A Brief Moment of Family Time
"It really is you, Riel... It really is our Riel..."
"Mother... Mom..."
"Mother!!"
The instant the Duchess opened her eyes, Riel and Young Lord Andrew threw their arms around her and burst into tears, sobbing as though every last drop they'd been holding back had broken free at once.
Phyllis and I didn't cry, but we stood there watching with smiles of our own.
"It seems the Duchess has awakened."
Princess Aine had already stepped into the room, perhaps having caught the commotion from outside.
The Duchess of Ignis started at the sight of Her Highness and tried to rise, but after lying abed for so long without a proper meal, her body simply would not obey. Princess Aine shook her head at the sight.
"There's no need to stand on ceremony when you're unwell, Duchess. For now, devote yourself to recovering your strength."
"Th-thank you, Your Highness..."
Once the Duchess eased herself back down, Princess Aine dispatched one of her knights to fetch food that would be easy to digest. Then she caught my eye and gave me a look. Reading her intent, I left the room with Her Highness and Phyllis.
The Duchess had come to her senses. It was time to give the family a moment to themselves.
"I don't know how it happened, but this is truly fortunate."
"Indeed, Your Highness."
Princess Aine spoke with evident relief as we stepped into the hallway. I agreed — I'd been just as relieved myself.
Among the servants and soldiers who, like the Duchess, had failed to regain consciousness, there had already been several deaths. That was why Young Lord Andrew and Riel's expressions had always darkened whenever the Duchess came up in conversation. Now that she was awake, at least that particular fear could be set aside.
"Incidentally, I was going to tell you this when you returned, but I'll mention it now."
"What is it, Your Highness?"
"We've discovered a suspicious group near the duchy."
My eyes went wide.
The duchy's public order had already deteriorated badly after most of House Ignis's private soldiers had fallen into a collective coma. Princess Aine had deployed her own knights and mages to restore some measure of security — and now, out of nowhere, a suspicious group?
"What sort of people?"
"According to our spies, a group of about a dozen young men. They were dressed like mercenaries, but their bearing was closer to that of knights."
"High odds they're knights in disguise, then."
Princess Aine grinned at that.
"You think so too?"
"Well... it's not impossible they used to be knights who turned mercenary, but men that young wouldn't usually make that kind of switch."
"Piecing together what they said, it seems they followed someone all the way to the duchy."
A chill ran down my spine.
His Majesty the King himself had already warned us that the Church was targeting Riel and me. Riel probably hadn't noticed, but even when we went to the station to catch the train, several knights of the royal household had been secretly escorting us. A place like Brimton, swarming with Princess Aine's knights — the cream of the royal knight orders — was arguably even safer than the capital itself.
"They've withdrawn for now and moved on somewhere, but stay alert all the same. Always be careful."
"I understand."
"Don't forget that it's your job to protect Lady Riel. It always was, but now more than ever."
"O-of course."
"A man of this kingdom should be able to protect his woman perfectly. Don't you forget that."
At those words, Commander Garrett — standing nearby as if guarding Her Highness — made a face like he'd bitten into something foul.
...I understood. The woman Commander Garrett was supposed to protect was stronger than he was.
While I was thinking that, Princess Aine suddenly clapped her hands.
"Come to think of it, you placed second at the Martial God Festival, didn't you?"
"Ah... yes."
This was bad.
"Hmm... so my training was a bit sloppy after all? I'll have to draw up a new plan this summer..."
"N-no! To be honest, the senior I faced was just too strong..."
"Oh? Someone that powerful existed? What's the name?"
"Senior Iris Reiknear, Your Highness!"
Princess Aine murmured "Reiknear..." under her breath, clearly interested. Then she summoned a subordinate and whispered something in their ear.
...Was she thinking of scouting Senior Iris?
In fact, Senior Iris had been receiving scout offers from all over ever since winning the Martial God Festival. I pictured her as a knight under Princess Aine. In the original story, they'd been rivals who crossed swords — now they'd be superior and subordinate. That might be interesting in its own way.
Anyway, Her Highness's attention had shifted from me to Senior Iris, so I figured I was in the clear.
"You're thinking you'll be fine now that I'm focused on someone else, aren't you?"
"...Do you have psychic powers now, too?"
"Well, I'll just have to train you so you don't lose to that senior next time."
"......"
So much for that.
In a last-ditch grab at a straw, I looked over at Commander Garrett. Our eyes met, and he casually turned his head to look somewhere else.
...Right. Even he couldn't stand up to Her Highness.
And so, while my training regimen was being assembled inside Princess Aine's head, the door opened and Luca, Riel's personal maid, stepped out.
"They say it's all right now. Please come in."
Phyllis and I exchanged a glance, then stepped back into the room.
Inside, the arrangement was the same as before: the Duchess resting in bed, with Riel and Young Lord Andrew seated beside her. They'd both calmed down, at least — neither of them was crying anymore, though the tear tracks were still visible.
"I apologize for earlier, Your Highness."
Having eaten some of the meal Her Highness had arranged, the Duchess had recovered enough strength to sit up in bed, at least from the waist up. Princess Aine shook her head.
"As I said before, I have no intention of demanding etiquette from a patient."
"I can only be grateful."
After that brief exchange with Her Highness, the Duchess's gaze turned to me. I immediately bowed my head in greeting.
"Ah... I'm Kyou Ventus, eldest son of Count Ventus."
"I've heard about you. They tell me my daughter has been in your care."
"Y-yes, ma'am!"
What do I do. I'm insanely nervous.
I'd just tagged along after Riel without thinking much of it... but after that whole forced-confession incident at the front door, this was basically the same as coming to greet her parents, wasn't it?
That thought made me sneak a glance at Riel. She was staring right at me. When our eyes met, she smiled with a look of expectation.
Then my gaze met Young Lord Andrew's behind her. He was smiling too.
"......"
But I could tell. He was smiling, and yet he wasn't smiling at all.
What was I supposed to choose here? In the space of a few seconds, my mind spun through the problem at the speed of light, turning it over and over.
Fine. I was already scheduled for Her Highness's hellish training anyway. In for a penny, in for a pound — I'd just have to push through like a man. Once I'd made up my mind, I didn't hesitate.
"I'm... courting your daughter."
"Oh my."
The Duchess turned to Riel with a faintly surprised look. Riel's face had gone so red it was indistinguishable from her hair, but she was smiling.
She must not have told the Duchess properly. Had she left it unsaid on purpose so I'd be the one to say it?
Meanwhile, the killing intent radiating from Young Lord Andrew's eyes only grew stronger.
...I'd already steeled myself for this, but I knew this man was a formidable mage. Was I going to be all right?
"Looking at Riel's face, I think you'll do just fine."
"I-is that so?"
"Yes. I never thought I'd see the day this child would smile so happily."
...Well, the truth was that Riel's withdrawn, unsmiling childhood had been the Saintess's doing, but I saw no need to tell the Duchess that. According to Priestess Alicia, Young Lord Andrew had blamed himself terribly for not looking after Riel more once he'd heard the story. If the Duchess heard it too, I could already imagine how she'd react.
"Please continue to take good care of our Riel."
"Y-yes, ma'am!!"
"So, Andrew, you can drop that look."
"...I don't know what you mean, Mother. I'm perfectly fine."
"Oh, please. You think I can't read my own son's face?"
Young Lord Andrew reluctantly reeled in his killing intent. Convincing this particular young lord was clearly going to be a long, hard road.
"And Phyllis — Riel told me about you."
"It's been a long time, my lady."
"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."
According to Phyllis, it had been Lady Rachel who'd hired her and made her Riel's personal attendant. She must have felt guilty that Phyllis had been driven from the mansion without her knowledge, and had even come close to dying.
Phyllis smiled faintly.
"Not at all, my lady. I'm just so glad you're safe."
The sincerity in Phyllis's smile and her reply drew a smile from the Duchess in return.
That was when it happened.
A knock sounded at the door, and Priestess Alicia stepped into the room. Behind her was an elf — Rillu, if I remembered the name correctly.
"Forgive me for interrupting!"
Her expression was desperately urgent. She'd clearly run all the way here; she was out of breath, and sweat beaded on her forehead.
"Lady Alicia, what's going on?"
Young Lord Andrew stepped forward to ask, and Priestess Alicia caught her breath before speaking.
"It's an emergency. The unconscious patients being held at the hospitals have suddenly started going berserk."
"...What did you say??"
Young Lord Andrew's mouth fell open.
The family time they had waited so long for was over in an instant.