Part 1: Saintess Candidate Arc
7. The Saintess’s Work (2)
Translated by: S3
-Horizontal.jpg)
Hastily, I cast Purification Magic: Clear at the Impure Mist as it slowly floated upward, and I managed to safely sublimate it.
However, I needed a better approach to decurse efficiently.
Since there was a large volume to decurse this time, organizing the method, even if it took a little longer, would result in much greater overall efficiency than starting a time-consuming, brute-force operation with an inefficient method.
Lily thought for a moment and then drew a purification Magic Array above her head.
To an outsider, the sight would have been bizarre.
But Lily herself was completely serious, so she was entirely unaware of the glances and shock of the passersby. While she was pondering, trying out various ideas, Daniel appeared.
「Hello, Lily.」
「Hello, Daniel-sama. Why are you here today?」
「I received a report that Lily was engaging in suspicious behavior, so I came to see for myself.」
「H-Hee!」
As a Saint Candidate, she wouldn't pose any threat, but her actions were admittedly strange. A passing soldier had reported her to the administrator (Daniel) just to be safe. And Daniel, finding the report amusing, decided to come himself.
「I apologize for causing trouble. But this is necessary. Could I please have your permission?」
「Yes. First, I’d like an explanation of that thing floating in the air. Is that an Array?」
Daniel’s gaze was fixed on the array deployed above Lily’s head.
「This is a Magic Array infused with purification magic. I am using it to decurse these cursed weapons and armor.」
「An Magic Array after all! It's been a long time since I’ve seen a real one. Usually, they are drawn on the ground or on cloth, aren’t they? Why is this one deployed above your head?」
「I'll explain now. Please watch this.」
Lily retrieved a cursed sword from the warehouse and cast the Release spell.
Just like before, the curse, separated from the sword, floated gently upward, then moved diagonally, trying to avoid the Magic Array overhead. It was a spectacular failure.
「Ah! I’m still practicing! Purification Magic: Clear!」
She hastily used purification magic to sublimate the Impure Mist.
Embarrassed by her failure, Lily placed both hands on her hot, flushed cheeks.
She timidly glanced at Daniel, who was gaping and wide-eyed.
(His eyes are open!)
For anyone who knew Daniel, this was a sight that would make them open their eyes even wider in surprise. However, Lily, who had only met him recently, was unaware of this fact.
She was mortified that she had surprised him and decided to apologize.
「Daniel-sama, I am so sorry. I will try my best to do it properly, so could you please give me permission?」
「No, it’s not that I’m forbidding it. Ah. I see—」
Saying that, Daniel began to pace around the spot in circles.
「Daniel-sama, are you alright?」
Even when she spoke to him, Daniel continued walking, muttering something to himself.
Lily was standing there, bewildered, an array floating above her head, watching Daniel walk around her. It was an even more bizarre sight than before.
「What are you doing? Is something wrong with you, too, Uncle?」
As a result, Arthur and Noah appeared shortly after.
Daniel spoke quickly to Arthur, his voice high-pitched with excitement.
Standing diagonally behind him was Lily, completely intimidated and confused.
「Lily. Let’s dispel the Magic Array for now. People who don't know might be surprised.」
「Yes, Cousin Noah.」
「I want to hear about that Magic Array, too. Lily, you're a genius.」
While she was happy to be praised, the intense difference in temperature left her feeling uneasy. Lily nodded to Daniel's request and started to dispel the array.
All the while, Daniel continued to rattle off his thoughts, then suddenly fell silent in self-questioning, making the conversation utterly incoherent.
Arthur gave up on getting a straight answer from Daniel and asked Lily instead.
「What happened?」
「Um. I failed at the decursing, and I’m currently trying to figure out a better way.」
「…」
Not understanding at all, Arthur froze for a moment.
Ultimately, he decided to patiently listen to Daniel to sort out the situation and grasp the events.
Arthur let out a deep sigh when Daniel had finished explaining everything.
「I see. So, you’ve discovered the possibility that the gloomy mist visible on the ceiling of the Protective Barrier: Protect Wall, which you were concerned about, is caused by the decursed curses.」
「Exactly! As I thought, we shouldn't leave that alone. It must be dealt with properly. I wasn't wrong.」
Daniel, who asserted himself forcefully, had been arguing with many parties about this issue for a long time.
Even before Arthur was born, Daniel’s ideas and the problems he raised were always in the minority and were often criticized by both family and outsiders.
Because of this, he had become obstinate and continued his research, and the topic had become extremely delicate.
「Indeed, as you say, Uncle, it is problematic for curses of that nature to remain stagnant above the royal capital. We should add that to the Saint Candidates' work.」
「Yes. However, there are still many challenges left to solve. I will continue to work with Lily to find a solution.」
Lily was looking down, deep in thought, behind Arthur and Daniel as they made decision after decision.
「Lily. Are you alright?」
When she looked up, concerned by Noah's question, not just Noah, but Arthur and Daniel were also watching her closely.
「I apologize. I was so overwhelmed with concerns that I lost focus.」
「What are you concerned about?」
「Um. When I decursed things at the Western Fortress, the curses fell to the ground. I was sublimating them into the purification Magic Array before the curses could gain the will to move, but here in the royal capital, they somehow rise upward.」
「Huh?」
「And also, that faint mist spreading across the sky. It is an incredible amount of curse. I can't think of a way to purify it.」
「Mhm.」
「And also, I’m sorry, but I haven't established an efficient way to purify the cursed weapons and armor yet.」
While Arthur and Daniel were talking, Lily’s mind had short-circuited trying to figure out everything related to the job she was responsible for.
She had taken on the work believing she could do it, but she was failing right from the start. Her emotions were a mess from the shame and apologies. Her heart was in turmoil, desperate to find a solution.
After speaking her mind, she suddenly fell silent again, retreating into her own world to try and think of a method.
「Hahaha! Lily is a serious child, isn’t she? I’ve troubled you because I wasn't being considerate. Let's work together to solve this. No, I will ask for your cooperation.」
(Daniel-sama just laughed at me…)
Since his eyes were always squinted, she couldn't tell clearly, but it seemed different from his usual smile.
She felt reassured that Daniel, an adult, was offering to work with her, even if she couldn't be of immediate use.
「I-I apologize for the trouble, but please take care of me!」
She was afraid of having too many expectations placed on her. But trying to manage it all alone felt like her heart would break.
It was incredibly encouraging to have the adult Daniel to consult with.
「Uncle, the decursing is under my jurisdiction. And honestly, I'm uneasy leaving everything to you, so please report to me as well.」
「Ehh. Well, alright. I do tend to get carried away. I’ll involve Arthur in the progress, too.」
「Please do so in moderation.」
Just as they reached an agreement, the bell signaling the start of the midday break rang. They dispersed for lunch.
Lily looked around, observing her surroundings as she stepped into a new area for the first time.「Cousin Noah, do you always use the dining hall?」
「It varies depending on the time. But yes, I use the dining hall too.」
The castle dining hall was different from the one at the Western Fortress, from the serving rules to the number of menu items and the place where they ate, so Lily stuck right next to Noah, watching his every move. After selecting her meal and gathering cutlery, she and Noah sat opposite each other at an empty table.
Incidentally, Arthur and Daniel were not there, as their meals were served in their private rooms.
Perhaps because of this, Lily was relaxed.
Her heart danced at the beautifully presented dish before her. Taking up her knife and fork, she happily cut a small piece of meat and brought it to her mouth with the fork. Juices overflowed in her mouth and mixed with the sauce on her tongue, causing her face to break into a grin.
「This is the most delicious meat I’ve ever eaten in my life!」
「Lily, you exaggerate so much.」
Was that true? She searched her memory based on Noah's remark, but she truly had never eaten a meal this delicious.
「Cousin Noah. It seems the food situation at the Western Fortress can’t even hold a candle to the royal capital. The only food used in cooking was rehydrated preserved dried meat in soup, and we could only eat that about once a week.」
「What?」
This time, Noah was surprised by her daily reality.
It wasn't a military expedition; being served dried meat routinely was unheard of in Noah’s life sphere. This unsettling detail alarmed Noah.
「How about we use the dining hall together every day from now on? And tell me all about the Western Fortress. Also, Lily, you’re in your growth phase, so please don’t hold back and eat plenty.」
Saying so, he picked up a plate with a beautifully decorated cake and placed it on Lily’s tray.
「A-Are you sure? I have two desserts now.」
「Yes. If things like this are fine, eat as much as you like.」
While feeling a pang of apology, Noah observed Lily’s physique. For a thirteen-year-old, she was rather small and thin. Her Aunt Emma was also short, so he hadn't been concerned, but she looked a little undernourished.
「The soup is delicious too.」
「Do you like it? If you live in the royal capital until Adam and Emma’s tenure is over, you can eat this every day.」
「That's… true. But I want to go to the Eastern Fortress once my work as a Saint Candidate is finished. Cousin Noah, please help me with that.」
Faced with the exact turn of events that Adam and Emma had predicted, Noah wondered what to do.
「Lily. Why do you want to go to the Eastern Fortress?」
「Eh. Because my father and mother are there. And many of my close soldier friends are there too. I want to heal everyone when they get hurt.」
「Lily. That sentiment is very admirable. However, I want you to consider yourself too. For example, how far ahead have you thought about your future?」
「My future?」
Noah's question was unexpected for Lily. She thought that going to the Eastern Fortress and being useful with her Light Magic was a very good thing to do and no one would fault her for it.
「Yes. If going to the Eastern Fortress is necessary for your future, I will support you. But it would be a problem if you neglected that and ended up lost once you became an adult.」
「Lost?」
「Adam and Emma will pass away someday, too. What will Lily be doing then? What do you want to be?」
「I haven't thought about it.」
She had always assumed life at the Western Fortress with her parents would continue. But Lily was getting older every year. What kind of adult would she become? She hadn't thought beyond that.
There were no ideals, thoughts, or plans. Lily’s future was a blank slate, and beyond that, an endless darkness stretched out.
Suddenly, Lily’s heart chilled, and she was overcome with anxiety.
「There's nothing. W-What should I do?」
「You don't have to decide right away. It's not something you can easily decide anyway. Just work as a Saint Candidate in the royal capital and take your time to think. You can do that, can't you?」
「Yes. I'll do that. I can’t go to the Eastern Fortress right away anyway. It's just right, isn't it?」
Since absolutely nothing came to mind, she would start by trying to figure that out. Lily told herself this to dispel her anxiety.
*****
Thank you for reading. If you want to help my hobby please download and install LDP9 with my link down below. Just Click the small yellow LDPlayer Banner.
OR
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel
-Horizontal.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment