When I opened my eyes again, what I saw was an unfamiliar ceiling.
It seemed that Count Ganeth had given us a room.
'Even a wet towel on the forehead.'
It was when I was scratching my cheek in vain, feeling like I had caused a great nuisance, that I was struggling to get up.
“Ah! You’re awake?”
The maid who had just entered the room asked with a smile.
She was a young girl who looked to be in her mid-teens, and she was holding a basin full of water in her hands.
“How are you feeling? If you still feel unwell, should I call a doctor?”
“No, I’m fine. My head feels a little heavy, but not enough to show to the doctor.”
“Oh, thank goodness! The doctor said it was because you were just tired. He said you’d be fine if you got some rest.”
“I see. But is this something you did for me?”
When I asked, lifting the towel that was on my forehead, the maid smiled brightly and nodded.
“I thought it might help since you seem to have a slight fever.”
That smile felt so pure that a smile spread across my face as well.
“Oh! You missed dinner time and are hungry? Should I bring you something to eat?”
“I’m okay. I’m not particularly hungry. But how long have I been lying down?”
“Um... about four hours.”
Four hours.
When we arrived at the mansion it was around 7pm, which meant it was almost midnight now.
“Then everyone must be asleep already.”
As I muttered to myself, the maid suddenly shook her head.
“No. His Highness the Crown Prince and the Marquis are in the reception room on the second floor. There is another person with them.”
“Isn’t everyone asleep yet?”
“Yes. They asked me to call them when the Saintess wakes up. If you're okay, should I go and get them now?”
“Oh, would you mind? I have something to talk about for tomorrow.”
Actually, the purpose was to ask if Netanya's whereabouts had been found, but since it wasn't something to be talked about openly, I just gave a vague answer.
“Yes. I’ll be right back!”
The maid left the room with a bright smile and returned a few minutes later with the Crown Prince, the Marquis, and Chihara.
“Then I’ll take my leave now, so let’s talk. If you need anything, please call me.”
"Thank you."
As the girl, whose cheeks flushed at my greeting, left the room, the Crown Prince approached me as if he had been waiting for me.
“How are you feeling?”
“It’s not bad. The doctor said it was just because of fatigue. I guess the constant riding in the carriage was taking its toll on my body.”
Actually, I haven't felt particularly tired lately, but I guess that's what happens when you're a member of the National Assembly.
But the Marquis shook his head.
“It’s not fatigue that makes you lose consciousness. It’s Netanya’s influence.”
“Huh? What does that mean?”
Netanya is the reason I fell.
When I made a puzzled expression at the reason that I couldn't understand for the time being, the Marquis asked in a dark voice.
“Do you think it might happen?”
“Yes? Oh, of course.”
I got straight out of bed to prove that my body was fine.
The Marquis nodded as if to say that it was okay.
“Then come with me for a moment. There is something you must see.”
What on earth is that thing that I have to see?
Looking at that dark expression, it didn't seem like it was a good thing.
'I wonder if something happened to Netanya.'
Seeing that not only the Marquis, but also the Crown Prince and Chihara had a bad expression on their faces, it seemed like something serious was going on.
I followed the three men in a hurry and soon looked around and asked.
“But is it okay to just wander around like this? It’s someone else’s mansion.”
“Don’t worry. Our bodies are made transparent. We will be invisible to human eyes.”
“Well, that’s fortunate, but...”
Even with the compliments, I still couldn't put my mind at ease.
How deep into your inner self do you have to go to make it transparent?
I tried to suppress the increasingly overwhelming sense of foreboding in my chest as I hurried my steps and soon arrived at my destination.
“So there’s Netanya here?”
“Yes.”
At the Crown Prince's answer, I stared blankly at the door in front of me.
'The attic on the top floor? I thought it was used as a decoration in the Count's residence, but it was just thrown in the storage room?'
I tilted my head and then opened the door.
At that moment, a gust of refreshing air hit my nose.
“Phew. What is this? Is it dust?”
I waved my hands to circulate the air, then tilted my head again.
“The room is old, but it seems to be cleaned well...”
Oh, now that I think about it, the air I felt before I collapsed was just this level of turbidity.
'Is this also Netanya's influence?'
As I came to my senses and looked around hurriedly, I found a familiar face on a bed in a corner.
“Huh? Delton.”
Since I couldn't see him at all, I wondered where he was sleeping, but it seemed he had sneaked in here beforehand.
I took a few steps forward happily, but then I stopped when I noticed a white-haired woman lying next to Delton.
'No, is it platinum blonde?'
It was so fluffy and tangled that it didn't feel like it had any nutritional value at all, so it looked like white hair, but at first glance, it seemed to have a faint golden sheen.
“Surely that woman...”
“Yes. That’s right, Netanya.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
I shook my head reflexively.
The bedding on the old wooden bed was full of signs of wear and tear, the face was hollow and lifeless, and even the hair was a difficult color to discern.
Moreover, her eyes were fixed on the ceiling without any sense of reason, so it would not have been strange if she had been a sick person waiting for the day of her death.
That woman is one of the great archangels and relics of the Goddess.
As I was losing my mind, the Marquis opened his mouth.
“How is it?”
It was a question asked to Delton, who was guarding the woman's bedside.
Delton shook his head heavily.
“She's not in a state to speak. She's completely out of her mind.”
“What on earth happened to make it like this...”
Bayen let out a deep sigh as Chihara wiped his face with a shocked expression.
“We should find out about that now. I know it’s rude to mess with the Archangel’s memories, but...”
Tsk, Bayen, who had been clicking his tongue, looked at Netanya.
The dark, sunken olive eyes seemed to deepen, and then his mind began to fill with unfamiliar memories.
It has been hundreds of years since she was reconciled with the birth of the goddess and became a holy relic with an important mission.
During those long years, Netanya remained an ordinary stone in the field.
Although her abilities were limited and her humanization was not prevented, Netanya chose to remain a stone.
'Even if I live as a human, I'll just end up with a relationship that's like a bubble.'
Humans were lovable, but so fragile.
Even minor illnesses often led to poor health, and countless people lost their lives in meaningless accidents.
Although her abilities allowed her to cure illnesses and prevent disasters, the human lifespan was so short that they would often pass away before living for even a hundred years.
Every time that happened, Netanya had to be left alone to endure the sadness.
It was like that then, but what about now that she can no longer exert her power in the inheritance?
Even if she built a relationship with a human, in the end, it was only Netanya who ended up having a hard time.
So this time, she just planned to quietly fulfill her responsibilities as a sacred relic.
It was 12 years ago that she was touched by a human.
A slaughter began to unfold slowly in the fields where Netanya had taken root.
While the empire was distracted by the various disasters that suddenly occurred, they sent out spies to see if the barbarians along the northern border could seize even a small piece of land in the corner of the empire.
But those few soldiers never entered the village even once.
Because they kept getting cut down by the sword of that brown-haired man.
The man's name is Deron Garnes.
Although he was an ordinary nobleman from the northern border, his swordsmanship was anything but ordinary.
The movement of cutting off the enemy's head with one blow was so elegant that it seemed to be comparable to that of Danos, the Guardian Sword of the Goddess.
But despite his excellent swordsmanship and handsome appearance, Netanya did not like men.
The sight of humans killing humans and shedding blood was truly horrifying.
Of course, the man only stopped the invaders, but in the end, he was the one who killed them, so she couldn't help but think that he was a murderer.
It was one rainy day that Netanya began to see men differently.
It seemed that Count Ganeth had given us a room.
'Even a wet towel on the forehead.'
It was when I was scratching my cheek in vain, feeling like I had caused a great nuisance, that I was struggling to get up.
“Ah! You’re awake?”
The maid who had just entered the room asked with a smile.
She was a young girl who looked to be in her mid-teens, and she was holding a basin full of water in her hands.
“How are you feeling? If you still feel unwell, should I call a doctor?”
“No, I’m fine. My head feels a little heavy, but not enough to show to the doctor.”
“Oh, thank goodness! The doctor said it was because you were just tired. He said you’d be fine if you got some rest.”
“I see. But is this something you did for me?”
When I asked, lifting the towel that was on my forehead, the maid smiled brightly and nodded.
“I thought it might help since you seem to have a slight fever.”
That smile felt so pure that a smile spread across my face as well.
“Oh! You missed dinner time and are hungry? Should I bring you something to eat?”
“I’m okay. I’m not particularly hungry. But how long have I been lying down?”
“Um... about four hours.”
Four hours.
When we arrived at the mansion it was around 7pm, which meant it was almost midnight now.
“Then everyone must be asleep already.”
As I muttered to myself, the maid suddenly shook her head.
“No. His Highness the Crown Prince and the Marquis are in the reception room on the second floor. There is another person with them.”
“Isn’t everyone asleep yet?”
“Yes. They asked me to call them when the Saintess wakes up. If you're okay, should I go and get them now?”
“Oh, would you mind? I have something to talk about for tomorrow.”
Actually, the purpose was to ask if Netanya's whereabouts had been found, but since it wasn't something to be talked about openly, I just gave a vague answer.
“Yes. I’ll be right back!”
The maid left the room with a bright smile and returned a few minutes later with the Crown Prince, the Marquis, and Chihara.
“Then I’ll take my leave now, so let’s talk. If you need anything, please call me.”
"Thank you."
As the girl, whose cheeks flushed at my greeting, left the room, the Crown Prince approached me as if he had been waiting for me.
“How are you feeling?”
“It’s not bad. The doctor said it was just because of fatigue. I guess the constant riding in the carriage was taking its toll on my body.”
Actually, I haven't felt particularly tired lately, but I guess that's what happens when you're a member of the National Assembly.
But the Marquis shook his head.
“It’s not fatigue that makes you lose consciousness. It’s Netanya’s influence.”
“Huh? What does that mean?”
Netanya is the reason I fell.
When I made a puzzled expression at the reason that I couldn't understand for the time being, the Marquis asked in a dark voice.
“Do you think it might happen?”
“Yes? Oh, of course.”
I got straight out of bed to prove that my body was fine.
The Marquis nodded as if to say that it was okay.
“Then come with me for a moment. There is something you must see.”
What on earth is that thing that I have to see?
Looking at that dark expression, it didn't seem like it was a good thing.
'I wonder if something happened to Netanya.'
Seeing that not only the Marquis, but also the Crown Prince and Chihara had a bad expression on their faces, it seemed like something serious was going on.
I followed the three men in a hurry and soon looked around and asked.
“But is it okay to just wander around like this? It’s someone else’s mansion.”
“Don’t worry. Our bodies are made transparent. We will be invisible to human eyes.”
“Well, that’s fortunate, but...”
Even with the compliments, I still couldn't put my mind at ease.
How deep into your inner self do you have to go to make it transparent?
I tried to suppress the increasingly overwhelming sense of foreboding in my chest as I hurried my steps and soon arrived at my destination.
“So there’s Netanya here?”
“Yes.”
At the Crown Prince's answer, I stared blankly at the door in front of me.
'The attic on the top floor? I thought it was used as a decoration in the Count's residence, but it was just thrown in the storage room?'
I tilted my head and then opened the door.
At that moment, a gust of refreshing air hit my nose.
“Phew. What is this? Is it dust?”
I waved my hands to circulate the air, then tilted my head again.
“The room is old, but it seems to be cleaned well...”
Oh, now that I think about it, the air I felt before I collapsed was just this level of turbidity.
'Is this also Netanya's influence?'
As I came to my senses and looked around hurriedly, I found a familiar face on a bed in a corner.
“Huh? Delton.”
Since I couldn't see him at all, I wondered where he was sleeping, but it seemed he had sneaked in here beforehand.
I took a few steps forward happily, but then I stopped when I noticed a white-haired woman lying next to Delton.
'No, is it platinum blonde?'
It was so fluffy and tangled that it didn't feel like it had any nutritional value at all, so it looked like white hair, but at first glance, it seemed to have a faint golden sheen.
“Surely that woman...”
“Yes. That’s right, Netanya.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
I shook my head reflexively.
The bedding on the old wooden bed was full of signs of wear and tear, the face was hollow and lifeless, and even the hair was a difficult color to discern.
Moreover, her eyes were fixed on the ceiling without any sense of reason, so it would not have been strange if she had been a sick person waiting for the day of her death.
That woman is one of the great archangels and relics of the Goddess.
As I was losing my mind, the Marquis opened his mouth.
“How is it?”
It was a question asked to Delton, who was guarding the woman's bedside.
Delton shook his head heavily.
“She's not in a state to speak. She's completely out of her mind.”
“What on earth happened to make it like this...”
Bayen let out a deep sigh as Chihara wiped his face with a shocked expression.
“We should find out about that now. I know it’s rude to mess with the Archangel’s memories, but...”
Tsk, Bayen, who had been clicking his tongue, looked at Netanya.
The dark, sunken olive eyes seemed to deepen, and then his mind began to fill with unfamiliar memories.
***
It has been hundreds of years since she was reconciled with the birth of the goddess and became a holy relic with an important mission.
During those long years, Netanya remained an ordinary stone in the field.
Although her abilities were limited and her humanization was not prevented, Netanya chose to remain a stone.
'Even if I live as a human, I'll just end up with a relationship that's like a bubble.'
Humans were lovable, but so fragile.
Even minor illnesses often led to poor health, and countless people lost their lives in meaningless accidents.
Although her abilities allowed her to cure illnesses and prevent disasters, the human lifespan was so short that they would often pass away before living for even a hundred years.
Every time that happened, Netanya had to be left alone to endure the sadness.
It was like that then, but what about now that she can no longer exert her power in the inheritance?
Even if she built a relationship with a human, in the end, it was only Netanya who ended up having a hard time.
So this time, she just planned to quietly fulfill her responsibilities as a sacred relic.
It was 12 years ago that she was touched by a human.
A slaughter began to unfold slowly in the fields where Netanya had taken root.
While the empire was distracted by the various disasters that suddenly occurred, they sent out spies to see if the barbarians along the northern border could seize even a small piece of land in the corner of the empire.
But those few soldiers never entered the village even once.
Because they kept getting cut down by the sword of that brown-haired man.
The man's name is Deron Garnes.
Although he was an ordinary nobleman from the northern border, his swordsmanship was anything but ordinary.
The movement of cutting off the enemy's head with one blow was so elegant that it seemed to be comparable to that of Danos, the Guardian Sword of the Goddess.
But despite his excellent swordsmanship and handsome appearance, Netanya did not like men.
The sight of humans killing humans and shedding blood was truly horrifying.
Of course, the man only stopped the invaders, but in the end, he was the one who killed them, so she couldn't help but think that he was a murderer.
It was one rainy day that Netanya began to see men differently.
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