"
After finishing his usual round of scolding, the High Priest said this and swept his cape aside with a flourish. He touched his right gauntlet and summoned the white lion-like creature.
Matching the High Priest's movements, the knights rose to their feet and each brought out the animal they would ride.
"Come."
I walked toward the High Priest, who was extending his hand, trying to look elegant, and reached out my own. He lifted me up onto the creature, and this time I grabbed the reins from the start so I wouldn't lose my balance.
With a light leap, the High Priest mounted behind me and raised one hand.
"Let's go!"
The moment the High Priest gripped the reins, the white lion-like creature that had looked like a carving came to life. Spreading its great wings wide, it soared up into the sky. It ran gracefully over the treetops, heading toward the area where the giant Trombe had rampaged.
Since the Trombe that had grown by draining my blood hadn't absorbed much mana from the surrounding land, the healing ritual to replenish the mana wasn't necessary for that part. However, the giant Trombe had left behind a massive crater, and without replenishing the mana, not even grass would grow there.
"I feel I've done you a great wrong."
While we were airborne, there was no risk of anyone overhearing, so the High Priest's low voice reached me from behind in almost a whisper. I wanted to turn around, but I was too afraid of losing my balance up in the sky, so I just tilted my head slightly while facing forward.
"I never intended to injure you, nor did I mean to expose you to that kind of malice. And it was certainly not supposed to come to a point where you'd need to be forcibly stabilized with medicine just to perform the ritual. I never even considered that the knights would defy my orders. This was entirely my failing."
Regret and frustration seeped through the High Priest's voice. For him, the guards he had assigned to ensure everything went smoothly had ended up causing complete chaos, and he seemed to regret assigning them in the first place.
But the guards going out of control, the malicious rumors spreading, my own frail constitution, and my tendency to burn through my own mana—none of those were things the High Priest needed to take responsibility for.
"This isn't your responsibility, you know?"
"No. Anything involving you is my responsibility."
The High Priest said it flatly. Since the temple couldn't function without making proper use of a commoner like me, he argued, it was his job as my superior to ensure I was used effectively.
The High Priest was the type who, being just competent enough, couldn't bring himself to delegate and ended up piling all the work onto himself.
"Myne, is the medicine working?"
"Yes."
"Good. I'm fully aware that the ritual places a burden on your body. But I need to make the knights recognize that you have a role to play as an apprentice Blue Priestess."
The High Priest had shielded me, declaring that I was not merely a commoner but an apprentice Blue Priestess. I had to demonstrate work worthy of that position.
"Show them. Make it clear that I've taken you under my protection and that you're worthy of wearing the blue robes. Prove to them that you're essential to the temple, essential to the knights who guard this land. ...Once the knights acknowledge your necessity, that in itself becomes a force that protects you."
"Yes. ...But it's nerve-wracking. This is my first time—I'm really worried about whether I can pull it off."
I knew what I had to do, but I couldn't help feeling anxious about whether I was truly capable. I had never performed a ritual before.
The High Priest scoffed at my worries.
"Hmph. There's no need to worry. I'll prepare a showcase role that the knights won't be able to deny."
"...Eh?"
"I don't fight battles I can't win."
A chill ran through me at his icy tone. It seemed the High Priest's anger over having his plans disrupted hadn't dissipated at all.
"...
The site where the giant Trombe had grown was a large circular patch of exposed earth that looked like a giant reddish-brown plate sitting in the middle of the forest.
"If we perform the ritual and replenish the mana so that plants can grow, couldn't we even set up a farming village here?"
"If this weren't so deep in the forest, I'd turn it into farmland. But out here, the priests and nobles who have to travel for prayer ceremonies and harvest festivals would have a terrible time."
The High Priest muttered that if the prayer ceremony wasn't performed, the land would eventually lose its power. He was right—deep in a forest like this, both the farmers who would move in and the priests and nobles who needed to travel for rituals would have a miserable time.
The lion-like creature descended right in the center of the crater, and I was escorted by the High Priest to stand upon the ground. One by one, the knights dismounted, and the animals slipped back into their gauntlets.
After all the knights had assembled in formation, they removed their helmets and knelt. Apparently, attending a ritual with helmets on would be disrespectful to the gods. The High Priest also removed his helmet and set it at his feet.
The soil beneath our feet wasn't the moist, dark earth you'd normally see in the forest, but a dry, reddish-brown dirt like a school playground.
"High Priest, this."
This staff was a sacred tool required for the ritual, a symbol of the Goddess of Water. At its tip, made of gold, was a large, translucent green magic stone roughly the size of an adult's palm, reflecting the sunlight brilliantly.
Along the handle, small magic stones were set in a row, and most of them had changed color. That confirmed they were fully charged with mana.
"Shikikoza."
"Yes, sir!"
The High Priest called toward the knights. Shikikoza came clanking over at a quick pace, his armor rattling with every step.
The High Priest extended the sacred staff toward Shikikoza.
"You will perform the ritual."
"Lord
Shikikoza blinked, clearly confused. The High Priest looked down at him with cold eyes and let out an exaggerated sigh.
"You practically abandoned your post. You should have plenty of mana left, right? I had originally planned to go first and demonstrate, but thanks to the extra work you created for me, I don't have any mana to spare."
Liar. He clearly had more than enough.
The medicine the High Priest had mixed—awful-tasting stuff so bitter it numbed the tongue—was, as he himself had said, a potion where taste was sacrificed for effectiveness. It worked incredibly well. There was no way the High Priest lacked mana after taking that.
"You were raised in the temple. Surely you're not incapable? Show Myne the difference in skill between us."
The High Priest thrust the sacred staff forward and semi-forcibly made Shikikoza grip it. Shikikoza had been rattled by the unexpected turn of events, but the moment he caught my gaze, he glared at me fiercely and straightened his back.
"O Goddess of Water, Fluorule, who bestows healing and transformation — and O twelve goddesses who serve as her divine attendants —"
Shikikoza began chanting the prayer in a clear, resonant voice.
The large magic stone on the staff blazed with light, and from the point where the staff touched the ground, the soil around Shikikoza slowly turned black. After the soil changed color, green sprouts began poking their heads up one after another.
"Whoa..."
I let out a cry of amazement. I hadn't truly believed that simply holding the sacred tool and reciting a memorized prayer would produce such a visible change in the soil.
It was like one of those educational science programs I'd watched in my Urano days. The host's voice echoed in my mind: "Let's watch this in fast-forward!"
As the mana replenished the area, the soil gradually changed color and plants sprouted little by little. However, the effect stopped at a circle roughly ten meters in radius.
"Not yet. Nowhere near enough."
The High Priest scolded Shikikoza, who had been about to stop, and didn't allow him to release the staff. As long as he held it, the staff would continue drawing out mana on its own. Shikikoza, whose mana was being steadily drained, began to lose consciousness and crumpled to the ground on his knees.
"Hmph. All that bluster, and this is all you've got. The knights' manpower shortage really is dire."
Without sparing a glance at the collapsed Shikikoza, the High Priest grabbed the swaying sacred staff to steady it. Supporting the staff, he pointed at me.
"The rest is your job, Myne."
"Yes, High Priest."
Bracing myself, I spread my feet shoulder-width apart and gripped the enormous staff, which was heavy enough that I might topple over if I relaxed. Shikikoza had shown me how it was done, so I could approach the ritual with some confidence.
...The High Priest told me to show them, so I should pour in as much mana as possible, right?
I tightened my grip on the staff, took a slow, deep breath, and lowered my eyes. I released the mental lid I usually kept sealed tight to prevent my mana from overflowing, and began to move the mana within me. I felt the mana surge from deep inside, seeking an outlet, and flow into the staff.
"O Goddess of Water, Fluorule, who bestows healing and transformation — and O twelve goddesses who serve as her divine attendants — hear my prayer and grant me sacred power. Into my hands, grant the power to heal
The large green magic stone embedded in the staff blazed with an intense light. Mana swirled around me, and wind began to circle from my center. My hair swayed and rose in the wind, and the sleeves and hem of my robes fluttered outward.
"I offer unto you this sacred hymn, casting forth the supreme ripples, that you may bestow your pure blessing. Fill to the fullest reach of my desire with your noble radiance."
A torrent of mana rushed into the staff all at once, and through the magic stone, it seeped into the earth. The blackened soil spread with a sweeping sound, and before my eyes, fresh greenery burst forth, expanding and growing.
In the blink of an eye, the land that had been a barren crater was covered ankle-deep in lush grass.
"...That's enough. More than sufficient."
"Ah, yes."
At the High Priest's words, I clamped down on the mana I'd been releasing and sealed it away. At the same time, the light from the staff subsided.
"High Priest, is it okay now?"
"Yes. Mana has filled the entire area. ...Honestly, you overdid it."
"...Eh?"
That last remark was muttered under his breath, very quietly. I tilted my head because I hadn't heard it, but the High Priest just shook his head slightly and turned his whole body toward the line of assembled knights.
I turned to look as well, and what I saw was a row of stunned faces, as if they couldn't believe what they'd just witnessed. Eyes were wide, mouths hung open.
...Wait. What's with those faces? He told me to show them, so I tried my best, but did I... overdo it?
Being on the receiving end of those shell-shocked expressions was deeply uncomfortable, and I scooted uneasily behind the High Priest.
The High Priest stepped in front of me and cleared his throat with a pointed cough.
"This is the apprentice Blue Priestess recognized by both the temple and the lord. Does anyone object?"
The knights snapped their gazes downward in unison and fell silent. Nobody moved to break formation, and nobody looked up.
Was this the posture that meant they had no objections? While I was still puzzling over it, the High Priest gave a slight nod.
"...It seems there are no objections. Very well."
The moment the High Priest let out a small laugh, the knights finally raised their heads. But their expressions had changed completely—no longer the wide-eyed shock from before, but the gleaming, predatory eyes of carnivores who had spotted their prey.
"Wh—!?"
I swallowed the cry that almost escaped my throat and held it in. Pinned by the intensity of their collective gaze, my entire body went rigid. For lack of a better word, I felt like I'd been designated as prey. If I let my guard down, they might pounce—I felt like a frog frozen under a snake's gaze.
My legs trembling, I took a step out of the knights' line of sight and hid behind the High Priest.
"Ah, I forgot to mention—this priestess apprentice is under my personal protection. You understand what that means, don't you?"
With a single sentence from the High Priest, the predatory gazes vanished in an instant. I breathed a sigh of relief, though I had no idea what it actually meant.
"As long as we understand each other. Now, let's return."
Unlike me, who was still blinking in confusion, the others immediately began preparing to head back. Arno took the sacred tool from the High Priest, and
"Myne, come here."
The High Priest and
"Myne, do you have any demands regarding today's incident?"
The High Priest directed only his gaze toward Shikikoza. He was ostensibly confirming with me as the victim, but his expression made it clear he expected me to say no.
But I decided to pretend I didn't catch that.
"I do."
The moment I answered, the High Priest furrowed his brows and glared at me. I could tell he was silently screaming "Read the room!" but I deliberately chose not to.
"I would like a replacement for my ritual robes."
"...Excuse me?"
My demand caught both of them off guard, and they stared down at me with wide eyes.
I spread my arms wide so they could get a good look at my outfit. The sleeves, torn wide open with the scenery visible through them, fluttered in the wind.
"I would like an exact duplicate made. They were brand new, just recently tailored, and extremely expensive. A commoner like me simply doesn't have the money to replace ritual robes."
"Oh my. That's quite the damage."
Karstedt laughed wryly but immediately showed understanding, while the High Priest narrowed his eyes, sensing something off about my words.
"...What exactly do you mean by an 'exact duplicate'?"
"These robes were custom-made. I had them specially tailored so they'd still fit as I grew, but instead of growing into them, they're practically in tatters before I even performed the ritual..."
I made a show of lamenting with exaggerated distress. Karstedt burst into hearty laughter, saying, "The passion women pour into their clothing doesn't change, no matter how young they are."
"Fine. I'll have the ritual robes made for you."
Karstedt promised to have new robes made as punishment toward Shikikoza, Damuel, and himself. That was all I needed—just that guarantee, and I was satisfied.
"I appreciate it. If you place the order with the
"Winter? Is something happening?"
Karstedt cocked his head, and the High Priest pressed his fingers to his temples.
"The dedication ceremony is held in winter at the temple. ...Indeed, without proper robes for the dedication ceremony, the High Bishop and other blue-robed priests would make snide remarks about how a commoner can't even afford ritual robes—even if Myne did nothing wrong."
At the High Priest's words, I nodded earnestly. That was precisely the scenario I dreaded most. Even if another Trombe appeared, the knights knew the truth now, so the torn robes might not be an issue. But for the winter ceremony, I really wanted proper attire.
"Understood. I'll see to it that the robes are taken care of. Anything else?"
"As long as the ritual robes are handled, I'm fine with the rest being punished according to the knights' standard regulations. I really don't want to make any more unnecessary enemies."
"Hmm. A wise decision. Then the rest will be determined by the knights' order."
Satisfied, Karstedt nodded, and I knelt and bowed my head.
When we returned to the temple,
"My goodness! How did such huge tears appear?! They were brand new!"
"Fran, what on earth happened to Lady Myne?!"
"A great deal happened, but it involves the knights' order, so I've been sworn to secrecy."
Fran deflected their questioning with that response.
I had changed quickly before
"Myne! Thank goodness you're safe!"
The moment Lutz saw me where he'd come to meet me, he rushed over. He immediately checked my hands for fever and looked for other injuries. His behavior clearly showed he knew what had happened to me, and I tilted my head in puzzlement.
"Lutz?"
"Your voice suddenly echoed inside my head—'Lutz, help me!'—and everything happening to you played out in front of my eyes like I was watching it live. ...I wanted to come help, but I didn't even know where you were, and I was freaking out."
Apparently, the vision had cut off right when the High Priest switched from a black arrow to a glowing scepter and began treatment. Since Lutz didn't know whether I'd been saved or not, he'd spent the intervening time wracked with anxiety.
"Sorry for worrying you, Lutz."
"You're the one who went through something scary, so it's fine for me... Hey, what was that, anyway?"
The mysterious phenomenon Lutz had experienced was almost certainly caused by that blue light, I reasoned.
I looked at my own finger, where the High Priest had returned whatever it was and now nothing remained. At the same time, all the events of the day flooded through my mind in a rush.
"I'm so glad you're safe, Myne."
He hugged me tightly, and Lutz's voice flowed directly into my ears.
Social status, barriers, mana—none of that mattered to Lutz. He worried about my safety from the bottom of his heart, and the tension I'd been holding finally unwound. I knew that if I wanted to lean on someone, he would never push me away, so with Lutz, I could be completely honest.
"...Noble society is terrifying."
I clung tightly to Lutz and whispered that.