第１５掘：聖女大量発生中
Chapter 15: A Mass Outbreak of Saintesses
A Mass Outbreak of Saintesses
Side: Rurua
When I revealed myself, Elju, Seraria, and Attendant Oriel's eyes widened.
"Rurua!? H-how are you here!? What on earth happened in the Ritea Holy Nation!?"
"Wait a minute, Rurua was dismissed!? What is that? What are the higher-ups thinking!?"
"Rurua, for someone like you to be dismissed, that's absurd..."
All three of them openly expressed their surprise at my dismissal as a Saintess.
"Yes, I am no longer a Saintess. By the will of the higher-ups, I still hold a nominal position in the Ritea Holy Nation, but that is all. This is likely the cause of the current situation."
When I said that, everyone fell silent.
But amidst that, one man easily broke the silence. Who on earth is he, really?
"Oh, I see, I'm starting to get it. Well, putting that aside, I want to ask... hey, can Saintesses be mass-produced?"
The air froze at his impertinent question. Mass-producing Saintesses like common livestock or food is sacrilegious.
"Y-Yuki!? N-no! Y-you mustn't say such rude things to Rurua!"
"Yuki, that's truly unacceptable! To speak of mass production regarding the name of Saintess, which Elju and Rurua bear, a symbol of hope for the people, with no equal!"
"No, they're already being mass-produced at this point. It's confirmed there's at least one more currently, right?"
He, called Yuki, retorted... Indeed, a Saintess should be one of a kind, but... there are certainly three of them now.
"...Rurua, who currently bears the name of Saintess? Is she from one of the Three Great Noble Families?"
Seraria, as expected, is sharp. Her blind spot when it comes to Elju is a flaw, but she is by no means thoughtless.
"Yes, as Seraria said. The current Saintess is Alstaire, the eldest daughter of the Literarson family, one of the Three Great Noble Families."
"Tch, that haughty young lady. She herself probably isn't aware, but she's a convenient puppet."
"...Yes, she herself is not a bad person. She is someone who has diligently cultivated the qualities of a Saintess and put in the effort for it."
"Hmph, qualities, you say. Rurua, aren't you saying she's not worthy of being a Saintess right now?"
"..."
I could only respond with silence. If Alstaire had matured a little more, this incident might have been prevented... No, I shouldn't shift the blame to others. I, who know, must do my best.
"Sorry, I understand that young lady is the Saintess of the Ritea Holy Nation because I actually saw her when I was an adventurer, but what are these 'Three Great Noble Families'?"
Mauve, who had been listening, voiced a question. Indeed, that aspect would be unfamiliar to adventurers and people from other countries.
"Yes, the Three Great Noble Families are the prestigious houses of those who made great contributions at the founding of the Ritea Holy Nation."
"The Ritea Holy Nation is called a religious nation, but in reality, those three families steer the political ship. Of course, a sudden Saintess might have healing powers, but no political ability."
"I see."
"It's about putting the right person in the right place. The Saintess gathers the hearts of the common people with her charisma and healing, and that gathered power is used for the nation's politics, primarily by the three families. Well, there are exceptions to everything. Rurua there is said to be special among all the Saintesses throughout history. To be honest, she's far superior to Elju, who was directly granted the title of Saintess by Lilishe. Both as a Saintess and as a politician."
"That's right! Rurua is my goal, Yuki!"
"No, they're still being mass-produced, aren't they? You said 'throughout history.' From what I hear, it's a succession by recommendation? Oh, we're getting off topic. Sorry, Rurua. I have a pretty good idea, but could you tell me the conclusion?"
Yes, let's save the discussion about the Ritea Holy Nation for another time. This matter is not yet over.
"Yes, this incident was orchestrated by the Ritea Holy Nation to eliminate Elju."
"M-me!? What do you mean!?"
"Elju, that's because you were blessed with the name of Saintess by Lilishe, and that's the problem."
"That's right. In reality, it's just the jealousy of the Ritea higher-ups, but considering the public's unrest, it's an undesirable situation."
"However, until I heard Rurua's story, I hadn't considered the Ritea Holy Nation's machinations. But hearing it now, it makes sense. For the Ritea Holy Nation, which worships Lilishe, Elju becoming a Saintess completely ruined their reputation."
"Exactly. If another Saintess had been born within their own country, it might have been fine, but for it to be in another country..."
"It's a huge problem. The people are probably wondering which is the real one by now, or even doubting the Ritea Holy Nation itself. That's the problem with a religious nation, isn't it? They probably never expected Lilishe to actually descend."
When Seraria said that, everyone fell silent for a moment. They all looked thoughtful, perhaps processing the information.
"I understand how you came here and the root cause of this incident. But you were mostly reactive."
"Yes... When I heard about this incident and left the Ritea Holy Nation alone, arriving in this royal capital, Elju was already missing. Seraria was kidnapped. I didn't know what to do. I never imagined they would conspire with people inside Roschur to assassinate all the royalty in this incident."
"I see... Well, I wonder. It's a blessing in disguise, I suppose, that you met Mauve and the others and were able to warn and guard the King."
"Yeah, I never thought the young lady I got involved with in town was the Saintess of Ritea."
But who on earth is this man called Yuki, really? There are people here whom one would rarely encounter in normal circumstances. Yet, his actions surpassed my expectations even further.
"So, why don't you come out already? Or rather, if you're not here, then this country is as good as finished. King Selva and Princess Aria, was it? You've seen enough, haven't you? Elju and Seraria here are safe."
"!"
I was speechless. What!? Who is this person, really!?
"...Please excuse my rudeness. I am Aria, Las, Roschur. I sincerely thank you for Elju and Seraria's safety."
"...I am Selva VI. Hmm, as expected, I suppose? I heard that the proposal for this guard was yours."
"Sister! Father! I, Elju, am safe!"
"It's good you're safe, Sister, but I wish that damn old man there had died. To be bitten by your own subordinates, it's the worst! Do you have any idea how much trouble I've been through!?"
"No, wait, the biggest contributor this time is clearly me. Seraria, all you've done since you got here is eat, sleep, and wake up."
"I took a bath too!"
"That's not what I'm trying to say! Seraria, are you doing this on purpose? The difference between your sharp moments and now is extreme, isn't it?"
...A shouting match, calling a princess by her given name in front of His Majesty the King, h-how bold? No, m-my goodness!
"Oh, Seraria, you've found a good man. There aren't many people you can talk to like that. Only Elju and I, perhaps? ...Usually, they'd be beaten up before that."
"..."
"I'll question your relationship with Seraria later, but I have one question. Who are you? Rurua here doesn't know, and Mauve and the others refuse to tell me. If you don't tell me that, I'll be troubled when discussing future matters."
"W-wait!? Sister, I don't have that kind of relationship with him..."
"Alright, Elju, Oriel, please. And my true identity is..."
He finally revealed his true identity to us... His true identity was...
"I am a pitiful, very ordinary Dungeon Master who got caught up in this incident."
Some of them were said to possess power that surpassed heroes, demon lords, and even nations, a legend akin to a disaster.
"EHHHHHHHHHHH!?"
The three voices echoed through the inn. Even His Majesty screams like that.