Episode 109
A month after the decision to hold a festival for Madicte, the Harvest Festival was held within the academy city.
This year, the festival was limited to the academy, located on the outskirts of the capital, but they planned to expand it gradually, holding it throughout the empire during the autumn harvest.
The Asta brothers, never ones to miss an opportunity to spend time with Elonia, barged into the Imperial Princess’s Palace early in the morning.
“This year’s festival is focused on the academy, so there’s a lot to see! Don’t you think it’ll be fun?”
“There’s even a pudding-making contest. Aren’t you interested?”
Even Alberich, usually so stoic, was excited about spending time with his younger sister.
Elonia, however, remained sprawled on the sofa, replying nonchalantly,
“That’s great. But I already know. Sarah and I planned it.”
She was exhausted from preparing for the festival.
Llewellyn, undeterred by her lack of enthusiasm, pestered her,
“Then let’s go and see how it turned out!”
“It’s not appropriate for the princess to intrude on the commoners’ festivities.”
“How about a disguise, like last time?”
Alberich chimed in. But Elonia refused.
“No, I hate wearing uncomfortable clothes.”
“Then we’ll cover your face!”
“You just want an excuse to carry me around, don’t you? Get out.”
“Llewellyn, give it a rest. She doesn’t want to go. You’re so childish for your age…”
Alberich, despite his earlier enthusiasm, had reverted to his usual sly and disapproving self. Llewellyn, offended, clutched the back of his neck and pointed at his brother accusingly.
“You… you traitor…! Are you crazy?!”
“You’re the crazy one, talking back to your older brother.”
They were at it again.
Alberich was sometimes so mature, and sometimes so childish. It was hard to tell.
But even without the Asta brothers’ pestering, Elonia was too tired to go. Preparing for the festival in such a short time had taken a toll on her.
Of course, she hadn’t done it alone. Artius and Sarah had helped. But she had still put a lot of effort into making it a successful and enjoyable event for everyone, especially to boost Madicte’s divine power quickly.
She needed to rest.
Elonia, rolling over on the sofa, watched them bicker. Then, Alberich, as if remembering something, said,
“Ah, did you hear? There was a fire at the Theology Department.”
News of such a large fire would spread quickly, of course.
Elonia, avoiding their gazes, remained silent. Alberich and Llewellyn, recognizing her subtle reaction, exchanged glances.
“Your Highness…?”
“Could it be…?”
“I didn’t start the fire.”
“Liar!”
They didn’t believe her, her past record too incriminating.
Elonia glared at Alberich, wondering why he wasn’t defending her, using his usual sly tactics. He was always useless when she needed him.
Llewellyn, ignoring his frozen brother, whined,
“What?! Why didn’t you destroy the Academic Department building?! And why did you go to the academy alone?!”
“Don’t be childish. Go home if you’re going to be noisy.”
“But…!”
“You’re too old for ‘buts’.”
Were Llewellyn and Lucius really the same age? One was so childish, and the other was so mature.
The Asta brothers, having failed to convince Elonia, finally left.
Sarah, appearing in the now quiet room, asked,
“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the festival?”
“Later.”
Elonia, relieved to be alone, immediately rested her head on Sarah’s lap as she sat down beside her.
It felt like it had been ages since she had enjoyed such a peaceful afternoon.
But as they say, never let your guard down. A few hours later, Llewellyn and Alberich returned.
“El!”
“Llewellyn, be respectful!”
It seemed like Alberich was there to restrain the out-of-control Llewellyn. Just as Elonia was about to complain about their constant intrusions,
Llewellyn shouted,
“El, listen! Lucius was at the festival!”
Elonia, startled, dropped the cushion she had been hugging.
“…What? Who?”
“The red-eyed bastard!”
“Llewellyn, watch your language.”
“Anyway! He’s not even a cleric of Madicte, so why was he there?! And he started picking a fight with me the moment he saw me!”
Elonia didn’t hear the rest of his rambling.
Lucius? At the Harvest Festival dedicated to Madicte? Lucius, the apostle of the Calamity God?
‘Is he planning to betray them?’
Elonia jumped up from the sofa.
But then she realized it didn’t make sense. Lucius wouldn’t be so obvious if he was planning to betray them.
‘Is he waiting for me?’
Why? Had something happened?
There had to be a reason why he had shown up. Elonia jumped off the sofa.
“Take me to him.”
“Ugh… Blegh.”
Using teleportation magic in her haste had been a mistake.
Elonia patted Llewellyn’s back apologetically.
“Sorry, I forgot.”
“I-I’m f-fine. I’m okay…”
Llewellyn’s motion sickness was as bad as ever.
Alberich, pulling Elonia towards him, took out a small bottle of perfume and sprayed it liberally around Llewellyn. The air was filled with the scent of soap and flowers.
“Cough, cough! Damn it, stop spraying that!”
“You should stop making that sound.”
“I haven’t even— Ugh.”
Elonia turned away, relieved they had teleported to a back alley. If they had appeared in the middle of the plaza, they would have caused a commotion.
Before Alberich could offer her his cloak, Elonia cast an illusion spell, changing her appearance. Her mint green hair turned black, and Alberich’s hand, which had been reaching for her hair, froze mid-air.
“I thought you disliked disguises…?”
“I can’t announce my presence.”
“But you were so cold when we suggested it…”
“You were practically begging.”
Alberich’s shoulders slumped at her blunt reply. Elonia quickly turned away before she could be swayed by his pitiful expression.
“Llewellyn, can you walk?”
“Y-yes, I’m p-perfectly f-fine—Blegh.”
He was clearly not fine. Elonia sighed.
“Alberich, stay here and look after him. I’ll find Lucius myself.”
“That’s unacceptable. Your safety is our priority.”
“I have this.”
Elonia pulled out the protective spray Alberich had given her, the spray she had been carrying around for years, just in case.
“And honestly, I can handle most situations without this.”
“That’s… true…”
Alberich, about to argue, fell silent.
But they couldn’t let a child, even a powerful one like Elonia, wander around the plaza alone. Anything could happen.
He still shuddered at the memory of the Dolce incident.
“Then I’ll carry Llewellyn—”
“Ugh…”
“—I’ll drag him.”
Alberich quickly corrected himself. But Llewellyn’s retching seemed to be getting worse, so he changed his mind again.
“Actually, I don’t think I need to babysit a fifteen-year-old. Let’s go, Your Highness.”
Just as Elonia was about to retort,
“Senior Alberich? And Llewellyn?”
A boy with striking orange eyes approached them, his voice friendly. The alley was dark, so she couldn’t see his face clearly.
“You’re…”
Alberich, recognizing him, blinked in surprise. Elonia quietly asked,
“Who is he?”
“Valerian Pierre, a second-year Theology student at Lucid Academy. And one of Llewellyn’s few friends.”
“We’re not friends—Ugh.”
Llewellyn protested weakly.
‘Llewellyn, you pretend not to have friends, but you have more friends than me?’
Elonia, annoyed, glared at him.
A Theology student. Most Ravanta Theology students worshipped Madicte, but the Theology Department had been infiltrated by the Calamity God, or rather, the God of Resurrection. Elonia, wondering what he was doing here, observed him and realized,
‘He’s not brainwashed.’
She had brought the brainwashing detection device and the ring with her, wanting to test its effectiveness. But there was no reaction.
That was strange. Everyone in the Theology Department was supposed to be brainwashed. So why was he fine?
Valerian approached Llewellyn, his voice filled with concern.
“Llewellyn, what are you doing in a back alley like this? And Senior Alberich too…? Huh?”
He noticed Elonia, and Alberich quickly shielded her with his cloak. He then pushed Llewellyn towards Valerian.
“Just in time, Junior Valerian. I’ll leave Llewellyn to you.”
“W-what? Senior!”
Elonia, also surprised, was about to protest, but Alberich was faster. He had already wrapped her in his cloak and was dragging her out of the alley.
“You’re leaving your brother with him?”
Elonia asked, her voice laced with disbelief.
“He’s the only one who can handle Llewellyn’s temper.”
He did look like a priest. And there was a Theology student who wasn’t brainwashed.
Elonia’s curiosity was piqued.
“Is he more powerful than Lucius?”
“Well… Allen and Valerian are the same age, but they’re in different years and worship different gods, so it’s hard to say. And Allen is rather cautious. But Valerian is currently the most promising candidate for High Priest.”
“Hmm.”
Elonia was lost in thought.
Heilan wouldn’t have overlooked someone with such strong Holy Power. They must have tried to recruit him and failed.
‘So the brainwashing doesn’t work on those with exceptionally strong Holy Power?’
But it was strange that only Valerian was unaffected when even the professors had been brainwashed. She made a mental note to investigate him later. Just then, Alberich asked anxiously,
“Your Highness, I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“It’s just a hypothetical question.”
“Just ask.”
Alberich, after a long and unnecessary preamble, finally asked,
“You’re not… interested in Allen, are you…?”
“What? Where did that come from?”
Elonia’s head snapped towards him, her eyes wide with disbelief. Even Alberich could say such ridiculous things.
Alberich, his expression serious, continued,
“You didn’t even want to come to the festival when we asked, but you immediately agreed when I mentioned Allen. And you’re still thinking about him!”
“…”
Elonia, unable to reveal the truth about Heilan’s plot, remained silent, her eyes darting around. Her silence only strengthened Alberich’s baseless assumption.
“As expected…!”
“What do you take me for?! I’m not interested in children!”
Elonia was horrified.
She hadn’t really thought about her preferences, but she wasn’t that twisted. But Alberich, his voice filled with disbelief, asked,
“Allen is six years older than you. Do you prefer older men…?”
His eyes widened in horror. No older brother wanted his younger sister to marry an older man.
Elonia facepalmed inwardly. She had misspoken because she still pictured Lucius as a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes.
She didn’t have time to explain. She changed the subject.
“Where did you see him?”
But since he was the reason they were here, the topic didn’t change.
Alberich, as if realizing something, murmured,
“So Llewellyn wasn’t just being difficult…”
“No!”
Elonia denied it, but Alberich, stunned, remained frozen like a statue. He wouldn’t budge, even when she tried to drag him along.
And he was blocking her path, his tall and sturdy frame, inherited from Lady Asta, a formidable obstacle.
Just as she was considering abandoning him and searching for Lucius on her own,
“El?”
A familiar voice called out her name.