I Wished I Could Say That Wasn't True

“…I think it’s about time… we held the Saintess’s unveiling ceremony that we’ve been postponing for so long…”

Inside a room filled with brilliant sunlight.

Somehow, Yuri-sama spoke feebly while practically emitting gloomy, ominous sound effects.

…He’s been like this ever since Ai refused to call him “Daddy” the other day.

I really couldn’t understand why Ai was so reluctant to call Yuri-sama that… But I couldn’t force her, either, so I’d have to wait for the right opportunity to ask her privately. For now, all I could say was, “Keep trying until the day she finally calls you Daddy, Yuri-sama!” There was nothing else I could do!

“I suppose we really do have to hold the Saintess’s unveiling ceremony…”

“Indeed. The faithful are reaching the limits of their patience…”

The person speaking beside us while repeatedly wiping away his sweat was the High Priest. He had also been present when Ai was summoned. If I remembered correctly, his surname was Houghtley.

He had a smooth, bald head, slightly drooping eyebrows, and a tiny mustache perched above his upper lip. His overall appearance was small and unassuming, quite unlike the stern and imposing High Priests of previous generations. …If anything, he looked more like a kindly middle-aged man.

Meanwhile, behind us, Ai was surrounded by numerous maids and was busy drawing something.

“How wonderfully done!”

“What a beautiful circle!”

“Such powerful use of color!”

Ai had been a little nervous at first, but after being showered with praise and attention by the maids, she now seemed quite pleased to show off her drawings.

Watching the scene with a fond smile, I turned toward Yuri-sama. He was still somehow producing those mysterious gloomy sound effects. …Seriously, where on earth were those sounds coming from?

He looked so gloomy that mushrooms might start growing on him at any moment, and I finally lost my patience and gave him a smack.

“Honestly! Pull yourself together! If you keep looking so gloomy, you’ll frighten Ai again, you know?”

Those words seemed to work wonders. Yuri-sama immediately straightened his back.

As I nodded in satisfaction, High Priest Houghtley spoke while wiping away his sweat.

“Normally, it is customary to hold the unveiling ceremony one month after the summoning of a Saintess… We’ve been postponing it on account of Her Holiness’s health, but dissatisfaction has been growing not only among the faithful, but even within the temple itself…”

“Well, that’s understandable…”

I’d almost forgotten, but a Saintess was the daughter of the goddess. In other words, to the temple that worshipped the goddess, she was more important than anything else. I’d practically kept Ai all to myself, but the temple was the very institution that needed a Saintess…

Yuri-sama also spoke up.

“We’ve also received numerous inquiries from the people about what has become of the Saintess. We need to let them see Ai at least once and put their minds at ease.”

At those words, I nodded, albeit reluctantly.

I could insist on postponing the ceremony even longer, and they would probably accommodate me. However, considering the future, that wouldn’t be a wise decision. By keeping Ai hidden away, we risked provoking resentment and distrust from people wondering, “Why can’t they even let us see her?” …I’d already studied this sort of thing during my queenly education!

Very well. In that case, we’d bring Ai out for a quick appearance and then whisk her right back to safety! Fortunately, I was both the queen and the Saintess’s official attendant. It was up to me to minimize the burden on Ai as much as possible.

While I was quietly burning with determination, High Priest Houghtley hesitantly asked a question.

“Um… I hesitate to say this, but the Saintess is, well, still very young, isn’t she? Might that actually make the people feel even more uneasy…?”

At those words, Yuri-sama’s eyes flashed sharply. High Priest Houghtley let out a frightened squeak and hurriedly waved his hands.

“I-I-I-I-I certainly wasn’t trying to disparage Her Holiness…!”

“…I know.”

Yuri-sama sighed.

…The High Priest did have a point. To me, Ai was my “adorable daughter,” but to the people, she was the “Saintess who would protect the kingdom.”

If they discovered that she was a five-year-old child… they might wonder, “Is someone that young really going to be all right?” No, there would undoubtedly be people who voiced such concerns.

“It’s not as though I haven’t considered that. …However, the only solution I can think of is a rather desperate measure.”

“…What do you mean?”

At the High Priest’s question, Yuri-sama narrowed his eyes.

“If they’re worried because the Saintess is too young, then all we have to do is bring in another Saintess.”

“Another one…? You don’t mean Her Majesty Sakura, do you?”

I asked.

For a moment, I’d panicked, thinking he intended to summon another Saintess, but upon reflection, that was impossible. I’d learned that the summoning of a Saintess was subject to strict restrictions and could only be performed when a new king ascended the throne.

That meant the only Saintesses in this kingdom were Ai and Queen Dowager Sakura.

Yuri-sama nodded at my question.

“Although she has currently lost her powers, Her Majesty Sakura served admirably as a Saintess in the past. There’s also a possibility that her powers will eventually return. For now, our only option is to have her serve as Ai’s backer and emphasize that the kingdom will be supported by two Saintesses working together.”

As he spoke, Yuri-sama wore a somewhat troubled expression. …But still.

“Will Her Majesty Sakura… actually agree to appear in public…?”

High Priest Houghtley asked while wiping away his sweat yet again.

That was the real problem…

“It’s not a question of whether she’ll agree. We have to bring her out, no matter what it takes.”

Yuri-sama’s expression grew fierce. The High Priest let out another frightened squeak.

“That’s why I’d like to ask you, High Priest Houghtley, to arrange an audience with Her Majesty Sakura.”

“U-Understood… I’ll do my best.”

Her Majesty Sakura had almost completely cut herself off from contact with other people. Among the few exceptions was High Priest Houghtley, who was one of the rare individuals still able to communicate with her.

I let out a small sigh.

It was true that Her Majesty Sakura had once been a Saintess in every sense of the word. I’d met her briefly when I was still very young, and she had been such a beautiful, radiant person that she practically embodied everything a Saintess should be!

But now, her powers were gone, and she hadn’t done anything for more than ten years. In a sense, she’d become a Saintess in name only. To be perfectly honest, I had no idea how much public support she still commanded. Yuri-sama had called it a desperate measure, so he was probably concerned about that as well.

As I pondered this, I glanced behind me and was utterly astonished.

“Huh? What’s going on over there?”

Ai was still sitting in the middle of the group, just as before, but something was strange about the maids surrounding her.

Every single one of them wore an utterly lovestruck expression as they stroked Ai’s hair, cheeks, and little hands. As for Ai, she looked a little bewildered as she let them fuss over her like a stuffed animal.

“W-Wait, wait, wait! What are you all doing!?”

When I hurried over and scattered the maids, they spoke bashfully, their cheeks flushed pink.

“Please forgive us! Lady Ai was simply too adorable…!”

“Look, Lady Ederine! She actually drew portraits of every single one of us!”

“And she even worked so hard to write our names…”

Every single one of them practically had hearts floating at the ends of their sentences.

“Y-Yes, I understand that Ai is adorable, but isn’t this an unusually excessive amount of affection, even so…!?”

Was she using some kind of magic? I hadn’t seen any skills like that listed anywhere, though…

As I tilted my head in confusion, Yuri-sama walked over and spoke casually.

“What are you talking about, Ederine? You’re always like that yourself.”

…Huh? No way.

“Do I… really make such a ridiculously lovestruck face…?”

When I timidly asked, Yuri-sama nodded. High Priest Houghtley and the surrounding maids also nodded slowly, all wearing knowing, indulgent smiles.

I covered my face in embarrassment.