POV: Sera
“I’m home.”
“Oh my, Sera. Have you finished your business with the Duke?”
“Yes, I was only confirming the attendant’s schedule.”
A female member of the temple staff greeted me as I returned through the side entrance to the staff room. The woman always serves as the guard during food distribution.
I was just at the Duchy Castle, as Esteemed Grandfather had called me. Apparently, the conference next spring will be attended by grandfather and older brother Tisrad, but not father. It’s been decided that I’m going to be going as his Medic--in case his physical condition deteriorates.
Even though the Royal Capital is quite far, it’s only going to take a few days to get there by airship.
Moreover, Tek should also be attending the Kingdom Conference--I look forward to meeting him after such a long time.
Those words shouldn’t have come out of my moth, but--
“Right, tight, Sera. I saw Sir Felspar just a while ago.”
“Eh?! W-Where is he?” I involuntarily raised my voice at her remark, which caused eyes gather on us.
I can’t help but cover my mouth, before confirming with her in a much lower voice.
Since he was going north in a carriage, he must have been going to Viscount Shimen’s mansion. So I decided to ask the waiting coachman, who had taken me to the temple, to take me to the Viscount’s Mansion.
“Please wait, I think that he’s going to visit here--”
I heard the words from behind me, but since I don’t have any work until this afternoon, so there shouldn’t be any particular problems.
***
I apologized for my sudden visit, and requested a meeting with Viscount Shimen Hosaris, but it wasn’t possible since he was readying to go to the Royal Capital--he’s busy like usual.
Since I can’t go back that easily, I’m going to visit the annex where uncle Toruma resides. He’s said that it’s okay for me to visit any time, and I’ve asked the maid to announce my visit.
“Heya, Sera. It’s rare for you visit us.”
“Excuse me for the silence, uncle Toruma.”
I’d like to ask quickly about Tek, but it’s rude for me to start asking randomly during the talk, I need some kind of topic…topic--. That’s right! There’s that to talk about!
“I’ve heard from Grandfather just now, that Uncle will be granted the Baronet title during the Spring Conference. Congratulations!”
“Thank you. It’s an Honourary Baronet, so Mayuna won’t be able to succeed me though.”
That reminds me, where is Mayuna, I wonder? I’ve not heard her crying voice since a while ago.
“Ah, Mayuna is sleeping. Thanks to the toy that Sir Felspar had bought, she was in a good mood from the beginning, but she fell asleep after getting tired from laughing. She’s not being a handful, so, it’s nice.”
Yes! I’ve been waiting for that name to come up.
“Has Sir Felspar come here? I believe he’s not coming back to the Duchy Capital for a while--”
“He said that he came here alone from the Bornean Forest for business at the Scroll Workshop. He then went to the castle, apparently to deliver a letter to the chefs from Lulu.”
The chefs at the castle! Then, we’ve passed each other, haven’t we?
I quickly said goodbye to uncle Toruma and Hayuna.
***
“I-If it isn’t, Sera. What would be your business in this place, where lower-class people work?”
A lot of people are busy working in the castle’s kitchen, which I have visited for the first time. The maid who had guided me called the person in charge of the kitchen--but Tek isn’t here.
“Ahh, Chevalier should be going downtown. ‘e said something about buyin’ spices for that girl.”
This time it’s the downtown? Jeez, Tek is mean!
In the end, I wasn’t able to meet Tek, even though I went to the downtown. I couldn’t practice during the day, and got scolded many times by the Head Priestess.
***
“Sera, you see.”
“Sera, masita was here.”
“Hey! You guys call Priestess Sera, ‘Priestess Sera’.”
Two little Sea Lion Children started talking to me when I was chatting with the cooks after the Food Distribution was over. The Official of the Goddess Forina, was the one who scolded the children for not calling me by my title.
“What is masita?”
I kneel, matching my line of sight with the childrens’. I’m imitating Tek--it seems that it’s easier to talk with the children, if I do this. I feel that the distance between me and the children at the orphanage, on Consolation Visits, decreased after I did this.
“Umm, ummm.”
“Masita is, Nana’s masita.”
The Nana that I know is Tek’s attendant. Come to think of it, didn’t Nana call Tek her master? Moreover, I remember that Nana often carried these children in her arms.
“Have you perhaps seen Tek?”
“Tek?”
“What I saw was Nana’s masita.”
I’m going to follow the children for the chance. The Official of the Goddess Forina didn’t look happy, but she ended up granting permission when I agreed to allow some guards to follow me.
The children lead me by hand to a street that has very few people.
“Sera, masita was here.”
“Hey, masita is?”
The children point to an elderly woman, who’s tidying up goods that look like pickles.
“Priestess, what are these children doing?” The perplexed woman asked me.
I apologize to her, and ask about Tek.
“A 15 year old, interesting-looking black-haired man, wearing a refined robe, and in a young noble? Is he Priestess’s lover?”
“I-It’s not like that! Tek is my friend.” I feel my cheeks heating up.
“Oh, his name is Tek? I hear that he left the Duchy Capital with the very first ship in the morning.” The old woman seems sad when she says this.
“Masita, not here?” One of the Sea Lion children asked with a sad look.
“Tek doesn’t seem to be here.” I reach out and gently stroke the child’s hair.
- No way--that’s cruel, Tek. It won’t hurt you to show up for a bit.
Thanking the woman, and saying goodbye to the children, and giving them a couple of copper coins each--I went back to the temple.
***
It’s 10 days after this, that I meet Tek…or so I thought--
‘Today, light hill, your Chevalier.’
I was given a letter that read this during food distribution, I couldn’t see the other party’s face, but is this really from Tek?
Light Hill is a hill at the edge of the downtown, with a beautiful reflection of the stars on the great river. It’s famous for being a place for trysts between lovers.
I can’t go to such a place as a priestess--but, it’s fine if I go just to meet him, right?
The Priest has asked the guards to go with me.
However, the one who waits on the hill is not Tek.
“Hmm? As expected of the Princess of the Archduke to bring along guards on her secret date.” When the boy with white hair pulls out his sword, the guards quickly make a wall in front of me. These are Grandfather’s private soldiers, that always guard me from the distance. Due to my kidnapping incident during the attack on the Duchy Capital back then, they’ve been almost constantly been protecting me from ruffians.
“Ahahaha, with so few small fries, you can’t stop me, you know?”
“I’ve been in the Imperial Guard since I was a youth. You brat, you won’t be able to match me.”
Silver flashes glitter, and I can hear the sounds of swords clashing.
A few seconds after it began, all of my guards have fallen to the ground. The remaining, dumbfounded guard grab me and try to run, but the white-haired boy cuts them down in the blink of an eye.
“I need to take you as a hostage, to lure someone out. I will cut off your hands and feet if you resist, so, be obedient okay?” He slowly approaches while shouldering his bloodstained sword.
He looks like a Weaselman who’s torturing prey.
“What are you doing in someone’s garden?”
Tek?
I wonder why, I mistook him for Tek for an instant, even though the person’s voice and height were different. That person who’s wearing black clothes is about three fists taller than Tek, and his voice is different.
He’s holding a beautiful sword that scatters blue light in the middle of the night, overwhelming the white-haired boy.
Is that a Holy Sword?
But, his physique is much too different from the Hero. Is he, Sine Nomine, who has saved the Duchy Capital alongside the Hero?
After exchanging a few blows, the white-haired boy took some distance. He’s probably going to run. I thought, but--
“O Long Horn, feed my hatred with the violent power!” He was going to push the long horn that he’d taken from a pouch on his belt--but a person with purple hair confiscated it.
Where did this purple-haired person come from?
“Give it back.”
The boy with white hair attacks the person with purple hair, but the person casually evades his attacks, and knocks the boy with white hair down with a single fist, like he doesn’t want to hurt him.
The people who guard me aren’t weak soldiers. To easily overpower the one who slaughtered those guards with a simple movement, he must not be an ordinary person.
“What’s wrong, Sine Nomine? Weren’t you going to just look from behind?”
“This guy took out something dangerous, I had to stop him before he could use it.”
The purple-haired person seems to be Sine Nomine, why is his voice so stuffy?
Sine Nomine produces a rope out of nowhere, which moves by itself and ties the boy up.
With the wave of Sine Nomine’s hand, the wounds on the dying soldiers disappear.
Is that chantless Magic?
‘Well then, Priestess Sera. I will excuse myself. Please send my regards to the Head Priestess. The Duchy Capital’s sentries are coming soon, but don’t approach the white-haired boy.’ He says, before the two of them disappear.
Thanks to this miraculous encounter, it seems that my life has been saved.
However, I wonder why Sine Nomine knows my name?
