And so, the final year of the otome game finally begins.
“…I see. It seems you possess a fine power.”
At the end of the year, when the Magic Academy had entered its winter break, an elderly man was facing a young girl in the temple of the Holy Church in the Royal Capital.
The man’s name was Hiram. He had come from the Fandora Theocracy, where the main sanctuary of the Holy Church was located, to assess the ‘Saint’ recognized by the temple in the Kingdom of Claydale.
The girl, introduced by the temple head and his grandchild, was Viscountess Alicia Melsis. She was said to be thirteen, but for a noble who grew with magical power, she looked young, appearing to be only about fourteen or a petite fifteen.
However, Hiram was aware of the “darkness” lurking behind her innocent smile.
(…What a frightening child.)
A considerable number of Saint certifications had been conducted up until now.
Each country’s temple would contact the main sanctuary several times a year, claiming that the Saint they recognized was the true one. Each time, someone with the title of priest, like Hiram, would go to confirm, but most of them were merely noble young ladies who could use a little Light Magic, with the title of Saint being used to enhance their prestige.
However, the main sanctuary recognized most of them as ‘Saints’. From the perspective of current values, the political reasons for granting peace to the people and the enormous donations made to the main sanctuary were more useful than a true Saint who could repel the Evil Race.
It had been about thirty years since Hiram joined the Holy Church, but Hiram himself had yet to encounter a being truly worthy of being called a Saint.
The Saint who lived about a hundred years ago, when the war with the Evil Race was intensifying, was said to have been loved by spirits and used ‘Holy Magic,’ which was different from Light Magic. Its essence was said to be closer to a Battle Art than Magic.
The girl before Hiram had low magical power and didn’t seem like a Saint at all, but even the wary Hiram felt a captivating charm the moment he met her, as if his heart was ensnared just by looking at her.
A true Saint is said to possess a unique aura that makes everyone love them.
In the past, there were women who tried to become Saints using a ‘Charm Ability’ from a Divine Protection (Gift), but such powerful ‘Charm’ that manipulated others’ hearts came at a steep price; their lifespan would end after charming about a thousand people.
This was not the fault of the spirit that granted the Divine Protection, but a tragedy born from the spirit’s inability to comprehend the boundless desires of humans.
He didn’t sense that much power from this girl. If she had been using Charm, he should have felt something amiss with the temple head he spoke to before meeting her.
This girl has “darkness” about her. However, if this charm he felt was the result of being loved by spirits, then even if she wasn’t the “real thing,” she possessed sufficient qualities to be a ‘political Saint.’
If that power was used skillfully, it would be possible to increase the Theocracy’s influence within the kingdom.
“Well then, Saint-sama. The temple of the Theocracy acknowledges your existence and wishes to walk alongside you.”
“I’m so happy! Hiram-sama, I look forward to working with you!”
The girl showed a radiant smile at Hiram’s words, but then her cheeks flushed slightly as if embarrassed, and she said, “However…”
“Being called ‘Saint-sama’ is a little embarrassing… If possible, could you call me Licia?”
“…Understood, Licia-sama. Then, let us discuss what is necessary to make Licia-sama’s power known.”
Soon after the New Year began, on a terrace of the Royal Castle facing outwards, the royal family was making their New Year’s appearance to the citizens of the Royal Capital who had rushed to celebrate.
Standing on the terrace were His Majesty the King, Her Highness the Queen Consort, Crown Prince Elvan, First Princess Elena, and even the Second Prince, who had turned seven, as well as Prince Amor, the King’s younger brother, which indicated the small number of royals in this country.
Nevertheless, the absence of Elvan’s fiancées, Clara and Karla, was due to the issue of Elvan and Elena’s future courses of action.
I heard that even Elvan and Elena, who used to be close, were now a source of confusion for nobles unfamiliar with the political situation, as Elena had stopped feigning (・・) that closeness, and the heirs of the influential Dandole and Melrose families had sided with Elena.
Because of that, the situation has become even more unstable, but according to Elena, it will ultimately be better than having the current Elvan remain Crown Prince.
Elvan’s reputation has fallen that much. It’s only natural, as he neglects his royal duties and is infatuated with a single young lady.
If he were to make a clean break and take the viscount’s daughter as a favored consort, I think he could gain some understanding. However, the older nobles were wary of him becoming like the current King.
For now, noble families within the royalist faction who support the Crown Prince are defending him, but I hear that support for Elena is gathering, mainly from the neutral faction.
Perhaps because of that, Elvan’s complexion wasn’t very good. The distance between him and Elena, who stood beside him, was greater than before, and his figure, with its lackluster, forced smile, was overshadowed by Elena’s vibrant and imposing presence, who wore the perfect smile of a royal.
That’s also natural. It’s because Elena set the stage for it to happen.
From Elvan’s perspective, he’s in a situation where his two childhood best friends have abandoned him, and his younger sister, who he thought adored him, is trying to usurp even his position.
The Melrose Family, originally neutral-leaning even within the royalist faction and prioritizing the strengthening of the nation, has clearly declared to His Majesty that they will side with Elena.
The Dandole Family ended up in a situation where Clara, a candidate for Crown Princess, and her older brother Roakwell were in opposition. However, because Elena also has Dandole blood and Clara said nothing about it, they decided to remain neutral and observe the situation as a whole.
Elvan only learned of this a few weeks ago.
If Elvan had the “strength” to act as a royal without letting it show on his face, Elena probably wouldn’t have tried to force her way into becoming queen in the first place.
As a result, Elena demonstrated to the people of the Royal Capital who supported the royal family, and to the many nobles present, the difference in class between her and Elvan as royals.
This is why Elena made it known around the time of the academy’s graduation party.
Elena has already taken measures regarding its impact on foreign countries.
With this, domestic enemies and allies will become clear. Sometimes, unexpected allies or enemies may appear.
It is also my role to discern and eliminate them.
“…Move aside, ‘Ash Covered Princess’.”
“You think I’ll move just because you told me to?”
There were several people moving about in the less crowded Royal Castle.
Four men and two women. One knight, two civil officials, one lady-in-waiting, and one butler and one maid each. They were all moving separately, and just as they gathered in one place, I blocked their path.
I know their faces. I’ve passed them several times in the Royal Castle.
That’s precisely why I was wary of them.
The fact that someone who wasn’t even from the Shadow Unit knew my “force” clearly spoke of their true identity.
“What business do the Second Queen’s forces have with the royal family?”
“…It’s none of your concern.”
The butler, who seemed to be their leader, a man in his prime, answered my question in a stiff voice.
They are scout-type spies, not from the Shadow Unit, used by the Second Queen, Elena’s biological mother. If such people are armed and trying to approach where the royals are, I can guess the reason.
“Are you trying to cause a commotion now to make Elena-sama, whom you discarded, the Queen, and pin the blame on His Highness the Crown Prince? Or has the disobedient daughter who abandoned her mother become a nuisance?”
“I told you, this has nothing to do with you.”
“That’s not quite true.”
The Second Queen’s goal is to take everything from the Queen Consort. To that end, she kept the Queen Consort away from power by not letting her do any work other than attending events as Queen.
If the Second Queen had continued to ignore Elena’s existence, having discarded her as useless, that would have been fine. But whatever her motives, the actions of the Second Queen, driven mad by love and jealousy, are nothing but a hindrance to the current Elena.
“Elena-sama predicted your movements.”
In that instant, I struck the chin of the maid who lunged forward with a dagger with the heel of my palm, then followed up with an elbow strike, crushing her windpipe.
“Don’t let your guard down! Risk your lives for Her Highness the Queen!”
The maid collapsed, and at the butler’s voice, the remaining members scattered down the corridor.
Only the butler is Rank 4 with a combat power of 800. The rest are Rank 3, huh.
They immediately gave up on my persuasion and turned hostile because they intend to harm Elena.
The worst-case scenario Elena and I considered was that they would harm Elena, pin the blame on Elvan, and because of those injuries, Elena would be forced into a situation where she had to rely on her mother.
They were probably among the Second Queen’s forces, specializing in assassination. It seems they hold loyalty towards the Second Queen, but precisely because of that, I can’t afford to leave such fighting power in the hands of a Second Queen who has lost her ability to make sound judgments.
And above all else—
“Gah!?”
“I’ve decided not to hesitate when it comes to the possibility of them harming Elena.”
The civil official, struck by my knee, had his chest cave in as he was sent flying. Seizing that opening, a court lady tried to slip past me—
“Higuh!”
In that instant, the Thread of my whirling Pendulum wrapped around her neck. I pulled it tight, strangling her, then threw her corpse at the knights. The knight and civil official who hesitated for a moment, wondering whether to catch it, had their necks grabbed by my hands and snapped as if twisted.
One remaining—
“You bastard…”
“I won’t deny your loyalty. But just as you have your convictions, I too have things I cannot yield.”
He must have realized I killed them in a way that wouldn’t spill blood in the castle. But the middle-aged butler didn’t retreat; he slowly readied his dagger.
“…Here I come.”
He leaped out in an instant, without any feints, and unleashed a full-power strike, one he must have honed for many times longer than I’ve lived.
“—Critical Edge—!”
A god-speed strike—I didn’t try to evade it. Instead, I focused my mind, gently placed my hand on the flat of the Blade, and deflected it sideways.
Critical Edge is a skill that can inflict massive damage even on higher-level opponents, but on the flip side, if it misses a vital spot, the damage is lower than a normal attack.
Your downfall was your failure to fully understand the characteristics of your own skill. Slipping past his deflected strike, I wrapped my arm around the butler’s neck and crushed his bones.
The butler’s eyes, still holding a faint light even with his neck broken, reflected my expressionless face. Addressing him, though I didn’t know if he could hear, I spoke just one sentence.
“If it’s Elena’s mother, I won’t let her die.”
“……”
After those words, the light vanished from the butler’s eyes.
It might have just been for my own comfort. But I want to believe that the possibility of mutual understanding isn’t zero…
＊＊＊
Licia, also known as Saint Alicia Melsis, the viscount’s daughter, was spending her time until the academy began not at the Melsis family estate in the Royal Capital, but in a room provided to her at the temple.
According to the “knowledge” of That Woman that Licia possessed, the heroine was doted upon by the Melsis family she had joined as an adopted daughter. However, Licia, who easily incurred the antipathy of other women due to her over-reliance on men, found the days of being surrounded by ladies-in-waiting and maids as a noble young lady to be troublesome.
(…There are many men at the temple, after all.)
Licia’s Divine Protection (Gift), ‘Allure,’ was greatly influenced by the target’s emotions. It worked effectively in the temple where she met many people for the first time, but she couldn’t expect much effect on the Melsis household maids, who already harbored animosity towards her.
Licia’s personality likely played a part as well. Unlike That Woman, the assassin, who might have intended to deceive, Licia had no intention from the start of getting deeply involved with anyone other than men.
With men, she could show a genuine smile. Hiram, who came from the Papal State, had initially looked at her with suspicion, but Licia’s smile had raised his ‘affection level’ even while he remained suspicious.
Licia’s ‘Allure’ was fundamentally different from ‘Charm’; its power was weaker, but in exchange, it could raise affection levels without the target even realizing it.
However, as a backlash, her maximum magic power continued to decrease each time she used Allure.
It was a backlash that could be recovered from with a few days of proper meals and rest, but because she had continuously used that power, Licia’s appearance still remained childlike.
But it wasn’t a problem. If her magic power continued to drop, she would become more susceptible to illness, ultimately shortening her lifespan, but Licia had no intention of living long enough for her looks to fade in the first place.
Her goal was to be loved. By as many as possible. The number of people who loved her was her sole purpose in life, a life she would even stake her own existence on.
For that purpose, the role of Saint, the same as the heroine, had been useful. However, one of her objectives, the position of Crown Princess, had become uncertain because, unlike in the game, Elvan hadn’t matured.
Nevertheless, Licia had no intention of stopping her coddling of Elvan. She had no interest in his life.
Therefore, Licia decided to solve the problem not by making him mature, but by bringing others down. She had more pawns for this purpose than she could count on her fingers and toes.
One of them… Licia, having invited him to her room late at night, drew close as if to let him smell the fragrance of her post-bath scented oil, and touched his bare skin with her finger.
“Nasanitar-kun… Will you listen to Licia’s request?”
Huh? It’s still so messy/dramatic!
Next time, will the author make it to the start of the academy arc!?