~ Chapter : 13 ~
“Why? Why are you smiling like that?”
Ritia asked, feeling pricked by his reaction.
“Just because. You look like a rabbit caught in a trap. Did you really look into everything?”
“I—I told you I didn’t look into it.”
“That’s a shame.”
Kalif gave a vague answer. Even as he said that, he kept smiling brightly. What was so amusing to him?
No… that couldn’t be it. Faced with Kalif’s unreadable reaction, Ritia grew even more uneasy. It couldn’t be. There was no way an Orb would appear there. No matter how unlucky she was, things couldn’t possibly be that bad. Honestly, it would be better if he weren’t a noble at all.
Ritia opened her mouth several times, about to ask, but eventually gave up. Instead, she shifted her thoughts and spoke again.
“Kalif. I already said this, but just like you said, you won. As you said, I’ll deal with you and take responsibility. But before that, I have a request.”
“What kind? Go on.”
“……For now, let it only be valid when we’re alone together.”
“Hmm…”
“You may not know this, but I’m a candidate for sainthood. I’m someone who could become Tenia. I’m also favored by the High Priest. I don’t want to be caught up in rumors. On the other hand, if your relationship with me were revealed, it could cause trouble for you too. I’m not saying this just for my sake—it’s for both of us.”
“So you want to keep it a secret?”
“Yes. That’s… okay, right? It’s not something difficult for you, is it? At least during the candidacy period…”
Ritia pleaded earnestly.
Kalif stared at her, as if examining her expression.
Most of what she said wasn’t a lie, but for some reason she felt tense.
If she avoided his gaze, it felt like he would suspect something, so she deliberately held his eyes even more firmly.
After a long moment, Kalif finally spoke.
“If we do that, will you listen to my proposal too?”
“Huh? What proposal?”
Since she was the one who made a request first, she couldn’t complain if Kalif made one in return. Still, she had already lost a bet to him once before.
Feeling uneasy, Ritia hurriedly added,
“J-just nothing too difficult. My request wasn’t that hard either.”
“It’s easy for me. It’s nothing special.”
“Then… you can say it.”
“Tell me your real name someday. And if you promise never to run away, I’ll agree.”
“……”
“How is it? Easy, right?”
Why was he so obsessed with her name? She had lost count of how many times he’d asked.
No matter how many times she told him—confidently—that it was her real name, he seemed to let it go in one ear and out the other.
So if it was ‘someday,’ it probably wouldn’t matter much.
After all, until she became Tenia, he could control her divine power whenever he wanted—there was no way she could run away.
By his standards, it really was easy… in theory.
But last time had been easy too.
“There’s no other meaning to it, right?”
“Why, do you think you’ll be fooled again like last time?”
Kalif said cheerfully, as if reading her thoughts.
Ritia’s gaze sharpened again, but soon she acknowledged it and nodded.
“I mean it literally. No hidden meaning.”
“Really? Don’t change your words later.”
Kalif nodded.
“……Alright. Then it seems we’re done talking, so could you take me back? I should go now.”
Ritia slowly pushed him away. Somehow, during their conversation, she had ended up almost pressed against him.
Each time she tried to step back, Kalif had come even closer. In any case, her strength had returned now, so she needed to leave.
“As you command.”
At that moment, Ritia grabbed Kalif’s arm.
“Ah—um.”
“Yes?”
“Next time.”
“Hm?”
“If I want to find you again next time, how should I do it?”
Kalif tilted his head slightly, then smiled lazily.
“If you want me, I’ll come find you wherever you are.”
“How would you know what I want? Even now, I spent days looking for you.”
“I know. But now that you’ve allowed it, that won’t happen again.”
As if declaring it, Kalif lightly pressed a kiss to Ritia’s hair.
Ritia frowned.
“……So you’re saying you knew I was looking for you and still didn’t show yourself on purpose?”
She didn’t want to misinterpret it, but that’s exactly how it sounded.
Kalif’s silence only fueled her suspicion.
“……You really did it on purpose.”
“I’m sorry.”
Kalif said softly, belatedly.
But his tone didn’t sound sorry at all.
“……”
“I needed certainty too, just like you. I won’t do that anymore, so will you forgive me?”
As he said that, he gently rubbed the back of her hand, as if trying to soothe her mood.
It was the kind of gesture only people close to each other would make.
It wasn’t unpleasant, but she wasn’t used to such intimate behavior either.
In fact, in the past or now, she’d never had anyone with whom she shared that kind of closeness.
Ritia silently looked down at him, then moved her lips.
“…Fine. Since we’re even, let’s let it slide this once. I really should go now.”
As Ritia wished, Kalif promptly took her back to the terrace of the banquet hall.
“Thank you for bringing me back. And for returning my strength.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“Kalif, you’re not attending the banquet again this time, are you?”
Kalif nodded.
Feeling a bit envious of him, Ritia turned to leave.
“But listen.”
“Why…?”
Holding the curtain, Ritia asked anxiously.
“You remember everything from that day, don’t you?”
“What? What are you—”
That was when—
“Isn’t it wonderful? Ah, really. I think I should rest a bit before going back in.”
“Me too.”
Startled by the noisy voices from inside, Ritia turned her head. Thinking they might be coming this way, she peeked through the gap in the curtain—but two young ladies swept past instead. Relieved, she turned back, only to find that Kalif was gone.
As if he had never existed there at all, he had disappeared without leaving a trace.
“…Ah.”
So it wasn’t that she remembered everything from that day. To leave behind a mystery like that and vanish…
She couldn’t shake the suspicion that he’d done it on purpose.
In any case, thanks to him, Ritia was able to finish the banquet safely and return home.
Even after he disappeared, the divine power within her body remained intact. Throughout the rest of the banquet, she checked again and again, afraid it might vanish once more. Only after returning home and sinking into her bed did she finally relax.
What was she supposed to do now?
“……”
Ritia raised her hand and absentmindedly touched near her left shoulder.
Smooth bare skin—she felt nothing at all.
「Just because. You look like a rabbit caught in a trap. Did you really look into everything?」
「What do you mean?」
「Who knows.」
What did that really mean?
“Miss, it’s Emilia.”
Emilia knocked on the door.
“Oh, come in.”
Ritia slowly sat up.
Even while carrying a tray with teacups and a teapot, Emilia hurried over with quick steps.
“It’s a cool tea. You seemed to have a headache earlier, so I brewed some peppermint tea.”
Since she’d been holding her forehead the entire time in the carriage, Emilia must have misunderstood. Her chest had felt tight anyway, so she was grateful.
“Thank you, Emilia.”
“It’s nothing.”
Ritia took the tea Emilia offered. Perhaps ice had been added, because the coolness spread through her mouth instantly, leaving a refreshing sensation.
Without realizing it, Ritia let out a relieved sigh.
“Do you feel a bit better?”
At that, Ritia smiled softly.
“Yes, much better. This is exactly what I needed.”
“Hehe, I’m glad! You don’t usually like banquets, miss. But you’ve been attending them so often lately that I’ve been a bit worried. It’s good to ease the master’s concerns, but I hope you’ll think about your health too. Just look at all these invitations already.”
At Emilia’s words, Ritia turned her head.
On one side of the table, invitations were already piled high. On top of that, starting tomorrow she would have to diligently attend donation events, and soon there would be a meeting with the current Tenias together with the other saint candidates.
A truly hellish schedule was about to begin. Still, the more she attended, the more relaxed Duke Mont became, lowering his guard—which was a good thing.
“It’s fine. If it were really too hard, I’d probably stay home and rest. I’ve been stuck in my room for so long that going out like this actually feels better lately. You don’t need to worry too much.”
At the same time, she felt a bit curious.
What kind of being was Tenia, who was praised so highly?
Was she truly a holy existence itself, just like in the original story?
Honestly, more than that, what Ritia wanted was a more independent life than she had now.
She really didn’t think she would become Tenia.
What happened that day bothered her, but even if the original Ritia hadn’t died, Kamiya would eventually appear.
Even if things had gone a little differently, as long as Kamiya didn’t die, wouldn’t she become Tenia? In that case, it would be better in many ways to be eliminated cleanly when the final announcement was made, rather than being caught now because of some mistake.
If she were exposed now, they would surely push her into marrying the Crown Prince immediately. That was why she almost wished Kamiya would appear sooner. Then the issue of the Crown Prince would be resolved too, and everything might fall into place.
Should she look for Kamiya herself? She was from the slums, right?
As she was thinking, Emilia’s voice reached her.
“Yes, I will. Miss, as long as you’re okay, I’m fine with anything!”
“Thank you.”
Ritia gazed quietly at Emilia, her only ally now. Emilia blushed shyly and smiled brightly in return.
“Ah, Emilia.”
“Yes, miss.”
“There’s… something I’m curious about.”
“Please ask, miss.”
“About those people called Orbs.”
“Yes?”
“To learn about them, would the temple be the best place?”
Ritia knew that the temple stored many books and forbidden texts that weren’t available in the library. It was even said that there were things there not found in the imperial palace.
She knew nobles shunned them, treated them as completely different beings, and hated them—but she needed more accurate and detailed information.
Even the worldbuilding knowledge she had contained not a single mention of markings, nor anything similar.
“…Orbs? Why are you suddenly curious about them, miss?”
