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In the end, I agreed to only monitor the operation from the Castle. In return, he agreed to have Colonel Morgas briefed on the ‘Oto Front’ properly.
This isn’t to say I was okay with the plans he had made. I put my foot down about that. At my insistence, he would request additional help from Oberon, and Serera, Diloré and the rest of the Recovery Team would join the force. It wasn’t just the fact that Astaroth, the Evil God himself, had been behind the deaths of our parents and my military was headed to the scene of the crime. In the Highlands, threats like the kongamato that rule the sky, the threat that had forced the Recovery Team to flee westward, are commonplace. Driving back the boundaries of the Highlands themselves, interdicting an entire section of that dangerous wilderness, meant doing battle with such monsters.
And we could do nothing about the fundamental characteristic that created such an environment. Mana springs are literally everywhere in the Highlands. It’s the densest concentration of them anywhere east of the Dragonsbacks. It would only be possible for Mortals to colonize such a place if they were all strong mages and fighters, or backed up with ample troops from home.
And mana springs tend to attract a different type of settler. Both fairies and powerful intelligent monsters prefer such locations. Hence the request for fairy help. More than anything, we needed the cooperation of those who already lived there, and we needed Oberon to negotiate for that.
I did not tell Rod that I meant I would be sending a [Blood Effigy] into the fray once the military were getting close to the goal. My body and my babies would be safely tucked away in Narses, so that should be good enough for him, right?
Okay, maybe I wasn’t being 100 percent frank with him, but it was better this way. Although I felt like he was still suspicious of me, which I guess wasn’t wrong. He left for his meeting in the war room with a bitter expression that spoke volumes, so I decided I would have to find some way to reassure him at dinner.
My issues with Rod being settled for the time being, I could at last turn my attention to Shindzha.
The second that they sensed I was headed downstairs, Ceria and Chiara clicked into position at my sides as if by magnetic attraction.
“I’m only going down to see the hellspawn girl,” I told them as we descended the stairs.
“Exactly,” Lady Chiara sniffed. “You didn’t think we would let you see her alone, did you?”
“What?” I retorted, a little shocked. Which one of us is the Mistress, again?
Ceria replied, “We discussed it and all agreed, Lady. You have to have one of us at your side whenever you are anywhere close to that thing.”
Mom, they’re ganging up on me!
I looked into her resolute eyes… and sighed. “I guess if that’s what you really want, I’ll allow it, but may I ask why?”
“Lady already passed out once while dealing with her,” Ceria answered. “And you were out for three days. It was while they were going to get her. I bet you were doing one of your secret magic tricks even while we were playing, right?I could tell you were distracted.”
A footman and a house knight were following us and could easily overhear.
“I wasn’t!” I protested, my cheeks blazing red.
“Suuuure,” she agreed sarcastically. “And you were chatting with a goddess, as I recall. Payin’ attention to another woman while you’re in bed with me…”
Her fake wounded pout caused Chiara to snort.
From there, we walked without conversation as far as the flight of stairs down into the so-called ‘dungeon’ that’s just a basement. Without their chatter, I was more aware of the various Castle residents as we passed them. I had noticed this since waking, but the staff seemed less unfriendly toward me than when I first arrived.
Perhaps it was because of the girls surrounding me? With the probable exception of Shindzha, my Servants are all friendly people. From the smiles of quiet confidence from Melione to the bubbly warmth of Mireia, they’re the sort who always grow on people. If this were an anime, they would all be supportive members of the protagonist side of the cast. If it had a male MC, they would probably all be considered members of the harem.
That protagonist energy reaches people, and all four of them project it well. Perhaps I was receiving the benefit of their positive PR by association?
When Chiara finally broke the silence, as we entered the underground level, it was with a surprising request.
“My Lady, may I join Ceria and Melione in your room at night? I have no quarters currently.”
I blinked. “I thought you… well, aren’t you staying with Ryuu?”
She grew a look like she had just bit into a lemon. “It’s better if I don’t”
Ryuu Kowa lives a life a bit like the lyrics to “Free Bird”. Women don’t sour on him. He just hits the road and leaves them behind. Of course, it’s for less selfish reasons than the song. His work as the Hero just demands that he move on. So I found it a little odd that he was still here, but she wasn’t eager to stay with him.
Unless…
“Is this about Her Royal Highness?”
My foster sister is apparently betrothed to Ryuu. I’ve yet to verify whether it is in legally-binding form like my betrothal to Rod, but it’s apparently spiritually-binding via the Hero Summoning spell.
The spell itself was originated by the Evil God, who used a chance channel to Earth in order to abduct humans and turn them into Demonic Champions. The betrothal to an important figure in the Kingdom like Amelia was the substitute for the sacrifice of a valuable female originally required in the spell. Amelia cannot marry anyone else but Ryuu. Apparently, if she tried, the spell would revert to its original form and kill her.
I’ve also yet to verify how she feels about this, although I understand she volunteered for it. I actually had begun to feel a little Tiana-based guilt over the possibility that she had done it because of the original me. If she could sacrifice herself for the Kingdom by becoming a royal knight, her sister could sacrifice herself too. Something like that.
Yeah, I needed to have a chat with her.
Chiara had not answered yet, but she had a pensive look, as if wondering what she should tell me.
I went first. “Princess Amelia was raised in the highest layer of the aristocracy. She should have absolutely no delusions about her husband being strictly monogamous with her. She may be his future wife, but she would expect that Ryuu will have concubines.”
Sea-green eyes twinkled and blue hair waved as Chiara shook her head briskly while smirking. “I understand that, My Lady. Her Royal Highness has already said pretty much the same thing to me. But she also told me…”
After a long hesitation, she continued, “Well, there’s this priestess in Atius…”
She trailed off again, but I nodded. “Catherine, right? I’ve met her. She trained Ryuu in magic combat skills. And you learned that they were also a thing, I’m guessing?”
We had come to a stop outside the security office. Inside, one of the holding cells would be housing my strange new Servant. But I wanted to finish this conversation before we entered.
“I did,” she nodded.
“So you aren’t the only concubine candidate, is that it?”
“I’m sure there are more,” she stated firmly. “That’s not it.”
I cleared my throat and gave a bitter smile. A female knight in Eridus, a busty Adventurer-slash-prostitute in Bray (whom I wonder if Ceria knows, given their similar career choices), a noble daughter in Thuriben… I wondered if there were more. Those three I knew about from reading about them on Earth, although Tiana had certainly realized it as well.
“So, then, what is it?”
She sighed. “Princess Amelia informed me that Sister Catherine is six months pregnant with his child. And she asked me to tell him.”
Amelia…
Shaking my head, I answered. “Don’t. She’s the legal wife, so it’s her job. I’ll tell her so.”
“That’s making you want to avoid him?” Ceria wondered.
“Well, no… yes… not really. Actually, it just brought home to me that I was… with Her Royal Highness, I once again…”
Slipping on Chiara’s shoes for a moment, I finally put it together. First, she had betrayed Amelia’s trust as her knight, although she’d done it because her mother’s life was threatened. Then she was screwing around with her man.
“You were an illegitimate child, right?” I noted. “Are you putting your mother and yourself into the position of Catherine and her baby? And having Amelia give you the news resembled in some fashion dealing with your father’s legal wife, I’ll bet.”
My Servant’s conflicted eyes told me she was still trying to put this all together herself. It was probably more something she was feeling than something she had reasoned her way through. She might not even have noticed the connection between Amelia and Lord Birthe’s legal wife yet.
Instead of replying, she just shrugged and gave a helpless smile.
I groaned. “Chiara, stop that. Amelia doesn’t fault you for what you did to protect your mother. She already forgave you. And she is definitely not going to be like whatever your father’s wife was like. Not to Catherine or her baby or you, or even any baby Ryuu’s you pop out eventually. Amelia is a warm-hearted, kind girl with all kinds of happiness for others, who will probably love you guys all to bits. You really should talk to her about it. And if she won’t tell Ryuu about his kid, then I’ll do it. It isn’t your job.”
She pursed her lips, then raised her eyebrows. “We had been wondering if we were expected to… well… be like Mireia?”
Ceria cackled a little. “I’ll handle your part if you want to stick with Ryuu.”
After they saw my perplexed face, Ceria grinned. “We’ve been wondering if Mireia’s future concubinage is our future too.”
My eyes grew wide. “Not unless he proposes it and you accept, understand? That’s not in your job description. Mireia was already Rod’s girlfriend before she became my Servant.”
I saw a touch of relief in Chiara’s eyes, but the catgirl had a completely different reaction.
“Rats,” Ceria answered, scratching her cheek near the roots of her whiskers. “That would have solved my problem.”
“What prob… oh.”
I cut off because I already realized what she meant. Ceria is now the heir-apparent of a barony after all. She’ll have to take a husband eventually. Unless a certain prince wifes her on the side, that is.
I giggled. “I’ll discuss it with him if you’re interested.”
Casting a glance at the door to the security office, I decided to go in, only to find my spiritual vessel suddenly expanding on its own. After a moment of alarm, I realized it had been a precaution that Fan Li had set up, to ensure I was ready for the encounter.
After all, this was my first physical face-to-face with a powerful Hellspawn since I did battle with her. Servanthood or not, it would be unwise to go in without my guard up and my defenses prepared.
I finished Fan Li’s list of preparations, which she had conveniently left behind in a literal mental note, then wondered, [Are you watching from over there?]
[Only now that the vessel is expanded. This scholar has only a weak connection until you do so.]
[I was thinking it was Rhea who kept me asleep for three days. Was it you?]
[This small one permitted it, after blocking her. We discussed it and agreed that you required it.]
I wasn’t sure whether to be grateful or annoyed. [I understand your reasons, but please ask me next time.]
Fan Li was silent. Neither agreeing nor refusing. I suspected that meant she wanted to reserve the right. Which was annoying, but it was time to go in.
As I entered the security office and went to the back and the holding cells, I was acutely aware of Shindzha’s presence. And of the lesser fairy warrior from Falerè’s squad who was guarding her at the moment. Apparently they had been rotating the duty in the squad.
An arrangement of magic devices was keeping Demonic mana from leaking from the cage, and prison bars are prison bars, but aside from those, Shindzha seemed to be housed in relative comfort.
“I made them use the cell intended for nobility,” Ceria commented. “I figure if she’s your Servant, she should get that much.”
I would parse the logic later. I wasn’t sure it followed that she should be treated like an aristocrat just from being my Servant, but my Servants might have different opinions on the subject.
The hellspawn girl stared at me from her cot, where she was sitting cross-legged. Someone had given her a yukata to cover all the pale yellow-green skin she’d been showing when . Her eyes held a weird combination of dread and hope as she recognized me.
“Mistress…” she whispered in Ostish.
She had said only that one word when a black sphere appeared above her head and black tendrils rained down from it, binding her. A shrieking, wordless cry ripped from her lungs as demonic mana poured into her.
