Chapter 15 - The Hidden Truth of the Saint
Since the wheelchair arrived, my world had expanded considerably. Today, I was reading in the glass-walled conservatory, surrounded by the garden's blooms. On clear days, the warm sunlight streaming through the glass made the small tea table here my favorite spot. I took a sip of the rose tea Sarah had prepared. The tea His Highness had sent contained actual rose petals; its floral aroma and sweet taste never failed to soothe my soul.
"He really hasn't visited lately, has he?"
My thoughts drifted to the sender of the tea. True to his word, His Highness had not shown his face for several weeks. In his stead, he sent letters, tea leaves, and books he thought I might enjoy. Since he hadn't appeared, I had begun to wonder if the annulment of our engagement was proceeding. My father had said the engagement would likely be dissolved, but when I asked him, he simply said, "Discussions with His Majesty have hit a snag. Don't worry, I won't let anything bad happen to you. Leave it to me." It wasn't a very satisfying answer.
With a body like this, being the Crown Princess is impossible. I wondered what everyone was thinking. The more I learned about His Highness, the closer we became, and the more confused I felt. Before, I had only seen him as the Crown Prince—a handsome royal with immense magic and intellect. But lately, I had seen other sides of him. A bashful look, a flicker of anxiety, a face crumpled with laughter. They were all expressions I had never seen before. And that look of resolve he had shown recently... what did it mean?
I started to dwell on it, then caught myself. No, I mustn't think about such things. I shook my head and took a deep breath. When the Saint appears, His Highness will surely go to her side. As the leader of this nation, he belongs beside the merciful Saint. That is how things should be. Not with someone like me, who has lost her magic. I don't want to think about it. I don't want to know any more 'new' sides of him. I forced those budding emotions back down, locking them away.
"Ojou-sama," Sarah called out gently, pulling me from the depths of my thoughts. "It's time to head back. Professor Bluet should be arriving soon."
"You're right. Sarah, take me back to my room, please."
"Of course." Sarah smiled warmly and moved behind the wheelchair to push it back to the house.
♢
"Miss Marcel, your last assignment was very well-reasoned. You've clearly studied the climate and agriculture of this kingdom quite thoroughly."
"Thank you, Professor Bluet. The books you lent me were very helpful."
Another change in the past few weeks was the arrival of Professor Bluet, the tutor His Highness had introduced. She visited three times a week. A woman with red hair pulled into a flawless chignon and thin, silver-rimmed glasses, she had previously served as the assistant director of the National Magic Research Institute.
She could be strict, but she always ensured I understood the material completely. The assignments she gave were fascinating and I found myself learning a great deal.
"Today, we shall discuss the relationship between this kingdom and the spirits. Miss Marcel, please explain what you know about spirits."
Professor Bluet opened a magic history textbook and sat in the chair beside me.
"Yes. Spirits generally live in groups according to their attributes. Furthermore, they can usually only be summoned during the Spirit Summoning Ceremony."
"Correct. And what occurs during that ceremony?"
"One calls out to a spirit with whom they are compatible. If a spirit responds, the summoner gives them a name and is granted the use of their power."
I knew this well from my previous experience. I had once summoned a Mid-ranking Water Spirit—a large, adorable creature that looked like a light-blue dog. Since only High-ranking Spirits can speak, it only barked like a normal dog. Spirits are fickle; they don't stay by your side but remain in the spirit realm, appearing only when the mood strikes them. However, since their power is linked to the contractor's magic, the distance doesn't matter.
For someone like me, who now has no magic... I will likely never see that child again.
"Exactly. Now, what are the exceptions?"
"The exceptions are the Spirit Kings. They already possess names and do not normally appear before humans. However, the Spirit King of Light occasionally shows mercy and grants a blessing to those with souls that draw his interest."
"Yes, and that person is the Saint. The last time the Spirit King of Light appeared was three hundred years ago, so the Saint from that era is the most recent on record. Furthermore, the Saint is considered a symbol. Humans are greedy; if a power is spread too thin, they become dependent on it. Therefore, the Saint's true power is kept secret from everyone except the royal family."
My eyes widened. If that were true, then the Saint was more than just a symbol? At the academy, we were taught that a blessing was simply a protective power given to those the Spirit King favored—that it held no power over others. Even if the person had no strength of their own, the existence of a 'Saint blessed by the Spirit King' was significant as a symbol that the spirits were watching over the kingdom. That was why people revered and worshipped the Saint. But that wasn't the case?
A spirit lending power is a 'contract.' A Spirit King lending power is a 'blessing.' The terms were indeed different. If that was intentional...
"Professor, what exactly is the power of the Saint?"
"I do not know. No one knows except for the Saint and the royal family."
"Is it... alright for me to have heard this?"
"Yes. You wouldn't misuse such information. Besides, without knowing what the power is, there is no way to use it."
I sat there, stunned, as the professor moved on to the next topic regarding the spirit realm. But the talk of the Saint's power gnawed at me. I couldn't stop thinking about it even after the lesson ended. Perhaps I overexerted my mind, for that night, I was struck by a high fever and confined to my bed.