Cardinal Bella
Cardinal Bella (1)
Those bastards really are petty. “They’re so damn petty, petty as hell.” At my master’s grumbling, I shot him a look to knock it off. From my perspective, the Holy Empire wanting to meet Princess Reciel in person was only natural. They weren’t offering just a token bit of support; anyone willing to back her would naturally want to see what kind of person she was.
“What if the Holy Empire decides they don’t like the princess? You’ve got another option, don’t you?”
“The youngest prince? He’s still too young.”
“But he’s also the current empress’s eldest son.”
Prince Loras had the weakness of being born to a concubine rather than the empress, while Princesses Canaby and Reciel, though born to the empress, carried the double disadvantage of being women and having no mother left to protect them. The youngest prince, however, had no such flaws beyond his age. If the emperor chose him while the sisters and Prince Loras tore each other apart, we’d all end up like dogs chasing chickens and staring at the roof.
“What will you do?”
Still, the Holy Empire’s actions could easily offend Princess Reciel. It was no different from them declaring they intended to judge her.
“You don’t need to be so anxious. This much is only to be expected.”
Since it was all for the sake of saving Princess Canaby, she seemed prepared to endure it.
“I know you’ll handle it well, but I’ll say it anyway—there’s no need to be overly deferential.”
Thinking about it, the Holy Empire also needed a way to keep Prince Loras in check. Yet they couldn’t start a war without solid proof that he was a demon, which made things complicated. In other words, this plan benefited both sides, so there was little chance of it falling apart just because we didn’t grovel.
And not long after, the Holy Empire dispatched someone to meet Princess Reciel.
* * *
“Scrub it clean! Really scrub it!”
When the Holy Empire’s envoy arrived, it fell to the Labyrinth Temple to welcome them. Just as a unit would be turned upside down when a star rose in the military, we were no different. With orders issued and the treatment center’s doors open again, the number of patients had dropped enough that everyone was frantically deep-cleaning the place.
“What kind of person is Cardinal Bella? Does anyone know her?”
The person being sent was none other than a cardinal—the second-in-command right beneath the Pope himself. It was no wonder the temple had erupted into chaos. The moment the news spread, under Priest Ando’s direction, the temple was transformed until it gleamed. I pitched in as well, throwing myself into the cleaning. We’d been too swamped with patients to manage properly, so it was about time we had a chance like this.
I thought they’d send a bishop, but the cardinal is coming in person.
Since this was an occasion to evaluate the Deltrack Empire’s princess, they must have judged a bishop would be beneath the occasion. For those of us stuck doing the deep cleaning, the cardinal’s arrival was a headache, but considering Princess Reciel, it was also a proper courtesy from the Holy Empire, so I couldn’t fault it.
“Cardinal Bella is… I hear she’s a woman. And supposedly very beautiful.”
“Beautiful?”
Startled that anyone would say such a thing about a cardinal, I looked at the priest, who hurried to add an explanation, perhaps because others were staring too.
“They say she puts a lot of effort into her appearance. She likes it when people compliment her looks!”
“Is that so?”
“She used to be a saintess, after all.”
“Ah, really?”
“You didn’t know? Lady Bella the Saintess was quite famous.”
A cardinal who had once been a saintess. The priests were brimming with curiosity about what kind of person she might be. Thanks to that, quite a few of them came to ask me questions as well.
“Priest Arthur.”
“Yes?”
“Why exactly is she coming? Is she perhaps coming to take over management here in your place…?”
Cardinals visiting was such a rare occurrence that it had sparked some wild misunderstandings. The suspicion that Cardinal Bella was here to steal my position.
“That’s not why she’s coming, but even if it were, it wouldn’t be stealing—it would simply be returning the seat to the person who should have had it in the first place.”
“Oh, come on, you really have no ambition at all. I’d rather Priest Arthur became a bishop and took proper charge of this place.”
“Me, here? Someone more capable than me should come. I have far too many shortcomings. If the real bishop in charge arrives, you should all welcome them. Honestly, I’d like to hand this position over as soon as possible and be free of it.”
Quite some time had passed since Princess Canaby fell asleep. The time that had slipped by in the blink of an eye was starting to make me feel a sense of urgency. If I’d had even a single hint, I wouldn’t have been this anxious. With so much time already lost, my desire to step down and focus entirely on saving Princess Canaby had grown stronger.
“You really mean that?”
“Yes. More sincerely than anything.”
If the person in question wanted to relinquish the seat, who were we to argue? If a bishop truly capable of managing the Labyrinth arrived, I had no intention of souring the atmosphere with petty territorialism.
“So when someone like that comes, you all need to welcome them properly. Don’t go picking fights for no reason.”
“Picking fights? We’d never do that!”
“Really? You promise?”
“Yes. But I still wish Priest Arthur would stay.”
“Even without me, you have two senior priests. There’s no need to worry.”
“Ah… those two…?”
Their expressions soured the moment I mentioned the two seniors. Embarrassed that it was obvious they preferred me, I quickly added, “Anyway, when the cardinal arrives, please treat her well.”
* * *
Cardinal Bella, the former saintess. I’d only heard bits and pieces about her from the other priests, so I was still unsure how to approach her. My master, who seemed to know the most about her, had simply delivered the news that the Holy Empire had accepted my proposal and then vanished, leaving me with no one to ask. In the end, I had no choice but to form my own judgment based on what I saw and experienced firsthand.
And my first impression was…
“Welcome, Cardinal Bella.”
Though I’d been told she was a former saintess, meeting her felt less like encountering a saintess and more like meeting an actress. My first impression was that she possessed a beauty surpassing even Princess Canaby’s. If Princess Canaby gave off the cool, regal air of a Russian Blue cat, Cardinal Bella sparkled all over, like a fairy.
“Hello~ everyone~! It’s so nice to meet you~”
““Waaah!””
Her lilting speech made our ears perk up, and her clear, bird-like voice naturally drew everyone’s attention. Given her extraordinary background as a former saintess, we’d expected someone unusual, but Cardinal Bella was far more distinctive than imagined.
“Hello~ Yes, yes~ I’m Cardinal Bella~ Nice to meet you all.”
“We knew she was eccentric, but she’s beyond anything we imagined,” a nearby priest whispered, and I suspected everyone was thinking the same. Making such a lasting impression with a single entrance was a talent in itself.
“I wonder where the person I’m looking for is~? I believe his name was Priest Arthur? Is he here right now?”
Since Cardinal Bella was asking for me, I stepped forward at once. “It’s me. Greetings, Your Eminence.”
“Ah~! Priest Arthur?”
“Yes.”
“It’s lovely to meet you! I’ve heard so much about you~”
About me? I was dying to know what she’d heard, but Cardinal Bella extended her hand for a handshake, so I took it. And in that moment, I felt the fatigue accumulated in my body vanish in an instant.
“Don’t be surprised, it’s just because I’m happy to meet you. Because I’m happy~”
“Yes.”
She really was a saintess—her skill and speed at refreshing the body were extraordinary. She might have looked like nothing more than a beauty, but it was clear she hadn’t earned her cardinal’s seat on appearance alone.
“But why is everyone out here?”
“We came to greet you because we heard you were arriving, Your Eminence.”
“You all came to welcome me?! Oh my, how touching! Thank you so much.”
In an instant, her eyes grew moist. A beauty’s tears were devastating. I could see the priests instinctively stepping back, overwhelmed by her sheer presence.
“I simply can’t let this pass! Would it be all right if I greeted each of you one by one~?”
“Yes. Please do as you like.”
Some of the priests had been looking forward to meeting Cardinal Bella, so I didn’t refuse her offer. If anything, I was the one surprised that she wanted to greet everyone individually.
She’s the type who gives good fan service, huh?
I’d thought she felt like an actress at first, but now “idol” seemed more fitting. With a voice like hers, she’d probably sound wonderful if she sang. She shook hands and greeted every single priest who had come to welcome her, leaving no one out. For each one, she did the same thing she had done for me. They all looked startled at first, then broke into bashful smiles, completely smitten.
The wariness is completely gone.
It was only natural—people were less guarded around a beauty to begin with, and when that beauty personally shook their hand and greeted them warmly, any remaining caution melted away. Priest Chillan had looked completely entranced the moment he saw her, and after the handshake, he seemed utterly captivated.
“Hoo-hoo! Hahaha!”
Even though I usually respected him as a senior, I’d never felt more embarrassed about it than today. Having melted away our entire group’s wariness in an instant, she trotted over to me.
“This should be enough. Could you show me the way?”
“I’ll guide you!”
Though she had clearly been speaking to me, it was Priest Chillan who stepped forward.
“Are you also one of the people in charge, Priest Chillan?” Cardinal Bella asked, her eyes wide.
“Of course! I’m one of the people managing the temple here. Haha!”