Until sunset, everyone there had to sit around and wait by the shore.
The process of the workers handing over the luggage finished quickly. The nuns sat with each other as they chatted amongst themselves.
Looking out at the beautiful coastal scenery for several hours, you would begin to get used to it, as it no longer looked as grand. After all, one's eyes quickly adjust.
I had several conversations with Abbess Austin about her life inside the monastery while enjoying the sea breeze.
The sun was slowly starting to set.
Looking out beyond the coast, I wondered how much longer it would be before the sun fell below the height of my head… Before I realized it, the water level had dropped to the point that the sand beneath was visible.
It wasn't a spacious trail, but it was still large enough to pass through. The nuns slowly started to realize it was time to move as they gathered the luggage.
At that moment, the door of the saint's majestic carriage opened.
The immature and young nuns were startled. Everyone stood up, put their hands together, and bowed their heads. The workers looked up at the carriage with respect.
Clarice descended the stairs of the carriage in a calm manner, as if a messenger of God had arrived in our world.
As if symbolizing her purity, the hem of the Saint's white dress gently swayed in the sea breeze.
Her pure white hair contrasted with her bright red eyes and butterfly hairpin, just as everyone imagined.
Within the Telos Religious Group, it was considered a great honor to see the saint even once. Most of the time, there was a large crowd that came to see her, so you could only see her small figure from a distance.
So, to be able to see Saint Clarice in such a quiet atmosphere at such a close distance was like a once-in-a-lifetime blessing.
As Saint Clarice descended onto the sandy beach, the bustling atmosphere completely subsided.
She walked to the shore with an escort of soldiers. She greeted me with a small smile as she nodded her head my way.
It was an act of simple courtesy, but as if it were shocking to see Saint Clarice treat someone like that… The atmosphere of the area froze. It wasn't all that pleasant for me.
Clarice grabbed the hem of her dress, holding it up. The nuns who were watching offered to hold it for her, but she politely declined with a soft smile.
And, with the escort leading the way… she slowly made her way over the sandbar that led to the Cledric Monastery.
Seeing Clarice slowly move towards the large monastery in the distance under the setting sun, there was an aura that felt strangely holy.
However, I couldn't sit still. The nuns were already starting to follow along, holding the luggage.
After sitting quietly on the shore, I slowly got up, tying the hem of my robe before I started making my way towards the monastery.
* * *
"I heard the young nobleman would be checking and taking care of Saint Clarice's meals… I wonder if such a process is really necessary. The meals in the monastery are always just grass."
"Still, it seems like he needs to at least do a basic check of the meals."
"Well, being mere nuns, it isn't our place to say anything. The saint herself is the one who personally gave permission, after all. We just need to do what she wants and give her whatever she asks for."
As soon as Clarice arrived at the monastery, she headed to the prayer room that was located on the top floor of the spire.
That was also said to be the place where she would eat, sleep, and live. She also lived on the top floor of Ophelis Hall and in the Holy Father Building. It seemed customary to let the saint use the room closest to God.
My role was to receive reports on all environmental factors that came into contact with her. I needed to control and manage everything so that there wouldn't be any significant issues.
It was usually a task done by a high-ranking priest of the Holy Father Building, but Saint Clarice seemed to have already told the archbishop she wouldn't be needing someone.
It seemed like a rather important job, so it felt strange to have it entrusted to me.
However, compared to how important the job was, the workload was much smaller than I expected. That was because there weren't many environmental factors that could take place within a monastery. It was a place that was completely empty, other than its beautiful and majestic exterior.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't give you a luxurious room. Well, it is a monastery, after all. Abstinence and frugality are the basics. Here, even members of the imperial family have no choice but to survive by eating leaves."
"I already prepared myself for that before coming."
"It's nice that you're not complaining. Still, I'll do my best to make sure your meals are as high quality as possible. Of course, it would be difficult to expect any sort of feast."
"You don't need to. Please have them prepare me the same meal the nuns eat. We're all the same, after all."
"Ohh..."
The interior of the Cledric Monastery was just as grand as its exterior.
A mix of marble and white bricks were exquisitely put together. After walking up the stairs leading to the entrance, I saw the sheer grandeur of the monastery… I wondered how they were able to bring all of those materials to the island back then. Though, I supposed they would have used magic.
Walking out through one of the doors, there was a small garden that was lush with greenery and a corridor surrounding it. Marble columns stretched around the neatly maintained garden.
Feeling the pleasant draft as I walked through the monastery, I started to question if it was really okay for me to even be there, as I was not a follower of their religion.
It wasn't a place that permitted outsiders entry for personal reasons.
"I certainly feel good that the young nobleman is here. We rarely ever see any of them, after all."
"I'm not going to praise him highly right off the bat, but…"
As I walked along the corridor, I couldn't help but be conscious of the gazes around me.
Maybe because they were warned beforehand by Abbess Austin, the nuns weren't approaching me recklessly.
However, there was a nun nearby with a basket full of vegetables, a clumsy one running around the garden, a child hiding behind a marble column glancing my way, and a few who I passed while walking down the corridor…
From the main lobby to the corridors, it was hard to get used to their trembling gazes everywhere that I walked.
"You are an abnormality here. You need to get used to their curious gazes."
"Am I really the only man in this entire monastery?"
"Why? Do you feel like you're in heaven?"
"..."
"You really can't take a joke. Well, I guess it's obvious that you wouldn't be the type, or like this kind of place."
Abbess Austin chuckled as she went into a room at the end of the corridor. It looked like she prepared a room for me as far inside as possible.
"Well, these days, the ban on males entering has become a lot stricter… In the distant past, they were always letting a famous and influential man or two inside to take a look around… Though, that was a long, long time ago."
"If you're saying it was a long, long time ago, just how long ago was it…?"
"Well. Have you ever heard of the war hero 'Zellan'? He also used to stop by the monastery and donate. If you were to look even further back…there was also the Archmage Glockt."
Indeed, she really was like a living fossil in the Telos Religious Group. All of the names she was listing were influential historical figures that only appeared in books.
Archmage Glockt, a disciple of the Great Sage Silvenia, left the world with a list of impressive achievements.
Amputator Zella was one of the three scholars who worked with Guardian Obel, leading the subjugation against the non-humans to protect the Kroel Empire.
That granny was someone who lived at the same time as such historical figures.
"Well, those two are the only ones I would consider 'decent noblemen'."
"..."
"I'm sure you must feel gross hearing this old lady call them decent. But it's the truth! HAHAHA! Ah, you can follow me this way."
The sun had just set, and it was already time to call it night.
Even in the monastery, there was an atmosphere that suggested that everyone had finished their day's work and were now getting ready to go to bed.
In the monastery, the day started early—which also meant that the day ended a bit early.
The room the abbess showed me was much more modest than expected.
A bed, a wooden table, a wardrobe, and a window in a space that was about 177 sq ft. That was all there was to it.
The view of the coast outside the window was incredible, but it didn't particularly make up for the small size of the room…
Still, it was much better than living outdoors back at the camp, where I needed to worry about my survival. After spending those first few months surviving the wild, where it was difficult at first to even call it a home, the room was quite comfortable.
"Well, as you know, the schedule starts tomorrow. Good luck, young nobleman. If you need anything else, just let me know."
Abbess Austin was about to close the door when she spoke again.
"Ah, I think l already warned you before, but… make sure to lock your door…"
There was something sinister mixed in with her laughter.
Slam!
The door closed with a thud, leaving me completely alone in the room. Since there was no light source in the dark room, I lit a candlestick.
Crash, crash!
The sound of waves crashing outside my window. The sky was full of stars.
Whenever the candlestick's flame swayed in the wind, my shadow on the walls of the room shook.
It really felt as if I was alone in the world. In an environment like that, it really was easy to forget about materialistic things and think solely about God.
I put my luggage down as I sat quietly at the wooden table, my arms crossed. Since my living environment had suddenly changed, it seemed my body also needed some time to adapt.
No, in the first place, it was way too early to sleep. Back at the camp, it would still be considered early evening. So, it was completely foreign to me how everyone in the monastery was already prepping to go to bed.
"Hmm…"
Since I had to deliver Saint Clarice's breakfast in the morning to the top of the spire, it was better that I went to sleep early.
The religious ceremony that the various distinguished guests would attend wouldn't happen for five days. So, before then, my goal was to completely blend into the monastery. That way, I wouldn't feel too out of place attending the ceremony.
However, Abbess Austin's request concerned me a bit.
"I don't want to take away their humanity by pushing faith."
"What I'm trying to say is, please act as their prince as much as possible."
I understood what she wanted, but it was difficult for me to do so.
In fact, since my goal was to blend in with the monastery, there wasn't a good reason for me to increase or complicate my relationship with the nuns more than necessary.
So, to some extent, I was thinking about giving up. In the first place, I wasn't a good enough person to become their prince on a white horse, nor did I have the motivation to try.
Did I even have any obligation to act as their fairytale prince so as to not break their adolescent dreams?
She just had to go and make an unreasonable request… I was the only one suffering from it.
I decided to only do the basics. Just the basics. Even though my mindset wasn't pure, who could blame me?
* * *
The prince lived in the guest room on the fourth floor of Cledric Monastery.
Rumors about him circulated that would make him cringe and want to disappear. It had only been three days since Ed Rothstaylor came to Cledric Monastery.
Though, in reality, Ed Rothstaylor didn't do anything in particular.
At dinnertime, he went to the saint's room, checked her condition, and had a personal conversation with her.
He would also lend a hand in taking care of the vegetable garden within the monastery, share regular meals with the others in the main hall, and assist in various chores around the place.
He did physical tasks, like digging up fields and harvesting vegetables, cleaning inside the monastery, and repairing some of the broken facilities through woodworking.
In particular, he was extremely interested in helping repair clothes. He was always visiting the repair room, where he would meet with the nun in charge of repairing, who was nearly an adult. She could barely get any sleep at night because she kept having miscellaneous thoughts about him.
Although, for him, he simply felt that he was indebted to the monastery for allowing him inside. Even though he thought it was natural, the nuns felt completely different.
The noble girls who attended the ceremony every year were always arrogant and full of themselves. They complained about everything, especially the food.
So, there were quite a few girls inside the monastery that had a strong hatred towards nobles, whether they realized it themselves or not. However, even though Ed Rothstaylor was a nobleman, he was gentle and kind. He was completely different from those noble girls.
He didn't smile brightly, but the way he would coolly leave after helping, as if it wasn't a big deal… It was completely different from that arrogant image they had when they thought of a noble. Naturally, it also made those girls swallow their dry saliva without even realizing it.
On the first day, he woke up in the morning, put on a leather shirt and a magician's robe, prepared the saint's meal, and prayed in the chapel.
As soon as he finished praying, Ed Rothstaylor went to the garden, taking care of the garden with the abbess. He even repaired the broken workbench with just a few basic tools.
As he walked around the monastery, he checked and repaired all of the loose doors, unaligned hinges, and the window frames. It was a decent amount of work, yet he somehow did it all at an unbelievable speed, finishing it all in the morning.
A high-ranking nobleman, who was even from House Rothstaylor, was sweating profusely as he held a hammer and nails with his sleeves rolled up… It should go without saying, but all of the nuns were in awe.
Then, when he started repairing pieces of furniture inside the nuns' private rooms, they all started to come to him—asking him to fix their rooms, too, causing an uproar. Though, they all just selfishly wanted Ed Rothstaylor to come to their rooms alone.
Since it wasn't a task he could finish in a day, he told the abbess he would take care of everything slowly. Abbess Austin had a large smile on her face.
From his first day, Ed Rothstaylor was already considered a 'good-hearted nobleman.'
On the second day, he demonstrated some basic elementalism to a few nuns who were interested in magic.
As the monstrous-sized fire bat flapped around the garden, all of the nuns were startled and they started to applaud loudly.
For the nuns who never even left the monastery in the first place, the fact that he was a top student at a prestigious school like Silvenia naturally made him an object of admiration.
In particular, the nuns who had a strong interest in magic and sacred magic often watched him with sparkling eyes. They often asked him for advice on how to train and raise their magic power resonance. Every time they did, Ed Rothstaylor answered sincerely and positively, saying that as long as they worked hard, it would work out.
His status of being a noble overshadowed the fact he was also talented in magic and elementalism.
He looked reliable and strong when they saw him do so much repairing and woodworking, despite being a nobleman. And yet, he was also a top student in Silvenia Academy's magic department. He not only had beauty, but he even had brains.
In addition to that, there was a feeling of mystery around him, as he directly assisted the saint. That meant he was already successful, despite his age.
At that point, Ed Rothstaylor was starting to go from being considered a handsome nobleman to being a full-blown 'Prince'. One that had wisdom, virtue, and the visuals of a prince straight from a fairytale.
A wonderful prince, one that definitely rode a white horse. He might have been in the monastery at the moment, but they were sure that when he returned home, he would be greeted at a splendid palace with numerous servants.
Yet he also had a kind personality, always listening to everyone. He knew how to wield a sword and shoot a bow, yet he continued to train in magic. Where in the world was there another prince like him? Only a person as perfect as him was suited to be a real nobleman.
'Can't he just wrap his arms tightly around my body once? He could easily lift me. If he hugged me like a princess, it would be like flying through the sky.'
They were the kind of awkward compliments that made you want to cover your face.
Everyone in the world wanted to be complimented, but too much became poison.
Though, from his point of view, it was only natural to act like he was. It was out of courtesy and etiquette—but that was only what he thought.
There was one variable he hadn't accounted for. When a group of girls came together with their girlish delusions… they lost all sense of reality and started to run wild.
Naturally, they started to idolize him. Forgetting about all his shortcomings and putting him on the pedestal of a mythical being that never needed to use the bathroom, let alone produced any eye gunk.
"I heard that Young Master Ed is so talented in magic, he's strong enough to destroy the entire outer wall of the monastery with a single motion."
"I heard that Young Master Ed is well-versed in elementalism, to the extent that he can even handle an ultimate spirit."
"I heard that Young Master Ed can even cut through the sea with one arrow!!!!"
"Does that make any sense??"
"Uhm… N-No…?"
"B-But it still might be possible, since it's Young Master Ed, right?"
"It's possible! It's absolutely possible, because it's him!"
"I-Is that so…?"
It would have been better if it ended there.
"When you hear his voice, your brain will stop working and your eyes won't be able to move! Be careful!!"
"Did you know? Young Master Ed once killed a bear with his eyes alone!!!!!"
"I heard that he knows how to stand on top of a horse!!!!"
"I heard that when he looks at water and commands it to, it will completely freeze into ice!!!!"
"I heard that, if he wanted to, he could read all of the books in the library in just one night!!!!"
"There are even rumors that Young Master Ed isn't being taught at Silvenia, but he's teaching there!!!!!"
"As expected!!! That's Young Master Ed for you!!!!"
"..."
On the morning of the third day, Ed finally heard all of those rumors.
Abbess Austin, who ran into Ed as he was leaving the saint's room, was barely able to stop herself from bursting into laughter.
"Good morning, Ed. The one who can kill a bear with his eyes, can perform horseback stunts, command water to freeze, read the entire library in one night, and is a Silvenia teacher."
"..."
"You look embarrassed. Are you not used to the imagination of nuns who know nothing of the world? I'm curious what will happen when you leave after the ceremony. You might even reach the same level as our God Telos."
In a place where teachings of Telos were held, what would happen if a new religion was born?
Ed Rothstaylor glared at Abbess Austin.
"Well, they're just having fun with their rumors, so don't worry too much. I already warned them to control themselves… But when it comes to the imagination of a young girl, it can really run wild…"
"Is the monastery always like this?"
"Naturally, things are usually more lax. This is just a place to show your faith. Things have just become more exciting because of you. But… Well… things are pretty much the same as before."
Abbess Austin took Ed's coat as she burst into laughter.
"But there's another strange rumor among the nuns these days. That the monastery is haunted or something."
"…Haunted?"
"Last night, some of them heard a thumping noise between the walls and the sound of someone walking on the ceiling. Not only that, a few ingredients from the kitchen went missing and some of them claimed they saw a strange shadow down the hallway at dawn… A bunch of the younger kids were crying at night, saying they couldn't sleep alone."
Ed had briefly heard rumors about that, too. At night, the shadow of a small person often appeared by the windows.
"It's not good for rumors of a ghost to circulate around the monastery that serves our God Telos. We're already busy preparing for the ceremony that will take place soon, so this extra chaos isn't great."
"I see… you must be going through a lot."
"Still, thanks to you, the atmosphere here isn't all that bad. I'm sure playing the role of a prince for these nuns is tiring, but I'm going to have to ask you to keep it up for a few more days. When you leave, I'll prepare a small present for you."
"Well, it doesn't matter to me… But recently… the eyes of some of the nuns looking at me seem to be a little dangerous…"
"It's up to you to take care of your chastity. Hang in there!"
She laughed jokingly as I glared back at her.
"That's right. I had something to tell you. I can't believe I forgot."
As if she belatedly remembered, Abbess Austin then delivered some important information.
"Princess Persica is said to be arriving at the monastery later today."
* * *
Regardless of whether you were a member of the imperial family, you still had to wait for the tide to lower to enter the monastery. So, she could only sit by the beach, watching the monastery from afar.
It was also a period of time that was meant to have one clear their mind and prepare themselves before entering the monastery.
Princess Persica who didn't have a personality that cared for such things, simply sat there casually.
Sitting quietly in a large royal carriage, she spoke about the situation with her aides. She heard some news about what was happening inside the monastery.
"Ed Rothstaylor is in there. The man who is deeply involved in the House Rothstaylor incident and is said to be one of Penia's most powerful supporters."
"Yes. I heard that he came to assist Saint Clarice, but I am unsure of how he was given permission."
"Well, it's something I'll have to see and judge for myself… Still, there is too little information about that man."
Persica was a cautious person.
Selah and Penia. Since he was someone on the radar of both of the other princesses fighting for the throne, Persica knew there had to be something special about him.
The reason Princess Persica strongly urged Emperor Kroel to let her visit the monastery was to find Abbess Austin's weakness as an elder of the Telos Religious Group.
And it just so happened that, at the same time, Ed Rothstaylor had arrived at the monastery a few days in advance. Was it really a coincidence?
Princess Persica only had very limited information about him.
Information that could be obtained by using her authority as a princess. The man's history, background, and position in Silvenia. That was it.
Even when he was involved in the war of nerves within the Elte Company, the only thing she could conclude was that his sense of judgment was extraordinary. Ultimately, detailed information on someone else could only be gathered after seeing them in person.
However, nothing good would come of meeting him without preparation. Since he was highly important, she had to approach him all the more cautiously.
"Tune."
"Yes, Princess Persica."
"It seems that man has already been living in the monastery for a few days already. That means he must have already gotten closer with the people inside."
With an alluring smile, Persica looked at her aides in the carriage as she spoke.
"His family and Silvenia Academy may have been able to keep their mouths shut about him, but the monastery is completely out of his realm. After all, it's a place where only a few people are able to move as they please."
"That is true."
"When I enter the monastery, I will be able to gather all sorts of information about him. Much more than we were able to gather from the school and his family. We need to use this chance to squeeze everything we can out of him."
Princess Persica stretched out her hand and squeezed it tightly.
"Since he's a key figure on Penia's side, this'll be a good opportunity to take control of him. Whether we have to persuade him or force him."
"Yes… I understand…"
There was still plenty of time until low tide.
Princess Persica was gathering her thoughts as she stared out at the massive Cledric Monastery.
The Holy Father Building, the headquarters of the Telos Religious Group. It wouldn't be an overstatement to say that it was the next largest place after that building.
It was truly a magnificent sight.
-x-X-x-
"The Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok will be resurrected."
I finally told her on the fourth day at the monastery, shortly after lunch.
The saint's private room, a place within the monastery that everyone was reluctant to enter. It was a wide room at the top of the steeple where Saint Clarice prayed while looking up at the open sky.
There was only one day left before the large religious ceremony held at Cledric Monastery.
At that moment, various young nobles—who came as representatives of their well-known Houses across the entire empire—were waiting in their own rooms within the monastery for the ceremony to take place.
Abbess Austin had been repeating her daily routine of going to the shore to wait for them, then bringing them over to the monastery at low tide.
When a Head of House was baptized by the Telos Religious Group, it was customary to send a key member of the House to prove their faithfulness and reaffirm trust.
That was also the case for House Rothstaylor. Tanya was the one who was usually sent to attend the ceremony, but it didn't seem like she had all that many fond memories of it.
Though, it couldn't be helped. The monastery was truly empty. It was a place where even famous nobles had no choice but to sit in a small room, chewing on grass for meals.
Because it was such a place, most of the nobles didn't arrive until the fourth day. With more of them coming in, the atmosphere within the monastery was starting to change. Everyone within the monastery started to change their focus on the incoming distinguished guests.
Anyway, that was the best time for me to talk to the Saint, as people were paying slightly less attention to her.
"…Pardon?"
"That's what I wanted to tell you."
As I was in charge of checking the saint's meals and assisting her, there were quite a few opportunities to be alone with her during the day.
Something that, at Silvenia Academy, was almost impossible to do.
With her schedule relatively relaxed and the nuns preoccupied with taking care of the visiting nobles, it was the best time to talk to her.
"There are barely any people I can speak honestly about this with. So… That's the real reason I followed you to Cledric Monastery."
"...…"
"I saw the future. The Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok will resurrect without warning. It will then turn Acken Island into a wasteland, causing a catastrophe that will forever remain in the history of the Kroel Empire."
She could tell I wasn't joking.
Hearing what I was calmly telling her, Saint Clarice stopped eating. No, she had probably already finished eating a while ago, but she was still sitting down with me a bit longer so that we could talk.
"I don't doubt what you're saying, but I must ask what basis you have to think that?"
"There is none. That's why I'm not in a position where I can tell this to just anyone."
"..."
"Right now, I'm not in a position where I can unreasonably demand another's unfounded trust. That's why… I came to talk with you. Someone who experienced fragments of the future that I saw."
On the day of the joint combat training, Saint Clarice and I repeatedly went through time, watching Velbrok's disaster over and over again.
By getting rid of Velbrok's tooth in Zahul's territory, we were able to delay its resurrection a bit… But that didn't change the fact that the sealing spell on Velbrok had already reached its limit.
"I can't stop it on my own. I need the help of people with powerful influence, able to mobilize a large number of people. Saint Clarice… You're someone who can help me in this area."
Normally, someone would respond to me as if I were speaking nonsense. However, since it was Saint Clarice I was talking to, the story was different.
For her, Velbrok's resurrection wasn't impossible to imagine. In fact, she had already seen its massive scales cover the skies of Acken Island over and over again.
"…If what you're saying is true, then we can't sit still."
"We need to gather as many forces as possible. At the very least, we should mobilize all of the elite imperial soldiers and the apostles of the Telos Religious Group to Acken Island."
"For something that wide-scale… Even though I'm the saint, it's not something I can arbitrarily decide."
Even though she had abruptly had all of it just dropped on her, she still thought things over thoroughly and responded calmly.
"We will have to convince the Holy Father about the threat of Velbrok to be able to fully utilize the power of the Telos Religious Group."
"That… won't be easy."
"With my status as a saint, I can provide some legitimacy if I claim it was foresight or an oracle. However… if things don't happen as you say, my authority and credibility will certainly be affected."
Clarice was the saint of the Telos Religious Group, one of the closest listeners to God's voice.
Although she was praised as being closest to God, her current status would be in jeopardy if she formed an image of someone who had misread an oracle.
It was not an easy thing for her to forewarn of the Holy Blue Dragon's descent to the entire world. If she was wrong, it wasn't something that could be easily excused as a mistake.
So, to fully trust in what I told her, even without any proof or basis behind it… Given her position, it was not an easy task.
Even if Clarice herself believed in what I said, having everyone else believe it as well was another issue.
"I figured as much. For you, who is always so busy and treats every second like gold, there had to be a good reason for coming all the way here to the monastery with me."
"..."
"I never thought the main reason you came here was because I requested it. I figured you had a bigger picture or political means to take care of. So, I shouldn't feel too upset about your reasons for coming with me. After all, in my position, these things happen often."
It felt weird to apologize to her now.
Even though Saint Clarice said all of that, she was really just happy to be with me in Cledric Monastery.
"Even though you were worried that putting your trust in me would be unfounded, you don't have to worry about that. Even without any proof, I believe in you. Since you are saying that Velbrok will return and pose a massive threat, I'm sure that will be the case."
"Saint…"
"However, the issue right now is that I can't give you a certain answer. Just because I trust in you, it doesn't mean I am capable of convincing the entire Telos Religious Group and mobilizing them. However, I will try to do my best."
She was different from when we spoke as friends, discussing our lives or the scenery.
Saint Clarice was always immature, ignorant of the world, and always strangely intoxicated with romance. However… After losing Adele, it felt like she had become much calmer and more rational.
Aside from her personal growth, the situation itself was also severe.
"Since you believed me much more willingly than I expected, I'm quite flustered."
"Being the Saint, there is something that I have come to vaguely learn. When one's drunk on peace, it becomes impossible to deal with sudden tragedy. When times are peaceful… That is when tragedy really strikes."
Clarice had a strange look in her eyes as she spoke with certainty.
"So, please tell me everything else you know, Ed. What is going to happen?"
"It's a long story."
"That's great. It feels like I'm able to lessen some of your burden."
Contrary to my belief that she would be confused, Clarice only smiled softly.
"I'm ready to shoulder it with you."
* * *
Members of the royal family were always the main characters, wherever they went.
That was the case with Princess Selah, who was a main character at the social gathering held at the Rothstaylor Estate, as well as Princess Penia, who received everyone's attention as a new student at Silvenia.
That fact was no different for Princess Persica. In the monastery, young girls from all sorts of different noble families were introduced and exchanged greetings amongst themselves. However, no one could dare talk to Princess Persica.
Members of the royal family always had a noble and dignified image. Aside from that, however, they also had an energy around them—as if it were impossible to speak to them freely.
It wasn't just difficult to approach and talk to Persica, but even her personal escort knight Tune, as well.
So, even when people ran into her in the hallways of the monastery, they just bowed their heads and passed on by.
"Are most of them just holy books or religious books? It seems that the quality of the bookshelves is also difficult to match that of the Imperial Library. Just do it."
Princess Persica was sitting on the floor of a fairly large library, located on the lower level of the monastery.
Several old collections of books were available, but most of the content of those books was already in Princess Persica's head.
She was obsessed with books and knowledge, to the point she was called the ghost of the library.
Knowledge and information were key in the world. If a ruler was ignorant and uninformed, they would never be able to maintain their position for long. That was part of Persica's unwavering values.
That was why Princess Persica always confined herself to the library to concentrate on reading books whenever she had free time. As soon as she arrived at the monastery, she went right down to the library.
The problem was that it wasn't the time to be reading books.
With the dispute over imperial power intensifying, Emperor Kroel was also gradually feeling burdened.
The easiest way to end the heated dispute would be for him to officially declare a successor.
However, he could not arbitrarily select a successor to lead the great empire. He was surely thinking things over on his own, but many of the aides under him were in great agony waiting for his decision.
He would most likely hold a meeting within the imperial household to carefully examine each of the pillars of support behind the princesses. Upon considering that support alongside his own personal opinions, he would decide on a successor.
What Emperor Kroel valued the most was whether his successor had the ability to take the throne with little complaints, and whether they could continue to lead the heyday of the empire.
To do so, the most important factor was to gain the support of both the internal powers of the imperial family and the various outer influential powers of the empire.
That was the reason she tried to gain control over the Elte Company, one of the main organizations within the business world, as well as the full support of the Imperial Knight Templars.
What was important for her was to receive overwhelmingly more support than her two blood-related sisters, Selah and Penia.
While it was important to gather forces on her side, it was also just as important to check on her opponent's side as well.
After all, wasn't it more efficient to steal from her opponent than to go out of her way to gain her own support?
That was why Princess Persica came all the way to Cledric Monastery under the pretext of attending the ceremony. It was all to persuade Abbess Austin, who currently fully supported Princess Penia.
And her preparations to persuade her… They were complete. It seemed that Abbess Austin would be incapable of refusing Princess Persica's offer. She had fully investigated who Abbess Austin was and what her temperament was like.
"Hmm…"
The problem was Ed Rothstaylor.
The most infamous person left within House Rothstaylor and one of Princess Penia's key supporters.
If she managed to persuade him as well, she would be able to rid Princess Penia of even more of her support.
"This is quite complicated."
Abbess Austin was treated like the mother of the Telos Religious Group. She was someone who not only received the respect of the nuns, but even the Holy Father himself.
Ed Rothstaylor was an influential member of House Rothstaylor, which stood as the center of controversy within the imperial council.
If she could bring those two to her side, it would definitely be great progress in her race for the throne. Accomplishing that alone could make her trip to the monastery a great success.
The problem was that Persica had very little information regarding Ed.
Selah and Penia had both personally met Ed before. However, to Persica, the man named Ed Rothstaylor was a complete mystery.
He was someone that she could only judge through information and rumors that were passed down. Princess Persica didn't want to personally meet with him without having prior information, so she had tried to collect information about him on her own… However, it wasn't easy.
"Do you think I can persuade him with money?"
"Rumors within the monastery say that he has a hobby of drinking wine at a large golden citadel while looking at vineyards that stretch out to the horizon…"
"Was there a vineyard of that size at the Rothstaylor Estate?"
"I… I do not know… But he doesn't seem to be a person who cares about money. At the very least, he wasn't persuaded with money during the incident with the Elte Company."
Next to Princess Persica, who was seated in a reading room within the monastery's library, was her personal escort Tune. She was standing next to her with a perplexed expression on her face.
The method of persuading another ultimately boiled down to one of three things.
Money, honor and power, or a sense of justice.
"What if I promise him a higher position once I take over the throne?"
"He has already grown up as a nobleman of House Rothstaylor. I honestly don't believe he will be swayed by more honor and power."
"Is this based on what you know?"
"Rumors within the monastery are that he firmly rejected the prestigious and powerful position of Chief Magic Researcher within the imperial household. He supposedly said that academic research doesn't come through having power and authority."
"…The imperial household never made such a proposal, right?"
"…I am also confused."
"Well, I guess academic research isn't an area managed by the Rose Palace… So there's a chance I just haven't seen the report, but…"
Princess Persica accepted Tune's report with a skeptical expression on her face. Tune's ability to work quickly and collect information was evident in the report she put together shortly after they arrived.
"What even are these rumors? Some of these things don't even fit into the realm of common sense…"
"… I omitted many other rumors from this document as well. There were quite a few things that I thought were completely impossible, so I omitted them from the report."
"For example?"
"That he could turn water into ice with just a glance. Or that he can stop a person's heart with just his voice…"
"..."
"One swing of his dagger will split a wall in half, the ability to handle several high-ranking spirits, connected to various powerful people in Oldek's hidden alleyways, Saint Clarice is completely fascinated by him…"
The scary thing about the rumors Tune was reciting was that some of them contained fragments of truth.
However, it was difficult to judge what was true and what wasn't because of his strangely hidden background. It was as if a smokescreen was covering Ed, making it difficult to imagine what he was truly like.
"Hiding his true powers, such as being able to cut the entire sea with an arrow or being able to cast advanced magic with just a flick of his finger…"
"Stop… I got it…"
"I'm also not sure what is even true or not…"
To be honest, neither of them thought that all of it was true. It wasn't possible.
Rather, the first thing they thought of was that the nuns, who were full of romance, were completely fascinated by and infatuated with Ed Rothstaylor—to the point that their imaginations ran wild.
…And that was correct.
However, Princess Persica was still left confused about Ed Rothstaylor.
Princess Selah and Princess Penia were both quite obsessed with him. He was one of the few remaining members of House Rothstaylor, and had endured various major crises that put his life on the line at Silvenia… He was an expert in 'survival' itself.
Ed Rothstaylor had even once thwarted Persica's plan to take over the Elte Company. He even had the full support of Lortel Kehelland, the current deputy director.
He was a person who constantly received surprisingly generous evaluations. The fact that it consistently happened meant that there had to be a reason for it.
So, she thought he would be an extraordinary person, but…
Saying he does this and that… Isn't it all too exaggerated…?
Isn't there a limit to such things?
It was rather strange that such an incredible person hadn't entered Persica's information network yet.
"Then… Wouldn't it be better to try and meet with him once?"
"I can't just attend the ceremony and waste this opportunity. I should make time for him, but… I'm a little nervous."
Princess Persica closed the book she was reading as she sighed deeply.
"Well, even though I'm sure those rumors are all nonsense, it's still important to fact check them."
For now, she decided to dismiss the rumors and withhold judgment about Ed Rothstaylor, who was still an imaginary being to her.
Those rumors just couldn't possibly be true.
* * *
"Hello, Young Master Ed. I heard from Abbess Austin that you were here at the monastery. My name is Mary, the second daughter of Count Flosin. The head of our house fully supports Princess Penia and had a special bond with Duke Rothstaylor. I hope that our good relationship will continue."
"Hello, Young Master Ed! Where did King Granny go?! So… I needed my uniform repaired, but… the person in charge seems to be busy! S-So, maybe… W-Would it be alright if I ask you to do it instead…? I-I'm sorry if I've offended you!"
"Young Master Ed. Have you eaten? I heard that high-quality lamb arrived at the monastery today. The nuns were all heading towards the mess hall as if they were ecstatic."
"Where did Granny Austin go?! I was locked up in my room all last night, so why was I given demerit points?! Kyaaaah! A-Ahh… Y-Young Master Ed. You were here…"
"I need to check the status of tomorrow's ceremony, but… The abbess went to her room and isn't answering… S-So, maybe… Could you take care of it instead…? Because you are personally managing the saint's schedule… Y-You can do that, right…?"
I finally came back to my room after dealing with various noble girls approaching me for political reasons, and the nuns who came to talk to me about their daily lives within the monastery.
The sky was already full of stars by the time I closed my door.
A monastery on the outskirts, where nothing else stood.
Since there were barely any light sources, the many stars in the sky were all the more visible and magnificent. It was a bit of a stretch to say, but it looked as if the Milky Way was shining like daylight.
"Whew…"
In a different way from living in the wild, life at the monastery was difficult. I wiped my face as I sat on a shabby wooden chair, looking out the window.
After spending the entire day as the center of attention, I finally had time to sit alone in the dark late at night.
The night sky I looked up at was the same as usual. That fact felt rather comforting.
Things that didn't change over time often provided a strange sense of psychological stability. I started to feel as if I understood why the petite magician, always wearing her massive witch hat, always sat up on a roof and looked up at the sea of stars.
Does that girl also feel strangely comforted like this?
Although I had personally spoken with Lucy many times already, I still didn't feel like I fully understood her.
There were times when she lay down here and there like a stray cat. Then there were times where she started to act mysteriously, flying between buildings seriously… I could never tell whether she was being serious or lazy. Well, I was sure she was both.
"…This isn't the time to be thinking about this."
Tomorrow was the long-awaited ceremony. Princess Persica, who was currently resting in her assigned room somewhere in the monastery, would also attend the ceremony. It would be our first meeting.
Mornings at the monastery always started early, so I needed to head to bed quickly in order to be able to face Princess Persica in my normal condition.
Wanting to get some sleep, I quickly lifted the blanket.
And as if it were her own, Lucy was sleeping on my bed.
"..."
I thought I had heard a strange breathing noise, but it looked like it wasn't an auditory hallucination.
Lucy Mayreel, who was holding onto my pillow while asleep, was completely glued to my bed with a satisfied expression on her face.
Why was she even there? Even before I could ask, Lucy opened her eyes. She looked around blankly, as if she felt empty now that I had taken the blanket from her.
As she looked back at me, she started to sweat.
"Ah, hi."
"Why are you here…?"
Was she awake?
Lucy raised her upper body, shriveled up, and lowered her gaze.
"I-I was taking a walk and… somehow…"
"..."
It seemed like she had been hiding in the monastery. I didn't even need to think all that hard to realize the rumors of the ghost within the monastery were actually just the girl in front of me.
It looked like she fell asleep after trying to lie in bed for a bit. I knew it.
"Now that I'm done with my walk, I should head back to Ophelis Hall. Bell is going to be mad at me. So… I'll be off…"
"…Just be honest with me."
"I followed you in the carriage. I just… wanted to come to the monastery."
As I stared back at her in disbelief, Lucy finally confessed everything.
"I heard a story from Old Man Glockt before…"
That… She was saying something that she didn't mention back at Acken Island. Up until that point, I couldn't figure out why she wanted to come with me to the monastery.
Lucy twirled her white hair with her fingertips as she struggled to speak.
"He told me he came to visit this monastery before. I remember him telling me how beautiful, majestic, and memorable it was… I wanted to see it just once."
Lucy didn't usually talk much about herself.
Even after arriving at the monastery, she stayed hidden as she went around looking at the monastery.
Playing on the roof of the large monastery, wandering around the basement, and looking at all of the different facilities… Did some people manage to spot her after all? It made sense with the rumors of the ghost… It was true that the rumors of the ghost were Lucy, I supposed.
"But then I got caught by the abbess."
"Of course… How long did you think you could keep hiding? "
"Is it because she's old? She was quite close with that old man… She started to talk to me about him quite a bit."
I sat on a wooden chair as I quietly listened to Lucy's story.
Sitting on my bed, holding the pillow tight… Lucy continued to speak, starting to look strangely different.
"Actually, it seemed that she was just ignoring the fact that I was walking around the monastery. After talking to her, I realized she's a more understanding person than I thought."
"Yeah. Even at a glance you can tell that she's a bubbly and bright person."
"Yeah, so… We sat side by side on the roof of the monastery as we looked at the stars and talked. She is someone I get along with better than I thought… She listened to all of my worries."
"Worries?"
Worries that the girl who was always sleeping comfortably, regardless of the situation, had.
Lucy let out a sigh as she held the pillow tightly.
That look on her face… Rather than a sense of embarrassment, she looked rather sad.
"…What did you talk about with Abbess Austin?"
"…It's a secret."
"…Alright. There's no reason for me to dig any deeper."
I had no idea she had followed me to the monastery, but it seemed that she was having fun quietly walking around on her own.
Well, she wasn't causing any harm, so it wasn't that big of a deal. Though, did Lucy have something she wanted to say…? She continued to have a worried expression on her face.
"You know…"
After the ceremony that was scheduled for the next day, we would return to Acken Island.
When we went back, she should ride in the carriage with me instead of in the luggage compartment. While I had that thought…
"What is a meaningful life?"
Hearing Lucy suddenly bringing up a philosophical thought was a strange thing to hear. What was she trying to say?
Of course, I couldn't give her a clear answer, so I spoke from the bottom of my heart.
"I don't know, either."
"Yeah, I guess so."
"Anyway, I'm going back to Acken Island after the ceremony tomorrow… Don't go and hide in the luggage compartment again. Though, I guess there aren't enough seats in the carriage… Well, I'm sure it would still be more comfortable on my lap than in the luggage compartment."
After saying that, I checked the schedule for the next day.
After I finished things, I needed to return to Acken Island. There was a lot of work left to do when I got back.
Even though there were still quite a few things to take care of, I thought I could somehow take care of it all before going back to Acken Island.
Of course, things don't always go as expected.
Still, there was a degree to a sudden change of circumstances.
The next morning, Austin, an elder of the Telos Religious Group and the Abbess of Cledric Monastery for decades…
Was found dead in her room only a few hours before the ceremony was to be held.
-x-X-x-
Bell was surprised when she stopped by the camp to clean Lortel's Villa.
It had been more than five days since Ed Rothstaylor had gone to Cledric Monastery to attend the ceremony.
Five days of being gone meant, for those in the wild, that there was time for weeds to grow, food to spoil, and water to dry out. Not just anyone could adapt to a life in the wild, which required spending every moment of the day productively.
So, Bell had thought that while Ed was away, Yennekar would struggle to maintain the camp. That was because Ed was the one in charge of maintaining the camp.
However, the camp was surprisingly well maintained, looking rather neat and tidy. It was actually much neater than when Ed was in charge.
Like Yennekar, who had a more delicate personality than Ed, everything was neatly arranged—from tools, to ingredients, to firewood.
Seeing Bell's surprised expression, Yennekar—who was reading a book in front of the campfire—cleared her throat as she put her hands on her hips and had a proud expression on her face.
"I am surprised to see how cleanly you have maintained the camp. You are quite talented at maintaining the camp."
"I've already lived at this camp for a few months! I should be able to at least do this much!"
After saying that, she revealed a boasting figure, her chest puffed out. Rather than Bell thinking she looked cool, she felt rather proud of her.
It was true that, after being around someone long enough, you started to pick up on some of their quirks. As Yennekar had been living in the camp with Ed, she had naturally come to accumulate the skills necessary to do basic management without much difficulty.
She may have used spirits for physically intensive chores, but she wouldn't have been able to use them for delicate or skillful tasks.
"Since Ed is coming back today, I have to show him that I've been able to keep this place going with no problem."
"I see. But… uhm…"
According to Ed's original schedule, he was supposed to return that night, after the ceremony at Cledric Monastery concluded.
The reason Yennekar worked extra hard to make the camp even tidier was because she wanted to see Ed's surprised and delighted reaction when he returned.
"Due to an urgent matter within the monastery, his return to school has been delayed. I have just been contacted, so l came here to tell you."
"…Hmm? Is it urgent?"
"He seems to be getting caught up in something complicated. I think he'll be fine and come back soon, but… I'm still worried."
"I see… Ed… I'm worried. He hasn't been looking all that well recently."
"Is that so? I never thought that."
"Ever since he got caught up with that strange reagent, it seems like he's been thinking a lot."
Yennekar closed the large Elementalism book on her lap and placed it on the side of the tree stump. Suddenly, the book started to float in the air as the spirits around Yennekar appeared, taking it away.
"Maybe he really is having a hard time…?"
"Come to think of it… I recently told him some useless things as well. Maybe I should have refrained."
"Useless things…?"
"It's just… I had something I wanted to tell Young Master Ed. So, I revealed some of my past to him."
Curiosity sparked in Yennekar's eyes.
She was already curious, knowing that it was a story that made Ed fall deep into thought. It was also a story about the past of the head maid of Ophelis Hall, Bell Maya. It was hard to not be tempted to listen to it.
"What did you say…?"
"It's not a very pleasant story. Also… There are some parts I didn't give him details about. Since the story involves Young Master Ed's personal life as well… It's a bit difficult to share…"
As expected, she was trying to keep her mouth shut.
In Ophelis Hall, she always had a strong, work-oriented attitude, never making so much as a blunder. However, when she came to the camp, she started to become much more relaxed, making mistakes more often.
But what could she do? It was already too late.
Yennekar was already filled with curiosity.
Yennekar had her cheeks out as if she were pouting. At most, though, she would clench her fists as she shook them furiously in frustration. Even when an herbivore was angry, they only ate grass.
However, it didn't feel right to leave her frustrated like that, so Bell let out a deep sigh as she sat down across from Yennekar.
"At one point, Young Master Ed was rather pessimistic about life and tried to kill himself."
As Bell got ready to explain the story, Yennekar's face turned bright like a child's.
However, as soon as she heard the first sentence, her face immediately hardened. Since he only ever showed a strong and reliable side to him, she never thought he would ever make such an attempt.
However, thinking about his story and background, it wasn't all that strange for him to be pessimistic about life.
"I… I had no idea…"
"Nowadays, he is doing his best to move forward and live life to the fullest. Which is great, but… I just hope he never has those thoughts again."
"I see… So, why was this connected to your past, Bell?"
Bell pondered for a moment on how much she should say. She then started to smile faintly, as if she thought it would be okay.
"Actually, I didn't tell Young Master Ed everything. In a way, I actually left out the most important part. Even the same story can have a completely different meaning depending on how you tell it."
"…Is that so?"
"…Would you like to hear it?"
* * *
There was silence among the nuns.
The wooden coffin that was being carried down the central corridor was stacked with wreaths to pray for the well-being of the deceased. 109 years old. The old lady who bluffed nonsense, saying she would at least live for another 100 years, had suddenly died without any warning.
The death of an elder who devoted eighty years of her life to the Telos Religious Group alone. The death of the abbess in charge of the Cledric Monastery.
No matter how important the ceremony being held at Cledric Monastery was, it couldn't take precedence over the death of Abbess Austin.
She was heavily respected by members of the group, as she had always shown her faith.
She could have risen to the ranks of a high-ranking clergy within the Holy Father Building, but she chose to raise the nuns, who each had their own stories, like her own daughters at the far-off monastery.
She never wore a high-ranking uniform, full of expensive religious ornaments. She never bothered to do so, as such expensive clothes would only get dirtied quickly as she worked in the monastery.
The sleeves of her uniform were completely wrinkled after constantly rolling them up. The only furniture in her room was a desk, a chair, a bed, a bookshelf, and a wardrobe, all of which were in poor condition.
Her personal belongings consisted of only a few spare robes, a holy book, and a brass bowl for prayers. She was much too frugal for a person who had lived for over a century.
The coffin that contained the remains of the elder slowly went down the corridor. Both the nuns who were carrying the coffin and the nuns watching were all in tears.
* * *
"There is clear evidence of murder."
Assistant Bishop Melinir's report.
Sister Melinir, who had neat and tidy hair, spoke briefly and boldly at the podium.
After lunch, Saint Clarice summoned all of the distinguished guests, high-ranking nuns, and outside visitors to the chapel, which was located in the heart of the monastery.
Entering the splendid chapel, there were all kinds of tables, relics, and various other supplies prepared for the guests to pray.
In the first place, that was where the grand ceremony was originally planned to be held. However, all previous schedules had been canceled.
"This… is top secret and must not be spread among the nuns."
The podium in the chapel. Normally, that was where a high-ranking clergy would stand as they led the prayers. It was being used to address the situation instead.
The abbess's sudden death caused confusion, but the exact cause and circumstances regarding it were not announced.
In the first place, the duty to take the initiative in the investigation and publish information regarding it rested on the diocesan bishop who managed the entire coastal area, including the monastery.
However, the diocesan bishop of the district just so happened to be Abbess Austin herself. Since she couldn't conduct an investigation into her own death… It was inevitable that confusion would spread over the management within the monastery.
Ultimately, there were only a few people who had the power and authority to control and organize the chaotic situation.
Three representatives stood at the podium.
Assistant Bishop Melinir, who was an executive within the monastery. She personally managed the nuns under Abbess Austin.
The second princess, Persica. Holding the power of the imperial family, she had the direct authority to rectify the situation.
Finally, Saint Clarice, who had the authority to have the final say in all matters regarding the Telos Religious Group.
News of a death inside the monastery was already spreading around Zahul's frontier territory.
Soon, the imperial family would send additional investigative personnel. Until then, as to who had control over the situation inside the monastery… It was clearly divided between the three of them.
The goal was to calm the nuns who resided in the monastery so they didn't panic. When the imperial investigative personnel arrived, they would hand the authority over the scene to them.
However, Saint Clarice only called on the guests and high-ranking clergy to gather in the chapel. After personally hearing Melinir's report, she decided that it was for the best.
"After checking Abbess Austin's body, there are clear signs of a dagger wound. Considering that the cause of death was excessive bleeding, with traces of struggle at the scene… It's impossible to see it as a natural death."
She was 109 years old. Hearing that she died in her room, the first possibility that came to everyone's mind was a natural death.
However, Assistant Bishop Melinir completely denied that possibility.
"The abbess was always taking care pf and managing herself. She was always willing to do manual labor and from my point of view—after seeing her physical condition every day—she was perfectly healthy."
Assistant Bishop Melinir knew the kind of repercussions her next words would have, but she clenched her fists as she continued to speak.
"All of the nuns inhabiting this monastery are daughters who owe their lives to Abbess Austin. To put it bluntly, they have no reason or motive to harm her."
Taking in a deep breath, she spoke of only the objective facts.
"And her death just so happened to be during the yearly ceremony where various outsiders come to visit the monastery. For the abbess, who got along well with all of the nuns in the monastery, to suddenly be found dead during a period where outsiders came to visit… The circumstances tell a story."
After that, Melinir paused for a moment, as if making sure to choose her words carefully. However, the point of her story had already been conveyed well.
In the chapel, distinguished guests and noble girls from influential houses all over the world were seated.
Aside from the daughters of various counts, there was also the successor of the Toles Company, the sole daughter of the imperial prime minister, and the disciple of a famous magic tool craftsman.
All of them were girls who traveled all the way to the monastery to show their sincerity towards the Telos Religious Group.
And to such people, Melinir said, "So, everyone… I believe that all of you are potential suspects, given the circumstances. This is an understandable suspicion to have."
Thud!
Hearing that, Count Lokast's daughter stood up from her seat, stomping her foot on the floor. At the same time, various other daughters from noble families also stood up.
"What are you saying?! I came all the way here to show my respects towards the Telos Religious Group, but now you are treating me as a murder suspect?!"
"Are you kidding me?! How can you even guarantee that the nuns inside the monastery wouldn't hold a grudge against the abbess?!"
"I am going to write a letter to my house! To come all the way here, only to be treated like a murderer!"
"Please calm down. You are in the presence of the saint and princess."
At those words, all of them quickly swallowed their breath. Since they were still young and immature, they had forgotten.
Behind Melinir, two girls sat on opposite ends of the table: Princess Persica and Saint Clarice.
Even by combining all of the authority of every noble family gathered in the room, it couldn't even compare to the authority those two held.
So, all of the young girls had no choice but to hold their breath.
After a moment of silence, Saint Clarice raised her voice at the podium.
"It is difficult to identify a suspect based on a simple motive. Abbess Austin was always kind and merciful to all. Not only that, she was someone who lived her life quietly, alone in the monastery, praying."
Clarice's speech made sense.
"Why would someone hold a grudge against someone like that? At the very least, there wouldn't have been any personal or private emotional resentment towards her. Being the kind and heartfelt person she was, for someone to murder her out of emotional resentment… It's hard to believe."
The possibility of an emotionally impulsive murder was negligible. Then, was it a political or ideological reason?
There was only one person who would benefit from Abbess Austin's death in the room.
The abbess fully supported Princess Penia. Now that she was no longer in the world, Princess Persica was the one who was able to reap the benefits in the competition over the throne.
Some of the noble girls seemed to have reached that conclusion. As they swallowed their dry saliva, they looked at Persica by the podium.
Princess Persica, who was sitting in a dignified manner… slowly closed her eyes before opening them again.
"There seems to be a few girls here who are looking at me with disrespectful thoughts in their heads. Are those the daughters of Viscount Lokast, Count Flosin, and Baron Kelcus? I'll remember this."
As if she had read their thoughts with a glance, Princess Persica threatened them.
All of the young girls of noble Houses, who had their own personal suspicions, quickly shook their heads in astonishment. They whispered under their breaths, saying that it wasn't what they were thinking. Princess Persica stood up as if she was tired of hearing from them.
A girl who knew how to control a crowd. As if to prove that fact, she spoke in a strong voice that stemmed from the pit of her stomach.
"There is no need to hide the fact that I am working towards claiming the throne. But to murder Abbess Austin… Do you think I'm the type to go through with such ridiculous means?"
The crowd was silent.
"Even if it meant removing one of the influential individuals that support my sister Penia, to put my hands on the life of an elder of the Telos Religious Group… For you to all think that I am stupid enough to not know right from wrong… I suppose this is my fault. For you all to see me as such a shallow leader! I must reflect on myself!"
Murdering Abbess Austin while being blinded by imperial power meant nothing less than turning the entire Telos Religious Group into an enemy.
If she were really planning to do such a thing, she wouldn't have done so at a time where she would so clearly fall under suspicion.
"What is the purpose of having power gained through putting people's lives on a scale? I am a person who holds himself to higher morals. So, I hope you don't continue to insult me."
As she spoke, she never forgot to try and justify herself and her morals. Princess Persica was a rational person.
"Do you all really believe I am the only one paying close attention to the battle for the throne? All of you nobles who have gathered here… Even if you won't admit it, aren't you also paying close attention to the political landscape, trying to join sides with the future emperor? Depending on which of us claims the throne, there are going to be many Houses affected by it. Especially those who are closely intertwined with the imperial family. It's difficult to believe that I am the only one here who will benefit in regards to the throne."
After saying that, Persica slowly moved on to the next story.
"We have already received a few reports regarding Abbess Austin's last known schedule. Last night, at low tide, she brought a few noble girls into the monastery. After completing basic procedures, she went to her room. After that, she did not formally come out to do any tasks."
Persica summarized the report she received with a clear announcement.
The last eyewitness testimony came from a nun who went to the bathroom late last night. In her testimony, she stated that she saw her walking down the corridor of the monastery saying, 'I am going to catch a ghost.'
That meant Abbess Austin was still alive until late last night.
"She was going to catch a ghost?"
Hearing Clarice's question, Princess Persica answered.
"Recently, rumors have been circulating among the nuns that there is a ghost roaming around the monastery. Well, it might just be a wild animal making noise or the young nuns' imagination running wild at night."
"…I see…"
"Anyway, with so many guests coming to visit, she must have gone to confirm the identity of this ghost."
However, she was then found dead in her room.
At that point, I started to feel nervous.
With the topic of a 'ghost' becoming the center of the conversation, there was only one person who would end up being mentioned.
"I also had my personal escort knight examine the situation to avoid any suspicions beforehand. However, all the guests and their escorts who have come to the monastery have been accounted for. It was easy to check, as we had the locations of each of your private rooms, but… That doesn't account for an 'uninvited guest'."
"…Uninvited guest?"
A loud roar spread through the crowd.
"During Abbess Austin's death, there was an uninvited guest here at the monastery. We are unsure of how she entered the monastery, as we recently had no idea that she was even here."
Persica immediately said her name without hesitation.
"Lucy Mayreel."
Some people knew the name and some didn't.
She was the top student in Silvenia Academy's Magic Department and had the title of being a rare genius magician… Recently, she even defeated the evil god Mebula, her name becoming a hot topic among the imperial household.
"As we were investigating the situation this morning, we confirmed she was present. From what we heard, she was wandering around the monastery after sneaking into a carriage on her own accord… Are you here right now, Lucy?"
The noisy crowd began to look around. They all looked as if they had trouble believing that the rare genius wizard known as Lucy Mayreel had come to the monastery.
But maybe she really was in the crowd.
Wheek.
A small stature and sleepy eyes. An oversized school uniform that didn't fit with a large witch hat.
A girl that I was familiar with stood up from the corner. She stretched her tired body… As she stood up straight.
Everyone was looking at her.
Lucy slowly walked forward towards the center of the room, stepping on the red carpet that stretched towards the podium… Persica continued to look at her with indifferent eyes.
"Speaking truthfully, you are the only guest here who is easily able to approach Abbess Austin and completely disappear afterwards."
Princess Persica's voice spread throughout the quiet chapel.
Lucy Mayreel, who looked up at her quietly, didn't change her expression.
Accused of murder.
Seeing how indifferent her attitude was towards the accusation… The suspicions of the crowd started to grow.
Saint Clarice suddenly stood up from her seat. She was the only person who could respond to Princess Persica's authority.
"Wait! Lucy Mayreel has no reason to harm Abbess Austin!"
"Isn't discussion about a motive already over, Saint? In the first place, it's nearly impossible to find someone with a real motive to have harmed Abbess Austin. That's why, right now, we should identify the ones who were most likely to do so among all of the remaining suspects."
I also felt something was strange.
I agreed a hundred times over that Lucy Mayreel had no reason to harm Abbess Austin.
And if Lucy really did harm Abbess Austin… Why would she remain?
By remaining, it was only natural that she would be accused of being the criminal. So, why would she purposely remain at the monastery?
"At the very least, she should cooperate with the investigation. Of course, if she wanted to, she could escape from this monastery without any problems. However, such an action would only be an acknowledgment of the crime."
If Lucy swung her arm just once, she could send all of the guards standing by the podium far away.
However, Lucy didn't resist. She quietly put her arms behind her back as she accepted the restraints.
At that point, I was also deeply debating about whether I should stand up and defend Lucy.
As I said, if Lucy Mayreel really did kill her, she could have easily escaped. No one else in the room might know that, but Clarice and I—who both went to school with her—knew that fact well.
Although she was rumored to be powerful, Lucy Mayreel's full strength went beyond one's realm of imagination.
Frankly, even the long sea path between the monastery and the coastline could easily be jumped over with her advanced spatial-type magic—all without making a single sound or flash of light.
Since that required an astronomical amount of magic power, a normal person wouldn't even be able to imagine it.
A closed-off monastery that could only be entered during low tide. Eyewitness testimonies of both the nuns and guests who walked around the monastery at every hour. In a place where everyone lived close together, it would be difficult to establish a murder plan carelessly.
Yet she was a person that was free from all of those issues. A talented individual who could have done the deed entirely behind the scenes.
What was the reason for her to remain and be accused of being a suspect?
…If I actively expressed that fact, maybe I could help her. While I couldn't completely rid her of the title of prime suspect, at the very least she wouldn't be immediately arrested.
Not only me, but Clarice was also thinking heavily about this situation as she frowned by the podium. However, the reason the both of us didn't immediately bring up that possibility… It was obvious.
Seeing Lucy's calm expression… We both sensed that it was intentional.
Was there something she couldn't tell me? Something going on behind the scenes?
Being put in restraints with a peaceful expression on her face, Lucy was dragged over to the podium by a soldier.
All the noble girls there looked at her in surprise, as if they couldn't believe it. It must have been a major shock to find out that the famous rare genius wizard of Silvenia was labeled as the most likely suspect of Abbess Austin's murder.
She never even uttered a word to defend herself. She only had that lazy, calm expression on her face.
I sat mixed in with the crowd of noble girls as I looked up at the podium, deep in thought.
The rare genius magician who was Silvenia's pride and joy was now being arrested by an Imperial Guard on the charges of hiding in the monastery without permission to murder Abbess Austin.
Tomorrow, she would be transferred over to the investigation team sent by the imperial household.
Although she was a girl that couldn't actually be detained in the first place, becoming a criminal was a completely different story.
* * *
Knock, knock.
After the meeting, Saint Clarice ordered the guests to return to their own rooms.
With the current situation, they needed to constantly confirm where everyone was and guarantee their safety until the investigation team arrived. After all, as they were all distinguished guests from influential houses, they all came with a few personal escorts.
I also sat in my small room as I tried to put the pieces together in my head.
Then, late at night… I heard someone knock on my door. At that hour, there shouldn't have been any nuns walking around looking for guests… Puzzled, I opened the door to see a familiar face.
"Sorry for bothering you late at night, Ed Rothstaylor."
Standing in the dimly lit hallway was the bishop who had reported the circumstances of Abbess Austin's death earlier at the podium.
Assistant Bishop Melinir. A close aide to Abbess Austin and the person who was in charge of managing the monastery.
She had a troubled expression on her face. She looked as if she were debating quite hard about whether to knock on my door or not.
"How can I help you at this hour?"
"I came here because I have something to tell you."
Given the circumstances, it was not a good idea to walk around late at night.
There was no way Melinir was unaware of that fact. However, it was also clear that she wanted to keep it a secret, avoiding the eyes of others.
"I will jump straight to the point. I know that the person who murdered Abbess Austin… wasn't Lucy Mayreel."
"..."
As I stared at Melinir, she continued to speak with a hesitant expression on her face.
"I… I think I know who the real culprit is… I'm sure… it's someone from within the monastery… But… But… If this becomes public… the effect it will have on the Telos Religious Group… It's hard to even imagine…"
When I looked down at Melinir's forearm, I could see her trembling.
"Try and speak calmly. Take your time and breathe slowly."
"…Abbess Austin… She has a great secret that cannot be told to anyone else. A secret so great that it may even destroy Cledric Monastery itself… And among the nuns… I am the only one who knows the secret."
Melinir was not only trembling in her forearms, but also her voice.
"Please… before something happens… can you please report my story to the saint…?"
It was an unexpected situation.
I frowned as I listened to what Melinir was telling me.