"If you hold the Glutrisheit that was bestowed upon another, then surely you must be the true Zent!"
"That is not the case. Having already stained
I was about to ask whether no report had been made about what I had done in Ahrensbach, but Anastasius cut me off with his sternly gleaming gray eyes.
"Then hand the Glutrisheit over to Father at once and have yourself appointed the true Zent. If you truly meant what you said, you would not be spouting such defeatist words about your own helplessness while wallowing in despair. Father, in his effort to be even slightly worthy of the position of Zent, uses recovery potions constantly even during his daily duties and prays at the shrine as much as he possibly can..."
...I had sensed before that the Zent reeked of recovery potions, much like
If Traukval's illness was so severe that he had already accepted his own death along with the death of everyone around him, I really didn't think giving him the Glutrisheit would be wise. The Glutrisheit Ferdinand had created was a one-time thing. I couldn't very well promise to hand it to Traukval, who had just been branded a failure by Ferdinand and might very well choose death at any moment.
"I don't know what kind of life King Traukval has been leading. The only thing I've heard is the Ordinance from earlier..."
"That is a remarkably cold and detached thing to say. Don't you care at all about what becomes of your friend
Caught by Anastasius's piercing gaze, I tilted my head. "It is not that I don't care at all, but it is rather strange, isn't it?" When forced to visit the shrine, I had realized that building what I considered a "normal" friendship with Eglantine was impossible—and this was supposed to be their version of a normal friendship, which made it all the more puzzling.
"I learned from Prince Anastasius and Lady Eglantine that the royal family's way is to take hostage what matters most to the negotiating party and force a choice upon them. Was there something wrong with that?"
...Then again, the royals had also been the ones who threatened to oust my adoptive father and install me as the Aub of Ehrenfest, or have Lady Dietlinde marry into the family, so I didn't think I was wrong.
As I reflected that noble common sense was as impenetrable as ever, Anastasius's face went blank with shock. His expression soured and he lowered his gaze for a moment.
"...I see. But if you prioritize the well-being of Yurgenshmidt above all else, should you not hand over the Glutrisheit immediately and appoint the true Zent?"
"Well then, if the royal family truly prioritizes Yurgenshmidt over personal concerns as you claim, what exactly have you been doing while foreign forces invade? It puts me in quite a difficult position when you ask me to name as the true Zent someone who, in the current situation, refuses to step forward and lead the fight against the enemy."
They had demanded that I prioritize Ahrensbach over Ehrenfest to maintain Yurgenshmidt, and that I become the king's adopted daughter to obtain the Glutrisheit. Now that it was a genuine emergency, I wanted to see some action that matched those demands.
"Fine. If Father cannot act, then I will move in his place."
Anastasius raised his weapon and surveyed his guard knights. As a royal, having him take the lead was helpful, and it was the correct course of action for royalty. But if Traukval could not move, was it not Sigisvalt's role to step up in his place?
...Well, as long as someone dealt with the problem, it didn't matter who.
"Prince Anastasius, please make sure to cover your mouth with a cloth at all times. There is a high chance the enemy possesses the instant-death poison of Lanzanove."
After Anastasius and his forces joined the battle, I watched the lecture hall door through which the Ordinance messages were coming and going. The door opened, and several knights rushed out. They wore Ahrensbach capes and were wounded—knights who had temporarily withdrawn from the front lines to recover. I immediately cast healing on them.
"I am terribly sorry to trouble you, Lady
"How are things inside?"
"The number of Central Knights in the lecture hall is far greater than we anticipated."
The knights who had rushed out explained the situation while drinking recovery potions behind their shields.
The surprise attack of throwing Magical Tools through the high windows had apparently been quite effective. However, many of the enemies wore silver cloaks, and magic-based attacks were now being deflected frequently.
"We brought weapons other than our Staves as a precaution, but Prince Anastasius and his group did not appear to have any. However, Anastasius's guard knights have been taking weapons from the enemies they defeat and fighting with those. More importantly, now that a royal has joined the battle, some on the enemy side appear to be having second thoughts."
They had been told to "defeat the king's enemies" and were attacking Ferdinand's group, but they apparently refused to aim their weapons at Anastasius. This had given our side a significant advantage.
"Is there any chance they are using Trook?"
"...We cannot tell just by looking."
"However, the knight commander has deeply angered Prince Anastasius, who is questioning him even while fighting. Captain
"Ferdinand has been calling for reinforcements, as we need more Magical Tools and recovery potions. They should be arriving soon."
The healed knights leapt out through Styria's shield. Even if I charged into the battle, I would only be a liability since people would simply be afraid. That was why I was stationed at the door as a recovery point. I had been told I could only enter once the fighting ended or when there was a need for large-scale purification or healing due to things like instant-death poison. I understood this, but I couldn't stop worrying about what was happening inside.
"Waiting here is frustrating enough, but..."
As I muttered, comparing the lecture hall door with the magic paper inscribed with wide-area magic arrays that would let me summon enough water to fill the entire hall,
"Lady Rozemyne, we have brought Magical Tools and recovery potions."
"
"It is an order from Lord Ferdinand. Managing Magical Tools is a civil official's job."
Clarissa puffed out her chest proudly, and Hartmut smiled. As I checked the box the three had brought so we could distribute supplies to knights who needed recovery potions, a tremendous explosion boomed from inside the lecture hall and my heart leapt into my throat.
...Wh-what was that...?
The somewhat underhanded Magical Tools Hartmut had crafted were too dangerous to use in a chaotic melee, so they should only have been deployed during the initial surprise attack. If that was the case, then the enemy must have done something. As I clutched my chest and spun toward the door, Justus lunged for it at the same time, shouting, "Your Ladyship, if large-scale healing is needed, please call for me!" I nodded to Justus and gave orders to my attendants.
"Prepare to enter. Since Hartmut and the others are here, I will use the magic paper."
Feeling my heartbeat quicken with impatience and anxiety, I pulled out magic paper inscribed with magic arrays from the leather pouch at my hip. Closing my eyes to avoid seeing the magic stones made healing less efficient. I drew out the Lungschmeel and Fliutorene magic arrays from the magic paper with green borders and gripped my Stab.
Meanwhile, Hartmut and Clarissa each took magic paper inscribed with wide-area support arrays and began channeling Magic Power into their Staves. The magic arrays drawn on magic paper were wonderful things that required no magic stones or chanting if pre-prepared, but the production cost of magic paper was high, and activating it consumed considerable Magic Power.
Preparation took only a few seconds. But those few seconds felt agonizingly long.
"Your Ladyship! The healing!"
"Going in! Clarissa!"
"Yes!"
As Lorenz opened the door, Angelica and Brother Cornelius dove inside to secure the area. Almost simultaneously, with reflexes that belied her status as a civil official, Clarissa charged into the lecture hall and began activating the support arrays.
Protected by the shields of Leonore, Matthias, and Lorenz, I too rushed into the lecture hall after Clarissa. In my mind, I dashed in with incredible agility, but in reality, I probably just speed-walked as fast as my legs could carry me. I would prefer not to dwell on that.
The lecture hall was darker than the corridor with its many windows. Perhaps because of this, the golden glow of the support array Clarissa had activated was brilliantly visible.
"Lady Rozemyne!"
I channeled Magic Power into the Fliutorene array drawn on the magic paper through my Stab, then aimed at the support array Clarissa had activated and struck it. The green-glowing magic array I launched with Magic Power collided with the golden support array. The next instant, what appeared to be multiple copies of the green-glowing array manifested, bathing the entire lecture hall in purifying green light.
"Hartmut!"
As I continued channeling Magic Power into the Lungschmeel array, I called out to Hartmut, who was about to activate the next support array.
"Right away, Lady Rozemyne!"
Hartmut, who had been fully prepared, immediately activated the support array. Aiming at the array that had materialized near the ceiling, I launched the Lungschmeel array. It struck the golden support array and multiplied, releasing waves of healing light.
"What is this...?"
The knights stared up at the multiple magic arrays in bewilderment. I didn't know what had caused the explosion, but seeing so many figures struggling to their feet told me clearly that the situation had been dire. And as I scanned the lecture hall, I noticed that conditions inside were far from normal.
"...Huh? The lecture hall...?"
The lecture hall had been transformed like it had for graduation, with the stage used for dedication dances now visible, and the altar in the innermost chamber now facing forward. I had no idea why it had been rearranged this way.
Scanning the lecture hall bathed in green light, I quickly searched for familiar faces—Ferdinand, Brother
"Ferd—"
The moment I started to call out, I saw Ferdinand's eyes fly wide open. "Die!" came the thunderous roar at the same instant, and a rainbow-colored beam of light flew straight at me.
"Lady Rozemyne!"
"Gettilt!"
Along with Angelica, Brother Cornelius, and Ferdinand's voice ringing from a short distance away, multiple shields materialized before me and my guard knights. The attack had been powerful enough to shatter two of the shields Ferdinand had created.
"Raublut..."
The man near the altar was looking this way. The sword in his hand was once again being charged with Magic Power, beginning to glow with rainbow colors. It was as though the luminous blade were floating in the darkness. Raublut's eyes, as he continued pouring Magic Power into his weapon, held a chillingly clear intent to kill.
"And here I thought I had finally disposed of the most troublesome one, only for you to perform healing on that scale... You are in the way. Disappear."
The words, delivered in that flat, emotionless tone, expressed his desire to eliminate me. Though quiet, the inescapable killing intent froze me with fear, my legs trembling so badly I couldn't move. I swallowed hard.
"The one who will obtain the Glutrisheit is Lord
The instant Raublut finished speaking and raised his sword, the altar glowed. To be precise, the statue of the gods and the divine instruments upon the altar lit up, and with a deep, rumbling sound, the statues began to move. Like performers in a dedication dance, they slowly rotated and began splitting to either side atop the altar.
"Huh?"
"What is that?"
The knights who had risen to their feet under the healing light stared at the altar in astonishment, but I recognized that movement. The statues had moved the same way during the ritual to receive divine blessings, and when the altar had appeared after I received
...Gervasio was about to emerge.
Ferdinand must have been thinking the same thing. His expression had just turned grim when, exactly as I remembered, the entrance opened in the wall. The knights stared silently at the altar.
"The true Zent chosen by the gods! Lord Gervasio returns!"
Raublut's voice drew frenzied cheers from some and looks of despair from others. That was the sheer impact of it—the gods themselves appearing to welcome someone, and that person emerging from the very top of the altar.
...If you were told this was someone chosen by the gods, it would be a convincing sight.
Wanting to deflate that divine appearance even slightly, I spoke up.
"What just appeared is the entrance to the Garden of Beginnings. I too received the wisdom of Mestionora and emerged from there. The Garden of Beginnings is a place you visit when obtaining a Stab or receiving divine blessings, so it is not that unusual for the altar to move."
"Lady Rozemyne!?"
"It was not just me—Lady Eglantine also obtained her Stab in the Garden of Beginnings, I believe..."
I added that it was natural for someone with all attributes, and I could see the reactions of the surrounding knights shift from frenzy to uncertainty. The fervor had diminished somewhat, but Raublut—who wanted to welcome Gervasio as the god-chosen Zent—was clearly furious.
"I will dispose of you before Lord Gervasio returns!"
Trembling with rage, Raublut raised his sword.