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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“I’m so nervous…”
“Don’t worry too much. Just think of it as giving a few words of encouragement. Relax.”
“What if I make a mistake?”
I gently placed my hand on Karina’s shoulder. She flinched slightly.
Ignoring her reaction, I continued,
“What if you do? No one will say anything. Few would dare to criticize the Saintess.”
The only ones who might would be the imperial family, but even they wouldn’t criticize her openly.
That would be like poking a hornet’s nest. Even the emperor wouldn’t want to antagonize the largest and most influential religious organization on the continent. Especially not that self-preserving emperor.
“If you need to, Renny and I can fake a sneeze or something.”
“Hee hee. Thank you.”
“Saintess Karina, it’s time to get changed.”
I exchanged a glance with Renny, who had appeared out of nowhere, and leaned against the wall. I couldn’t exactly go into the dressing room with them.
“I’ll be back soon.”
“Look forward to it. It’s a very elaborate ceremonial robe.”
“…I will.”
I waved at Karina and Renny as they entered the dressing room and sat down, staring blankly at the ceiling.
The festival was about to begin.
I had been busy with preparations until the last minute, so I was a bit tired, but I couldn’t afford to doze off.
I was the Saintess’s knight escort. Any lapse in my duties could have serious consequences.
If the higher-ups demanded my replacement, even Karina would be in a difficult position.
I wasn’t a high-ranking official, I was just a knight escort. I couldn’t fight against those in power.
…Come to think of it, I hoped the imperial family wasn’t planning anything. They had planted spies in Yeomyeong-gwan in the original story.
Though the spy had ended up being swayed by Karina and becoming a double agent. It was a rather comical ending.
While the imperial family wasn’t exactly known for their intelligence, I still needed to be cautious.
I would ask Sif to gather information on the imperial family. I wasn’t sure what she could find, but even rumors and gossip would be helpful.
I could use the information, combined with my fragmented memories, to assess the situation in the imperial palace.
…Though the current situation was quite different from the original story, so I couldn’t be certain.
As I was mentally reviewing my to-do list, a familiar window appeared.
…That was practically a confirmation that something would go wrong.
I already knew that. But the sudden appearance of a new mission, with such an ominous description, was unsettling.
…I hoped things wouldn’t deviate too much from the original story.
I wanted a smooth and predictable playthrough. Though the system’s insistence on the “true ending” meant things were already off track.
[Ugh, I’m bored. When are we going to the festival?]
“Soon, so be patient.”
[But we’re just going to be standing in the same spot.]
“Not exactly. We’ll be moving around quite a bit.”
[Are we riding horses or something?]
“We’re taking a carriage.”
Karina’s ceremonial carriage had arrived yesterday.
It was a gift from the imperial family. I hoped they hadn’t done anything… suspicious to it. I wanted to examine and modify it after the festival.
I would have done it now, but we would be using it soon.
Why were women taking so long to change clothes?
We didn’t have much time…
As I was checking the clock on the wall, the door opened, and the person I had been waiting for finally appeared.
I stared at Karina, speechless.
She was already one of the most beautiful women in this world, but dressed in formal attire… The game hadn’t even captured half of her beauty.
She wore the veil I had made, but it was positioned to reveal her face. She smiled shyly and asked,
“How do I look?”
“…Beautiful.”
What other adjectives were needed? Her beauty was simply… breathtaking.
I must have been staring with a dumbstruck expression because Renny chuckled and patted my shoulder.
“See? Isn’t she stunning?”
“She’s… breathtaking. In a good way.”
“A lot of people are going to faint today.”
I nodded dumbly, agreeing with Renny’s assessment.
Even I, someone who was practically immune to feminine charms, was stunned. And I saw Karina’s face every day.
“We might need to have some priests on standby.”
“That would be a sight to see.”
Renny and I chuckled and positioned ourselves on either side of Karina.
“Renny, you push the wheelchair.”
“Why?”
“It’s safer if my hands are free.”
I was confident I could handle any surprise attacks, unless a meteor suddenly fell from the sky.
“That’s true…”
Renny’s gaze flickered to my back, then back to my face. She had noticed the shovel. It was a bit conspicuous.
Most knights carried swords. But I couldn’t use a sword, so I carried a shovel.
…Though I did have a sword I had crafted strapped to my waist, just in case.
“Let’s go.”
“Alright.”
“I’ll be in your care.”
“I’ll protect you, even if a dragon attacks.”
“I look forward to it.”
Karina smiled at my boastful declaration.
I should have taken a screenshot.
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“Saintess Karina! Show us your face!”
“Long live the Saintess! Glory to Kalon!”
The carriage was bombarded by shouts and cheers. I sat next to the coachman, quietly observing the crowd.
It was a perfect environment for an assassination attempt.
Was there an assassin hidden among them?
Or were they waiting for a better opportunity?
They might have realized that an attempt now, with the heavy security presence, would be futile.
[I don’t sense any suspicious mana fluctuations.]
“You’re doing a good job.”
“Excuse me? What did you say?”
“Just talking to myself.”
The coachman turned back to face the road.
The elderly coachman, his face covered in age spots, had been working in this city for a long time.
I heard he was a devout follower of the Kalon Church and a skilled coachman, handpicked by Principal Merlin.
He had suffered a mild heart attack at the sight of Karina and had received her healing magic less than an hour ago.
He was now driving the carriage with a satisfied expression, his lifelong dream fulfilled.
…He looked like he was ready to die peacefully after this job.
Well, that wasn’t important. I needed to focus on my escort duties.
The Saintess’s first task, a tour of the city in an ornate, if not flashy, carriage, was almost over.
“She’s so beautiful!”
“Even the birds and dogs are rejoicing! Truly the Saintess!”
“I’ve never seen such a moving sight…”
“I can die happy now…”
“Grandma?!”
Another one had fainted.
Or died.
I watched the elderly woman being carried away on a stretcher and suppressed a grimace.
This was getting scary. People fainting, or even dying, just from looking at Karina’s face.
It was especially unsettling when it was the elderly.
If young people fainted, it was just… dramatic. But if the elderly fainted, it felt like they were punching their one-way ticket to the afterlife.
“Haha, the people are truly overjoyed.”
“It’s only natural, considering it’s the Saintess’s procession.”
“Sir Knight, there’s no need to use honorifics with me. I’m just a humble coachman.”
“It’s hard to speak casually to someone who could be my grandfather.”
“Haha, I have no intention of adopting a grandson at my age.”
Even while chatting, I constantly scanned the crowd, looking for any unusual reactions.
…Nothing.
It was almost over.
“Well, that’s the end of that.”
The main gate of Kalon Academy was visible in the distance. The guards, dressed in ceremonial uniforms, stood at attention.
“I’m glad. I was worried about assassins.”
“Haha, assassins on a day like this? They wouldn’t dare risk their lives.”
“…I wouldn’t be so sure.”
“Blessings upon the Saintess!”
“Blessings!”
The assassins were coming. That was a certainty.
I glared at a hooded figure in the crowd.
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