Chapter 5
Chapter 5
A man’s heart is unpredictable
Perhaps it was because the light from the divine sword had been too intense. My eyes needed some time before they could function properly again, so I simply wrapped a piece of cloth around them and guided Amelia inside.
“F-first, please come in.”
“Pff… yes.”
This damn Saint. She laughed? We just met, so why am I already annoyed? Was I always this short-tempered? Or maybe this self-proclaimed Saint just has a talent for provoking people.
“Luca, slowly.”
Naturally, it was Evelyn who supported me while I couldn’t see.
“…Heh.”
For some reason, Evelyn seemed oddly happy. Must be my imagination.
“Evelyn, how do you take care of your hands?”
Her hands were so soft it was hard to believe she held a sword.
“Huh?”
She flinched slightly.
Lately I had been worrying that my own hands were getting too rough.
“Hmm, I don’t really do anything special.”
“My hands have gotten kind of rough.”
“I think rough hands suit Luca.”
“Really? Then it’s fine, I guess.”
Not being able to see is incredibly inconvenient. Without sight, your other senses become sharper. Even stepping on a small stone feels like kicking something heavy and solid.
“…Luca, that was my butt.”
“…Ah. Sorry.”
It really was something solid.
After enduring various misfortunes, we finally arrived at the mansion.
“Master!”
“Bell?”
I called out to the familiar voice.
“What happened to you!”
“It just… happened.”
I brushed it off and asked her to send four cups of tea to my room.
“Ah, four cups, not three. And Sir Beryl, do you have a preferred tea?”
“I will gratefully accept anything.”
“Then we just got some good chamomile. Is that okay?”
“That would be wonderful.”
“What about me? What about me? Aren’t you going to ask me?”
It was the Saint.
“Rosemary. Right?”
“Yes!”
She really did like rosemary tea in the original story.
“Bell, please prepare that too.”
“Yes, young master.”
Evelyn was actually quite satisfied with the situation.
When she heard Luca couldn’t see, her heart had dropped for a moment. But the Saint said it would recover with time, so she relaxed.
And somehow, she ended up guiding Luca around.
For Evelyn, it felt oddly romantic.
To become the eyes for someone who cannot see. How romantic is that?
Unfortunately, Luca himself thought none of it was romantic and still believed Evelyn was a boy, so for him this situation was closer to horror than romance. But for Evelyn, it was definitely romance.
“Hm. The tea is good!”
But that woman… I don’t like her.
It was more of an instinct than anything else. Something kept telling Evelyn to be cautious of Amelia.
“Evelyn, have some too!”
“…Yes.”
“Oh? Should I add ‘young master’ again?”
“No need.”
“Hehe, you might not like it, but please try it. I didn’t prepare it myself though!”
I don’t like you. Evelyn didn’t say it out loud.
“Looks like I’m not very well liked.”
It might have been obvious on her face.
“I think we could get along quite well.”
I don’t think so.
Again, she said nothing.
“You don’t seem to agree, Evelyn!”
Her expression must have given it away again.
“Haa… Saint. First of all, no one in my family knows I’m here. I basically ran away.”
That caught my attention.
How did she even find this place?
“Are you wondering how I found you?”
“Yes.”
“Simple.”
Amelia looked up.
“God knows everything.”
“….”
Creepy.
“Right? I think so too.”
For a moment, her expression turned cold. The air itself seemed to freeze.
“…Evelyn? Saint? Why is it so quiet? I’m scared.”
And of course, Luca broke the silence since he couldn’t see the atmosphere.
“…It’s nothing.”
Amelia sniffed the air.
“Do you smell something fruity?”
“Maybe it’s the tea aroma.”
“No… it smells like orange.”
Her face slowly moved closer to Luca.
“Eeeek!!!”
Evelyn suddenly pulled her away, shouting loudly.
“Orange? Did we have some left over from before?”
“Maybe! Yeah, maybe!”
“Hm…”
Amelia leaned back with a sigh.
“Anyway, back to the important matter.”
She raised one finger.
“The fact that the Sword of Temperance has found its wielder needs to be announced. But for Evelyn, that might be a problem.”
“….”
Evelyn’s life was already complicated enough.
There were enemies inside and outside the Aurelion Ducal House. Her talent made her a target. A young sprout that everyone wanted to cut down before it could grow.
If news spread that she had become the owner of a divine sword, the situation would worsen instantly.
Normally, staying inside the ducal estate would be safest.
But Evelyn wasn’t there.
Because she was a girl.
If that fact was exposed inside the ducal house, her position as heir would collapse. The support she had would disappear, even affecting her father, the duke.
“So it won’t be easy to announce it publicly. Still, news of a new sword wielder will spread regardless.”
Once a divine sword disappears from the central cathedral, it means it has chosen a master. And once the Saint disappears as well, people will notice.
“So when I return to the Holy Nation, I’ll have to speak. Whether I want to or not.”
Evelyn’s expression darkened.
That sounded like she might have to leave.
Without thinking, she grabbed Luca’s hand. Luca flinched at the sudden grip, but squeezed back gently to reassure her.
“There is one way, though.”
“What is it?”
Evelyn looked at Amelia desperately.
“If Sir Beryl and I stay here, nothing changes. No one will know where I am. The Cardinal might come later, but he’s busy, so we can buy time.”
At that, Evelyn’s face brightened.
But someone else’s face darkened instead.
“…So you’re saying you plan to stay here, Saint?”
“Yes! That’s right!”
Luca realized he couldn’t just stay silent.
“I think we need to discuss this further.”
“Haha, Luca.”
That laugh alone made him understand.
There was no choice in this matter.
“…Yes, Saint. As you wish.”
In truth, the Saint staying in the Griffir estate was not the real problem.
The real problem was the fact that this world was a romance fantasy novel.
A world written to be cruel to the heroine.
I looked at Amelia. She was enjoying tea and snacks like a normal village girl, completely unlike her divine title.
“Why are you staring at me, Luca?”
Her face alone was enough to make someone flustered.
For some reason, I felt a sharp sensation in my side.
Poke. Poke.
“Evelyn?”
She was the one poking me.
“Why?”
“Just because.”
Poke. Poke.
It kind of hurt, but I decided to stay quiet.
“This is good!”
“…I’ll have more prepared.”
“No need! I’ll be staying here anyway.”
Her words sounded more like, I’ll live here and eat more of this.
“Your estate isn’t really suitable for someone like me, you know.”
“Oh? Hmm. I see.”
Amelia smiled mischievously.
“I am pretty, aren’t I!”
“Well, yes.”
“I didn’t expect you to admit it.”
“I tend to agree with facts.”
It was true, objectively speaking. Denying it would only make things worse.
THUD.
“AAAHH!! Evelyn! Why! That hurts!”
“Mi….”
Right. She’s trying to apologize.
“YOU IDIOT!! YOU started it!”
“…What?”
“Haha. Looks like Luca was at fault here.”
What is happening?
I gave up trying to understand.
“…Sorry.”
I decided to accept it anyway.