In the reception room adjoining the knight order’s headquarters, a faintly tense air lingered.
One was Fjold.
The Holy Knight Commander, lauded as a knight of great renown.
Seated on the sofa opposite was a young girl who appeared to have just reached double digits in age.
Her braids were tied up charmingly, her vestments gleaming beautifully. The phrasing "dressed up" might be more accurate, as her timid demeanor lent her an air that could stir a desire to protect.
But she was a guest specially brought to this place. Not someone to entertain such sentimental thoughts about.
"Welcome, Lady Ritrain. Thank you for coming."
"Ah, ah... yes, h-hello, um... Lord Fjold."
The young girl before him—yes, it was fair to call her a girl—was none other than the Saint recorded in the diaries, Ritrain Nerim Quoartz. One of the seven Great Saints of Salvation on the Idoragia continent, and one of the divinely beloved belonging to Quolia.
Facing her, who held an enormous book so large it nearly concealed her small frame, Fjold wasted little time on pleasantries before cutting to the matter at hand.
"Regarding this visit, I assume you carry Quolia's intentions. How does the Central authority respond?"
First and foremost, Quolia's stance needed to be confirmed.
Beneath the surface, Quolia and Renea were already in negotiations, but that was merely at the level of a Cardinal at most.
Those steering Quolia were not them. Higher-ranking clergy would make the final decision.
The priests and Cardinals of the Center were merely pawns. The judgment of the true power was what mattered.
"The... the Vessel Saint seems uninterested in this matter," the girl said.
Upon hearing this, Fjold made no effort to hide his surprise, letting out a genuine "Oh!"
The Vessel Saint held the most significant meaning within Quolia. Known also as the First Saint, she granted audience to only a few high-ranking clergy, and according to some, had watched over Quolia since its founding.
Quolia's national administration was officially led by three Popes who determined its policies, but truthfully, it was this Vessel Saint who stood behind them.
In other words, she is the very will of Quolia.
She chose inaction. One could go so far as to call it divine providence.
But Fjord harbored slight doubts about her choice. While he had never met the vessel saint, something about it seemed somewhat strange.
"However, why is the vessel saint like this?"
At Fjord's words, Ritrain's shoulders twitched.
Though he hadn't raised his voice, the sheer timidity of the response left Fjord at a loss for how to react. Then, Ritrain quickly flipped open the large book—a diary—that had earned her epithet, reading aloud its contents.
"A-a request for aid came from the Spirit Covenant Union. Um, well, an attack by a witch calling herself Vagia and her succubus followers caused the Union to, uh... be destroyed. The vessel saint was very angry about this and demanded immediate action be taken."
"What! The El-Nar Spirit Covenant Union!?"
It seemed the Idoragia continent was mired in even more chaos and confusion than they had imagined.
Fjord was already aware of the uneasy atmosphere in El-Nar.
More than that, it was common knowledge among clergy of a certain standing, if not the common folk.
They said a new witch was invading...
But there was also trust that a single witch alone couldn't overcome such a nation.
El-Nar had Spirit Fighters, akin to Holy Knights, and above all, it had a saint.
The vast expanse of newly verdant deep forests covering the territory was the terrain elves excelled in—it was their domain.
All circumstances pointed to El-Nar's victory.
That was why the Quolian central authority, while aware of the situation, had refrained from active intervention and adopted a watchful stance.
Convinced that their sacred brethren, their precious allies, would surely seize victory.
But that hope was shattered before the forces of evil.
"Ah, how convenient."
"Huh? Did... did you say something?"
Ritrain, startled, caught Fjord's muttered remark with her supernaturally sharp hearing.
Without missing a beat, Fjord continued, "No, I merely stated that a tremendous problem has arisen. With our current state where we don't even know the whereabouts of the Northern Witch, the appearance of yet another Witch is a matter of grave concern for us all. The world is steadily being corroded by evil. Now is the time for us, as emissaries of the holy gods, to fight as its defenders."
"Um... yes, I suppose so."
Fjord hummed thoughtfully at Ritrain's slightly faltering response. To gauge the true intentions of this rather timid-seeming girl, she pressed on.
...
...
She had acquired some important information and, in turn, provided what her counterpart would likely want. She didn't expect the young Ritrain to retain everything, and even if some details leaked, it wouldn't be a major issue. However, the intelligence she had gleaned indicated the world was in a critical state.
Even Fjord hadn't predicted the fall of the El-Nar Spirit Contract Union, and this forced a revision of her future plans. Still, it seemed there was a sliver of time remaining.
On the Northern Continent, the territories of Quolia and El-Nar were adjacent. In reality, however, a massive mountain range split the two nations, stretching as if to divide them.
Because of this, travel was only possible via a narrow, treacherous path cutting through the mountains or by taking a long detour around the northern or southern ends of the range.
One reason Quolia had failed to gather sufficient intelligence was precisely this geographical factor. The mountains themselves served as a natural fortress separating Quolia and El-Nar.
In other words, even if El-Nar, who had fallen into enemy hands, were to extend a hand toward us, the only routes that existed were naturally circuitous ones that would take considerable time for troop movements. However, if the southern route through the Southern Continent were taken, the first to clash would be this very Renea...
(But still... the first thing to consider should be different)
That a mountain of problems requiring response had already accumulated was well-known. Even if one or two more were added, it changed nothing at this late hour. Even if those new problems might be fatal for a nation born so recently.
Fjord, possessing a certain inherent ruthlessness, decided to first settle the problem before him.
"I see. Thank you for this vital information. However, Lady Ritrain. Surely it is not necessary for someone of your stature to come here in person? If you would permit, I would like to inquire about your other reason for visiting."
"Ah, well..."
The information she brought was all critically important.
But they were weak. With the Southern Province having seceded and two of the Holy Maidens vanished, the forces Quolia possessed were pitifully few.
As long as the Holy Maiden serving as a vessel could not move, it was this Diary Holy Maiden who would stand at the forefront of any conflict.
That the Spirit Pact Alliance had been defeated and subjugated meant that the elves, once comrades, had now become enemies.
Naturally, this included the three Holy Maidens who had belonged to the Alliance...
There was no reason why Quolia would move its sole decisive weapon—the Holy Maiden—for something as trivial as informing Renea of the situation and asking for her cooperation.
If that were the case, then her true purpose lay elsewhere.
For example, yes—the deeply personal affairs of the young woman standing before him.
"Ah, um... I would like to meet with High Holy Knight Lord Verdel... no, rather, I wish to request an audience. P-please."
Fjord murmured inwardly at the objective, stated hesitantly yet clearly.
So that's how it is.
He gave a quiet nod to reassure her, who seemed somewhat tense.
Then, Fjord slightly averted his gaze, recalling the relationship between her and Verdel, and spoke with a solemn expression.
"Verdel… Ah, I see. Come to think of it, he was Lord Rittrane's former guardian, wasn't he? I had forgotten that fact. So, during this coup, you were worried your father might be caught up in some troublesome incident?"
"A-Ah, um, u-uh…"
Interpreting the slow nod of her head as confirmation, Fjord forced an awkward, unfamiliar smile to reassure her.
"Knight Verdel is currently carrying out duties in this city. Naturally, he is in good health."
"Well, um, I sent him a letter, but… he never replied for the longest time…"
"I see. Until recently, he was engaged in a covert mission alone. It is likely his duties prevented him from responding. He certainly did not disregard you, milady."
"Is that so…"
Watching Rittrane, who now seemed somewhat relieved, Fjord recalled the nature of the bond between this young girl and Holy Knight Verdel.
It was originally the unremarkable relationship of a ward and her guardian knight.
Whether he was saddled with the orphaned girl as harassment from a rival faction's priest, or whether he awakened to a sense of paternal duty and justice, Verdel taking in the orphan and raising her in a fatherly capacity was not particularly unusual for a Holy Knight, who was expected to serve as a model for the citizens.
The problem was that his daughter had been chosen by God as a Saint.
What followed was self-evident.
Whether born of jealousy or a calculated move to diminish political influence, Verdel and Rittrane were separated, and even baseless, sordid rumors began to circulate.
It culminated in the forced dissolution of their parent-child relationship.
Holy Knight Verdel had many allies, but he had even more enemies.
Rittrane, a girl who simply looked up to her father, and Verdel, a man who simply loved his daughter as a father.
In stark contrast to what should have been an ordinary relationship, the malice surrounding them ran deep and unfathomable.
It was… a certain story that had come to its end.
"Um, so, I have a request for you, Sir Fjord…"
"Please rest assured, Lady Rittrane. Leave everything to me. I will arrange for you to meet with Knight Verdel as swiftly as possible."
Without waiting to be asked, Fjord was the first to make a proposal. It was a trivial matter for someone like him now, and surely the best course of action for the wretched girl before him as well.
"Really... you mean it!?"
The girl blurted out her joy in an eager rush. Fjord added a condition with "However."
"I am reluctant to say this, but please understand that suspicions have been cast between you and Knight Verdel — unfounded ones, of course. I consider them nothing but the ravings of faithless fools led astray by malicious slander. Unfortunately, not everyone sees it that way."
"Um... what do you mean?"
"I was too roundabout. My apologies — one tends to ramble with age. In short, it would be... unwise if you were seen moving about openly under Ritrain's name. I will take care of everything on my end, but I must ask that you meet your father, Knight Verdel, in a place where you will not be noticed. Would that be acceptable?"
"Y-yes! Th-that much is... I-I can manage!"
There was nothing left in her heart but her father now.
It was said that a saint is chosen by God, and that in receiving that blessing, some manner of price must be paid. What price, then, was she paying?
Even if he was her only blood relative, her obsession with her father to this degree seemed to suggest some deeper connection.
Regardless, it was a minor concern for Fjord at present. He could not allow her to learn of the mysterious figure appearing in Renea, which might ultimately draw Quolia's intervention. To prevent that, he needed to bind her interest to her father.
Fortunately, she seemed to care for nothing beyond him, making this proposal a perfect solution for both sides.
"I am glad to hear it. Fortunately, my subordinates are tight-lipped. As long as you keep this matter to yourself, I can assure you that today's events will not leak to anyone."
"Y-yes... I understand."
"It may seem like a strange request, but my nation is still in the midst of reform. Amid all that, I would prefer to keep any information that might stir further chaos hidden for as long as possible."
Fjord did his best to explain in simple terms, but noticing the slightly troubled expression on Ritrain's face, he caught himself and slapped a hand to his forehead.
"No — I've gone and rambled again. Allow me to tell you the place and time, then."
The young girl's face lit up instantly at his words. She retrieved a pen from somewhere inside her clothing as if remembering something, and began scribbling down notes in a flustered manner.
Fjord observed this with a satisfied look, then stated the time and location, and began outlining the plans for the future.
"I'm truly grateful Lord Ritrain entrusted me with this matter. While our specific assertions may differ, we worship the same God. I wished to avoid any conflict with Quolia at all costs. Especially with incidents like that occurring in the El-Nahr Spirit Contract Union, it's all the more crucial."
"A-ah, thank you very much!"
"I'm glad we could recognize that our nations share the same objective. I shall personally convey this to the Saint of Splendid Burial and the Saint of Hidden Face. For now, I apologize for the cramped accommodations, but please wait in an empty room in the knights' dormitory until the appointed time."
With a smooth, natural bearing, Fjord escorted the girl towards the reception room door.
As he slowly opened the door and checked the hallway in both directions, her voice came from behind him.
"Um, excuse me..."
"Yes? If there is anything on your mind, please do not hesitate to speak."
"When... when the nation of Renea was founded, I... I heard that God descended. Is... is that God truly real?"
At those words, Fjord's expression showed a hint of surprise.
For a Saint to question the existence of God was something that should never happen.
Ritrain seemed to realize she had misspoken the moment the words left her mouth, becoming flustered and trying to gloss over it.
Seeing her state, Fjord's stern expression softened slightly. Instead of offering reassurance, he simply shook his head gently and offered a soft smile.
"Yes, God is here. And He is certainly watching over us from nearby."
At his words, Ritrain let out a breath, visibly relieved.
Fjord observed her for a moment longer, then, as if just remembering, proceeded to guide her to the dormitory.