Chapter 51

TL/N: Emma’s POV

While I was out on the grounds practicing my horsemanship, a message arrived from Viscount Kalburg: I was to report to his office immediately.

“What is it, Hans?”

“It seems the knight who will be guiding you, Miss Emma, has arrived from her territory.”

Finally. The moment was here. I wondered, with a mix of anxiety and curiosity that had been growing for weeks, just what kind of person this knight would be.

I had heard stories of mentors who were cruel, and men who forced female apprentices into unspeakable positions. I even knew of an apprentice personally who had been coerced into a relationship by someone using their high-ranking family lineage as leverage. To be honest, I was terrified, but I had no way out. If I failed to become a knight, I would spend the rest of my life as a common soldier.

I was born the second daughter of a Baron, yet I possessed no magic. I suppose it couldn’t be helped. In our house, only my eldest brother, Johannes, can use magic. Neither my older sister nor I, born after him, have the gift. It is a common enough occurrence, so I felt no resentment. My sister took the usual path and married into another knightly house. Marriage proposals naturally came for me as well, but I rejected every single one on the grounds that I was joining the military.

The reason was simple: I despise the creatures known as men.

Marriage was never an option for me. Therefore, to live a life worthy of a noble—even if only for a single generation—I had to stand my ground here and become a knight.

When I first laid eyes on Lady Clara Ansbach in Viscount Kalburg’s office, I offered a silent prayer of thanks to God. Truly, I felt like throwing myself onto the earth in worship. What a beautiful older sister…

It was no exaggeration to call her a war goddess descended upon this earth. The gloom that had hung over me vanished as if it were a lie. When we exchanged greetings, Lady Clara proved to be incredibly approachable, speaking to me with a voice that was firm yet kind. With her, I knew I would be alright. I would serve big sister Clara for a year and prove myself a worthy knight. No—it didn’t even have to be a year. If I could serve under her, I felt I wouldn’t mind being an apprentice for the rest of my life.

I was introduced to her attendants in front of the Headquarters gate. There was a dull-looking middle-aged man, a feeble man with no spirit, and a cute girl. The girl’s name was Fiene; she was eighteen. I didn’t expect her to be a year older than me, but since we were close in age, I thought we might get along.

The problem was the man who called himself Hinoharu. From the moment I saw him, my woman’s intuition screamed at me: This man is the enemy.

I couldn’t put my finger on why, but he and Lady Clara seemed far too close. He wasn’t overt about it, but in every snippet of conversation and every subtle gesture, I caught glimpses of Lady Clara relying on him, their hearts seemingly in sync. A commoner, acting so bold. He is not someone who should be allowed such familiarity with a person of her stature.

I wanted to strike him then and there, but I couldn’t very well hit my mentor’s attendant without cause. I was certain he was using some foul trick to deceive my sister. I swore that eventually, I would strip away his mask.

But then…

“Wh-what is the meaning of this!?”

When that golem let out its roar, I screamed to hide my terror. An “autobike”? I had never heard of such a thing. Damn him—was he a fool attempting to use forbidden arts to wield magic despite having no mana of his own?

“Know this, commoner! To desire the power of magic from your lowly position is a wretched thing. Magic is a sacred power permitted only to those chosen by birth!”

This belief is the very foundation that supports the Kingdom of Saxens. Magic tools that allow the masses to use magic are nothing but devil’s toys that invite the collapse of order. Besides, is it not the true duty of a noble to use the power of magic to protect the people?

It is true, I cannot use magic. But it is clear that the collapse of the social hierarchy leads to the dismantling of the nation itself. Both my family, the Petersens, and our main branch, the Pickenhagens, are followers of the Elder Faction. And this man was undoubtedly of the Enlightenment Faction.

“Well… but I’m Jodo Shu—”

A follower of Master Jodo!? One of those radical Enlightenment types!

“I challenge you to a duel!” I shouted.

My uncle had only recently been severely injured in a brawl with those who sympathized with the teachings of Master Jodo. Lady Clara tried to admonish me for my outburst, but then the man named Hinoharu made a truly horrific confession.

He was a heretic.

I could not allow such a person to remain by Big Sister Clara’s side. If it became known that she was employing a heretic, she herself might face punishment.

I’ll cut him down right here. Having made that instant judgment, I drew my sword.

Hinoharu was a large man, but strangely, I felt no fear. I have dedicated myself to the path of martial arts since I was a child; how could I possibly fall behind a commoner like this? The moment I moved to unleash a high-speed thrust aimed at his heart, I saw Hinoharu’s hand glow.

Was that… magic?

Before I could even question him, my consciousness slipped away.

The South District Guard Post was located just outside the city gates.

“Senpai, look at that. Up there,” Yoshioka said, pointing to the top of the South Gate. Carved into the stone was the figure of an angel. There were words engraved around it too, but I couldn’t make them out from this distance.

“Hm? Oh!”

“Right? Doesn’t it look just like Mr. Handsome?”

“It does. The vibe is exactly the same.”

The real Mr. Handsome didn’t have wings, but the statue atop the gate boasted eight of them. Still, the aura was a dead ringer.

“What is it about Lord Seraphim?” Clara-sama asked.

“Lord Seraphim?”

“Yes. The Archangel who serves the God of Space-Time.”

Ah, so that’s likely him. Mr. Handsome’s real name is Lord Seraphim. I’m almost certain, but I’ll confirm it the next time I see him. Come to think of it, he never actually introduced himself. I’d always been too intimidated by his presence to ask.

We arrived at the post shortly after, but first, we had to greet the officer in charge. To do that, we needed to bring Emma along, but…

“Well? Has Emma woken up?”

“Not yet. Honestly… this is a mess.”

I never expected her to suddenly swing a sword at me.

“She likely misunderstood and thought Kota was a heretic,” Clara-sama noted.

Well, technically, I am a heretic here. My family is Jodo Shu… I think. Personally, I don’t follow any specific religion. This world really doesn’t have freedom of religion or speech, does it? It’s unexpectedly suffocating.

“Clara-sama, what happens to heretics if they’re found out?”

“If they convert, they get off with a light penalty like a fine or community service.”

“And if they refuse?” I asked, feeling a bit tense. After all, I’m not a Nordic believer.

“Generally, they are reduced to the status of a slave.”

Yoshioka and I exchanged a look. I could practically see him converting in his mind at that exact second.

“Why are you so tense? Aren’t you and Akito summoned beasts sent by the God of Space-Time?”

Oh, right! I totally forgot.

“Yes, that is a fact. However, I am not a follower of Nordicism.”

“What do you mean by that?”

It’s simple: I can believe in a god because I’ve seen Mr. Handsome, and our presence here is a miracle in itself. But Nordicism was made by humans. And they’ve split into all these factions fighting over interpretations. If the divine will were truly involved, would that even happen?

“We haven’t met the God of Space-Time directly, but I feel his presence and believe in him. However, if you ask if I’m a follower of Nordicism, the answer is no.”

“You are still spouting such nonsense!?”

Emma was awake. She’s a pain when she’s asleep, and even more of a pain when she’s awake.

“To deceive Clara-sama with such sweet talk… I won’t forgive you this time!”

“Enough, Emma!”

Clara-sama’s shout made Emma flinch for a second, but she kept going.

“Summoned beasts of the God of Space-Time? Everyone is just being tricked!”

Honestly, I’d probably think the same thing in her shoes. I actually felt a bit bad for her.

Then, something strange happened. Looking back, my first arrival in this world was abrupt, and this happened with just as little warning.

The world suddenly stopped.

To be precise, everything except the six of us froze. People, horses, and birds in the sky ceased all movement. Water and wind stood still.

“Mr. Hinoharu.”

A voice called out from above. The statue atop the city gate had been replaced by Mr. Handsome. No one else could make a sound. Mr. Handsome—or Lord Seraphim—floated in the air and slowly descended toward us.

“I have come to tell you something important.”

At the sudden appearance of the Archangel, Clara-sama and Emma looked like they were about to faint. Please don’t have a heart attack, I thought.

“You can appear outside the small room in the gap, Lord Seraphim?”

He offered a faint smile. “You may call me ‘Mr. Handsome’ as you usually do, if you wish.”

Even with an Archangel joke, the atmosphere didn’t lighten up one bit. His aura was just too intense.

“I have two favors to ask of Mr. Hinoharu and Mr. Yoshioka.”

A “favor” from him is basically a command. We didn’t exactly have the right to refuse—he’s terrifying. I’m a firm believer in following the lead of those more powerful than me! Besides, I didn’t get the feeling he was going to ask for anything inhumane.

“Please, command us as you wish.”

“Among the technologies Mr. Hinoharu intends to bring here is ‘letterpress printing,’ correct? I would like you to use that to print the scriptures of Nordicism.”

Oh? Does Mr. Handsome want to spread the faith? If that’s the order, I’ll do it.

“Is this a pro bono service?”

“Since you will need funds for your future activities, you may accept whatever compensation you deem fit.”

Well, then there’s no problem.

“Understood. Please tell us the second favor.”

“The second is about the newspaper. You are aware of the Elder and Enlightenment Factions, yes?”

“I just learned about them the hard way.” I’d just been harassed by an Elder Faction girl, after all.

“It is not just those two. Nordicism has various interpretations of the scriptures, and many factions argue their points. The God of Space-Time watches over which interpretations humans choose and which factions flourish.”

The way he said it made it sound like God doesn’t have a “correct” interpretation. Or perhaps the form of salvation changes depending on the state of the world. Maybe he’s just collecting data?

“So, back to the newspaper. I would like your paper to cover the claims of each faction fairly. It would be good if you could create columns for the bishops and priests of the various sects.”

I think I got it. Print the scriptures to spread the word, but also stir up religious debate? The purpose is likely deeper than I can grasp, but human interpretation can’t reach the level of divine providence anyway.

“I understand.”

“The matters of this world are fundamentally left in human hands. The gods only occasionally interfere using people like yourselves. Mr. Hinoharu, Mr. Yoshioka—please fulfill your duties faithfully.”

The moment Lord Seraphim vanished, time resumed for the world.

After that, it was a nightmare. I had to cast healing magic on Emma, who was hyperventilating; snap Clara-sama and Fiene out of their dazed states; and carry Hans, who had actually fainted.

Emma started screaming “Lord Hinoharu! Lord Yoshioka!” and tried to cling to our feet. I had to convince her we were still human and managed to get her to call us “Sir Hinoharu and Sir Yoshioka” instead.

Our boss might be an Archangel, but we are not angels. Being mistaken for something that grand is a huge hassle. At most, we’re just the Archangel’s errand boys or servants.

Since I received a direct request from Mr. Handsome, teaching the printing technology is now a must. But since there’s no deadline, I’ll take it slow. As they say, haste makes waste.

And so, our chaotic first day in the Royal Capital came to an end.