In the northeastern part of the Royal Capital, about three days’ journey up the Ureri River, there lay a small town. It boasted a shared carriage station and served as a relay point for merchants heading to the capital. Though modest in size, the town thrived with a lively atmosphere.
However, with the onset of the rainy season, unsettling rumors began to circulate among the townsfolk.
“Hey, did you hear? A child was making a fuss about seeing something strange again.”
“More importantly, have you heard? They say a creepy animal carcass washed up on the riverbank.”
“Yeah, I heard about that too. They said it smelled terrible. The town’s constables collected it.”
“Could it be… an Undead Beast…?”
“Don’t be ridiculous! The Holy Knights took care of all of them, didn’t they?”
“But I heard that a failed one appeared near the capital just the other day.”
The residents of the town exchanged worried glances as they looked up at the sky.
For nearly two years, the Royal Knights Order had been engaged in the extermination of Undead Beasts in the northern regions, but none had ever appeared near this town, nor had such eerie rumors ever spread before.
“It’s just our imagination, it has to be,” they all murmured in unison, yet their expressions remained clouded with unease.
“Hey! Something black just floated down the river again!”
Children gazing at the river innocently exclaimed such things. Meanwhile, a woman, presumably their mother, was seen cautioning them to stay away from the river as she led them home. The townsfolk’s anxiety deepened as they watched.
From a distance, the traveling merchants who had stopped by the town wore similarly grim expressions.
“Something feels off in the air… I have a strange sense of foreboding.”
“Is that the intuition of a merchant?”
An elderly merchant dealing in daily necessities and a fruit vendor, along with other merchants nearby, turned their attention to the conversation.
“Isn’t it about time for the celebration of the Holy Knight and the Holy Maiden’s wedding? This should be a lucrative period, so what’s going on?”
“Ah, speaking of the Holy Maiden, there’s something odd about her too.”
“Is it true? That none of the clergy or priests returning from the battlefield refer to her as the Holy Maiden?”
A young merchant furrowed his brow as he spoke.
“My sister is a priestess who went to the battlefield, so I asked her about the Holy Maiden. She said, ‘That person is just a Cleric Apprentice.’ She didn’t know anything more, and it seems the knights were the ones calling her that.”
“But the Holy Maiden is living in the Royal Castle now, right?”
“Now that you mention it, the church has been unusually silent. I thought they simply preferred not to make a fuss about things.”
The merchants exchanged glances.
“Come to think of it, I’ve only heard about the Holy Maiden through rumors…”
“Still, to invite her to live in the Royal Castle based on that alone seems a bit much.”
“True, but Duke Jiemeld is backing her, after all.”
“Well, clergy and priests generally don’t engage in gossip, so…”
With that, they each nodded in agreement, and the conversation came to a close, though some merchants remained lost in thought.
Meanwhile, in a room within the Royal Castle, Emily was being handed several small vials by Marianne.
“You’re going to make Holy Water, right…?”
“Yes, it’s a request from the church in the capital. There are rumors that some Undead Beasts have slipped through the northern patrols and are floating down the river. They want to prepare a large quantity of Holy Water just in case, so they asked for your assistance.”
Marianne, still wearing her gentle smile, received a forced smile from Emily in return.
—Oh, I’m not very good at making Holy Water…
Yet, unable to think of a suitable excuse to refuse, she accepted the vials filled with water. To finish the task quickly, she raised her fingers over the bottle, preparing to cast Purification Magic.
“…Huh? Marianne, isn’t this already purified…?”
“No, I just received the vials from the priest, and my maid fetched the water from the castle well just a moment ago.”
“Is that so…?”
As Emily heard this, a cold sweat began to trickle down her spine.
Normally, water that hasn’t been purified would reveal a dark, mist-like substance when Purification Magic is activated. This is what is commonly referred to as “pollution” or “miasma,” which exists in almost any water. By purifying it, the blessing is transferred to the water.
Emily placed her hand over the vial once more.
—No way… why…?
She felt her body temperature plummet. There was nothing visible in the water, and nothing manifested in her hands.
Noticing Emily’s unusual demeanor, Marianne looked at her with curiosity.
“Emily, um, I’m sorry. I think I’m feeling a bit unwell right now…”
“Oh dear, I didn’t notice. You’ve been so busy with your lady’s education lately.”
Marianne continued in a soothing voice.
“Since the Holy Water isn’t urgent, you can take a break for now. You can make it when you have more time.”
“Yes… um, is it alright if I pray to the Goddess and rest for today?”
“Of course. Prayer time is important too.”
After parting ways with the smiling Marianne, Emily hurried toward the Sacred Hall within the castle.
—Have I really not been praying properly all this time? No way, this can’t be happening…
With a sense of urgency in her heart, she entered the Sacred Hall, facing the Goddess Statue. She sat down, closed her eyes, and clasped her hands together.
Desperately, she prayed for the return of her blessing.