Chapter 31: All’s Well That Ends Well?

Three days have passed since then. The castle, after the incident, was apparently thrown into utter, unmanageable chaos. However, after some time, various facts came to light. First, Hanger-on B, who summoned the Dark Dragon—or rather, Lady Barbara of the Count Sonatine house—survived, though she was considerably weakened. It seems the Dark Dragon didn’t manage to take her full life force. This likely depends on the intensity of the negative emotions poured into the Dark Dragon. The game version of Sakuraile had lost all status and honor and was completely desperate and hateful. Lady Barbara‘s father, Count Sonatine, was in charge of security for Elliott‘s birthday party, and it’s believed that Lady Barbara obtained information about the barrier at the party venue from him. She was what you’d call an Elliott stalker; apparently, piles of Elliott‘s personal belongings were found in her room at the Sonatine house. She likely had summoned beasts like rats, conjured with [Beast Demon Summoning], steal them for her. She was deeply infatuated. If you use [Beast Demon Summoning] effectively, it’s easy to gather information. She seems to have stolen Elliott‘s schedule for the Founding Festival that way, too. If the game version of Sakuraile had used the Gift like that, maybe she wouldn’t have ended up ruined… But she only ever used brute force. Unlike Hanger-on A, Hanger-on B (Barbara) lacked self-confidence and never spoke to Elliott, simply watching him from afar. However, she secretly played various pranks on the noble ladies who got close to Elliott. For a six-year-old, that kind of obsession and proactive behavior… couldn’t it have been used for something else? Attempted assassination of the Crown Prince is a serious crime, but strictly speaking, she didn’t target Elliott (though she did steal his personal items), and since she is a minor, she managed to escape with her life. The fact that Count Sonatine was a loyal subject was also considered. The incident was concluded as a case of a juvenile emotional [Gift] rampage. Fortunately, no one died. Gift rampages during childhood are quite common in this world, and the punishment is often relatively light. Although the [Gift] itself is usually revoked. However, crime is crime. Lady Barbara‘s [Gift], [Beast Demon Summoning], was revoked by a holy artifact of the Church, and she will spend the rest of her life isolated in a convent on an island. Furthermore, the Count Sonatine house was demoted for poor supervision, falling to the lowest rank of nobility, the Esquire House (Shi-shaku). This means the next generation will not be nobles. Although the possibility remains that they could still be promoted to Baron if they work hard. I expect His Majesty the Emperor intends to elevate them to Baron once the commotion dies down. He had to do this much for the sake of appearances before other countries. And one more thing: the Marquess Ragtime house, home of Hanger-on A (Annemarie), was dissolved. There was no excuse now, as evidence of a clear rebellion plan—including coordinating with a foreign assassination group—was found one after another at the Marquess Ragtime‘s mansion. Similarly, Count Pizzicato and Viscount Tempo, who were allies of the Marquess, were arrested, and both of their houses were dissolved. For His Majesty the Emperor, this must have been a perfect opportunity to break up the ‘Traditionalist’ faction. He showed no mercy. Marquess Ragtime also had his [Gift] revoked and was sent to the mines. Lady Annemarie and her brother will be taken in by their maternal family, but having fallen to commoner status, they will never be able to return to noble society. Marriage or adoption into noble families is also forbidden. The crime of treason is that severe. Their mother’s noble family was also demoted down to the Esquire House due to their association, and they will undoubtedly be monitored for decades. They absolutely cannot afford to make any mistakes. If anything happens next, they will be dissolved. Naturally, the Empire raised an outcry against the Imperial Kingdom, but everything was blamed on a single noble of the Empire—a typical case of cutting off the lizard’s tail. That noble was summarily executed, and the Empire sent an apology document saying they had taken responsibility and were sorry for the trouble. It felt unsatisfying. The Chancellor suggested that the Empire is not monolithic, and the claim that some extremists acted alone might not be entirely wrong. Idiots exist in every country. Oh, and this is important: I thought Estelle‘s [Gift] would be exposed to many people because of this incident, but fortunately, in all that chaos, no one was looking her way, and the injured knights were unconscious and didn’t know who healed them. What a relief. The problem lies with me. I wielded the Holy Sword and defeated the Dark Dragon in front of a massive crowd. And not only ambassadors but even royalty from other countries were present. Concealing this was impossible. In the blink of an eye, I became known as the ‘Princess of the Holy Sword.’ The story was that the hidden power awakened after I was nearly killed like a ragdoll. The truth is that Estelle healed me, but even the recovery was attributed to my power. What a ridiculous misunderstanding. But I can’t say, ‘That was Estelle’s power!‘ now. If Estelle‘s power is exposed, she will definitely become a target for the nobles. It is more convenient for me to claim it as my own power, since I’ve already become conspicuous. A Ducal House won’t be messed with easily. The role of ‘Hero of the Holy Sword’ should have been Elliott’s, though. Ten years from now, in the game.

“Why did I have to steal Elliott‘s role… Ouch!? It hurts, hurts, hurts…!”

The moment I twisted my body on the bed, pain shot through me everywhere.

“Are you alright, Young Lady?” “Oh, I’m fine, I’m fine. Just a sudden twinge…”

I answered Arisa, the maid, who was peering at me worriedly, and lay back down. Am I injured? No, no. Just muscle soreness. The body enhancement from Holy Sword Mode seems to have been quite a burden on my young body, and after that battle, I woke up after sleeping deeply in this state. And this muscle soreness couldn’t be cured even by Estelle‘s [Holy Miracle]. Perhaps the cause of the muscle pain—the Holy Sword—was given by the Holy Goddess Holi, so it doesn’t work. I often hear talk of the nullification of [Gifts] by the same God. But what should I do? Estelle summoned the Holy Sword, but I made the contract. Because of that, the Holy Sword is bound to me and I can summon it freely. Is this also considered [Summoning]? If so, it might be seen as consideration from Samonia, the Goddess of Summoning… Because, incredibly, I leveled up again. Could it be that this is rising because I’m completing events in ‘Starlight Symphony’? But isn’t Level 5 too high? Even Estelle in the game’s hidden route only got to 7. Certainly, Estelle’s [Holy Miracle] is a rare Gift, powerful but difficult to level up. In terms of level alone, my Grandfather’s [Blades of all Generals] is apparently Level 10, and there are plenty of people with higher levels in this world. High Gift level doesn’t equal strength. It does mean you can do many things, though. In the first place, people in this world don’t use the term ‘level’. Maybe I shouldn’t compare this too much to the game. I only know information from the protagonist Estelle’s point of view, after all… As I was deep in thought, the room door opened and the guard knight Tanya Celesta poked her head in.

“Young Lady, Lady Estelle has come to visit.” “Ah, let her in.”

When I gave permission, Estelle entered with a beaming smile. She came again, even though she visited before. It really is just muscle soreness, though.

“Hello, Lady Sakuraile. How are you feeling?” “It still hurts, but not as much as the first day. I think I’ll be able to move normally tomorrow or the day after.”

Not wanting to worry her, I emphasized that I was fine and had Estelle sit in the chair next to the bed. After all, Estelle witnessed my limbs being mangled like a ragdoll. If she develops a strange trauma, it would be terrible.

“The town is completely engrossed in talk about you, Lady Sakuraile. They call you the Saintess, the Maiden of God of Sinfonia, who prevented the rebellion of Marquess Ragtime and defeated the Dark Dragon.” “Ugh… so that’s what’s happening…”

I only presented the evidence regarding Marquess Ragtime‘s matter, and the Dark Dragon incident just happened by chance. If I’m being honest, anyone could have defeated it with the Holy Sword. It was a one-hit kill. As I indulged in this gloomy mood, Estelle continued talking in a somewhat downcast voice.

“And about that… I heard rumors that talks of your engagement with Crown Prince Elliott are progressing…” “Eh? No, no. I already refused once.”

I flatly denied Estelle‘s words. That’s a completely unfounded rumor. Well, if such a prominent figure appears and there’s a Crown Prince of the same age, everyone would think that. I would think that, too. It’s a template, in a way. Even in the game (though it was Estelle), she ended up with Elliott.

“Is that so! I completely thought it was already decided…!”

“Nope? I haven’t heard any such talk.”

It’s impossible for Father and Mother to let talks progress without my knowledge. The situation has changed, so perhaps there’s movement among the senior vassals, but since I refused once, the answer remains no. I tilted my head at Estelle, who suddenly cheered up, and a thought occurred to me. Huh? If I completely crushed the Elliott route, is the future where Sakuraile is devoured by the Dark Dragon gone? If so, maybe it’s not such a bad thing. …No, you never know what might happen. The position of fiancée could potentially influence another route. Still going with no.

“Lady Sakuraile, I brought some sweets. They might not be as delicious as yours, but my mother and I made them together. Shall we eat them together?” “Oh. Of course, I’ll have some. Thank you, Estelle.”

When I thanked her, Estelle smiled shyly. What is this… she’s an angel. As I felt warmly towards the angel in front of me, Tanya Celesta opened the door and peeked in again.

“Young Lady, His Highness the Crown Prince has come to visit.”

“Tch.”

Eh? A click of the tongue? Did Angel Estelle just click her tongue?

“Um, Estelle? Just now…”

“What is it?”

She smiled sweetly, and I swallowed the words I was about to say. …Was it just my imagination?

“Oh, Lady Estelle is here too. Sakuraile, how are you feeling?”

“I’m fine; I’ll be back to normal in a few days. Thank you, Elliott.”

“Welcome, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

I remained where I was since I’m indisposed, but Estelle stood up and curtsied in greeting. I don’t know why, but Estelle’s eyes are smiling at Elliott, but they don’t seem to be smiling.

“We were just about to enjoy some sweets, Lady Sakuraile and I. I’m surprised by the very good timing, as if you aimed for it, Your Highness the Crown Prince. Would you care to join us?”

…Hmm? That phrasing sounds like a sarcastic remark aimed at Elliott, suggesting he came just for the sweets…

“Thank you very much. I will accept without hesitation, then.”

Elliott remained unperturbed. …Am I overthinking this? Soon, Arisa brought the sweets, cut and plated, which she had received from Estelle. Apple pie, huh. Mmm, it smells good. It’s bad manners, but I decided to eat it in bed. A crisp crust with moist apple filling… Bite. Delicious!

“It’s delicious! Thank you, Estelle!”

“It truly is. It’s delicious.”

“I’m glad it suited Your Highness the Crown Prince’s palate. I presume you usually eat much more luxurious, delicious things.”

…Hmm? Estelle, are you holding a grudge against Elliott, after all? I feel barbs in the corners of her words. Did something happen to displease her…? Oi, hang in there, Elliott. Your affection level is dropping, you know? …No, this is my fault, isn’t it? I essentially stole Elliott’s moment of glory. Even so, what can I do to apologize? Becoming his fiancée is the only thing I must avoid.

“Oh, right.”

I suddenly remembered and took out some wire puzzles from the satchel next to the bed. They were things I bought at the candy store summoned by [Store Summoning].

“Sakuraile, what are those?”

“They’re puzzles, though not as difficult as the six-sided puzzle. Watch closely, okay? These two rings look like they can’t be separated, but…”

I fiddled with the two rings, and shortly after, they slipped apart and separated into two pieces.

“They separated…! Eh? How?” “Just like the six-sided puzzle, there’s a trick to solving them. Want to try?” “Absolutely!”

Elliott immediately took the wire puzzle and began fiddling with it. Ah, I messed up. Now Elliott won’t move. I should have given it to him as a souvenir when he was leaving. Well, it’s not that difficult, so he’ll solve it soon, right? Hm? I happened to glance at Estelle, who was looking at Elliott with very disappointed eyes. She even sighed. It was quiet, but I heard her say, ‘Such a child…’!? Hey, that’s the Crown Prince of our country, you know!?

“Umm… speaking of which, Luca and Tifa have already returned to their countries, haven’t they?” “Yes. They were disappointed that they couldn’t say goodbye to Lady Sakuraile.”

I’m disappointed too. I finally made friends with them. Well, I’ll see them again when we enroll in the Academy. …Since I created contact, maybe I’ll see them sooner than that. I vaguely thought about this while eating Estelle‘s apple pie.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Oh? Such a child?”

“Yes. Sakuraile is amazing. I got this sweet from Sakuraile, too. Isn’t it delicious?”

Luca, or Lucariola, was enthusiastically recommending her favorite mochi sweets to her father, King Cassini Le Prélude III of the Prelude Kingdom. The King, who usually pays little attention to others, was naturally curious about this Ducal Lady Sakuraile whom his daughter spoke of so passionately. A young girl the same age as his daughter who prevented a rebellion and even slew a dragon. She was undoubtedly a genius, a talented woman. She would surely become an important figure supporting the Sinfonia Imperial Kingdom.

“Hmm… Perhaps establishing ties now would not be a bad idea.”

The King of Prelude smiled to himself and put the mochi sweet, skewered on a toothpick presented by his daughter, into his mouth.

“…It is delicious.”

“Right?”

Luca answered with a proud expression, having gotten her way. The King of Prelude wondered if connecting with the le Philharmonie Ducal House might allow him to procure these as well.

◇ ◇ ◇

“What!? A six-year-old girl took down a dragon!?”

“Indeed. It was a single strike. Sakuraile undoubtedly possesses the qualities of a Hero.”

Queen Leisha Le Minuet of the Minuet Queendom, Tifa‘s mother, looked at the knights who had traveled to the Imperial Kingdom with her daughter, as if asking, ‘Is that the truth?’ The knights affirmed this with a small nod, and the Queen let out a sigh of awe.

“I cannot believe such a child is in the neighboring country… I cannot believe it.” “Sakuraile‘s grandfather is Margrave On Einsatz. Perhaps it is in her bloodline.”

“What!? The granddaughter of the ‘Lion of the Empire’!?”

If that is the case, a look of understanding dawned on the Queen’s face. The heroic name of the ‘Lion of the Empire’ resonates even in this country. It might be possible for his granddaughter, she mused.

“That person might be able to conquer the ‘Demonic God’s Ruins’…”

The Queen muttered to herself. The ‘Demonic God’s Ruins’ is the legendary ruin where treasure is said to sleep in the Minuet Queendom. Many heroes have challenged it and failed. Perhaps… A spark of hope ignited in the Queen’s chest. Even if not now, once she matures? To that end, it is certainly better to maintain a friendly relationship with that child. The Queen curled the corners of her mouth slightly, letting out a knowing, mischievous smile.

◇　◇　◇

Thus, the destiny of the girl who was merely a villainess completely changed direction and began to turn uncertainly. What awaits her on her path? Only God knows. The story turns, regardless of the villainess’s wishes or lack thereof.