Chapter 76
"...Mm, where am I..."
A small voice reached me.
"Are you awake, young lady!"
"Please wait a moment."
I stopped the approaching maids with one hand while showing them the magic tool.
"...Reiji?"
Using 【All Creation】, I could see that her mana had recovered slightly from its depleted state. Otherwise, she appeared healthy.
"Do you remember what happened before you fell asleep?"
"..."
After a moment's silence, the young lady nodded.
"That was your Magic Eye. You don't have enough mana for it to activate now, but I'd like you to wear this magic tool to keep it from activating."
"That bracelet? Are you giving it to me, Reiji?"
"It's a gift from the Count, not me. If I gave you one, it would be cheaper, and I'd choose a cuter design."
It was a rather rugged design for something called a bracelet.
"...Heehee. I'd like to receive a present from you someday, Reiji."
"I can't refuse when you ask like that, young lady. I'll give it some thought."
"..."
"...Young lady, is something wrong?"
When I asked,
"You're being unusually kind, Reiji. ...Could it be that I was in a really terrible state?"
Sharp as ever—both father and daughter.
"No. It happened while I was away, so I feel a little guilty about it. —Give me your hand."
I fastened the magic tool around the young lady's left wrist.
"...Mm, mmm."
The young lady grimaced.
"Does it feel uncomfortable?"
"Yes, a little... But this much is fine—"
I took the bracelet off the young lady's wrist and called to the maids.
"Could someone bring me a needle used for sewing?"
"...A needle? What are you going to do, Reiji?"
"Adjust it."
After a little while, a maid brought me a needle more than ten centimeters long. I placed the bracelet beneath a magic lamp and stared intently at its underside.
(I'm counting on you, 【All Creation】 and 【Dexterous Hands】.)
I pressed the needle against the underside and dragged it across with all my strength, producing a long, grating screech.
"Reiji!? That's a magic tool! If you do that, it'll break—"
"No problem. Done."
It wasn't particularly difficult to adjust the bracelet so that a little more mana remained in the young lady's body. She tentatively held out her left hand, and I fastened it around her wrist.
"How does it feel?"
"Much better than before!"
The young lady was overjoyed. That must mean the condition she'd been in before had placed considerable strain on her body.
(The young lady is the type to tough it out...)
For now, this should see us through the presentation ceremony.
＊ The Day Before the Talent Gem Presentation Ceremony: Rosier Estate ＊
The heart of a boy in love was soaring—and no wonder. He would see the girl he loved again tomorrow, just a few days after their last meeting.
"You're in high spirits, Louis-sama."
The Rosier estate stood alongside those of the six great ducal houses, but it was by far the largest. The Rosier family's ducal territory bordered the Holy King's capital of Kurvagne, so a large estate was convenient for the Rosiers, who frequently traveled back and forth.
Even so, only a limited number of people could enter the estate. Only a tiny handful of nobles were invited, and teas hosted by the Rosiers were held in a separate building.
Those inside included members of the main Rosier family, of course, as well as people with deep connections to them—Arthur, captain of the Second Division of the Holy King's Knights, was one such person.
"Can you tell, Arthur?"
Louis belonged to the main family while Arthur was from a cadet branch, so Louis held the higher position regardless of how much older Arthur was or the fact that he was a captain in the Holy King's Knights.
"Shall I take a guess? You're thinking about Miss Eva."
"—!? W-was it really that obvious?"
"Oh, absolutely."
Arthur raised both hands as if to say, "Good grief."
"If Louis-sama wants her, the Count of Slyries won't object."
"..."
"Louis-sama?"
The boy's expression darkened like the rain clouds outside the window.
"Eva is far more intelligent than I am."
"You could study, too, Louis-sama. You have talent."
"It's not just that... The Holy King said so himself."
——I told you beforehand that today would also be the occasion on which your future wife was chosen, didn't I?
Even the six great ducal houses could never stand against a Holy Prince.
Since that day, Kurvshrat apparently hadn't been permitted to leave the Holy King's Palace, so he shouldn't have met Eva. Louis was growing impatient, wanting to deepen his relationship with her in the meantime.
"What did the Holy King say?"
"—No, never mind."
Kurvshrat might not have been thinking of Eva at all.
Perhaps Kurvshrat wasn't even a romantic rival.
If that was the case, Louis was getting worked up all by himself. He had also been taught never to show weakness as a member of a ducal house, so he said no more to Arthur.
"Anyway, Arthur, this is your fault. What was that about 'being assertive with the woman you love'? Miss Eva told me I made the worst possible first impression."
"You really need to consider who you're dealing with. It's the Slyries family. I never imagined you'd be so aggressive with the daughter of the 'Cold-Blooded Lord.' If it had been Miss Charlotte rather than Miss Eva, we'd probably be discussing the wedding date by now."
"...Is the Count of Slyries really that frightening?"
"You've heard the stories, haven't you?"
Louis nodded.
But it was customary in noble society to be told to take such stories with a grain of salt.
"The number of nobles he's sent to the executioner's block must be the highest in history."
"That many..."
"The only ones celebrating are the officials of the Budget Office. The salaries paid to nobles have fallen dramatically. The rest of the nobility are terrified that they might be next. The only noble houses safe are those of margrave rank or higher—including the Rosiers, of course."
"Why are we in the clear? The Count of Slyries isn't just making baseless accusations, is he?"
"Well, no... But the Count's power limits the scope of what he can investigate."
"..."
"What is it, Louis-sama? Why the sour face?"
"...The possibility that noble rank allows corruption to go unpunished isn't fair."
Arthur's eyebrow rose.
"Did that idea come from Miss Eva?"
"N-no. It's something I thought of myself."
"Well, that's all right... Nothing can change overnight. The Count of Slyries executing corrupt nobles is itself a drastic change."
"...Is that so? But the way you put it, if a high-ranking noble is the mastermind, then even if many low-ranking nobles die, it's merely 'cutting off a lizard's tail,' isn't it?"
Arthur hummed this time—as though thinking, "Our young master's eye for these things is becoming quite aristocratic."
(Having him become difficult to handle is a nuisance.)
Arthur smiled.
"In that case, you need only gain power, Louis-sama."
"...Me?"
"Yes. You are a member of a ducal house. With your position, you could accomplish many reforms."
"That is true..."
"Power isn't limited to authority. You need wisdom to command the civil officials, but that would be easy if you rose to the top of the civil service. Military officers, on the other hand, won't obey a superior, no matter how important he is, unless he possesses military strength himself. Louis-sama, have you been practicing swordsmanship?"
"Ugh, I... I haven't really been practicing lately."
"That won't do. Unfortunately, it's raining today, but once the weather clears, I'll train you myself. If you become known for your swordsmanship, the military officers will look at you differently."
"I see. Military strength."
"That's something Eva cannot do—something only you can do, Louis-sama. Cherish your sword. We are the Rosier family of the sword, after all."
"I understand, Arthur."
Seeing Louis clench his fist tightly, Arthur nodded repeatedly—and just then, the door to the room opened.
"—Arthur-dono, so you were here."
"Ah, Duke Rosier."
Arthur had been sitting on the sofa, but when the door opened and the duke entered, he hurriedly stood and smoothed the hem of his clothes.
The duke's face bore traces of Louis's strong-willed features. He was portly, though not outright obese, with the respectable weight of a wealthy man his age.
His slicked-back hair was streaked with gray, and though he was still in his late forties, he had already acquired an air of dignity.
(...Hm? He looks awfully pale.)
The duke's face was pale enough for Arthur to notice immediately.
"Louis. I'm borrowing Arthur-dono. We need to discuss security for tomorrow's presentation ceremony."
"Understood, Father."
"This way."
"Yes, sir."
Beckoned by the duke, Arthur stepped out into the corridor.
——Something felt wrong immediately.
(Tomorrow's security is under the First Division, led by the Knight Commander. There should be no reason for me to be involved... Could this have something to do with His Grace's pallor?)
It was precisely because Arthur could sense immediately when something was wrong that he had risen to become captain of the Second Division.