Ch.252252. You Were Truly Beautiful.

“Are you ready?”

To Saint Claudia’s question, Enna answered while lying in bed.

“….Yes.”

It was truly a sacred atmosphere.

Inside the room, soft candlelight emanated a holy ambiance, and Saint Claudia extended her hand toward Enna to manifest her divine power.

“May God’s grace be with you.”

Then, a golden light bloomed from Saint Claudia’s hand.

As time passed, the light grew increasingly stronger.

“Nngh-!”

Enna furrowed her brow in pain.

Soon, as smoke began to rise from her entire body, Saint Claudia poured even more powerful divine energy into her.

Beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

I had only seen healing scenes in novels before, but witnessing it in person made it feel even more sacred.

“Haa….”

Saint Claudia exhaled briefly and slowly lowered her extended hand.

Accordingly, Enna’s groans began to subside, and she seemed to fall asleep from the momentary comfort, soon appearing to snore.

“Lord Selden Alphonse.”

“Yes, please speak.”

“….How was it?”

“It was truly beautiful.”

“The healing scene? Or me?”

I quickly hid my contorting face and forced a somewhat artificial smile.

“Both.”

With a satisfied expression, Saint Claudia looked at Enna lying on the bed and spoke.

“It seems the treatment is working. After all, if it couldn’t be treated, this much divine power wouldn’t have entered her body.”

“Is, is that true?”

“Yes, she’ll need consistent treatment for a while, but I believe a complete recovery is possible.”

If Enna could be healed, there would be no need to go to the Western Continent.

I couldn’t hide my joy at the thought of having less work.

“That’s a relief.”

“This Denise person must be a precious comrade. Seeing how happy you are, Lord Selden Alphonse.”

I felt ashamed of myself for rejoicing at having less troublesome work.

With a reddened face, I continued speaking.

“Haha, all my comrades are precious to me.”

“But, Lord Selden Alphonse, you refer to even your subordinates as comrades?”

“Since we’re together anyway, is there really a need to call them subordinates?”

When I laughed awkwardly, Saint Claudia twisted her body and moved closer to me.

“Then should I become one of Lord Selden Alphonse’s comrades too?”

“….Pardon?”

“I’ve always dreamed of becoming someone’s comrade and going on adventures together.”

I’m sure she has.

In the original story, she was the character who joined Serion Lycus’s group without hesitation.

If not for Lionel’s interference, she would have joined even sooner.

I distanced myself slightly from Saint Claudia and spoke.

“Isn’t God already with you, Saint? And you have the Holy Knights as well.”

“That’s true, but… the temple feels too stifling. Honestly, when every day is the same, it gets boring.”

“But you serve God….”

“God can be served anywhere. Of course, that includes Lake Territory.”

Saint Claudia smiled broadly, showing her white teeth.

Goosebumps rose all over my body, but I tried not to show it as I continued.

“Let’s go together when the opportunity arises. I’m also thinking of going on adventures for monster hunting and personal training.”

“Really!?”

“Well, not right now, but surely there will be an opportunity someday?”

“I hope that day comes soon.”

I gave a vague answer because I felt she might refuse to treat Enna if I rejected her outright….

How do I shake off this leech-like woman?

In the original story, Saint Claudia joined as a comrade after being captivated by Serion Lycus and Leo Sergan’s appearances.

That’s why I was trying to subtly pave the way for later.

However.

From the current situation, I’m not sure if Saint Claudia will join the protagonist.

If I hadn’t discouraged her, she seemed ready to settle down in Lake Territory.

By the way.

She was closest to His Majesty the Emperor at the Imperial Palace, but it seems she hasn’t heard about my marriage arrangements with the princesses.

Well, if she had, she wouldn’t have stayed quiet.

She almost refused to treat Enna when she heard she was a woman, and only agreed when I said she was a comrade’s wife.

Sigh….

Although it was fascinating to see divine power healing someone for the first time today, do I have to watch this every day?

It feels like I’ve dug my own grave.

I shook my head from side to side to clear my wandering thoughts.

“Let’s leave so Enna can rest.”

“Alright.”

Even after leaving the room, Saint Claudia persistently clung to me, but I managed to shake her off by using work as an excuse and headed to the study.

Creeeeak-!

When I entered the study hoping to rest a bit, I found Denise with an anxious expression and Pedericks standing blankly.

I let out a short sigh.

“Denise, I told you to go rest. Why are you here?”

“How could I rest comfortably while my wife is receiving treatment….”

“I told you it’s not certain yet, so try to relax.”

Denise continued with a pale face, seemingly tense.

“….How did it go?”

“From what Saint Claudia told me, it seems treatable, but complete recovery will take some time.”

“Is, is a complete recovery really possible?”

I smiled at Denise, whose eyes were welling up with tears.

“Happy?”

“Of course I am…. Thank you so much. If it weren’t for you, Young Master, I wouldn’t have even found Enna in the first place.”

“Don’t just say it with words. If you’re grateful, make sure the mercenary corps members train properly.”

“You don’t need to worry about that. These days, I’ve offered prize money based on training results, and they’re voluntarily participating.”

“Prize money?”

“Yes, while I was wondering how to make the mercenary corps members train voluntarily, Pedericks gave me the idea.”

I glanced at Pedericks standing beside us, then turned my gaze back to Denise.

“Where did the prize money come from?”

“Pedericks said that for such a purpose, you would gladly approve it for the mercenary corps, so he told me to use it freely.”

“Hmm, well done. I should use this for the knight order members too.”

“Actually, I’ve already mentioned it to the Knight Commander, Rain Breaker.”

I nodded with a satisfied expression, and Denise asked urgently, like a puppy that needed to relieve itself.

“Wh-where is Enna now?”

“She’s resting after treatment. If you’re worried, just quietly keep her company.”

“Understood!”

Denise quickly left the study.

I adjusted my posture and turned my gaze to Pedericks.

“Do you have business too?”

“Yes, I came because I have something to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“I had a conversation with Jawill Wilson, who accompanied you to the Imperial Palace, and something bothered me.”

I tilted my head curiously toward Pedericks.

“Something bothered you?”

“There’s a rumor that one of the princesses is proceeding with marriage arrangements….”

“….Yeah.”

“May I ask which princess is proceeding with the marriage?”

“Why are you curious about that?”

Pedericks opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, before finally speaking with difficulty.

“If it’s Princess Etherian, there’s a high probability that the man she’ll marry is you, Young Master.”

“Huh? Why do you think that?”

Pedericks let out a short sigh and continued.

“Because Princess Etherian likes you, Young Master.”

Princess Etherian likes me?

I had sensed it to some extent but had been denying it until now.

I thought she might just be fond of me because I saved her life.

But.

If Pedericks was saying this, I wondered if I had been oblivious.

It seems His Majesty the Emperor also noticed and tried to match us.

“Does it seem that way?”

“Yes, but… it’s not, is it?”

I smiled gently at Pedericks, who was anxiously rolling his eyes.

“You seem to hope it’s not.”

“Well, at least it’s better than Princess Cyrine proceeding with marriage arrangements. Still….”

“Still?”

“I don’t think you would want it, Young Master.”

“Why is that?”

“Because you desire a free life.”

Perhaps because I’ve had many conversations with Pedericks, he seems to see right through me.

I let out a short sigh.

“Since it’s you, I’ll be honest—it might not be Princess Etherian.”

“….Pardon? What do you mean?”

“The person getting married might be Princess Cyrine.”

“I-I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

I thoroughly explained what had happened with His Majesty the Emperor.

As I did, Pedericks’s pupils gradually dilated.

“Y-Young Master, are you insane!? No matter how much His Majesty favors you, you should have been more careful with your words.”

“I couldn’t help it. When I opened my eyes, Princess Etherian and Princess Cyrine were sleeping on either side of me, so I couldn’t refuse and blurted it out in frustration.”

Pedericks staggered as if he had a headache from hearing my story.

He shook his head from side to side, seemingly trying to gather his wits.

“Haa…. Marriage with a princess who won’t ascend to the throne…. For now, I’ll keep this to myself.”

Anyway, since His Majesty has recovered his health, discussions about the queen’s position will come up gradually.

I closed one eye tightly and then opened it.

“Still, marrying a princess would greatly enhance our family’s prestige, wouldn’t it?”

“….If only you couldn’t speak, I wouldn’t dislike you.”

Knock knock-!

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

I nodded to Pedericks, who was looking at me, and he moved to open the study door.

Creeeeak-! Clunk!

The door opened, revealing a man who bowed to me with a shabby appearance and a gaunt face, seemingly having gone through considerable hardship.

Then, raising his head, he spoke.

“Young Master, I’ve come to deliver urgent news.”