Chapter 49
After finishing the end-of-term ceremony before summer break at the academy, Reina returned to the Grand Shrine in the royal capital.
As Reina stepped down from the carriage, one of the sisters came to greet her.
"Welcome back, Saint."
"I've just returned. Where is the cardinal?"
"He is in his office, but..."
"Thank you!"
Leaving those words behind, Reina quickly headed toward the cardinal's office.
"Excuse me. This is Reina Laurel!"
She knocked, but opened the door before receiving a reply.
The cardinal, Dilet Horst, who had been working on documents at his desk, looked up with a grimace.
"Lady Reina, that was improper."
"That doesn't matter! More importantly, it's summer vacation! As promised, I'm going home!"
"Hm..."
As Reina declared this, the cardinal's expression grew even more bitter.
Reina had long insisted that she would return to the town of Eggbell once the long vacation began.
From the cardinal's perspective, he wanted her to continue her training and duties at the Grand Shrine even during summer break...
"I've already completed the assignments you gave me. You're not going to tell me I can't go now, are you?"
Reina confirmed with a smile, but her tone brooked no refusal.
Reina had already completed a month's worth of work in advance.
As for her training in Holy Arts, she had already reached such an overwhelming level that no one in the shrine could match her. There was nothing left for her to train in.
So when the cardinal added the condition, 'If you place within the top ten on the final exams,' she still managed to place second in her grade while fulfilling her shrine duties.
There was no longer any reason to stop Reina. There wasn't, but... the cardinal groaned.
(If possible, I don't want to send Lady Reina back to her hometown... Even if it's only for a month, the fact that the Saint is leaving the Grand Shrine brings many complications.)
Saint Reina had garnered the admiration of many and was now becoming the very symbol of the Grand Shrine.
So it was certainly not desirable for her to leave the royal capital.
Villains might target the Saint, and people might start to question whether the Grand Shrine could truly retain her.
(Besides... in Eggbell, there's that man, Priest Clael Byrne...)
From Reina's behavior, it was obvious that she held strong affection for Clael.
He had saved her when she was oppressed and raised her until she was fifteen—so it was only natural—but the problem was that her feelings were clearly not familial in nature.
(Lady Reina should marry a royal, noble, or someone influential in the shrine... Even if he is a son of the Byrne Marquis family, I can't let her marry a rural priest...)
It wasn't just a political issue.
A mere rural priest could hardly provide the support and protection that a Saint like Reina needed.
That's why the cardinal had tried to gently separate Reina and Clael by arranging marriage meetings... but all of them had ended in failure.
As if some invisible force were at work.
(If Lady Reina wishes to be with Priest Clael Byrne, I don't mind that. But... the problem is that Priest Byrne lacks ambition and drive.)
As a reward for raising and protecting the Saint, the cardinal had once suggested bringing Clael to the Grand Shrine in the royal capital and granting him the title of bishop.
However, that proposal had been firmly declined by none other than Clael himself.
'I'm more suited to rural life. I have no intention of leaving this town.'
In truth... Clael was the fifth son of the Byrne Marquis family, but he had witnessed his brothers nearly kill each other over succession disputes.
Because of that, he had a strong aversion to getting involved in power struggles and backstabbing at the Grand Shrine.
(If I can't bring Priest Byrne to the royal capital, then I suppose I must find a more suitable man for Lady Reina...)
"Ah, Lady Reina. About that matter..."
"What is it?"
"If you return to the town of Eggbell, there could be various security concerns..."
The cardinal tried to gently reject her homecoming...
"Don't tell me you're planning to go back on your word now? I fulfilled my duties and scored well on the test, just like we agreed, didn't I?"
Behind the smiling Reina, the space cracked with a sharp sound, and something grotesque poked its face through.
A bear, cat, dog, fox, raccoon, platypus... Angels with the heads of various animals peered through the rift in space and glared at the cardinal.
"There... might be some security concerns, so please be extra careful on your journey."
"Yes! I'm off!"
"Y-Yes... Have a safe trip..."
With a strained smile, the cardinal waved, and Reina returned the gesture with a smile as she left the room.