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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“…Why?”
[…Repairing…]
As everyone remained bowed, listening to Karina’s prayer, the small crack in the floor, which had been slowly spreading, suddenly vanished.
It was as if time had reversed, a change so subtle that no one else would have noticed.
“…Johann. What’s wrong?”
“…There was a crack in the floor where Karina was sitting.”
“…What?”
I stopped Renny from moving. A moment later, and the prayer would have been interrupted, causing chaos and confusion. But I had already reinforced the floor, preventing a collapse.
We just needed to stand there as if nothing had happened.
“I’ve repaired it, so don’t worry. And calm down. People are staring.”
“But the assassination attempt…”
“Just…calm down. You need to remain composed.”
“…Sorry. I got a bit carried away.”
“Many brave warriors have gathered here today…”
The first assassination attempt had been thwarted.
What would the second be?
I looked away from Karina, who was diligently delivering her prepared speech, and scanned the audience. I needed to check for any suspicious reactions.
As I observed the crowd, their expressions became clear.
An elderly man, eyes closed, hands clasped tightly together.
A young man, staring blankly at Karina.
A child, gazing at Karina with wide-eyed admiration.
Despite the distance, their expressions were easily discernible.
…But I couldn’t see the hooded figure.
Well, no one would be brazen enough to wander around inside with a conspicuous hood. Anyone doing so would either be insane or confident they could eliminate any witnesses.
I assumed the hooded figure was neither. While their disappearance was concerning, I had already alerted the guards. The investigators would be searching for them.
I needed to focus on preventing any immediate assassination attempts.
Getting distracted and failing to protect Karina would defeat the purpose.
“…Demonstrate your valor… And with that, praying for everyone’s safety, I conclude my address.”
Finally, the speech was over.
I quietly approached Karina, who was basking in the applause, and whispered,
“Good job.”
“…Thank you.”
“Karina, you did well.”
Renny smoothly took hold of the wheelchair’s handles and pulled it back. I examined the spot where the wheelchair had been and noticed a tiny crack.
It seemed the original construction flaw was too significant to completely erase with my skill. After all, my skill could only work with existing materials.
“Hey, guard. I need to speak with you.”
“Yes?”
The guard approached with a serious expression. It wasn’t ‘that’ serious.
“The floor where the Saintess was sitting was intentionally weakened. Contact the Builders’ Guild and get the name of the person responsible for this section.”
“Understood, sir.”
The guard I had addressed immediately left the arena. Obedient, which was good.
“I’m going to check Karina’s seat. Be ready.”
“Alright.”
I immediately inspected the area around Karina’s seat in the VIP section.
I checked the chair for anything hidden, examined the floor, and, ignoring the curious stares of the other guests, reported to Karina and Renny,
“There are no problems.”
“That’s a relief.”
“What? Did something happen…?”
Seeing Karina’s bewildered expression, I explained the situation.
The floor where she had delivered her speech had been poorly constructed. I had repaired it with my skill. And I had checked her seat in the VIP section as a precaution.
Hearing my assurance that the area was safe, Karina sighed in relief.
“That’s…concerning.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s our job.”
“Indeed. You’ll be here for about an hour, so please, sit and relax.”
“Thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank us. It’s what we’re here for.”
“Are you embarrassed?”
“…No.”
“Hee hee. If you say so.”
Karina playfully stuck out her tongue. A lovely tongue, as beautiful as her face.
No, wait. Get a grip. You idiot.
The other VIPs were looking at me with curiosity. I didn’t want to attract attention.
I discreetly stepped back from Karina and adopted a stern pose, like the other knight escorts.
Damn.
I wanted to see how Lewis performed, but I couldn’t see the arena from here.
I suppressed my disappointment and faced forward.
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“This pales in comparison to the Imperial Palace’s cuisine.”
Read the room, First Prince.
I resisted the urge to facepalm as the First Prince began boasting about the Imperial Palace.
Did he have no sense of tact? The academy’s head chef looked like he was about to faint.
I could practically see the fear of imminent execution in his eyes. As the First Prince of the most powerful nation on the continent, he probably didn’t care about anyone else’s feelings.
…That’s why he gets assassinated.
“This food was prepared with the utmost care.”
“Oh, I’m sure it was. But it’s still…disappointing. A festival of this magnitude deserves a more…fitting culinary experience.”
Even Karina’s pointed glances couldn’t penetrate the First Prince’s thick skull. I felt a strong urge to punch him.
I should just beat him up before he gets assassinated.
The First Prince’s irritating monologue, unchecked by anyone, continued its relentless descent into absurdity.
“…Saintess, you are a person of great importance. Why do you only have two escorts? You should have an entire knight squadron. And you deserve the protection of the Imperial Knights, not these…incompetent guards.”
At this rate, he would be claiming to be her father next.
“I appreciate your concern, Your Highness, but my current escort is more than sufficient.”
“You underestimate your own value.”
…Was there a way to brainwash assassins into targeting him?
It seemed entirely feasible with Rue.
“…It’s getting late. I must excuse myself, Your Highness.”
“A pity we couldn’t converse further… Perhaps we could share tea before you leave…”
“Unfortunately, I have a very busy schedule.”
Karina finally cut him off, her tone leaving no room for further discussion. The First Prince, finally realizing he had been dismissed, reluctantly closed his mouth.
The First Prince was a chatterbox. The future of this empire was truly bleak.
We left the dining hall and headed to the General Studies building.
Our schedule for the day involved visiting every department to deliver a short speech, so the sooner we finished, the more time Karina would have to rest in the evening.
“First, the General Studies building, then the Magic department, the Alchemy department, and finally, the Theology department.”
“Quite a few stops.”
“But it’s just a short speech at each location. Tomorrow, we’ll be touring the festival grounds, then delivering a special prayer at the Theology department, followed by a play in the evening and a campfire. And on the final day, the finals of the martial arts tournament and the closing ceremony speech in the morning, and then we’re done!”
“Sounds like a lot.”
It was a demanding schedule, especially for someone in Karina’s condition. Did these people not know she was ill?
“This is already a reduced schedule, considering Karina’s health…”
“Saint Sabrina’s Day is a very important occasion. I can’t simply skip events because I’m feeling unwell. I appreciate your concern, but I must fulfill my duties. This is my first official duty as Saintess.”
“…I understand. But please, inform Renny or me immediately if you feel unwell.”
“I will.”
I wished we could just enjoy casual conversations like this.
Unfortunately, we had to escort Karina to one of the largest lecture halls in the General Studies building.
She had to deliver a speech commemorating the General Studies department’s festival event.
“I wonder how Milia is doing.”
“Milia will be fine.”
She might be a bit of a free spirit, but she was capable of taking care of herself. Just a few days ago, she had gone out with her friends.
She might be the most socially adept person in Yeomyeong-gwan.
Lost in thought, I continued walking until a familiar door came into view. The area around the door was adorned with elaborate decorations and a bright red arrow.
…What?
This wasn’t how I remembered it. There was nothing like this in the game.
What was going on?
“Johann?”
“What?”
“I’m just a little…surprised. What was the General Studies department planning again?”
I needed someone to explain this baffling situation.
“I heard they were doing something new this year…instead of the usual poetry recital.”
“Something like a…cafe…”
“Welcome, Master!”
…Oh dear.
I stared at Milia, who was beaming at us, dressed in a disturbingly familiar maid outfit. She gestured towards the door with both hands, her usual demeanor replaced with an oddly formal tone.
“Ka…Saintess! And Knight Escort! Please, allow me to escort you!”
“…I think there’s been a genre shift.”
My bewildered mumbling was lost in the festive clamor.
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