Blood of the Previous Saintess
"Will you?"
"Excuse me? Count of the Empire. What do you mean by that…?"
"You need to think about your age. It's fine that a son of a ducal house distinguished himself in the war, but you've already passed the marriageable age, haven't you?"
"…"
"Hurry up and find a fine partner so you can pursue some happiness of your own."
No. Hmm…
"Well, as I said earlier… I simply don't have the leeway right now."
"In that regard, my daughter Linea would surely treat you well."
"Ah, yes…"
"How about it? With Linea you would have wifely support, a great deal of help and care at your side, and I believe she herself could learn a great deal from you as well."
This man… Even if he is the Count of the Empire, a noble directly under the emperor, he's pushing a little too hard, isn't he?
"…Haha. Well, I'll think about it positively."
If I don't say at least that much, he looks ready to keep me here forever.
"Um… Count of the Empire?"
Erina's voice snapped me back to my senses.
"Ah, my apologies. How rude of me to waste the Saintess's time with idle chat."
"No… We had already spoken at length before Sir Kyle arrived."
Hearing "Sir Kyle" from Erina's lips… feels strangely unfamiliar.
"I am deeply grateful for your consideration."
Even after the Count of the Empire withdrew, the socializing continued.
"I present myself before the Saintess."
"Yes. It's a pleasure to meet you."
With the greeting, a woman whose long hair was nearly black yet carried a deep navy hue immediately dropped to one knee as though collapsing to the floor in respect.
From her bearing alone I could tell she was a knight of considerable rank.
The epaulettes on her shoulders and the lavish ornaments covering her jet-black uniform made that obvious enough.
Even in such a splendid uniform, what drew the eye were the lively light in her gaze, the faintly formed smile that was pleasant to look at, her fair-skinned face, and that long fall of hair.
And her solid figure.
Her figure is a bit… no. Quite…? She's rather well-endowed…
The curves of the large fruits that stood out on either side of her sharply cinched waist were the sort that would steal the gaze of anyone looking—or at least any man—at least once.
Carrying those around and still managing to do knight work, huh…
"I am Camilla Ravencroft, Deputy Commander of the Imperial Knights. His Majesty the Emperor was unavoidably prevented from attending today's event."
Oh… Deputy Commander, no less.
While I was still registering her rank, Erina beside me looked thoroughly flustered at the kneeling Camilla.
"P-Please rise…"
"Please stand. The Saintess is finding this difficult."
"…Former Holy Knight Commander Kyle. Understood."
If I hadn't spoken, how long did she plan to stay like that?
Separate from her beautiful features, her personality seemed quite upright; only then did she straighten her legs and rise.
"Saintess, are you by any chance…"
Hm?
"Of the imperial family?"
What.
Suddenly?
Just like that, no filter at all?
"Y-Yes…?"
Fortunately the place where the Saintess and the nobles were receiving visitors saw little traffic.
Or rather, one could say there was none at all.
It sat a little removed from the center of the grand banquet hall where socializing ordinarily took place, and everyone was tacitly giving the space a wide berth.
Even so, wasn't this coming on far too strong?
"Deputy Commander Camilla. Isn't that question rather rude toward the Saintess?"
"But please consider it. Platinum-blonde hair, the symbol of the imperial family, and crystal-blue eyes."
"……"
"And while I cannot speak for others, I know."
"…Know what?"
She doesn't look ready to drop this…
Doesn't seem malicious, though…
"I have read the records from that time."
"Records… you say."
"The previous Saintess, Elysia Crossbell."
"Huh? That's my mom's name…"
Ahem.
When I cleared my throat lightly, Erina went "Oh my" and covered her mouth with her hand, but it was already too late.
Well, since she seems to have come knowing everything anyway, even if Erina tried to hide it there probably wouldn't have been much point.
"Just as I thought! So you are the daughter of the previous Saintess."
Erina glanced at me for cues.
It's already out. Pretending otherwise now would be useless.
I nodded, giving her permission to speak freely.
"I didn't know… that my mo… no. That my mother was a Saintess."
"But that is not the important part. The previous Saintess was also His Majesty the Emperor's younger sister—"
"W-Whaaat?!"
Erina reeled at the discovery that her mother had been an imperial princess.
Yet before the shock and its aftershocks could even settle, the story pressed on.
At the time, as an imperial princess, Elysia Crossbell had already been recognized as a Saintess.
After vanishing into commoner society she married a commoner man, even changed her name, and continued her work for a time—but she could not change her appearance.
And so, from time to time, sightings of her together with her name reached the imperial family.
Of course the atmosphere within the palace had been to keep quiet about it…
because her father, the emperor of that era, had chosen to turn a blind eye and let the matter rest.
"But things are different now."
"Different…?"
At Erina's question, Camilla continued.
"Yes. Of course the present Emperor also has no particular regrets concerning his younger sister, the previous Saintess, as far as I know."
"As far as you know?"
There was no real need for that little tag, but fine.
"It has been twenty years since the previous Saintess… no, the imperial princess disappeared into hiding."
"And…?"
"If after those twenty years the blood of Princess Elysia has appeared, the imperial family would surely come running with eyes ablaze."
That much I can believe.
The current emperor isn't elderly, but he is still around Erina's uncle's age.
Erina's mother. Even more so, the man who stood as her older brother—he can hardly be called young either.
I seem to recall hearing that because there is no heir to receive the throne, they have been searching hard for imperial bloodlines.
Even combing through the collateral lines, was it?
But Erina is a woman.
And she currently holds the position of Saintess—can she even inherit the throne?
"Please keep it hidden."
Even so, what mattered first was Erina's own will.
If she had no interest in such things, it would be better to conceal it while concealment was still possible.
"Even if not through me, the rumors will spread quickly. There are more than a few eyes and ears gathered here."
Right. Unlike academy life and the "kids" who are my classmates, every figure assembled here holds a place of renown in their field as an active professional.
Unlike their children who are still students, their eyes for these things would be sharp.
Of course, even so I don't think such talk would spread openly.
This is a matter of the imperial family, after all.
One wrong step and it could constitute lese-majeste.
Who would dare, without fear, cheerfully spread such talk as if they were so important?
Even so, one cannot completely relax and feel at ease.
"Even so, Deputy Commander Camilla. If you yourself do not report it to the imperial family, we can at least slow the progress of events to some degree."
"If I had to choose, I am on the side that wishes to escort the Saintess away with me, but…"
"What matters is the Saintess's will, is it not?"
I can understand wanting to take her, but even so—if Erina has no intention of going.
"Y-Yes! That's right! I have no intention of going right now!"
"W-Why is that?"
Camilla asked again, looking troubled before Erina's refusal and firm expression.
"Because my current guardian is Sir Kyle here… no. Professor Kyle!"
Hearing that answer changed nothing.
"Hmm. You're saying Sir Kyle is your guardian…"
"Yes!"
Of course that is nothing more than Erina's personal claim that no one has actually decided.
We haven't gone through any official procedures or legal formalities of any kind.
Well, that doesn't mean I wouldn't do it for her, though.
In any case, Camilla let out a deep sigh at Erina's words.
"Haa… Understood. Since the Saintess is still in student status as well…"
"O-Oh, so you're giving up?"
"As if I would? For the time being, if the Saintess ever changes her mind, I intend to be ready to escort her at any moment."
Ready to escort her at any moment?
Does this person not have work?
"You're a busy person as it is; why not simply return to the capital?"
The capital where the emperor resides to govern the nation.
An imperial knight ought to be where she belongs.
"Even if I look like this, I hold the post of deputy commander of the Imperial Knights. There is no particular need for me to return this very moment."
"Tch."
"Moreover… I received the letter you sent previously without issue."
Previously…?
—Ah. When I blew Nariel up and went into the back mountains before.
She's talking about those fellows who attacked us then.
So she does have a pretext.
But one way or another, if Camilla Ravencroft remains in Belhart, the city that houses Belheim Magic Academy, it is going to become troublesome in all sorts of ways.
"We're both people who work as knights; don't give me the cold shoulder like that."
"As far as I know, the work I do and the work you do are rather different."
Someone who fights for the empire and someone who fights standing with the church are strictly different, after all.
That said, it isn't as if the empire and the order are on bad terms or hostile.
Rather they enjoy a friendly relationship, so helping each other when possible is only natural.
"Don't push me away so much."
Wink.
Wait, what?
What did I just see?
Did she just close one eye and wink at me?
"……?"
"If you ever feel lonely while working, come visit my post."
"…What is this all of a sudden?"
Why is she suddenly acting friendly?
"No, well… you know. We both know how hard the work is, so getting together now and then to play games and do some sweat-inducing exercise wouldn't be bad, right?"
Sweat-inducing exercise? Ah. This woman, is she like Nariel?
She must have been pretty bored. Looking at how she suggests training together.
Games meaning cards or board games, I suppose?
It's been a while since I thought of that; I kind of want to try it.
"Hmm, board games. That sounds fun."
Camilla's expression turned strange.