Netanya, who was about to get into the carriage after me, stopped and said.
“What’s wrong, Netanya? Did you forget something?”
“Yeah, I forgot something I should never forget.”
What is that?
As I tilted my head, Netanya looked at me and said:
“Can you allow me to release my power for a moment?”
It was an unexpected request.
Why do you need strength when everything is already in order?
I was curious, but there was no reason to stop her, so I readily accepted her request.
“Yes, then.”
Netanya's complexion brightened significantly.
She immediately turned around and headed back to the front door.
Countess Ganeth, who was still standing in the same spot to see us off, hesitated and stepped back when she saw Netanya approaching her.
Even though she knew nothing about it, she had reason to be terrified that her husband had murdered Netanya's child.
But Netanya's target was not Countess Ganeth.
That's when she stopped walking.
“Me...?”
The maid, who still had a childish air, looked up at Netanya with wide eyes.
'That kid...'
It was that kid.
The maid who nursed me when I collapsed on the first day I arrived at Count Ganeth's residence.
The maid was the only one to take care of Netanya, who had lost her husband and child and was confined to the attic due to self-blame and loss of reason.
Looking at the maid, Netanya asked in an affectionate voice.
“What is your name?”
“Lee, this is Lisle Howden, Lady Netanya.”
The maid, who had been looking at Netanya with a bewildered expression, hurriedly lowered her eyes and answered politely.
A faint smile appeared on Netanya's lips.
“Yes, Lisle. I know you took care of me while I was out of my mind. You looked after me so well after I lost my husband and child and went crazy. You must have known full well that there was nothing to be gained by doing so.”
“Well, I just prepared meals and cleaned up. It wasn’t like I did anything special...”
“No. Helping others without any reward is not something that just anyone can do. It is something that only someone with a good heart like yours can do. So you deserve to be praised. Thank you very much, Lisle.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Lady Netanya.”
The maid bowed her head deeply, seemingly at a loss at the unexpected compliment.
Netanya smiled brightly at her and kissed the maid's round forehead deeply.
“I swear by the name of Netanya, the servant of the great Hethel, that no evil will harm you while you live, and that all the blessings of the world will be with you. This covenant shall be valid until the end of Lisle Howden’s life, and your descendants will also receive my blessings from generation to generation.”
It was Netanya's solemn pledge to the benefactor who had looked after her during her most miserable times.
The maid's eyes widened at that, and those around her stirred.
“Didn’t you just say ‘subject to Hethel’? What does that mean?”
“Surely that woman...”
They belatedly guessed Netanya's identity and glanced at her with fearful eyes.
But that was only for a moment, as soon as she met Netanya's eyes, she lowered her head again as if nothing had happened.
Due to Netanya's power, all memories were lost.
Now, the only one who remembered her oath was Lisle, aside from us.
“Always remember, Lisle. You will always have me, Netanya, and the protection of the great Hethel by your side.”
Finally, Netanya smiled softly at Lisle and turned away gracefully.
Eventually, she got into the carriage, and even as the carriage left Count Ganeth's residence, Lisle stood there, transfixed.
'Oh my, I'm so frustrated.'
I sighed as I looked into the crowded interior of the carriage.
The number of people in the carriage, which started out as just the Crown Prince, me, and Bayen, has now increased to five.
'It's a good thing the carriage is big. If it were a regular carriage, one person would have had to sit in the coachman's seat.'
It was fortunate that we had chosen a large carriage in case Delton ever appeared in his true form.
It had been a while since we left, and I opened my mouth to break the silence as I habitually stroked Delton's belly, who was lying soundly asleep on my lap.
“Now that I think about it, this is the last trip. Who is the holy person you are going to bring this time?”
Bayen, who had been quietly staring out the window, turned his gaze towards me.
“Danos.”
“Danos?”
“Yes, it is a sword that protects the goddess with great power.”
“Oh.”
The sword of the goddess.
It seems to be a position similar to that of Commander of the Knights Templar in the Empire.
'Is this an image similar to our Rex?'
A loyal knight commander who would do anything for the Duke's residence, who silently guarded the Duke's residence without a lord to serve or even a salary, and who is still guarding it today.
I smiled faintly as I recalled that familiar face.
“I don’t think there’s any need to worry about persuading someone like that. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for the sake of the goddess.”
Just like our Sir Rex.
But Bayen's subsequent words firmly denied my conviction.
“Well, I guess it won’t be that easy.”
“Yes? Why?”
Didn't you clearly say that it was a sword that protected the goddess?
There is no way that such a person would not join the journey to save the goddess.
The Marquis let out a short sigh at my expression which clearly revealed my absurd feelings.
“Yes, he is definitely the loyal sword of the goddess. He is the one who will do anything the goddess commands as if it were his life. Even if it is an unreasonable thing, he will gladly do it.”
“But why...”
“But that obedience is only shown in front of the goddess. He is so proud of himself that he will not listen to anyone other than the goddess. Especially if that person is a human.”
“But I am a Saintess appointed by the Goddess. And this is to save the Goddess...”
“That guy doesn’t get that.”
Chihara, who had been quietly listening to our conversation, joined in.
“Danos admires the strong and detests the weak. He is a man who clearly understands the hierarchy of power and the hierarchy that comes from it, so he will never follow the leadership of someone weaker than himself. Even if that person is a Saintess appointed by Hethel.”
“No, it’s not like that...”
I frowned at the more difficult type than I thought and asked in frustration.
“Then what should I do? How should I persuade him...”
“There is only one way to borrow Danos’ power: you must win a duel with him.”
“Huh? A duel?”
Still, I was vaguely convinced that there was a way to solve everything, but I was shocked by the answer coming out of Netanya's mouth.
“So you want me to fight him? Physically? With the Archangel, the Sword of the Goddess?”
Huh, what the heck is this nonsense.
How can I win a fight against an archangel when he can cut off a human knight's head with a single stroke of the sword?
I couldn't help but feel astonished, but what happened next was even more astonishing.
“Yes, there is only one way. In that situation, you may get injured or even lose your life. Of course, since you are a Saintess appointed by the goddess, he won’t go as far as killing you...”
Sigh.
It's such a comfort.
As I was rubbing my throbbing forehead, the Crown Prince, who had been silently listening to the conversation, spoke for the first time.
“I will do it.”
“...Your Highness, are you crazy?”
I looked at him with a bewildered expression.
There is nothing special about coming out, why can't you tell the difference between heaven and earth?
“No matter how excellent Your Highness is as a swordsman, how can you possibly defeat the sword of the goddess?”
The Crown Prince stared at me blankly.
“But I can’t send you away when you can’t even hold a sword properly.”
For a moment, I was speechless and just gaped with a dumbfounded expression. After a while, I came to my senses and refuted him.
“Didn’t you hear what the Marquis said a little while ago? I’m a Saintess, so he wouldn’t go so far as to kill me. But Your Highness...!”
“You seem to have forgotten, Shayne.”
The Crown Prince cut me off with a firm voice.
“You are not the only one who has received the prophecy. I am also a Saint appointed by the goddess.”
Oh, that's right.
Now that I think about it, the Crown Prince also had the same dream as me.
That means he also meets the basic qualifications to fight Danos.
'Why did I think I was the only Saint until now?'
I was momentarily taken aback by the belated realization, but then I hurriedly met the Crown Prince's gaze.
“No.”
I know that he is worthy of being the Crown Prince.
I also know that it would be better for him to step forward than for me, who has never received any training, let alone any talent for swordsmanship.
'But...'
I didn't want to let him go.
I didn't want to expose the Crown Prince to danger.
I opened my mouth with a determined expression.
“Your Highness is a man. If men clash swords with each other, they might get a sense of superiority, and if they do, they might accidentally kill someone even if they didn’t intend to. But I’m a woman, so rather than Your Highness...”
Although I was rambling without any order, my intention of not wanting to send him away was sincere.
But he only retorted in a soft voice.
“Shayne, our purpose in dueling the relics is not to avoid death. It is to win.”
A voice filled with the determination to participate in this duel at any cost.
The face of one prepared to die.
Why do I feel like the ground beneath my feet is giving out when I look at that sight?
I still can't figure out why.
“What’s wrong, Netanya? Did you forget something?”
“Yeah, I forgot something I should never forget.”
What is that?
As I tilted my head, Netanya looked at me and said:
“Can you allow me to release my power for a moment?”
It was an unexpected request.
Why do you need strength when everything is already in order?
I was curious, but there was no reason to stop her, so I readily accepted her request.
“Yes, then.”
Netanya's complexion brightened significantly.
She immediately turned around and headed back to the front door.
Countess Ganeth, who was still standing in the same spot to see us off, hesitated and stepped back when she saw Netanya approaching her.
Even though she knew nothing about it, she had reason to be terrified that her husband had murdered Netanya's child.
But Netanya's target was not Countess Ganeth.
That's when she stopped walking.
“Me...?”
The maid, who still had a childish air, looked up at Netanya with wide eyes.
'That kid...'
It was that kid.
The maid who nursed me when I collapsed on the first day I arrived at Count Ganeth's residence.
The maid was the only one to take care of Netanya, who had lost her husband and child and was confined to the attic due to self-blame and loss of reason.
Looking at the maid, Netanya asked in an affectionate voice.
“What is your name?”
“Lee, this is Lisle Howden, Lady Netanya.”
The maid, who had been looking at Netanya with a bewildered expression, hurriedly lowered her eyes and answered politely.
A faint smile appeared on Netanya's lips.
“Yes, Lisle. I know you took care of me while I was out of my mind. You looked after me so well after I lost my husband and child and went crazy. You must have known full well that there was nothing to be gained by doing so.”
“Well, I just prepared meals and cleaned up. It wasn’t like I did anything special...”
“No. Helping others without any reward is not something that just anyone can do. It is something that only someone with a good heart like yours can do. So you deserve to be praised. Thank you very much, Lisle.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Lady Netanya.”
The maid bowed her head deeply, seemingly at a loss at the unexpected compliment.
Netanya smiled brightly at her and kissed the maid's round forehead deeply.
“I swear by the name of Netanya, the servant of the great Hethel, that no evil will harm you while you live, and that all the blessings of the world will be with you. This covenant shall be valid until the end of Lisle Howden’s life, and your descendants will also receive my blessings from generation to generation.”
It was Netanya's solemn pledge to the benefactor who had looked after her during her most miserable times.
The maid's eyes widened at that, and those around her stirred.
“Didn’t you just say ‘subject to Hethel’? What does that mean?”
“Surely that woman...”
They belatedly guessed Netanya's identity and glanced at her with fearful eyes.
But that was only for a moment, as soon as she met Netanya's eyes, she lowered her head again as if nothing had happened.
Due to Netanya's power, all memories were lost.
Now, the only one who remembered her oath was Lisle, aside from us.
“Always remember, Lisle. You will always have me, Netanya, and the protection of the great Hethel by your side.”
Finally, Netanya smiled softly at Lisle and turned away gracefully.
Eventually, she got into the carriage, and even as the carriage left Count Ganeth's residence, Lisle stood there, transfixed.
***
'Oh my, I'm so frustrated.'
I sighed as I looked into the crowded interior of the carriage.
The number of people in the carriage, which started out as just the Crown Prince, me, and Bayen, has now increased to five.
'It's a good thing the carriage is big. If it were a regular carriage, one person would have had to sit in the coachman's seat.'
It was fortunate that we had chosen a large carriage in case Delton ever appeared in his true form.
It had been a while since we left, and I opened my mouth to break the silence as I habitually stroked Delton's belly, who was lying soundly asleep on my lap.
“Now that I think about it, this is the last trip. Who is the holy person you are going to bring this time?”
Bayen, who had been quietly staring out the window, turned his gaze towards me.
“Danos.”
“Danos?”
“Yes, it is a sword that protects the goddess with great power.”
“Oh.”
The sword of the goddess.
It seems to be a position similar to that of Commander of the Knights Templar in the Empire.
'Is this an image similar to our Rex?'
A loyal knight commander who would do anything for the Duke's residence, who silently guarded the Duke's residence without a lord to serve or even a salary, and who is still guarding it today.
I smiled faintly as I recalled that familiar face.
“I don’t think there’s any need to worry about persuading someone like that. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for the sake of the goddess.”
Just like our Sir Rex.
But Bayen's subsequent words firmly denied my conviction.
“Well, I guess it won’t be that easy.”
“Yes? Why?”
Didn't you clearly say that it was a sword that protected the goddess?
There is no way that such a person would not join the journey to save the goddess.
The Marquis let out a short sigh at my expression which clearly revealed my absurd feelings.
“Yes, he is definitely the loyal sword of the goddess. He is the one who will do anything the goddess commands as if it were his life. Even if it is an unreasonable thing, he will gladly do it.”
“But why...”
“But that obedience is only shown in front of the goddess. He is so proud of himself that he will not listen to anyone other than the goddess. Especially if that person is a human.”
“But I am a Saintess appointed by the Goddess. And this is to save the Goddess...”
“That guy doesn’t get that.”
Chihara, who had been quietly listening to our conversation, joined in.
“Danos admires the strong and detests the weak. He is a man who clearly understands the hierarchy of power and the hierarchy that comes from it, so he will never follow the leadership of someone weaker than himself. Even if that person is a Saintess appointed by Hethel.”
“No, it’s not like that...”
I frowned at the more difficult type than I thought and asked in frustration.
“Then what should I do? How should I persuade him...”
“There is only one way to borrow Danos’ power: you must win a duel with him.”
“Huh? A duel?”
Still, I was vaguely convinced that there was a way to solve everything, but I was shocked by the answer coming out of Netanya's mouth.
“So you want me to fight him? Physically? With the Archangel, the Sword of the Goddess?”
Huh, what the heck is this nonsense.
How can I win a fight against an archangel when he can cut off a human knight's head with a single stroke of the sword?
I couldn't help but feel astonished, but what happened next was even more astonishing.
“Yes, there is only one way. In that situation, you may get injured or even lose your life. Of course, since you are a Saintess appointed by the goddess, he won’t go as far as killing you...”
Sigh.
It's such a comfort.
As I was rubbing my throbbing forehead, the Crown Prince, who had been silently listening to the conversation, spoke for the first time.
“I will do it.”
“...Your Highness, are you crazy?”
I looked at him with a bewildered expression.
There is nothing special about coming out, why can't you tell the difference between heaven and earth?
“No matter how excellent Your Highness is as a swordsman, how can you possibly defeat the sword of the goddess?”
The Crown Prince stared at me blankly.
“But I can’t send you away when you can’t even hold a sword properly.”
For a moment, I was speechless and just gaped with a dumbfounded expression. After a while, I came to my senses and refuted him.
“Didn’t you hear what the Marquis said a little while ago? I’m a Saintess, so he wouldn’t go so far as to kill me. But Your Highness...!”
“You seem to have forgotten, Shayne.”
The Crown Prince cut me off with a firm voice.
“You are not the only one who has received the prophecy. I am also a Saint appointed by the goddess.”
Oh, that's right.
Now that I think about it, the Crown Prince also had the same dream as me.
That means he also meets the basic qualifications to fight Danos.
'Why did I think I was the only Saint until now?'
I was momentarily taken aback by the belated realization, but then I hurriedly met the Crown Prince's gaze.
“No.”
I know that he is worthy of being the Crown Prince.
I also know that it would be better for him to step forward than for me, who has never received any training, let alone any talent for swordsmanship.
'But...'
I didn't want to let him go.
I didn't want to expose the Crown Prince to danger.
I opened my mouth with a determined expression.
“Your Highness is a man. If men clash swords with each other, they might get a sense of superiority, and if they do, they might accidentally kill someone even if they didn’t intend to. But I’m a woman, so rather than Your Highness...”
Although I was rambling without any order, my intention of not wanting to send him away was sincere.
But he only retorted in a soft voice.
“Shayne, our purpose in dueling the relics is not to avoid death. It is to win.”
A voice filled with the determination to participate in this duel at any cost.
The face of one prepared to die.
Why do I feel like the ground beneath my feet is giving out when I look at that sight?
I still can't figure out why.
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