episode_0328

Episode 328

It seems that while I was visiting Nortrier, Riellia also returned after completing her request safely. I invited her to the royal palace to see her face after a long time.

“It’s been a while, Leelia.”

“Ah, yes, it’s been a long time since I saw you…”

Even with her favorite apple tart in front of her, Reelia didn’t look very happy. Normally, I would have smiled brightly and rushed straight in.

“What’s wrong? What happened? For some reason, your expression doesn’t look good?”

Leelia’s face looks like she’s slightly scared of something. Even as I was asking, Reelia was looking around as if she was looking for something unseen.

“Princess… do you believe in ghosts? It’s okay to say it’s not a ghost, but an ominous, spiritual being, an occult.”

“Yes?”

Occult? Come to think of it, the request that Leelia received was something to do with a family possessed by a ghost. Did something scary happen there?

A ghost… In fact, I have encountered ghost-like beings several times. The same goes for Luke, Enekra, and Adrian.

A phenomenon in which the soul of a being who has already died remains to this day and affects those of us who are alive. It would be no exaggeration to say that it was definitely some kind of ghost.

If you think about it that way, does it mean that ghosts can exist in this world?

“This world is a mysterious place, so I think it might exist. But why? Did you really see a scary ghost at the requested place?”

“No, Haeju itself was very successful. The phenomenon of being possessed by a ghost was also caused by accidentally touching a cursed object. The atmosphere of the house was extremely gloomy and dark to the point of being bizarre… but none of that could be the reason for what I experienced.”

It’s like a gothic horror description. Leelia was very serious when she brought up that story.

Although it looks like a small animal on the outside, Leelia is surprisingly strong-willed. I heard that they have been through hell-like situations several times, with people throwing terrible curses at each other.

Above all, it is Riellia who did not back down even in the face of Mystilia’s powerful curse.

For Leelia to be so scared… I don’t know what it was, but it was clear that she had a very scary experience.

I mentally prepared myself and asked.

“What happened?”

“The first time was when I first entered the house. It was just after passing through the main gate with the long iron bars. I felt a very creepy feeling without any sign.”

“If it’s a creepy feeling…?”

“Hmm… Would you say it feels like an ice chestnut rolling around near your chest? No, it felt like it was getting under my skin, all the way to my heart. Anyway, I have to say that it feels extremely ominous and creepy.”

Leelia’s description somehow gave me a feeling of déjà vu. An extremely ominous feeling. But it’s still just a guess.

“What happens next?”

“The second time was the next day, when we were having dinner after meeting the cursed person. It was a time when I was at ease knowing that the reality of the curse was not a big deal. I felt that same scary feeling again as when I entered the mansion on the first day.”

“It was the evening of the second day…”

“I was so scared because it was my first time feeling like this. The people in the house didn’t seem to feel anything. I couldn’t even figure out the cause. It was different from any curse I had ever seen… In the first place, the phenomenon was far outside the scope of curses I was familiar with.”

Leelia picked up the tart in front of her. He took a big bite and, as if he liked the taste, ate it all in an instant with a scared look on his face.

“Phew… But until then, I believed that if I lifted the curse, everything would be resolved. No other traces of the curse were found in the house. The only one who was cursed was the eldest son. I lifted his curse without difficulty. Until then, I never felt that scary feeling again.”

Reelia’s body trembled as the memory of that time came to her mind and she shoved the cookie into her mouth. It’s a great appetite.

“But just when I thought everything was okay! On the third day, it was the moment when I was about to leave the mansion after completing the inspection. This time, the moment I stood at the front door to leave, that scary feeling came over me again. This time it didn’t end in just a moment. As if he was trying to warn me about leaving the mansion, he kept going…!”

Leelia took a deep breath. I said, offering him some warm tea.

“Are you okay? It’s okay to talk slowly if you’re having a hard time, Leelia.”

“No, I think it will be easier if I tell you everything. Anyway, I couldn’t leave like that. But the people in the mansion didn’t understand me. I guess they felt like they had been completely cured of all the curses. In the end, I couldn’t convince them and had no choice but to leave the mansion. Those people are still left behind in that terrifying, unidentifiable phenomenon… Ah…! I am disqualified from becoming a saint! If you take out the saint, all I have left is her murderous cuteness…!”

I definitely feel a lot better after all is said and done. But Leelia was still very serious. It seemed like he was still remembering the horror of that time.

While listening to Leelia’s story, something touched my heart a little. The gap that came along with the feeling of ‘ominous sensation’ described by Leelia. Because it was quite consistent with the phenomenon I experienced.

I brought paper and pen. And he accurately wrote down the date and time when Leelia first experienced the phenomenon.

“Hmm… That’s true too.”

“Huh… Did you really find out something? Just this much information without even seeing the mansion in person?”

“The phenomenon is probably unrelated to the mansion. And also with the people in that house. Rather, it has something to do with me.”

“Uh… yes?”

“These moments you described coincide with the timing when I felt almost the same sensation in Nordrier. When a character there used powers beyond my knowledge, I felt the same ominous feeling you mentioned.”

In other words, something synchronized occurred between Reelia and me. I don’t know the reason, but… Suddenly, I remembered the promise I made with Leelia before leaving for Nordrier.

We promised each other that we would return safely. At that time, I felt an unusual manifestation of divine power.

Considering that the source of Ian’s power came from that hideous fruit, the remains of a fallen god, it may have been the unconscious blessing that Leelia bestowed on me at that time that allowed me to sense that unholy power. In fact, it would have been much more difficult to deal with Ian if I hadn’t sensed the premonition of magic reflection.

After hearing from me the details of what happened in Nortri and accurately comparing the time period when she felt that ominous feeling, Reelia seemed to feel a little at ease.

This may be thanks to the realization that it is not a strange phenomenon that cannot be understood, but a phenomenon that, while still ominous, has its own regularity.

“Phew… I see. I thought I had completely left the family in danger… but I am so glad.”

Leelia swept her heart away. Now it seemed as if the burden on my mind had completely disappeared. It seems that she felt quite a sense of responsibility as a saint. I picked up another tart in front of me.

Leelia asked in a refreshing voice, moving her mouth murmuringly.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you, so is that sobbing something that the princess also experienced? It’s the terrifying sound of a woman crying every night. Compared to the cold and ominous feeling I shared with the princess, I didn’t really tell you because it was nothing special…”

“….Crying? What kind of crying?”

In Nordrier, I have never heard anything like crying, especially a woman’s crying. When she heard my answer that I had no idea what was going on, Reelia’s face quickly turned pale.

“Kyaaa!”

* * *

After confirming that Leelia was safe, I briefly checked the news from Luna’s Arnst Academy and William and Tina.

This inspection was difficult to determine exactly how long it would take. But I was able to come back much faster than expected. Thanks to this, it appears that there were no major management problems at the academy.

Even the attrition rate of faculty and cadets was zero. There’s no need to ask what kind of trick was used. The two people who were assigned to the same class seem to be having a refreshing academy life.

That’s a good thing. I have very little time to worry about anything else. The imperial princess’s visit is only three days away. No, I should say it’s actually two days later.

Princess Lisia’s purpose will be exploration. I also had no intention of taking any hasty action.

The plan was to find out Princess Lycia’s intentions and the empire’s trends through the princess. Of course, we will prepare for the possibility that she or Escarade may try to use their skills directly.

During the day, at the meeting attended by the ministers, only somewhat boring discussions such as protocol and dinner plans continued. Fehat’s wrinkles deepen.

But there is nothing to blame them for. A moderate interpretation is to accept the princess’s visit as basically a sign of goodwill. It could not be said that there was anything wrong with trying to provide extravagant hospitality.

Moreover, even if there really was a force among the princes who wanted to invade the kingdom, it would be even more important to attract Princess Lycia to the kingdom’s side. Although they were optimists, it could not be said that their judgment was fundamentally wrong.

In order to accurately discuss the dangers of the empire, the existence of Iscarade must be mentioned. However, there were aspects of him that were difficult to answer publicly regarding his goal of becoming a fallen god and kingdom.

Therefore, discussions on practical measures took place at night meetings, not daytime meetings. In a secret meeting with Carmel and other people close to me.

The most important thing is how much protection Princess Licia has to prepare against magic before she enters here.

In fact, the magic gap between the empire and the kingdom is large. However, when we think about Ian’s case, there was a possibility that he would come with defenses we could not imagine.

Ordinary means can be determined through my magic power. However, if it is an unconventional means or a defense that operates in a different way than using mana, I cannot detect it.

Of course, it is impossible to attack first. If you do something like that and it fails, it will be the same as giving the empire a reason to invade.

I didn’t want to let the princess run wild around the Kingdom of Lustier, but I needed to be cautious until I could gather enough information.

Two days passed quickly.

It was a little after noon, and the street in front of the royal palace was already crowded with people who had gathered. The imperial procession, its vanguard, began to be visible above the wide, empty road.

As if to show off its splendor, a cavalcade riding solemn black horses surrounded the luxurious carriage. The hopes of the gathered people that they might be able to see the face of the imperial princess in person seem to have failed.

Imperial visitors passed through the main street and entered the royal entrance. Guided by the knights who had come to meet us, they were approaching the audience room where I, Carmel, and Fehat were.

What kind of face does the princess have? My heart is pounding very hard. Like a warrior about to go into battle.

Soon they entered the room. It was natural, but Princess Lisia stood proudly in front of us without even lowering her head.

“Nice to meet you, everyone from Lustier. My name is Liberter Lenoa Parausia Bamiar. I greet you as the fourth princess of the empire and a special envoy.”