The Prophet and the Guardian (4)
“Hmm.”
Sage offered no reply.
He, too, seemed reluctant to believe it—for deeply personal reasons.
“I can only hope this has nothing to do with the Holy Kingdom.”
The old sage muttered to himself and flicked the mana stone with his finger.
“It’s nothing more than speculation, of course, but it leaves a bad taste. And there’s no way to confirm it either……”
If only the suspicion could remain just that—a suspicion.
‘If this turns out to be true, we’re in serious trouble.’
It would mean the Leon Holy Kingdom stood behind the mutant monsters that had been throwing the continent into chaos lately.
“Haah, this is quite the mess……”
“Then let’s confirm it.”
Sage answered my words with an irritated tone.
“Hey, Ka—no, Nanny. Even so, don’t say such nonsense. Are you planning to go catch a mutant monster or something?”
“Yes. Since I’ll have to participate in the upcoming monster subjugation anyway, it works out nicely.”
A heavy silence fell over the room.
Edwin slowly turned his head to look at me.
“Rachel, what do you mean by that?”
He seemed to chew over my words once more before shouting.
“The monster subjugatioooooon?”
His voice was loud enough to shake the little cottage.
* * *
‘I shouldn’t have brought it up when nothing’s been confirmed yet.’
I looked at Edwin’s stunned face. Ever since hearing the words “monster subjugation,” he had seemed half out of his mind. For the past few days, whenever he sat at his desk in the study, he would scribble “monster” over and over on blank sheets of paper.
“Your Highness Edwin.”
Unable to watch any longer, I called out to him.
His jewel-like sapphire eyes turned toward me.
“There’s no need to worry already. For now, focus on what you can do, Your Highness.”
“But……”
Edwin’s voice trembled as he muttered.
“Even facing a single monster is overwhelming……”
Perhaps he was recalling the monster he had encountered in Luxen. His hands shook violently.
“Do not worry. You are far stronger now than you were then. And……”
I gently clasped Edwin’s trembling hand to steady it.
“I am here.”
Then, now, and on any battlefield to come—I would remain by this young client’s side.
“……Rachel.”
Edwin called my name softly. His trembling had already stopped.
“You really are……”
His sapphire eyes sparkled between gentle lashes.
“Like my own ‘Guardian.’”
“……Pardon?”
“Hm? You don’t know what a Guardian is?”
Seeing my awkward expression, Edwin let out a disbelieving laugh.
“Have you never read the Holy Scriptures? It appears constantly in them.”
He seemed delighted at the chance to explain.
“Guardian is the title given to the Holy Knights of the Leon Holy Kingdom. They are the knights who protect the priests who serve the divine will. It’s a respectful epithet.”
So the Guardians the mercenaries and guild members had spoken of were Holy Knights as well?
I frowned, lost in thought.
“Rachel?”
“Your Highness, then what about the word ‘Prophet’……?”
“Prophet? You don’t know that either?”
Edwin’s eyes widened in surprise once more. Then he smiled and continued.
“In the Holy Scriptures, it refers to humanity’s first prophet. But in the Holy Kingdom, it also refers to the priest who will become the next Holy Emperor.”
It felt as though I had been struck on the back of the head.
Now I finally understood, at least in part, what the mercenaries and guild members hiding in the temple had been talking about—and why they had mentioned the Radcliffe Marquisate together with it.
‘The Prophet and the Guardian. The candidate for Holy Emperor and the Holy Knight.’
The current Holy Emperor’s term was nearly over. Therefore, the one who would decide the next crown prince would be the next Holy Emperor.
After all, the Emperor’s recognition was an indispensable requirement for becoming the imperial heir.
‘So the Second Prince tried to make the first move.’
It seemed he had intended to find the candidate for Holy Emperor and bring him to his side.
‘But something doesn’t add up……’
If he was truly a candidate for Holy Emperor, he should have been under strict protection within the Holy Kingdom’s grand temple. So why had the members of Angel’s Breath been searching for him outside the kingdom?
‘Did he go on a pilgrimage? Or was he fleeing?’
It would be strange for a candidate whose ascension was imminent to suddenly embark on a pilgrimage. And even if he had run away, from what could he possibly be fleeing? What place could be safer for a priest than the Leon Holy Kingdom?
‘A candidate for the next Holy Emperor. I need to look into him immediately.’
It seemed I would have to commission Somnia for this matter. A merchant who traveled to every corner of the continent might well encounter even a Holy Emperor candidate.
“By the way.”
Edwin blinked innocently.
“Why are you suddenly asking about the Prophet?”
“Ah, I was just curious.”
I answered nonchalantly.
“I overheard someone mention it in passing.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Fortunately, Edwin accepted my words without suspicion. Then his attention returned to the monsters.
“Rachel, but to join the subjugation, don’t you need an army?”
Edwin wore a worried expression. He clearly knew that the other princes would lead their own forces into the subjugation.
“My brothers will all bring their armies. What about me?”
“There’s no need to worry about that.”
I placed a sword in Edwin’s hand.
“Rather than worrying about things you can’t control, it’s time to hone your swordsmanship.”
“But……”
“Your Highness, do you know what saves my life in a situation filled with danger on all sides?”
Edwin looked at me quietly.
“It is not an invincible army, nor a noble bloodline.”
I lightly tapped the sword Edwin held with my finger.
“It is the single sword in my hand.”
On a chaotic battlefield, even allies could become threats to one’s life. People always valued their own lives most. No matter how excellent a commander might be, if his subordinates fled in fear, he would be the first to die.
The same would hold true even for a prince.
“So do not neglect your training. Understood?”
“Y-yes!”
Edwin answered energetically. Then he fastened the sword at his waist with a remarkably serious expression.
“I’ll work hard!”
“Good. That’s enough.”
Despite his spirited voice, Edwin looked at me again with worried eyes.
“Rachel, but the army……”
“I’ll figure something out.”
A faint flush of color returned to Edwin’s face.
“You will? Really?”
“Yes. Have you ever seen me speak nonsense?”
Edwin shook his head vigorously. I chuckled at the sight.
“Then hurry along to your training. Sir Philip must be waiting.”
“Okay! Got it!”
Edwin nodded energetically and dashed out of the study. I stood watching his retreating figure for a long while—longer than usual.
* * *
“Th-thank you! Thank you so much!”
In an alley of some nameless slum, an old woman bowed her head repeatedly.
“Thank you for saving my grandson! How can I ever repay this kindness!”
The young boy in her arms had been unable to open his eyes from fever just moments ago, but now he was smiling brightly as if nothing had happened.
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
The man with gentle eyes waved his hand dismissively at the old woman’s gratitude.
“Ah, and please keep it a secret that I treated him?”
“Of course. No one would believe it even if I told them. Who would believe that a priest came to this slum and healed the sick?”
At the old woman’s words, the man’s expression darkened slightly. There was something bitter in his face.
“Haha, I suppose so.”
He forced an awkward smile. Despite his refined appearance, the clothes he wore were shabby—an oddly mismatched sight for such a young man.
“Are you feeling unwell anywhere, Grandmother? I’ll have to leave this place soon, so if possible, I’d like to treat you before I go.”
“Oh my, heavens. How can someone have such a kind heart?”
The old woman’s voice trembled with emotion. This was a slum, after all. Most people here starved to death because they couldn’t even secure a single meal. Meeting a physician was nearly impossible for the sick in this place.
Yet this young man had suddenly appeared and was healing the ill for free as he wandered through the slum. It was nothing short of a miracle.
“Yohanes-nim!”
Just then, a ragged little girl came running toward them from afar. Wearing an old cloth like a sack, she threw herself into the man’s—Yohanes’s—arms.
“This child’s full of energy, as always.”
“It’s thanks to you healing me, hehe!”
“You rascal. What if you break your leg again?”
Yohanes lightly pinched the girl’s small nose and shook it.
“I can’t stay in this village forever, you know.”
“Hehe, it’s fine! I’ll be careful when I run!”
The girl answered spiritedly and chattered on like a sparrow.
“Oh, I found the people you mentioned—the ones who can’t leave their homes because they’re unwell!”
“Oh, really? How many?”
“Hmm, more than I can count on my fingers.”
Oh dear. Yohanes let out a troubled exclamation before smiling kindly.
“I see. Do you remember where they all are?”
“Of course! No one knows this area better than me!”
The girl slipped out of Yohanes’s arms and raised one arm high as if to say “follow me.”
“This way, Yohanes-nim!”
“Alright, I’m coming.”
The man called Yohanes rose to his feet with a smile. The old woman, still holding her grandson, watched them with envious eyes.