Chapter 103
Chapter 103
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: The Imperial Palace (10)
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“But he already has a fiancée.”
“Ah, so you were aware of that. That’s hardly an obstacle.”
It was a problem that could be solved one way or another.
Completely excluding the fiancée might be impossible, though.
But creating an opening was more than feasible.
Did he really think the heir to the Crodain family would take only one wife?
There might be some commotion when choosing the official wife, but overall, the prospects were good.
“I heard they’ve been childhood friends for ten years.”
“…”
Hm? He hadn’t known about that.
The First Prince wore a sour expression.
How should he put it?
The details of her investigation were on another level.
It seemed her admiration for the Hero was just that strong.
“I also heard all his companions are women. Do you know what that means?”
“Hmm, well…”
“If I were to make a move, they would surely interfere.”
“…”
Would they really go that far?
The First Prince was skeptical, but Louise’s stance was firm.
“Looking at the Hero alone makes me greedy, but the thought of having to deal with several others is already exhausting.”
It was no different from a gamble.
The potential returns didn’t seem to justify the investment.
That was the gist of it, and it was incredibly realistic.
It was so plausible that he couldn’t even argue.
As Ludwig stood there with a blank expression, Louise spoke softly.
“I know what you’re planning, Brother. You want the Hero’s support, don’t you?”
“That would be ideal, if possible…”
“That will be very difficult.”
Her tone was decisive.
He couldn’t just brush it off.
He had expected it wouldn’t be easy, but it seemed to be more than that.
“If it’s alright with you, could you leave it to me?”
By befriending the Hero’s party.
She would discern Jace’s intentions and, at the very least, prevent him from siding with the Second Prince.
Was that the best course of action?
After a moment of thought, the First Prince slowly nodded.
Louise’s abilities were greater than what was commonly known.
It seemed safe to entrust this matter to her.
“Alright. I’m counting on you.”
As soon as she received permission to take charge.
The girl’s heart pounded with a mix of anticipation and excitement.
Just how magnificent would the Hero be?
Right now, her state was not much different from a young girl dreaming of a prince on a white horse.
* * *
Three days had passed since we arrived at the Imperial Palace.
I’d spent those days in relative peace.
The elf maiden who was trying to imitate a noble lady.
Having reached her limit, she had taken Ceria on as her teacher.
Ceria was the daughter of a prominent family, so she had made a good choice.
The girls enjoyed a leisurely tea time.
Aruru, joining them, also received a lecture on ladylike demeanor.
Our little cutie.
What’s the use if you’re just going to gobble up cookies like that?
Her fox ears twitched, but she seemed to have no intention of putting the lesson into practice.
“How should I act at the ball?”
“Hmm, that’s a bit complicated…”
Ilensia asked about ballroom etiquette.
It seemed she was determined to become the Second Prince’s partner and dance with him.
Her dedication was truly admirable.
It was much better than her usual lazing about, at least.
It would have been better if she had spent that time improving her skills, but there was still some time to spare.
She must feel like she’s on vacation at the Imperial Palace, so I should let her enjoy it for now.
If, by some chance, her growth slowed, I could just push her that much harder.
That aside…
For some reason, I felt uneasy.
Was it because the First Prince was being too quiet?
I had expected him to make a move right away, but there was no sign of it.
“…”
A sense of dread crept over me.
It felt like the First Prince’s scheme would manifest in an unexpected way.
As I anticipated a sudden turn of events, something scheduled finally happened.
“I’m a little late, aren’t I?”
A girl who was holy in more ways than one.
Saintess Luciel approached with a bright smile.
It wasn’t that I wasn’t happy to see her.
But she was capable of committing impulsive acts without a second thought, so my expectations… no, my concerns, were high.
Well, what could I do?
The Saintess was an important figure, so we were inseparable.
I could only hope she wouldn't cross the line.
“Luciel, I’ve been waiting for you to come. Ah, your lovely and dazzling form is as radiant as ever. I have long admired you… Gak!”
Erich appeared as if on cue and confessed his feelings.
But Luciel swatted him away in a single motion, as if he were merely an annoyance.
A clean strike sent the royal flying into the distance.
The whole sequence unfolded so naturally.
She acted as if nothing had happened.
Following her lead, we gave the Saintess a warm welcome.
“Everyone looks like they’re having fun.”
There was an empty seat, but she paid it no mind.
Luciel lifted our little cutie from the seat next to me.
Then she took the spot for herself and sat Aruru on her lap.
For a while, she savored the soft feel of the fox beastkin.
Not content with just stroking her, she rubbed their bare skin together.
The combination of the holy Saintess and the cute girl was surprisingly fitting.
“What were you all talking about?”
That Ilensia was taking lessons on how to be a lady.
That she was preparing for the upcoming ball, and so on.
There was no reason to hide it, so I told her the situation as it was.
At my words, Luciel stared intently at the elf maiden.
Her gaze was like she was asking if Ilensia had eaten something strange, and then she let out a deliberate, mocking “Pfft.”
It was a clear provocation.
The corners of Ilensia’s eyes shot upward.
*Why is this witch suddenly picking a fight? Do I look like a pushover? Do I?! Huh?*
She openly expressed her displeasure, but Luciel paid her no mind.
“Oh, my. I didn’t mean to… I’m sorry. It was just a little funny.”
“—??”
“To be honest, it doesn’t suit you at all. It’s just my personal opinion, so feel free to ignore it.”
“—!!”
The two girls engaged in a fierce staring contest.
Right, they weren’t close. Well, this was within the realm of expectation.
They didn’t openly snarl at each other, but they had clashed over trivial matters from time to time.
Wasn’t it usually the elf maiden who was on the receiving end?
In the past, I would have watched with interest, but from now on, it would be a problem.
Companions should trust one another.
When fighting an enemy, they should be able to watch each other’s backs without worry.
So please… act as pretty as you look!
No matter how pretty they were, if they acted ugly… they were still pretty, I guess.
The Hero candidates were the most handsome men and beautiful women in this world.
As per that setting, their looks were second to none.
Anyway.
I needed to improve their relationship for the future.
Well, it wouldn’t change overnight.
I didn’t expect them to sacrifice themselves for each other, but I hoped they could at least become a little closer.
For now, I had to change the atmosphere.
I put on a deliberate smile and looked at Luciel.
“Are you all done with your business?”
“Yes. I’ve wrapped everything up.”
She replied cheerfully, as if she had never glared at the elf maiden.
Luciel must have attended an important meeting in her capacity as the Saintess.
A gathering of fanatics who believed in the Goddess…
*For the holy war!* It seemed likely they all shouted in a collective frenzy.
And the Saintess would have been at the center of it.
As if to deny it, she let out a deep sigh.
“I was one of the calmer ones. The Pope and the cardinals were the ones having fits… no, getting excited.”
“…”
A chance to spread the Goddess’s will.
They apparently went into a frenzy, saying they couldn’t live under the same sky as their mortal enemies, the Demon King’s army.
Well, that was to be expected.
From their perspective, the Demon King was no different from a devil.
The priests and holy knights who believed in the Goddess.
They were the kind of people who would throw away their own lives like old shoes if it meant they could destroy evil.
“They’re saying that since there are two Heroes this time, they’ll form the largest army in history.”
That was welcome news.
The Heroes and their companions were an asymmetrical force, but they still had clear limits.
War, in the end, was a numbers game.
To defeat the Demon King’s army smoothly, we needed everyone’s strength.
The Imperial Army, the forces of the great families, the Princess’s troops, and so on.
There were many other groups, but among them, the church’s forces were particularly important.
The priests’ heals and buffs.
The steadfast holy knights, the epitome of tanks.
If we utilized them well, there would be truly nothing to fear.
In the original game, once your fame reached a certain level.
You could use the Hero’s authority to exert influence over the church.
It didn’t seem like it would be much different here.
The thought of holy knights who lived and died by my word made my heart swell.
They were tough to kill, which had the advantage of allowing me to work them hard.
Ah, I love it…
A god-tier system that becomes easy mode just by raising your fame.
This was no time to be picky about my methods.
I would use everything at my disposal.
I’d have to try it to know for sure, but maybe the bugs were still there.
The item duplication bug that occurred in a specific dungeon.
If that worked, my health and mana would be nearly infinite.
“…”
It might seem cheap, but I have no choice!
It’s like getting extra lives; how could I pass that up?
If things went according to my plan, I wouldn’t have to worry about dying, but…
An unexpected variable might trigger a ‘YOU DIED’ message…
This was all for the sake of survival, so it was only right to have some insurance.
Hmm, but would they allow bugs? It would be great if they were flexible about it.
Enough daydreaming.
I listened to what Luciel had to say.
Understanding the church’s situation was also quite important.
The girl continued speaking demurely.
Her eyes crinkled into a slight smile, as if she enjoyed talking to me.
“Actually, some even suggested that the Heroes’ qualifications should be verified. It was such a ridiculous notion that I protested.”
A qualification review, or verification.
A procedure to confirm if one was worthy of the Hero title.
Things like martial strength, faith, a righteous heart, and so on.
The church had apparently intended to measure various aspects.
There was actually an event like that in the game.
Wasn’t it a plotline where you got entangled with figures from the church?
In the end, you obtained a holy relic held by the church, but the process was too complicated.
No, beyond being complicated, it triggered a visceral sense of revulsion.
I had to associate with people who praised the Goddess every time they opened their mouths?
The Saintess’s voice was beautiful, so it was at least pleasant to listen to, but it was wise to avoid the other Goddess-parrots as much as possible.
As a Hero, I would receive special treatment, but…
That was fine once in a while, but the clergy would surely cross the line.
They would follow me around all day, repeating, ‘Hero, this and that…’
The rewards were decent, but…
Considering the time consumed and the sheer annoyance, it was better to just skip it.
The only way to bypass that event was to raise the Saintess’s affinity.
“We’ve spent a fair amount of time together, haven’t we? To doubt the Heroes’ qualifications is to disrespect me. So I argued strongly against it.”
The verification is already done.
If I say so, it is so. Follow without another word.
It seemed she had defied everyone in that manner.
Yes, well done!
A pretty girl doing a pretty deed made me want to give her a big hug.
How should I express my gratitude?
After a moment’s thought, I offered a warm smile.
She wore a satisfied expression, as if that alone was enough.
Luciel continued to boast of her accomplishments with a proud air.
“There was also an opinion that I alone would be insufficient since there are two Heroes, but I told them I would handle it for now.”
Hmm, that’s a relief.
It was best to avoid unforeseen variables.
An unexpected person could have ended up joining the party.
There had never been a case of two Heroes before.
It seemed that unpredictable events like this would continue to occur.
Anyway.
I was once again reminded of how high the Saintess’s authority was.
Below the Pope, on par with the cardinals.
The Saintess’s existence was special, so her voice must carry considerable weight.
“There were some blockheads… no, fools, who insisted that at the very least, your faith in the Goddess must be confirmed. So I told them that you have already been reformed by me.”
“—??”
Huh? But that’s a lie.
Is it alright for the benevolent and holy Saintess to do that?
I had received a holy book from her and read it once, but my understanding was still superficial.
I had only pretended to believe in the Goddess.
Luciel had probably sensed my true intentions to some extent.
Nevertheless, she acted as if it didn’t matter.
She simply smiled, more brightly than ever.
“It’s fine. We just have to make it true from now on.”
“…”
What is this feeling…?
It’s like that one persistent older girl from church, clinging to you!
She constantly forced faith upon the Hero.
Considering her devotion, I supposed I had to endure that much.
If I resisted, she would likely become even more insistent.
Perhaps she would tie me up and do strange things to me?
Well, something like that was a trivial matter.
As the representative of the church, her influence was substantial.
She would more than serve as a sturdy shield against those who sought to slander me.
With Luciel’s arrival, everyone was now gathered.
Soon, the events at the Imperial Palace would begin in earnest.
If I could get through this well, the next stage would also proceed smoothly.