Tendencies And Countermeasures (2)

He must have considered it as well. Knowing that, Isaac asked as if to confirm.

“That may be true… but are you certain you want this? You will surely bear hardships never faced before.”

“I do not mind. If it leads to the future I desire.”

When she answered firmly, Isaac nodded back, then immediately fell into thought.

“Then the next problem is how the Grand Holy Maiden will be chosen.”

Beside him with a troubled expression, Cordelia’s parents also adopted troubled expressions. She nearly said, “You were clapping happily just moments ago, weren’t you?” but held back. Isaac continued.

“Since childhood I have always been aware of the Holy Maiden’s existence and prepared countermeasures… but I never imagined two would appear. And to not even know the timing or method of selection…”

“That’s exactly it…”

Cordelia sighed. Her parents beside her imitated the sigh, but she refrained from remarking, “Do you actually understand?”

More importantly was how to proceed.

“In the first place, prolonging the Grand Holy Maiden selection is bad in itself. Choosing a king already causes enough turmoil domestically and abroad, yet we must also decide a Grand Holy Maiden…”

“It is only a matter of time before neighboring countries learn. The borders are sealed, but only temporarily. The matter is too large to conceal.”

“Then we cannot know when, where, or who might attack… thinking preparations may already be underway even now…”

Ahh, Cordelia lamented, pressing her forehead. Isaac looked at her curiously.

“…You’re surprisingly knowledgeable. Honestly, I didn’t expect you to consider even warfare.”

“Ah, w-well, you see, I studied… haha…”

Cordelia laughed to cover it up.

—The truth was simple: she had played the game in her previous life.

Though she mostly played casually aside from focusing on Isaac, some story routes involved neighboring countries invading amid the chaos of choosing a king.

Usually such forces were quickly driven off by the Sacred Beast, but this time she was not confident the Lakisen Kingdom’s greatest strength—its Sacred Beast protection—would function properly. After all, the Sacred Beast had rampaged once, and now there were two Holy Maidens.

“I wonder if Lord Fenrir will still protect the Lakisen Kingdom…”

Cordelia murmured.

The Sacred Beast Fenrir protected the nation from external threats with overwhelming power. Because the Holy Maiden could command Fenrir, she was called the Holy Maiden and even granted the authority to choose the king.

(But rather than commanding him, Lord Fenrir didn’t look like he would listen at all earlier.)

She recalled the white beast that dropped a bombshell and disappeared looking refreshed.

“I thought the Sacred Beast always stayed with the Holy Maiden… but he is nowhere to be seen.”

Cordelia admitted honestly.

He had said he was taking a walk, but in the original story no such scene existed. Fenrir always accompanied the Holy Maiden Elrina, followed her everywhere, and even if unseen would appear instantly when called.

(I’m being completely ignored… is this normal? There are too many irregularities to understand.)

“Shall we try calling him? Earlier, Lady Hina seemed to summon him by calling his name.”

At the suggestion, Cordelia inhaled deeply.

“Lord Fenrir! Please come!”

…Yet only her voice echoed in the room. There was no sign of the Sacred Beast appearing.

“Doesn’t seem to work.”

“Doesn’t seem to work indeed.”

While her parents spoke calmly, Cordelia slumped her shoulders. Isaac wore a bitter expression, and Jean openly looked amused. She sincerely wanted to punch him.

“…Perhaps he is with the other Holy Maiden right now.”

She muttered as if making excuses—and at the same time remembered: Hina had definitely summoned the Sacred Beast.

By contrast, Cordelia did not even know where it was.

(This is bad. I suddenly feel very uneasy about the future…!)

Her being called a Holy Maiden itself was only due to Fenrir’s declaration. Simply being able to use holy magic did not make her one—aside from Fenrir’s words, nothing proved she was a Holy Maiden. In truth, she herself was the most skeptical.

(The more I think about it, the more depressed I feel… but staying depressed won’t help!)

To rouse herself, Cordelia lifted her face energetically.

“For now, let’s do what we can! First, I believe I should begin… public relations activities!”

“““Public relations activities?”””

At her proposal, the voices of those present overlapped.