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The Ordeal of Saint Teresalo (Part 3)

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*****

「Honestly, Zumiano! Teresalo’s completely frozen up. Explain yourself properly!」

Teresalo’s mind had gone blank at Zumiano’s shocking declaration, prompting Wellmy-oneesama to call out in a panic.

In response, he gave a playful shrug.

「Well, Myy told me not to say anything unnecessary, so I just started with the conclusion.」

「The point is that the *content* of 'tearing it down' is what matters! You’re talking about crushing the plan to force her into the Temple as a Saint, right?!」

「Ah, I see.」

As Zumiano clapped his hands together in realization, Teresalo finally managed to regain enough composure to speak.

「I-is such a thing even possible?!」

「Sure is—」

Zumiano said airily, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

「I managed to put the Temple... or rather, His Holiness the Pope... in my debt. I also passed along some—unconfirmed, mind you—information to keep him quiet. I’ve made it so that as long as you re-engage yourself to Lord Sophoyl, you won't have to go to the Temple.」

He laughed as if it were a trifle, but the scale of the conversation was so massive that Teresalo’s brain couldn't keep up.

(In the Pope's debt?)

(Keep him quiet?)

What on earth was this man talking about?

「Zumiano? When did you do all that?」

At Wellmy-oneesama’s question, Zumiano replied, 「Before the recent night party.」

「Before the party...?」

「That’s right. I mean, if you play with toys, you have to clean up afterward, don't you? Whether I won or lost, I made sure to take every measure so that everything would return to its original state without a hitch.」

(I don't think a normal person could do that! Wait, did this man just treat the Church and the State like toys?!)

He had utilized a conspiracy capable of shaking two nations—the Kingdom and the Empire—as well as the Church, all for the sake of a friend's love. And yet, the words coming out of his mouth were "toys" and "cleaning up."

Was this man truly a human being like her? She even began to wonder if he was actually some kind of Demon King.

「Don't you act all proud when you caused everyone so much trouble and then got utterly defeated by Eides!」

「I'm not acting proud at all—」

(Someone actually defeated the Demon King!!!)

Perhaps the Magus Lord Ormirage was actually some kind of Demon God.

Even though Lord Seifahrt and Sophoyl were both twitching their cheeks in disbelief, Wellmy-oneesama seemed utterly fearless. Before she was rumored to be a candidate for Crown Prince Leonir’s fiancée, there had been rumors that she was engaged to the Magus Lord.

(Wait... Wellmy-oneesama, did you just call the Magus Lord by his first name without a title?!)

Teresalo trembled as the realization hit her: she had been told to call someone "Oneesama" who was apparently on intimate terms with both a Demon King and a Demon God.

(Wellmy-oneesama... is she perhaps a Goddess? Or a Great Demon Queen...!!)

While her mind was overheating with these thoughts, the conversation moved forward.

「Lord Zumiano, Lady Wellmy. About this... re-engagement between myself and Teresalo?」

At Sophoyl’s question, the two nodded to each other, and Zumiano held out a formal document.

「Assuming Lord Sophoyl and Teresalo are willing, I’ve secured a royal decree from the Old Fox King regarding your re-engagement. Oh, he said you’re free to destroy it if either of you isn't interested, so don't worry.」

「Stop calling His Majesty a fox! What will you do if someone hears you?!」

「No one is going to overhear us in this 'Salon.' Myy, you’re such a worry-wart.」

Teresalo stared blankly at the document held out to her as he laughed. Indeed, it bore a royal decree with the King’s personal signature.

(I... I just don't understand anything anymore...!!)

Of course, she was incredibly, incredibly happy at the prospect of being engaged again to Sophoyl, whom she had adored since childhood and still loved now.

After all, she loved that kind "big brother" figure, five years her senior, who used to work in the lower town because his family was poor, yet would still play with everyone after his shift if she asked.

Even after he joined the knights, he would bring sweets to share on his days off, and when she begged for stories of the knighthood, he would tell her all sorts of things, even if he was a man of few words.

She had always loved that Sophoyl, and she had begged her father to let him be her fiancé. Told she had to convince him herself, she had diligently visited the training grounds, constantly expressing her feelings to him even as he tried to decline out of concern for their age gap and social standing. It was a precious promise she had fought to win.

Even after he was sent to the border and they couldn't meet, having the only bond left between them snatched away had been devastatingly sad. And now, hearing Sophoyl say he loved her had made her float with joy.

「...Why would a re-engagement be a condition for overturning the entry into the Temple?」

Sophoyl asked the question in place of the speechless Teresalo.

Zumiano—the mastermind behind the original engagement annulment through the pressure of a Marquis's name, and the man who had followed it up with this unbelievable reward—grinned and said something that made her mind go blank once more.

「—Because you’re the 'Knight of Light,' aren't you? Even if you are trying to hide it.」

Beside her, Sophoyl showed a visible sign of surprise.

The Knight of Light.

A legendary existence spoken of alongside the Saint—a wielder of light capable of striking down the powerful beings that rule over the superior demons known as Demon Lords and the intelligent magical beasts known as Demon Kings.

「Did you know? In legends and records, the 'Pink-Haired Saint'—of whom only a handful have ever existed—appears when the world is filled with chaos. In fact, every time such a record exists, a Demon King or Demon Lord is inevitably born, and the power of monsters grows immense. There have already been reports that monster activity is becoming more frequent lately.」

He explained that the appearance of the Knight of Light, who is said to protect the Saint, is naturally recorded as occurring at the same time.

「The Saint herself has no power to defeat monsters. She is a presence of healing. Her role is to purify miasma. The one who defeats the entities that strengthen that miasma is the Knight of Light. The King of the previous kingdom, and the old House of the Margrave of Lionel, both strengthened their power by producing Knights of Light.」

This was all news to Teresalo, but Sophoyl seemed to have known. He clenched his teeth tightly, and the hand resting on Teresalo’s shoulder tightened slightly.

「Did you just hate all that hassle, Lord Sophoyl? Or is there another reason?」

Zumiano’s attitude remained unchanged. He continued to smile while pressing Sophoyl for an answer in a way that permitted no deception.

After a brief silence, Sophoyl let out a small breath.

「...It was to stay by Teresalo's side and protect her. The reason I accepted the deployment to the border was to hunt monsters that had begun to transform before they could become Demon Kings.」

「Thought so. Oh, by the way, I'm not a Demon King, and neither are the Magus Lord or Myy. Just so you know, Teresalo.」

Having her mind read so abruptly made Teresalo gasp.

「Hwah...!」

「You were thinking it, weren't you? How rude. Well, to prove we aren't, I’ve prepared these!」

With a flourish, Zumiano produced a perfume bottle and a bracelet, placing them on the Salon table.

「! Zumiano, those are!」

「Ah, these are different, Myy. They aren't 'that' thing for manipulating people. Rather, 'that' was the byproduct, and these were the real research subjects.」

「...What?」

Wellmy-oneesama grew wary, while Lord Tsurugis and Lord Schizolda behind him looked as though they had swallowed something bitter. They clearly thought that when Zumiano was like this, he was up to no good.

「This is a perfume that obstructs a monster’s ability to think, and a bracelet that generates a magical field to weaken them.」

(I thought I wouldn't be surprised by anything else he said, but...)

「The Magus Lord was poking around the people I have helping me with the smuggling, and before I knew it, he’d easily found the factory. He probably saw the research content, because he sent me a letter. The information he gave me—telling me to 'use it well if you want to quiet the Pope'—was the tip that Sophoyl seemed to be the 'Knight of Light.'」

The Magus Lord Ormirage was definitely strange, too. How did he get his hands on that kind of information?

「That was the moment I thought, 'Ah, I’ve lost.' But regardless, I’m making grateful use of it. With this perfume, weak monsters won't be able to move, and even strong ones apparently get 'drunk.' As for the bracelet, a strong knight should be able to go toe-to-toe with even a Demon King-class beast by dulling its movements.」

After explaining the incredible effects with total composure, Zumiano winked.

「I presented the rights to this perfume to His Holiness along with the information about the Knight of Light. In exchange for giving the Church the rights so they can claim it as their achievement, I made a deal: 'If Teresalo marries Sophoyl, she won't be summoned to the Temple.'」

「On the surface, at least,」 Zumiano added suggestively.

「But His Holiness isn't a fool. He added a condition: 'In exchange, Sophoyl must go public as the Knight of Light and receive an official blessing from the Church alongside Teresalo.' That’s so the Church’s authority isn't damaged by the fact that Teresalo refused them.」

「For a man of the cloth, he’s far too scheming...」

「That’s just how people in power are.」

Zumiano replied dismissively to Wellmy-oneesama’s exasperated look before continuing.

「As for the bracelet, in exchange for pardoning my crimes, it will be jointly managed by the Royal Family and the Ministry of Magic, with the profits distributed between them. That’s where I settled the deal. Neither the houses of the Marquis nor the Duke will be involved. Well, the premier House of Marquis Ormirage will announce later that they aren't involved, and since the sons of other influential houses have acted like idiots, no one will be able to object.」

He pointed to himself and the others as he finished.

「However, since they’ll be used by the knighthood, some of the developer's profits will end up in my pocket once mass production begins. So, I’m turning over those distribution profits—along with the rights—to become Sophoyl’s property.」

「And that’s that!」 Zumiano said, clapping his hands and tilting his head with a grin.

「What is with that disgusting gesture? Stop it.」

「Myy, you’re so mean. So, what’s your answer?」

「I have no objection to making my hidden abilities known. ...However, what is the reason for giving the profits from those magic tools to me? I have no desire for money.」

「You’re going to protect Teresalo, aren't you?」

At Sophoyl’s question, Zumiano lowered his hands and answered plainly.

「Status and wealth. Power and titles. Do you really think a mere third son of a nominal barony—even if he earned a knight’s title—can protect a girl of such incredible value with nothing but a single sword?」

「...!」

「Even if the Church makes a promise now, if you slip up, they might use it as an excuse to claim Teresalo again under the guise of 'protecting' her. Other nations and criminals alike will begin to watch for an opening. If they truly want her, they’ll do anything—kidnapping, threats, whatever. While you are away as a hero slaying monsters, who is going to protect Teresalo?」

Zumiano’s green eyes, shining like emeralds, were perfectly clear.

He was an innocent person. That also meant he was someone who couldn't distinguish between good and bad.

He likely viewed both human goodwill and malice exactly the same way, without any bias.

「That’s what this is about, Lord Sophoyl. To protect Teresalo, you will be required to hire people you can trust, to rise in status, and to have achievements that no one can interfere with. That is why I am handing the rights to the bracelet over to you. If you want to run away from all that, saying it's 'impossible,' you’re free to go.」

「...I won't run.」

「Then, please accept this.」

As Zumiano held out the bracelet he had picked up, Sophoyl turned his gaze toward Teresalo.

「Teresalo.」

「Y-yes!」

Teresalo looked up at the face of her beloved Sophoyl—who had narrowed eyes and was by no means traditionally handsome, but had a gentle appearance.

「...I wish to spend my life with you.」

「Yes...」

「Do you feel the same way?」

「...Yes!」

As she answered with a beaming smile, Sophoyl accepted the bracelet from Zumiano.

For some reason, Wellmy-oneesama was clapping with a happy expression, and everyone else began to clap as well. Feeling incredibly embarrassed, Teresalo looked down.

「Well then, since Lord Sophoyl has decided to stand as the Knight of Light, I’ll give this to him as a present!」

Zumiano walked to the corner of the Salon and returned with a long, slender package.

「What is that?」

「The 'Holy Sword of the Knight,' with a light orb embedded in the hilt, and two replicas with blank magic orbs. Three in total. I plan to mass-produce these, too!」

「.....................Huh?」

While Sophoyl stood there agape, Zumiano opened the package.

There were three swords of identical shape. They were white, and rather than being elegant, they were unadorned and rugged. However, one possessed a holy aura, while the other two, as Zumiano had said, had magic orbs embedded in them that held no mana.

「...Aren't these national treasures?」

「The Old Fox King said I could take them since they were just gathering dust in the warehouse. Besides, they’re supposed to be given to their rightful owner when they appear. Oh, as for the replicas, if you or Teresalo imbue them with light mana, they’ll become the same as the Holy Sword. You can give the replicas to other knights, and they'll be able to use them with your approval.」

Zumiano remarked that they were effective swords against monsters, but...

(Can a Holy Sword really be copied that easily?)

Wellmy-oneesama seemed to have the same doubt and asked the question.

「He said it was a joint development between the Magus Lord Ormirage, Countess Ernest, and the Special Task Minister Abacam. Apparently, they succeeded in refining *Orichalcum*—the raw material for Holy Swords—from *Mithril*.」

「...How incredible! As expected of Eides and my sister!!」

Wellmy-oneesama was delighted, but...

(Wait, is this kingdom perhaps the strongest in history...?)

Teresalo felt a sense of dread at the world-shaking inventions and actions of the people close to the nation's center.

(Could this man, the Magus Lord, and Lady Iola be even more terrifying than a Demon King...?)

Teresalo did not know.

That just a few years from now...

The appearance of the most powerful Demon Kings and Demon Lords in history would be recorded.

And Sophoyl, leading the "Order of the Holy Sword," would be at the forefront of what would be called the fastest suppression in history.

And Teresalo herself would achieve the purification of the land through holy arts that would be hailed as the greatest in history.

In the shadows of those events, the presence of the Crown Prince and his wife—who would go on to make numerous historical discoveries and bring unprecedented profits to the Kingdom—would be felt.

As would the presence of the Foreign Minister and his wife, along with their collaborators, who would use their skills to swiftly secure the cooperation of nations worldwide.

At this point in time, not even Teresalo knew any of this.

*****

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