A Lifelong Benefactor

In the corridor outside Viscount Ahental's study, the household's many servants waited as one, united in their hunger for news.

So desperate were they that one maid had even pressed her ear to the family head's door to eavesdrop—and she was being hounded from every side.

"Anna, what's happening? Spit it out already!"

"Um... I can hear crying?"

"Ah..."

The servants let out a collective sigh. Why else would there be weeping from within? The reason was obvious.

They failed...

The young lady's been hurt again.

Everyone shook their heads. No matter how many hundreds of times they had lived through this, it never got easier. Their hopes had been especially high this time, which only made it worse. He had healed every kind of grievous wound, and he had even defeated the Silver Paladin. They had thought, this time, it would be different.

"Ah, well. Let's get back to work. If Master Grotein finds out we've been away from our posts this long, we'll never hear the end of it."

"Come on, then. There'll be a better day."

Like a tide going out, the servants began to withdraw with reluctant faces—

Bang!

The study door flew open, and Viscount Ahental emerged with reddened eyes. Pity was written on every face—until his mouth opened.

"?"

"...!"

At the viscount's cry, they understood. The weeping they had heard was not of sorrow, but of joy.

Only then did the servants throw their arms around one another and cheer. They all rejoiced together that Erena, who had always been so kind to them, had been healed.

Invitations to the House of Ahental's banquet were swiftly delivered to nearby noble houses, vassal families, merchant companies, and every person of note. They were startled by invitations arriving the very same day with no prior notice—but once the reason for the banquet was revealed, chaos erupted in kind.

"Gifts...! We need to find gifts!"

"Good heavens—Lady Erena can walk? Find something she'll love!"

"What about a pair of beautiful shoes? She'll be able to wear them herself from now on. That's meaningful!"

"Find a cobbler at once!!"

The City of Ahental and the surrounding territories were swept up in a complete storm. The people of the territory and the free folk could hardly miss the atmosphere.

"Heavens... that kind young lady can walk. Goddess Gaia has watched over her."

"Watched over her? Hundreds of Church priests couldn't heal her all this time. Please."

"So that means that foreign-race 'prince' or 'saint' or whatever he is... is more impressive than the Church's priests?"

"He's impressive, and so is the Second Young Master who found him and brought him here! Everyone had given up, and he still got her treated in the end."

It was only natural that Messi and Ereb's reputations soared. From mouth to mouth the rumor spread—as they say, a tale with no legs outruns any horse—crossing the territory's borders and racing onward.

As the day waned, a procession of luxury carriages lined up to enter the City of Ahental. The gatekeepers had to bow so many times their backs ached. Nearly every renowned noble and notable from the region had come.

Their destination was one: the First Banquet Hall of the House of Ahental. It was the largest and most lavish space in the inner keep, never opened except for truly momentous occasions—and today, it was open.

"This is a banquet of the highest caliber, truly worthy of Ahental."

Someone spoke in a voice steeped in awe. True to a house famous for gem mining, cutting, craftsmanship, and trade, jewels of every color blazed brilliantly, and admiration followed that beauty wherever it fell. And the food? As befitting a commercially thriving city, dishes had been prepared from rare ingredients brought in from every region—well over a hundred varieties. Under Butler Grotein's training, the servants' bearing was disciplined and elegant besides, a model of what a banquet ought to be. (In truth, this was because they had been caught abandoning their posts and given a thorough dressing-down that afternoon.)

"The First Young Master and Lady Sherry are entering!"

At the attendant's voice, the gazes of the invited nobles and notables focused on the door.

Airus von Ahental appeared with a radiant smile, wearing a white banquet suit that suited him well, crystal earrings catching the light as a finishing touch. As if to present a picture of domestic bliss, he held his wife's hand firmly. The vassal nobles flocked to him, eager to sing his praises, and Airus responded in kind, busy consolidating his faction.

Of course, that only lasted until the next announcement.

"The Second Young Master and Sir Messi are entering!"

Nobles were animals exquisitely sensitive to the direction in which power moved, and they knew who the true stars of this banquet were. They had gathered to celebrate Erena's recovery, but they had already guessed that attention would concentrate on the healer who had cured her and the Second ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Young Master who had brought him.

The banquet guests looked at the two of them.

"Lord Ereb's presence has changed a great deal."

"Hasn't it... It's hard to believe he's the same wastrel from before. My heart's actually racing."

"My, my. Getting your heart racing over a man who already has someone? Hee hee."

Ereb was a different man—enough so that the noble wives reacted. The rough edges of before were gone; now he was a gentleman with a gentle smile.

Watching this, Messi smiled to himself.

Using the magic word really does make him behave properly.

Before attending the banquet, Messi had used the word family head a full thirty-five times to coach Ereb's image. He was quite satisfied with the results.

Having boosted Ereb, he tried to step back—but this time he couldn't. Messi, too, was at the center of the rumors. Many greetings were exchanged, and then someone asked:

"Sir Messi? I heard you're an exceptional healer... Did you truly heal Lady Erena's legs?"

"Of course. If I hadn't, I wouldn't be standing here, would I?"

"Could you perhaps look at me later as well? I haven't been able to sleep at all at night lately..."

"Haha. If you can't sleep at night, it's because your husband finds you far too beautiful."

Messi's fluent Central tongue, and the lightly mischievous joke mixed in, astonished the nobles and notables. This should have been his first noble banquet, yet he showed neither nervousness nor inexperience.

He's charming.

They had to admit it honestly. His appearance was different, but the black tailcoat that complemented his hair and eyes looked quite sophisticated. Being of another race was no longer an issue. The crests of two houses affixed to his tailcoat added further weight to his presence. In that moment, the evaluation of Messi in their hearts turned sharply upward.

"Viscount Ahental, Madam Eloy, and... Lady Erena are entering!"

At last the hosts of the party appeared. The attendees signaled their attendants—bring out the gifts you've prepared, quickly. There was no shortage of people hoping a few crumbs of interest would fall their way, so the moment the family entered, greetings and gifts began to be offered. As expected, it was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠chaos, and it went on without end. Even Erena, who still had to sit in her wheelchair, had bouquets and presents piled in her arms.

Messi could feel anew the majesty of the House of Ahental.

"Haha. Thank you all for coming this far. I committed the discourtesy of inviting you on the very same day, and yet you have not blamed this inadequate man, but come with smiles. For that, I offer my gratitude."

Viscount Ahental stood at the high place in the banquet hall and offered his greeting. Like a chorus answering a lead, every guest demurred that it was quite all right.

"The star of today's banquet is my daughter. As you all know... she was born in a sickly body, because her father was inadequate. I could not even lift my head for the shame. But it is different now. This child has, for the first time, stood proudly upon her own two feet. Erena, will you show them?"

With a little help from the viscount, Erena slowly rose on trembling legs. Exclamations followed.

"Oh...!!"

"It was true!"

"My lord Viscount, congratulations!"

Erena stood with difficulty, then sank back into the wheelchair. No one doubted her recovery. She had improved beyond any comparison with before. As the applause continued, Erena received their greetings with a bright smile. The beads of sweat ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on her brow were especially beautiful.

"Then I wish now to introduce the one who healed this child. I believe you have already exchanged greetings... Sir Messi, would you come forward?"

When they saw that Viscount Ahental was addressing him with honorifics and treating him with such regard, people's gazes filled with even greater surprise.

Step, step...

Messi ascended to the high place. Countless gazes pinned him.

Smile as easily as I can. The jackals in front of me are sensitive to the scent of power. I cannot show them any inadequacy.

Those attending the banquet shared an ecosystem of interests with the House of Ahental. In the coming fight to make Ereb the family head, he would have to draw them in or cut them out—and he could not afford to look easy.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Messi, of the Forest Tribe and of noble blood. Inadequate as I am, I am also called by the name Saint of the Foreign Race. I came here at the invitation of the Second Young Master, and I am overwhelmed that you have all welcomed me so."

At Messi's flowing greeting, everyone applauded. It was, in its way, an impressive debut.

Airus had been casting glances around him ever since Messi appeared on the stage. A prearranged word had already been given, so one of the barons who caught his eye moved. Airus savored a fine wine, preparing to enjoy the situation about to unfold.

Heh. The fool still doesn't know how terrifying rumors are in noble society. I'll teach him what a price one pays for words spoken in public.

The moment he emptied his glass, a question was thrown at Messi.

"I heard that Sir Benedict, known as the Silver Paladin, admitted defeat to Sir Messi. Is that true?"

Airus smiled. It was a question that might well bruise the Church's pride, and depending on how Messi responded, he could make a powerful enemy.

Come on, take the bait! With everyone lifting you up like this, you must be dying to swagger as much as you like, no?

A peculiar smile played at Airus's lips. Contrary to his expectations, Messi responded with courtesy.

"No. We had only the shared purpose of helping a patient. Where would winning and losing come into it?"

"...Ah, but rumor has it he bowed his head and apologized..."

"That was because there had been a misunderstanding, and he was gracious enough to apologize. Originally, it was not even a matter that required an apology. Sir Benedict's character is the greater one."

"..."

They had tried to grab his tail and drag him down, but Messi instead praised Benedict. He let the situation pass with ease. That deftness displeased Airus.

It's as if the bastard knows the ways of the nobility inside and out. That's impossible...

Had he truly just happened to play humble? Then was even a god helping this man?

As his grip tightened of its own accord, something even more irritating occurred.

"Sir Benedict is entering!!"

At the attendant's voice, a stir of murmurs rose among the banquet guests. They had been speaking of him at that very moment, and now the man himself had appeared. How could they not be astonished?

Airus's expression twisted mercilessly.

Th-that man again...?

Not content with praising Messi to his face, the madman had even urged Airus to take holy orders. Why on earth had he come here?

Benedict, entering the banquet hall, was flustered by how intensely everyone was staring at him. But seeing Viscount Ahental gesture, he had to climb up to that place. The viscount's voice was stiff.

"Sir Benedict. What brings you here? I have no recollection of sending an invitation to the Church..."

"I did not know there was a banquet myself. I have simply come to keep a promise I made to the Saint."

"A promise?"

Questioning gazes turned to Messi.

"I pledged to offer an apology, on behalf of the Church, to Lady Erena and to the Viscount."

"...What?"

The viscount's mouth fell open in surprise.

"Those people are going to apologize? Ah, no... Forgive me, Sir Benedict. I was so startled that I misspoke in front of you."

"Not at all. You must have been uneasy all this time, and I failed to take that into account and spoke carelessly. I am sorry, my lord Viscount. And I apologize to Lady Erena as well."

When Benedict bowed his head, the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠nobles and notables watching the scene were astonished as well. Those religious types, with their conviction that they stood as proxies of the gods, were not people whose backs bent easily. And yet how had this man called Messi extracted an apology?

"Regrettably, I do not believe I can offer an apology on behalf of the Church. But I thought I must at least apologize myself, so even if you harbor resentment toward the Church, I ask that you let it go, if only for my sake."

"No... an apology from the Church. That would be a burden even for me. Simply... receiving Sir Benedict's apology alone is more than enough."

Hearing an apology from a priest of the Church that had given him such long trauma, Viscount Ahental felt as though a stone that had been sitting on his chest had vanished. A smile rose to his lips of its own accord.

All of this was thanks to Messi. Those present could not fail to know it. Messi had raised Erena to her feet, and he had extracted an apology from Benedict. It was as good as having single-handedly resolved every burden on Viscount Ahental's heart.

Without a doubt, that man will be given an important position in the House of Ahental.

Their keen noses caught a thick scent of power. The nobles looked at Messi. He was the picture of a leisurely man of coming power. It was they who were itching with the desire to draw closer.

Then, as if Viscount Ahental had at last found his certainty, he spoke aloud a thought he had been holding in his heart, addressing everyone. Its contents were even more shocking.

The lifelong benefactor of Viscount Ahental, and the benefactor of the house!

It was the moment a new power in the House of Ahental appeared.