Story Summary

Evelyn, saint of the Holy Kingdom of Snasile, had spent twenty-three of her twenty-eight years praying at the basilica to protect the country. But then her fiancé, Crown Prince Alex, abruptly broke off their engagement and ordered her exiled!

Devastated, Evelyn wandered into an alleyway in the capital, where she met a boy named Kira who encouraged her to earn money by practicing her specialty—healing magic. In the process, she happened to save a young count named Theodore, who promptly asked for her hand.

Meanwhile, the basilica had descended into chaos without Evelyn. As it turned out, she wasn’t just suppressing miasma through her prayers; she was also fanatically beloved by the clergy and the entirety of the populace!

Completely unaware that Prince Alex’s two brothers and all of the priests were searching for her, Evelyn gradually grew closer to Theodore. The situation, however, spiraled into even greater chaos when Theodore’s cousin, Europa, came to visit, bringing with her an obsession with Evelyn. Not only that, Mary—Evelyn’s half-sister, who had usurped both her engagement to the crown prince and the position of saint—began to act rashly.

Things finally settled when Europa took on the mantle of saint, finally setting Evelyn free. Evelyn chose to stay by Theodore’s side.

Prologue: Suffering

“Waaaaaaaah!”

That day, upon returning to my room, I burst into tears. I dove straight into bed, without any regard for my rapidly wrinkling dress, and pressed my face into the pillow as I pounded the white sheets with all my strength.

I’d been welcomed into the distinguished House Manilas as the fiancée to Count Theodore, yet here I was, bawling and wailing like a child. Surely this was inappropriate!

But I couldn’t help myself. I was suffering! Frustrated! What else was I to do but cry?

“Urk... Hic...”

As I wept, I heard someone behind me.

“Evelyn...” Kira said, his brows furrowed with sympathy.

“Kira...”

I sat up on the bed, smiling at him. Still, tears continued to stream down my face, and Kira looked on with a pained expression.

“Kira, why is this happening?”

For twenty-three years, I’d lived in the Grand Basilica as the saint, doing all I could for the Holy Kingdom of Snasile, offering prayers and purifying the miasma plaguing the land. But...that was all I could do. I had no other skills. I’d never been trained in proper aristocratic etiquette, couldn’t do lovely embroidery like refined young ladies could, and knew nothing about the fashion and theater that were so popular in the royal capital.

I was a future countess, yet I lacked the social skills to support my husband. In fact, even a simple dance was beyond what my feet could pull off. I was hopelessly, completely inadequate.

The tutors House Manilas had hired for me were not shy about pointing out as much. They whispered behind my back, saying I wasn’t suited for the family. I was relentlessly bullied and scolded. Tragic, right? Horrible.

Except that wasn’t true.

Not even a little bit.

So why was I in such despair, you ask?

“Why won’t anyone criticize me?!”

Chapter One: Evelyn Leaves the House

The sound of applause echoed through the study.

“Bravo! Oh, bravo, Lady Evelyn!”

I turned around in bewilderment to see my tutor, whom I called Madam, clapping vigorously with tears glistening in her eyes.

“Um, Madam, I only walked across the room...”

“Oh, goodness, Lady Evelyn, no need to be so humble! That was magnificent walking!”

“But the walking lesson only just started!” I pleaded desperately.

Last month, I—Evelyn—had become engaged to Lord Theodore, the young count of House Manilas. The family was held in high esteem by the king and governed the town of Semme near the capital. Their every move was watched by high society.

So Lord Theodore and his father, Lord Jackson, had advised me to take lessons in aristocratic manners from private tutors.

Which I agreed to...

House Safka, to which I’d been born, was known for having produced generations of saints. Thanks to that, the royal family had granted them the special noble rank of pioutor. But since I’d spent most of my years as the saint, I’d received almost no education as a noble lady. Studying was essential for my future, and so I’d eagerly accepted their suggestion, ready to work hard.

I had thought I’d work hard, at least.

“I’ve yet to learn anything!” I protested, then pointed at a stack of books piled on the desk. “Look, Madam, you prepared a stack of heavy-looking books, didn’t you? Could you please place them on my head and teach me proper posture first? Please? I’d like to try!”

When I tried to grab a book, Madam intercepted me.

“You have no need for such things, Lady Evelyn! Let us burn all the books!”

“No, don’t burn them! Put them on my head! I can’t walk gracefully at all!”

“Lady Evelyn, excessive modesty comes across as boasting.”

“I’m not being modest! I’m being honest!”

“I disagree. I have nothing more to teach you. It was an honor to meet such a perfect lady. Farewell, now!”

“Ah, wait! Madam! Madaaam!”

What happened to the Madam who told me that “Ladies are constantly being watched and thus must be intelligent, elegant, and graceful in every gesture and expression, you see”?! I wasn’t even at the first syllable of “intelligent” yet!

But Madam ignored my attempts to stop her, grabbed her purse, and swept out of the room like a brisk breeze.

I slumped my shoulders and drifted toward the window. The refreshing early summer air carried with it the scent of grass, yet my heart felt like it had just been rained on. A deep sigh escaped my lips.

“How many times now have tutors left before I learned anything?” I lamented.

Etiquette, embroidery, dance lessons—a slew of tutors had been called to the mansion already. At first, they’d actually offer me some manner of instruction, but once they saw me in action, they’d invariably claim to “have nothing more to teach me” and leave.

I was a bit proud of it at first, but...

I mean, was it possible I actually had a little talent? Maybe I’d unconsciously picked up elegant manners? Such thoughts had swirled in my head over and over.

But then I’d stepped on the dance instructor’s foot. Between pained sobs, the instructor had said, “Oh, the agony! You’re the perfect dancer, and I have nothing more to teach you!”

It became obvious it had all been wishful thinking.

“I would expect nothing but such perfect steps from you, Lady Evelyn.”

“They aren’t perfect!”

“Your very existence is lovely. I see no issues here.”

“All I see here are issues!”

“Oh, what an adorable crocodile you’ve embroidered!”

“It was supposed to be a kitty!”

“I am honored to exist in the same era as you.”

“I can’t take this anymooore!”

Genius, prodigy, a natural talent, darling of the ages, beloved by the gods—how many words of praise had I been showered with this past month? I had learned, very thoroughly, how painful flattery truly was.

And worse, it wasn’t helping me learn at all! A month had passed since the engagement, and my potential remained entirely dormant.

Please! Please, someone give me actual lessons!

At the end of the day, it would be Lord Theodore and his family who would suffer the embarrassment of my inadequacy. If I couldn’t conduct myself properly as the wife of an aristocrat, I would bring shame upon their household!

I’d tried many times to explain the situation to Lord Theodore, but lately he’d been very busy studying estate management under Lord Jackson. He’d come back late at night, visit me at the guesthouse, and grip my hands apologetically.

Oh, by the way, in Snasile, it was considered somewhat improper for engaged couples to live under the same roof, so I couldn’t stay in the main house and had remained with Kira in the estate’s guesthouse.

“You’re struggling every day, Evelyn,” Lord Theodore had said. “I’m so, so very sorry.”

“Um, it’s not...”

I mean, it was. Hard, that is. In a certain sense. Incredibly hard. But my struggles had little to do with what I presumed Lord Theodore had in mind.

He touched my cheek and peered into my eyes, his brow furrowed in frustration. “Ah, you look so worn out... Are you all right? Have you been sleeping well?”

“Yes, mostly...”

“I’ll tell your instructors to ease up. Please, don’t push yourself.”

I stared at him, my eyes glazing over. This very attitude of his was inviting flattery from the instructors, wasn’t it?

Lately, his aristocratic handsomeness had deteriorated, somehow. He had large bags under his eyes and always looked a little disheveled. Lord Jackson had to be really drilling him. But this made me envious, actually! I wanted strict instructions too! Which was just not happening!

So I decided to gather my courage and just say as much. If things continued like this, I would never make any progress.

“L-Lord Theodore,” I stammered. “The truth is, the instructors aren’t teaching me at all!”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

I explained from the beginning to make sure he understood exactly what was happening. That no matter what mistakes I made, the instructors would only heap praise upon me, and I wasn’t learning anything. That at this rate, I could only dream of becoming a proper aristocratic wife.

Lord Theodore listened quietly as I spoke, his expression serious. It gave me hope that he’d understood the gravity of the situation.

But when I finished, he flushed red and asked, “So you mean you’ve graduated before finishing any lessons at all?”

“Um, that’s not what I’m—”

“Ah, Evelyn, you’re amazing! You’re always amazing.”

I was floored. That wasn’t it. That wasn’t it at all! Why couldn’t he understand?!

Before I knew it, my nose was tingling and tears were welling up in my eyes, and I’d pushed myself to my feet.

Serves me right for expecting a bumbling detective to understand anything!

Not wanting him to see my tears, I spun around.

“Fine! I don’t care about you anymore, Lord Theodore!” I snapped.

“Evelyn?!”

“Good night! Don’t let the bedbugs bite!”

“Don’t ‘good night’ me, Evelyn! Wait!”

He was still saying something, but I wasn’t having it and shut myself in my room. Lord Theodore called and knocked from outside several times, but I just covered my ears.

***

Now, back to where we started.

After my fight with Lord Theodore last night and my disaster of a walking lesson today, I was at my wit’s end. Truly, when it rained, it poured.

I bawled my eyes out in my room, then sat on the bed, sniffling and hugging my knees. Without saying anything, just offering his presence, Kira gave me great reassurance.

“Hey, Kira, what do you think of the way I walk?” I asked, wiping at the corners of my eyes with the back of my hand.

Maybe my perception was off. Maybe my manners were perfect in every way—so perfect that the teachers couldn’t offer any guidance because I’d reached such an overwhelmingly high level. That would be the best-case scenario.

Kira tilted his head, puzzled. “You wobble and bump into shelves and stuff a lot.”

“Right?! I always wobble! I bump my head on shelves! I trip over steps!”

He was the only one who saw my actual level of skill, which was zero! I nodded vigorously at the validation. Even if it was a little depressing.

“But my instructors keep flattering me because I’m the count’s fiancée! I’m so fed up with all of it! At this rate, I’ll never become a proper noble lady!” I lamented, tears welling up in my eyes again.

As he watched my cheeks grow wet once more, Kira muttered, “I don’t think they’re flattering you.”

“Huh? What?”

Kira shook his head gently and closed the thick encyclopedia he’d been reading with a snap. “Maybe you need to take a break.”

“Why?”

“You’ve been cooped up in here lately. A little fresh air might cheer you up.”

He had a point. Now that he mentioned it, I really didn’t leave the guesthouse much these days. The newly appointed Saint Europa had made me promise to come visit her at the basilica every day, but Lord Theodore had told me not to worry about it, thankfully. What a terrifying commitment I’d made! Anyway, I’d taken him at his word and hardly been to the capital recently. Lady Europa hadn’t reached out either, so I figured Lord Theodore had made her see reason.

“Say, Kira, is there anywhere you want to go?” I asked, completely on board.

Kira’s lips curled slightly. “Karin said before that beyond the woods north of Semme there’s a big lake that’s especially beautiful this time of the year. It’s called the Cradle of Jewels, and there’s some mysterious legend surrounding it.”

“That sounds lovely!”

What a romantic name—the Cradle of Jewels. I had some unpleasant memories of that forest, but visiting the lake sounded very fun.

If only Lord Theodore could come too. The thought arose unbidden, and I vigorously shook my head. Wait, no! We had an argument!

The memory of last night’s fight came flooding back. Rather than feeling irritated, though, I was just sad that Lord Theodore hadn’t understood me at all. The feeling was like a lump in my heart. I wanted to make up with him, of course, but that would be difficult if he couldn’t grasp the source of my pain.

Trying to will away the image of Lord Theodore’s smiling face, I exclaimed, “Then let’s go! Right now!”

“What? Now?”

“Now!”

We had to strike while the iron was hot! It was still morning, so if we left now, we could probably be back by evening. I rose from the bed and brought my index finger to my lips, making Kira blink in surprise.

“Let’s go without telling anyone,” I said quietly.

“We’re sneaking out? Why?”

“Because if I tell them I want to go out, we’ll have guards and maids and lots of people tagging along.” Which would ruin the point of a break! It’d be suffocating, really.

Kira nodded reluctantly. “Sure, I mean... I don’t mind.”

Yes!

Although...now that I thought about it, leaving willy-nilly wasn’t right. I asked Kira to wait a moment, then took some stationery out of my desk.

“I’ll write a letter to Lord Theo—erm, to Karin and the others. Kira, can you go get ready in the meantime?”

“All right.”

I’d said letter, but an ordinary letter wouldn’t do. After Kira left, I pulled several poetry collections Lord Jackson had given me for my studies from a bookshelf. The instructors might’ve turned into flattery machines, but I wanted to take this opportunity to demonstrate fully that I was teaching myself as much as possible so I could become a refined lady.

“Let’s see, the poetry collection about a traveler’s heart...”

I flipped through the collection and quoted various phrases from it, adding references and echoing expressions to craft a truly satisfying message.

Thus, after much struggle, I said, “Phew! All done!”

I gave my completed letter another read and was content with its quality. It was full of lyrical, poetic expressions that easily conveyed I was going out briefly. Perfect, if I did say so myself.

With that done, I changed from my gown into simple clerical robes. I was no longer the saint, but I still felt the most comfortable in this outfit.

I left the room just as Kira emerged from the adjacent room, having finished his own preparations.

***

After secretly leaving the guesthouse, Kira and I headed straight for the northern side of Semme. Unlike the southern side, which faced the royal capital and had many fields and footpaths, the northern side was full of residences and shops and had proper stone paving.

It was like we were on a secret expedition! Just looking at the townscape made my heart flutter with excitement. I hadn’t felt so light in a long time.

“It would’ve been nice if Karin could’ve come,” I said.

“She’s at school,” Kira explained.

Karin—Lord Theodore’s beautiful little sister, who dressed like a boy—went to school in the royal capital and was basically never around during the day.

“Speaking of which,” I said, “Kira, are you still not going to school?”

Lord Jackson was very fond of Kira and treated him like a son. He’d even brought up the possibility of adoption and said he could handle the formalities necessary for Kira to attend school. But Kira had, so far, declined. Lord Jackson hadn’t asked me to convince Kira to go or anything, but I was curious.

Since, you see, having lived in the Grand Basilica from age five, I had never attended school. I wanted Kira to enjoy school life now that he had the chance.

“Not yet,” he replied.

“Why not?”

Kira glanced up at me, then turned away. How puzzling.

But then he murmured in a small voice, “If I’m not around, a certain someone will cry alone.”

I gasped. My heart skipped a beat.

“Oh, Kira, I love you!” I exclaimed.

“Yeah, yeah. I know.”

He smoothly dodged my attempt at a hug and played it cool as always, but I’d caught a glimpse of pink on his cheeks. That was enough for me.

Kira would be so popular if he went to school...

Other students would probably line up to be shot through the heart by Kira’s natural attitude and way of speaking. He was truly a terrifying child.

We continued to chat, walking side by side as we left the town and crossed into the woods. After a while, the vegetation grew denser, and the branches and foliage blocked the sunlight, dimming our surroundings.

There were no dangerous creatures or demons in these woods. Lady Europa must’ve been doing a great job as the saint. Though the forest wasn’t threatening, I’d gotten stuck in a bog here before. And then the directionally challenged Prince Igna had found me, and I’d been forced to rough it and suffer. Horribly.

Though the memory made me a little tense, Kira’s presence eased my mind, and my heartbeat remained calm. Also, after my hellish experience here, a wooden walkway and stairs had been erected in these woods. I really couldn’t thank Lord Jackson and Lord Theodore enough. Thanks to them, even someone like me with no stamina could walk for an hour without issues.

Finally, we emerged from the darkened woods, and the scenery opened up before us.

“Wooow...!” I exclaimed, shading my eyes with my hand.

Looking down from the elevated forest exit, I was greeted with the breathtaking sight of a magnificent lake, as blue as the clear sky above. The surface of the water glittered a brilliant white.

“Is this why it’s called the Cradle of Jewels? It’s gorgeous.”

My hair and robes swayed gently in the cool breeze as I took in the scenery.

“Want to get closer?” Kira asked after a while.

“Yes! It’ll probably be beautiful up close too.”

Side by side, we walked down the gentle slope. The path to the lake wasn’t paved, so I had to mind my footing to avoid tripping. As we crossed the grass, it hit me—hadn’t Kira mentioned a legend about this place?

“Hey, Kira, didn’t you say...”

I tried to prompt him, but he was silent. Huh.

I turned around to find him staring at the lakeshore. Was he looking at a small animal, maybe? I followed his line of sight and found, at the lake’s edge, a tall noblewoman holding a lacy parasol. She had long purple hair, loosely tied back, and kind drooping eyes that were a mystical blue like the lake’s surface. She was gazing serenely upon the water.

She’s beautiful, I thought.

The lady had an elegant, dignified bearing—exactly what I hoped to one day have as an aristocratic lady. I was completely captivated.

She’s kind of familiar, though...

I exchanged glances with Kira. The woman turned her face toward us.

“May I help you?” she asked. How had she noticed us there? Was she sensitive to people’s presences?

Kira and I nodded to each other and approached her.

“Ah, sorry,” I said timidly. “Um, you look familiar is all.”

The woman tilted her head, puzzled.

“Pardon the question,” I continued, “but are you Lady Europa’s...?”

“Oh my! You know my daughter, then,” the woman said. The wariness vanished from her features, and her lips curled slightly. She gave us a perfect, mesmerizing curtsy, then said, “I am Europa’s mother, Mamaropa Caté. I am pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Her mother?!

I reflexively took a defensive stance. Lady Europa’s mother, of all people! An immediate sense of dread gripped me. My body began to tremble.

Also, Mamaropa? Really? That’s one hell of a name. Although I suppose it’s rude to think that about someone’s name...

My fear did not subside, however. I continued to shake like a leaf as Lady Mamaropa brought a slender finger to her chin and tilted her head.

“Are you cold, dear? You’re shivering. Shall I lend you a blanket?” she asked.

“N-No. I’m fine. Ha ha. Ah ha ha ha...”

I mean, based on her appearance, I’d figured they were related, but... Her mother...

Doing my best to suppress my agitation, I forced a smile. “Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t introduce myself! I’m Evelyn, and this is my friend Kira.”

“Hi,” Kira said after an awkward pause. He, too, was gradually backing away and seemed ready to flee at a moment’s notice.

“What a polite young duo. It’s a pleasure, Evelyn, and Kira.”

Lady Mamaropa sounded unbothered. Her response had been quite ordinary. So far, she showed no signs of abnormal behavior such as shouting, drooling, dancing, or spontaneous hair dishevelment.

“Are you two friends of Europa’s?” she asked. Of course she’d ask.

Am I a friend of Lady Europa’s...? I asked myself as images of her behavior, far beyond simple eccentricity, floated in my mind.

Kira and I fell completely silent. Lady Mamaropa must’ve noticed our reaction, because she gave us a small smile.

“My daughter is a bit...peculiar, so knowing she’s made two such wonderfully lovely acquaintances makes me happy.”

“Lady Mamaropa...”

Truthfully, “peculiar” was the understatement of the century, but...well, the motherliness of Lady Mamaropa’s gaze was unmistakable.

I swallowed. Could she be...normal...?

There were very few sensible people in this country. Around me, the most normal were Kira and Prince Oz. But Lady Mamaropa gave off similar vibes. Still, I couldn’t let my guard down! After all, she had raised Lady Europa of all people. There was a high probability of her being a weirdo pervert underneath all that gracefulness. Back when I’d first met Lady Europa, I’d thought her a lovely, fragile, sheltered young lady of the finest stock. That mask had shattered the second she’d learned of my identity...

One difference I could spot was that unlike Lady Europa, whose magic was strong, Lady Mamaropa seemed to have no magical aptitude whatsoever. But women with magical powers were rare in the first place, so this wasn’t unusual.

Either way, unless I said something, I figured Lady Mamaropa wouldn’t be able to tell who I really was.

But if I let it slip, it could be the end of me!

I steeled myself, trying to stay alert so I could grab Kira and flee at the first sign of trouble.

“Guh.”

It happened quite suddenly. Lady Mamaropa coughed, her delicate body swaying.

Oh no!

I instinctively reached out and caught her.

“L-Lady Mamaropa?” I said.

She didn’t respond. Her eyes were closed, and she was limp like a rag doll.

“What do we do, Kira?! Lady Mamaropa is dead!”

“Calm down, Evelyn. Can you crouch for a second?” Kira said.

“O-Okay,” I stammered, half crying. I crouched down and placed Lady Mamaropa’s head on my lap.

Kira brought a hand close to her nose, and said, “She’s breathing, so she’s alive. I think she just fainted.”

“R-Really? Is she going to be okay?” I asked tearfully.

“Yes. I’m not dead,” Lady Mamaropa replied serenely.

“Eek!”

She opened her eyes as though nothing had happened. Noticing my shock, she sat up with a remorseful air and gave a polite nod. “My apologies for frightening you with my sudden fainting spell.”

“It’s all right! A-Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m well. This happens frequently,” she explained, perfectly composed.

I was nervous, though. “Um, I can use healing magic. I could heal you, if you’d like?”

Lady Mamaropa’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “Ah, thank you, Evelyn. You’re a very sweet young lady.” She smiled gracefully and shook her head. “But I’m fine. I’ve been frail from birth. It’s not something magic can cure, I’m afraid.”

“I see,” I mumbled, deflated.

Now that I thought about it, if this were something magic could heal, her daughter would’ve already done so. My offer had been unnecessary.

As if bothered by the gloomy mood, Lady Mamaropa said, “What brings you two here, by the way? Are you lost?”

“Oh, um, no. We came through the woods to see the Cradle of Jewels.”

Lady Mamaropa nodded. “Ah, so you ventured here from Semme.”

There was no one else around, but...surely a duchess would not be in the great outdoors without maids or guards?

“What are you doing here, Lady Mamaropa?” I asked, curious.

Her long lashes drooped. Had I asked something inappropriate? I fidgeted nervously.

Lady Mamaropa said quietly, “It embarrasses me to say, but I’m camping on my own to improve my stamina.”

“You’re camping?” I echoed.

“Do you know of the Summer of Evelyn Festival, held last month in the royal capital, Laster?”

That was a name I was not expecting to hear here. “Um, it sounds vaguely familiar.”

Not seeming to suspect my lie, she continued, “My husband and I took a carriage to attend, but I fell ill on the way to the capital and...in the end, we couldn’t participate.”

From what I remembered, the Duchy of Caté was northwest of Semme, about two days away by carriage. The roads around here were well maintained, but for someone like Lady Mamaropa with severe motion sickness, even travel by carriage was quite grueling. I felt bad that she hadn’t been able to attend.

Now that I think of it, Lady Europa wasn’t at the final ceremony...

Lady Europa, who had taken on the mantle of saint without hesitation, didn’t seem to have consulted her family about it. She must’ve informed them by letter. Lady Mamaropa had to have been looking forward to seeing her only daughter’s big moment... Maybe that disappointment had led to this camping trip.

“So, you’re outdoor camping for your health,” I said.

“Yes, exactly. I’ve been feeling well the past few days, so I took the opportunity and traveled here from the duchy, camping along the way.”

“You camped along the way?”

That was a lot wilder than I’d expected.

“The area around the lake is cool, and there’s no shortage of food or water,” Lady Mamaropa explained. “People don’t come here, so it’s quite safe. I plan on spending some time here to build confidence, then going to the Grand Basilica in Laster.”

I’d never heard of noblewomen camping outdoors, but she was Lord Jackson’s older sister, and the man practically lived outdoors.

Or maybe camping is popular among noblewomen! I wasn’t familiar with aristocratic customs just yet, after all. Maybe this was the latest trend?

Before I could ponder it any further, our surroundings suddenly grew dark. I looked up, confused, and a small droplet hit my cheek.

And the next moment, it was raining cats and dogs. Thick clouds laden with moisture had covered the sky out of nowhere.

It was so sunny a second ago!

As I brought my hands to my rapidly soaking head, Lady Mamaropa said, “You could shelter from the rain in my tent, if you’d like.”

She was pointing at a large tent that had been set up away from the lakeshore.

“Oh, I wouldn’t want to impose,” I said awkwardly.

“We must aid one another in times of trouble,” she insisted, winking mischievously as she opened her parasol.

My heart did a thing.

She’s so intelligent! So elegant! So graceful!

And she was a duchess! Maybe I could hover near her and pick up some of her mannerisms by osmosis. I nodded to her, and she told us to follow.

“Hey, Kira,” I whispered, the sound muffled by the downpour. “Can you keep my status as a former saint secret from her?”

I didn’t know if she, like her daughter, had special feelings toward Saint Evelyn, but...it was best to be cautious.

“Okay,” Kira replied with a nod, evidently understanding what I meant.

The two of us followed Lady Mamaropa through the pouring rain.

***

That evening, Theodore returned home in the rain and went straight for the guesthouse, eager to see Evelyn. Though she’d had a walking lesson scheduled in the morning, she would’ve been free after that.

I wonder if we can finally eat dinner together...

He really wanted to spend more time with her, talk about this and that, touch her more and watch her innocent reactions. But he had obligations, and so, for now, he was committed to enduring their time apart. He was stressed, his mood wasn’t the best, but it was all for the sake of a joyous future with Evelyn.

Evelyn, Evelyn, Evelyn...

Whenever he felt like he was losing his grip, Theodore would chant Evelyn’s name in his mind, summoning her lovely smile to the forefront of his mind. It would brighten his mood and mysteriously calm his turbulent spirit.

She was strange last night, though...

Theodore had been thoroughly impressed when she’d told him about her tutors, but Evelyn had frowned sadly and rushed upstairs. He’d chased after her and called out several times from the other side of her closed door, but she’d refused to come out and only given him vague answers.

Was she mad at me?

Had he offended her in some way? He’d barely slept last night thinking about it, but still couldn’t understand why she was angry.

I need to apologize to her.

As he climbed up the stairs of the guesthouse, a door on the upper floor flung open. He looked up, hoping to see Evelyn, but instead was greeted by the small face of his sister Karin peeking through the railings.

“Brother, this is bad!” she said.

“What’s wrong, Karin?”

“Ms. Saint and Kira are gone!”

“Gone? Have they gone out somewhere, you mean?”

“I don’t know,” Karin said tearfully, shaking her head.

Behind her stood a group of confused-looking maids.

“None of the servants know where they went. Some people saw them in the morning, though. So we looked in Ms. Saint’s room, and we found a letter on the desk,” Karin explained.

Theodore ran up the stairs.

He stepped inside the empty room and immediately spotted a white envelope bathed in the setting sunlight. Hastily, he used a letter opener to pry free the stationery inside.

Peeking from beside him, Karin asked impatiently, “What does it say?”

The letter was full of difficult turns of phrase that she couldn’t understand. But Theodore was silent for a long time, shocked by the letter’s contents.

It quoted poetry about a numb traveler wandering in search of a final resting place. Theodore gripped the letter, written in Evelyn’s unmistakable handwriting, so tightly that the paper wrinkled. After reading it over and over and contemplating the contents at length, he exhaled deeply.

His hand trembled as it gripped the letter. How had it come to this? What had he done wrong? Where had he erred?

“Brother, what’s wrong?”

“Karin. I need you to stay calm, okay?”

Even as he asked this of his sister, Theodore was fully aware of his own lack of composure.

He gritted his teeth and somehow managed to say, “Evelyn has lost her will to live and run away.”

Chapter Two: Curry Is Delicious

Something smelled good. And spicy.

I’d dozed off, but the fragrance pulled me back to consciousness. My eyelids fluttered.

“Ah, Evelyn, you’re awake,” Lady Mamaropa said. “Did you sleep well?”

“Fwyeah,” I mumbled with a yawn.

My memory felt a bit hazy.

Um... Right, so we met Lady Europa’s mother at the lake, then it started raining, so she let us take shelter in her tent...

Quite some time must’ve passed since then, as it’d grown completely dark outside. I couldn’t hear the rain anymore; it must have stopped at some point.

Lady Mamaropa’s cream-colored tent was quite spacious and solidly built too. The attached tarp had done an excellent job of fending off the elements. I remembered borrowing a chair that had been sitting under the tarp—I must’ve fallen asleep on it.

Wow, what a wonderful smell, I thought, sniffing the air.

My eyes snapped open. I recognized that enchanting smell! That knowledge knocked the sleepiness right out of me.

“It’s nothing special,” she said as she placed a pot onto a stove made of stacked stones, where it began to simmer. “It’s hard to make anything elaborate outdoors...”

It’s curry!

I gazed longingly at the bubbling pot. I’d only eaten curry once, when it was served for dinner back at the Manilas estate. It was a delicious stew, made with expensive spices. Since I wasn’t good with spicy food, Mr. Ruto, the family’s private chef, had prepared a mild roux specially for me.

Now that incredibly appetizing aroma was wafting through the air, overwhelming the scents of rain and earth. My mouth was watering. I swallowed.

“I made curry using spices imported from Tarinyan,” Lady Mamaropa explained as she ladled some of the roux onto a plate to taste it. “I’m not good at hunting, so I procured meat, vegetables, and rice from a village at the foot of the mountain. I also used mushrooms and wild herbs I foraged from the woods.”

Her posture was impeccable. Her profile was sharp. Her apron, worn over her gown, was frilly. I was simply overwhelmed by how elegant and smooth a noblewoman could be even while doing something as menial as cooking.

Kira poked his head out from inside the tent. He was wearing a frilly apron too—probably borrowed from Lady Mamaropa. Cute...

“Hey, the salad’s done,” he announced.

“Thank you, Kira,” Lady Mamaropa said. “Could you bring it to the table?”

“Sure.”

As I watched their exchange, it hit me—I’ve just been snoozing this whole time!

I’d been sleeping peacefully while Lady Mamaropa and Kira were cooking!

“I-I’m so sorry,” I stammered, about ready to prostrate myself before them. “I was out like a light while you two were hard at work!”

It’s just... It’s just...!

It might sound like an excuse, but this space was just so calming. The sounds of raindrops bouncing off the tarp, the pot bubbling, the veggies being cut... Listening to all that had made me drowsy, and I’d ended up flopping onto the chair and passing out.

“You must’ve been tired,” Lady Mamaropa said, gently shaking her head. “I hope you were able to rest a bit.”

“She was definitely beat,” Kira agreed.

I shrank back. I mean, it’s true I barely slept...

Fighting with Lord Theodore had been a first for me. Last night, my annoyance at him for not understanding me had mixed with my guilt over my own unpleasant attitude, and before I knew it, the world had grown bright outside my window.

“Besides, I was getting a bit bored camping alone,” Lady Mamaropa continued. “Kira helped me with cooking, and having you sleeping peacefully nearby made me happy.”

She’s on a whole other level...!

Her words had made me bashful. I was so flattered! Even though all I’d done was sleep...

Lady Mamaropa lightly clapped her hands and said, “Now, the rice is done as well, so let’s have dinner! Tonight we’re having mushroom-and-lamb curry!”

“Mushroom-and-lamb curry!” I echoed excitedly. I couldn’t resist the siren’s call of food. I loved mushrooms and I loved lamb.

Lady Mamaropa’s gaze softened, and she ladled a generous serving of curry onto a plate piled high with rice.

“We have plenty more if you want seconds,” she said.

“Thank you so much!” I exclaimed.

On the table, illuminated by lamplight, three plates of curry were neatly arranged along with a colorful salad and various small side dishes.

“Enjoy your food, everyone.”

The steaming curry was practically begging to be eaten. I scooped some up with a wooden spoon and brought it to my lips.

“!!!”

The curry, infused with the umami of sautéed meat and vegetables, danced mellowly on my tongue. Such depth of flavor, and yet such simplicity! Everything converged into a single point of deliciousness. This was what comfort food was all about.

“It’s amazing!” I said.

The curry I’d eaten at the estate had been great. This mushroom-and-lamb curry was equally great. They were both impeccably great!

“It’s sooo amazing, Lady Mamaropa!” I insisted.

How frustrating that my vocabulary was too limited to convey my emotions! Nevertheless, I wanted to express my heartfelt appreciation.

Lady Mamaropa chuckled. “I’m glad it’s to your taste.”

“And Kira, your salad is great too!”

“All I did was chop up vegetables,” Kira muttered with a scoff.

Still, the rabbit-shaped apple pieces arranged on the edge of the plate were so cute that his tsundere act had zero credibility.

“Since you’re both still young, I erred on the side of mildness,” Lady Mamaropa explained.

“I appreciate it!” I said. Even though I’m actually twenty-eight years old!

But I was genuinely grateful for the mild seasoning.

“If you’d like it spicier, try adding just a little bit of this wild herb,” she suggested.

“Can I?” asked Kira, who liked spicy food.

“Yes, absolutely.”

He immediately picked up the jar of chopped wild herbs.

After swallowing, I asked Lady Mamaropa, “Do you cook often?”

“Yes, both savory foods and sweets,” she replied. “Not many noblewomen in this country would work in a kitchen, but I enjoy the change of pace.”

“Wow, you make sweets too?” I asked, impressed.

She was such an outstanding woman! I had nothing but respect for her.

Lady Mamaropa looked up, as if seeing the sky through the tarp. “I can only make curry like this thanks to Saint Evelyn.”

I choked hard.

“Drink this,” Kira said, handing me a glass of water.

Thank you, Kira! I thought as I gulped it down.

“Here,” he said, handing me a handkerchief.

I love you, Kira! I thought as I vigorously wiped my lips with the white cloth.

“What do you mean by ‘thanks to Saint Evelyn,’ Lady Mamaropa?” I asked.

“It’s thanks to her that trade with Tarinyan is flourishing,” she explained. “She was cleansing the miasma from not only Snasile but Tarinyan as well. I hear the number of demon appearances there has been steadily declining.”

“I-I see,” I stammered. My identity seemed safe, so I breathed a sigh of relief.

“The prices of spices are also gradually dropping. The day when they become commonly available isn’t far off. But that’s one more thing that I fear may go awry if my Europa isn’t carrying out her duties...”

“I think you don’t need to worry. Lady Europa’s power is truly astounding.”

Her magical power was, in fact, stronger than mine. I hadn’t heard any stories of demons appearing around the capital or Semme, so she had to be diligently seeing to her prayer rituals daily.

“It reassures me to hear you say that,” Lady Mamaropa said, her eyes crinkling in a warm smile. “By the way, are your parents devout followers of Evelynity?”

Thanks to my popularity, the number of people in Snasile named Evelyn had increased dramatically in recent years. It was only natural that Lady Mamaropa would assume I might be one of them.

I don’t even know what “Evelynity” is like.

All I knew was that Lady Europa had made a name for herself as the foremost devotee of that religion.

“Um, right, yes. Perhaps so...”

My eyes darted around nervously. As long as there was even a sliver of a chance that Lady Mamaropa might transform into a monster like Lady Europa, I didn’t want to reveal my true identity.

But, as far as I could tell, Lady Mamaropa was indeed an upstanding lady.

Maybe she has no interest in me whatsoever!

Was I perhaps being overly wary? Plus, considering how nice she’d been to me, it seemed rude to hide my identity.

I decided to probe a little. “Lady Europa claimed she was the commanding general of the saint’s groupie honor guard,” I said. “What about you, Lady Mamaropa? Are you interested in such things?”

“Well, I have a weak constitution, and...joining my daughter in the honor guard, at my age, would be rather embarrassing.”

My eyes sparkled. Lady Mamaropa didn’t seem interested in me! In that case, perhaps I should come clean?

Wait.

Lady Mamaropa had placed her spoon on her plate and her cheeks had grown bright red as though she had a fever. Her condition was clearly abnormal. Was she going to pass out again?

“Lady Mamaropa?” I called out, panicked.

“But...”

Ah. I’d been entirely mistaken.

Lady Mamaropa, with glistening eyes, lowered her long eyelashes. Her lips trembled slightly.

“You see, I...adore Saint Evelyn just as much as my daughter does!”

She wore the pure and innocent expression of a maiden confessing her first love.

She... She’s so cute!

I could hear the arrow piercing through my heart. Perhaps it was rude to think of a lady older than myself as cute, but can you blame me? Lady Mamaropa was simply adorable.

Flushed with embarrassment, Lady Mamaropa brought her hands to her cheeks. “I-I feel as though I’ve confessed to you, Evelyn. I’m so sorry!”

“Oh, not at all!”

I wished she wouldn’t apologize. The flutter in my heart was priceless.

“O-Oh! My, it’s so late already,” she said. “Please, stay the night.”

“I wouldn’t want to impose—”

“I told you, I enjoy having you both here. I’d like to keep camping together forever.”

Her words hit me right in the feelings. She’s such a kind person...

Lady Mamaropa’s kindness was akin to the gentle flame of a candle—lighting up the surroundings and seeping into the observer’s heart.

“Your guardians must be worried,” she said. “Hopefully you can return home tomorrow.”

“Ah, yes...”

“Now, Evelyn, shall we resume our meal? Eat as much as you like. Grow big and strong.”

“Ah, yes...”

The curry’s flavor really soaked into my very being. And then again. And then again. Three times on account of the three helpings I had.

It was good, okay?!

***

Meanwhile...

“What?! Lady Evelyn has gone missing?!” Oz asked in shock. What in the world happened?

One of his guards had just relayed a confidential report from Count Theodore Manilas, Evelyn’s fiancé.

Though she’d retired as saint, Evelyn was still arguably the most important person in the country. Should anything happen to her, the Holy Kingdom of Snasile would be ruined. Such was the people’s love for her, owing to her excellence in both ability and character.

Oz had asked Theodore to contact him immediately should anything happen, but he hadn’t expected an incident so soon after she’d stepped down from being the saint. Anxious, he headed to the Grand Basilica—normally, not even royalty were allowed inside, but things had grown a bit lax in that regard recently.

As he walked past the torches lining the dim corridor at regular intervals, Oz could hear the echoes of an old man’s cries in the distance.

“Waaaaaaah!”

“Your Eminence, calm down! You’ll pop a blood vessel again!”

“And how am I supposed to be calm?! Die! All of you drop dead, right now! I will too! We’ll all follow Lady Evelyn!”

“I’ve had a good life,” a woman’s voice said. “I’m grateful beyond belief to have been born in the same era as Lady Evelyn. And I pray that, in my next life, I can see her again. Whether she becomes a butterfly or a flower, I’ll pursue her to the ends of the realm and stay by her side forever—”

“You won’t be alone anymore, Lady Evelyn!” the old man said. “We’ll be with you!”

I’d best intervene before they actually die, Oz thought. The situation was more serious than he’d imagined.

He quickened his pace down the corridor and emerged into the great hall, where others who had also been summoned were already gathered: the current saint, Europa; the high priest and the other priests; and Igna, Europa’s fiancé and Oz’s older brother. Theodore was there as well, standing alone in a corner.

The usually cheerful young man was downcast, lacking vitality, and looked ready to collapse at a moment’s notice. The others were making a racket, with the priests running around, chased by the high priest swinging his staff. Europa was holding a knife to her slender neck, a single tear streaming down her cheek.

“My star has gone now... Vanished from this world forever... And my choice is clear... There is no path before me... Only death or to die.”

Chanting her dirge in 5-7-5-7-7 syllables (give or take a few), Europa made to plunge the knife into her own throat.

But before Oz, whose blood had drained from his face, could rush over, Igna grabbed her arm.

“Stop, Europa.”

Europa, her face stiff, turned back to Igna with tears streaming down her face. “Prince Igna! Why?! Why do you stop me?!”

“I don’t want that sharp-looking knife cutting anything,” he said stoically. “Except for me.”

“You insufferable ass! A world without Lady Evelyn is worth nothing! Leave me to my fate!”

“Absolutely not. Cut me instead. Even just the tip will do.”

“You’ve grown even more disgusting since last we met! Fine! If you insist, I’ll bury this blade in your heart, as a treat!”

“Thank you! I was running on fumes!”

Whether this was a touching scene between a loving couple was up for debate, but at least Igna had succeeded in restraining Europa. Oz turned his gaze to the high priest, who was on his way to committing war crimes.

“Your Eminence, it’s too soon to bludgeon the rest of the clergy to death,” Oz argued. “We should hear what Lord Theodore has to say first.”

“But Your Highness, Lady Evelyn is... She’s already...!”

The high priest’s eyes welled up with tears. The other priests couldn’t keep it together any longer either and began to sob, some with their face in their hands, others looking up at the heavens.

“Lady Evelyn, why?! Why didn’t you take us with you?!”

“With you gone, this chaotic world is beyond salvation!”

“We couldn’t even say goodbye! I can’t take this anymooore!”

“Waaah! Waaah! Lady Evelyyyn!”

Oz sighed at the men’s wails.

Though the position of saint had been passed on to Europa, Evelyn’s influence not only on the Grand Basilica but the country as a whole remained immeasurable. The situation here made that clear.

As always, she remains utterly beloved...

But unlike the time Alex and Mary had expelled Evelyn from the Grand Basilica, this was no laughing matter. Oz couldn’t afford to waste time here like this. He had to learn exactly what had happened, as quickly as possible, and set things right.

“I understand your feelings, everyone,” Oz said, “but please, calm down. We shouldn’t grieve based on speculation alone.”

Europa and the priests gradually quieted down.

Before their love could go haywire again, Oz turned to Theodore and said, “Lord Theodore, I understand this is a difficult situation, but could you please tell us what happened?”

“Right,” Theodore replied with a nod. Slowly, he began to explain. “Evelyn disappeared from the guesthouse around noon today...”

Everyone listened intently.

Though Theodore was pallid, evidently unwell, he narrated the sequence of events clearly.

Evelyn had attended walking lessons in the morning. No one had seen her or Kira after that. The instructor had testified that Evelyn’s behavior hadn’t seemed unusual.

A letter had been left behind in Evelyn’s chambers.

Without even looking at the letter, Theodore said, “It read, ‘Soon the sheep’s wool shall be shorn. As the sheep cycle, so too do the seasons. As the wool is soft, so too is the lamb. The flesh of the lamb, however, is more delectable. If I am but one sheep, then on my final night, I wish to eat lamb. To unravel the mystery of the sheep’s siren call, we venture into the depths of the jungle. Indeed, this is our final journey. A fluffy-wuffy, fuzzy-wuzzy journey.’”

He had apparently read it enough times to memorize the contents.

The great hall fell silent.

Oz crossed his arms and murmured gravely, “I see. Although the contents seem quite stiff for something Lady Evelyn would write...”

It seemed to be an amalgamation of quotes from several poems by a famous author. Whether the letter expressed the ephemeral nature of the world, the sorrow of parting, or simply a desire to eat lamb was unclear. But it made sense that, upon reading this, Theodore had interpreted it as Evelyn intending to die. The contents were quite ominous, after all.

But would she write such a thing?

The letter’s intent was unclear, and as such, the important thing was to verify the facts.

“Let’s put together what we know,” Oz suggested. “Lord Theodore. Lady Evelyn was not kidnapped, nor was she in an accident. Rather, she left the guesthouse of her own accord with Kira, correct?”

“The letter is in her own handwriting, so yes, that seems to be the case,” Theodore said. “Kira is gone as well, so we can assume they left together.”

Oz placed a hand on his chin and hummed.

He thought back on the black-haired boy. Evelyn had met him by chance after being expelled from the Grand Basilica, and the two had been traveling together ever since. His composure and observational skills were unthinkable for a child, and so Oz had been secretly keeping an eye on him as a promising talent.

I figured he may grow up to be the kind of man I could trust as an aide...

Although, unfortunately, Kira showed no signs of dedicating himself to study.

“If he’s with her, there should not be much cause for concern,” Oz said. “Perhaps he even went along to stop her.”

Besides, the two had taken practically nothing with them. Had they been planning a journey, one would logically have expected them to have prepared supplies before departing.

“There was a sudden, heavy rainstorm this afternoon,” the prince continued. “They might’ve gotten stranded.”

The rain had stopped earlier, but it would be difficult for a woman and a child to travel alone at night with only moonlight for illumination.

When Oz finished his reasonable analysis, the high priest, the other priests, and Europa all exchanged glances, clearly hopeful that Evelyn might still be alive. Which was a good thing—there was no handling these people when they went out of control.

Oz decided to move the discussion forward. “So, Lord Theodore, do you have any idea why Lady Evelyn might leave behind such a letter?”

Europa broke down in tears, wailing, “Obviously it’s because she got fed up with him and left!”

Damn. I brought up the letter too soon, Oz thought. Poor timing on his part.

Tears spilled from Europa’s large eyes. “Oh, poor Lady Evelyn! Forced into an arranged marriage with a man she didn’t love, taken as prisoner for his benefit! How painful it must have been for her!”

Europa, wearing Evelyn’s old vestments, was bawling and flinging outrageous accusations at Theodore, but he didn’t argue back. Being a serious and dutiful man, he was probably crushed by a sense of responsibility for what had happened.

“I should have rescued her from the nest of depravity that is the count’s household!” Europa declared, clearly taking this opportunity to disparage Theodore to her heart’s content. “You’re nothing but a wolf in sheep’s clothing! That handsome face of yours hides evil itself! It’s your fault that Lady Evelyn has forsaken this wretched world and returned to the divine realm beyond our reach!”

Igna was fidgeting behind her, but for now, she didn’t seem interested in directing her abuse toward him.

A quiet mutter could be heard in the background of Europa’s shouts. “Wait, is Lady Evelyn’s disappearance possibly related to...”

Oz’s ears caught it immediately. He directed his sharp gaze toward the high priest, and the other priests standing behind the elderly man awkwardly averted their eyes.

“Related to what?” Oz asked pointedly.

“N-No, nothing! Nothing at all,” the high priest said shiftily.

“Oh...?”

Suspicious. Very suspicious indeed. Oz narrowed his eyes and stared intently at the clergymen. They were sweating profusely, suddenly profoundly interested in looking everywhere except at Oz himself.

Europa jumped to her feet, her hair lashing about wildly. “I can’t take this anymore! I’m going to search for Lady Evelyn!”

She immediately took off running, but Oz hurriedly ordered his guards to block the corridor and cut off her escape.

“Lady Europa, wait,” he said. “You’re the saint of the Holy Kingdom of Snasile. You cannot simply leave the Grand Basilica without permission.”

Europa glared at him indignantly. “Lady Evelyn matters more to me than the saint’s duties!”

Oz didn’t waver. “The duties which you inherited from the great Lady Evelyn herself!”

Europa’s eyes widened.

“Lady Evelyn prayed earnestly, day in and day out, for the peace and prosperity of our nation. She entrusted you with her sacred duty, and now you would prioritize your personal feelings?!”

Europa groaned in defeat. “Nooo! Having my devotion to Lady Evelyn questioned! My one weakness!”

She flailed, her hair whipping around wildly, but seemed to concede that Oz had a point. Finally, she let out a heavy sigh, turned back around, and called out to her fiancé.

“Prince Igna.”

“Yes, Europa? Abuse me all you like.”

“Not right now. I have a favor to ask.”

“I’m not breaking off our engagement,” he said immediately. “No take backsies.”

Oh, Igna...

To Oz, his older brother seemed like a hopeless creature.

Europa sighed tiredly at Igna, whose eyes were glittering with anxiety. “Such trivial matters are of no concern to me right now, Your Highness. Rather, I would like to ask that you search for Lady Evelyn in my stead.”

“Huh?”

“And when you find her, I will abuse you as much as you like.”

“I shall depart at once,” Igna said with a firm nod. Nothing could’ve been more motivating to him.

Europa’s stiff expression relaxed slightly.

Oz let out a breath of relief at this somewhat rational resolution.

“Also, who’s Evelyn?” Igna asked.

“I’m going to turn you inside out and eat your liver!” Europa snapped.

Thanks to Igna’s idiotic question, the atmosphere suddenly turned tense. Hoping to distract Europa and the priests, who were now radiating bloody murder, Oz raised his voice.

“I wonder where Lady Evelyn could have gone?”

At the sound of Evelyn’s name, Europa whipped around. “I’ve been trying to detect her magical power, but I don’t sense it anywhere near Laster...”

“Neither do I,” the high priest added.

Both of them had strong magical affinity. If they were certain, then Evelyn couldn’t be in the capital.

“Does anyone have any ideas?” Oz asked.

Europa let out a sharp gasp of realization and elegantly raised her hand. “Perhaps she went to my birthplace, the Duchy of Caté! Oh, Lady Evelyn, if only you had told me! I would have shown you every last nook and cranny! Very, very thoroughly!”

Where does she get all that confidence?

Oz was certain Europa was wrong, but he had enough sense to not say it out loud. “Very well. That’s one option.”

“You mean the likeliest option,” Europa corrected him.

“Ha ha ha. You got me there,” Oz said, aiming for what he figured Europa wanted to hear, as he often did. “I would ask that the priests conduct their own investigations, just as a precaution. My guards and I will search Semme. Brother, Lord Theodore—the radius is quite wide, so I apologize, but could you cover the area north of Semme, the Duchy of Caté included?”

Everyone nodded.

They decided to disperse for now and reconvene at the same time the next day. Igna and the others who would be traveling far afield were to send reports by the fastest available horse.

Just as Oz was about to begin organizing a squad for his own search, he noticed Theodore approaching him on unsteady feet.

“Lord Theodore, are you all right?” Oz asked.

“Ah, Your Highness... Apologies for worrying you,” Theodore replied with a stiff smile.

He looked like he might fall over before they could locate Evelyn. Oz was about to suggest the young count should rest for a while, but seeing Theodore bite his lip, the prince didn’t have the heart to say it.

“I feel pathetic,” Theodore admitted. “I realize now I knew so little of Evelyn.”

“What makes you say that?” Oz asked.

“I wanted to court her to learn more about her, but...when you asked where she might’ve gone, I couldn’t think of a single place,” he explained weakly. His smile was rueful. “She’s been hard at work at her ladies’ education. I asked whether it was too much, but she just smiled and nodded and said she was fine. I should’ve noticed she was just being polite. Maybe she was struggling, pushing herself too hard. Maybe she wanted to escape all along. Yesterday, I even made her angry about this...”

It was, perhaps, inevitable that Theodore was blaming himself. But Oz couldn’t bring himself to agree with the count’s statement.

“Lord Theodore, place your hand on your heart,” Oz said.

“Huh?”

“Try thinking of what kind of person Lady Evelyn is.”

Oz and Evelyn hadn’t interacted at all before her exile, but over the rather eventful month they’d all had, he’d gotten several opportunities to speak with her. She was a bit of an airhead, somewhat absent-minded, and so easygoing that one would never have guessed she’d once been the saint herself. But she’d not only used her magic to heal Oz’s injury, but she’d also spoken compassionately to him and shed tears as though she’d taken on his pain herself. Her concern had healed Oz’s exhausted heart.

Theodore’s vacant eyes seemed to light up, and he said with unwavering conviction, “She’s the kindest, strongest person there is.”

Oz smiled and nodded. “That, we agree on, Lord Theodore.”

She had lived earnestly and done her best even after the misfortune of being cast out of the Grand Basilica. There was no way someone like her would’ve given up on life.

“There must be some misunderstanding about the letter’s contents,” Oz said. “As her fiancé, you should keep your chin up. Let’s focus on finding her as quickly as possible.”

“Thank you,” Theodore said, his stiff expression softening. “I’ll read the letter again before I head out. There might be something I overlooked.”

“Please do. If you find anything, let me know. We’ll spare no effort on our end.”

After that, Theodore turned to leave the Grand Basilica.

Watching the count’s retreating figure, Oz thought, That must be nice...

Theodore’s unguarded profile had seemed almost dazzling to Oz, who had never been in love with anyone.

Chapter Three: Passing Ships

The next morning, I woke up to a delicious aroma tickling my nose.

“Ngh...?”

I rolled over, furrowing my brow at an unfamiliar sensation that was different from the bed I was used to. When I opened my eyes, instead of a white ceiling, I was greeted by the poles and cream-colored fabric of a tent.

Oh, right. I slept in Lady Mamaropa’s tent.

Kira and I had both borrowed hammocks hanging inside the tent, and I’d also borrowed a white dress that Lady Mamaropa used as spare sleepwear. I’d slept quite soundly.

I expected to find Lady Mamaropa peacefully asleep, but when I sat up and looked down, I only saw her neatly folded sleeping bag. Was she already awake?

Moving quietly to avoid waking Kira, I slipped out of the tent.

“Lady Mamaropa?” I called out.

“Ah, Evelyn. Good morning. You’re up early.”

I found myself staring intently at Lady Mamaropa. The aroma that had woken me up came from her cooking—she was standing before the stove, ladle in hand. I couldn’t imagine too many noblewomen would look this good with a ladle.

“I used last night’s leftover curry to make curry soup,” she explained. “Breakfast will be that and grilled lamb sandwiches. If you’d like, you can wash your face at the lake.”

Despite the early hour, Lady Mamaropa was perfectly groomed, and her apron-clad figure was flawless.

“Please feel free to use the fresh towels over there. I also washed and hung your clothes last night; they should be dry by now.”

“Thank you so much for all of that!”

I was truly indebted to Lady Mamaropa for all her care. Grateful, if a bit embarrassed, I headed to the lake.

“Oh, Evelyn! Please be careful not to fall into the lake!” she called out from behind me, both hands cupped around her mouth.

What an amusing warning. I chuckled softly and replied, “Okay!”

Honestly, Lady Mamaropa, I thought. I’m not a child! There’s no way I’d fall into the lake. She must have been quite the worrywart. Though...I found I didn’t mind her fussing over me.

I approached the lake. The water level seemed to have risen from the rain. Towel in hand, I splashed water on my face, washing away sweat and dust. I’d only gotten to wipe my body with a wet towel yesterday, so this felt nice and helped clear my head.

After patting my face dry with the fluffy towel, I exhaled.

“Now then...”

Lady Mamaropa is too amazing. There’s no way I can use her as a reference!

She embodied the perfect trifecta of nobility: intelligence, elegance, and grace. But that wasn’t the only reason I couldn’t measure up. Lady Mamaropa was perfect, almost superhuman, in terms of life skills and consideration for others as well.

My plan to learn by imitating her had been naive. With my current abilities, not even a thousand years of training could get me to Lady Mamaropa’s level of wifely magnificence. My slovenliness pricked at me like a thorn in my heart.

And besides, she’s...

“Morning,” someone called out from behind me before I could finish my thought.

I turned around to find Kira standing there, holding a towel.

“Morning, Kira,” I said. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah. Hammocks are pretty comfortable, huh?”

“They are! At first I thought it might be hard to sleep in, but it felt so nice.”

Kira and I briefly discussed hammocks as he splashed his face with lake water. After that, it was breakfast time. Lady Mamaropa’s cooking skills were outstanding, and I savored every bite of breakfast, just as I had last night’s meal.

Full and satisfied, I decided to broach the subject timidly. “Lady Mamaropa, would it be okay for us to stay a bit longer?”

She blinked in surprise, evidently caught off guard. “But the rain has stopped. Your family must be worried, so wouldn’t it be best for you to go home?”

“Actually, I... I had an argument with someone...”

“Oh dear,” Lady Mamaropa said, bringing a hand to her cheek. “Evelyn, did you run away from home after a fight with your family?”

“N-Not exactly!” I protested, waving both hands frantically. “I did leave a proper letter to let them know I’d be going out!”

My plan had originally been to take a walk near the lake and cool my head, not stay away for so long.

But...

It was dawning on me that, even if I went back to the Manilas estate now, I didn’t think I could bring myself to face Lord Theodore and talk things through. At some point, I’d grown afraid of returning.

“I understand,” she said.

I must’ve looked anxious. When I lifted my head, Lady Mamaropa was gazing intently at me. Her beautiful blue eyes were intelligent, and I felt as though they could see through everything.

“So...can we stay?” I asked.

“Yes, of course. This, too, must be fate. Besides, I’m enjoying the company of you two young ones.”

I was pretty sure I was close in age to Lady Mamaropa...

“Th-Then let us help out!” I said.

“We should at least be able to manage to gather ingredients for you,” Kira added. He’d agreed to this earlier by the lakeside.

We—well, mostly me, since all I’d done was sleep—had been in Lady Mamaropa’s care since yesterday. The least we could do was pay her back somehow. I was willing to do anything I could.

“For example, we could fish at the lake,” Kira suggested.

As if on cue, something splashed in the distant water surface. Fairly large fish lived in the lake, it seemed.

Lady Mamaropa’s eyes lit up. “Ah, but I don’t have any fishing equipment...”

“That’s fine,” Kira said. “We can gather stuff in the forest to make our own.”

“You can do that, Kira?” I asked.

“Jackson taught me the basics.”

The two had been going fishing together sometimes. Apparently Kira had grown good enough at it to make his own fishing equipment.

Lady Mamaropa’s eyes widened at the mention of the name. “Jackson? Jackson from Semme?”

“Yes, that Jackson. He’s your brother, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.” Her expression softened. “He taught me to fish too, a long time ago. So Kira, you’re friends not only with Europa but with my brother as well.”

“Well...”

Kira seemed embarrassed but didn’t deny it. He and Lord Jackson seemed more like friends with an age gap than child and parent. Also, so many times when I invited Kira to hang out, he’d turn me down saying he’d made plans with Lord Jackson! We were friends too! He was neglecting me!

“Then we go fishing today,” Lady Mamaropa said.

“Yes!” I exclaimed.

The three of us immediately went into the woods to gather materials to make fishing rods. We followed Kira’s instructions and split up to search for usable items. I was excited to find flexible branches, and Lady Mamaropa found long, sturdy vines.

“Would this work as a fishing line?” she asked.

Kira checked the vine and gave a small nod. “Yeah, that should work. I dug up some dirt and found bait.”

“Bait? What bait?” I asked.

Kira tried to hide his hands for some reason. “Don’t look, Evelyn.”

“Huh? Why no— Eeeeeeeek!”

Startled, I fell on my bum. Wriggling in Kira’s small hands was a mass of earthworms.

“I told you not to look,” Kira said with an exasperated sigh.

Look, when someone tells you not to look, you want to look even harder! That’s human nature!

Sniffling, I moved to get up, and Lady Mamaropa offered me her hand.

“What about the fishing hooks?” she asked Kira.

“We can carve and process the bones from last night’s curry,” he explained. “They’ll do. I’ll take care of that.”

Wow, he’s so cool! I thought. I was still sniffling and couldn’t speak.

As soon as we finished gathering materials, Kira shaped the branches into rods, connected the vines to them, and used stones and a knife to shape the lamb bones into makeshift hooks. In the blink of an eye, we had three proper fishing rods—the kind that could be sold in any tackle shop. Not that I’d expected any less from Kira!

“Now then, here I go,” Lady Mamaropa said after receiving the first rod. She cast her line into the lake, her expression serious.

I watched nervously from behind and recalled the words of an old fisherman in a book I’d once read.

“Fishing is a one-on-one with the fish,” I think it was. “You must face the fish with a heart as calm as still water, and approach it as a duel—”

“I got a bite,” Lady Mamaropa said.

Faster than my reminiscence, the tip of the rod was already wobbling. Lady Mamaropa tugged on it with excellent timing, and a freshwater fish emerged, hooked on the line.

“Oh my! I caught one!”

That was fast! Was she an experienced fisher?!

Lady Mamaropa continued to hook fish after fish at a breakneck pace.

I’d gotten the second rod but wasn’t getting any bites at all, even as Lady Mamaropa continued to announce her catches.

“Evelyn, you’re too restless,” Kira said. “The fish can tell.”

“O-Oh...”

Even the fish could tell I was nervous. I wanted to cry.

“Don’t fidget. Hold the rod firmly. Move it back and forth every so often to entice them.”

“Okay!”

Kira was skillfully using his own fishing rod and giving me advice here and there. Thanks to his help, after several hours, finally the fish began to take the bait.

Eat up, fishies! Eat up! I chanted in my head. Intensely. Very intensely.

Whether the chanting had any effect was unclear, but a fish began to tug at the hook.

“Now! Give it a sharp pull!” Kira said.

“O-Okay!”

“Pull!”

“Okay!”

Following General Kira’s precise instructions, I pulled the rod vigorously, and a smallish fish emerged from the water.

I whooped. “Yay! I did it, Kira! I caught one!”

“You did.”

“I wouldn’t have done it without you! Thank you!”

“Don’t start jumping for joy just yet. We need to remove the fish from the hook first.”

“Right!”

Kira handled the removal. And attaching new bait. I’d lost my nerve and started crying, so he’d grumbled that he’d do it.

I placed the fish in a bucket filled with water. Lady Mamaropa, who’d been watching happily, opened her mouth to speak.

“Evelyn, congratu— Guh.”

“Oh no! Lady Mamaropa!”

Since she’d fainted, we had her rest in a hammock for a while.

I need to catch lots more for her share too!

To the chirping of songbirds, we continued fishing into the afternoon. Some fish had such a strong pull that I couldn’t reel them in.

As I battled numerous fish, the image of Lord Theodore’s face floated into my mind. Ah, my fiancé, whose pull was stronger than that of any large fish...

I wonder what he’s up to right now.

This felt a bit like taking a break from each other after a fight. Knowing Lord Theodore, he was probably worried about Kira and me right now.

“No. That man is hoping you’ll stay gone forever, baaa.”

Huh...?

I jumped and looked around frantically.

“Kira, did you hear that voice just now?”

“What voice?”

“A weird one, that went, like, ‘baaa’...”

Kira, handling his fishing rod with practiced ease, listened carefully for a moment, then shook his head. “Nope, nothing.”

“Really...?”

I could’ve sworn I’d just heard an eerie whisper somewhere close by. I had no time to wonder about it, however, as I got another bite on my fishing rod. But when I reeled in the line, I was shocked. What I’d caught wasn’t a fish.

“K-Kira!” I stammered, feeling like the blood had drained from my face. “This... This isn’t a human bone, is it?”

The bone had algae tangled around it like hair. Some parts had crumbled away, maybe because it was quite old, but it looked like a human skull.

“I don’t think so. Isn’t that an animal bone?” Kira asked, but he didn’t sound very confident.

Still, I didn’t want to examine it too closely. Both of us grew quiet, and since the sun was setting anyway, we decided to stop fishing, having caught twenty-six fish total.

We carried our fishing rods and buckets back to the tent. Lady Mamaropa must’ve regained consciousness, as she slowly sat up on the hammock.

“I’m sorry. I seem to have fainted again,” she said, looking worriedly back and forth between Kira and me. “Neither of you fell into the lake, right?”

“Of course not!” I assured her. “But hey, look!”

I tilted the bucket to show Lady Mamaropa its contents, and she beamed.

“My, how wonderful! Look how many you caught!”

“Eh heh heh...”

I’d only caught one fish, so the other twenty-seven were the work of Kira and Lady Mamaropa, but...regardless, getting praise made me happy.

“With these, we can make seafood curry,” she said. “We could also sprinkle salt on them and grill them.”

“Wow, that sounds delicious!”

I was completely enamored with Lady Mamaropa’s cooking.

Before I could offer to help her prepare the meal, however, she climbed down from the hammock and said, “Ah, by the way, this area is famous for its hot springs. There are many bathhouses for tourists in the village at the foot of the mountain. You must be tired. You should both go there before dinner.”

Oh, hot springs...!

That piqued my interest. I hadn’t been able to bathe properly yesterday, so I really wanted to wash off the sweat and freshen up. But...wait.

So if there are hot springs nearby, why is there no one around?

If the nearby village was thriving due to its hot springs, then the Cradle of Jewels should’ve been a hot tourist spot. But there wasn’t anyone here besides Lady Mamaropa.

“I have towels for you,” Lady Mamaropa said, pulling me back from my thoughts.

“But Lady Mamaropa, aren’t you tired too?” I asked.

“I can go after the meal. Don’t worry.”

Well, in that case, I could go to the mountain village with Kira. My joints were pretty achy from my first-ever foray into fishing.

***

We made a large detour around the lake and encountered a set of stairs. After descending them and walking for a while, we finally arrived at the village. It was small compared to Laster and Semme, but the lit streets were bustling with people. There were many staples for tourists, and vendors called from all around.

“Wow, Kira, look! This place is amazing!” I exclaimed.

“No street food,” Kira told me sternly.

I haven’t even said anything!

He must’ve noticed me staring longingly at the hot-spring-boiled eggs and steamed buns, though...

There were a great many bathhouses, and we chose one in a corner of the village that looked like it had been around a while. We figured that would be quieter and more relaxing than the larger ones.

When we went to pay, the attendant said hoarsely, “My, aren’t you two a beautiful pair. I don’t think I’ve seen you before. Where are you from?”

“Semme,” I said. “We’re camping near the lake.”

The attendant’s face stiffened. “Near the lake, you said?”

We were puzzled by the reaction.

Leaning in, she whispered, “Look, I’m telling you this for your own good. Turn around and go back to Semme now.”

“Huh?”

“The lake is...cursed.”

***

After Evelyn and Kira headed to the mountain village, Mamaropa continued preparing dinner. Knowing she was cooking for her adorable new friends, not just herself, made her want to put more effort into the food.

She was in the middle of trying several spice combinations to find something that would match the fish’s flavor.

“Mm. This tastes good,” she said after tasting the seafood curry.

As she nodded, satisfied, Mamaropa noticed a group emerging from the dark woods. They wore minimal equipment but looked quite imposing. Mamaropa quickly surmised they were knights from the royal palace—thanks to the familiar rugged face at the front and a young man she recognized next to him.

“Your Highness, please don’t take point.”

“Why? Europa told me to find some person.”

“You may not be aware of this, but your sense of direction is awful. We’ve already gotten separated from some of our squads because of this. And how many times must I remind you that we’re looking for Evelyn?”

“You should be ashamed of scapegoating others like this.”

“Your Highness should be ashamed to be alive.”

“Ngh! That was a good one! You really are Europa’s cousin!”

“That doesn’t feel like a good thing...”

The two seemed to be arguing about something.

“Why, if it isn’t Prince Igna and Theodore,” Mamaropa said.

“Huh? Lady Mamaropa?!” Theodore exclaimed, shocked.

Igna gave Mamaropa a salute. “It’s been a while, Duchess Caté. Europa is doing well and abusing me as always.”

“I’m glad you two get along so well,” Mamaropa said. She nodded, then looked at the group. “By the way, why are so many of you here? Are you lost?”

“No, we’re not,” Theodore answered.

“Then why are you playing in the forest in the dark? It’s dangerous, you know.”

Theodore scratched his cheek sheepishly. “We’re not playing either... We’re looking for my fiancée.”

“Your fiancée,” Mamaropa echoed. “That would be Lady Evelyn, the former saint, correct?”

Theodore nodded stiffly.

Mamaropa’s expression softened. “Ah, I’m quite late, but congratulations on your engagement.”

“Thank you very much.” The young count looked at the gentle-natured noblewoman. She’s so unique.

It wasn’t quite that she disrupted his rhythm but rather that, every time he talked to her, he found himself matching her leisurely pace before he knew it. Mamaropa was a woman who, in a good way, was completely different from Europa—who didn’t disrupt others’ rhythms so much as she obliterated them.

“But...regarding my engagement, you see...”

“Did something happen?”

Theodore pressed his lips together. He’d almost said too much. “Ah, there was something I wanted to ask you for advice about, but...now is not the time. You see, Evelyn left a note lamenting her own life and vanished.”

“That’s...concerning,” Mamaropa said, furrowing her brow.

“Do you have any ideas, Lady Mamaropa? Evelyn should be with a black-haired boy named Kira.”

“A black-haired boy named Kira, you said?”

Her adorable black-haired, golden-eyed guest came to mind. The names matched. Were Theodore and Igna looking for her two new friends, who were currently relaxing at a hot spring?

No, surely Evelyn is not Saint Evelyn...

Mamaropa wanted to meet her beloved saint someday, but there was no way Saint Evelyn would just happen to appear where she was camping.

I might lose my mind if she did. But perhaps she should mention it to Theodore, just in case.

“Theodore, I’m currently camping with two young people named Evelyn and Kira.”

“What?! Really?!” Theodore said, eyes wide. “Are they here now?!”

“No, they’ve gone to the mountain village.”

“Lady Mamaropa, could you tell me more about what they’re like?”

Mamaropa thought about the pair. “Let’s see. They’re both very adorable, earnest, and kindhearted children.”

“Huh? Wait, did you say children?”

“Yes. Children,” Mamaropa said with a firm nod and serious expression. “Young children, without a doubt.” To her, at least.

Though Mamaropa seemed kind and flawless, she did have one particular quirk—to her, everyone appeared to be adorable children! Evelyn, Kira, her own daughter Europa, Theodore, Igna, and even the middle-aged and younger knights behind them. Without exception, they all looked like younger children to Mamaropa. Adorable, irresistible children who tickled her motherly instincts.

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, Mamaropa’s quirk tended to be dismissed with the excuse that she was a bit strange but ultimately a good person. And of course, to Theodore—who had known her a long time, given that they were related—Mamaropa felt a bit strange but ultimately seemed to be a good person.

“They’re such kind children,” she said. “They worked hard to help me prepare meals, washed the dishes, and even invited me fishing. I can’t count how many times I wiped tears from my cheeks.”

She was, in fact, tearing up even now, and delicately dabbed at her moist eyes with a lacy handkerchief.

“I’m so worried for them. Evelyn and Kira apparently left home after leaving a letter for their guardian. To think such cute children went missing! Their guardians must be beside themselves with worry.”

Igna glanced sharply at Theodore. “What do you think, Theodore?”

“What do I think? Simple, Your Highness,” Theodore said with a sigh. “I cannot lose sight of the truth simply because the names match. Evelyn is lovely, but she’s an adult woman. Kira is young, but not ‘young child’ young.”

“Meaning?”

“The children camping with Lady Mamaropa are not at all the Evelyn and Kira we’re looking for! This is a red herring. It’s the kind of trap amateurs tend to fall for.”

“Ah. Brilliant deduction,” Igna said, not at all objecting to the very incorrect conclusion the bumbling detective had confidently reached. In fact, he didn’t care either way to begin with.

“So it’s a red herring after all,” Mamaropa lamented. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be of help, Theodore.”

Theodore shook his head. “No, please don’t worry about it.”

In the end, they hadn’t found any leads on Evelyn’s whereabouts, but it wasn’t something Mamaropa had to apologize for.

“When they return, I’ll ask them if they know anything about Lady Evelyn,” Mamaropa offered.

“Thank you, Lady Mamaropa,” Theodore said, then turned to Igna. “Your Highness, I’m going to the village to make inquiries. Could you search around the lake?”

“No, I’ll go to the village,” Igna said. “I’ve been there before, so I know the terrain.”

Theodore squinted suspiciously at Igna. “But Your Highness doesn’t even know who we’re searching for. The idea of you making inquiries makes me extremely anxious.”

Igna’s guards were too loyal to contradict him, after all. Theodore couldn’t trust them to pick up the slack either.

“I know exactly who,” Igna said, scoffing. “It’s Apron.”

“Like this one?” Mamaropa asked, making her apron flutter.

“That’s not it,” Theodore said flatly.

“Enoki?” Igna asked.

“Ah, we’re fresh out,” Mamaropa replied dutifully.

“That’s not it either! We’re looking for Evelyn! E-v-e-l-y-n! Not Europa, not Apron, not Enoki, Evelyn! Your Highness can’t even get the first letter consistently!”

“I know. I was simply joking,” Igna said, clapping an incredulous Theodore’s shoulder. “Making inquiries around the village is far more tiring. Searching around the lake would be easier on your stamina.”

Theodore’s breath caught. Though he was irritated at Igna’s foolish behavior, he couldn’t deny that the prince was being considerate, in a way. He was voluntarily taking on the more burdensome task, having noticed how fatigued Theodore was.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“No need to thank me.”

“I’ll leave the village to you and search near the lake, then.”

Igna ordered the remaining ten knights to split into groups of five. He and Theodore would each lead one group to search separately.

Mamaropa was watching them set out when the curry boiled over.

“Oh, the pot!”

She used potholders to move it slightly away from the center of the flame. As she did, a thought occurred to her.

“Right! Theodore is the lord of Semme now. I could’ve asked him to contact Evelyn and Kira’s family...”

But when she looked around, Theodore was already gone.

***

And back to the hot springs.

In the secluded bathhouse, Kira let out a warm breath as he soaked up to his shoulders.

“Phew...”

The hot water seemed to seep into him, calming his heart. Yesterday he’d only managed to wipe down his body, so he’d been longing for a proper cleansing. Even when he and Evelyn were making do in that alley back in the capital, they’d often wash away the sweat and fatigue of the day in public baths like this.

I wonder how Evelyn’s doing...

After they’d paid the attendant, she’d said something strange, and the easily frightened Evelyn had gone pale with fear. Evelyn had clung to him, pleading for him to come into the women’s bath with her, but he’d firmly shaken his head and told her that was completely out of the question. Dejected, she’d reluctantly acquiesced.

So he’d parted ways with a teary-eyed Evelyn at the entrance to the baths.

Maybe the curse the attendant mentioned is related to the legend Karin was talking about.

The lake had some kind of history. He’d really wanted to hear the details from the attendant, since he didn’t want anything to happen, but Evelyn wasn’t having it. In the end, he’d cut the conversation short and learned nothing.

I should’ve asked Karin for more info...

A low voice interrupted his thoughts. “Phew,” it said. “It’s practically soaking my bones.”

Kira looked over to see a large silhouette, hazy in the steam, with arms spread across the bathtub.

“This spring is a hidden gem. Glad we convinced Europa’s cousin to let us come here,” the voice muttered.

Kira had just been thinking that it was really nice and comfortable without other customers around. Now some guy was disrupting his peace and quiet.

Well, not some guy. A very specific guy, he realized when he caught a glimpse of the man’s face through the steam.

“Oh.” This is...

A solidly built, tanned young man with a rugged face—Igna, one of the princes of the Holy Kingdom of Snasile.

What’s a prince doing here?

Kira could only think of one reason.

“Are you looking for Evelyn?”

There was no reply. It seemed Igna hadn’t registered that someone was talking to him. He placed a towel on his head, closed both eyes, and hummed a tune poorly as he continued to soak.

“Hey. Igna,” Kira insisted. “Are you here looking for Evelyn?”

“Hmm?” Igna’s sharp eyes opened and fixed on Kira. “Who’s Evelyn?”

The prince’s brain shrank by the day, it seemed. His skull refused to admit any information not pertaining to his fiancée.

Igna scooped up water with both hands and splashed his face. “Now that you mention it, I might’ve come here to look for someone. But I can’t really remember.”

“Maybe you had another nosebleed.”

“No. I haven’t been able to see Europa in days. My blood volume is going up, not down,” he explained, then whispered mournfully, “A shame.”

It seemed even he had things to worry about.

“Wait! I remember!”

“What?”

“I came here looking for an ‘Eclair.’ That’s the name, I’m very sure.”

“Eclair,” Kira echoed, thinking back. “I don’t think I saw any for sale at the stalls. Besides, this is a hot spring resort. Shouldn’t you be going for sweet buns or something?”

Igna nodded at Kira’s apt advice. “True. Europa likes sweets, so sweet buns would be a good idea.”

“Hey! Kiraaa!” came a high-pitched voice from beyond the moist wall.

Hmm?

It was muffled but definitely Evelyn’s.

Kira made sure no one else was around, swallowed his embarrassment, and replied, “Whaaat?”

“Pleeease!” Evelyn shouted. “I’ll never ask you this agaaain! But could you come to the women’s baaath?”

Kira was stunned she’d ask again.

“See, right nooow,” she continued, “there’s no one else heeere! So it’s okaaay! Just for a biiit!”

“I told you no!” he snapped, holding his head.

He didn’t need a mirror to know his face was bright red. But Evelyn was completely oblivious to his feelings.

“Waaah! Why are you yelling at meee?! I’m scaaared! I’m all alooone!”

The empty bath must’ve made her fear spike. Kira wasn’t sure what to do—he could go and comfort her, but Igna was right there. He hesitated.

“Is she yours?” Igna asked, raising a finger.

Kira fell silent.

“Nice,” Igna said.

“What?” Kira asked, more confused by the second.

Igna shouted, “If you want, I can go to the women’s bath in your boyfriend’s plaaace!”

Kira was shocked the prince would say something so outlandish, even as a joke.

Evelyn must’ve been even more flustered now that an unknown man had suddenly offered to join her in the women’s bath. Well, technically not unknown, exactly.

“Wh-Who are yooou?” she asked.

“Just a random perveeert,” Igna replied.

Well, at least he’s self-aware, Kira mused.

“Um, Mr. Perveeert? You’re a bad influence, so please don’t talk to Kira anymore, okaaay?” Evelyn shouted.

And now Igna and Evelyn were having a bizarre argument through the wall. Great.

“Says the freak trying to invite a man into the women’s baaath!”

“F-F-Freeeak?!” Evelyn shrieked.

“Hmph. I would never enter a bath without my beloved fiancée anywaaay! Too bad, weirdooo!”

“What the heeeck?! He’s not just a pervert but a rude one toooo!”

Unconcerned with Evelyn’s indignation, Igna yawned and pressed a hand under his nose. “Damn. Nosebleed incoming.”

He seemed to be getting lightheaded. Slowly, he pushed himself to his feet, then turned to Kira and said, “I don’t know who that is, but make sure the blood doesn’t rush to your head too. I’m outta here.”

“Uh, okay.”

Igna walked out of the bath, not bothering to cover himself up.

A bewildered Kira called out to Evelyn, who was still huffing angrily. “Hey, Evelyn! Don’t say stuff like that!”

“Huh? What do you mean, Kira?”

“That pervert is obsessed with his fiancée, so it turned out okay, but what if he’d been a regular pervert? That could’ve ended badly.”

“Oh,” she murmured softly, then fell silent.

She must’ve realized she’d made quite the risky proposition. Indeed, had Igna been a regular pervert, he might’ve slipped into the women’s bath after hearing Evelyn tell Kira nobody else was there.

Though Kira had never thought the day would come when he was grateful for Igna’s unique brand of degeneracy, he was nevertheless concerned about Evelyn’s blind spots. She’d spent too long in the Grand Basilica, had no sense of danger, and trusted people too easily. There was no guarantee nobody would ever try to take advantage of that.

“You have to be careful!” he chided her.

Evelyn said, “Okay.”

He couldn’t see her through the wall, but he could practically see her smile.

“I understand, Kira. Thank you for worrying about me.”

Kira nodded and let out a sigh. But, you know, that side of her is also...

“Kira, did you just say something?”

“Nothing!” he snapped. Kira took a deep breath, then said, “I just said someone I know manages to be purer and more innocent than a newborn.”

“That doesn’t feel like a compliment!” Evelyn huffed indignantly.

Kira sank half his face into the water and spent some time blowing small bubbles from his mouth to calm himself.

Then he moved to the cold water—he needed to do something about his flushed face or Evelyn might think something was up later.

Come to think of it, why was Igna even here?

As Kira walked across the wet tiles, he tilted his head in puzzlement.

Chapter Four: Looking Up at the Starry Sky

A navy-blue sky stretched above like endless curtains of velvet. The stars seemed to sing as they glittered across its surface.

How beautiful, I thought as I lay on the grass by the lake, a little ways from the tent, gazing up at the distant starlit heavens.

The seafood curry dinner had been outrageously delicious, but my spirits remained low.

I was fed up with my own clumsiness. Lady Mamaropa had warmly welcomed Kira and me when we returned from the bathhouse. I’d wanted to help her prep the meal, so I’d offered to assist, but the result had been a disaster—I’d cut my finger with a knife, dropped plates, and burned myself grabbing the pot with my bare hands.

Although I could heal my injuries immediately with magic, when Lady Mamaropa expressed concern and said, “Please leave this to us,” I couldn’t exactly argue. In the end, I’d had to leave everything to Lady Mamaropa and Kira again. After dinner, I’d said something about going to look at the scenery and exited the tent.

As I lay there, feeling pathetic about myself, my tears blurred the sky.

“Why can’t I do anything right...?”

“Evelyn?”

“Wah!”

I sat up in surprise.

Lady Mamaropa had to have just returned from a bathhouse. Her long hair was loose, hanging down her back, which made her look younger. Her flushed cheeks were so alluring my heart could’ve burst right then and there.

Did she hear me just now?

Despite my inward embarrassment, I tried to maintain my composure and forced a smile.

Lady Mamaropa tucked her hair behind her ear and tilted her head. “May I sit next to you?”

“Y-Yes.”

“Thank you.”

When she sat, a pleasant fragrance wafted past my nose. Not curry—hair oil, perhaps.

“Evelyn, is something troubling you?”

“Huh...?”

“Sometimes you look so sad. Is it because of the fight you had with your family?”

Lady Mamaropa wasn’t trying to pry. She was endlessly serene, calm, composed like the twinkling stars. Her expression was gentle as she looked at me.

Is that why I’m sad? I wondered.

But then my true feelings quietly slipped out.

“I don’t have any abilities.”

“Abilities?”

“Yes. Things I could show off to others. Things I could be proud of. I have nothing like that at all.”

Kira was composed and intelligent. Lord Theodore was gentle and an excellent administrator of his territory. Lady Europa had her...strange side, but she’d mastered a noble lady’s mannerisms.

Everyone around me was so amazing. I envied them. And I couldn’t help but feel frustrated with myself for not being able to be like them.

“They hired tutors for me, and I tried to study embroidery and etiquette, but the teachers refused to teach me anything at all. They didn’t criticize me. They didn’t get mad at me. I think they just...gave up on me because I can’t do anything right.”

Of course, much of it was probably consideration for my position. But it seemed obvious to me that they’d refused to give me any instruction because they hadn’t expected me to succeed. Thinking that made me sad. I felt pathetic. My heart hurt.

“That’s right, baaa. You’re hopelessly baaad at everything you do, baaa!”

Ugh. It’s that weird voice again...

From far away, I could hear someone saying discouraging things and going “baaa baaa.”

I held my head and trembled when my gaze met Lady Mamaropa’s. She was staring intently at me.

Oh no! I just dumped all my woes on someone I’ve only just met!

Flustered, I tried to stand up.

“I-I’m sorry! That was weird! Please forget all about it!”

Lady Mamaropa gripped my arm. In a quiet tone, she said, “Please wait, Evelyn.”

The “baaa baaa” faded into the distance, and all I could hear were the sounds of buzzing insects and Lady Mamaropa’s quiet breaths.

“Thank you for sharing what’s in your heart,” she said. “And...there’s something I want to tell you.”

“Y-Yes?”

“You’ve been working really hard.”

I was not expecting those words. I didn’t know what to say and just froze.

“You said you have no abilities, but that’s not true,” she continued. “I saw your healing magic earlier. It’s tremendously outstanding, isn’t it?”

“But that’s not an ability, it’s just a thing I can do...”

As a saint, my primary duty was to dispel miasma. Healing magic was a secondary thing.

“What do you mean, ‘a thing you can do’?” she pressed.

“Well...”

I dug through my dormant memories. Healing magic wasn’t important to a saint. So why had I continued to practice it?

“When I was little, I used to read this story about a princess who healed the wounds of heroes.”

Lady Mamaropa nodded encouragingly.

“Whenever I read that story, I was struck by how wonderful it was. The princess didn’t just heal her friends’ wounds—she healed their hearts and inspired them to stand up and fight again. So...I figured I wanted to be like that too, someday.”

“Hey, Evelyn,” she whispered, cupping my cheeks with her warm hands. “Don’t you see it? You’re just as admirable as that princess.”

“I... I am?”

“Even without any praise, you spent years putting your all into healing magic, just to help wounded strangers you never even met. Right?” She smiled softly. “So I will offer you all the praise you never got.” Her hands moved to my head and patted it over and over. “You’re amazing.”

My breath caught at the sensation of her gentle hands. It felt like truly distant memories, somewhere far away, were being awakened.

“You’re such a hard worker, Evelyn. You’re incredible.”

“Oh...”

I couldn’t help myself, and my eyes filled with tears. Lady Mamaropa pulled me into a tight hug as I broke into sobs.

“Everyone loves you. That’s why nobody scolds you or gets mad.”

I gasped.

“So don’t be so blue. Don’t put yourself down. Hold your head high. That’s more than enough.”

Ah. Yes. I remembered now. Lady Mamaropa was just like her.

She’s so much like my mom.

I barely had any memories of my mother, who had passed away when I was young. But I remembered some things, if only vaguely. Her hands holding me close. Her soft cheek against mine. Being with Lady Mamaropa made me recall my mother’s warmth, and made me realize how much I missed it. That was why her touch was so comforting.

As she held me and I continued to cry, Lady Mamaropa called out toward the nearby bushes, “Kira, come here too. I’ll hug you both.”

“No, I was just...”

Kira had been worried about me too, it seemed. But with my tear-streaked face buried in Lady Mamaropa’s chest, I couldn’t raise my head at all to look.

“Come here, Kira.”

She beckoned with her hand, and Kira’s resolve must’ve broken, because I could hear his soft footsteps.

“H-Hey, wait...” he said, his flustered voice sounding very close. He was probably also being hugged.

“You’re an adorable boy, Kira,” she said. “A very kind one. You’re always on guard to protect Evelyn from anything scary, aren’t you?”

“That’s not true,” Kira muttered.

“It’s all right. I’m here now. There’s nothing to be afraid of. It’s okay...”

I closed my eyes, listening to the steady thumping of her heart. More tears spilled down my cheeks.

“Both of you are so good,” she whispered.

Kira and I remained buried against her warm chest for a while.

***

Two days had passed since the search for Evelyn and Kira began. At the Grand Basilica, those who could had gathered to report on progress, but the search was proving more difficult than anticipated.

“So no leads were found in Laster.”

“No...”

“I combed through the Semme area, but the situation was the same.”

Igna and Theodore had sent reports, but they also had no information on Evelyn. Currently, they were on their way to the Duchy of Caté on little to no rest.

This is bad. I wasn’t expecting us to find so little information...

Without any promising eyewitness accounts, they couldn’t so much as make the most basic of assumptions. Could Evelyn and Kira have actually been caught up in some sort of incident? Evelyn, as the former saint, had superlative magical abilities. The people who would want to take advantage of that were too numerous to count, both domestically and internationally.

If we can’t find her...

Oz shook his head to dispel the thoughts of a worst-case scenario.

What am I thinking?

He’d given Theodore a pep talk. It wouldn’t do for him to become the pessimistic one now. They needed to expand the search, but it was too early to lose hope.

“Welp, the old geezer is looking less alive by the second,” Alex said loudly as he stared at the high priest slumped in a chair. “Looks like the grim reaper will be paying him a visit soon.”

Somehow, word that the high priest was depressed had reached the crown prince, who had promptly barged into the Grand Basilica uninvited and had been doomsaying since. He seemed delighted beyond measure that the high priest—with whom he had a contentious relationship—was in such a feeble state. Despite being Oz’s brother, he was truly complete scum.

“Do you ever shut up, Clown Prick?”

“Ah, how laudable you are to be so concerned. Knowing Evelyn, she’s probably having a grand old time, eating and stargazing, doing whatever she wants. Right?”

“What do you know about her?!” the high priest spat. “Go die!”

Alex laughed, his nostrils flared wide with mockery—an expression utterly unbecoming of the royal heir. “What’s the matter? Can’t even abuse me right anymore, huh?”

Knowing he had to intervene to keep the peace, Oz interjected, “Brother, when are you going to stop cooping yourself up in the palace under the pretense of poor health? Weren’t you telling everyone who would listen that you were going on a journey to find people to take photos with? Whatever happened to that?”

Alex’s expression stiffened as he took a hit where it hurt. “I, uh...”

“Lady Mary set out on a hangnail-healing journey after the Summer of Evelyn Festival, you know. Meanwhile, you’ve just been sitting around, slacking off. Have you no pride, brother?” Oz asked, unable to contain his sarcasm.

Alex’s face turned bright red, and he shouted, “Sh-Shut up! I was totally thinking of departing soon, myself!”

“Were you, now? That’s wonderful news.”

Then, ripping through the tension in the air, a beautiful girl emerged from the shadows.

“Lady Europa...?” Oz asked, feeling his shoulders stiffen.

Europa was supposed to have been resting. He’d been concerned that she might try to run out of the Grand Basilica again.

Seemingly sensing Oz’s concern, Europa declared, “Be at ease. I’ve offered up three days’ worth of prayers in advance, so we will have no problems.”

“Th-Three days’ worth?”

That sounded far too dubious. Wait, was that even possible? Oz stared at her, his expression skeptical.

“It’s true, Prince Oz,” the high priest said. “Rupy poured all of her magical power into her prayers.”

“What...?”

Just how worried was she about Evelyn’s safety? Regardless, even if Europa joined the search efforts, there wouldn’t be much she could do.

Suddenly, the downcast Europa broke into laughter. “Heh heh heh. Heh, heh heh, heh...”

“L-Lady Europa?” Oz stammered, startled.

Had Evelyn’s absence inflicted serious damage on Europa’s psyche after all? If so, Oz had no idea what to do. He watched her anxiously—and then she stopped laughing.

“It’s ridiculous, truly, when you think about it,” she said.

“Wh-What is?” Oz asked, mystified.

Europa’s gaze was determined and her voice was clear. “I am Europa Caté, 18th Saint of the Holy Kingdom of Snasile!”

Her tone was so sharp, dignified, and bright that it seemed to illuminate the gloom of the Grand Basilica.

“The great Lady Evelyn herself entrusted me with this honor! It would be a disgrace to her legacy to assume I’ve done all I can and stop at such easily verifiable statements as ‘She’s not in Laster!’”

Lady Europa...

Many in the room must have felt rebuked. Oz was one of them. Before he knew it, he, the high priest, and the priests had all lifted their heads to look at Europa. No one could remain downcast in the face of her determination.

“I will find Lady Evelyn, wherever she might be, and rush to her side! I wish to be with Lady Evelyn always! To gaze up at the same sky, and offer ten thousand prayers to her beautiful, untainted soul! That is my purpose in life! That is why I was born!”

“Lady Europa...!”

Such pure, passionate feelings! Everyone’s eyes grew moist, as though her words had struck their hearts.

“That is why, Your Eminence, everyone, I ask you to lend me your power!” she exclaimed, looking around at the men.

“R-Rupy?”

“No! ‘Lend’ is far too modest for such a sacred goal! I shall find Lady Evelyn, whatever it takes! Bestow upon me everything you have, everyone!” Europa said firmly.

“Rupy...!”

Rubbing under his nose, the high priest stood up and turned to the priests.

“Everyone, squeeze out every last drop of magic you have! Believe in Rupy! Entrust her with your all!”

Leading by example, the high priest let out a surge of tremendous magical power. The priests, likely feeling the same way, nodded and closed their eyes.

“We’re counting on you, Saint Europa!”

“Please, find our Lady Evelyn!”

“We beg of you!”

As he watched the scene unfold, Oz, too, channeled all of his magical power into her. “I’m leaving this to you, Lady Europa!”

Granted, Oz’s magic was probably tiny compared to that of the priests serving the Grand Basilica, but he wanted to offer what help he could. As part of a whole, anyone, no matter how modest their power, could work miracles.

This version of Europa had the kind of charisma that made one believe in such miracles.

Oz’s lips curled into a smile. Igna will be so frustrated that he didn’t get to see his fiancée looking this dashing.

He was getting dizzy, but that didn’t stop him from continuing to channel his magical power. Oz gritted his teeth and endured.

“S-Stop it! I never said I’d help! Quit forcing my magic out of me! Aaaargh!”

Oz thought he heard someone shriek, but he figured he’d imagined it. After all, everyone stood as one in this moment, united in entrusting all their magical power to Europa.

“O-Oh, that feels good!” Europa shouted in a shrill voice. She was bent forward, clenching her fists. “I can feel the power rising within me!”

Curious, Oz timidly opened one eye and was met with the sight of the current saint wrapped in an unbelievable amount of light.

“Oh deaaaaaaah!”

She’s so bright!

Europa’s entire body was enveloped in divine, radiant light. It was impossible for Oz to keep his eyes open. Golden light flooded the Grand Basilica, gathered explosively, and flared in one blinding moment.

When the torrent of light subsided behind his eyelids, Oz opened his eyes to find Europa standing before him, a hand pressed to her chest.

“I saw everything,” she said. Her gaze was distant and hazy.

At her feet lay the priests and Alex, heaped upon each other like corpses, nearly drained of their magical power. But sacrifices were necessary for greater causes. They’d all played a pivotal role in locating Evelyn—there were no regrets to be had, surely.

I’ll never forget you all, Oz swore solemnly as he waited expectantly for Europa to continue.

“This is...her noble presence. I have no doubts,” she said.

“Did you find out where she is?!” Oz asked.

Europa nodded and smiled. Cheers rose from the surviving priests.

Resolute, as though hesitant to rejoice too soon, Europa called out, “Come, let us go to our light! Lady Evelyn is near the lake!”

Chapter Five: The Source of the Voice

“Evelyn, wake up, please. It’s already noon.”

I woke up to gentle taps on my shoulder on the morning of my third day camping—wait, no, it was noon. As I sat up in the hammock, I met Lady Mamaropa’s gaze, and my cheeks flushed red.

“U-Um...”

My plan had been to offer a normal greeting, but the words just wouldn’t come out. After last night, I was feeling terribly embarrassed.

I’m twenty-eight! I can’t believe I just clung to her and bawled like that!

What’s more, Lady Mamaropa had gently rocked the hammock and sung a lullaby to soothe me as I cried myself to sleep. Thanks to that, I’d slept so soundly I hadn’t woken until noon.

What do I do? Should I ask her to forget about yesterday?

Lady Mamaropa smiled gently as she watched me fidget. “Oh my. Where did the sweet girl from last night go?”

My heart skipped a beat at her teasing. I could no longer suppress this throbbing urge.

As if seeing through me, Lady Mamaropa poked my cheek. “You can call me anything you like, you know.”

“L-Lady...Mommyropa?”

She chuckled. “Come now. You can do better than that.”

After a pause, I finally gave in. “Mommy! ♡”

I climbed down from the hammock with open arms. I was about to hug Lady Mamaropa when something struck my back.

“Evelyn! Snap out of it!”

“Ah!”

I came back to my senses.

Oh no. It would’ve been very bad if Kira hadn’t slapped me. I would’ve surrendered to Lady Mamaropa’s maternal presence, forever unable to stand on my own two feet, literally regressing to a baby’s mindset.

From behind me, Kira whispered, “Evelyn, I think she’s dangerous. Even more dangerous than the weirdo lady.”

My eyes widened. The “weirdo lady” was Lady Europa. But Kira was right—Lady Mamaropa was far too dangerous.

Anyone exhausted by modern life would be unable to resist the warmth radiating from her. In fact, even with Kira’s intervention, I still felt myself being drawn to her.

“Come now,” she whispered. “Mommy’s here. You’re such a good girl. Let me give you your morning hug and a kiss.”

“Ah... Ahh... Augh...”

Nooo! I can feel myself turning into a baby! A baby!

If I crossed this line, my future was clear—I would be reduced to sucking on a pacifier while Lady Mamaropa coddled me!

Which sounds wonderful. Wait, no! That’d be terrible, actually!

I couldn’t take it anymore. Sensing that I was at my limit, I spun around and reached for Kira, who was standing there worriedly.

“Yah!”

“Waugh!”

Kira let out an odd yelp as I threw myself at him. I crushed him into a bear hug, and he flailed his arms and legs trying to escape. But no! If he pushed me away now, I’d be reduced to pacifiers, diapers, and baby bottles!

“I’m sorry, Kira! I need to hug you to suppress these impulses!”

“I-I get that, but my face’s in your—”

“Just bear with me!”

I squeezed and squeezed and squeezed, hugging Kira with all my might. That filled me with blissful happiness, somehow helping me overcome the urge to become Lady Mamaropa’s beloved baby.

“Hee hee. You two are such good friends,” Lady Mamaropa murmured with amusement.

That pulled me back to reality, and I looked down to see Kira’s eyes spinning.

“Wah! K-Kira, I’m so sorry!”

“Phew...”

When I finally released him, Kira staggered out of the tent.

I’m sorry, Kira. And thank you...

After that, I washed my face, got ready, and the three of us ate the meal Lady Mamaropa had made. The sky was dim, with thick gray clouds hanging low. It looked like it would rain soon, which was unfortunate. But today’s food was delicious as well; therefore, this was an excellent day.

“Evelyn, you have something on your cheek.”

“Oh, thank you, mommy...er, Lady Mamaropa.”

“Would you like more sauce, Kira?”

“Thanks, mo—Mamaropa.”

For breakfast today we were having mushroom-stuffed omelets and curry fried rice. Kira had apparently woken up early to forage for mushrooms, and I...had been sleeping again. How embarrassing.

But mommy, um, Lady Mamaropa said I don’t need to put myself down.

I’d hated myself for being unable to do anything. I’d felt pathetic, really. But Lord Theodore had never once resented me for it. It hadn’t made any sense to me.

I really should’ve taken the time to talk things out...

I’d given up on dialogue entirely because of one failed conversation, when I should’ve just tried to explain as many times as it took for me to get it across. Lord Theodore always listened intently to whatever I had to say, so my feelings should’ve gotten through. I mean...his attentiveness was one of the reasons I loved him.

“Now then, what shall we do today? The weather isn’t great, but we could try fishing again, or perhaps...”

Lady Mamaropa suggested various activities for today so we wouldn’t be bored. As I listened to her speak, I made a decision—I had to leave the comfort of this lake.

“Lady Mamaropa, I think I’ll go home.”

She stopped talking and stared at me in surprise for a few moments before her expression softened gradually, fractionally. It was so subtle one would miss it without paying close attention.

“I see,” she said finally.

“I’m sorry. I know it’s very sudden.”

“Not at all. I’m truly glad you feel ready to go home, Evelyn.”

Oh...

I felt, with my whole heart, that she really was like my mother. Though I could barely remember my mother’s warmth, Lady Mamaropa had offered me her affection freely. Our time together had been like a wonderful dream.

But that was precisely why I couldn’t stay here forever. I had people waiting for me.

“Kira, is that okay with you?” I asked.

“Yeah,” he said, nodding.

Kira had just been following along with whatever I wanted this whole time. He hadn’t rushed me at all, just waiting for me to decide to return.

I’m really blessed to have people like him around me.

When I got back, I had to apologize properly to Lord Theodore, Karin, and everyone else. I was so sorry for making them all worry.

“I’m telling you, baaa. Theodore and Karin don’t want you baaack.”

That voice again!

“You have nowhere to return to anymore, baaa. Just give up on everything and jump into the lake, baaa!”

“Ngh...”

Kira frowned as he watched me cover my ears. “Evelyn, what’s wrong?”

“I hear it again, Kira. That weird voice...”

Kira and Lady Mamaropa exchanged glances.

“You said that before,” Kira said. “That you could hear a voice.”

“I don’t hear anything myself,” Lady Mamaropa pointed out.

So neither of them could hear this suspicious voice. I hadn’t wanted to consider the possibility, but...

C-Could this be the curse?

Goose bumps rose all over my body. The bathhouse attendant had warned us that the lake was cursed. Was that why no one came to such a beautiful place? If so, had camping here cursed us?!

But then why am I the only one who’s affected?! Only I could hear the eerie voice, after all. Did I inadvertently make someone angry with me...?

I trembled with anxiety.

Lady Mamaropa suddenly exclaimed, “Ah! That’s right! I’ve been meaning to ask you two something. Do either of you know anything about Lady Evelyn, the former saint?”

Kira and I looked at each other.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“You see, yesterday, while you two were at the village, Theodore from Semme and Prince Igna came by.”

“Whaaat?!”

Lord Theodore and Prince Igna had come to the lake? I was so shocked at the news that I bumped my knee on the underside of the table. Lady Mamaropa took the time to soothe me before continuing.

“They said Lady Evelyn left behind a letter lamenting her existence and went missing alongside a boy named Kira. They were quite troubled, having found no leads...” Lady Mamaropa explained, her expression growing sad.

The color drained from my face. They think I’m a missing person?!

Not only that, but even Prince Igna had joined the search! If they’d gotten the royal palace involved, things had to be very serious!

Kira and I turned our backs to Lady Mamaropa to speak in hushed whispers.

“Evelyn, what kind of letter did you write?” he asked.

“A-A normal one! I did make it poetic and sentimental, but it was a totally normal letter!” I insisted. I further insisted,very adamantly, that I had no memory of writing anything as alarming as a letter lamenting my existence.

Kira gave me a look, muttered, “Poetic and sentimental,” then said in a defeated tone, “No, that’s my bad. I should’ve given it a read. Sorry.”

“Your apology is only making this worse!” I’d have felt better if he’d yelled at me, actually!

After we finished our secret conversation, I turned back to Lady Mamaropa.

“Lady Mamaropa, did Lord Theodore say anything else?”

“Oh, let’s see... Now that you mention it, he said he wanted to ask for advice about his engagement.”

“Huh?” What about the engagement?!

“He seemed so somber. I didn’t press for details, but I’m a bit worried.”

My heart beat irregularly. No way, I thought. That’s ridiculous, I thought. But the anxiety that had been gnawing at a corner of my heart suddenly sank its fangs sharply into me.

Does Lord Theodore...want to cancel our engagement?

Now that I thought about it, the writing had been on the wall. Sure, he likely had much to learn from Lord Jackson about managing their lands, but still, he hardly ever spent any time at the estate anymore. He left early in the morning and returned late at night, looking exhausted.

H-Has he grown tired of me? Or is he cheating? Could there already be another woman...?

On top of everything, I’d left a note and run away from home. It wouldn’t be odd if he’d lost his patience with me.

My mind began to spiral. A chill ran through me, and I wrapped my arms around myself. If Lord Theodore were to break off our engagement...what would I do? I’d have to leave the Manilas home, of course. But in the face of a breakup, could I just meekly nod? Could I smile and wish Lord Theodore happiness?

“Evelyn, get a grip,” Kira said, shaking my shoulders lightly.

I gasped. “R-Right. Sorry, Kira.”

“I wonder what happened to Lady Evelyn,” Lady Mamaropa said mournfully. “It’s been so rainy these past few days. I hope she didn’t catch a cold...”

Her concern for the missing former saint was painfully visible on her face. I couldn’t keep the truth from her any longer. I had to tell her.

“She didn’t, Lady Mamaropa,” I said.

“How can you be so sure?”

“Well, because I’m—”

Before I could finish my sentence, that terrifying voice whispered darkly to me, “Obey me, or I’ll make sure you regret it, baaa... Prebaaare yourself...”

Eeeeeek!

A chill ran through me again as the sky suddenly flashed and thunder roared in my ears.

“Hyah!”

I jumped, startled, as thunder echoed from all around. It wasn’t raining, but various parts of the sky seemed to be competing to see which could light up the brightest. It was bizarre and utterly terrifying.

Back at the Grand Basilica, I’d heard the sounds of thunderstorms, of course. But in the stone-built structure, the sounds of nature had felt far away. This was the first time in my life I’d heard thunder so close.

W-Would it be dangerous to run into the woods? Should I get in the tent? Under the tarp?!

I’d read in a book that lightning struck high places. Some part of my brain was vaguely warning me that it would be dangerous to hide under a tree, but the sound filled me with so much dread that my capacity for sound judgment wasn’t there. I was frozen in place.

“Both of you, crouch down!” Kira shouted.

“O-Okay!” I replied, immediately complying. Kira had to have a very good reason.

“Put your weight on your toes and cover your ears with both hands!” he continued. “Keep your posture as low as possible!”

“Ah, the lightning crouch,” Lady Mamaropa said, impressed. “Your outdoor knowledge is very extensive, Kira!”

“Now’s not the time for praise!”

Frantically, I assumed the posture Kira had described, putting my hands over my ears and squeezing my eyelids shut.

“What’s that?” I heard Kira’s muffled voice ask, sounding befuddled.

I hesitantly opened my eyes and followed Kira’s gaze. My mouth fell open.

“I-Is that cotton?”

Under the glowing sky, a mass of multiple white...somethings was crawling out of the woods. They wriggled as they moved closer to us. I strained my eyes to get a better look.

Not cotton... Those are...

“Sheep?”

Indeed.

Spilling out of the forest as if to hide every last hint of green were countless sheep. Sheep on top of sheep. Sheep below sheep. Sheep on both sides of sheep. Fluffy, wooly sheep.

They noticed us.

And they came barreling toward us, kicking up clouds of dust as they ran!

“J-Just how many are there?!” I asked.

“Ten... A hundred... A thousand! I have no idea! There are too many!” Kira shouted.

The thunder had stopped, but now these fluffy animals were painting the scenery a despair-inducing white. They seemed to have been summoned by the thunder—and they were coming straight for us.

“Oh dear, what shall we do?” Lady Mamaropa asked as she ominously gripped a knife she’d produced from somewhere. “There are too many to butcher.”

Indeed, even for a chef, butchering over a thousand sheep would be impossible. At this rate, we would be swallowed by the woolly sea. Being run over by a flock like that would leave us with wounds worse than broken bones. I could use healing magic, but if my healing were even a fraction too slow, the worst could happen!

Then...!

I made my decision, then and there, and took off running toward the lake.

“Evelyn?!” Kira called out.

I didn’t stop. “Kira, protect Lady Mamaropa!”

Running wasn’t my forte. I was slow. But I desperately pumped my arms and legs and kept going, gritting my teeth.

I looked over my shoulder, breaths ragged, to see that the sheep had changed course and were now heading toward the lake. I knew it!

They’re after me!

The mysterious voice was probably related to the herd.

Did the owner of that voice summon the thunder and the sheep?!

I’d never heard of such magic, but I was undeniably in the middle of being attacked by a bunch of sheep.

And though I never stopped running, I was no match for the speedy sheep running down the slope.

“Ah!”

I stumbled at the lakeshore, and the sheep leaped at me all at once.

“Baaaaa!”

“Gah!”

Several hooves mercilessly struck my back, and the next moment, I was falling headfirst into the lake.

“Evelyn!”

“Evely— Guh.”

I thought I heard Kira and Lady Mamaropa shouting. I wanted to respond, but only a mass of bubbles came out of my mouth, and I couldn’t form any words.

Wait, can I... Can I swim? I’d never swum before, so I had no idea what it was like.

My whole body was engulfed in cold water. I opened one eye and began to move my arms and legs in what I assumed was the correct way, but my body kept sinking. That was when it hit me: I couldn’t swim at all.

What do I do?! At this rate...!

I might die.

When that thought surfaced, I remembered his face. The face of that man, who fell into bodies of water so often. His grayish-blue eyes, always gazing at me so softly. He was...not the most reliable, but he was kinder than any other. My most beloved.

I thought of his voice calling my name so lovingly.

Lord Theodore!

Bubbles gushed from my mouth. I might never be able to say his name again. My heart froze with fear.

If only I’d known, I’d have... Oh, Lord Theodore...

Even if we were going to break up, I wished we’d had the chance to talk first.

My silver hair swayed, fanning in the water.

And then I heard a light singing voice in my head.

And rising from the bottom of the lake, as if speaking to my fading consciousness—

One sheep. Two sheep. Three sheep...

Baaa... Baaa baaa... Baaa...

Chapter Six: Welcome to Baaaradise

“Baaa... Baaa...”

I pushed through the lake, flailing my fore and hind legs. For some reason, my body suddenly felt light, and I managed to get my head above water. I was desperate. If I stopped moving my legs, I’d die!

“Baaaaaaa!”

With all my strength, I somehow climbed onto the shore on my own. I was out of breath, completely exhausted, but when my forelegs found solid ground, the relief was such that I wanted to cry.

I-I made it!

Adrenaline was amazing, I thought. It worked even for me! I wanted to pat myself on the back for how hard I’d worked at dog-paddling it out of the water.

Something feels weird, though...

Though I was standing on all four of my legs, my eye level seemed lower than usual.

Wait, all four of my legs? No, no, I didn’t have four legs. I had two arms and two legs. Also, what were these sounds I was making? They weren’t very ladylike.

What’s wrong with me...?

I shook the water off of my head and body before deciding to look at my reflection. I peered into the lake.

A strange creature peered back.

“Baaa?”

It had small horns atop its head and gentle, drooping eyes. Soft-looking, curly fur covered its entire body. I knew that shape.

A sheep.

“Baaa?!”

I spun around, shocked, but the flock that had come barreling out of the woods was nowhere to be seen. Spooky. But I had other priorities right now! Such as the fact that the only thing reflected in the clear surface of the lake was a sheep.

I’m... I’m a sheep!

I panicked. Never before in my twenty-eight years of life had I been a sheep. Actually, wait. Judging by my size, I looked more like a lamb. Either way, having never been sheep nor lamb, I was greatly bewildered.

“Baaa,” I said. Then froze. I couldn’t speak human words anymore! “Baaa!”

Even my attempt to scream “Nooo!” had come out as a bleat. I flipped over onto the muddy ground and sloshed about, flailing my short legs.

How could this happen?! What did I need to do to be human again?!

I kept anxiously thrashing until a clear voice reached my ears.

“Evelyn! Evelyn, where are you?! Can you hear me?! Say something!”

Lord Theodore!

Why was he here? I had no idea. But I did notice Kira near him, also searching for me. Prince Oz and Prince Igna were instructing the knights to place an unconscious Lady Mamaropa onto a stretcher. She seemed uninjured, so I figured she’d only fainted as usual rather than falling victim to a sheep-and-run.

“Theodore, this place is dangerous,” I heard Prince Igna say. “We don’t know when those sheep might attack again.”

“I understand. Please go ahead and evacuate, Your Highness,” Lord Theodore replied.

“What about you?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Evelyn fell in the lake! I need to rescue her!”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Lord Theodore broke into a sprint, heading straight for the lake. He looked like he was about to leap in.

“Baaaaa!” I called out at the top of my lungs.

I wasn’t in the lake! Besides, falling into the lake had turned me into a sheep! What if he became a sheep too?

Lord Theodore stopped, looked around for the source of the bleat, and when he finally spotted me, his anxious eyes went wide. Somewhat dazed, he slipped his hands underneath my forelegs and picked me up.

“Huh,” he muttered, brow furrowed. “This is the cutest sheep I’ve ever seen. I love it. I want to hold it forever.”

“Baaa!”

What was that? How embarrassing! My cheeks grew hot, but this was no time to be bashful. I had to make Lord Theodore realize I was the sheep!

Lord Theodore! It’s me, Evelyn! It’s me!

I tearfully bleated at him, and he stared at me for a while.

“Oh well. A sheep is a sheep is a sheep.”

It didn’t wooork!

I had expected too much of the bumbling detective.

“Kira, you take care of this sheep,” he said, holding me out to Kira. “Take it and evacuate the premises.”

“Wait,” Kira said. “This sheep...might be Evelyn.”

Kira!

“How do I put this?” he continued. “That pathetic expression, the teary eyes... I don’t know, it reminds me of Evelyn.”

Kiraaa!

What amazing intuition he had! I loved him.

But Lord Theodore sighed, placed a gentle hand on Kira’s shoulder, and declared seriously, “Think logically, Kira. How would a person become a sheep?”

“I mean, I don’t know, but...”

Nooo! You incompetent, foolish sleuth!

I screamed frantically, but all that came out was, “Baaa baaa baaa.”

Between Kira and Lord Theodore, Karin was anxiously fidgeting. She must’ve tagged along in the search for us.

“Brother, I think that cute floof might really be Ms. Saint...”

“What?” Lord Theodore asked, astonished.

Karin clasped her hands together and nodded firmly. “The Cradle of Jewels has a legend tied to its name.”

“What legend?”

Karin went on to tell the tale.

***

Once upon a time...

Sometime, um... I’m not really sure when specifically... Oh, it doesn’t matter? Okay. I’ll continue, then.

Once upon a time, near this lake, lived a beautiful princess. There was a tall tower on the lake, and that was where she lived.

How beautiful was she? Um, I’m not sure. Ms. Saint is prettier? Yes, I agree, brother. Ms. Saint is very pretty. She heals hangnails really prettily too.

Wait, where was I? Eh heh, I got confused, sorry. Oh, right! Thanks, Kira. Okay, um...

Right, the story about the princess who lived near the lake.

She was bored every day. Until one evening, a mysterious voice spoke to her.

“This lake is called the Cradle of Jewels, baaa. You should try collecting the jewels at the bottom, baaa.”

The greedy princess jumped from the tower into the lake right away! She thought she’d find jewels and make a fortune!

But then, right after diving into the cold water, she heard someone sing: “One sheep, two sheep, three sheep, baaa, baaa baaa, baaa...”

And when the princess emerged from the lake, to her surprise, she’d turned into a sheep!

So what happened was that, every year in the village near the lake, they sacrificed a fat sheep to the lake to pray for a good harvest. The collective grudge of the sheep against humans kept getting bigger and bigger until it was really huge! So they’d mark a human as prey, lure them into the lake with cunning words, and turn them into a sheep! Scary, right?!

The cursed princess insisted she was human, but all anyone heard was, “Baaa baaa.” The villagers were so happy that they’d found a sheep with such great wool! And so they decided to make the princess-sheep that year’s tribute.

Oh, how the princess cried from sadness! I’m sad for her too. But I kind of think she did it to herself, so I’m only a little sad.

Maybe she looked really pitiful, because the voice that had lured her into the lake said, “The only thing that can break the curse is true love’s kiss, baaa!”

But that didn’t help the princess! You see, she was at an age where she was in love...with love! She didn’t love any specific person, nor did anyone love her.

And then, the night of the festival came.

The princess-sheep was about to be placed on a small boat filled with fruit. She tried to fight the villagers, but an even-toed ungulate couldn’t possibly win against featherless bipeds.

Just then, a handsome young man who lived on the outskirts of the village passed by.

“Oh, what a nice, plump sheep. What a waste to sacrifice it! Man, I wish I could eat it...”

The young man had a healthy appetite, you see! He was a huge fan of grilled mutton. He was, in fact, the one who loved sheep more than anyone else.

And the princess noticed this! So she leaned in and kissed him, right on the lips! That was smart of her!

The curse was then broken, and as soon as the princess was human again, she pointed at the young man and said, “You claimed my lips, so you must marry me!”

She was very pushy about it. And then she took the confused young man as her groom.

The moral of the story is that aggressive women find handsome men and live happily ever after.

***

“And that’s the legend! So I don’t think it’s strange that Ms. Saint could fall into the lake and become a sheep,” Karin concluded.

Lord Theodore, who had looked skeptical at first, had gradually softened. He was still holding me with both hands, staring intently at me.

“Evelyn?” he asked in a trembling voice.

“Baaa!” I answered without missing a bleat. I insisted, in fact, that I was his fiancée.

Lord Theodore’s eyes lit up with understanding. I was moved.

“What a fool I am, unable to recognize my most beloved,” he lamented. “I wish I were dead...”

Stop getting depressed and help me! I thought, bleating my disapproval.

Lord Theodore came to his senses and lifted his head.

Right! According to the legend Karin had told us, there was a way to return a cursed sheep to human form. My anxiety that I’d be stuck as a sheep dissipated.

“I see! I just need to kiss her!” Lord Theodore exclaimed loudly.

I nodded vigorously. “Baaa!”

Our problems were solved! We smiled. We gazed at each other. And then our smiles gradually faded.

“K-Kiss...her...?”

“B-Baaa...?”

We both trailed off awkwardly at the rather important realization that we...had never kissed before! Not even once!

We’ve been on dates, held hands, and he even carried me, but...

Kissing was uncharted territory. Completely unknown. I knew that when people became lovers, they sometimes pressed their lips together to express their feelings. I’d come across such scenes in books several times. They’d made my heart flutter.

I wondered what kissing felt like. Would I be elated, like the princesses in the stories? Still...

B-But, but but but, this is too sudden!

We stared at each other for a while, frozen. Our faces flushed feverishly, and I could have sworn steam was coming out of Lord Theodore’s ears.

I felt it’d be less embarrassing to kiss him as a sheep than as a person. But experiencing my one and only first kiss as a sheep seemed so underwhelming... I wanted it to be more romantic...

“Theodore! Stop staring at her and get to smooching! Mouth to mouth!” Prince Igna snapped.

“Don’t be so crass, Your Highness!” Lord Theodore protested. “Timing matters!”

Though this was extremely unromantic, I agreed with Prince Igna a little. We couldn’t be sure when thunder would start roaring again, heralding the flock. It was dangerous to dally near the lake.

Lord Theodore and I gathered all our courage and once again gazed at each other.

“A-A-Are you sure, Evelyn?” he stammered, red to his ears as he gripped my shoulder roasts. His breath gently tickled my nose.

“Baaa...”

Lord Theodore brought his handsome face closer. My neck meat worked, and I swallowed nervously. Wait, no, not my neck meat! My throat! Anyway, I closed my eyes anxiously. My heart was racing.

I waited like that for a while.

But nothing happened.

I opened my eyes, confused, and my shoulder roasts jerked as Lord Theodore vigorously pushed me away.

“I can’t do it! I can’t!” he declared, turning away.

It was a surprisingly intense reaction.

“Theodore, are you serious?” Igna asked.

“Brother...” Karin said.

“Lord Theodore...” Oz murmured.

“Theodore...” Kira muttered.

“Look, you can say my name all day long, but I still can’t do it! No way!”

Lord Theodore seemed rather disinclined to change his mind, despite everyone’s exasperation. I was in complete shock, speechless. Not that I could say anything other than “baaa,” but you know!

His rejection finally made it dawn on me, rather viscerally, that he’d never wanted to kiss me in the first place. He really was rethinking our engagement. His heart was elsewhere.

How did I get this so wrong?

What a fool I’d been to get so excited over this.

Lord Theodore brought his face closer, his expression curious. “Evelyn?”

I didn’t want him to speak kindly to me right now! That just made everything worse! And just as I averted my eyes—

“Wait! Wait, I said!”

“Waugh!”

Someone rushed in and shoved Lord Theodore away. A loud splash came from the direction of the lake. I flew through the air, straight into the arms of a slender girl.

“Lady Evelyn! It’s been a while. I must say, never in my life have I seen a lovelier sheep than you.”

A shiver ran down my spine. Oh no. She was finally here.

Lady Europa, her purple hair swaying, wore not her usual vestments but an elegant dress. A very familiar one, still caked in mud. Playfully, Lady Europa (+mud) poked my horn, smiling at me. Yikes.

“Hee hee. I borrowed everyone’s magical power to pinpoint your location and came here with the high priest and the clown prick. I was worried when Theodore and the others got ahead of us, but...I made it in time! How marvelous!”

As I cowered, a bleat of protest came from somewhere. “Baaa! (Stop!)”

Still in Lady Europa’s arms, I looked over toward the lake and saw a brown sheep paddling along the lakewater.

“Baaa?!” Could that be Lord Theodore?!

Yes. Yes it could. It was, in fact. The sheep, scowling at Europa, could only be Lord Theodore, whose proneness to falling into bodies of water was legendary.

“Baaa! (Stop it, Europa! You’re scaring her!)”

Not only that, I could understand him! Maybe it was because we were both sheep.

Sheepodore is kind of cute, I thought. Wait, that’s beside the point!

The only person who could’ve saved me had turned into a sheep too! I was about to angrily confront Lady Europa about it, but...

No. Lord Theodore doesn’t love me anymore.

Sorrowful on multiple fronts, I flailed my forelegs. “Baaaaaa!”

Lady Europa lightly gripped my stubby legs and smiled. “It’s all right, Lady Evelyn. Be at ease.”

“Baaa?!”

She can understand me?!

A shudder ran down my back. Lady Europa spoke sheep? Her depths were unfathomable. I was stunned.

Lady Europa spoke in an airy singsong. “According to the legend, true love’s kiss undoes the sheep curse. In other words, man or woman matters not! All you need is a kiss from someone who truly loves you! That’s easy!”

That was...unusually solid logic by her standards. But logical didn’t mean acceptable!

Because that means—

My bad feeling was coming true right before my eyes. Lady Europa brought her face close, her cheeks bright red.

“Now, then, Lady Evelyn. Please accept my first kiss...”

Her plush cherry-colored lips drew closer.

“Baaaaaaaaa!”

Noooooo!!!

I cried and struggled with everything I had. Torrential tears flowed from my sheep eyes.

“Oh, Lady Evelyn, even in sheep form you’re such a tease! Oh, how exciting. I can’t take it anymore! My body is aching!!!”

Lady Europa was swaying her hips, her cheeks now the bright red of boiled lobster.

“Europa! Stop!” Prince Igna forcefully intervened. “You’re my fiancée! I cannot allow you to smooch another! Not even a sheep—no, especially not a sheep!”

Yes, Prince Igna! You tell her!

I figured with her fiancé intervening, Lady Europa might reconsider. I found myself rooting for Prince Igna for the first time ever.

But my hopes were crushed within mere seconds when she clicked her tongue and said, “What an unsightly creature you are, to be jealous of Lady Evelyn in sheep form. You’re unbearable. Go dig yourself a hole.”

“Ngh! Yes, my princess!”

Prince Igna started digging into the ground with astounding vigor. Why?

“Heeeeeeey! Rupyyy!”

Just then, a group in robes arrived from the road by the woods.

The high priest! And the other priests!

The elderly high priest would’ve struggled walking through the forest, so they’d probably judged it best to use the road.

I broke into a cold sweat. To reach the lake, one had to carefully descend a sloped path. Could they truly traverse this challenging terrain?

“Rupy, is that adorable sheep you’re holding Lady Evelyn? I can feel her magical auraaaaaaaaah!”

The high priest tripped over his own feet, his staff went flying, and he tumbled down, rolling precipitously down the slope.

I knew that would happen!

Every bad feeling I ever had seemed to come true, as I’d learned.

“It’s dangerous here, Lady Evelyn! Let us move!”

Europa and the others all scattered. It was the right move to avoid anyone else getting hurt, but I felt like they’d given up on the high priest far too quickly!

“Gaa-aaa-aaah!”

The high priest fell into the dark lake with a choppy scream. A huge splash gushed forth, and the priests, concerned, began to rush down the slope after him!

“His Eminence will drown at this rate! Come, all of you! We must help him!”

“Yes! Everyone, let’s go!”

“You got it!” they all said in unison.

Nearly thirty of them were running, but perhaps due to a sedentary lifestyle, they soon tripped spectacularly.

“Waaaaaah!”

All together they stumbled, following the same path that the high priest had, and went tumbling down the grass.

“Nice! Get into this hole! This one!” Prince Igna said.

“Brother, this is not pinball.”

Despite the prince’s request, every last priest fell into the lake.

“Dammit, they’re out. If they’d just shifted a bit to the right, we’d have scored more points!”

“Brother, this is not pinball.”

What happened next surprised a grand total of zero people.

“Baaaaaa!”

They’re all sheep!!!

All around us were sheep. Far beyond one sheep, two sheep, three sheep—a sheepidemic had taken place in the blink of an eye.

Not realizing they’d become sheep, the priests swept across the lakeside trying to find the high priest. When one moved, the rest followed, sweeping up the knights like an avalanche and dropping them into the lake one after another.

Prince Oz, Kira, and Karin fled while protecting Lady Mamaropa, but with the knights also turning into sheep, the chaos worsened. At this rate, nobody would escape.

I was half dazed, still in Lady Europa’s arms, when I heard a voice from below.

“Baaa... (Evelyn...)”

I recognized it immediately. Looking down, I was met with the figure of a sheep, his brown fur soaking wet and his expression troubled.

Lord Theodore...

Our eyes met, and for a moment, I forgot all about this situation. Forgot I needed to do something to fix it. Before I knew it, my body was already moving.

“Oh dear! Lady Evelyn!” Lady Europa called out.

I took advantage of her distraction and jumped from her arms. I landed on the ground and ran as fast as I could without looking back.

“Baaa! Baaaaaaa! (Wait! Wait, Evelyn!)”

“Baaa! (Stay away! Just leave me alone!)”

I kept kicking at the ground with my hooves, trying to ignore Lord Theodore’s bleats behind me.

But my escape attempt was short-lived. I was truly very slow. He caught up immediately and grabbed my shank as I tried to flee.

“(I couldn’t possibly leave you alone.)”

He hugged me tight, and I shook my head no, panting.

“(Lord Theodore, please don’t be kind to me anymore.)”

“(Why would you ask me that?)”

“(Because you have another woman, don’t you?)”

I thought I had it all figured out.

“(Another woman?)”

But Lord Theodore’s expression was one of pure confusion. His mouth moved as though he didn’t understand what I was saying. It seemed he was going to play dumb.

I pressed. “(Lord Theodore, you want to break off our engagement, don’t you?)”

He was silent for a moment. “(What?)”

“(Lady Mamaropa told me you looked somber and said you wanted advice about our engagement. That’s why you didn’t want to kiss me, isn’t it?)”

Tears spilled unbidden down my cheeks, tracing the round contours of my sheep face.

“(Wait, wait, Evelyn...)”

“(You’re hardly ever home, and you’re always busy, and...I should probably leave you to be happy with your new person. But I...)”

“(Evelyn!)” he shouted.

I flinched and my breath caught.

Lord Theodore scratched his wool with a hind leg. He seemed to regret having raised his voice, and said quietly, “(Sorry I spooked you. But listen, okay? Heaven and earth could turn upside down and I would never, ever break off our engagement.)”

“(B-But Lord Theodore, you—)”

“(Listen, Evelyn.)” His ears twitched. “(You’re the only one I have eyes for. How could I possibly cheat on you?)”

I gasped. The heat in his eyes and voice had me dizzy.

“(I’m sorry I behaved in a way that made you doubt my love. But you’re wrong. You’re completely wrong.)”

Lord Theodore let out a small sigh, touched the woolly side of my face, and said, “(There’s something I need to tell you, but I couldn’t.)”

“(You couldn’t...?)”

“(Our marriage petition hasn’t been accepted yet.)”

I idly grazed on the grass at my hooves as I traced my memory.

“(We took our marriage petition to the Grand Basilica last month, right?)” I asked. “(Do the proceedings take this much time?)”

“(The high priest refused to accept it.)”

“(Huh...?)”

This was total news to me! I was floored, but...my ears perked up and my tail began to wag.

“(He’s so protective of you. And Europa and the other priests wouldn’t approve it at all either.)”

“(I-I’m sorry, Lady Evelyn!)” the high priest said.

“I’m so sorry, Lady Evelyn!” Lady Europa said as well.

They’d been eavesdropping, apparently. The high priest in his decrepit old sheep form and Lady Europa (human) prostrated themselves to apologize. Behind them, the dejected priests stood sheepishly.

“(We did it all for you, Lady Evelyn. But we never thought you’d flee your home in despair over your engagement getting obstructed. Our frivolous acts have caused you such suffering!)” the high priest lamented, tears wetting his woolly beard.

“We’re truly sorry, Lady Evelyn,” Lady Europa said. “We were selfish for not wanting to approve of Theodore. As your faithful servants, we should never have acted against your wishes!”

I appreciated that, but also, I’d left the estate not in retaliation for the obstruction but because I needed some fresh air.

“I see. So that’s what happened,” Prince Oz said with a sigh. He’d been behind us, listening in.

Kira gave him a surprised look. “You can speak sheep, Oz? To me this is just a chorus of baaa-baaas.”

“Nope. I don’t understand it at all, but I got the gist of the situation from what Lady Europa said.”

“Ohhh.”

“The sheep are so cute, Kira! Should we capture a few?”

“Do not randomly capture sheep, Karin.”

“Europa!” Prince Igna called out. “I’ve dug a decent-sized hole! What’s the plan? Are we going to fill it with blood from my nose?!”

“Stop talking, Igna. You’re making it so much worse.”

Amid the noisy peanut gallery, I bleated at Lord Theodore, “(So the reason you seemed so busy lately...)”

“(...Was that I was going to the Grand Temple every day to persuade the high priest. They gave me various tests to get the engagement approved. Cleaning, music, cooking, agriculture, and...I failed them all.)”

Lord Theodore was gazing blankly into the distance. The priest-sheep of various colors began to apologize one after another.

“(I’m sorry for harassing you and saying there were still heaps of dust left!)”

“(I’m sorry for plugging up the high priest’s ears when he judged your music!)”

“(I’m sorry for giving the high priest laxatives when he judged your cooking!)”

“(I’m sorry for failing you for not hearing the voice of the soil!)”

“(I’m sorry for lashing out due to my love for you!)”

According to the confessions of the priest-sheep, they had deliberately failed Lord Theodore for arbitrary reasons. How awful. No wonder he was haggard after enduring a month of that.

But what I was mad at was something else. I glared at Lord Theodore.

“(Lord Theodore, why didn’t you tell me about it?)”

I’d thought he was busy working on managing his territory! Never had I imagined that the marriage petition hadn’t been accepted.

“(Well, I...)”

“(An engagement takes two people, right? If you’d told me about this, I’d have gone to the Grand Basilica with you!)”

I wanted to help shoulder his burdens! If we’d gone together, I could’ve flicked the high priest’s forehead over and over, yelling at him to hurry up and accept it.

Lord Theodore’s round eyes drooped. “(I didn’t want you to hate me.)”

My eyes widened. He was worried I’d hate him?

“(I don’t have any skills I can really be proud of. Honestly, Evelyn, I’m not worthy of you.)”

Where had I heard something like that before?

“(I couldn’t even get our marriage petition accepted,)” he continued. “(It was too pathetic. I couldn’t bring myself to tell you.)”

How absurd! I kicked Lord Theodore’s woolly chest with my foreleg.

“(You’re the definition of bumbling, Lord Theodore!)”

“(Huh? Bumb—)”

“(You’re gentle and handsome and wonderful but completely unaware of your own charm! Honestly, you couldn’t be more bumbling if you tried!)”

“(—ling...?)”

“(But I bumbled too. I’m one to talk.)”

Somewhere in my heart, I might’ve been holding back with him.

He’s just so wonderful...

I wanted to be someone who was worthy of standing next to him. But...I knew I couldn’t be perfect. I would continue to mess up, to be immature, to fail at a lot of things. But even then, Lord Theodore would still love me. It was the most important thing. Such a simple thing, and yet I’d forgotten about it at some point.

“(Hey, Lord Theodore? I want us to be able to tell each other everything from now on. Bumbler to bumbler.)”

I brought my foreleg to Lord Theodore’s squishy cheek.

“(Difficult things, anxiety-inducing things, unpleasant things. Let’s talk about every mundane thing that comes up, together. We’ll be a family, right? We should stick together.)”

“(Evelyn...)”

He didn’t have to kiss me right now. I was still far from ladylike, lacked composure, and...was currently a sheep. So I didn’t need to wait for him. I could put in the work and lean in first!

“(Evely—)”

Before he could finish, I boldly gave him a little kiss. My first-ever kiss. It smelled of grass.

White smoke engulfed our bodies.

“L-L-L-Lady Evelyn’s innocence has been st-st-st-stolennn!” Lady Europa screamed.

Her eyes rolled back, and she fell headfirst into the lake.

A breeze cleared the smoke, and before me sat a brown-haired young man. I blinked, gasped, and touched my head, cheeks, and body all over. While I was at it, I touched the dazed Lord Theodore on his blemish-free cheeks, surprisingly solid shoulders, chest, and here and there and everywhere.

I was very focused on checking that he was indeed him, so I didn’t notice his face growing redder and redder.

“E-Evelyn, um...”

“W-W-We’re back!”

Whatever the mechanism behind the transformation was, it had preserved our modesty. Our clothes, shoes, and accessories were all in place, and neither our clothes nor bodies were wet.

Relieved, I threw myself at Lord Theodore. “Oh, thank goodness! We’re human again!”

“Y-Yeah. We’re...”

“I was so worried for a moment there! I’m so glad we’re back together as ourselves!”

“Y-Yeah...”

Lord Theodore was awkward for a while longer, but eventually let out a slow breath and wrapped his hands around my back. They felt warm and reassuring. I brought my face to his neck, fighting back tears.

“Wait, Evelyn. Look behind you.”

“Huh?”

My face stiffened as I turned around, still clinging to Lord Theodore. A flock of panting sheep-priests had lined up behind me, and at the front stood a light-purple sheep with strangely glossy wool. Judging by the coloring, it was clearly Lady Europa. Her red tongue lolled out excitedly.

“Baaa! Baaa baaa, baaaaaaa!”

“Eek!”

Having stopped being a sheep, I could no longer understand the bleating—but from experience, I knew it wasn’t anything good. She kicked the ground with her hooves and launched herself at me, but Lord Theodore swatted her down with a chop. A magnificent lamb chop.

“Stop it, Europa. You’re scaring her.”

“Bwaaaa!”

Lady Europa (sheep), angry enough that her wool stood on end, thrashed with her four legs. But they were so stubby that she couldn’t kick Lord Theodore into the lake.

“What should we do, Lord Theodore?” I asked. “Now even Lady Europa is a sheep!”

“Right,” he said. “Let’s see... Someone who loves Europa...”

Lord Theodore and I turned around and beckoned to someone. The man who should break Europa’s curse was, of course, her fiancé.

Prince Igna, who’d already been strolling over before being beckoned, was covered in dirt from having dug a large hole. He’d seen everything.

“I’ll kiss Europa,” he declared gallantly.

“But she’ll hate it if you force it,” I said.

“It’s fine. It won’t be a problem,” he said, his tone casual.

Prince Igna said all kinds of ridiculous things, but he had to be very worried about Lady Europa. He was willing to become the villain and put his body on the line to help his sheep-fiancée. How moving! Or so I would’ve thought, but...

“She’ll hate me. Resent me. Just thinking about it makes me shiver with pleasure. Oh, I can’t help myself,” he said.

It wasn’t for her sake at all!

Prince Igna wanted only to satisfy his own selfish desires, as per usual. I was amazed that anyone could be so far from being a gentleman. He firmly grabbed Lady Europa’s nape as she tried to flee, then held her with both hands as if she were precious before nuzzling his cheek against her.

Lady Europa let out a silent scream.

“Ah, Europa. You’re adorable in any form,” he murmured.

His face sank into the light-purple wool, promptly dyeing it bright red as a torrent of blood began to drip down.

“Oh no!”

Worried, I looked closely. His nose was just bleeding, as per usual. Ridiculously misleading.

“Now then, Europa, let us exchange a smooch hotter than a tropical night. Worry not. This won’t be quick.”

“Nbaaa!”

“It must be terrible agony for you. But this humiliation will lead to growth. And then you’ll give me even greater pleasure.”

“Gwbaaah!”

Europa let out a frantic scream unbecoming of a sheep, shaking her short neck violently in intense rejection as tears scattered from her round eyes.

“Baaa! Baaaaaa!”

She looked at me as if pleading for help and I couldn’t take this any longer.

“Baaady Baaavelyn! Baaavelyn!”

She was clearly enunciating my name now. There was no doubt about it—she wanted my help. Her entire small body was screaming that she wanted to escape Prince Igna’s lips.

I-I’m feeling sorrier and sorrier for her...!

Lord Theodore must’ve felt similarly, because he furrowed his brow and said, “Stop, Your Highness. This is...inhumane.”

“Well, yes. Europa is currently a sheep.”

“It’s insheepane too.”

“You don’t get it. That’s what makes it exciting.”

“Baaa... Baaa...”

I looked to the side and saw an elderly, wobbly sheep.

And I had an idea.

The sky was still dim. Prince Igna was worked up. Maybe I could deceive him.

“Prince Igna,” I said. “Lady Europa’s wool has grown bright red with your nose blood. I’ll wash her in the lake. Could you hand her over?”

“Hm? All right.”

Lady Europa must’ve been very frightened—she clung to my chest tightly and wouldn’t let go.

I patted her shoulder reassuringly, then heaved the wobbly sheep into my arms.

I’m sorry, Your Eminence. Hate me if you must!

“Here you go. All clean, Your Highness,” I said.

“Thanks.”

I handed over the unwitting bearded sheep, secretly praying no one would notice.

Prince Igna cheerily patted the sheep’s head and stroked his cheek sweetly. Just as I’d hoped, he hadn’t noticed the sheep-a-roo.

“Our night of passion begins,” the prince said. “You cannot escape. Resign yourself.”

“B-Baaa...”

“Heh. What’s wrong, Europa? Nervous? You seem more into this than before...”

“Baaa... ♡”

“Bold, are you? Very well. I shall take everything...”

As Prince Igna and the high priest, the latter making strangely sultry noises, were immersed in their passionate...something, we silently moved away. We couldn’t bear to watch it any longer.

“Baaady Baaavelyn! Baaady Baaavelyn!”

A heavily panting Lady Europa remained in my hands. The problem hadn’t been solved at all!

At every turn, she tried to steal a kiss, but I dodged every one, and Lord Theodore and I rejoined Kira and the others. Near Kira was Lady Mamaropa on a stretcher, peacefully asleep. Thank goodness!

She suddenly opened her eyes. “Oh my. Europa.”

Lady Sheepropa twitched. “Baaa?”

Lady Mamaropa seemed half asleep. Her eyes were drowsy, but she reached out, so I handed her Lady Europa.

“Come now, Europa,” Lady Mamaropa whispered, patting the small sheep. “Let’s have our good morning hug and kiss.”

“Baaa!”

The two embraced, and Lady Mamaropa gave Lady Europa a little kiss. The white smoke returned, and Lady Europa, rather anticlimactically, turned back into a girl.

“Now, Europa, it’s dark out. Let’s sleep.”

“Yes, mother.”

Mother and daughter, still embracing, lay down on the stretcher. Soon their breaths evened out in slumber.

What just happened?

As I stood there, confused, Prince Oz said, “Last night, Lady Europa expended tremendous magical power to find you, Lady Evelyn. She’s still fatigued, I would imagine. Not only that, she apparently hadn’t slept at all since your disappearance. I suppose meeting her mother again after so long gave her such a rush of relief that she fell asleep.”

“I see...”

Though I’d gone, like, “Ugh!” upon seeing her, Lady Europa had poured her all into locating me. Now she was snoozing peacefully in Lady Mamaropa’s arms, looking appropriately innocent for her age instead of weird for once. Her sleeping face was almost angelic.

Lady Mamaropa, meanwhile, though half asleep herself, had spotted immediately that the sheep was her child. Her love for Lady Europa had to be boundless.

Family bonds are amazing, I thought. I didn’t have anyone I was so strongly bonded to. Though I was a bit envious, I didn’t feel lonely anymore—I’d learned that you could become someone’s family even without blood ties. Like I have with Lord Theodore and Kira...

Lord Theodore, my fiancé, and Kira, who’d recognized me in sheep form—both of them were precious family to me. Knowing I wasn’t alone made my anxiety dissipate.

“By the way, Evelyn, your sister’s here,” Kira said.

“Sister?” Do I have a sister?

I turned around and looked behind Kira, then gasped.

“Hello, sister. It’s been a while.”

Standing there with her arms crossed was my indeed existing sister, Mary.

“Mary?! What are you doing here?!”

Ah, Mary. She had committed so many misdeeds, like stealing my former fiancé and impersonating me as the saint. After all of it came to light, she’d departed on a hangnail-healing journey as part of the community service she’d been sentenced to.

Why was she here?

She scoffed. “I’m staying at an inn in the village at the foot of the mountains. The innkeeper said a bunch of sheep were coming out of the lake, so I came to see.” Mary looked around, frustrated. “And what do you know, there are sheep everywhere. What’s going on?”

“This lake is cursed. Everyone who falls in it turns into sheep,” I explained tersely.

“I see. I understand,” Mary said. She ran her fingers through her hair and continued smugly, “I can break curses now, by the way. I can change all of these noisy baaa-baaas back into humans.”

“Really?!”

“About one a day, I’d wager.”

I was good at dispelling miasma and casting healing spells, but curse breaking was outside my area of expertise. This was good, then! What a relief.

“I mean, I could do it for you, but not for free, you know?”

Ugh...

Mary’s eyes gleamed darkly. She was either trying to profit off of this or cut short her community service! Either way, it sounded like she wouldn’t do anything without being handsomely compensated.

Just then, a small figure crept up on us. “So you were cheating on the hangnails with other magic, Ms. Liar...”

“Ugh! Karin!” Mary yelped, grimacing. Her confident attitude deflated all at once.

“So you’re still not treating hangnails with respect? You sadden me.”

“Th-That’s not true! I’ve been healing the hangnails! Perfectly, in fact!”

“Oh? Then hurry up and change the sheep back into people and heal my hangnail. I made sure to save it for you.”

“F-Fine! Waaah! You don’t have to be so mean!”

Though I wasn’t sure exactly what manner of relationship these two had, Mary had actually listened to Karin instead of fleeing, so I figured she couldn’t really hate the girl.

Watching the two, I found myself feeling somewhat warm inside and wondered, Could I break curses too?

Naturally occurring miasma and man-made...no, sheep-made curses were different things, strictly speaking. But surely their properties were similar.

I couldn’t help but want to give it a try.

Kneeling on the grass, I closed my eyes and clasped my hands together, praying silently. The bleats of the sheep behind me as well as Karin and Mary’s argument faded into the distance.

Dear sheep... You were scared when you were sacrificed, weren’t you? I’m truly sorry. But thanks to all of you, the village has an abundance of grains and vegetables, and it’s thriving as a hot spring resort.

The stalls in the village had been selling many sheep-shaped buns. Besides that, there were many sheep-themed sweets and figurines—the people of this land were clearly grateful to and fond of the sheep.

The lamb curry Lady Mamaropa made was also truly delicious. We will honor the lives we’ve taken as sustenance and live each day as best we can. So please, dear sheep, let go of your resentment. Look to the brightly shining stars above—your ancestors—and let them guide you...

Something welled up from deep within my body and overflowed. My feelings for the sheep manifested as a torrent of magical power that turned to golden light, sparkling as it emerged from me. I opened my eyes, and amid the sea of light particles, I could faintly see golden sheep spirits.

“Thank you, baaa.”

“I’m so happy a pretty girl prayed for us, baaa!”

“I enjoyed playing tag with you, baaa!”

Oh, was that what they were doing? Playing tag?

From our perspective, we’d been fleeing a stampede...

I noticed Kira and Lord Theodore looking around—it seemed like everyone could hear the sheep. The golden light, still shining brilliantly, rose into the sky as we all watched the dreamlike display. I prayed that the sheep could truly find peace.

When the last particle of light dissipated, my body swayed, likely from having used too much magical power.

“Evelyn!” Lord Theodore said as he caught me, a worried look on his features.

I smiled. “I broke the curse, Lord Theodore!”

No longer would I spiral over the things I couldn’t do. There were roles even someone like me could fulfill! Now that I knew that, I could hold my head high.

Lord Theodore’s eyes widened with surprise, but then he smiled. “That doesn’t surprise me one bit.”

Behind him, the high priest, Prince Igna, the priests, and the knights had all returned to human form as well.

Mary was huffily pointing at me. “I hate this! I hate this about you!”

“There, there,” Karin said to the sniffling Mary. “You can aim to be the hangnail-healing expert.”

And so, with all of that, the Great Woolly Incident drew to a satisfying close.

Or so I thought.

“Evelyn, come here,” Kira called out. He was crouched at the lakeside, his hand in the water.

“What is it?”

The curse was broken, but it could still be dangerous for him to accidentally fall in!

But before I could caution him, he turned around, shaking the water off his hand. “The lake water is hot now.”

“Huh? Hot?”

Only then did I notice that steam was indeed rising from the entire lake—hot water seemed to be welling up from underground. I sniffed the air and caught the distinctive scent of sulfur that I’d smelled many times in the village.

“Is this a hot spring?” I asked.

“Seems like it.”

“Then we must host it!” came a resonant female voice from behind us.

I turned to see Lady Europa—who should’ve been sleeping—standing there.

“Lady Europa, should you really be up already?” I asked.

“I appreciate your concern, Lady Evelyn, but I have energy to spare!”

That I could see, but she was far too active for someone who had just woken up. I worried about her blood pressure.

“Um, what are we ‘hosting,’ exactly?” I asked.

“An excellent question, Lady Evelyn!”

Lady Europa’s expression was ecstatic.

“A summer camp of Lady Evelyn, by Lady Evelyn, and for Lady Evelyn!”

Chapter Seven: Summer of Evelyn Camp

Lady Europa’s idea led to the decision to hold an event called the Summer of Evelyn Camp the very next day, and we were all gathered at the lakeside once more. Everyone had stayed at inns in the village yesterday—many of us had been exhausted, and it seemed for once I wasn’t the only one who’d slept past noon.

But the enthusiastic Lady Europa had voluntold Princes Oz and Igna, and through rushed construction work last night, they’d installed signs and changing rooms around the lake. Today, too, she’d gotten up early in the morning to work on preparations.

I looked around at the event venue that had practically manifested overnight. A giant banner saying “Summer of Evelyn Camp: Now Open!” fluttered in the wind, and I was...concerned.

This is surprisingly wholesome and fun for something Lady Europa came up with...

Visitors were bathing in the lake-turned-hot-spring, and the waterside was bustling with people setting up tents, barbecuing, and cooking curry. The large hole Prince Igna had dug up was now being used as a reservoir.

Incidentally, it had been decided that men and women both had to wear swimsuits while bathing. People from the village at the foot of the mountain were here, selling the swimsuits.

Flyers had been distributed to tourists, and families and couples kept arriving. The lake, which had been somewhat desolate up until today, was now brimming with life.

Karin, who was looking around curiously, pointed at the barbecue corner. “I wanna roast Evelyn summarshmallows over there. You stick the marshmallows on skewers and roast them to golden brown, then eat them!”

“I’m coming with you. I’m curious about the Evelyn summushrooms,” Kira said.

Again with the weird naming conventions for the food! Were they fining people who didn’t sell foods with the word “summer” tacked on?

Just as Kira and Karin were setting out, someone stopped them.

“I’m coming too,” Lord Theodore said. “I’d worry about the two of you alone.” He paused, flustered, when Kira gave him a look of utter disbelief. “Hey, don’t look at me like that.”

Honestly, I would’ve felt awkward being alone with Lord Theodore anyway. Very awkward, in fact. After all...

I went and k-kissed him in the chaos earlier!

It had been necessary so we could turn human again, but just thinking about it made me drown in embarrassment.

At first, Lord Theodore and I had hugged happily, but soon it’d dawned on us what had happened, and we couldn’t even look at each other. I hadn’t been able to talk to him since last night.

Though...it was a shame, really. Everything had happened so quickly that I hadn’t had the chance to really savor the sensation, and—

Wh-Wh-What do I mean, “it was a shame”?! How lascivious of me!

I smacked my own head. Thoroughly.

“Evelyn?” Lord Theodore called out. “Are you all right?”

“J-Just peachy! L-Lord Theodore, you should buy them some Evelyn summango smoothies.”

“Uh, sure...”

Lord Theodore kept looking back at me worriedly as he disappeared in the direction of the barbecue corner with Kira and Karin.

When they were gone, I finally let out a breath. I wanted to apologize for the misleading letter I’d left, and there were so many other things I wanted to talk to him about as well, but right now, I just wanted to avoid being alone with him no matter what.

I pulled myself together. “Since I’m here anyway, I should try and enjoy the Summer of Evelyn Camp.”

Granted, I’d been camping for several days already, but that hadn’t been solely for pleasure. It had been rather intense, actually. Having a good time with a large group like this felt like a different sort of fun.

Since Lord Theodore and the others had headed to the barbecue corner, I figured I’d check out the curry area.

“Mom, doesn’t that woman over there look like Lady Evelyn?” a child asked.

“It couldn’t be,” the mother said. “Lady Evelyn walking around here would be a miracle. There’s no way...”

Though I’d revealed my face during my final prayer ceremony, people still didn’t recognize me out in public, I’d recently come to realize.

In the center of the curry corner, a speed-eating competition was in full swing. Five tables were lined up side by side, with participants inhaling curry at an astounding pace. The man who’d once acted as the announcer for the SEBLT—Saint Evelyn’s Battling Lovers Tournament—was gripping a microphone and delivering passionate commentary.

“Looks like the SEBLT, Traveling Edition, is heating up, ladies and gentlemen!”

Oh, this is also a SEBLT.

“And look at our chief contender! That’s right, it’s Prince Igna, the deviant who’s obsessed with his fiancée, Lady Europa Caté! The two won a special prize during this year’s ‘Crazy Couples Cup’—the C3 for short! Erm, Lady Europa, does Prince Igna usually enjoy spicy food?”

Lady Europa, sitting in the judges’ seat next to the commentary booth, propped her chin on her hand, looking bored and didn’t respond.

The announcer paused, then said, “Right! So it’s the silent treatment from Lady Europa. But look at Prince Igna! The man is piling up empty plates like there’s no tomorrow! But, since the SEBLT is open only to Lady Evelyn lovers, he’s already disqualified despite his impressive display of eating!”

Prince Igna kept wolfing down the ultra-spicy Evelyn summadras curry with gusto, his passionate gaze fixed on the judges’ seat, unwavering.

He paused only to ask, “Europa, why won’t you say anything to me?”

Lady Europa sighed into the microphone. “Prince Igna, you’re a useless piece of trash who couldn’t find Lady Evelyn when you searched the village. You want to know why I’m not chastising you for it, correct?”

“Yes,” he confirmed with a slow nod.

He was trembling, and it was gradually getting worse, but his nose wasn’t bleeding like one would have expected. Perhaps because Lady Europa—while verbally abusing him—wasn’t giving him that harsh, disdainful look of someone looking at a gnat.

Everyone else had fallen silent, including the announcer, and even the other participants had stopped eating to watch the exchange with bated breath. It didn’t match one’s image of a speed-eating competition.

Lady Europa shrugged. “I’m truly fed up with you,” she told Prince Igna. “But today, my disdain is reserved for Theodore.”

Prince Igna clenched his fist and brought it down on the table.

“Wh-Why?! Why would you demean Theodore but not me?! This isn’t fair!”

“Because...” Lady Europa gave Prince Igna a sidelong glance. “You would enjoy it if I demeaned you.”

Prince Igna’s eyes widened with shock. So did mine and everyone else’s in the venue.

She’s right!

These two were as far as you could get from a normal engaged couple. Normally, abuse from one’s beloved made one sad and angry. But...Prince Igna had special proclivities, and the more abuse he endured, the more excited and aroused he became.

Lady Europa’s current strategy seemed particularly effective against his brand of degeneracy.

But we’d severely underestimated Prince Igna. Despite his situation, his lips actually curled into a smile!

“I see. I understand what you’re trying to say, Europa, but you’re overlooking something important.”

“What?” Lady Europa asked, furrowing her brow.

Prince Igna declared loudly, “I enjoy being ignored too!!!”

And suddenly, his figure was dyed a vivid red.

“Whoooa! Blood is gushing from Prince Igna’s nose like a magnificent fountain! Aaand he’s out!” the announcer exclaimed. “But look at him! He’s smiling from ear to ear! What an upset, ladies and gentlemen!”

Though the sight was traumatic, the children in the audience were...cheering?

“Mom! Dad! Look how much princes can bleed from their noses!”

“I wanna be like Prince Igna when I grow up!”

Really? Of all the role models...

I didn’t want these kids to grow up weird like Prince Igna. Personally, I thought Prince Oz was a much better option. I made a mental note to talk to the children later.

Then I noticed someone else watching that scene from a distance.

“What are you doing, Your Eminence?” I asked.

“Lady Evelyn! U-Um...nothing!” the flustered high priest replied, though he kept stealing glances at the collapsed prince.

He straightened his eyebrows, fixed his hair, adjusted his beard, and smoothed the hems of his vestments. Almost like...

“Your Eminence, are you—”

“N-N-No! Absolutely not!” he interjected before I could finish, frantically shaking his head. “I-I-I don’t like him or anything! He’s a selfish brute!”

The high priest turned away in a huff, his cheeks dyed pink.

Your Eminence...!

Had yesterday’s events opened a new door for him?

I’m rooting for you...

After all, I did bear some responsibility for how it had all come to pass. If there was anything I could do, I was prepared to do it.

Perhaps trying to hide something, the high priest showed me a sheep he’d been hiding behind his back. “R-Right, I nearly forgot! I caught this fine-fleeced sheep by the lake earlier. We should roast it and feast!”

“Oh, what a great idea!” I exclaimed, nodding at his attractive proposal.

Despite the various sheep-triggered events from yesterday—or perhaps because of them—I had a huge hankering for lamb.

“Lady Evelyn. Are you having fun?”

“Prince Oz!”

Prince Oz approached cheerfully through the crowd, accompanied by several guards. We hadn’t had much opportunity to talk, what with yesterday’s commotion, so I took the chance to bow my head and apologize profusely.

“I’m so sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused!” I said.

“Please, don’t worry about it. I’m just glad you’re safe. I’m the one who should apologize, really—my brother couldn’t find you and Kira at all. I should’ve never included him in the search party...”

“Ha ha ha...”

According to Kira, the mysterious pervert who’d talked to us at the bathhouse had been Prince Igna, who had ostensibly come to search for us. Maybe I should try and confirm the identity of every pervert going forward? The probability of any given one being an acquaintance was high...

“I helped set up the Summer of Evelyn Camp, as you may be aware. Did you know there will be featured events held during the evening?”

Wow! Featured events! That sounded fun!

“What kind of events?”

“The first is the Summer of Evelyn Bonfire,” he explained.

The “Summer of Evelyn” part felt unnecessary, but I loved the idea of a bonfire. I was already getting excited about the evening.

“And the second?” I asked.

“The Evelyn Test of Courage.”

“What?”

The words made my spine freeze. It hardly warranted saying at this point, but I wasn’t good with ghosts and spirits. The whole ordeal with the sheep had finally been resolved too! Why did I have to be scared all over again?

“Can we cancel that one?” I asked.

“Lady Evelyn, what’s wrong? You look pale.”

Of course I did!

“I mean, it doesn’t have the word ‘summer’ in it! It doesn’t match the theme of the festival!” I argued, thinking myself quite reasonable.

Prince Oz chuckled dismissively. “What makes you think the word ‘summer’ needs to be there? Oh, are you joking? That was a funny joke!”

It doesn’t need to be there?! What was up with the pattern I’d noticed, then?!

“B-But I don’t have to participate, right? Right?”

Prince Oz pulled a folded paper out of his pocket. “Um, according to the schedule Lady Europa handed out, your name is...prominently listed among the participants.”

He showed me. My name wasn’t just “prominently listed”—it took up the entirety of the paper, painting it an ominous, cursed black.

“Your Highness, I can’t handle scary things! I can’t!” I said, clinging tightly to his arm. “You’ll save me, right? Right?!”

But he only gave me a troubled smile. “I’d love to, but...I’m not confident I can rescue you from Lady Europa’s clutches. I’m sorry...”

“Please don’t be so heartless!”

If Prince Oz abandoned me too, there’d be no one left to save me!

He gasped and snapped, “Let go, Lady Evelyn!”

“O-Okay.” I hurriedly released his arm.

Prince Oz stepped back and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Th-That was close. That jealous gaze could’ve killed me. I’d rather not get horse kicked in the face...”

What jealous gaze?

Lady Europa was the only person I could think of who could curse someone to death with a glance. But she was busy trying to get rid of the blood-soaked Prince Igna, who was clinging to the judges’ seat. She wasn’t even looking this way.

Then who was watching the prince?

“Lady Evelyn! Let’s roast the sheep!”

Before I could figure it out, I heard the high priest calling out to me. I turned to see the other priests behind him, tying the sheep he’d shown me earlier to a thick branch.

“Yes! I’ll be right over,” I said with a smile.

Behind me, Prince Oz muttered, “Come to think of it, I feel like I remember the clown prick falling into the lake at some point during that whole ordeal. Have I seen him today? Oh well. I probably imagined that.”

“Baaa! Why is this baaaaaappening?!” bleated the sheep, whose red fur was starting to singe at the edges.

That...sounded a bit ominous, but surely it was just a sheep. Right?

***

After breaking the curse on the nearly charred Prince Alex (sheep), I sat on one of the hastily installed benches, munching on skewered lamb seasoned with salt and pepper as I gazed at the summer camp.

Karin and Mary were sitting together on another bench, happily chatting away.

Lord Jackson, who had rushed over from Semme after hearing about the camp, was having fun in the mixed bath with his wife and Kira.

“Ah, Lady Evelyn! There you are!”

Goodbye, peace and quiet. Lady Europa, who had been bustling about after the eating competition, had finally found me.

“L-Lady Europa. Good afternoon.”

“And a marvelous day to you, Lady Evelyn! Ah, but once again your radiance is such that it puts the sun to shame! Your purity is such that the moon turns green with envy!”

“May I help you with anything, Lady Europa?” I asked. If I just sat there listening, the preamble alone would take more than an hour to get through.

Lady Europa clapped her hands together. “Right! I was just discussing this with Prince Oz—I was thinking of developing this hot spring as a state-run enterprise!”

My eyes sparkled. “That’s a wonderful idea.”

The sacrificed sheep had returned to the heavens. If this place could prosper as a hot spring and turn into a popular destination for visitors, no such sorrowful curse should ever take root again.

Lady Europa smiled with delight at my immediate agreement.

“Why ask me, though?” I inquired.

“Why, because it was thanks to your grand achievement that the lake became a hot spring, of course!” She opened her eyes wide and grandly proclaimed, “I’ll study curse-breaking going forward as well! As the one entrusted with the great honor of being your successor, I must master all kinds of magic!”

“What’s gotten into you? You almost sound like a normal person...”

“Oh, but I’m so frustrated! I almost managed to lawfully kiss you, and yet...!”

Lady Europa covered her face and started crying. These had to be her true feelings. But...still, she’d been raised by Lady Mamaropa! Why had she turned out like this?

This is very like her, though.

As I watched Lady Europa tearily stamping her feet, a parasol-toting figure appeared.

“You’re lively as usual, Europa.”

“Lady Mamaropa!” I exclaimed.

She bowed her head slightly, then glared at Europa and pursed her lips. “You ran off to Semme and haven’t sent any word since.”

“But, but, mother! I met my beloved Lady Evelyn! I was beside myself! I’m afraid I completely forgot about you and father!”

“‘I’m afraid’ isn’t good enough! I was very worried!”

“Tee hee hee, I’m so sorry about that,” Lady Europa said, sticking out her tongue in a manner more childish than usual.

So she acted like a little girl around her mother. I found that oddly endearing.

Lady Mamaropa, in spite of her exasperated look, bowed her head to me again. “Evelyn, you must’ve had a rough day yesterday after falling into the lake. I’m sorry I fainted again.”

“Oh, no, it’s completely fine.”

I had been worried for a while about what might happen—the terrible possibilities were many—but somehow, things had resolved without incident.

Lady Europa was examining us rather critically. “Mother, could it be you don’t know?”

“About what, Europa?” Lady Mamaropa asked, puzzled.

Lady Europa cleared her throat.

Oh! Oh no.

“W-Wait, Lady Europa. Let me tell her—”

Before I could stop her, Lady Europa puffed out her chest and declared, “Then I must reveal that this woman is none other than the former saint, Lady Evelyn herself!”

Lady Mamaropa just stood there for a while, showing no reaction. She only stared intently at me, as if devouring me with her gaze, not uttering a single word.

“U-Um, Lady Mamaropa?” I called out.

She said nothing. Was she mad at me for hiding my identity?

I began to bow my head over and over, breaking into a cold sweat. “Um, I’m sorry! I did mean to tell you, many times, really, but the timing never seemed right, and I wasn’t sure what to say. I’m truly sorry, Lady Mamaropa...”

But she remained silent, only staring at me with frozen, emotionless eyes.

She’s mad. She must be. Of course she’d be.

Lady Mamaropa was kind, but there were probably limits to her kindness. I had deceived her—the anger was justified. Whatever she said, I’d humbly accept it and apologize until she forgave me, I decided.

Then she opened her mouth. “G—”

I listened closely so as to not miss a single word.

“Guh.”

And she fell backward with a thud.

“L-Lady Mamaropa!”

Her eyes were still open, but nobody was home.

What happened? This seems different from her usual fainting spells...

Lady Europa, who had dropped to her knees, brought her cheek close to Lady Mamaropa’s mouth and checked if her chest was moving.

Then, stiffly, she said, “She’s not breathing! Her heart’s stopped!”

“I-It has?!”

I collapsed on the spot.

L-Lady Mamaropa! I did this...!

What a strong shock I must’ve given her! And she had such a weak constitution. This was all my fault! If only I hadn’t missed the timing to reveal my identity!

As I sat there, full of self-reproach, I heard Lady Europa yell, “Someone! Mother has collapsed!”

People rushed over. I raised my head. Lady Europa was standing there, resolute, even though her dear mother wasn’t breathing. She looked so cool that I felt as though lightning had struck me.

I slapped my cheeks to psych myself up. Right! This isn’t the time to be in shock!

Quick action was the difference between life and death! I could not possibly let Lady Mamaropa die!

Lady Europa quickly shouted instructions at different people. “Father, give mother mouth-to-mouth! Prince Igna, you be the stretcher! Lady Evelyn, give me mouth-to-mouth!”

“Got it!”

“Leave it to me—I’ll be the stretcher.”

“I’m on it, Lady Europa!”

We nodded to one another and sprung into action.

First, a well-dressed gentleman pinched Lady Mamaropa’s shapely nose to secure her airway, covered her mouth with his, and blew. Lady Mamaropa’s chest rose in sync with his exhales.

Prince Igna planked on the spot and declared, “Have at it!”

“Now, Lady Evelyn, your turn,” Lady Europa said.

“Okay!”

Following instructions, I held down the prone Lady Europa’s forehead, pinched her nose, and brought my lips close.

Wait, why am I giving her mouth-to-mouth?!

Something was wrong. I was overlooking something extremely important...

“Come now, quickly! Resuscitate my cardiopulmonary system!” Lady Europa urged in a muffled voice.

“Huh? Uh...”

“Don’t be fooled, Lady Evelyn,” said the gentleman between chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth. “Europa is the picture of health.”

I gasped and turned toward him.

The handsome gentleman, whose forehead glistened with sweat, gave me a crooked smile. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Evelyn. I’m Europa’s father, Dadapopa.”

Da-Dada what now?!

Honestly! What kind of naming sense did these people have?!

I reflexively let go of Lady Europa, and a frustrated “Ugh!” came from below.

“Oh dear. I’m so sorry. I appear to have gone into cardiac arrest again.”

“Lady Mamaropa!” I exclaimed, crying tears of relief.

Lady Mamaropa, now breathing normally, sat up with a small smile. “I worried you, didn’t I? Five times out of six, my fainting spells are quite ordinary. But sometimes my heart stops. It’s like rolling a die. Nothing to worry about, I assure you.”

“You mustn’t say such absurd things, Mamaropa,” said the dashing Lord Dadapopa.

“Oh! Dear, are you lost again?” Lady Mamaropa asked, blinking.

“I’m not lost. I was looking for you! You had me worried.”

“L-Lady Mamaropa, are you feeling all right?!” I asked.

I expected her to immediately say yes, but instead, she was strangely at a loss for words.

“Lady Mamaropa?”

“Evelyn. Oh, I’m sorry, Lady Evelyn. Um...”

The instant I heard her correct herself, I bowed my head deeply. “No, please, continue as you have!”

“Huh?”

“These three days I spent with you and Kira were delightful! I had fun! So please...”

Though three days wasn’t a long time, they had been special, eventful days for me. They were precious. If Lady Mamaropa distanced herself after learning my identity, I felt like those hours would become no more than a faraway illusion born of the summer heat.

“I know I’m the former saint, but I don’t want you to change how you treat me! I want to keep talking to you as before, Lady Mamaropa!”

Perhaps it was terribly selfish of me to want things to stay the same.

But Lady Mamaropa nodded firmly. “I understand, my dear, sweet child.”

She spread her arms wide, beckoning. Unable to hold back, I dove in.

“Mommy!”

“What a spoiled little girl you are,” she said as she caught me. Gently, she patted my head as I hugged her tightly.

“Wait, this isn’t right! Why are Lady Evelyn and mother so close?! Why am I being left out?!”

“Europa, a word of advice from your dad. If you keep being a weird creep, the object of your affections will hate you.”

“Aaargh! What’s the point in telling me that now?!” Lady Europa shrieked, rolling around on the ground in an agony of frustration.

Lady Mamaropa, watching her daughter flail about, exchanged a glance with Lord Dadapopa and giggled. The sight of the three of them was so wonderful, I found myself smiling through my tears.

“Ngh! Being ignored by the whole family like this... It’s a whole new realm of pleasure!” said Prince Igna the stretcher as he sank into a sea of nose blood, still planking.

Epilogue: Peas in a Pod

Soft crackling sounds came from the bonfire as the flames burned brilliantly, larger than any I’d ever seen. Around the fire, people went about enjoying their evening at the summer camp. The light from the flames and the starry sky above reflected off the surface of the hot spring, giving the landscape a fantastic, dreamlike feel.

As I gazed at the beautiful scene, I let out a melancholic sigh. After this comes the test of courage...

I’d resolved in my heart that once the bonfire was out, I’d hide at the inn before Lady Europa and the others could find me. My spine was already constantly tested in daily life—if I tested it any further, I’d end up with a hernia.

“Are you ready, everyone?!” Lady Europa shouted as she beat a tambourine with enough force to destroy the quiet of the firelit night. “Nothing beats a good folk dance around a bonfire!”

A band following behind her began to place chairs and prepare their instruments for the upcoming dance and live music.

I panicked internally. I haven’t gotten any practice dancing yet!

Kira, who’d been enjoying some Evelyn summarshmallows, said, “It’s all right, Evelyn. Folk dancing is easy. Even kids can do it.”

“What, really?”

“Yes,” Karin confirmed. “We did it at school. It’s not that difficult. Um, the song goes, E-E-Evelyn, E-E-Evelyn...”

What the heck is that? I wanted to ask, but Karin was so cute, chanting so earnestly, that I couldn’t bring myself to say anything.

While continuing to chant, “E-E-Evelyn,” Karin took Kira’s and Mary’s hands.

“H-Hey!” Mary protested. “What are you doing, Karin?!”

“What, I have to do this too?” Kira asked.

“We’ll show Ms. Saint how to do it!” Karin said, paying no mind to the pair’s lack of enthusiasm. She joined hands with them in a circle. “E-E-Evelyn, E-E-Evelyn...”

The three rotated clockwise as they hopped forward, sideways, and backward, then advanced and stepped back again. They drew close and raised their hands high, then returned to the initial steps, clapped their hands, and high-fived one another.

It was so cute that the crowd cheered.

“This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!”

“Start an idol group!”

“I want fan service!”

Kira, embarrassed, muttered, “Shut up,” but Karin and Mary didn’t seem to mind and even added a flourish and made a heart together.

Th-That looks fun!

The band finished their preparations and began to play a lively tune I’d never heard before—the same one Karin had been chanting.

“What’s the name of this song?” I asked Lady Europa.

Her face lit up. “It’s a composition of my own, the Ode to Lady Evelyn! It’s a song about my joy at happening upon a vision of you in the desert! I’m honored beyond measure at your effusive praise, Lady Evelyn!”

I hadn’t really praised her at all.

“Now then, everyone! Form a circle! Here we go!”

Everyone formed a wide circle and began to step in time to the cheerful tune of the Ode to Lady Evelyn.

Let’s see. Forward, sideways, back, forward, sideways, back...

Though I was a bit lost at first, I gradually got used to it the more I moved.

“You look like you’re having fun, Evelyn.”

I looked toward the source of the voice—the person whose left hand I was holding. “Lord Theodore!”

It seemed I’d been so focused on dancing that I hadn’t noticed him at all! I gave him a bashful smile.

At the clapping part of the choreography, the crowd sang in unison, “Evelyn! Evelyn! Evelyn! Evelyn!”

Amid the loud chanting, Lord Theodore whispered in my ear, “Evelyn, what were you talking to Prince Oz about earlier?”

“Huh?” I mumbled, puzzled. Did I talk to Prince Oz earlier?

I felt like I had, but everything since had been so intense that I’d completely forgotten about it.

Lord Theodore gently shook his head. “Why don’t we slip away from the crowd?”

“Huh?”

My heart pounded as Lord Theodore led me by the hand away from the dance circle.

Perhaps because the night had grown darker, we didn’t go very far. He took me a little ways away from the bonfire, in the direction of the lake, and stopped.

“Evelyn, I need to clear something up,” he said.

“Y-Yes?”

What was this about? My body felt hot, and not just because of the nearby flames.

Looking directly at my flustered face, Lord Theodore said, “Evelyn, you’re not bumbling.”

Ah. This was about our exchange yesterday.

“Lord Theodore...”

“Neither am I, of course.”

That was probably a joke, so I let it slide.

“Evelyn, warmth spreads through my chest every time you smile. The thought of that smile gives me strength to endure any hardship. And...I want to keep you smiling by my side, forever. I want to be the reason for that smile. Genuinely.”

His own features shifted into a smile.

“You’re my sun, Evelyn.”

I couldn’t speak. What an unfair man my fiancé was! How can he say such embarrassing things so easily?

Actually, considering the fact that I could tell his cheeks were bright red even without the firelight, this clearly wasn’t easy for him. But still, his words filled me with joy, and I returned his smile with a shy one of my own.

Then he whispered hoarsely, “Can you close your eyes for a moment?”

I nodded and did so. I could feel him moving closer—very close—and pulling my left hand toward him.

I-Is he going to kiss me?!

My body grew rigid with tension. The music drifting from the direction of the bonfire had changed to something moody all of a sudden. The atmosphere was perfect. If we didn’t kiss now, when would we?

W-W-We’re going to kiss! I thought, trembling as I awaited that moment.

But...it never came.

“Okay, Evelyn,” Lord Theodore said. “Open your eyes.”

I did. An unfamiliar ring glittered on my finger.

“This...”

“Sorry it’s late, but...it’s an engagement ring,” he said. “The high priest finally agreed to accept our marriage registration.”

The design was simple, with a shining diamond set at its center. I held up my left hand, gazing upon the ring against the light of the distant flames. It fit perfectly, sparkling brilliantly on my finger.

“Do you...not like it?” he asked tentatively. My silence must’ve had him anxious.

I shook my head and smiled. “I do. I’m very, very happy, Lord Theodore.”

This ring was even more beautiful than the Cradle of Jewels. It was my very own jewel.

Lord Theodore gently took me by the shoulders and brought me close. “Evelyn...may I kiss you?”

I trembled. “K-K-K-K-Kiss me, you say?”

Though I should’ve known it was coming, just the word had me on pins and needles.

“B-But Lord Theodore, I thought you didn’t want to...” I mumbled awkwardly.

He hadn’t kissed me when I turned into a sheep, after all.

Lord Theodore gazed at me lovingly, unblinking. “Because you’re just too lovely, Evelyn.”

I froze. What?

Lord Theodore brought a hand to his mouth and lowered his gaze, though the redness of his cheeks was still evident.

“You’re so lovely, Evelyn, that if I’d kissed you just once, I wouldn’t have been able to stop. Even if you’d asked me to, I wouldn’t have been able to do a thing, and besides—”

“H-Have mercy on my poor soul, please!!!”

If he said anything more, I’d melt on the spot! Wouldn’t even need the flames!

He gently pulled my left hand close and pressed his lips to the ring. A tingling sensation spread throughout my body like wildfire, further accelerating my beating heart.

“Evelyn...” he murmured, gazing up at me. I could see in his eyes how much he wanted to keep touching me.

“B-But it’s too early...!”

“Even though we’ve already done it?” he asked huskily, his fingertips gripping my chin.

“Lord Theodore...”

“Forgive me for this,” he whispered, and my resistance melted away.

I mean...I want it too.

I wanted him to touch me. To be tender with me. My eyes timidly fluttered shut.

Lord Theodore must’ve understood that was permission, and he closed the distance between us. Our lips slowly touched—

“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!”

An earsplitting shriek rent the air behind us.

Yeah, I had a feeling this would happen...

When I turned around, unsurprisingly, there they were—Lady Europa and the high priest, eyes bloodshot.

“This, th-th-th-this is unacceptable, Theodore! What lasciviousness, to claim Lady Evelyn’s lovely lips not once but twice!”

“Rupy, I will assist you! Let us trounce this youngster and beat the memory out of him!”

“We’re coming too, Your Eminence! For Lady Evelyn!”

The two lifted the hems of their vestments and charged, a large number of priests right on their heels.

“L-Lord Theodore! What shall we do?!”

He was at an overwhelming disadvantage near water. If Lady Europa reached him, he’d plunge into the hot spring.

But he didn’t respond.

I looked at him impatiently. “Lord Theodore! We must run, quick— Mmph!”

His lips silenced me.

Amid the startled shouts of Lady Europa and the high priests, illuminated by the flames, Lord Theodore and I made a display of sharing an especially sweet kiss.

Side Story One: Evelyn Test of Courage

“Thank you, everyone, for gathering here today for the Evelyn Test of Courage,” Lady Europa said to all those gathered around her.

Watching her treat this test like the grand opening for a party, I let out a heavy sigh.

Why do I have to participate...?

After the bonfire event ended, Lady Europa had caught me trying to sneak away, and I’d been dragged into participating in this terrifying competition.

I counted thirteen participants. Present were myself, Kira, Lord Theodore, Lady Europa, Lady Mamaropa, Karin, Lord Jackson, Mary, Prince Alex, Prince Igna, Prince Oz, and the high priest. It was late at night, and the surroundings had grown quite dark. The woods around the lake were shrouded in shadow, and I couldn’t see an inch in front of my face. There were several lights hung near the forest entrance where we were gathered, but they were dim at best, glowing eerily among the tents. That only made things even more unsettling.

Likely to create the right atmosphere, Lady Europa was grinning wickedly as she explained, “In this test of courage, we will all form two-person teams. Six special stones with the Mark of Evelyn have been placed in a small shrine deep in the forest. To clear the mission, you must obtain a stone. Lastly, team assignments will be done by lottery.”

“Wow. That’s quite authentic,” Prince Oz said, seeming enthusiastic about the whole thing.

As royalty, perhaps he longed for such common amusements. Me? I’d been scared from the very beginning of the introduction, so I didn’t even have the wherewithal to ask what the heck a “Mark of Evelyn” was supposed to be.

Also, to prevent any incidents, Prince Oz had stationed knights all around the woods, and priests were positioned near the shrine.

“Each team will be given one small lantern to explore,” Lady Europa said, bringing forward and holding up a small lit lantern. “Hee hee hee. Be careful not to drop it...”

“That light is pretty small,” Karin muttered.

“You can just wait here, if you’re scared,” Lord Theodore teased.

“I-I’m fine! I’m not scared!”

What heartwarming sibling banter.

“Furthermore, each team will not only explore but also be tasked with scaring another team,” Lady Europa continued. “The fifth pair scares the first, the sixth scares the second, the first pair—after finishing their own task—scares the third, and so on...or something. To prevent the pairs from running into each other in the woods, knights will be guiding those in scare roles.”

Weren’t they working the knights too hard?

“We’ve arranged for a full set of costumes and props for scaring. Everything else is flexible.”

Apparently, alongside the many other things that had kept her occupied since last night, Lady Europa had also been preparing for this event rather thoroughly.

No one objected, and no one asked any questions.

Lady Europa cleared her throat and brought out a transparent bag. “As the organizer, I took the liberty of setting up the lottery. Within this bag are twelve cards with numbers from one to six written on them. People with cards bearing matching numbers will form a team. Well then, Lady Evelyn, please draw the first card.”

“Okay...”

I wasn’t at all enthusiastic, but I couldn’t back out now. Just as I was about to reach for a card, someone pulled at my clothes from behind. Curious, I turned around to see Kira standing on the tips of his toes.

“Evelyn,” he whispered, “do you actually trust her?”

“Huh?”

“You don’t think she set up a fair lottery, do you?”

I gasped. Now that he mentioned it, I couldn’t imagine Lady Europa leaving things up to chance. Knowing her, she’d definitely rigged the lottery to team up with me. It would’ve been completely out of character for her not to do so!

“Lady Europa, may we inspect this lottery?” I asked.

“Huh?!” she exclaimed, her face stiffening. “Wh-What might the matter be, Lady Evelyn? Are the rules unclear?”

“No, they’re quite clear. But this lottery might be rigged.”

“A-Absolutely not! This is just an ordinary lottery! No seeding or trickery involved!”

“Then there should be no problem with me inspecting it,” I pressed, more boldly than usual.

The woods at night were scary enough on my own, but if I were teamed up with Lady Europa, the scare factor would shoot up! For my own future, I could not concede this.

“L-Lady Evelyn, look into my eyes. Do they look like the eyes of a liar?” she stammered.

“Yes.”

Her eyes were darting around wildly. Even dragonflies would have been aghast at that level of erratic flitting. Lady Europa’s devotion was so absolute that she couldn’t bring herself to lie to me. Her light purple irises, which had always looked straight at me, were swimming with guilt.

We quickly examined the bag’s contents and, unsurprisingly, found that Lady Europa had indeed rigged the lottery.

“Look, the bag has a false bottom,” Kira, who had actually conducted the inspection, said. “The person holding the bag can control one pair’s combination.”

“N-Ngh, how vexing! I had this custom-made for today,” Lady Europa lamented as she collapsed to her knees and started crying.

Way to play the victim!

Already exhausted before we’d even started, I called out to Prince Oz, “Your Highness, could you set up a new lottery?”

“Me?”

“You’re the most fair and impartial person I could think of...”

“Ah. Well, in that case, I’d be happy to do so right away.”

He went on to reuse Lady Europa’s system, changing only the bag, so it didn’t take much time at all.

Holding the bag with the cards, Prince Oz looked around at the participants. “Now then, once more from the top. The rules will be the same as those Lady Europa outlined. There’s only one new rule: You may not exchange cards once you’ve drawn your lot.”

I knew I could count on him!

Prince Oz had foreseen that certain people would attempt to trade cards to team up with their preferred partners and added a rule to prevent the simple-yet-effective tactic. Smart!

With their schemes blocked, Lady Europa and Prince Igna were both pounding the ground in frustration.

“Now then, the order doesn’t matter. Anyone can step up and start drawing.”

People without any preference, such as Lord Jackson and Kira, began to draw their lots one after another.

“Please be Evelyn, please be Evelyn,” Lord Theodore chanted over and over as he drew a card.

“Europa, Europa, Europa,” Prince Igna muttered, his intentions equally undisguised.

“This is it. This is the most important moment of my life,” Lady Europa said, her spirit soaring to tremendous rights. “Rise to the heavens and roar like a dragon, my right hand!”

Though cheating was no longer an option, there was still a chance that I’d end up on the same team as Lady Europa, so I was on edge.

And that’s not the only risk! Princes Alex and Igna are participating too...

I did want to team up with Lord Theodore somewhat, but my desire to not be paired with any of those three was overwhelmingly stronger.

Please, please, anyone but them! I prayed fervently while holding my card with trembling hands.

And then the results finally came out!

Pair 1: Kira & Oz (scarers: Pair 5)

Pair 2: Theodore & Alex (scarers: Pair 6)

Pair 3: Evelyn & Mamaropa (scarers: Pair 1)

Pair 4: Mary & Karin (scarers: Pair 2)

Pair 5: Europa & Jackson (scarers: Pair 3)

Pair 6: High Priest & Igna (scarers: Pair 4)

Each person joined their partner to exchange greetings.

“Honestly, I’m surprised by my own luck here.”

“That’s kind of you to say, Kira. May fortune smile upon us both.”

“Hello, Prince Alex.”

“O-Oh, wow, um, that smile of yours sure is giving me chills for some reason...”

“I-I’m so happy to be paired with you, Lady Mamaropa!”

“Hee hee. I feel the same. Let us do our best, Evelyn.”

“I-I’m with Karin? I mean, I guess that’s fine. Just don’t hold me back!”

“I won’t. And you’re shaking, Ms. Liar.”

“Wait, mother is with Lady Evelyn again?! Ugh! I want to switch places!”

“Ha ha ha, young people these days sure are blunt...”

“H-Hmph! You wanted to team up with Rupy, I bet!”

“Oh, what a disappointment, to have to team up with a decrepit old man...”

Y-Yay...!

I never imagined I’d get to team up with Lady Mamaropa. I’d likely used up all my luck for the rest of the year.

Lady Europa was gnawing at her handkerchief as she watched Lady Mamaropa and me hold hands and rejoice.

“Wait, but it’s Lady Evelyn who will scare my team!” she said. “I’m fortunate! The heavens themselves may have forsaken me, but Lady Evelyn would never!”

Oh. That’s true...

Not exactly cause for celebration as far as I was concerned, though I wasn’t surprised she was excited. I’d managed to avoid the worst-case scenario of teaming up with her, but Lady Mamaropa and I were responsible for scaring Lady Europa and Lord Jackson’s team. That made me extraordinarily anxious regardless.

Lady Mamaropa, meanwhile, was smiling innocently. “Since it’s our role, we should take this chance to really scare Europa,” she said.

“O-Okay!”

“We can do this!”

“We can!”

Sh-She’s so good at making me feel better...!

Right! I wasn’t alone. The great Lady Mamaropa was with me. Under her watchful eye, Lady Europa couldn’t try anything outrageous.

That means ghosts are a bigger threat than Lady Europa!

Who knew what lurked in the dark woods, after all. I’d just have to gather up all my courage, find that stone as soon as possible, and book it back.

Now feeling a bit more motivated, Lady Europa announced, “Now then—may the Evelyn Test of Courage commence!”

Pair 1: Kira & Oz (Scarers: Europa & Jackson)

Crunch, crunch, crunch—the sounds of two sets of footsteps echoed in the dark of night. The scent of moist soil and grass filled the air amid the distant chirping of insects and the rustling of animals in the brush. In the darkness, the forest wasn’t at all welcoming of human visitors.

Oz had been entrusted with the all-important lantern, its dim light flickering in the shadowed woods.

“Kira, are you okay with this sort of thing?” he asked his companion.

Kira, who didn’t particularly believe in ghosts, assumed the prince was asking about the darkness. “I can see well in the dark, so I’m not scared. What about you, Oz?”

Oz touched his finely pointed chin. “Well, I don’t mind the darkness either. Or spirits, for that matter,” he said casually, but then he furrowed his brow. “Although, terrifying rumors of human hauntings abound in the palace. Like headless enemy generals still wandering the castle grounds, or a room where you can hear the lamentations of a falsely accused concubine who was forced to drink poison. There’s a story about a blood-soaked knight...”

“That sounds scary.”

“Right?” Oz said, smiling unabashedly.

The pair was so calm it hardly befitted a test of courage. Though neither of them was particularly scared, each felt reassured by the other’s presence. This team was bound to reach the shrine without so much as a scream.

But Oz’s thoughts about the composed Kira went beyond simple reassurance.

I can sense a spark of talent in him...

Kira was quick thinking, attentive, and had a sharp intuition. He’d easily seen through Europa’s lottery trick earlier. The boy had excellent insight.

I really want him as my adjutant.

Oz couldn’t voice that thought, however. He rarely had opportunities to talk with Kira alone, but still, he couldn’t come across as too eager. Besides, it would be bad form to speak of future employment in the middle of merrymaking like this. Lastly, Kira was still young—there was no need to rush anything.

“Hey. Oz, look.”

“Hmm?”

Kira was pointing toward the bushes. Oz held up the lantern in that direction and spotted something like a pale fireball floating through the air.

“Oh. That startled me.”

“Yeah.”

It hadn’t, at all.

“Really, you two are no fun to scare,” Europa grumbled as she emerged from the bushes, swinging a toy meant to look like a fireball. She pursed her lips in annoyance.

“Well, Kira?! Are you enjoying the test of courage?!” asked Jackson with entirely too much cheer in his tone. He came running out with a fake axe stuck in his head, laughing jovially.

“I guess, yeah.”

“Splendid, splendid! Goodness me, when Theodore told me you and Lady Evelyn had vanished, I was shocked! But in the course of your adventures, you’ve made so many new friends. I’m happy for you, my boy!”

Kira tilted his head. The participants in the test of courage were acquaintances of Evelyn, the boy thought, not exactly friends of his own.

But...it was true that he’d caused trouble for Jackson and Theodore. Recalling that he had yet to apologize, Kira bowed his head. “Sorry for worrying you, Jackson.”

“Ah, it’s no trouble. I fully believe that if you’d been in any real danger, you’d have told us, Kira,” Jackson said, clapping Kira’s shoulder. “But in the future, I’d appreciate it if you told me before heading out. That way I’ll be more at ease.”

“All right. I’ll be mindful.”

“Pardon the interruption,” Europa said, “but you two do know this is supposed to be a test of courage, right?”

Thus, with Jackson and Kira’s father-and-son relationship reaffirmed, the first pair arrived at the shrine, bringing their test of courage to a smooth conclusion.

Pair 2: Theodore & Alex (Scarers: High Priest & Igna)

To the strange cawing of birds (or something) in the background, Theodore advanced through the forest without hesitation, lantern in hand.

“Wh-What?! Oh, it’s just the shadow of a tree. Don’t scare me like— Eeeeeek!!! Oh, it’s a mouse! Dammit! I’m the crown prince, you know! I won’t tolerate this disrespect!”

Alex, who was walking behind Theodore, was flinching at every little thing. But if he dawdled, Theodore would mercilessly leave him behind, so he had no choice but to desperately dog the footsteps of the young count.

Wanting to fill the silence between them, Alex decided to start talking. “Th-The forest at night is really intense, huh?!”

“Yes,” Theodore replied flatly.

“Um, have you ever done a test of courage before?”

“Eh...”

Well, that topic had gone nowhere, so Alex decided to boldly traipse straight onto a land mine.

“S-So, how are things going with you and Evelyn?”

“That’s none of Your Highness’s concern.”

Alex grimaced at the curt rejection.

What is he made of, ice?! The crown prince goes out of his way to make conversation, and this is how he reacts?! Alex fumed. But wait. Why am I trying to find things to talk about, anyway?

It struck the prince then that this approach was fundamentally flawed.

“Well, I think, you know, instead of making small talk, we should just hurry and get to the shrine!” Alex said.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to do, yes,” Theodore retorted.

Alex didn’t respond, but his eyes filled with tears.

Theodore sighed. “You’re scared, aren’t you, Your Highness?”

Alex’s face reddened as he realized how transparent his own feelings must have been. He hadn’t been trying to fill the silence because he felt awkward—he didn’t want to stay silent because the chill tingling in his spine might just turn into a blizzard and freeze him in place.

He just hadn’t expected Theodore to notice.

“I-I’m not scared!” he protested.

“No need to act tough. I won’t tell anyone. Wouldn’t it be easier for us to just go and get that stone so we can move on to the role of scarers?”

Alex’s eyes widened. Theodore, whom he’d thought despised him, had actually been considerate of him all along. Was it because of...?

In an unusual display of honesty, Alex confessed, “I, um, I think I’d be pretty scared even as the one supposed to do the scaring.”

Theodore’s lips curled into a small smile. Despite his dislike of Alex, his tone was calm. “True. Waiting in the woods in silence might be much scarier.”

Alex slowly exhaled as he gazed upon Theodore’s handsome profile. Evelyn found herself a good guy...

He, meanwhile, had to have been the worst fiancé.

Alex didn’t excel at anything—academics, martial arts, nothing. He felt conflicted about his lack of talent compared to his brothers, Oz and Igna. Yet he was the one who’d been made to get engaged to Evelyn, who was respected throughout the country. His inferiority complex had only grown, and as a result, he’d cheated on her with Mary, hurt her, and driven her out of the Grand Basilica.

And that same Evelyn, who had never so much as smiled at him, was radiant by Theodore’s side.

He was in no position to say anything about it, but he thought this was a good thing. Still, every word out of his mouth was spiteful, and he’d never admitted such feelings to anyone.

As the pair kept walking, what appeared to be a shrine came into view. Theodore, still walking ahead, looked around.

“You know, nobody ever showed up to scare us,” the count said.

“Knowing Igna, he probably figured it wasn’t worth the hassle.”

“Ah.”

Igna would’ve been motivated had Europa been involved, but he really couldn’t be expected to play nice and follow the instructions to scare Theodore and Alex.

Alex was about to say something when, to his astonishment, he saw a handsome face staring up at him from a puddle on the ground!

“Aaaugh! No, wait...that’s me.”

“Stop joking around, Your Highness. Let’s go.”

“F-Fine! Hey! Don’t leave me behind!”

Alex hurriedly followed Theodore, who still wasn’t stopping.

Pair 3: Evelyn & Mamaropa (Scarers: Kira & Oz)

A tense, frightened Evelyn stood at the start point. Her heart was pounding wildly as she swallowed hard.

This is scary. This is terrifying.

The cries of unknown creatures echoing in the darkness, the rustling of grass, the eerie whistling of wind—it was as though monsters lurking in the shadows were beckoning their pitiful prey.

To encourage Evelyn, whose limbs had stiffened to the point she couldn’t walk, Mamaropa held up the lantern.

“It’s all right, Evelyn. I’m here with you.”

“Th-Thank you,” Evelyn stammered, clinging to Mamaropa so tightly it was hard for either of them to walk.

Mamaropa gave a small nod. “Let’s go.”

“O-Okayyy!”

The two advanced so slowly that even tortoises would’ve mocked them.

“I-I-I-I’m scared, Lady Mamaropa,” Evelyn said, trembling so hard her bones were audibly rattling.

“There, there. I’ve got you,” Mamaropa said, patting Evelyn’s head. “Your mother will keep you safe.”

“Mommyropa...!” Evelyn murmured, sniffling at the sight of her reliable mother figure.

And as the two walked, there was a loud flapping noise.

“Eeeyaaaaaaaahhh!” Evelyn shrieked, clinging to Mamaropa with tears streaming down her face.

She looked toward the source of the sound—a bird or something that had been perched on a branch had just flown away.

Oh. Oh, that was just...

Evelyn let out an embarrassed laugh. “S-Sorry, Lady Mamaropa, that startled me. I thought it was something, but it was just a bird—”

“Guh.”

Sh-She fainted!

Maybe the bird—or Evelyn’s wail—had startled her. The lantern slipped from the unconscious Mamaropa’s hands and fell to the grassy ground. Unfortunately, it broke on impact. The flame went out, and the surrounding darkness swallowed them.

“No!”

It’s over! were the words that immediately crossed Evelyn’s mind. But Mamaropa, caught in her arms, felt warm and solid. Evelyn clung to the duchess.

“Please, Lady Mamaropa, don’t leave me!”

Being left alone in such a dark forest was too much. Maybe it’d be faster to return the way they came, but...Evelyn could no longer tell which direction that was.

“Waaaaaaah!”

Forgetting that she was a grown woman, Evelyn began to bawl.

Two sets of footsteps approached. Evelyn’s throat constricted. Had ghosts finally come for her?

“Evelyn. Mamaropa. Are you all right?”

Kira and Oz emerged with a lantern.

Kira! My hero, always!

Evelyn was so moved that she started crying even harder. “K-Kira! Kiraaa!”

“There’s snot all over your face. What happened?” Kira asked.

“A-A bird! It went FLAP! And then Lady Mamaropa! She went GUH!” Evelyn managed between sobs. Her explanation was far from stellar, but it conveyed the gist of the situation.

“Well then, I’ll carry the guh’d Lady Mamaropa on my back. Kira, hold Lady Evelyn’s hand.”

“Got it. Give me your hand, Evelyn.”

“O-Okay!”

Though she resembled a lost child being protected, Evelyn didn’t exactly care. She was just glad to have Kira’s warmth for reassurance.

“I-Is this okay, though? You two were supposed to be scaring us...”

“Now’s not the time to worry about that,” Kira said.

“He’s right,” Oz agreed. “Safety first.”

“But we didn’t even get the stone...” Evelyn lamented.

“I’ll sneak into the shrine later,” Oz assured her. “That’s not against the rules, now is it?”

So sensible!

Now that Evelyn thought about it, she had Lady Mamaropa, Kira, and Oz. What a formidable trio of sensible people.

Though Lady Mamaropa fainted!

Thus, Evelyn and Mamaropa escaped the forest with the help of their kind scarers.

Pair 4: Mary & Karin (Scarers: Theodore & Alex)

Mary, lantern in hand, let out a sigh.

This game is so pointless...

If not for the fact Karin had asked her to take part, Mary would’ve been back at the inn already. Sure, the night forest was somewhat scary, but not scary enough to freeze her in her tracks. She kept walking, if only to finish quickly and get to her comfy bed.

Ugh, but I have to do the scaring thing too.

Seemed she was stuck playing along for a while.

“Ms. Liar, are you all right? Aren’t you scared?” Karin asked.

“I’m fine. What about you? This must be scary for a little kid.”

“I’m more scared of neglected hangnails than the dark,” Karin said with unwavering conviction in her eyes.

Mary found herself wondering about something.

The first time she’d met Karin—a daughter of House Manilas—was at the Summer of Evelyn Festival. Since hangnails were something she could actually handle, Mary had been running a booth, the Hangnail-Healing Squad, and the cross-dressing Karin had stopped by as a customer.

Karin, who was extraordinarily preoccupied with hangnails for some reason, had nitpicked and found fault with Mary’s apparently immature healing magic, her youthful appearance belying her harshness. Frustrated though Mary had been, she’d used that experience to fuel her own determination and set out to travel the land improving her healing skills.

All of that considered, she felt within her rights to ask, “Karin, why are you so particular about hangnails?”

“Well...” Karin’s tone dropped lower. “Once, at my previous school, my classmates invited me to play in the mud.”

Mary listened, wondering where this was going.

“The next day, I had a hangnail on my right index finger. The kids who saw it laughed hard at me and said, ‘The fancy boy from the fancy family lost to a puddle of mud! What a loser!’”

“Playing in mud does increase the odds of suffering hangnails due to stimulation to the fingertips,” Mary remarked. She’d become quite knowledgeable about hangnails.

“So I thought...anyone making fun of hangnails would never notice the pain in people’s hearts. That’s when I decided I wouldn’t overlook even the tiniest hangnail.”

Mary hummed, narrowing her eyes pensively. So that was why Karin was so gung ho about hangnails. That explained why she’d gotten mad about Mary’s sloppy healing magic.

Mary huffed. “If I’d gone to school with you, I’d have sent those bullies packing.”

“Hmm. I feel like if you’d been in my class, Ms. Liar, you’d have been one of the bullies.”

Mary choked on her words. It was true that, given Mary’s personality, she would’ve relentlessly bullied a well-bred, quiet, cross-dressing girl like Karin.

“I-I wouldn’t do that,” she lied. “I’d protect you. And if you got a hangnail, I’d heal it.”

“Really? Thank you.” Karin managed a small smile.

The adorable expression made Mary’s heart do a thing—but it clenched at the same time. She’d known this from the moment they’d first met, but still, hearing Karin’s story had confirmed it.

“You only want me for my healing magic,” Mary murmured quietly. She didn’t think Karin would hear.

But in the quiet of the night woods, her voice carried easily.

Karin blinked, then gently shook her head. “That’s not true. You don’t look like it, but you work hard, Ms. Liar.”

“Huh?!”

“So I wanted to see you improve.”

Mary had had no idea Karin felt that way. Mary’s cheeks grew hot, and to hide her embarrassment, she stuck out her tongue. “Wh-Whatever! Flattery will get you nowhere!”

“Hey, Ms. Liar?”

“What?!”

“You only lie sometimes these days, so I think I shouldn’t call you Ms. Liar anymore.”

Mary was flustered at the sudden barrage of nice comments. Surely Karin was toying with her.

She gritted her teeth and managed to keep her composure. “Th-Then just call me Mary like a normal person.”

“Ms. Mary?”

After a small pause, Mary nodded. “Yeah.”

“Okay. Then, Ms. Mary, you’re on a journey to heal hangnails, right? So you’ll travel to various towns?”

“Um, yeah.”

“But can you come back here during winter?”

“Winter? Why?”

“It’s dry, so I get hangnails easily. I’d feel safer with you here.”

Mary was about to mention that Evelyn could handle healing hangnails, but then she closed her mouth. Karin’s ears, illuminated by the lantern, looked somewhat red.

Seeing that, Mary said brightly, “I-I guess I could be magnanimous and come back since you’re begging. But no promises!”

“No promises?” Karin echoed, looking up anxiously.

Mary felt her heart do another thing. “Fine! I promise! Pinky promise! There! Happy?!”

“Yes. I’m happy.”

“Bru-wah!”

Alex’s face suddenly emerged from the dirt with a strange cry!

“Ah ha ha ha! I conquered my fears and waited in the hole Theodore dug! Man, I nearly soiled my pants. Good job making it here, Mary!”

“Oh, Ms. Mary! You have a hangnail on your pinky,” Karin pointed out.

“Oh no! Really? I have to heal it.”

“Show me how much you’ve grown.”

“Hmph! Prepare to be amazed!”

Not noticing Alex at all, the two girls chattered away as they continued toward the shrine.

The prince, buried in the dirt, was left behind.

Pair 5: Europa & Jackson (Scarers: Evelyn & Mamaropa)

“Lady Evelyn, where are you?!” Europa shouted frantically as she looked around. “Where are you?!”

She and Jackson had only just started their turn.

“Please! I cannot wait another second! Please, Lady Evelyn, do not hide! Come out and show this pitiful sow your beautiful form!”

She’d completely deviated from the point of the test of courage.

“Europa, if you keep making a racket, Lady Evelyn won’t be able to come out and scare you,” Jackson said calmly.

“But Lord Uncle!”

“I’m sure my sister and Lady Evelyn are hard at work thinking of ways to surprise us. This test of courage is special, isn’t it? Let’s try to enjoy it, shall we?”

Jackson’s words resonated in the hasty Europa’s chest.

“You’re right, Lord Uncle. Lady Evelyn is now fully devoted to scaring me. Oh! To think I live and breathe in Lady Evelyn’s mind! How exciting! Come, let us go!” Europa said, having regained a bit of composure.

She charged forward. Jackson, walking behind her, held up the lantern so he wouldn’t trip.

He scratched his head. “I’m actually a bit of a scaredy-cat despite how I look,” he admitted. “But I can’t leave you to face the ghosts for me.”

“Oh, Lord Uncle, you’re such a jokester. There’s no such thing as ghosts,” Europa said with a giggle, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Well, we can’t be sure, can we? They might exist somewhere.”

“Really, if they existed, where would—”

Just then, a pure white ghost leaped out from the darkness! “Boo!”

“Lady Evelyn! I’ve waited so long!”

“Huh?!” Evelyn said in a panic, still wearing the sheet. “How did you know?!”

“Aaaugh! A ghost! Run!”

Jackson, not realizing the spectre was actually Evelyn, grabbed a vine hanging from a giant tree and swung through the air.

“Aa-a-a-a-aa-a-a-a-aah!”

He disappeared into the depths of the forest, yodeling.

“Who else would such an adorable ghost be?! Come, my hugging ghost, take me into your arms! Eeek, I’m sooo scared!”

“Hey! Don’t be weird! I’m not a hugging ghost, I’m a sheet-wearing ghost!” Evelyn protested even as she retreated.

Europa was trailing after her, breathing heavily. “Oh, sheet-wearing ghost, is it? Why don’t you invite me to join you under that sheet, then?”

“N-No! You’ll do something weird! I know you will!”

“I will indeed!”

“I knew it!”

At that moment, something gripped the fleeing Evelyn’s slender ankle.

“Eeeeeeek!”

Evelyn fell on her rear, panicking, and the sheet flew through the air.

A raspy voice rose from the ground.

“Evelyn...help me... The hole is too deep... I can’t get out...”

“A z-z-z-z-z-zombie!”

“I’m not a zombie... I’m the crown prince... Theodore tricked me...left me here...”

“Nooo! Don’t bite meee! I don’t wanna be a zombieee!”

“That guy...looks like an angel...but he’s a devil inside...”

“It’ll infect meee! I’m infecteeed! Waaaaah!”

The dirt-covered Alex clung tightly to the half-crazed, wailing Evelyn. Europa, who had been entranced by the lovely tears flowing down Evelyn’s cheeks, suddenly came to her senses.

“Curse you, Clown Prick! How dare you touch Lady Evelyn’s legs before I do!”

“Whatever... Just help me...”

“Not a chance in hell!”

“Guh.”

Mamaropa, who had been waiting in the darkness, was startled by Evelyn’s shrieks and fainted again.

Pair 6: High Priest & Igna (Scarers: Mary & Karin)

Hidden in the bushes, Mary and Karin were secretly watching the high priest and Igna prepare to depart. After getting their stone at the shrine, the two girls had run back through the forest as part of their strategy as scarers.

“Hee hee hee,” Mary chuckled, grinning. “They won’t expect a scare so soon after starting...”

Karin’s small head sat atop Mary’s.

“That old man gave me hell for getting Evelyn kicked out of the Grand Basilica,” Mary muttered. “I’ll scare the wits right out of him. Watch me be the best ghost.”

“Ms. Mary, wait. Something’s not right,” Karin whispered.

Mary tilted her head. “Huh?”

She focused on the two men’s conversation, faintly audible in the distance.

“—hear voices coming from the forest,” Igna said. He was standing at the starting point, arms crossed.

The rule was that after enough time had passed, the next pair was up. He and the high priest hadn’t started yet because they kept hearing people shouting in the woods.

“No way this is just because of the scarers,” Igna muttered.

There was no answer. The prince glanced to the side.

“What’s wrong, Your Eminence? You’re fidgeting. Do you need to take a leak?”

“N-No, you fool!”

Still, catching the high priest’s constant fidgeting in his peripheral vision had Igna curious.

“Did you soil yourself already?”

“Stupid! Fool! Dumb idiot!” Igna easily caught the high priest’s staff swing, and the old man’s cheeks flushed. “Such strong arms...”

“So, what’s the problem, then?” the prince asked, suspicious of the high priest’s uncanny reaction.

“D-D-Don’t misunderstand! I don’t like you or anything!”

“Sure. I don’t like anyone besides Europa either.”

The high priest clutched his chest at the frank rebuke.

“What now?” Igna asked. “Heart attack, or...?”

“N-No. This is...”

Igna’s eyes widened. There it was. A voice coming from the woods, shouting, “Lady Evelyn!”

“That voice...!” he exclaimed, gleefully taking off into the woods. “Europa! I’m coming! Be as disgusted as you please!”

Lantern in hand, the prince rushed away without looking back. The high priest was left behind, watching Igna’s figure disappear between the trees.

“Why...am I attracted to this ogre? This horrible, inconsiderate man,” he murmured softly, his words reaching no ears. “Ugh, enough! I’ll put a lid on these feelings! He’s Rupy’s fiancé. I never stood a chance!”

Sounding like he was trying to convince himself more than anything, the high priest began to walk, supporting himself on his staff.

“Hey! Igna! Don’t leave your partner behind! Why are you following a beast trail, anyway?! Rupy won’t be that way!”

Mary and Karin, still hiding in the bushes, had watched the entire exchange. After a long silence, the two exchanged glances, the exact same thing written across both their faces.

“Let’s...not tell anyone about what we just saw,” Karin proposed. “For His Eminence’s sake.”

“Yes, I think that would be best,” Mary said, nodding firmly.

***

“Well, despite...all sorts of things, the test of courage was a resounding success! Excellent work, everyone!”

Was...it a success, really?

Standing with everyone else in front of the tent during the closing ceremony, I was baffled. Perhaps I should’ve expected it, but I felt like I was the only one who’d had a bad time. The knights, after conducting an emergency search, had found Lord Jackson, Prince Igna, and the high priest wandering the woods. Prince Alex was ultimately rescued too but had to be pulled out of the ground by three men.

But beyond that, there had been various other incidents that would take far too long to explain, like Lord Theodore getting shoved into a giant hole by Lady Europa when he’d rushed over to me.

Lady Mamaropa, who had fainted a second time, was sleeping peacefully on a stretcher. Lord Dadapopa was on his way, so she would be fine, I was sure.

“It was a very meaningful experience. Let’s do this again sometime!”

I had no idea where the meaning was. This had been awful! I’d been terrified, Lady Europa had chased me around, and Prince Alex had nearly made me jump out of my skin.

“Yes, let’s do it again,” Prince Oz said.

“Next time I’ll be in Europa’s team,” Prince Igna muttered.

“It was fun hanging out with Ms. Mary,” Karin added.

“What?” Mary asked. “Oh, I mean, I guess it wasn’t that bad...”

Huh? People are surprisingly receptive...

The only ones who looked like they were absolutely opposed to the idea were me and the dirt-caked Prince Alex. Why?

As I looked at the faces of the participants discussing their opinions of the test of courage, I noticed something wasn’t quite adding up.

“Wait, was one of the teams a trio?” I asked.

“Huh? What do you mean, Evelyn?” Lord Theodore asked, tilting his head.

He’d left the scare role to Prince Alex and had apparently been searching for me, hoping to meet up. Since we’d barely had any chance to talk during the test, he was now standing firmly next to me.

“Look, there were thirteen participants total, right?” I asked. “Since that doesn’t divide evenly by six, I thought maybe one team had three people...but I only see twelve people here?”

Lord Theodore gave me a quizzical look. “Evelyn, there were only ever twelve people.”

“Huh?”

“Every team was a pair,” Lord Theodore said, completely serious.

I gave an awkward smile. It was unusual for Lord Theodore to be so mischievous, but I couldn’t play along with whatever scheme he’d come up with.

“L-Lord Theodore, honestly! You can’t scare me like that. I know I counted thirteen.”

“I’m serious. I approached each participant myself to help Europa set things up, so I’m very certain.” He began to count on his fingers. “It was you, me, Kira, Europa, Lady Mamaropa, Karin, my father, Mary, Prince Alex, Prince Igna, Prince Oz, and the high priest. Twelve people, see?”

A chill crawled up my spine.

“So what I saw at the start was...”

My fingertips grew cold and my breaths became ragged. My mind volunteered the terrifying explanation...

...and I fainted.

Side Story Two: “Instructor” on Paper, “Mommy” in Truth

“Waaaaaaaah!!!”

There I was, back at the Manilas estate three days after the end of the Summer of Evelyn Camp, bawling my eyes out.

Much had happened since I’d first left to clear my head and my note had been mistaken as a farewell letter. Lord Theodore and I had finally made up, and our petition for marriage had been formally accepted. Things were going smoothly, I thought! Finally, I could aim to become an intelligent, elegant, magnificent countess!

Silly me.

Nothing’s changed! Nothing!

Indeed. I was in the exactly same place I’d been before I left the estate.

“Evelyn, your instructor told me that she was moved to tears by your wonderful bearing in today’s walking lesson—so much so that she fainted,” Lord Theodore said as he walked into the guest hall, his spirits high.

“Lord Theodore,” I mumbled, glaring sharply at him. “It wasn’t even a lesson! All I did was put a book on my head!”

His eyes widened. “You put a heavy book on your head? Oh, Evelyn, how hardworking you are! It’s so admirable!”

“Listen! Let me finish!”

The problem was what had happened after.

“Then the instructor said, ‘Oh my! Lady Evelyn, what a shapely head you have! Round and large, like that of an innocent baby! Truly, a miraculous shape! To put a book on such a world heritage of a head is unacceptable! No, this simply won’t do! Lesson over! You’re a perfect lady! Farewell, then!’ and went home! Just like that! Can you believe it?!”

Despite my best attempt at imitating my absurd instructor, Lord Theodore just...nodded firmly.

“I see it.”

What?!

“I, too, am enamored with the shape of your head. I think the instructor and I would get along.”

I was speechless. This was pointless. He wasn’t getting it.

Deciding to ignore the smiling Lord Theodore as he gazed dreamily at my head, I turned to Kira, who was on the couch reading a bestiary.

“Kira, this is so strange! Why is this happening again? I made sure to ask Lord Theodore to request an instructor who wouldn’t go easy on me and would actually teach me etiquette!”

As he turned a page, Kira looked at me and gave a small tilt of his head reminiscent of a small bird’s.

“You don’t get it, do you?”

“What do you mean?”

“The thing your instructors are doing. That’s not them going easy on you.”

I stared blankly at him. “Huh?”

“The people of this country all love you to a ridiculous degree,” he explained. “None of them are trying to flatter you. They genuinely feel that way about you. Their praise is sincere, Evelyn. Mamaropa said so too, didn’t she?”

I thought back on the night the three of us had spent at the lake.

“Everyone loves you. That’s why nobody scolds you or gets mad.”

Well...she did say that.

It did make me happy that so many people loved me as the saint. But that had nothing to do with this! If I kept getting heaped with praise every time I did anything at all, I’d never improve!

Oh! I’ve got it!

Inspiration struck me then. Up until now, I’d been making an honest attempt at my lessons. But if my instructors kept coddling me, I resolved to become the world’s most spoiled woman. A true problem child. Maybe Lord Theodore would understand the gravity of the situation if he sensed that possibility!

Yes. This was a sound strategy.

“Well, in that case, I guess no one will mind...”

I let out an appropriately melancholic sigh, and Lord Theodore and Kira both turned to look at me curiously.

“I guess that’s fine, then,” I said, swirling the hem of my vestments. “Since I can’t learn how to walk properly in a dress, I’ll just have to go to the ball completely naked! I simply have no better option.”

The two instantly flushed red. So did I, of course. There was no way I wouldn’t be embarrassed to make such a bold statement. But I endured the shame!

Lord Theodore’s face twisted. “C-Completely naked? Absolutely not! I will not allow anyone else to gaze upon your skin.”

“See, that’s what I’m saying!” I exclaimed, my face lighting up at the thought that I’d at last hit the mark.

But then Lord Theodore said, “So I’ll just have to slaughter everyone at the venue.”

“U-Um, that’s a bit—”

“Right. Slaughter is going too far. I’ll make do with gouging out everyone’s eyeballs.”

Was he tired? Was that why he was saying such terrible things?

“Please stop it with the slaughtering and gouging! What I’m trying to say is, I don’t want to be a useless adult! Get me an actual teacher!”

“You’re not useless, Evelyn. You just want to be naked.”

“Will you stop smiling nicely at me like that?!”

Now he thought I had a weird hobby! Why was this happening?!

“Ms. Saint, you have a visitor,” Karin said as she knocked on the door from the outside.

“A visitor?” I said, my fatigue draining slightly. “Who might it be?”

My eyes opened wide at the person who walked through the door.

“Lady Mamaropa?!”

“Good day, Evelyn, Kira, Theodore,” she said, standing there cutely.

But...Lord Dadapopa was supposed to have taken her back to the Duchy of Caté after the Summer of Evelyn Camp! I remembered this clear as day! We’d tearfully exchanged goodbyes and everything!

“What brings you here, Lady Mamaropa?” I asked, rushing over.

She took my hands in hers and smiled warmly. “I was concerned about you and couldn’t sit still, so I camped all the way from Caté to Semme.”

“Lady Mamaropa,” I mumbled, my eyes growing moist.

She’d come all this way for me! What a thoughtful woman. My heart was full.

Wait! That’s it!

Inspiration struck me a second time. Lady Mamaropa was a distinguished duchess. If she taught me, I could grow to unprecedented heights!

And she wouldn’t exempt me from class just because my head is shapely!

I squeezed both of her hands in turn. “Please, Lady Mamaropa, would you become my instructor?”

“Instructor?” she asked, puzzled.

But surely, I thought, she remembered me lamenting this situation before! Which she did, as she nodded after thinking for a bit.

“Well, if you think I’d be a good fit, I most certainly do not mind.”

“Really?”

“But...are you content with me being only an instructor?”

“Huh?”

“If you wish, I could take on one more role...” she suggested, winking lightly.

My heart throbbed. Truthfully, I’d wanted to jump into her warm bosom since the moment she walked into the room. Embarrassing as it was that she’d seen right through me, I couldn’t hold back any longer, and decided to follow my heart.

“Mommyyy!”

“Hee hee. You’re such a good girl, Evelyn” she said, patting my head as I hugged her gently.

***

Behind the mother-daughter pair, the neglected Lord Theodore and Kira were talking.

“You’d better be careful, Theodore. I think mommy—er, Mamaropa is a much more formidable foe than that weirdo.”

“I-I’ll bear it in mind...”

***

Meanwhile, at the Grand Basilica, the current saint was in the grips of a fit of rage.

“Ugh! I can sense it! Lady Evelyn getting cozy with mother! I can’t allow this—I must reclaim Lady Evelyn’s heart at once!”

Thus, the battle for Evelyn’s affections only grew more intense.

***

“We should take this opportunity to snap a commemorative photo,” Lady Mamaropa suggested one day while we were camping.

“A photo? But there’s no studio nearby,” I said.

She started rummaging through her large backpack. “Well, I happen to have brought a small magical tool called a ‘camera.’”

“Wow!”

Kira exhaled, impressed. “That’s amazing. Cameras aren’t easy to come by.”

“That’s right,” Lady Mamaropa confirmed. “I was able to get this one through my husband’s connections. It’s an essential camping item.”

It was true that, while camping, one encountered all kinds of things worth preserving—beautiful scenery, rare wild birds and plants, and many other moments one would want to capture in photos.

Lady Mamaropa looked at us.

“Well? How about it?”

“Yes!” I readily agreed. “Let’s do it!”

Cameras were rare, and there was no telling if we’d get another opportunity to snap a photo with just us three.

Kira nodded too.

“Well then, I’ll set it up,” Lady Mamaropa said. “Shall we pose with the lake in the background?”

“That sounds perfect!”

Lady Mamaropa cheerfully prepared for our photo. The camera, set on a stand, was an incredibly handy device that would, it seemed, automatically take the shot at the exact right moment.

As I watched her, I thought, Wait, hasn’t something like this happened before?

Europa had once invited me to a photo studio in Laster, and Lord Theodore had come along...

Ugh. For some reason, trying to remember that day gives me an awful headache...

Surely I was not meant to remember it. I decided to let sleeping dogs lie and forget the pain of the past.

“Evelyn? You okay?”

“Y-Yes, I’m fine, Kira.” I put on a fake smile to reassure him.

“Shall we huddle together for the photo?” Lady Mamaropa asked.

“It’s gotten a bit dark. I’ll turn on a light,” Kira said. He held a lantern, perhaps so that Lady Mamaropa couldn’t hug him.

Though she appeared disappointed, she pulled herself together and looked at me. “Well, I’ll just huddle with Evelyn, then.”

She pulled my head and shoulders to her, clutching me tightly.

Surprised, I yelped, “L-Lady Mamaropa!”

“Yes, Evelyn?”

“Um, how should I say this? Your face is a bit close...”

“Is it?” she asked, her stunning features showing a hint of confusion. From close up. Very close up. Her blue eyes peered at me from beneath her long eyelashes, and her slender fingertips were stroking my hair over and over. “I don’t think so...”

Her soft breath brushed my cheek.

My shoulders jerked abruptly. “Fwah!”

“You’re so sensitive, Evelyn. It’s so cute...” she whispered in my ear.

Immediately, my face flushed hot. I shivered with something that wasn’t a chill and found myself growing restless.

“Kiraaa...” I pleaded, reaching for his shoulder.

Kira looked awkward for a moment, but then his eyes narrowed. “I think Mamaropa’s drunk.”

“Huh?”

“I can smell alcohol for some reason.”

“What?” I sniffed the air, panicking. I-It’s true!

Lady Mamaropa tilted her head, her eyes hazy. “Now that I think about it, while I was soaking in the hot spring at the bathhouse, they offered me liquor, on the house...”

That explains it! That had to be the reason for Lady Mamaropa’s weirdly seductive, loose behavior!

“Oh, Lady Mamaropa, I didn’t know you were a lightweight!”

“Hmm? Am I? I might be...” she said, smiling softly for some reason, and she brushed her long, slender fingertips over my chin. Perhaps due to intoxication, her cheeks were flushed a deep crimson, the same color as her alluring lips. “Whatever shall I do, Evelyn? However shall I sober up?”

“U-Umm...”

As I stood there, hesitating, the sound of the camera’s shutter clicking repeatedly echoed in the distance.

“Or perhaps...I do not need to be sober ever again...”

I gasped. This was it. At this rate, she’d open up a door for me and whisk me away into a whole new world of sweet delights!

B-But...I might...not mind...?

I swallowed. My body felt like a puddle of melted chocolate. If I could spend the rest of my days under Lady Mamaropa’s care, that’d...that’d be...

“Evelyn! Fight it!” Kira called out repeatedly as temptation threatened to swallow me.

And then—

“Guh.”

Lady Mamaropa was out like a light, and that broke the spell.

Holding her limp body, I urgently told Kira, “Hey! Let’s delete all the weird photos while we can!”

“Got it,” he said. “I hope there’s at least one decent photo...”

“I have faith!”

In the end, one photo was indeed salvaged. Upon seeing it, Lady Mamaropa beamed.

Afterword

Hello again! I’m Harunadon.

This was volume 2 of Even Exiled, She’s Still the Beloved Saint! St. Evelyn’s Weird and Wonderful Friends.

I wrote in the last volume’s afterword that if that book was well received, the story might continue—but I didn’t think it would actually happen! This is all thanks to everyone who picked up the first volume. I am grateful beyond words.

Volume 2 begins an entirely new arc, which ends up becoming a story full of outdoorsy vibes. How was it? We had Mamaropa, Europa’s mother, front and center as a new character.

Kurodeko-sensei’s drawings of the sexy, nurturing Lady Mamaropa are so amazing! The cover illustration blew me away yet again. The trio, looking like they’re about to begin their test of courage, are simply adorable.

Indeed, in the side story at the end of the volume, Evelyn and her friends take part in a test of courage. But I wanted it to be organic, so I decided the group assignments via amidakuji—or ghost leg—lottery. There were no redos! But the group divisions turned out so interesting that you might be wondering whether I actually handpicked them myself.

Though I think with such unique characters, any combination could’ve resulted in its own set of engaging incidents. I’d love to do something like this again.

Also, I come bearing wonderful news! A manga adaptation of this book has been greenlit! The news was so outlandish that my editor had to confirm that they hadn’t mistaken us with another series. And they hadn’t! Yay!

I can always see Evelyn and the gang running around in my head, so I can’t wait to see them do that in manga form. There will probably be all sorts of announcements coming, so please look forward to those!

Will there be a volume 3...? Will there not? I would love for there to be!

And for that to happen, I need all of you as readers to lend me your power. Please continue to support this series!

I hope to see you all again someday!