“……You’ve done it now, Prince Slay.”
Prince Lucas showed a rare… no, a first-ever expression of utter disgust. Was Prince Slay’s appearance that unexpected, or was it something else…?
“Why are Royal Academy students in Father’s bedroom…? Wait, you’re Lily Puridi!?”
“It’s been a while, Prince Slay.”
Lily, with a composed expression, gracefully curtsied, holding her skirt. She didn’t change her expression at all, even when facing the very person who tried to marry her off to Duke Lecherie. On the other hand, Prince Slay didn’t even try to hide his disgust.
“How dare you show your face here…! Lucas, did you call her…!?”
“That’s right, brother. Though, she’s just here as this child’s attendant.”
Saying that, Prince Lucas placed his hand on Lecty’s shoulder and smiled. The grimace he had shown for a moment was long gone.
“Who is that woman…?”
“Haven’t you heard the rumors, brother?”
“Rumors…? …Could it be, the Holy Maiden Skill?”
“You’re spot on. She is Miss Lecty, the one who possesses the legendary Holy Maiden Skill.”
“I-I’m Lecty. It’s nice to meet you.”
Lecty, introduced by Prince Lucas, bowed her head.
Prince Slay, looking down at her, smirked and sneered.
“What can a fake Holy Maiden do? Too bad, Lucas. It is I who will save Father and be recognized as the next king.”
“…Oh, so you’re saying a real Holy Maiden can save Father?”
“Of course. Isn’t that right, Cardinal Malicious?”
“Everything is in accordance with God’s will.”
The old priest in clerical garb, who was standing behind Prince Slay, gave a reply that could be taken either way. I think that means he doesn’t know if she can save him, but Prince Slay seemed to take it as an affirmation and nodded in satisfaction.
In the corner of my vision, I could see Prince Brute, sitting on the sofa, shrugging his shoulders as if to say, “Oh well.”
Come to think of it, Prince Brute said earlier that Prince Slay was getting impatient because of some baseless rumors. He certainly seems impatient, or rather, like he’s got tunnel vision.
But what kind of rumors is he worried about…?
“Start immediately, Cardinal Malicious.”
“Understood, Prince Slay. Rosalie, I’m counting on you.”
“Yes, Grandpa.”
Urged by the old priest, who Prince Slay called Cardinal Malicious, Rosalie, who had been waiting near the door, stepped forward.
It was then that she finally made eye contact with us.
“Oh, my, my, my! It’s Hugh-sama and Rouge-sama! What are you doing here!?”
“Ah… We were invited by Prince Lucas as Lecty’s attendants. I never thought we’d meet here.”
“Me neither! This must be what they call divine guidance!”
Rosalie nodded with a cheerful smile. Whether it was divine guidance or not, it was Rouge who said we should go to the Grand Cathedral. Maybe Rouge has something that attracts these kinds of coincidences.
“Rosalie, do you know them?”
“Yes, Grandpa! I showed them around the Grand Cathedral!”
“That was a good deed. But now, you are on duty.”
“Ah! I-I’m so sorry! I just got carried away with joy!”
Rosalie, scolded by Cardinal Malicious, bowed her head in apology to everyone. Then, as if to psych herself up, she clenched both fists in front of her chest and stood at His Majesty the King’s bedside.
So, she is the Holy Maiden of the Divine Blessing Church…?
“I don’t know if I can cure the illness with my power, but I will do my best! Heal!”
A pale green light lit up in Rosalie’s hand. It was the same power of a Holy Maiden that Lecty could use, the power to heal wounds. The light slowly permeated His Majesty the King’s body, and then—
“Gah!”
—His Majesty the King coughed up blood.
“Your Majesty!?”
His Majesty the King continued to cough up blood, looking pained. Had his condition suddenly worsened…?
“H-hey! What’s going on!? Weren’t you supposed to be healing Father!?”
“I-I don’t know! I was just trying to heal His Majesty the King…!”
Rosalie, pressed by the flustered Prince Slay, shook her head with a pale face. Did her healing power not work…? Or did the healing power have some kind of adverse effect…?
“…!”
I felt an impact on my abdomen and looked down to see Rouge hugging me tightly. She should be the first one to rush to His Majesty the King’s side. She must be desperately suppressing that urge.
I put my hand around Rouge’s back and hugged her, then turned my gaze to Prince Lucas. The prince had his lips tightly sealed in a straight line, observing the situation. It was impossible to read his feelings from his expression.
“……No. Not like this.”
Lecty muttered quietly. Her amethyst eyes were fixed on the suffering His Majesty the King.
It was the same determined look she had when she tried to help her classmates during the Mock Group Battle,
“Please keep casting Heal!”
She called out to Rosalie and rushed to His Majesty the King’s side.
“You! Are you trying to interfere, you commoner!?”
“It doesn’t matter if you’re a commoner or a noble!”
“Wh-!?”
Prince Slay was dumbfounded and speechless, probably not expecting to be talked back to. She was completely different from the timid Lecty from before.
“I-Is it really okay…? His Majesty the King started suffering because of my Heal…!”
“I don’t think the Heal itself is the cause…! I’ll support you, so please believe me!”
“…! I understand! Um…”
“I’m Lecty!”
“I believe in you, Lecty! Heal!”
Rosalie cast Heal on His Majesty the King again. However, there was no change in His Majesty the King’s condition, and he continued to cough up blood while suffering.
Then, Lecty raised her hand.
“Cleanse!”
It was a different power from Heal. A pale blue light overflowed from Lecty’s hand, enveloping His Majesty the King’s body.
Immediately, His Majesty the King’s cough weakened. His expression, which had been distorted in pain, became peaceful.
“That girl’s got guts. She’s a completely different person from before.”
Prince Brute, who had approached us from the sofa, whistled in admiration as he watched His Majesty the King’s condition.
“Impossible… Is this the power of the Holy Maiden Skill…!?”
“How could this be…”
Prince Slay and Cardinal Malicious also widened their eyes in surprise.
The two Holy Maidens continued to treat His Majesty the King, sweat beading on their foreheads.
How much time had passed in the tense atmosphere that made it feel like my breath was being held?
Finally,
“…Ugh. How long… have I been asleep…?”
His Majesty the King slowly opened his eyelids and regained consciousness.