Chapter 8: I’ll Become a Saintess
The day of the ball arrived in an instant.
After finishing my morning practice, Lugue and I headed to the dining hall, which was more tumultuous than usual. I thought there might have been a fight, but no. It was just Lecty and Lily eating, garnering all the attention.
"The rumor seems to have spread quite far."
"Yep..."
The announcement that a ball would be held to celebrate His Majesty the King's recovery was made to the feudal lords two days prior. In those two days, the rumor that Lecty and the Saintess had cured His Majesty's illness seemed to have spread throughout the Royal Academy. Lily continued eating with her usual composed look, but Lecty looked incredibly uncomfortable.
I felt bad for them, but Lugue and I decided to eat breakfast separately today. The attention wouldn't disappear just because we ate with them, and given Lugue's circumstances, I didn't want to take any unnecessary risks. We had more or less anticipated this, so the two of them had already agreed to it yesterday.
We ate separately and headed to the classroom separately. When we entered the classroom, Lecty was immediately surrounded by her classmates, barraging her with questions.
"Lecty-san, is it really true that you cured His Majesty's illness!?"
"So the 〈Saintess〉 Skill really has the same power as in the fairy tales!"
"All hail our Saintess!"
"Lec-ty! Lec-ty!"
Nobles and commoners alike gathered around Lecty, creating a massive fuss. It was hard to believe that this was the same classroom that, just the other day, had a powder keg atmosphere due to being divided between the Slay-denka faction and the Blut-denka faction.
"Ah, um, um! There are still a lot of things I can't talk about! Everyone, please calm down!"
Poor Lecty was struggling at the center of the storm...
After finishing our morning classes, we took an early leave to prepare for the ball and headed to the royal castle in Alyssa-san's carriage.
I thought we'd stop by the Puridy Marquis's manor to change first, but it turned out Lily had arranged for the tailor to deliver the dresses and morning coats directly to the castle.
When we arrived at the royal castle, Roan-san and Merry, dressed in a maid uniform, greeted us. Lily and Lecty headed to the dressing room with Merry and Alyssa-san to change into their dresses, while Roan-san escorted Lugue and me to a separate room.
I had switched my Skill to 〈Ninja〉 as a precaution, and thanks to that, I sensed something was off with Roan-san. His stride felt slightly unnatural, his movements stiff. It didn't look like he was injured, so was it tension?
The Vice-Captain of the Royal Knights, Roan-san, the 〈Sword Master〉, tense?
I had a terrible premonition.
"Ah... Hugh. Brace yourself a little. There's someone who insists on meeting you two. He asked me to bring you before you change."
"Roan-san, I suddenly have agonizing stomach pain and feel like I'm about to shit myself. Can I go home?"
"No way, you can't go home! I'll drag you there even if you shit your pants! If things get dicey, I'll even shit myself right alongside you, so suck it up!"
"Ahhh! But, I'm not mentally prepared yet!"
Roan-san wouldn't be this tense or tell me to 'brace myself' if we were just going to meet Prince Lucas. This meant it was someone of even higher rank than Prince Lucas... meaning His Majesty the King must have called for us!
Lugue must have realized that possibility, too. While she didn't look tense, she was glancing at me. What was Lugue planning to do...? Was she going to act as Lugue even in front of the King? Or...
Roan-san stopped not at the audience hall or the King's bedchambers, but one of the many reception rooms in the castle. When Roan-san knocked on the door in a fixed rhythm, Prince Lucas's voice called out from within, "Enter."
Please, please let Prince Lucas be the only one inside. Praying that was the case, I looked past Roan-san, who had opened the door, and saw two men sitting on the sofa. One was Prince Lucas, and the other was... Ah, as expected.
"I've been waiting for you two."
The person spoke to us casually, urging us inside after Roan-san, while we knelt.
He was a strikingly handsome man with silky-smooth golden hair and sapphire-blue eyes. It was His Majesty King Lios Reese, the King of the Reese Kingdom himself.
"Welcome, Lugue Becto, and Hugh Pnocis. This is a private setting. Please, relax."
Urged by His Majesty, I slowly raised my head and our eyes met instantly. His eyes, which seemed to be sizing me up, stared intently. Crap, I was so nervous my heart felt like it would fly out of my mouth.
"Give him a break, Father. Hugh is about to die from tension."
"Oh, I'm sorry about that. Both of you, come over here and sit down. How about we have some tea together?"
Tea, you say... I was rigid from the sudden invitation when Lugue gently pulled the hem of my uniform, urging me forward. It looked like I had no choice but to follow his instructions.
Lugue sat next to His Majesty, and I took a seat next to Prince Lucas. It was then that I noticed, though I hadn't before, that Marquis Prime, the Chancellor, who was standing by the wall, prepared tea for Lugue and me.
To have the Chancellor pour tea for me with his own hands... I frantically scanned the room for help, but there was only His Majesty the King, Prince Lucas, Lugue, and the Chancellor. Roan-san, who escorted me here, hadn't entered the room.
That guy... He said he'd even shit himself with me, but...!
"It's been a while, Lugue. Are you well?"
"Yes! Y-Your... Your Majesty the King! And you, Your Majesty, are you truly recovered now?"
"Yes, indeed. Thanks to Miss Lecty, your friend, as you can see."
The King's complexion, as he rumbled his hand through Lugue's hair, was certainly much better. A week ago, he was pale, and he truly looked like he was moments from death... Though he still looked slightly haggard, his better health was apparent.
And she was interacting with him as Lugue, huh. That made me a little relieved.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Hugh Pnocis-kun. As I'm sure you know, my name is Lios Reese. I am the King of this country."
"An honor to meet you, Your Majesty. I am Hugh, son of Mike Pnocis, Lord of Pnocis Territory."
"Indeed. Lucas has told me about you. Something about you having a certain desire in exchange for making him King, I hear."
"—!"
Why did His Majesty the King know about that!? I glanced at Prince Lucas beside me, and the Prince was smirking mischievously. T-This shitty brother-in-law...!
"Well, Hugh Pnocis?"
"...Sigh, Yes! There is one thing that I absolutely desire... no, one wish that I must see come true!"
Hell with it! At this point, it didn't matter if it was the King or anyone else. Rather than trying to obscure my intentions vaguely, I would confront this head-on...!
"Oh. And making Lucas King will fulfill that wish?"
"I don't know for certain. Because Prince Lucas is shady, I'm honestly half-believing him and half not."
"Buh!?"
Lugue, who was sitting across from me, involuntarily clutched her mouth and leaned forward. Her shoulders were trembling slightly, but I ignored it for now.
"Hahahaha! Shady, you say! You heard that, Lucas!"
"I am well aware of it. But Hugh, even I get hurt when I'm called that so many times. I wish you'd take my allowing you to be present here as a sign of trust."
"My apologies, Your Highness. I happen to be a deeply suspicious person. ...Which is why, I ask if you would make an oath here and now. That when you become the next King, you will definitely fulfill your promise to me. If you would, I will put all my effort into making you the next King."
"...I see. So that's your play. What do you think, Father? From your perspective, is he..."
"Hmm, he has quite the nerve. I see why you favor him. There are times when a person must move without hesitation. He seems to grasp that concept. Go on and swear it, Lucas. I permit it."
"There you have it. Isn't that nice? The King's personal guarantee."
"Your Highness, if you are going to swear it, I would like it in writing."
"You really don't trust me, do you?"
"I understand," Prince Lucas said, shrugging his shoulders as he sipped his tea.
Did I somehow manage to get through that...? I said a few things that could have resulted in a charge of lèse-majesté, but by riding the momentum, I somehow got through it. I wonder what would have happened if I had tried to vaguely obscure things...
Afterward, the King spent some time asking Lugue about her school life, and a gentle atmosphere settled over us—
"Come to think of it, you had insomnia, didn't you? Are you sleeping properly?"
"Yes! I slept soundly after cuddling with Hugh-san... Ah."
I take that back.
My real battle starts now!
◇
I somehow managed to smooth things over with His Majesty the King afterward. ...Well, I can't deny the distinct feeling that he mostly just let it slide. With the King and the Chancellor having retired to prepare for the ball, I let out the biggest sigh of relief in my life and slumped onto the sofa.
"I-I'm so sorry, Hugh!"
"It's alright. My neck is somehow still attached..."
That wasn't a figure of speech; I was seriously close to getting beheaded.
"Have you forgotten I'm still here, Hugh?"
Prince Lucas looked down at me, a calm smile on his face, holding a cup of tea. It certainly wasn't the kind of attitude one shows a royal. I re-seated myself properly on the sofa.
"In any case, it's good that Father accepted you. Now, as long as I become King, your wish will practically be granted."
"And that vague wording is why I can't completely trust you."
"You'll have to put up with that part. It's just my nature."
Saying that, Prince Lucas shrugged his shoulders and joked around.
Honestly, this brother-in-law...
"Hey, Hugh. What did you ask Lu...cas-denka for?"
Lugue asked me, stumbling over Prince Lucas's name, making it sound like she was throwing some awful insult at him as usual. Telling her what my wish was would probably be too much...
"Hehe, I'm afraid I can't tell you. It's a secret between just Hugh and me—man-to-man."
"Ehh! That's not fair! I'm a boy right now, too!"
Prince Lucas laughed an "ahahaha" at Lugue, whose cheeks were puffed up. It was the first time I had ever seen Prince Lucas smile so genuinely and enthusiastically.
...Marquis Puridy mentioned it. That Prince Lucas was an ordinary boy. I might have just caught a glimpse of that side of him.
"Now then, I suppose it's time for us to start preparing, too."
"Ah, right. Prince Lucas, I actually have something I need to consult you about."
I brought up the problem of Lecty's excessive beauty to Prince Lucas. When I mentioned that she'd be bombarded with proposals from the nobility at this rate, Prince Lucas grimaced slightly, saying, "I think that's a bit over-dramatic."
"But, well, it probably isn't good for Miss Lecty to stand out too much. I understand. Leave the solution to me. I have one ultimate idea."
Saying that, Prince Lucas stood up from the sofa. He didn't tell me what the idea was.
Afterward, Lugue and I were guided to the dressing room and put on the morning coats Lily had arranged. With the awkward assistance of Alyssa-san and Merry, who were in on the secret, we somehow finished changing.
We then met up with Lily, who had finished changing into her dress, and headed for the main ballroom, the venue for the ball. Lecty, by the way, was moving separately, as she would be entering the ball with His Majesty the King and Prince Lucas.
"Speaking of which, this is my first time attending a proper ball..."
During Prince Slay's ball, I was intent on crashing the party from the beginning, so I hadn't paid any attention to ball manners or rules. I was completely ignorant.
"This ball will be attended by many feudal lords from the capital's vicinity, regardless of their faction. It's safest to make sure you don't commit any rudeness first. Also, we are only Lecty's escorts. We'll be fine as long as we stay out of the spotlight in a corner of the venue."
"Oh, but there will be dancing, won't there? Your... His Majesty the King likes music and such."
"Is that actually a thing?"
When you think of a noble's ball, you picture social dancing. Actually, my mother taught me a little bit about that. Even in my hometown, we'd sometimes dance to the music during festivals. Whether that knowledge was applicable in the social circles of the Royal Capital was questionable, but...
"Oh, right, there was such an event..."
Lily, who was famously uncoordinated, sighed, looking deeply depressed. It seemed she hated the thought so much that it had been forgotten from her mind.
"Well, if you're asked, just refuse. Just say both your legs are suffering from a compound fracture, and you'll be fine."
"That sounds like your legs won't be fine."
Although that kind of reply would likely make the other party cautiously back off...
Stepping into the main ballroom, I was overwhelmed by its size. Was it twice the size of Duke Lecheley's ballroom?
What was most notable was the height of the ceiling. It reminded me of the gymnasium at my high school in my previous life. Several chandeliers hung from the ceiling, shining so brightly that they eliminated any sense of the early evening darkness.
A spacious area was secured in the front, facing the stage where the thrones were lined up, and a table adorned with various dishes was set up in the back. Musicians holding various instruments lined the side of the stage and were already playing elegant music.
The level of glamour was a league apart from Prince Slay's ball, which had also served as a morale boost event.
The venue was already filled with many nobles chatting with one another. We spotted a familiar face among them and decided to approach him.
"Father."
When Lily called out, Marquis Puridy, who had been looking out the window, turned around and smiled radiantly.
"Lily! I've been waiting for you two. Hugh-kun, and this person is..."
"I'm Lugue Becto! It's a pleasure to meet you!"
"Ah, the pleasure is mine. I'm Yuri Puridy, Lily's father. I hope we can get along well."
The Marquis bowed his head to match Lugue, who also bowed. Judging by his reaction, Marquis Puridy likely knew Lugue's true identity.
"The ball will be starting soon. There will be a toast by His Majesty the King, so I suggest you go get your drinks."
"Understood."
Prompted by Marquis Puridy, the three of us headed to the table where drinks were prepared. There were two tables, separated into alcoholic beverages and soft drinks.
Since we were all technically adults at fifteen, there was no legal problem with us drinking alcohol under the laws of the Reese Kingdom. However, I managed to hold back my urge to have a glass of wine for the first time in a while and grabbed a glass of apple juice.
"Huh? Hugh, aren't you having alcohol?"
"You never know what might happen."
"That's true... I'll pass on it too."
Lily picked up a glass of orange juice. Perhaps because Lily and I chose soft drinks, Lugue hesitated for a moment and then grabbed a glass of apple juice, the same as mine.
"By the way, did you consult Prince Lucas about Lecty's situation?"
"Yeah. He said he has an ultimate idea."
"An ultimate idea... hmm. What kind of plan is it, I wonder...?"
Lily pressed her fist to her lips, contemplating.
Right after we returned to Marquis Puridy, a loud fanfare rang out.
"That's the signal for His Majesty the King to enter."
As the fanfare stopped, the doors on the stairs leading to the stage opened, and His Majesty the King appeared, escorting an older, beautiful woman in a dazzling dress. That must be the Queen.
The nobles gathered at the ball welcomed the Royal Couple with applause. When the Royal Couple was seated on the thrones prepared on the stage, Slay-denka and Rosalie appeared next, with the former escorting the latter.
A commotion mixed with applause erupted at the appearance of the Church's Saintess. The particularly loud applause must have been from the nobles in Prince Slay's faction.
"Here we go..."
Prince Slay and Rosalie took their seats on the stage. Next was the entrance of Lecty and Prince Lucas.
Prince Lucas's ultimate idea...
I had a suspicion, but—I was right.
The nobles gathered in the venue were sent into an uproar at the appearance of Prince Lucas and Lecty. It wasn't just because Lecty's dress was beautiful. It was because the shock of the man next to her overshadowed Lecty's beauty entirely.
Prince Lucas was present without his blindfold, with his eyes open.
His eyes were the same sapphire-blue as Lucretia's, and they held a clear will. Prince Lucas's eyes were wide open as he escorted the uncomfortable Lecty down the stairs; a feat impossible for someone who couldn't see.
He played that card at a ball where many nobles from all factions were gathered. It wasn't for Lecty's sake; he probably intended this all along. All I could say was impressive.
The effect was phenomenal, and the nobles' commotion didn't cease even after Prince Lucas and Lecty were seated.
"Does this mean Lecty cured Prince Lucas's eyes...!?"
"No, I think that's unlikely."
Lugue must have known about Prince Lucas's Skill. Prince Lucas's sight had long been restored by his Skill. Lecty shouldn't have done anything to help.
However, just as Lily suspected, it looked as if his sight had been recovered by Lecty's 〈Saintess〉 Skill.
...That was his aim, wasn't it? By making it seem like only his eyesight had recovered, he could conceal the existence of his Skill.
"Silence!"
An authoritative voice boomed across the venue, and the nobles instantly hushed. His Majesty the King had stood up from the throne and spoken.
"I thank you all for gathering here today. Though the nominal purpose is my recovery celebration, it is our first ball in a long time. Enjoy yourselves to the very end."
His Majesty received a glass from Chancellor Marquis Prime, raised it high.
"As you all know, I have suffered from illness for many years. There was a time when I was on the brink of death. But now, I am freed from my illness and can stand here today. That is solely due to the devotion of the two Saintesses present here."
Rosalie and Lecty, who were seated behind the throne, stood up and walked forward. While Rosalie walked confidently, Lecty was rigid with nervousness. I was worried she might trip, but she safely took her place beside His Majesty the King.
"Rosalie Saint, Saintess of the Divine Grant Religion. And Lecty, the maiden gifted with the 〈Saintess〉 Skill. To the two Saintesses who saved my life and the crisis of this Kingdom, and to the brilliant future of this country—a toast!"
With His Majesty the King's signal for a toast, the nobles raised their glasses and brought them to their lips. As a precaution, I pretended to take a sip, but at the same time, I grabbed Lugue's hand to prevent her from drinking her juice and observed my surroundings.
No one appeared to suddenly suffer in pain or turn into a Monster.
"We just can't help hesitating, can we?"
Lily, who was observing her surroundings just like me, gave a wry smile. Well, after seeing Lecheley turn into a Monster, it was only natural...
"Hugh, can I drink it now?"
"Ah, sorry about that."
Lugue tilted her head in confusion, but once I let go of her hand, she immediately raised the glass to her lips and drained the apple juice in one go, letting out a 'Puuhaa!' sound afterward. Don't come crying to me if you have to go to the toilet so soon...
With His Majesty the King's toast finished, the ball transitioned into conversation time, and the nobles instantly began moving. Nobles headed to greet His Majesty the King on the stage, while others bustled to reach Prince Slay and Rosalie, or Prince Lucas and Lecty, who had descended from the stage.
While the orchestra played slow, elegant music, the scene was literally a battlefield. Marquis Puridy, too, roared, "This is going to be a busy one...!" and charged into the crowd.
Observing the flow of people from the corner of the venue, it looked like three out of ten nobles headed for the King, and five out of ten headed for Prince Lucas and Lecty. Clearly, Prince Lucas was the one gathering the most attention here. The impact of showing his open eyes must have been significant.
I had heard that he would have been the strongest candidate for the throne if not for his sight issues. There must have been many nobles who felt he had the aptitude but had reservations due to his sight. With that problem cleared up, support was rapidly expanding.
Meanwhile, not many nobles gathered around Prince Slay and Rosalie. Most of them were likely nobles who already belonged to Prince Slay's faction. Even that number felt low, considering Prince Slay's faction was supposed to be supported primarily by the nobility.
Although some had headed to greet the King...
"With Father having left, he hasn't been able to tighten the grip on his faction. That was Father's area of expertise, after all."
"Which means, could it be that Marquis Puridy has been busy because of..."
"Hehe heh."
Lily, who probably knew the details, just smiled, saying nothing more. Of course, Marquis Puridy wouldn't forgive Prince Slay, who had conspired with Lecheley...
Now that I thought about it, Marquis Puridy lending Slay-denka a helping hand at the previous ball was probably meant to prevent the collapse of his faction and the imbalance of power that would result from Prince Slay facing charges.
With His Majesty the King's health recovered and the political situation stable, that concern was mostly gone. In other words, there was no need for him to hold back anymore.
Marquis Puridy was deftly guiding the nobles gathered around Prince Lucas into a line. It looked almost like a handshake event...
Prince Lucas wore a gentle smile, exchanging words with each person. Next to him, Lecty's expression was strained. The nobles were speaking to her, but she didn't seem to be able to respond much. Prince Lucas skillfully covered for her.
"Thanks to Prince Lucas, it looks like she's going to be alright."
Lily let out a relieved sigh and smiled. So far, no idiot had appeared to propose marriage to Lecty out of the blue. That was all thanks to Prince Lucas single-handedly drawing all the attention.
Thinking that, I looked at Prince Lucas one more time, and I noticed something.
"Sorry, Lily. Can you look after Lugue? Something's come up with Prince Lucas."
"Eh? Why the sudden... Wait, Hugh!?"
Handing my glass to Lily, I rushed toward Prince Lucas. If it was just a false alarm, fine. But if it wasn't...
"Prince Lucas!"
I darted past the nobles lined up, knelt on one knee directly in front of Prince Lucas.
"I am Hugh, son of Mike Pnocis, Lord of Pnocis Territory! I require an audience with your Highness regarding a matter of territorial management! Could I possibly take up some of your time!?"
All I heard in response, as I bowed my head, was the nobles in the orderly line shouting their disapproval.
"Who is this young whelp!?"
"Pnocis Territory? Never heard of it."
"He's a frontier noble from the Northeast. Hey, know your place, you country bumpkin!"
The place was filled with censure and abuse. A torrent of verbal insults was hurled at me. Lecty grimaced and started to stand up, and Marquis Puridy started to approach, perhaps to defend me. But before either of them could act, Prince Lucas spoke.
"Very well. Pnocis Territory is the most remote land from the Royal Capital. They must face difficulties and worries that we who live in the Royal Capital cannot even imagine. Which is why, as someone aspiring to be the next King, I need to know these things. ...Excuse me, but I'm entrusting the rest to you, Marquis Puridy."
"Yes! Leave it to me, Your Highness."
"Hugh Pnocis-kun, wasn't it? Let's talk in a separate room for a while. Follow me."
"Yes!"
Prompted by Prince Lucas, who had played along with my impromptu act, I followed him out of the main ballroom.
After walking down the castle corridor for a while, and when we were finally alone—
"Agh..."
Prince Lucas clutched his head with his hand—and crumpled to the floor.
"Your Highness!"
I rushed to the fallen Prince Lucas, who was pale with sweat on his brow, breathing heavily.
"I apologize. Could you carry me to the room right there...?"
"Excuse me."
I wrapped his arm over my shoulder, holding him close, and carried him to a nearby room as he instructed. It was one of the many reception rooms in the royal castle. I locked the door from the inside just in case and gently laid Prince Lucas down on the sofa.
The Prince, lying face up on the sofa, pressed his left arm against his eyes.
"Thank you, Hugh. It was a little aggressive, but you saved me. How did you realize something was wrong...?"
"I could sense you were trying to push yourself. Besides, you said it on the day we first met, didn't you? That the blindfold helps suppress your power to a certain extent."
That meant if he wasn't blindfolded, he couldn't suppress his power completely. A tidal wave of information he didn't want to see must have been rushing into the open eyes of Prince Lucas. The burden must have been torturing Prince Lucas with extreme pain.
I was glad I noticed. If I hadn't switched to the 〈Ninja〉 Skill, I wouldn't have sensed Prince Lucas's slightest change. If he had continued to endure and deal with the nobles, Prince Lucas would have collapsed eventually.
"Please don't push yourself so much. Lugue would worry."
"...I can't afford to take it easy. Tonight's ball is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. There aren't many opportunities for this many nobles to gather. ...Apart from Father's funeral, perhaps. If I don't push myself here, I'll never secure the throne."
"Why do you go to such lengths...?"
"Hmm, why do you think?"
Prince Lucas offered an ambiguous smile. Marquis Puridy had said he might tell me his true intentions, but it seemed Prince Lucas had no intention of doing so.
However, was it just me, or did that look a little like he was trying to hide his embarrassment...?
"Understood. But you can't return to the ball like that. I'll call Lecty. If she heals you with her Skill, the pain should subside a little."
"...No, that won't work. It will only create more suspicion if you pull Miss Lecty away from the ball. You already aggressively pulled me out of the ball. We shouldn't attract any more attention."
"Then—"
"Why don't you heal me?"
"...................Huh?"
"All you need to do is switch your skill and become a 〈Saintess〉. I think you should be able to do the same thing as Miss Lecty, wouldn't you agree?"
"Ah..."
That thought hadn't crossed my mind. That way, there was certainly no need to call Lecty.
But wait a minute.
"〈Saintess〉? Can't it be something like 〈Saint〉 or 〈Clergy〉 or something...?"
"〈Saint〉 is a title given to a Holy Knight who fought against the Divine Grant Religion's enemies and died for the cause, and 〈Clergy〉 is just a role within the Divine Grant Religion, right?"
...Now that he mentioned it, he had a point. I only assumed 〈Saint〉 or 〈Clergy〉 had healing powers because of my knowledge from games in my previous life. In this world's common knowledge, there was probably no healing connotation with the role of Saint or Clergy.
Given that I've been able to use the 〈Ninja〉 Skill, which aligns with my previous-life imagination, it seemed my own imagination had more influence on the Skills than common sense... Still, switching to the 〈Saintess〉 Skill might be the most reliable option.
...But will I be okay? I'm not going to turn into a girl the moment I switch to 〈Saintess〉, am I...?
The potential of the 〈Brainwash〉 Skill was too unknown; honestly, I was scared to try it.
"Hugh, I'm afraid we don't have much time to hesitate. I think Marquis Puridy will defend her, but the nobles might start swarming Miss Lecty who was left behind."
"...Understood."
There's no point in hesitating now... Even if my body changed, it should return to normal if I switch the Skill back... hopefully.
I used the 〈Ninja〉 Skill to check the presence of others in the room and the corridor, confirming we were alone. Then, I pulled out a hand mirror and released the 〈Brainwash〉 I had cast on myself.
"Hugh Pnocis. Your Skill is... 〈Saintess〉."
I felt something click and shift in my mind.
I instantly checked my face, chest, and crotch in sequence, looking for any changes. ............Good, I hadn't turned into a girl!
I checked my status just in case, and the Skill had changed to 〈Saintess〉 without issue. It seemed the gender of the body didn't need to change.
Skill: Saintess Lv.Max
...Gain the power to oversee healing and purification, and to drive out evil.
The simple description meant a powerful type of Skill, perhaps. Like my other Skills, I intuitively grasped what the 〈Saintess〉 Skill was capable of. For now, it looked like I could use 〈Heal〉 for Prince Lucas's treatment. It should also have an effect on pain mitigation.
"It seems you succeeded. With that done, I'll rely on you now."
"Understood. 〈Heal〉."
I held my right hand over the area around Prince Lucas's eyes and activated the Skill. A faint pale-green light flowed from my hand and was absorbed by Prince Lucas.
"This should restore the damage. Though it's only first aid."
"That's fine. ...By the way, Hugh. Can you feel what the 〈Saintess〉 Skill is capable of...?"
"Yes, I suppose so. If I concentrate, I get a vague sense..."
"Then, I want you to tell me about the 〈Cleanse〉 that Miss Lecty used on my Father. When I asked Miss Lecty, all she said was, 'I just had a feeling this would help the King.' It seems she doesn't fully understand her own power."
She doesn't fully understand her own power...?
Could it be that the level of the Skill was somehow linked to the user's understanding of it?
...No, perhaps it was the opposite.
Could it be that the level displayed corresponds to the level of understanding of the Skill...?
In any case, 〈Purify/Cleanse〉, huh. The effect, as the name implied, seemed to be a power to remove spiritual evil and toxins from the body and leave it clean. It should be effective against poisons and parasites, and...
...Hey, wait a minute. Please, wait a minute.
Why doesn't 〈Purify/Cleanse〉 include the effect of curing disease!?
"...Hugh, can you tell me? Was my Father truly sick?"
◇
After treating Prince Lucas, I switched my Skill back to 〈Ninja〉 and returned to the main ballroom. Prince Lucas was once again surrounded by nobles, wearing an indifferent expression.
The treatment with the 〈Saintess〉 Skill only mitigated the pain to a certain extent. Soon, the intense pain would plague him again. But he had promised he would withdraw before reaching his limit this time, so I shouldn't worry too much.
Searching for Lugue and Lily, I found them standing exactly where we had left them.
"Ah! Hugh, welcome back!"
"I'm back, Lugue."
"Welcome back," Lily said with a hint of relief in her expression, and I answered Lugue, who was the first to notice me and call out, accepting the glass she had been holding for me.
"Sorry to have you hold this."
"Not at all. More importantly, are you okay? You look terrible."
"Ah... Yeah, no problem."
I gave a brief reply to Lily's concerned question.
...The truth was, I was full of problems.
The 〈Purify/Cleanse〉 Lecty had used on His Majesty the King didn't have the power to cure illness. 〈Purify/Cleanse〉 was the power to remove evil (likely some foreign substance?) and toxins from the body. This meant that the King's poor health was due to those things.
"It's likely that Father has been continuously poisoned, or something close to it, by an unknown perpetrator. And slowly, with the added mechanism of causing his condition to rapidly worsen in response to a recovery Skill."
"If His Majesty had died as things were..."
"His condition had clearly deteriorated due to the Saintess's Skill, so the Divine Grant Religion... no, holding the Saintess responsible would have been unavoidable. At the very least, relations between the Royal Family and the Divine Grant Religion would have been at an all-time low. Adding in a civil war, there's a possibility the three-way conflict could've become a four-way one. A scenario where neighboring countries, siding with the Divine Grant Religion, invade would have also been possible."
If Lecty hadn't been there at that time... Recalling my conversation with Prince Lucas, a renewed consideration of that possibility made my hair stand on end. The most terrifying thing was that we didn't know who had set up the trap.
I glanced around the hall. His Majesty the King was on the stage, chatting casually with the Queen and what seemed like nobles of a similar age. But the perpetrator could be among them, couldn't they...? Considering that, even the smiles of the nobles and the Queen seemed fake.
...This won't do. There's no end to the suspicion once you start, and Prince Lucas said he had no intention of involving me in it. While I could probably identify the culprit if I put my mind to it, I shouldn't move against Prince Lucas's instructions.
I don't think diving headfirst into a matter this murky would benefit me in any way.
I'll try my best to not think about this for now. That would definitely be better.
After talking with Lugue and Lily and munching on some light snacks for a while, the music playing in the ball changed to a slightly more up-tempo tune. Lily's face instantly scrunched up at the sound.
"It has begun, the time of torment..."
"You really hate dancing that much, huh?"
The ball wasn't just attended by male nobles. There were many noble wives and young ladies as well. The conversation time was over; now was the time to find a dancing partner.
Several young nobles were drawn by Lily's beauty and approached us, but they retreated nervously after being glared at by Lily. It seemed Lily's dislike of dancing was widely known, and after a while, no one approached us anymore.
On the other hand, Lecty and Rosalie were immensely popular. Lecty, of course, and Rosalie, though her hairstyle was bizarre, was a beautiful girl with perfectly sculpted features. Large crowds of young nobles were gathering around both of them to ask for a dance.
This looks a little dangerous... Prince Lucas had no time to dance due to the side effects of his Skill, and Marquis Puridy was married and couldn't ask Lecty, who was his daughter's age, to dance.
"Go for it, Hugh."
"Please take care of Lecty."
"...Understood."
I guess I really had no choice but to do this, huh...
Pushed forward by Lugue and Lily, I headed toward Lecty.
"Lecty."
"H-Hugh-san!"
Lecty, who had been panicking surrounded by nobles, noticed my presence and her expression immediately brightened. She stumbled as she rushed towards me in her unfamiliar dress, forcing me to quickly catch her in my arms.
"Are you alright?"
"Y-Yes!"
Lecty's cheeks were crimson as she gave an embarrassed smile. I was just relieved she wasn't injured.
From the young nobles who had gathered for Lecty—or rather, just me, I was being glared at because we were embracing, even if it was involuntary. My 〈Ninja〉 Skill-enhanced ears caught disdainful whispers like, "You again?" and "The shameless country bumpkin."
I will humbly accept it. Because I was about to have Lecty all to myself for a while.
I slowly stepped back from Lecty, placing my left hand on my right chest and kneeling on one knee. Honestly, I didn't know if this action was correct, but if it looked the part, it should be fine.
"Lily, isn't that a marriage proposal..."
"Shhh. This is entertaining; let's just watch."
...It seemed I had made a fatal error. Well, whatever.
I stretched out my right hand towards Lecty and asked:
"Will you dance with me?"
"Y-Yes! I would be delighted!"
Lecty's face, already red, turned even redder, and she hesitantly took my outstretched hand. I stood up and escorted Lecty to the dance floor, our hands clasped.
"U-Um, Hugh-san! I've never danced before! I'm so sorry if I'm not good at it!"
"Don't worry, Lecty. Actually, this is my first time dancing in a place like this too."
"I-Is that so...?"
"Yeah. So I might have to subject you to an awkward dance. I should really be leading, but... I apologize."
"No! Hearing that actually made me feel relieved. An awkward dance is fine, as long as I can dance with you, Hugh-san, I'm happy!"
"...I-I'm glad to hear that."
My heart pounded with surprise at Lecty's relaxed and gentle smile. What an idiot I am.
The music changed, and the dance time began. We bowed to the people around us and put our palms together. We started moving slowly,In accordance with to the gentle melody.
There were no steps. We just swayed our bodies and walked around a little, trying to mimic the movements of the surrounding nobles, allowing ourselves to be carried by the music.
To an outsider, our movements were probably awkward and painful to watch. But I didn't care about that.
"Hehe. This is fun, Hugh-san!"
"It is, Lecty."
Lecty wore a sincerely joyful smile, moving freely in the dance.
As I matched her pace, I couldn't help but wish that this moment could last just a little longer.
Of course, the dance with Lecty couldn't last forever, and the music stopped within ten minutes. We bowed as everyone else did, and I escorted Lecty back toward Lily and Lugue.
"Welcome back, Lecty. I was watching."
"That looked like fun, Lecty."
Greeted by a smiling Lily and Lugue, Lecty happily nodded, "Yes!"
"I was nervous, but since Hugh-san was with me! It was incredibly fun!"
"I'm glad to hear that. You did well, Hugh. That was quite the innovative and original dance."
"Aren't you just saying I'm bad at it in a roundabout way?"
"Don't be cynical. The most important thing in a setting like this is to have fun, you know? Honestly, I was a little envious of Lecty."
Saying that, Lily gave a somewhat wistful, self-deprecating smile. I never expected her, who hated dancing so much, to say she was envious.
"Then it's Lily's turn next!"
"Eh? No, I...!"
"Come on, come on!"
"Wait, Lugue! Stop that... and Lecty too!?"
Lugue relentlessly pushed Lily's back, moving her closer to me. Lily resisted, but with Lecty also joining in, she was forced out in front of me.
"Hugh, dance with Lily, okay?"
"Lily-chan, the one who has fun wins!"
"Honestly!"
Lily covered her bright-red face with her left hand but modestly offered her other hand to me. She must have braced herself after being pushed by Lugue and Lecty, despite intensely hating dancing.
Lily took the courageous first step. I wouldn't be a man if I didn't respond, right?
"May I have this dance with you, my Lady?"
Kneeling on one knee as I had for Lecty, I took Lily's hand and asked.
"Y-Yes! I suppose I must be!"
Lily's reply sounded a little resigned, which made me almost burst out laughing, conveying her state of mind. The contrast with the usual ladylike Lily was quite amusing.
"...But, if I'm dancing with you, what about Lecty? It wouldn't be good for Lugue-kun to draw too much attention either..."
Around us, several young nobles were subtly eyeing an opportunity from a distance, poised to step in as Lecty's dance partner. They would certainly attack the moment I stepped away from her.
"If Idiot were here, I could leave it to him, but..."
"Now that you mention it, I haven't seen him."
I thought he would surely attend tonight's ball, but Idiot was nowhere to be seen in the main ballroom.
"U-Um. Don't worry about me! Both of you, please enjoy your dance!"
"Even so..."
It might be overly protective, but a second or third Idiot showing up would be a pain. That said, I couldn't just dance with Lecty again and again. What should I do?
As Lily and I pondered this together, I noticed the surrounding commotion growing louder. Then, a set of approaching footsteps. I turned around and saw a girl with pink drill twin tails running towards us, waving her hands violently.
"Lecty! Your last dance looked very enjoyable! Next, will you dance with me?"
"R-Rosalie-san!?"
Saintess Rosalie Saint rushed over and grabbed Lecty's hands.
Lecty, whose eyes had been wide with surprise, snapped back to reality and asked her:
"Um, this is my first time dancing today, and..."
"I could see that! This is my first time dancing too, you know. I already stepped on my partner's feet seven times just now!"
"Eeeeh..."
"So, no need to worry!"
Rosalie smiled cheerfully, but Lecty glanced at her feet and muttered, "I have other things to worry about..." Well, they could both use 〈Heal〉, so they'd be fine... No, wait, that's not the point.
Besides,
"Is it even acceptable for the same gender to dance in a place like this?"
"It's normally not, but I suppose it's fine now. Your and Lecty's freedom has created an 'anything goes' atmosphere here, and... Look. Even His Majesty the King is laughing."
Following Lily's gaze to the stage, His Majesty the King was indeed looking our way, wearing an amused smile. Looking at him now, he felt like a father watching over his children.
"I thought His Majesty would be a scarier person."
"...No, he is a scary person."
Lily's short reply made me unconsciously reach for my neck to check if my head was still attached as I followed her.
Lily hadn't told me exactly why he was scary, but that only allowed my imagination to run wild, making it terrifying.
...Let's stop thinking about it.
Composing myself, I decided to enjoy my dance with Lily now.
We bowed to each other and joined hands.
"I'm telling you in advance: don't laugh, I'm really bad at this. Also, I have no stamina; I'll get winded quickly. And my sense of rhythm is disastrous; I just don't get the feeling of moving my body to the music."
"Don't you think that's a bit too much covering your bases?"
"Because... I don't want you to dislike me..."
Lily spoke softly, her eyes cast down. She might not have intended for me to hear it, but my current Skill was 〈Ninja〉. My enhanced hearing didn't miss a single word.
"That's silly. I wouldn't dislike you just because you're bad at dancing."
"...Will you not get mad if I step on your foot?"
"I might get a little mad about that."
"Honestly!"
The music started while we laughed at my joke. Lily was genuinely bad at dancing and struggled to take the first step. I moved first, pulling her hand gently, and she reluctantly started moving a beat too late.
With Lecty, I was pulled along by her free-spirited steps and movements, but dancing with Lily required me to lead entirely. It was interesting how it was the exact opposite of the norm.
"Marquis Puridy's daughter is dancing!"
"Is she even... dancing?"
"Ah, even just swaying is beautiful..."
"Who is that man with her?"
Lily's aversion to dancing was indeed widely known, and it seemed we were attracting more attention than expected. We were just lightly swaying and taking a few steps in time with the music, but Lily's attractive looks probably made it seem acceptable.
"Lily, are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm somewhat... Agh!?"
Lily suddenly tripped, nearly falling.
I quickly reached out and caught her, and by chance, it formed an elegant pose. I remembered a similar move from a pairs figure skating performance on TV in my past life.
We were close to both tumbling to the floor, but I managed to pull Lily up with the physical strength of 〈Body Enhancement〉. When we smoothly returned to dancing, the onlookers applauded.
"I-I thought I was going to die...!"
"You're being a little dramatic."
The strange interlude continued: I would repeatedly have to save Lily every time she was about to fall, and the onlookers would mistake it for part of the dance, giving us applause.
By the time the music stopped, Lily was completely out of breath. We had barely done anything other than lightly swaying our bodies to the music... I suppose it was more mental fatigue than physical.
"F-Finally, it's over..."
"You did well, Lily. What did you think?"
When I asked for her thoughts on the dance, Lily turned her head away slightly. Her cheeks were lightly flushed, and she looked at me with a sideways glance.
"Well, if you insist, I suppose I wouldn't mind dancing with you again."
"Alright then, how about we dance another song right now?"
"No, sorry. I absolutely cannot."
I was rejected with utter seriousness when I made the joke. The light in Lily's eyes was gone. It seemed she hadn't overcome her aversion to dancing.
I supported the slightly wobbly Lily as we returned to our original spot, where Lecty and Rosalie were waiting. Rosalie looked extremely satisfied, and Lecty was squatting down, clutching her leg.
"That dance was very enjoyable, Lecty!"
"...My feet were stepped on thirteen times."
Lecty did not agree with Rosalie at all, plainly reporting the number of her injuries. All I could say was... my condolences.
By the way,
"Isn't Lugue with you?"
"Oh. He was here until just a moment ago. I was hoping to dance with Lugue-sama next, but... I suppose he went to the restroom! Hugh-sama, would you do me the honor of a dance next?"
"Ah... no. I'm sorry, Rosalie. I need to go look for Lugue."
I felt bad for Rosalie, but I was worried about Lugue. Although Alyssa-san and Roan-san should be present in the hall, making it safe, I was still concerned...
"Hugh-sama truly cares for Lugue-sama, doesn't he? It's unfortunate, but I understand."
"My apologies, Rosalie. I hope we can take a raincheck another time."
"Yes, absolutely!"
Rosalie replied cheerfully and left to search for her next victim... I mean, dance partner.
"Lily, can I leave the rest to you?"
"Of course."
With Lily's consent, I decided to leave the spot to search for Lugue. No nobles seemed eager to ask the exhausted Lily or the pained Lecty, whose foot had been stepped on many times, to dance. It should be alright for me to leave for a while.
I scanned the venue and found Roan-san standing by the wall. He seemed to have been watching us from a distance while keeping an eye on security. I glanced at him, and he gestured toward the balcony with his chin. Lugue seemed to have gone outside.
I gave Roan-san a nod in thanks and headed for the balcony. Alyssa-san was standing in front of the glass doors connecting the hall and the balcony. I wasn't sure if she had been stationed there all along or had moved to keep an eye on Lugue.
Alyssa-san spotted me, gave a suggestive grin, and called out, "Take your time ~." I was annoyed, but there was no point in getting riled up. I might as well accept her offer and take all the time I needed.
I opened the door and stepped out onto the balcony, where the lightly cool night breeze caressed my skin. Opening my eyes, which I had involuntarily narrowed, I saw her, who had been leaning on the railing and gazing up at the night sky, slowly turning around.
The soft moonlight shining down made her silver hair glitter like the stars in the night sky. Her sapphire-blue eyes reflected the moonlight, emitting a mysterious glow like a deep ocean.
A somewhat surprised, yet graceful smile appeared on her face.
Isolated from the noise of the ball, only the faint strains of music drifted into the calm atmosphere of the balcony.
"What are you doing out here?"
I asked as I approached. Lugue turned back to look at the moon again.
"I was watching the moon. My mother told me that people go to the moon when they die."
"Is that so?"
I wondered if that was a local legend here. I had never heard of it in my hometown, Pnocis Territory.
"I don't know. I've never been there."
Lugue smiled in a lighthearted, evasive manner.
Lugue, who had been tormented by nightmares, desperately searched for her mother. ...Her mother probably wasn't in this world anymore.
Standing next to Lugue, I looked up at the moon and asked her:
"Hey, did you know, Lugue? They say a rabbit lives on the moon."
"Huh, really!?"
"Yeah. So, if a rabbit can live there, a person should be able to live there too, right? It wouldn't be strange for the dead to be living on the moon."
"I see... Yeah, you're right!"
Lugue's expression brightened instantly, and she stretched both hands toward the moon. I followed suit, extending my right hand toward the moon.
"How do you get to the moon?"
"It seems quite far away... It might even be difficult with a Skill that allows you to fly."
If I put my mind to it, I could probably get there using the 〈Brainwash〉 Skill, but there was no point in going all the way just to prove no one was there.
Besides, the important thing wasn't whether we could actually go.
"If you ever go to the moon, Lugue, I'll go with you."
"Eh...?"
"Is that a no?"
I lowered my hand from the moon and asked, looking into Lugue's face. Lugue vigorously shook her head and whispered, "No, it's not a no."
"I'd feel much more reassured if Hugh was with me, and I could introduce Hugh to my mother."
"By the way, what would you introduce me as?"
"Let's see. My roommate, my best friend, and..."
She paused for a moment, and Lugue withdrew her hand from the moon, turning to look at me. My reflection was visible in her moonlit, sapphire-blue eyes.
"—My precious person."
"That is... going to make me so nervous."
"Is that bad?" Lucretia asked, tilting her head. I shook my head, replying, "It's not bad at all." Then, I took a step back, knelt on one knee, placed my left hand on my chest, and offered my right hand to her.
"May I have this dance with you, my Princess?"
"Yes!"
Lucretia took my hand and smiled gently.
Ahhh, I love her so much. I desperately suppressed the urge to hug her without dancing, and I placed my hands over Lucretia's.
We looked into each other's eyes, matching our breathing. Without a word, it was clear in which direction and how many steps we each wanted to move.
On our dance stage, illuminated by the moonlight, the two of us slowly surrendered to the music drifting faintly from far away.
Post a Comment