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It happened one day.

It was on their way to their usual spot in the temple garden—where they had lunch with Calcedonia—after finishing their morning training as usual.

“U-um… Are you… Lord Tatsumi Yamagata…?”

Suddenly, a young woman’s timid voice came from behind him, and Tatsumi turned around.

There stood a girl he didn’t recognize. She was about the same age as Tatsumi, or perhaps a little younger.

With fluffy chestnut-brown hair and bluish-gray eyes, she wasn’t exactly a beauty or a cutie, but she gave off a cute, endearing impression.

“Ah, yes. I’m Tatsumi…”

From her priest’s robes and the design of her sacred emblem, it was clear she was a junior priest, just like Tatsumi and Barse.

However, even though she had called him by name, she was a complete stranger to Tatsumi.

“Ah, thank goodness… I’d heard you were a junior priest with black hair and black eyes… I was worried I might have mistaken you for someone else.”

The girl gave a bright smile. But then, as if she’d just remembered something, her expression immediately grew serious.

“Pardon me for not introducing myself sooner. I am Coulis, a junior priest. I’ve come here today as an emissary of Lady Calcedonia’s.”
“Chiiko’s… no, Calcie’s emissary…?”

“Yes,” replied the girl who introduced herself as Coulis cheerfully, and she conveyed Calcedonia’s message to Tatsumi.

It seemed that Calcedonia had to head to a certain noble’s mansion on short notice today.

Supposedly, an elderly noblewoman, with whom she has long been on friendly terms, has fallen slightly ill.

Having received a request for treatment from the elderly woman’s servant, Calcedonia headed to her residence, partly to pay her a visit.

For that reason, she entrusted Coulis—whom she knows well—with a message for Tatsumi and Barse, explaining that she would be unable to join them for lunch as usual.

“I see. We don’t have cell phones or email over here, after all. If plans change suddenly, this is the only way to pass on a message.”

There might be some kind of magic for transmitting thoughts, but neither Calcedonia nor Giuseppe has ever mentioned such a spell.

If it did exist, Calcedonia would definitely teach it to Tatsumi—that’s just the kind of person she is.

Then again, even if it did exist, it might be a spell that neither Calcedonia nor Giuseppe could use.

“Hence, I brought this here from Lady Calcedonia…”

With that, Coulis held out a basket—the same one Calcedonia always used to carry her lunch.

“Lady Calcedonia said she’ll likely be served a meal while she’s out, so she said it’s fine for you and your companion to just go ahead and eat it, Lord Tatsumi.”
“Thanks. Um, is it Coulis? Since we’re both junior priests, you don’t need to call me ‘-sama’—just ‘Tatsumi’ is fine.”

As Tatsumi said this while taking the basket, Coulis’s eyes widened, and she waved her hands frantically in front of her face.

“I-I can’t possibly do that! You are Lady Calcedonia’s future husband, Lord Tatsumi! Besides, I’ve heard how His Eminence Chrysoprase himself is personally mentoring you. Even though we’re both junior priests, my status is completely different from yours—you’re someone who’s expected to hold a high position within the temple someday!!”
“Huh?! Is that how people see me?!”

Hearing Coulis’s words, Tatsumi was the one who was taken aback. He turned to look at Barse beside him, but Barse just shrugged his shoulders in exasperation and let out a sigh.

“I’d say you’re the only one who doesn’t know that. Including the whole thing with Lady Calcedonia, there’ve been all sorts of rumors about you going around lately.”

The Supreme Pontiff of the Faith of Savaiv went out of his way to invite this person from a distant foreign land to be his granddaughter’s partner.

The Supreme Pontiff is personally teaching and guiding him, and it seems he’s considering him for a high position within the Temple of Savaiv in the future—or perhaps even as his successor.

Possessing a vast, superhuman amount of magical power, he may one day inherit the title of “Grand Mage.”

Not only is he a master of magic, but his skill with the sword is also exceptionally sharp; eventually, he will likely become the General Commander, leading all the soldier priests.

He defeated Morganaik, who had once been romantically involved with the “Holy Maiden,” in a duel and took Calcedonia from him.

With that, including exaggerated accounts and outright fabrications, a considerable number of rumors about Tatsumi are spreading not only within the temple but also throughout the city of Levantis.

And recently, there have been rumors that requests have been coming in to Giuseppe from the royal family and various noble houses, asking to meet Tatsumi himself at least once.

“In more ways than one, you’re becoming the talk of the nation.”

Hearing this from Barse, who was grinning smugly, Tatsumi pulled a thoroughly sour face.

.

“I’m sorry to put you through all this trouble. It’s nothing major, yet a flustered servant went and summoned you…”

The elderly woman reclining on the bed offered a gentle smile to Calcedonia.

“No, don’t worry about it. You have taken such good care of me since I was a child, Grand Madame, so please call on me anytime if there’s anything I can do. I’ll do everything in my power.”

When Calcedonia cast the “Healing” spell on the elderly woman, she sat up in bed, perhaps feeling some relief.

This elderly woman’s name was Elisia Kwallot. She was the former wife of the Duke of Kwallot; after her husband, the late Duke of Kwallot, passed away, she retired when her son succeeded to the title and is now enjoying a leisurely life in her twilight years.

However, even in retirement, she still wields immense influence over the aristocratic society of the Kingdom of Largovere, particularly among women—specifically the wives and daughters of nobles.

Her influence was so great that it was said, “If the former Duchess of Kwallot were so inclined, she could have even the Queen’s head replaced.” Among the noblewomen of Largovere, she was a figure who was both revered and feared.

But to Calcedonia, this affable elderly woman—a longtime acquaintance of her grandfather (who was, technically, her adoptive father)—was nothing more than a “kind aunt” she adored, who had looked after her countless times since she was a child.

“Your magic works just as well as ever. By the way…”

Elisia’s gentle smile shifted to one that resembled that of a child about to play a prank.

“I heard, you know? It seems you’ve finally decided to settle down?”
“My, have words already reached your ears, Grand Madame?”

Caledonia showed her surprise. But Elisia clearly saw a hint of happiness flickering around her eyes and mouth.

“I see… It seems you’ve found a good partner. To be honest, I had hoped you’d marry one of my grandsons…”

Up until now, Elisia had frequently proposed marriage arrangements to Calcedonia.

She had been trying to match Calcedonia with her own grandsons, as well as other young noblemen with particularly promising futures.

This wasn’t driven by any political ambition to bring the “Holy Maiden of the Temple of Savaiv” into her bloodline, but simply out of genuine concern for Calcedonia, who was now well into her late marriageable years.

Precisely because they understood this, both Calcedonia and Giuseppe felt a pang of guilt every time they turned down one of Elisia’s marriage proposals—unlike with other proposals.

“But seeing the look on your face right now, I suppose it’s best not to be a killjoy. Say, would you tell me about it? Tell me what a wonderful man you’ve chosen.”
“Yes!!”

And with genuine joy, Calcedonia began to tell her all about the man who would become her partner.

At first, Elisia listened to the story with apparent enjoyment, but as she listened to Calcedonia’s endless tale, it didn’t take long for her smile to gradually turn into a forced grin, and then into a look of utter exasperation.

.

Tatsumi and Barse said their goodbyes to Coulis and parted ways.

They were now walking toward the dining hall inside the temple, rather than their original destination, the garden.

Since Calcedonia wasn’t with them, they decided to eat in the dining hall for a change.

Carrying the basket Coulis had delivered in place of Calcedonia, the two stepped into the dining hall.

Since it was mealtime, the dining hall was quite crowded. That said, it wasn’t as if there were absolutely no empty seats.

Just as Tatsumi and Barse were looking around, wondering where to sit, someone noticed them and called out.

“Huh? Tatsumi and Barse? Aren’t you guys supposed to be having lunch with Lady Calcedonia, like usual?”

When Tatsumi and the others turned toward the voice, they saw three faces that looked remarkably alike lined up side by side.

“Nitz, Sargo, and Ciro? You guys were here, too?”

They were apprentices who were essentially Tatsumi and Barse’s peers, undergoing training together as soldier priests.

Incidentally, although these three looked exactly alike, they weren’t triplets—they were brothers born one year apart.

All three shared dark brown hair and light brown eyes. The eldest, Nitz, was 17; Sargo was 16; and Ciro was 15.

They are the second, third, and fourth sons of a small merchant family. They are not priests registered with the Temple of Savaiv; rather, they commute to the temple every day from outside the temple grounds to receive training to become soldier priests.

In this world, which is far more dangerous than modern-day Japan, there are even ordinary citizens who seek ways to protect themselves.

The temple teaches such people how to handle weapons and other skills.

However, almost no one visits the Temple of Savaiv—the god of the earth and fertility—to learn how to handle weapons.

Those seeking weapon training for self-defense often go to the Temple of Golaiva, the deity who presides over the sun and light, and who is also the guardian of the law and possesses aspects of a god of war.

Those who, like Nitz and his brothers, go out of their way to come to the Temple of Savaiv specifically to undergo training as soldier priests can certainly be considered quite the eccentric.

Since the merchant family they came from passes the business down to the eldest son, the three brothers were training at the Temple of Savaiv, considering that they might become soldier priests in the future—or, if that proved impossible, perhaps even mabeast hunters.

They chose the Temple of Savaiv over the Temple of Golaiva not only because it was closer to their family home, but also out of an “impure” motive typical of boys their age: the hope that they might get close to the renowned “Holy Maiden” of the Temple of Savaiv.

That said, that “impure” motive ended up being fulfilled beyond their wildest imaginations once they became close with Tatsumi.

Beaten by the beckoning of the Nitz brothers, Tatsumi and Barse settled into the seats next to them, which happened to be empty.

“So, what’s up? Isn’t Lady Calcedonia with you?”
“Well, it seems Chiiko had to leave suddenly because she got a request for treatment. That’s why we came over here today.”

While taking out the lunch Calcedonia had made for them from the basket, Tatsumi explained to the Nitz brothers.

However, the Nitz brothers weren’t paying any attention to Tatsumi’s explanation; they were silently staring at the lunch boxes placed on the table.

The lunch boxes on the table were the so-called sandwiches that Calcedonia had made for them. They also contained slices of a fruit that tasted and felt very much like a pear.

They were simple—just grilled smoked meat and vegetables sandwiched between long, thin loaves of bread resembling French bread—but both Tatsumi and Barse praised Calcedonia’s sandwiches, saying they were delicious thanks to her excellent cooking skills.

“Thank you again for another delicious meal today, Lady Calcedonia. I’ll be forever in your debt.”

Barse clasped his hands, assuming the posture one takes when offering a prayer to God. But his prayer at that moment was likely directed not at God, but at the Holy Maiden.

Then, with a practiced motion, he grabbed a sandwich from the table and took a big bite.

The three brothers stared intently at him in silence. Their expressions looked as if they were about to drool at any moment.

“Ah…You three, would you want some… too?”

When Tatsumi slid a few sandwiches their way, the three brothers’ faces lit up in unison.

“““Yum!!”””

Their three voices blended perfectly as the brothers swarmed the sandwiches like starving beasts.

“T-this is Lady Calcedonia’s homemade…”
“It’s delicious!! Knowing Lady Calcedonia made it makes it taste even better!!”
“Thank you, Tatsumi! No, Lord Tatsumi!! If I could eat food this delicious every day, I’d be happy to become Lord Tatsumi’s slave… No, actually, if I had to choose, I’d rather be Lady Calcedonia’s slave than Lord Tatsumi’s…”
“No, neither I nor Chiiko need any slaves.”

When Tatsumi immediately shot back, Barse and the three brothers burst out laughing, and Tatsumi laughed along with them.

It was true that living with Calcedonia was a joy for Tatsumi as well.

There was no doubt that the house where Tatsumi and Calcedonia lived was a comforting and cozy space for him.

But getting carried away with silly banter like this among close friends of the same gender offered a different kind of enjoyment than the time he spent with Calcedonia.

If anything, it was like the lighthearted conversations he’d have with his classmates in a school classroom.

Come to think of it, the five of them here were all around the same age—roughly high school age in Japan.

For high school students, having this kind of silly conversation in the classroom would be perfectly natural.

“I heard someone in this class just got a girlfriend recently, huh?”
“That gravure idol has a great body, doesn’t she? I’d love to see the real thing in person.”
“I heard a great ramen shop opened on the way from school to the station. Want to grab a bite on the way home?”
“Hey, when are you finally going to ask that girl out? I think you should do it soon.”

For high school students, that’s the kind of conversation you’d expect.

But Tatsumi had never had that kind of experience. As an outsider at the high school he entered, he didn’t have any close friends like that.

However, even though the world he lives in now is different, Tatsumi is surrounded by peers around the same age.

*—It’s all thanks to Chiiko for bringing me to this world that I was able to meet people like Barse and Nitz, isn’t it?*

Friends of the same gender—something he could never have had in his original world.

Once again thanking Calcedonia for the chance to meet them, Tatsumi spent a joyful time with his friends.

.

“…………Thank you. I’ve come to understand the man who will be your partner very well…”

Without hiding her weary expression, Elisia said.

“I’m so sorry… I shouldn’t have gotten carried away and gone on and on about Mast… no, Lord Tatsumi… without considering your health…”

Calcedonia slumped her shoulders, deeply apologetic.

“Don’t worry about it. Besides, I now understand veeeery well just how much you like that gentleman, Tatsumi. Phew, that was a delicious meal.”
“Uuuuuu…”

Elisia gazed gently, though with a slightly mischievous smile, at Calcedonia, who was covering her flushed cheeks with both hands.

After that, they spent some time eating and exchanging lighthearted small talk, and then Calcedonia left Elisia’s mansion.

As she watched the Tempe of Savaiv carriage carrying Calcedonia drive away from the window of her room, Elisia found herself thinking about the boy named Tatsumi whom Calcedonia had been drawn to.

Having known Calcedonia since childhood, Elisia had heard countless times about the “boy in her dreams” that Calcedonia had spoken of for so long.

Calcedonia claimed she had actually summoned that “boy in her dreams.” Elisia had known that Calcedonia had been researching summoning magic for some time, but she never imagined she would actually succeed in summoning someone.

Even Elisia was so stunned when she heard the news that she was left speechless.

Of course, she had no intention of telling anyone that Tatsumi was the one Calcedonia had summoned.

It goes without saying that if word got out that she had successfully performed a legendary summoning spell, Calcedonia would attract even more attention than she already did.

However, Elisia simply couldn’t stop thinking about that boy, Tatsumi, who had been summoned.

As far as she knew, Calcedonia had never had a proper romantic relationship. For a man even slightly accustomed to dealing with women, it would be child’s play to manipulate someone like Calcedonia.

Elisia was well aware that Calcedonia’s feelings had been directed toward the “boy in her dreams” since childhood.

But that “boy in her dreams” might not necessarily be the sincere man Calcedonia claims him to be, could he?

“…I suppose I’ll have to look into this boy, Tatsumi, a little… Is anyone there?”

As soon as Elisia clapped her hands twice, there was a knock at the door, and a middle-aged man appeared.

He was the head of the servants who attended to Elisia, and the person she trusted most.

A “loyal vassal” who would do anything, even illegal acts, if Elisia commanded it. That was him.

“Investigate the character of Tatsumi Yamagata, a junior priest with black hair and black eyes at the Temple of Savaiv, as a matter of the utmost urgency. I don’t care how you do it.”

Without even turning to look at the servant who had entered the room, Elisia issued her order succinctly.

The servant, upon receiving the order, simply replied, “As you wish,” bowed silently, and left Elisia’s room.

Sensing his presence receding—who was deliberately emitting an aura so his mistress could detect it—Elisia muttered to herself, as if speaking to no one in particular.

“Tatsumi Yamagata… is it. Since even Giuseppe seems to approve of him, I suppose he’s not a strange man… but then again, Giuseppe is quite soft on his granddaughter. If… if that man were to deceive Calcie…”

Calcedonia, whom she had cherished as if she were her own granddaughter. If, by some chance, that man were to deceive Calcedonia…

No matter how much Calcedonia might resent her, Elisia was determined to tear them apart.

And Elisia would never forgive the man who deceived Calcedonia.

“…Then be prepared. I’ll use everything I have to wipe your very existence from this country.”