Chapter 53 - Volume 4

Volume 4, Chapter 4: The Holy Saint’s Adorable Daily Life, Part 1

As I’ll be turning 11 soon, I decided to visit the countries close to the Daemon territory as a Saint.

Actually, I was going to fly~ over there with my servants, so that I could spend several months enjoying myself before teleporting back. I had made plans for a trip with us alone, but I seem to have been found out before I knew it…

“Noel…?”

Noel comes over to my house often. The threshold for entry had become slightly lower since he’s become a noble too, but now when he walks through the door he’s not the son of a Viscount, but the [Hero].

“……Lucy…”

Noel didn’t run up to me like a puppy like he normally did, but rather walked up to me with a slightly lonely expression.

By the way, nobody told me that he was coming. If there is a visitor, you guys should inform me… in the shadow of a nearby pillar, I saw the maids and the attendants giving me covert thumbs-up… What are you guys doing?

“Noel, what’s the matter? Ba… Bar…… where’s Bear-san?” (Piro Note: she keeps forgetting Barnabas, lol)

“… I’m not having training today, so the group… Father didn’t come along. Putting that aside…”

Bear-san and Noel often came to practice with the knights and to practice coordinating with me, but now Noel’s come alone. He walked up next to me, and gently held my hand.

… Ah, as expected he’s holding my hand. It’s alright because I’m still a child, but will I still be able to be married if Noel turns 15 and becomes not ‘safe’?

As a 13 year old, Noel was 10-odd centimeters taller than I was; he knelt in front of me all of a sudden.

“N-Noel, what’s wrong?”

“Lucy…… Will you rely on me?”

“……eh?”

As he looked straight into my eyes, I felt a little itch in my heart.

“Why are you trying to go alone to a place near the Daemon Territory…?”

“Ah… err…”

Where did it leak from…? It’s probably one of those maids-in-waiting.

That aside, what do I do? I thought about deceiving him, but his face wasn’t his usual puppy face, and I was off put by his grown-up expression.

“Aren’t I the same as you, Lucy? People who are in trouble… I want to help the people who are suffering.”

……Eh? But I just want to go sightseeing? ……I can’t say that now.

“…Umm, Noel,”

“I understand your feelings. Therefore, I will go whenever and wherever Lucy goes.”

“U-umm…”

Oh crap, I’ve lost the chance to speak. Noel interrupted my words, calmly…… and while smiling gently with determined eyes, he touched his lips to my hand.

“I…… am [Hero] that will always stand beside the gentle hearted [Saint]……”

“~~~…”

Dangerous…… Even though Noel himself is turning bright red …… Still, since I don’t have any resistance, don’t hit me with such a big surprise attack……

…… Behind us, the maid-sans, were all being annoying with their *kyaa~ kyaa~*.

“Yurushia……”

“Ah…Roderick-onii-sama, did you finish your greetings?”

At a social gathering that was held every few days…… well, it’s just an evening ball, but Rick was surrounded by foreign aristocrats and their daughters until he came over to me, who was surrounded by greasy ministers.

…… For some reason I feel that there’s an unreasonable [Difference].

“It’s over. Don’t talk about it.”

“Is that so…”

As soon as he got to me he already had his pouty face and sullen voice… That’s probably why all those ministers all took their leave while sweating profusely.

It’s not my fault to have parted from them after Rick arrived, right…?

“Come over here”

“Yeah…”

Rick stretched out his hand for a moment, and stopped halfway… ooh, I thought that he would grab my arm again but he’s finally growing up.

We walked out to the garden. Because we’re so conspicuous, we can’t be hidden from view by simply going to the terrace, so to speak without being disturbed we took a stroll in the garden at night.

“………”

“………Rick?”

As Rick walked silently without a word, I changed my term of address and called out to him.

What happened? Rick wore a different look than usual while he craned his neck a little to the side, and then quietly spoke.

“…I am weak”

“……?”

But you’re not as weak as you were before…?

“Although I was given the title of [Holy Paladin] for participating, Noel and I …… are just not an equal match for Yurushia.”

“……”

The [Holy Paladin] was a precious treasure of the Holy Kingdom and different from the Holy Knights, rather, it was a title that was rather similar to being a [Hero].

The hero with the protection of the light was the hope of the people.

While the Hero was the guiding light that lit the way for the people, the Holy Crusader wielded the power of the light to avenge the people’s suffering upon their enemies.

In other words, it means that the Holy Crusader must be stronger than the Hero as an individual……

“I have to become strong as the [Holy Paladin]. If you head to the Daemon territory, I will too.”

“……Rick”

Rick is also following Noel……

“Although I thought that I could defend Yurushia, but every time you’ve protected me…”

He’s aware of it himself……… I’m unable to refuse Rick whenever he displays his straightforward [Masculinity].

Well, in any case, if Noel is coming, I can’t refuse Rick either.

To me, since Rick was a young kid when I first met him, I’ve always taken him lightly.

As I reminisced about the old days, the moment that the eyes of our chaperones were obstructed by the shade of a tree, Rick grabbed my arm and pulled me in.

“I cannot lose to Noel.”

“…………”

It’scloseit’sclose your face is too close! We’re almost stuck together!

Did Rick realize it too? His eyes went wide momentarily and drew apart, returning to holding my hand with only one hand and walking again.

What’s going on, hmmmph? …… You’re not meeting my eyes.

Anyways, various things happened, but it seems that the [Holy Kingdom Hero’s Party] can’t help but head out together.

But still, we’re being accompanied by a team of escort knights again…… Our Hero’s Party is basically being accompanied by chaperones.

“……eee~tto, are you all coming with us too?”

Since my departure has become public knowledge, naturally my guardian knights from the Ducal household, along with Vio, Fell and Min were going to be accompanying me as my caretakers.

“Naturally. Ria-sama specially instructed us to take care of Princess Yuru-sama.”

As Vio replied for them all, Fell and Min both smiled and nodded behind her.

“Aren’t we just sightseeing?”

I’m mostly focused on the sightseeing.

“Of-of course we understand. I haven’t hugged Yuru-sama lately, but I can’t force it even if I’m lonely.”

“Oh yeah, about those local guide books that Yuru-sama told us to order, I’ve made special arrangements.”

Oi………

Well, the maids that have been taking care of me since I was young… even now that they’re my ladies-in-waiting, these three girls still worried about me from the bottom of their hearts.

…… Isn’t that right? This doesn’t have a vacation-y mood?

Aren’t all three of them newlyweds…… is it alright to leave their husbands alone………?

These three girls… Now that half of their twenties have gone by, if I was asked to introduce them marriage partners, I would have decided readily on anyone that was convenient.

Vio was with a single bachelor steward who was in his 30s, Fell with a young knight under the Duke, and Min with the sous chef of the house.

Did you all ever date anyone else before? I think that the three of them just chose partners that would allow them to continue prioritizing their current work…… I’m okay with that, though.

Well, I interviewed them too, and I was relieved since they’re all good people.

Since I had a serious personal interview and put them under [Killing Intent] for an hour or so until they started to cry, I don’t think they’ll cheat even if they’re about to die.

Because of that, it seems that the husbands have all said that [If you are by Yurushia-sama’s side, I’ll be relieved] and I’ve acquired a strange trust.

I am but a weak noble lady……

If this trend continues in the following years, I wonder if I’ll have to be the one finding husbands for the 15 girls of the escort knights as well. To be blunt, it’s a pain in the rear.

Those girls, when they saw that the [Holy Saint-sama(me)] give the blessings at Vio, Fell and Min’s weddings at the behest of the priest, they’ve all been brimming with eagerness to receive my favor.

Oh, come to think of it, they aren’t my [Escort Knights] any longer.

It seems that they became the [Saint Guard Squadron] when I became the [Holy Saint].

They ranked up. Their equipment was completely changed too, and it can’t be helped that I had to turn to Zest of the Carpe Merchant Association and ordered 15 magic swords for them.

It was a huge expense. My private slush fund was halved.

Regarding my own marriage…… For me, since my sister-samas’ returns are a delicate matter, will I have to take a groom into the family?

Aunt-sama of the Shiguresu Royal Family’s fierce promotion of her son is scary.

When I brought up the topic with Mother-sama discreetly, it seems that seven marriage proposals have come from the royal families of the surrounding countries.

Including a newly-born third prince…… what are you all thinking?

……… Is that my bridegroom?

…Ah, I got off track; this was supposed to be a story about my Saint (idol) tour.

Since someone might ask [Saint-sama, sing us a song], I can’t avoid singing practice…… It’s just in case? I don’t really actually want to sing, promise…

The estimated journey will take several months, and it absolutely wasn’t purposely scheduled to be on my birthday.

So, Grandfather-sama, please stop throwing a tantrum. Please don’t try to inspect the border? …… Since I’m going to break through it with my ability.