episode_0008

“I think that’s enough mana breathing.”

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Estelle, who had been making an ambiguous expression since a while ago, finally said that she should stop breathing mana.

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“Oh, already?”

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It felt like I was just breathing mana for almost the entire day, but it felt like it was over so quickly because of my recent memories of just beating for three days.

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“Yes, definitely. I admit that you learn quickly.”

“I didn’t really mean to be recognized, but thank you.”

​

[ You have earned the title! ]

[ A person with great mana ]

I’m sure I worked hard, but it’s a bit odd to read, but I got a decent title.

Of course, I don’t know what effect this has.

But if the titles keep increasing like this, one by one, won’t they keep increasing endlessly?

It’s not like it’s anything special… but anyway, whenever I see someone giving a title for something, I think of the titles that will eventually stretch out for a really long time.

But I guess the farming titles weren’t given in any particular detail?

Of course, compared to when I first started farming, my abilities have definitely improved.

… You didn’t go so far as to give it a title?

Well, I still work hard so I don’t get scolded, but I’ve never heard anyone compliment me on my work.

“The sun is slowly setting.”

“Yes, that’s right. I think I should stop here for today. I have to run errands for my parents.”

The reason I still run errands every time I go out is partly because my parents keep asking me to do things, but I guess I can say that I do it because I want to.

Parents, who didn’t exist in the previous world, were warmer and more reliable than I thought.

“Running errands for your parents? What are you doing?”

“It’s nothing special, I just want you to go to the market and buy dinner.”

When I say it awkwardly, as if it were a really trivial errand, Estelle’s eyes sparkle.

“Can I come with you?”

“… Will that work?”

“Why? Why can’t it work? I even taught you magic today? I’m such a master and such a person!”

“I already received all the money from you, sir.”

To be honest, I never had anything to do with such a beauty in my past life, and if possible, I would like to go with the saintess to become close with her…

“Still! It’s fatal that one thing doesn’t work!”

“Look here, Estelle. You’re going to hang out with me, flaunting your sainthood all over your forehead and body? Even if this is the countryside, everyone recognizes a saint!”

Honestly, I think this is a bit off.

Our town? Yes, it is so rural that it takes two or three hours to drive from the city center.

It’s true that it’s a place where older people live together.

But that doesn’t mean that those people don’t know the faces of saints, princesses, and emperors.

It’s not that I’m stupid, it’s common for people living in an imperialist era to know everything about the royal family, including the faces and names of high-ranking nobles.

“Oh, is that so? I guess Theo treated me so comfortably that I unconsciously thought that it was okay to do this. Then, would it be okay if I changed my appearance a bit?”

Changing the appearance.

Are you going to use polymorph magic, something that only dragons or high-ranking wizards can do?

Estelle, a saint, is good enough at magic to be able to use such magic?

No matter how I think about it, it’s a bit strange.

Clearly, I’ve never seen anyone like Estelle who’s good at magic in a game, and I’ve never heard of someone who’s this good at it!

“… Yeah, well. I think that would be okay.”

“Okay! Then please wait a moment!”

I feel my heart pounding a little.

So, you might be excited by Estelle’s cheerful appearance and pretty appearance.

My heart beats even faster at the thought of seeing the high-level magic, Polymorph.

Was I ever this greedy for magic or great power?

“Okay, then! This is how it should be done! Right?!”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, he tied his hair up, flipped the hoodie he was holding over his head, and smiled cutely.

“If you do this, won’t you be able to see the forehead well? It’ll also be hard to judge the hair color.”

That’s certainly not wrong.

Since the hood is pulled all the way up, the face itself is not visible, so the color of the eyes can be passed over without a second thought.

“… Weren’t you using polymorph magic?”

But the reason I was confused was this.

I thought it was a polymorph spell, as if it was going to show something incredibly great, but it was just a simple case of turning a blanket inside out.

“Huh? How can I use such high-level magic? I’m not that great of a wizard?”

Oh, right.

No one said Estelle could use such magic.

I was just looking forward to it, thinking to myself, ‘Oh, oh, is that so it is!’

Wow, did I just sound like a total idiot…?

“Ahem, hm. That’s right. That’s ridiculous. Anyway, let’s go. I think that’s enough to not look like a saint.”

“Wow! Market tour! Exciting!”

Anyway, I don’t understand why a saint who is in a position to do whatever she wants is so excited about going to the market.

“I’ll ask your parents, so do you want to eat before you go?”

I ask while calculating in my head whether I can become closer if I tell him to eat before I go.

Anyway, since we’ve already met, it’s better to become as close as possible before entering the academy.

Or how can a commoner like me talk to the royals and mediate their fight?

“Really? That’s so nice! Oh, if there’s a spare room at Theo’s house, I think it would be nice to stay there. Don’t you run a lodging business or something?”

“… Oh, I don’t think you do that. I’ll ask.”

Men and women under the age of seven should not sit together… This is not the issue.

Anyway, my house is a little old, but it has quite a lot of rooms.

You’re not even asking to sleep with me, so why are you guys saying things like “men and women can’t sit together”?

And even if you say you’ll sleep with me! Huh?! This isn’t a Confucian country! It’s a monarchy! Huh?! If you like the royal family, then you like them… No, crazy. That’s not it. I’m the one who has to connect the crown princess and the saintess and protect the peace of the world.

And you didn’t even ask to sleep with me, so why are you going ahead like a loner?

This is not right, this is not right.

“Ah! This is exciting! I had nowhere to sleep, but now everything is solved!”

“Didn’t you call me without providing me with a good place to stay?”

“I did it for you, but I didn’t like it very much.”

I think she’s a very peculiar girl, saying she’s going to another man’s house because she doesn’t like him.

But, I guess it’s possible since a saint would have enough strength to protect herself.

***

If things had gone as planned, Estelle would have returned to the Holy Empire after finishing her training with Theo, and then come back to Duncan’s backyard, where she had trained today, at the appointed time tomorrow.

Since it wasn’t that difficult for her, who could use movement magic, Duncan didn’t even think about staying overnight and just called Estelle.

“Mr. Duncan has already prepared the meat, so I just need to buy some vegetables and go.”

However, it was entirely Estelle’s choice not to return to the Holy Empire and to remain by Theo’s side.

She was curious about the person called Theo.

Since we were the same age, I could have had romantic feelings for him or something, but I didn’t feel that way right away.

I was just curious.

“Mister! Give me onions, eggplants, and cabbage!”

“Oh, it’s Theo! Are you here to run an errand?”

“Yes, Mom is busy, so I have to help her with work!”

“You punk, I told you that’s special! I’ll give you the egg as a service!”

It was strange that no one reacted much to her revealing that she was a saint.

I just treated her like I normally treat other people.

◦Do you like %◦?”

“No, not really.”

“Will you change your mind after trying my mom’s eggplant fritters?”

Being with him made me feel like a normal girl.

‘How long has it been since I felt this way?’

This is exactly what it felt like when I was a little younger and went on adventures with Duncan and his friends who had accepted me when I had recklessly run away from home.

Although she was a saint herself, she was not a saint to them, but just an ordinary Estelle, and she loved that ordinariness so much.

The position where she could do anything, but still, the oppressed freedom of not being able to do anything as she pleased always made her choke and drive her crazy.

“Mr. Theo.”

“Yes?”

“Do you have any plans to enroll in the academy next year?”

The thought of not wanting to break up with Theo kept welling up from somewhere, even though we only met for one day.

But next year, when I go to the academy, I won’t be able to dream of this kind of daily life anymore, and I will once again be dragged to the academy, hanging myself in the midst of oppressed freedom.

‘If Mr. Theo is there too… I’ll be okay.’