Part 1: Saintess Candidate Arc

19. The Saintess's Reputation (3)

Translated by: S3

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A dim, gloomy mist, utterly unsuitable for the clear blue sky, stretched far into the distance. Upon closer inspection, it was a sinister presence.

To carry out the Saintess Candidate's duty, which had been abruptly entrusted to her yesterday, she wore a dress—white with a blue cross design—that the First Saintess was said to have favored, and rode in her carriage toward the center of the Royal Capital.

「It was a good thing I was helping with the repairs of the Protect Wall right up until the last minute.」

Thanks to that, it was easy to ask the people she had been working with to assist in today's task.

When Olivia spoke, everyone unanimously feared the dim mist spreading across the sky and praised Olivia for taking on the role of removing the Impure Mist.

「Though I only had a few days, it was a blessing that I encountered no problems at all, thanks to my own skill.」

The original plan had involved using a Magic Array that was rarely seen in the Royal Capital. The array belonged to a foreign culture, from the West, not the East, and was unfamiliar to Olivia.

Unwilling to use such an uncertain method, she created an alternative plan.

「It is better to use the ancient methods of the Holy Aurum Kingdom, after all.」

Above all, their established track record was the best source of reassurance.

Olivia's proposal was to create a second Protect Wall from the inside, sandwiching and ultimately eliminating the gloomy mist.

「This way, the Light Magic users can cooperate easily, and since the Protect Wall will be thicker, the daily repair work should decrease. This means the Light Magic users, who have few rotating personnel, will also be able to take breaks more easily.」

It was truly all-around beneficial.

(I wondered what would happen for a while, but it seems heaven is indeed on my side.)

Just then, the carriage slowly came to a stop. Having arrived at her destination, she felt a pleasant tension and alighted from the carriage with graceful steps.

The participating Light Magic users were already lined up in formation before her, and citizens watched them from a distance.

This location was also Olivia’s own idea.

(With this, everyone will understand who is truly fit to be the Saintess.)

Olivia flashed a radiant smile, raised the staff in her hand toward the heavens, and declared the start of the operation in a clear voice.

***

Around the time Olivia began the work of eliminating the Impure Mist, Lily was looking glum in Daniel's office.

「I’m sorry, Lily. Even if it is for grown-up reasons, to ask you about this...」

「No. I was thoughtless, too. I’ve caused trouble for everyone.」

Seeing Lily more dejected than expected, Daniel scratched his head.

「You have every right to be angry that today's work was assigned to someone other than you or me.」

When Arthur told him, Daniel had thrown a proper tantrum. Since he had vented his frustrations to his heart's content, he was already in acceptance mode.

「That's fine. If Lady Olivia can do it better than I can, then that must be better.」

(Well, I wonder about that. I just hope she doesn't cause some weird new problem.)

Half out of jealousy and half out of experience, Daniel inwardly complained about the Gold family, who had forcibly snatched the work.

「I never thought the candy I made would become a problem. I apologize.」

「The correct phrase is framed as a problem. I took responsibility and investigated the ingredients, so you did nothing wrong, Lily. I just need you to tell me a little something.」

The candy Arthur was so fond of eating was frankly not delicious. A more accurate assessment was that it wasn't undelicious.

That very fact made it seem strange that a man with a refined palate like him would eat it so readily.

「There's a possibility it could be suspected of being addictive, like an herb, or a form of charm magic. If we thoroughly investigate it and settle the matter, it won't become an issue later on. You don't need to apologize or worry.」

Incidentally, Arthur had requested that he somehow ensure he could continue eating it. Daniel also found it surprising that he liked it so much.

「So, do you have any idea why? Has anyone else ever been so keen to eat it?」

She did have an idea to that question.

「Um. Yes, I do. But, well, could you please keep it a secret?」

「That depends on the content. If it's something harmful, I can't overlook it.」

「Ugh... Yes, I'll tell you. When I was distributing it at the Western Fortress, most people ate it for fun, like a game of chance. Like an amusement. But sometimes, children and the elderly would ask for a lot, saying it made the pain go away.」

「The pain... went away? Was it a candy made with pain-relieving herbs?」

「No. The herbs I used were different each time. But it seemed to have an effect.」

It was difficult to talk about, but Lily told Daniel everything.

The young boy would often complain of a stomach ache in the autumn and ask for the candy. He would feel better after eating it, but the pain would return the next day.

The elderly man lived alone and complained that his knees hurt. The doctor said nothing was wrong, but the man asked for the candy, saying it eased the pain.

「Hmm. It's strange that eating something with no effect would cure them.」

「I think, perhaps, it was psychosomatic.」

The boy's parents owned a large field, and autumn was the busy harvest season. Since the whole family went out to the fields, the boy was left at the church only during that period each year.

And the elderly man's sore legs had made him almost bedridden, and his son and daughter-in-law, who lived a short distance away, would visit to take care of him.

「The boy was healthy and had no stomachaches when he lived with his parents. And the grandfather would walk quite cheerfully with his cane when his son and daughter-in-law came over. It’s strange, isn’t it?」

No matter how many doctors they saw, the cause couldn't be found.

Yet, when both of them felt unwell, they would come to Lily and ask for the candy because it eased the pain.

So, Lily would make the candy and visit them often.

「I think both of them were just lonely.」

「I see. So, you think Arthur might also be eating it for some reason?」

「I knew the candy was only a temporary fix. But both the boy and the grandfather wanted to endure, knowing that their situation couldn't be helped. I was taught it wasn't right to forcibly expose that.」

The boy wanted to be a good boy and wait for his parents at the church, just for the autumn season.

The grandfather wanted to get along well with his son and daughter-in-law without causing them trouble.

They wanted to try their best, but the screams of their hearts, crushed by what they had to endure, manifested in their bodies.

「When I consulted my mother, she said it was better to leave it alone. So, I would give them the candy when they asked for it.」

She was told that revealing everything did not necessarily mean everything would be solved.

Lily didn't understand, but precisely because she didn't understand, she followed Emma's advice.

「Eventually, the boy grew up and started helping with the family work, so he wasn't left at the church anymore, and his stomach aches stopped. The grandfather’s son and daughter-in-law moved in with him, and he started walking cheerfully again.」

Everyone has things they have to endure that they can’t do anything about.

It’s not necessarily a bad thing to rely on something to get through when you can’t manage on your own.

「But I was afraid that telling you this would unnecessarily expose Prince Arthur's worries, so I asked you to keep it a secret.」

「Yes. I understand your thinking, Lily. Thank you for telling me.」

The boy and the grandfather must have relied on Lily’s thoughtfulness (the Blessed Candy) to get through their unavoidable circumstances. If that was the case, then neither addiction nor charm magic seemed to be involved.

(But Arthur shouldn't have any physical ailments, and while he probably always has worries, his demeanor hasn't changed from the past.)

The candy issue was resolved, but a different problem was now falling upon Daniel. He inwardly shrugged, judging that this one looked quite troublesome.

「Well, the candy's ingredients are fine, and based on what you said, it's just a matter of specific people eating it as a sort of wish-fulfillment. There’s no problem. I'm relieved.」

「Gasp! That's good!」

「Yes. We can refute anything they say. Please continue to give Arthur your candy presents without worry.」

「Yes, I understand.」

With Lily’s smile finally returned, Daniel felt reassured. Furthermore, he judged that taking the candy away from Arthur was not a wise move at the moment.

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