Preparing For The Holy Land

“Getting the Saint to recognize my abilities, huh… How am I supposed to do that?”

Sitting in a courtyard chair with a notebook in hand, Arthur let out a groan. Kei, watching him from the side, nodded in satisfaction.

Arthur usually stayed holed up in his room, but Kei had dragged him outside with a firm, “You’ll get sick if you never go out.”

He had never been sick in his life, but when Kei said something, Arthur couldn’t refuse. Still, even outside, he was doing the same thing he did indoors—truly a natural-born shut-in.

“Come to think of it, you’ll be heading to the Holy Land, Jerusalem, to meet the Saint, right? I’ll be looking forward to your stories when you return.”

As she poured fresh tea into his empty cup, Kei spoke gently while watching Arthur think deeply about something.

“What are you talking about? You’re coming with me, Kei.”

“Eh…? But I’m just a commoner. I couldn’t possibly travel abroad with you…”

Kei blinked in surprise at Arthur’s words, which he had spoken as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

What was he talking about…?

Her reaction was only natural. When it came to foreign travel, the number of accompanying attendants was limited. Unpredictable incidents were more likely to occur outside the royal castle.

In such cases, it was customary for experienced maids or those from noble families to accompany royalty.

“Lord Arthur, I’m truly grateful for the offer, but I think there are more suitable people than me. Like Miss Marianne, perhaps…”

Kei already understood that Arthur trusted and cared for her deeply. But that’s exactly why she didn’t want to cause him embarrassment or put him in danger due to her lack of knowledge or skills.

She tried to decline—but then she noticed the sadness in Arthur’s eyes.

“I don’t want anyone else. I want to go with you, Kei. Is that… not okay?”

‘…Oh come on! How could I possibly say no when you look at me like that?!’

Overwhelmed by Arthur’s reliance on her, Kei’s inner big-sister instincts surged. To be trusted this much, to be needed this much—how could she possibly turn him down? That would be a failure as both a big sister and a personal maid!

She gave herself a mental pep talk and then smiled warmly at Arthur.

“Understood! I’ll gladly accompany you. But! Even if you don’t like the foreign food, I won’t tolerate picky eating, okay?”

“Yeah… thank you.”

“Well then, I just remembered something I needed to do. Please call for me if you need anything.”

She bowed and walked briskly back toward the castle.

‘He’s relying on me this much. If I lack knowledge, then I’ll just have to study so I don’t bring shame to him.’

With that passionate resolve in her heart, Kei swore to do her best as his personal maid (and big sister figure).

“Thank god…”

Arthur sighed in relief as he watched Kei march off with determination.

Truth be told, Arthur wasn’t good at talking to people he didn’t know. The thought of traveling to another country filled him with anxiety—especially since this time, he had to “make the Saint acknowledge his strength.” He couldn’t just sit there in silence.

Back in his previous life, Greed had always talked for him, carrying the conversation. But now that guy was rotting in jail. Not that Arthur would have relied on him again anyway, now that he knew his true nature.

As for Morgan—if he asked her, she’d probably scold him every minute. Just thinking about it made his stomach ache.

That left Kei as his only support.

‘Besides… I want her to see how cool I can be, too.’

He hadn’t yet decided how he was going to do it, but Arthur’s goal was clear: he was going to make the Saint bow to his superior ability.

No way he was gonna lose to some Saint in healing magic anyway… he grinned, basking in the glow of his (self-proclaimed) guaranteed victory.

That’s when a voice called out to him.

“To think a shut-in like you would be out here. What’s the occasion?”

Arthur turned toward the voice and saw a blond young man who looked quite similar to him, accompanied by a stone-faced maid.

“Mm… Oh, it’s you, Brother Rod…”

“It’s Big Brother Rod, you know. I’m the man who will be king. Don’t let that healing power go to your head. Right, Maid Number Fifteen?”

“Yes, as Lord Rod says.”

The girl referred to as Maid Number Fifteen replied expressionlessly.

“Let’s talk for a bit, Arthur. Maid Fifteen, pour the tea.”

With that, Rod sat himself in the chair across from Arthur.