Ch.168The Day Before Work Starts

After parting with Leopold, I headed to the Church of Elpinel’s shelter.

Just as Lacy had promised, the church members who recognized me immediately guided me to the reception room.

Clean white-washed walls. The building filled with priests and patients.

It seemed more like a hospital than a shelter.

In the garden outside, several women in nun’s habits were distributing meals to people who had come to the shelter.

I noticed some patients walking around the garden or sitting on benches chatting.

The inside consisted of several rooms, most of which seemed to be patient rooms judging by the faint smell of blood and groans.

Healing priests were bustling about the corridors.

Some priests made the sign of the cross and bowed their heads when they saw me… I pretended not to notice.

If they’re already reacting like this, I wonder if they’d start prostrating themselves if the whole “Great’s Twelve Knights” business became public knowledge.

“It’s rather burdensome when people are this deferential.”

“It means Lord Haschal’s reputation has grown that much. Isn’t that an honor?”

Nigel, walking a step behind me, smiled and nodded.

His expression was like a proud parent whose child had won an award, which made me smile unconsciously.

“You’re lucky, Nigel. Being so positive about everything.”

“Is that so? I wouldn’t know. Lord Sean and my other superiors all say similar things.”

People are usually unaware of such things about themselves.

—-

The reception room wasn’t far.

The priest who guided us bowed politely before leaving, and Nigel and I sat in chairs, leisurely savoring the tea served to us.

…It’s a bit bitter.

Either the tea leaves weren’t very good, or they didn’t have time to brew it properly. One of the two.

Not long after, Lacy entered the reception room in pristine ceremonial robes, accompanied by a female knight.

A female paladin with calm, brown hair that reached below her waist.

She was the Master I had seen at Ainfeldt Castle. Lacy’s bodyguard, if I recall correctly.

Her name was… right. Bels. Bels Rugna.

A slender face with deep-set eyes.

She looked like a civil servant who’d been dragged to company dinners until dawn.

After brief greetings, I told Lacy about my conversation with Prince Leopold.

She listened to my story with interest, while Bels chatted with Nigel about the battle at Ainfeldt.

“Ten days… it’s a bit tight, but just barely possible. Those who believe me will hurry because it concerns the witch, and those who don’t will gladly agree thinking they can use this opportunity to bring me down.”

Lacy nodded readily after pondering for a moment, counting on her snow-white fingers.

That’s a relief. I was worried it might be too late since we had to come all the way from the Holy State.

“Are you sure it’s okay? We need to infiltrate the imperial palace.”

“Well, we’ll just have to trust them.”

Even for professionals, this didn’t seem like an easy task, as Lacy didn’t appear entirely confident.

Though she didn’t say she couldn’t do it.

About Lacy’s previous recruitment offer, I decided to keep it on hold for now.

The Church of Elpinel—or more precisely, Lacy—seems quite interested in me, but if I hastily accept her invitation to come to the Holy State when Leopold’s defeat becomes certain, she might deliberately do things to disadvantage Leopold.

I doubt she would, but how can I know what’s in someone’s heart?

And as for the interpretation of the inscription I asked for, she said it still needed some time.

It’s similar to the ancient Dane language, but there are subtle differences that could lead to mistranslation.

“I’m not certain, but it seems to be condemning someone.”

Well, that makes sense.

Words carved into a wall with a knife by people who died fighting wouldn’t exactly be love letters.

—-

After finishing our conversation, I helped out a bit at the shelter since I was already there.

I couldn’t heal patients’ wounds since I don’t have healing abilities.

I could remove their pain and send them to Elpinel’s side, but that would be a church service.

In the end, the only help I could offer was physical labor. The same went for Nigel.

Moving supplies and relief materials wasn’t difficult.

It wasn’t a knight’s job, but Nigel seemed quite satisfied.

“Helping priests and the weak is also an honorable duty, isn’t it?”

“If that’s how you see it.”

Thanks to this, we arrived at our lodgings when evening was already falling.

—-

“A bodyguard for the prince? You…? Good heavens, the empire is doomed. I should flee to Faelrun as soon as possible!”

Frider laughed uproariously, pounding on the bed.

Each time she hit it, the mattress sank deeply.

She seems to have forgotten to control her strength from laughing so hard…

Do you realize that the thing you’re pounding on is my bed?

“That’s amazing, sister! Being a bodyguard for royalty is an honorable position reserved only for the Royal Guard… Wait, did you say prince, not princess? That’s a bit…”

Lena, who had been looking at me with admiration at first, suddenly frowned and blushed slightly, apparently imagining something.

“Sister Haschal, are you planning to become the prince’s consort?!”

“No, I have no such intention…?”

Don’t say such horrible things.

From what I can see, that guy would cheat and exploit even his own wife.

If he’d been born in modern times, he’d probably have become a host.

“How could this be…! It’s lewd! This is a lewd affair!”

Suddenly, Lena shouted loudly.

Spouting completely unfounded accusations.

“Lewd…? The prince and I don’t have that kind of relationship. I mean literally just guarding him. So please calm down.”

“I heard from the priests! Nobles who employ female knights as bodyguards are all perverts…! Even if you don’t have such intentions, the prince surely plans to seduce you! You must be careful, or you’ll end up abandoned with an illegitimate child!”

I was speechless at her jaw-dropping words.

What the hell have those Church of Saulite people been teaching this child?

“That… won’t happen…!”

Frider was now rolling around on the bed, clutching her stomach from laughing too hard.

It would be difficult to laugh this much even if hit with laughing gas.

“Ugh… my stomach hurts from laughing too much…!”

“Why don’t you just burst already?”

It took thirty minutes to calm down the wildly agitated Lena.

After desperate persuasion, she seemed to finally understand, though she crossed her arms and said she would keep watching.

…She did understand, right?

—-

A luxurious room filled with exotic decorations.

A graceful woman sat in a rocking chair, knitting with clumsy hands.

Her face above the neck was blurred like an erased photograph, making her identity unknown.

“…Oh my.”

The woman, who had been continuing to knit despite pricking her fingers with the needle, let out a light exclamation of surprise.

She put down the piece of fabric she had been knitting on the shelf beside her chair and gently caressed her abdomen.

As if soothing her belly, which was as round as a hill.

“What’s wrong? Are you in pain?”

A rather familiar voice was heard.

A quite elegant voice for a man. The slightly trembling tone conveyed worry and anxiety.

“No. Come here. I think our baby has woken up. He’s greeting his mother by tapping on my belly.”

The woman took someone’s hand and guided it toward her belly.

Like colors being painted on a white background, a tall man appeared and placed his ear against her lower abdomen.

“Hmm, he seems very healthy, like his mother. If he inherits your strength, he won’t get hurt easily.”

“Oh, you…”

Bright laughter and unfeigned affection flowed between the two.

“Grow strong, my son, Herpoldt. Your father has prepared an empire for you.”

Her… poldt?

Only then did the man’s face properly register.

He was a bit older, but the face was unmistakable.

It was Leopold.

Leopold, dressed in imperial attire, smiled affectionately and kissed his wife’s cheek.

Then, as if a veil had been lifted, the woman’s face became clearly visible.

Neatly pinned-up black hair. Blue eyes as calm as a lake.

Even her gaze, full of tenderness and affection instead of fierceness.

Goddamn it.

Who else could it be?

It was me, of course.

“Hehe… Leopold, have you finished all your duties for today? Then it’s my time now.”

The black-haired woman rose from her chair and took her husband’s hand, leading him to the couple’s nest in one corner of the room.

…That is, to the bed.

No, wait. Stop. Quit it.

What kind of scene are you trying to show me?

“Are you sure? If we overdo it and something happens to Herpoldt…”

“The court physicians said I’ve entered a stable period, so it should be fine. Besides, it’s my child. Nothing will go wrong with this much.”

Nothing wrong? Stop right now!

Don’t lie on the bed! Don’t slide your shoulder strap to the side with that seductive smile!

Of course, my screams went unheard.

All I could do was watch the atrocity unfolding before me from an observer’s perspective.

Her clothes slid down smoothly.

Leopold swallowed hard, staring intently at the exposed female body.

“But still…”

“Shh… Leopold, just come here. Didn’t you miss my embrace? I can’t stand it anymore. Hold me.”

The woman reclined on the bed, slightly parting her legs and extending both arms toward Leopold.

I raised my finger and pierced my own eyes.

It would be better to lose my sight than to witness what was about to follow.

—-

Morning.

I bolted upright, flinging off the blanket, and clutched my disheveled hair with a deep sigh.

Behind me, a pillow damp with cold sweat lay half-torn.

“God… damn it…!”

Curses I had rarely uttered since I was fifteen sprang forth involuntarily.

Anyone would swear after having such a dream.

Something’s definitely wrong.

This must be someone’s plot.

Otherwise, there’s no way I would have such a terrible nightmare not just once, but several times.

It was a thought closer to certainty than suspicion.

Only gods would be capable of such mischief, right?

I don’t know who it is, but once I find out, I’ll demolish every temple there is.

After fuming for a while, I got out of bed.

I didn’t have much time to waste.

Starting today, I had to serve as Leopold’s bodyguard.

Leopold’s…

Once again, the explicit scene I had witnessed in my dream invaded my mind.

Ugh.

It was a memory that made me completely lose any desire to go to work.

Damn it. Why did I have to dream something like this…

Chewing furiously on a cigarette, I headed to the bathroom.