Chapter 58: White Guardian Beast

“…Unfamiliar ceiling.”

When I opened my eyes, I saw the familiar canopy of my bed. Ah, it’s not the ceiling. My mistake. Was that a dream just now? I felt like I met and talked with the Goddesses of Genesis…

“Ouch!?”

When I tried to sit up, pain shot through my whole body. Guaa~… This is the backlash of physical enhancement, isn’t it…! It came after all…! But I feel like it’s less painful than before. Why is that? Even though I used a stronger physical enhancement than during the Dark Dragon incident. Giving up on sitting up, I sank back into the bed with a posun.

“Young Miss!? Have you regained consciousness!?” “Arisa-san?”

Maid Arisa-san, who discovered me groaning, rushed over. No, I’m fine. Don’t panic so much.

“Inform the Master and Mistress immediately!” “Y-Yes! Understood!”

At Arisa-san’s voice, another maid who was nearby hurriedly left the room. Eventually, along with the loud thumping of several footsteps, Father and Mother burst into the room.

“Sakuraile!” “Sakura-chan!” “Ouch!?”

With teary eyes, the two hugged me. When I screamed because my muscles were moved, they both quickly let go.

“I-I’m sorry! I was just so happy Sakura-chan woke up…!” “I-It’s okay. It just hurts my muscles when moved…”

I don’t feel bad that they are so happy, but it’s exaggerated. Both of them are worrywarts, so it can’t be helped.

“You didn’t regain consciousness for a whole week, so everyone was worried. Ashley and I were anxious thinking something might have happened…” “Hwe?”

A goofy voice leaked from my mouth at Father’s words. One week? What do you mean one week!? I was bedridden for a whole week!? According to Father, after I collapsed at the Knight Order Headquarters, I was immediately carried here and examined by doctors and given healing magic, but there were absolutely no abnormalities in my body, yet I just wouldn’t wake up. I slept for a week… no wonder they were worried. No wonder the muscle pain is light. No, the fact that there’s still pain after a week feels dangerous though…

“So, do you feel any discomfort in your body?” “Yes. My whole body aches, but I think this is the same muscle pain as before. I think I’ll be able to move in a few days…” “You shouldn’t use that physical enhancement. Your still-growing body can’t handle it. This time it ended with just this, but next time there’s a possibility of a longer coma.” “You are right… understood.”

I obediently nod at Father’s warning. I didn’t intend to use it… But I had to stop ‘Discord’ somehow at that place… It’s not my intention to worry my parents either. Physical Enhancement Level 2 is sealed for a while. Besides, was the coma due to the Holy Sword’s physical enhancement? Maybe it was because I was called to that world by the Goddesses? A part of me thinks so. Was that really a dream? Hmm.

“”Lady Sakuraile!””

While I was thinking about such useless things—Ban!—Estelle and Bianca burst into the room, shouting in stereo as they opened the door. They ran up as if to jump on me, but were blocked by Mother who spread her arms.

“Sakura-chan has terrible muscle pain right now, so hugging is no good, okay?”

At the words of Mother, who hugged me just moments ago, the two nodded repeatedly as if suddenly realizing.

“I’m sorry, hearing you woke up, I couldn’t sit still…” “There are no abnormalities anywhere, right? If there’s anything, I’ll heal it!” “I’m fine. Just like before, if I sleep for a few more days, I’ll be completely healed.”

To the two who were worrying too much, I smiled to show I was okay. I’m glad even my face muscles aren’t in pain. After that, I spent time in bed listening to everyone about what happened after I collapsed. In the end, because of that incident, the match was suspended and dismissed as is, with no winner declared. Gloria apparently became quiet as if possessed. However, perhaps remembering ‘Discord’, she seems to become abnormally frightened when seeing a naked blade. Being taken over by ‘Discord’ might have become a trauma. If she can’t touch a sword, making a living as a knight would be impossible now. The route of obtaining ‘Discord’ was apparently the black market dealing in illegal goods. Gloria’s father, the Captain of the Second Knight Order, obtained it knowing it was illegal out of love for his daughter. Of course, with this coming to light, he was demoted from Captain. Not only that, including this disturbance, Gloria’s Barcarolle family had their peerage lowered to Baron. Well, Elliott was at that place too. If things went poorly, the next Emperor could have been seriously injured or killed. There were no major injuries among the Knight Order members. That was good, but the fame of the ‘Princess of the Holy Sword’, who saved the Knight Order crisis with her small body, rose again… With that many witnesses, even with the power of a Ducal House, or even the Imperial Family, stopping the rumors would have been impossible. The rumors are going to get embellished again… Suddenly looking at my right hand, Samonia’s crest had leveled up again. This is probably because I cleared the Black Knight event… Just like with Elliott, I finished this one ten years early too. Or rather, it was actually supposed to be Estelle and Jean finishing it, not me. And one more thing, a curious crest had appeared on the back of my left hand. The size is about the same as Samonia’s crest on the right hand. According to Father, it appeared while I was sleeping. Wondering if this crest was the reason I wouldn’t wake up, Father apparently inquired at the Church, but was told even the Church has no record of such a crest. But I suspect this crest might be the crest of the Nine Goddesses of Genesis. Eight small circles surround a slightly larger circle. This is the ‘Nine Luminaries Crest’ (Kuyomon). This represents nine stars. On Earth, stars have been worshipped since ancient times as governing fate. Was that really not a dream? As the Goddesses said, is this world the world that became the basis for ‘Starlight Symphony’? The Divine Protection Lady Linzeveil mentioned must be this. Though I have no idea what kind of protection it is… Ah, I can erase this crest if I will it. Good, I don’t want to stand out strangely. Anyway, having heard the general story, I asked to rest since I still had muscle pain. If I sleep for about two more days, I’ll probably be able to move. Everyone left the room out of consideration, and I fell asleep again. Come to think of it, the Goddess said she would ‘attach a guard’, but what was that? God’s guard… Will she send an angel or something… Thinking such silly things, I was lured into the world of sleep, dozing off.

◇ ◇ ◇

“…Tch, hii.” “Quiet.”

Midnight. What I saw when I woke up for some reason were two jade-colored eyes peering at me. Not a human. A tiger. A large pure white tiger is staring at me from beside the bed. Why is there a tiger in my room!? Or rather, did this tiger not speak just now!?

“Are you Lady Sakuraile?” “Ha, hyes, tha, is…”

With a voice rasping from fear, I spoke to the tiger. Judging from the language, it seems to have considerable intelligence. It won’t eat me right away… probably…

“I was ordered by Lady Linze… Lady Linzeveil and Lady Sakuracleria to guard you. I am one of the Four Divine Beasts, named Kohaku.” “Ah, the Goddesses’!?”

Hearing those words, the tension in my whole body released. So this is the guard arranged by the Goddesses… I was surprised… Appear more normally! Even so, a tiger as a guard… Is there such danger? Certainly, in Sakuraile’s ruin routes, there were deaths by force or violence too. Ah, if I get on this child’s back, maybe I can escape from pursuers. I slowly sit up my still aching body. Ouch ouch…

“Umm, Kohaku-san? Kohaku-san will guard me?” “Umu. Because I was told so by the two of them. I thought living on the surface for the first time in a while wouldn’t be bad, so I accepted.”

I wonder why, there’s a sense of doing it on the side… It feels like, ‘while taking a vacation on the surface’.

“I have heard the general story. The power of a Divine Beast cannot be used on the surface due to divine regulations, but well, there is no problem. Since We have come, you may rest easy as if on a big ship.”

Ooh, I don’t know why but he’s full of confidence. This is reliable. But if a tiger wanders around the house, I think everyone will be surprised…

“As always, humans worry about small details…”

Murmuring that, with a light Pon sound, Kohaku-san transformed into the appearance of a small tiger cub, looking just like a stuffed animal.

“With this, there should be no problem?” “Uwa! Cute!”

I instinctively picked up Kohaku-san who fell onto the bed with a posun. Looks like a cat, but the limbs are thick and sturdy. That is also cute and wonderful!

“With this, we can keep you at home as a slightly unusual cat!” “Not a cat, a tiger!”

Kuwa! Kohaku-san opened his mouth and retorted, but even that gesture is cute. This is waiting to be turned into a plushie! But a talking cat goes beyond the level of slightly unusual…

“I remain a summoned existence. Just say you received Samonia-sama’s blessing and summoned a Divine Beast summoned beast.” “As I thought, is it better not to talk about the Goddesses of Genesis?” “I think it does not matter if you talk, but… I think the religious organizations in this world won’t leave you alone, you know? Undoubtedly, I think you will be exalted as a Saintess or something.” “Alright, I’ll keep quiet.”

Don’t joke with me. Even now I’m being made into a conspicuous existence as the ‘Princess of the Holy Sword’; I don’t need any more undeserved titles! The Nine Goddesses of Genesis are wrapped in a veil of mystery even in the ‘Church’. If it’s exposed that I met those Goddesses or received their protection, indeed, it’s a straight path to Saintess-hood. No thank you. As Kohaku-san says, let’s say the crest on the left hand is Samonia-sama’s protection. Peace is best. Though for my peace, I have to keep breaking destruction flags one after another… Haa, the road is long…