161: You can expect a little something during Tama's break, right?

"Maina-sama!?!"

"Marilyn! Come over here! Kyle-sama, please come too!"

Leifan shrieks, and Eva sharply issues orders to the surroundings at the same time.

No idea why, but Maina lies sprawled out in front of the large box. I rush to pick her up, but Eva stops me.

"Let Marilyn check her first!"

"O-oh, right"

I hastily pull back my hand.

Marilyn and Kyle arrive quickly, followed by Raidock.

Jitarou and Solal return upon hearing the commotion, then stay behind to keep watch.

"Maina!?!"

"Excuse me, Maina-sama"

Marilyn, face pale, carefully checks Maina's pulse and pupils, then chants, "Body Diagnosis," a spell.

A brief silence passed, then Marilyn exhaled with relief and lifted her face.

"Looks like she's just passed out—carry her along, please."

With Marilyn’s seal of approval—the mark of the High Bishop—everyone slumped in relief.

"Still don’t get what’s going on, but at least she’s okay."

I lifted Maina into my arms, heading toward the women’s sleeping wagon that Ryuuko had already readied, but Kyle’s expression hardened.

"Maina. Wake up."

"Hey. Let her sleep, man."

I tried to stop him, but Kyle just smiled, deep and shadowed.

"Marilyn. She’s really fine, right?"

"Y-yes, she is—"

Kyle shook Maina. She muttered, "Huh?"—her eyes slowly refocusing.

Maina kept switching her gaze back and forth between my face and Kyle’s, still not getting it—then suddenly snapped to attention.

“Alright, Maina. Explain this.”

Kyle gave her a smirk, no anger hidden. I’d never seen Kyle look like that before!

Feeling like I was the one in trouble…

Maina trembled, half-crying, and clung to me with everything she had.

◆Alphard Promise

My name is Alphard Promise.

I am the proud captain of Kyle Goldendown von Elquisil’s Vanguard Knights—Kyle-sama’s Holy Knight Commander.

I was originally chosen as guard for Lord Kyle and Lady Maina, appointed to oversee frontier expansion. Now that Lord Kyle is lord of the domain, I’ve ended up in charge of the holy knights like this.

The Knights of the Holy Order are guardians of the lands, granted judicial authority, and serve directly under the lord. In times of crisis, they also take command of the army.

Of course, guarding the lord is the duty of a holy knight. But lately, I’ve been swamped. I’ve been handing off Kyle’s protection to one of my subordinate holy knights more often than not.

Even in the middle of all that chaos, Kyle was given a vital mission from the king and has been away from his lands since today.

Thanks to the guard duty being canceled, I finally get to rest a bit.

And tomorrow’s a rare day off, so I tell my subordinate paladins.

I’m taking tomorrow off—full rest day! You lot keep your guard up and stay sharp on duty!

Then, straight as a bolt, my trusted aide Degard Bismark gives a smirk.

"Wasn’t Persia’s sister also off tomorrow, though?"

I freeze mid-breath.

"S-she was, yes. What’s that got to do with anything?"

"Nothing much. Really. Nothing at all."

His face, though, stays locked in that pleased, teasing grin.

"Anyway! Tomorrow’s in your hands, Degard!"

"Yessir."

So I end up with a rare day off, though I can’t think of a single thing to do.

Maybe just grabbing dinner with a colleague who’s off tomorrow too? Seems harmless enough.

Yeah. No ulterior motive. None at all.

I was running through every trick I had, every scrap of experience, muttering excuses to the audience in my head, trying to figure out how to pull this off.

◆Persia Formalhaut

My name is Persia Formalhaut.

I am the proud guardian of Lord Kyle Goldendown von Elquisil, the Marquis of the Frontier, and of Lady Maina Bairoroad.

Lately, with a paladin assigned to guard Lord Kyle, most of my duties have been focused on Lady Maina.

Again, it’s a proud duty.

Now, though, I’m currently in the middle of a real mess.

Lady Maina and Lord Kyle are at odds. Not really a fight—she’s just sulking, which is kind of adorable.

Lord Kyle’s leaving today for a cluster of small nations, and Lady Maina won’t come out of her room.

I knock again. Probably the tenth time.

"Maina-sama, you won’t make it to the ceremony if you don’t get dressed soon?"

Maina-sama, being of noble blood, must begin preparations early in the morning. By rank, she’s the marquis’s daughter staying here in the domain, but since she’s Kyle-sama’s twin, she’s expected to act as part of the lord’s family.

Yet the voice that came from inside the room?

"Just—!"

That was it.

Maina-sama acting like a spoiled brat. Adorable.

No, no!

That’s fine, but there’s still a position to uphold.

Not just me—maids without permission to enter can’t do anything but wander the hallways with me.

Trouble. Someone help me!

I was screaming inside my head when help actually arrived.

"Persia. Is Maina not coming out?"

"Kyle-sama!"

I spin around instantly.

Kyle had been growing sharper every day, his illness—no, his curse—fully healed.

“Huh! I’m sorry!”

I dropped to one knee instantly, bowing my head.

“Hah. Can’t help it. I’ll excuse Maina.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Persia, stay put. If Maina comes out, bring her to me.”

“Huh!”

Kyle-sama really is kind!

“I get why it’s hard to have both me and my brother vanish at once…”

“Kyle-sama understands, but what’s Craft got to do with it?”

I asked my innocent question.

I know Maina’s fond of that alchemist. But that’s only because he’s the one person who can casually talk to the lord. The only one she can reach out to.

Now she’s got plenty of friends around. One less person won’t make a difference at all, right?

Had someone read my mind? Kyle’s eyes flew wide open.

“That… uh, that’s so Persia-like of you.”

“Huh! Thank you so much!”

Watching Kyle-sama head straight for the ceremony, I stood in the hall, calling out now and then—until he stopped replying altogether.

Pouting, Maina-sama. Adorable.

In the end, Maina-sama stayed shut up in her room all day.

When the sun started to dip, the maid finally came to me, worried. “She needs at least something to eat.” I agreed.

Reluctantly, I pushed open the door to Maina-sama’s room.

As a guard knight, I’m one of the few who can enter her room without her command.

A soft flutter—curtains swaying.

The room was dim.

“…Maina-sama?”

A cold dread shot through me. I gripped my sword hilt and crept toward the bed.

“Not here?”

I ordered the maids in without a word and had them search the whole room, but my eyes were locked on one thing.

The open door led to a balcony. There, the railing held a rope made by tying together torn sheets.

Maina’s balcony was small. Just below it, on the next level down, was a slightly larger one. The rope hung down from there.

I jumped off the balcony without hesitation and landed on the lower one.

This room was currently unoccupied.

But the door connecting it to the balcony was left wide open.

And then, finally, it clicked.

“M-Maina-sama’s escaped—!”

My voice echoed through the entire castle.

So it’s finally over for this year.

A turbulent year, but I hope you all made it through unharmed.

This year marked a milestone—my series has now sold over two hundred thousand copies.

My personal life’s still a mess, same as always, but I keep pushing forward, fueled by your support and your words.

Seriously, thank you for this past year.

Nothin’ but gratitude.

And please, keep it up next year too.

Wishing you all a good one ahead.