Dylan Agreas Jiemeld sat in the Royal Castle’s office, poring over reports arriving from various regions. As the newly appointed leader of the Royal Knights Order, the trust that came with his position meant that information about magical beast sightings and requests for reinforcements reached him first.
“…I will report this to His Excellency the Chancellor and His Majesty the King,” he said with a smile, causing the official who had delivered the documents to visibly relax. It seemed he had glanced at the contents for sorting purposes.
As the official exited, a man clad in the uniform of the Jiemeld Knights Order entered the room. He was a close aide who also served as Dylan’s attendant in the Royal Capital. Upon his entrance, Dylan activated a concealment spell using his Mage’s Orb.
“Sir, I received a report that there was a significant lightning strike near the capital of the Jiemeld territory yesterday,” the aide informed him.
“A lightning strike, you say? In this season, that’s not particularly unusual. Is there something more to this report that prompted it to be brought to my attention?” Dylan inquired quietly.
The aide showed a hint of anxiety at Dylan’s calm questioning.
“N-no, I was merely concerned. I thought the location was near the barrier…”
“Caution is a virtue. Very well, I shall send someone to confirm this immediately.”
The aide let out a sigh of relief and changed the subject.
“Also, the outflow of residents fleeing the territory has not ceased since they witnessed the barrier. I believe our attempts to keep it quiet are nearing their limit…”
“That can be disregarded. With the rainy season upon us, the roads will become treacherous, and the speed at which news travels will slow down. Besides… it is already too late for that.”
With that, Dylan tossed the report he had just received from the official into the fireplace.
“Have we found the woman in question?”
“No… it seems the House of Marquis Beresford has caught wind of her. The southern Kadira Viscountcy is already under Beresford’s protection, and all movements of our subordinates have been tracked and hindered…”
The aide’s voice grew heavy with despair. Dylan sighed, clearly annoyed.
“Who would have thought that a single commoner woman could cause such a stir… No, it’s rather the opposite. The trivial scandals have robbed him of too much work. In turn, we have allowed ourselves to be put in a position where we must expend effort on such matters.”
As Dylan muttered this, the aide’s face paled.
“I’m not blaming you. After all, it’s a daunting task to find something so ambiguous.”
Dylan exhaled deeply.
“Prayers are invisible to the eyes of men. No one knows who prays for what. ‘With a constant smile, devoted, and beloved by many,’ was it? Such women can be found in abundance if one looks. We had no leads other than such trivial descriptions. It’s utterly ridiculous.”
Furrowing his brow in frustration, he gazed out the window at the Sacred Hall of the Royal Castle.
“However, the need to deal with the real one has diminished. Everything is already too late for that. You need not worry about it.”
The aide behind him let out a sigh of relief.
◆◆◆
Emily sat in the carriage, swaying alongside Marianne, her face pale with anxiety.
“Lady Emily, I apologize for insisting you come despite your poor health. The morale among the knights has been high lately, and there were many voices urging us to proceed…”
Marianne’s concerned voice felt distant, as if it were echoing from far away.
Just a short while ago, she had longed to return to the battlefield, where she could earn praise simply for doing her best. Now, however, fear gripped her heart.
—What should I say…?
The mere thought sent chills down her spine, rendering her thoughts chaotic. No matter how much she prayed each day, her healing and purification abilities had not returned. She even questioned how she had once wielded that power.
The carriage jolted, and through the window, she spotted several high-ranking knights waving cheerfully at her.
They were much closer to the Royal Capital than the location where the Undead Beast had appeared before. She could already see a few members of the Clergy and Cleric Apprentices gathered.
—If it’s already over, maybe I’ll just show my face…
She told herself this, and with trembling legs, she stepped out of the carriage. However, before she could even manage a greeting, a voice rang out from the nearby bushes.
“There’s another one! It’s heading this way!!”
The high-ranking knights turned in unison. Right before their eyes, a grotesque creature, smeared in dark, rotting flesh and adorned with a multitude of eyeballs, emerged.
Seeing that sight, Emily let out a scream.
Feeling as if her legs would give way, she desperately scrambled back into the carriage, hugging her knees and trembling. She had never seen an Undead Beast up close like this before.
High-ranking knights Marcus and Richard immediately drew their swords at the sound of the man’s voice. Caught off guard by the sudden attack from the side, Marcus sustained a wound to his arm, but seasoned warriors that they were, they swiftly dispatched the Undead Beast without faltering.
However, they were startled by a high-pitched scream that rang out almost simultaneously.
“Holy Maiden…?”
Marcus and Richard exchanged bewildered glances as a female Cleric rushed over to tend to Marcus’s wounds. She too was trembling slightly.
“Clerics specialize in healing and purification, so unlike the Clergy who excel in barriers, we don’t usually accompany the front lines of battle. We also remained at the garrison during the fighting… I-I’ve never seen an Undead Beast this close before… I thought she might feel the same way… I didn’t expect it to look so terrifying…”
With a face that seemed to suppress her fear, the Cleric trembled slightly, while Marcus and Richard remained perplexed.
They had assumed that Emily had been present all along, bravely facing the terrifying creature. Indeed, the Clerics had never left the safety of the garrison, and they had not witnessed the Undead Beast up close in battle.
“Um, the healing and purification are finished…”
The Cleric spoke to the silent Marcus.
“Eh? Isn’t that a bit too quick…? Holy Maiden Emily would have been much more thorough!”
Marcus, flustered and irritated due to his confusion, snapped at the Cleric. She looked taken aback.
“No, it’s been done properly. Please don’t worry.”
A calm voice from a nearby Clergy member reassured him as they checked Marcus’s injuries. Other Clergy members echoed that the healing and purification were complete, praising the Cleric for her efforts.
“Um, you mentioned thoroughness, but she is a Cleric Apprentice, so it’s only natural that it would take some time, right…?”
The female Cleric said, still bewildered, addressing Marcus. He and Richard exchanged glances, realizing they had made a significant misunderstanding, leaving them with an uncomfortable feeling.