravire does it half-heartedly.
The three girls' gazes linger in the air for a moment,
"...You knew, didn't you?"
and Lily is the first to speak.
"I think you intentionally gave Theo the Holy Grail."
"Huh, intentionally?"
Ravire responds with bewilderment.
"..."
A question pops into Isfil's mind at those words.
Intentionally?
Why would she?
Isfil stares silently at Lily, as if she can't comprehend.
Even though they're around the same age, Lily sometimes said things that made no sense.
Above all, she hated that look—like she knew everything and was looking down on her.
Especially since they were the same age.
So.
"Are you teasing me right now? No, I mean... slandering me? Slandering?"
Her sharp retort slips out inevitably.
Of course, it was still the reaction of a child.
Isfil glares at Lily, who looks unfazed as she meets her eyes and speaks.
"It's not slander."
Lily turns her gaze to both Isfil and Ravire.
"Theo's been suffering because of you two."
"Don't talk nonsense."
Ravire cuts her off.
"Theo's suffering because of you. Last time he had a nosebleed, it was because you made him study too much magic!"
"...I never forced Theo to study magic that hard. He does it because he wants to. And you—you beat him up until he's covered in bruises."
"Bruises from sparring are normal! I get bruises sparring with Theo, too!"
"Then nosebleeds from studying are normal, too?"
"..."
"..."
Lily and Ravire glare at each other with bulging eyes, and before they know it, they've forgotten Isfil is even there and dive into a fierce argument.
"To begin with, Theo was a magic kid—"
"No, you started off all wrong with Theo from the—"
"..."
Isfil clears her throat, but they ignore her completely and keep bickering.
"..."
Isfil watches for a moment, then turns away.
She sees no reason to listen to their pointless squabble any longer.
"..."
She gazes out the window.
One year.
Just one year until she has to leave this place.
What more can she do in that time?
"...Theo."
The answer is obvious.
Isfil turns on her heel and strides back down the corridor.
Her destination: Theodor's room, where she'd just left.
Voices murmur from beyond the door, and a wry smile tugs at Isfil's lips.
Talking to that doll again, huh, Theodor.
Theodor is too kind for his own good.
He always speaks to that doll with full sincerity.
It's like a mercy—or consideration—that others can't see.
She clears her throat and knocks. Soon, Theodor's voice comes.
"Come in."
Isfil opens the door slowly, and sure enough, Theodor stands beside the doll, as if he'd just been talking to it. He looks at her.
"Oh, Isfil?"
Isfil gazes quietly at Theodor.
His golden hair sparkling in the sunlight, his sharply defined features, his neat little eyes, nose, and mouth.
"I was just about to call for you."
"...Me?"
Isfil points to herself and mutters. Theodor nods, looking at her.
"Isfil, do you want to go back to the Holy Kingdom?"
"..."
Why bring that up out of nowhere?
Anxiety swirls in Isfil's heart.
Does Theo want her to go back?
No way.
Probably those two sisters said something weird to him again.
"...No."
But amid the whirlwind of thoughts, all Isfil can do is shake her head.
She couldn't say otherwise and risk hurting Theodor.
And truthfully, she didn't want to go back.
She had no desire to walk back into that hellhole of her own volition.
At least, not by her choice.
As Isfil bites her lower lip,
"Then help me out."
"...With what?"
She lifts her head at Theodor's words and meets his eyes. He flashes a grin.
Not his usual gentle smile, but a mischievous one.
As Isfil stares at it in a daze,
"I'm going to steal you from the Holy Kingdom."
"...Huh?"
For a moment, Isfil can't process Theodor's words.
"I'm telling you, I'm going to steal you from the Holy Kingdom."
"Is that... possible?"
It's absurd. Unthinkable.
But her words weren't dismissal—they were pure curiosity.
Or perhaps not curiosity, but anticipation.
The hope that she could stay here.
"Yeah. Trust me."
And to reward that hope, Theodor simply grins at her.