Chapter 104. Saintess Escort (1)
“Sa-Saintess. That... Excuse me...!”
Perhaps flustered by my sudden actions, Lily, standing behind me, waved her hands wildly, flustered. The Saintess, who watched her for a moment, slowly shook her head.
“It is alright, Sister Lily.”
“Yes, Yes? But...”
“It was about time to finish my prayer.”
She elegantly turned halfway around to face me. The ceremonial habit resembling a nun's habit, and the white veil she wore over her hair, rippled with her movement.
“Rather, thank you for bringing a distinguished guest here. You must have had a difficult time guiding him.”
The Saintess smiled gently under the bright sunlight. At her beautiful smile, Lily seemed touched, her eyes sparkling as she nodded slightly.
Lily's expression openly seemed to say, "Ah, as expected of the Saintess...!", so I simply turned my eyes away without saying anything.
Seeing such a reaction, I could somewhat understand how the nuns and others of The Order generally thought of the Saintess.
“Then, I shall withdraw. Saintess.”
Lily bowed her head deeply, then glanced at me once, and carefully closed the door with both hands.
*Swoosh.* Thud.
Soon, the large door closed silently behind me. I silently turned my head and looked at the Saintess before me. It was a fresh realization.
I hadn't expected to see one of the most famous characters from the original work directly before my eyes like this.
“Forgive me for the late introduction.”
Perhaps sensing my gaze, the Saintess placed her hands demurely on her chest and said.
“I am the Saintess, Amelia. It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Enoch.”
My gaze naturally went to her attire.
For a moment, her appearance was so beautiful it took my breath away, and the revealing ceremonial habit specially made for the Saintess. It was an outfit that emphasized her figure, including her ample chest.
Indeed, even aside from her being a Tier 1 healer in the original work, Amelia was one of the most popular characters due to her appearance and setting.
Especially because of the Saintess's distinctive outfit design, jokes and fan arts circulated widely in communities, questioning if she was truly a religious figure.
However, perhaps due to her dignified atmosphere. When seen directly before my eyes, even such an outfit felt no sense of incongruity whatsoever.
It just felt like a part of her truly outstanding form, to the extent that I could only inwardly marvel, 'As expected'. It was immediately understandable why she received overwhelming support from the citizens of the Empire.
“Enoch Elsyde.”
Given that she recognized me earlier, a lengthy self-introduction was unnecessary. The Saintess was the one who designated me in the first place. There was no way she wouldn't know me.
As expected, Amelia nodded lightly.
“You have come regarding the Designated Mission. You arrived right on time.”
“I would like a detailed explanation.”
The Saintess, Amelia, straightened her back and said.
“Sir Enoch. To be blunt, I will leave the Holy Residence tomorrow for a mining city in the remote northern region, outside the Elsyde territory.”
At those words, I narrowed my eyes slightly.
“A mining city outside the Elsyde territory, would that be 「Pangaeon」?”
The Saintess widened her eyes slightly. Her emerald eyes were tinged with surprise.
“You know of it?”
“...To some extent.”
The mining city, Pangaeon.
A city built in a remote region where ‘Magic Stones’, a special material almost essential for the production of modern Empire artifacts and Unique Magic Gear, were mined.
It appeared as a major stage in the original work as well.
Since it was a city formed around a mine, it was a harsh region far removed from the Main House territory. However, it was also a place that was by no means small in scale.
An immediate question arose.
“Why would the Saintess have business in such a remote city?”
“As I mentioned earlier, it is a city where Magical Beasts have suddenly appeared recently, causing many people to be injured and their lives threatened. Especially because it is a remote area, it is said that there is a great shortage of medical personnel.”
The Saintess elegantly clasped her hands together in front of her and continued her explanation.
“Therefore, we are providing relief efforts to the displaced citizens of Pangaeon who have suffered from Magical Beast disasters. I was not originally scheduled to go, but...”
She stopped there and shook her head slightly. It seemed she thought there was no need to say more.
I nodded.
“So, regarding the escort, what exactly do you need me to do?”
“I would like Sir Enoch to take the seat next to me in the vehicle, and when we stay inside the mining city for several days, I would like you to be my escort at my residence.”
“There's one more thing I don't understand.”
I tilted my head and asked.
“Surely the Saintess has escorts provided by The Order when you travel outside. What about them?”
“Actually, I was just about to introduce them.”
Then, Amelia looked briefly over my shoulder towards the door I had entered and said.
“Everyone, come in. I know you're already there.”
The Saintess's voice as she said that was somewhat cold. Then, the door opened, and with the sound of trudging boots, several men entered and lined up.
They were all dressed in uniforms made of high-quality ivory-colored attire and cloaks with gold trim. Each had their Unique Magic Gear strapped to their backs or at their waists.
In the original work, the escort officers who publicly escorted the Saintess were occasionally depicted in the corner of the screen. These were the ones wearing the same uniform.
Counting them, there were five.
All of them seemed to be strong individuals, possessing a certain level of skill, judging by the composed aura emanating from each person.
“Let me introduce, Sir Enoch. The escort officer dispatched from The Order. Guard Foreman Antenor.”
Among them, a tall, thin man came forward and bowed his head.
“I am Antenor, whom the Saintess just mentioned. I am in charge of commanding the escort officers dispatched from The Order's higher authorities. It is a pleasure to work with you.”
He had sharp, narrow eyes like slits and a sharp face. He was a young, handsome man who seemed nervous.
Judging by his appearance, he might be in his early thirties.
Of course, among those who used Mana, it wasn't uncommon for some individuals who had reached the peak of their physical prime in their mid-twenties or around thirty to have extremely slow aging.
However, even considering that, it was an early age for someone to be entrusted with commanding the escort officers who protected a key figure of The Order.
At the same time, a question arose. Despite having such escort officers, why bother designating me for the escort mission?
There must have been a backstory.
And it looked quite shady.
I first nodded lightly.
“As I mentioned earlier. Recently, the sudden appearance of Magical Beasts in remote regions of the Empire has become severe, resulting in a series of towns and cities suffering from Magical Beast disasters.”
The Saintess continued her explanation in a noble tone.
“Originally, only The Order's personnel would be dispatched... but the damage to this mining city is severe. It is said that the city's internal security has also been ruined to that extent.”
“So, by designating me and my squad for the escort mission, you are increasing the combat power in a dangerous area?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
The Saintess quietly nodded.
Just then, the man named Antenor suddenly interjected.
“To add a bit more, the relationship between our Order, which possesses many excellent healers, and the Elsyde Main House is very complex, but the foundation is a cooperative one. Didn't sisters and priests from The Order also participate in the previous joint mission to the Beast-kin village?”
The Saintess's expression changed slightly at his abrupt interruption. Amelia narrowed her eyes a little as she looked at him.
However, he continued to add arbitrarily, smiling.
“The Saintess requesting a Designated Mission is also a return for The Order dispatching healers to the joint mission that took place in the Beast-kin village last time.”
I also silently glanced at him.
Antenor.
A character not in the original work. His tone was still polite, but contrary to that, I keenly sensed the sharp, narrow eyes that were frigidly watching me.
He clearly wasn't welcoming me.
“I understand that Sir Enoch is undertaking an escort mission for the first time. I believe you must be somewhat nervous, but I ask for your cooperation in this joint effort.”
Unlike his polite words, his tone was definitely sarcastic. The escort officers Antenor commanded also had a subtly dismissive look in their eyes towards me.
No, to be precise, rather than dismissal, a sentiment of “I don't like this” was flowing.
Just then, perhaps sensing the somewhat ominous atmosphere, the Saintess quickly stepped in to remedy the situation.
“It is as you just heard, Sir Enoch. Was that enough explanation for the situation?”
I didn't know exactly who Antenor was.
But for now, it was necessary to make them realize their position. I looked away towards the Saintess with indifferent eyes and said.
“Considering the security situation of the mining city, you deemed the currently present escort officers insufficient.”
“...”
At this cold observation, Antenor continued to smile, watching me with an inscrutable expression.
I would never lose the initiative in a conversation. It wasn't out of any ill will. It was simply because I already knew that being underestimated wouldn't lead to anything good.
Whether it was instinct, the influence of the original Enoch,
Or simply the experience gained so far.
And anyway, if I were to accept this Designated Mission, there would be a need to solidify my position.
Ignoring Antenor, who was unnecessarily engaging in a strange war of nerves, I looked only at the Saintess before me and asked calmly.
“Is that why you designated me for the escort?”
“That... is correct.”
Amelia also quietly nodded.
And then, as if having made up her mind. She raised her emerald-like green eyes and looked directly at me.
“Sir Enoch Elsyde, will you please accept the mission I have requested?”
At those words, I put my hand on my chin. In a brief moment, I organized the information I had gathered so far, thinking it over.
Having listened for a while, I seemed to grasp the general outline.
After all, the result of weighing the pros and cons of this mission was clear, the more I thought about it.
Not all questions about the Designated Mission were answered by the conversation just now. There were a few lingering concerns.
But at least one thing was certain.
It was by no means a mission I was undertaking merely due to my position as a Direct Lineage member of the Main House. This mission was absolutely necessary for me.
Firstly, I needed a connection with the Saintess and The Order anyway, in preparation for the original plot.
There were items I could only obtain from The Order, items that were indispensable, and it was already something I had planned for.
It was just that the timing had been moved up slightly by the sudden event of the Saintess's Designated Mission. In fact, it was a good thing.
And secondly. The information about the Magical Beast Disaster occurring in the remote mining city lingered.
Above all, the appearance of Flare in Rhodes last time, and the abnormally frequent appearance of Magical Beasts.
And even Tantalus' obsession with Magical Beastification experiments.
Each of these were things that needed to be addressed first and foremost in order to prepare for the starting point of the original story and uncover information that wasn't revealed in the original work.
Therefore, the answer was already decided.
I looked at the Saintess and opened my mouth.
“I formally accept the Designated Mission.”
Seeing me accept with a detached expression, the Saintess quietly lowered her eyelashes, looking somewhat relieved.
“...Thank you. Sir Enoch.”
In reality, there was no reason for her to thank me. From the start, this mission had too many important keywords.
Furthermore, I was already considering other possibilities. And very interesting possibilities at that.
‘Perhaps, it's connected to the main story of the original work.’
Main story.
At that thought, my heart pounded a little.
In many ways, this mission was unexpected, but judging only by these keywords, it was clearly a favorable development.
When I first heard about the Designated Mission, I immediately sifted through the candidates who could potentially issue a Designated Mission to the current Elsyde.
And based on the information I had, I anticipated some developments and acted accordingly. It seemed my preparations had paid off nicely.
“...”
Just then, I felt a gaze from the side. Turning to look, Antenor was watching me with a meaningful smile.
I also met his gaze with indifferent dark blue eyes for a moment, returning his stare.
Just then, Amelia quietly rose from her seat between us and spoke.
“In that case, I will immediately send an official letter to the Elsyde Main House for formal approval. Thank you once again, Sir Enoch.”
The Saintess glanced back and forth between Enoch and Antenor, and somehow ended her words with a tone of unease.
“First, I have my next schedule within the Holy Residence, so I shall excuse myself.”
As she rose first and left, the escort officers immediately followed her.
I waited for a moment until they had all left, then followed suit and left the room. However, I had to stop walking within minutes of leaving the room.
‘Ah, right.’
...Now that I thought about it, I had been guided by Lily earlier, so I didn't know the layout of the interior well.
It was a Holy Residence that was large and white like a maze. For someone seeing it for the first time, it seemed incredibly difficult to find the way, even if they weren't directionally challenged.
I tried to retrace my steps and walked down the corridor for a bit. However, it seemed I had taken a slightly wrong turn and had only entered a different, secluded corridor.
Even after wandering around a bit, the surrounding corridors were unfamiliar, secluded areas with few people.
Only my footsteps echoed loudly, reflecting off the large white passage.
Come to think of it, in the original work, you could only enter certain lobbies of the Holy Residence, but it was impossible to enter deep inside like this, was it?
Just as I was earnestly rationalizing the reason for being lost, about to turn around.
─Whoosh!
From the shadows of a distant corridor, someone suddenly fired a sharp projectile constructed of Mana at me.