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I’d never even heard the name before, but for someone like Cestlavie, who had been a priest in our original era and knew quite a bit about the Church’s inner workings, and for the templar knights who operated on the front lines, it must’ve been either common knowledge or a kind of open secret known only to those in the know.

“As shallow as ever, you ignorant masses. Joint research? Don’t make me laugh. The goal of ‘Morning Star of the Dawn’ was basically to steal Master Victor’s research methods, and Master Victor only worked with them for the funding. He created a few test subjects and then skipped town without a care. So really, about 80% of the project’s failure was due to Morning Star’s incompetence… Well, you know what I mean, don’t you, Lady Clara? This is exactly why you don’t hand advanced tech to idiots.”

“Yes, I truly do, from the bottom of my heart.”

Watching Coppelia cross her arms smugly and bask in her own satisfaction, I couldn’t help but agree; Tragedy does tend to follow when you give powerful tools to the indiscriminate.

“Regardless, I’d like to hear the details. Sorry, but I’ll have to place you under restraint.”

As he spoke, Cestlavie pulled out a card inscribed with runes, prompting Kaisa to draw her longsword and Daniella to clench her fists and take a ready stance.

“That—I must refuse.”

Eighette glanced around at everyone, and for a brief moment, her eyes glinted with an eerie light. I felt a sudden wave of dizziness and staggered slightly, just in time to notice that she was trying to make her escape—moving with a speed and grace that made it hard to believe she was still injured.

Just before she vanished, she cast a fleeting, almost gentle glance toward Colin, who was still unconscious, lying on a sheet-covered floor.

(—What an awkward girl.)

Even as I felt a mixture of understanding and sympathy, I tried to move in and restrain Eighette—only for a fierce spinning kick to strike in from the side, forcing me to hastily block it with the shaft of my staff.

“Kh!?”

The impact sent a jolt up both arms, and I couldn’t fully absorb it in my awkward stance. My hands went numb, and my body was lifted slightly off the ground.

When I looked, I saw that the one who had launched the kick was none other than Daniella, the martial artist from the female adventurer group Twinfang of Snowy Peak—who was supposed to be here as part of my escort. She showed no expression as she pivoted on her right leg, preparing to follow up with another kick.

But before she could, a longsword flashed in from the side, forcing Daniella to leap back and put some distance between us.

“—Dani! Tch, that evil eye got to her!”

Though her face had gone slightly pale, Kaisa stepped forward with her longsword drawn, taking a protective stance in front of me and squaring off with the now-expressionless Daniella.

Looking around, I saw chaos erupting in the first-floor hall. Adventurers and guild staff were tangled in a brawl—no, it was practically a bloodbath. Cestlavie, the templar knights, and a few older, more experienced adventurers still seemed to be in their right minds, but the vast majority had clearly fallen victim to the “Evil Eye” and turned into mindless attackers.

“Wait—is this the ‘Evil Eye’ ability mentioned in the records?!”
“—Then that girl’s the phantom thief Red Ram?!”

Eyes wide, Kaisa and I turned to look for Eighette, just in time to see her slip into a corridor leading deeper into the guild headquarters.

“—Tch! She slipped right under our noses!”

Kaisa ground her teeth in frustration—just as another kick from Daniella came flying. This time, I deflected it with my staff.

“I’ll handle things here—Kaisa, please deal with the others and quickly warn everyone upstairs of the danger!”
“But I can’t allow you to be in harm’s way, Lady Clara. And besides, this is a failure on the part of my own team.”
“Don’t overthink it. This is simply a matter of efficiency and compatibility. If you fight Daniella, you might end up seriously injured—or worse, kill her. But I can handle her without taking her life.”

“Even so…” She must have known deep down what would happen if she fought Daniella with everything she had. Kaisa struggled to speak, her voice catching as if the words themselves were too heavy to say.

“Everyone else, too—please try not to kill those who’ve been taken over! If they’re only wounded or have broken bones, I can take care of them afterward!”

In response to my plea, Cestlavie let out a reluctant sigh and shrugged, while the two templar knights sheathed their drawn swords with wry smiles and instead held them with the scabbards still on.

“Called it.”
“Yeah, even if it’s not our fault, killing a comrade would leave a bitter aftertaste.”
“Oh, we’re not allowed to kill the riffraffs? Understood. I’ll switch to non-lethal strikes.”

Several adventurers followed suit, switching to staves or turning their blades flat-side out.

Coppelia, meanwhile, took out a comically oversized halberd from her apron and reversed it—though, no matter how you looked at it, she seemed fully intent on bludgeoning people to death.

“Thank you. —And you, Coppelia, you stay on standby in the rear.”

“Save your thanks for after we make it through, Lady Clara.” Winking, Kaisa charged toward a young adventurer who was approaching, weapon raised.

I gave a silent nod and faced Daniella, who was now watching my movements with a wary eye.

“Kicking-based martial arts, is it? You’ve got good speed, but your technique is still pretty straightforward, and you’re lacking in power.” Well, that monotony in technique might be due to the Evil Eye’s influence making her lose her senses. “For someone your age, it’s impressive, I suppose—but the Zoan Rex I once sparred with was on a completely different level.”

Even before I finished my sentence, Daniella kicked off the ground, instantly closing the distance between us.

Author’s Note:

The incident with the “Zoan Rex (written: Beast King)” is a memory from Jill’s time training as a shrine maiden in Cres Freedom United Nation, which took place between Volume One and Two.

It’s not particularly relevant to the main story, but since there might be readers who’d like to hear about it, I’ll consider writing it up if I get the chance.

→ Update
→ “Ragweed Princess Unplugged”
→ http://ncode.syosetu.com/n2808cr/

Translator’s Note:

Here’s a quick translation of the synopsis for “Unplugged”

This is a side story and bonus episode about the Ragweed Princess of the Livitium Imperial Kingdom.

It will be a mix of short and medium-length stories, focusing on characters who did not appear in the main story and will not appear in the future.

Some of the characters and settings will be based on the book version (light novel), so there may be some slight differences from the web version (web novel).

The title “Unplugged” is originally a musical term that refers to a live performance without electric instruments, but I chose this title because I wanted to go back to the basics of Ragweed and update it without any complicated background.

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I have never thought of myself as particularly exceptional.

On the contrary, if I may say so myself, I sometimes think there may be no one as clumsy and incomplete as I am. After all, the very foundation on which “I” stands is terribly fragile and unstable.

I still have faint memories of my past self—of “Syltianna,” once called the Ragweed Princess—but almost none of the emotions that came with them.

Instead, I ended up with memories and feelings from some other world, somewhere that isn’t here. But over time, even those were overwritten by the name “Jill” and the real experiences I lived.

That, in turn, was the result of taking away the path Syltianna was meant to walk—the shape her life was supposed to take.

I judged Syltianna’s circumstances and appearance and decided she was “unfortunate.” I used the words “this is how things ought to be” as a convenient excuse, ignoring her joys and happiness—her suffering and sorrow—and lived however I pleased.

And now, the person I am today is the product of that.

But lately, I’ve begun to wonder: even if what awaited her was pain, sadness, lamentation, or rage—that was still Syltianna’s life. No matter the justification, wasn’t it wrong of me to take it from her?

What I thought was for the best may have simply been arrogance—a grave insult to the Syltianna that once was.

If that’s the case… then I must be a sinner. A foolish clown.

♢♦♢♦♢

“Lady Clara shed her humanity ages ago! In fact, she is Beyond Humans! She’s nothing like Dolly Kadmons who degrade over generations of natural breeding, or the artificial saintesses who became unstable from having their specs pushed too far. Well, if anything, this proves that mere humans are too shallow and powerless before the mysteries of the great natural world!”

Coppelia puffed out her chest proudly, her eyes brimming with pure admiration—so clear and wide with awe, they were honestly a little terrifying—as she stared directly at me.

“Ridiculous…! A natural-born monster? There’s no way I can believe something so absurd…”

Eighette (temporary name) glared at me with eyes murky from a perfect cocktail of envy, despair, suspicion, and murderous intent.

One is an automaton sparked to life by an electric jolt, and the other is a homunculus born from a single cell split and grown in a soundless, lightless world. Both completely ignoring their own inhuman origins, both of them kept talking as if I were the only monster in the room.

“Wait, wait, wait, wait—hold on a second! That logic is completely flawed!”

Watching the nonsense story happily roll downhill without my input, I hurriedly stepped in between the two of them.

I mean… sure, I’ve been called all kinds of things before—Ragweed Princess, a speck of my mother’s nail dirt, the disgrace of the Livitium Imperial Kingdom—but this is the first time someone’s flat-out called me a monster to my face.

And the worst part? It came from someone who’s been by my side for nearly a year through thick and—well, now that I think back, it was mostly suffering and annoyance with her, and not many fond memories, was it…?

Anyway, coming from a comrade like that, the insult didn’t just make me mad—it sent me about three steps (or maybe fell three floors) down into the dark side.

Honestly, Coppelia’s just as much a pain as an enemy as she is useless as an ally… Actually, scratch that—she’s worse than useless, since she somehow always hits me with stray bullets from behind. She’s a complete liability.

If she were neutral, I could at least accept it. But actively negative? That’s a problem!

The onlookers all seemed to be having similar thoughts, judging by the weird, awkward silence that followed. The kind of silence that makes you feel like you’re watching a stage play where none of the actors are in sync.

“…I’ve said this many times, but I’m really not anyone special. If there’s anything unusual about me, it’s just that I can use a bit of Healing Art, a few other types of sorcery, and I’ve dabbled in martial arts and spirit techniques. But I’m nothing remarkable—just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill fourteen-year-old girl.”

““““THAT IS NOT WHAT ANYONE WOULD CALL ‘ORDINARY’!!””””

Suddenly, everyone who had been silently watching the scene jumped in at once to shut me down.

“—Huh? Then you’re saying I’m below average?”

I couldn’t help but look around and ask, only for everyone to boo me in unison and give a unanimous thumbs-down, as if it had been prearranged.

“How far are you planning to go, Lady Clara?! Trying to become some perfect superhuman Cross Bomber or something?!”

Coppelia trembled with disbelief.

“An ordinary human doesn’t just defeat a No-Life King on their own, even if it has been weakened…”

With a sigh, Cestlavie chimed in too—though his words felt like he was quietly admitting that I wasn’t really human, which didn’t sit right with me.

Amidst this increasingly dangerous conversation—

“No-Life King… no way!?”
“But if it’s Lady Clara, then maybe…”
“She seems like she could take down a demon lord or two.”
“Come to think of it, there’s a legend about a sealed Demon God in Lady Clara’s hometown, Clarus…”
“So you’re saying Lady Clara was the one who sealed it!?”
“Whoa! That’s Lady Clara for you!”

Wild speculation began spreading through the group.

…Could it be that this ridiculous rumor is what eventually gave rise to the whole “Clara sealed a Demon God” legend? No way… right??

While I was silently panicking and breaking into a cold sweat, Cestlavie stepped forward on my behalf and gave Eighette a cautious look.

“…So, in short, you’re a prototype artificial Saintess created by the secret society Morning Star of the Dawn within the Church? —I can’t believe it. To think they really existed and were even conducting joint research with that Dr. Victor.”

At the mention of phrases like “secret society” and “Morning Star of the Dawn,” the two templar knights exchanged a quick glance, then scanned the faces of everyone present as if to etch them deeply into memory.

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The two templar knights, who had started to leave along with the adventurers serving as guards and the guild staff, noticed the commotion and returned from the hallway to the lobby.

“Huh? What’s going on in there?”
“Believe it or not, there’s a catfight between Lady Clara and the brat’s girlfriend.”
“They’re fighting over him?!”
“Well, they’re fighting over someone, alright, but it’s over the orange-haired maid. Seems like she and that girl used to date. And now, they’re trying to settle their past mistakes.”
“Lesbians, huh… Not my thing, but I won’t complain. Wait, isn’t that Guildmaster Karolos over there?”
“You’re right. I thought he disappeared after Marina chewed him out earlier for hitting on the new receptionist, but here he is again, chasing after another girl.”
“What a guy…”

The gathered crowd, peeking in with curiosity, was already spreading rumors.

Not a single person here seemed to feel any tension—everyone was just indulging in their nosy curiosity. But when I glanced at Colin’s girlfriend’s tense profile, I couldn’t shake the ominous feeling creeping up on me… Was I just overthinking things?

And then, as if completely oblivious to the atmosphere around her—

“Let’s see… Individual Identification Number θ-008… Oh! So you’re Number Eight—Eighette! Long time no see, Eighette! The last time we met, you were still inside Master Victor’s prized Cup of Hermes. He was tossing in randomly summoned spirits, specially selected shrine maiden blood, the s̲e̲m̲e̲n̲ of a high-mana nobleman acquired through back channels, and all sorts of other things. It’s impressive you’ve managed to maintain a human form at all. Good job, good job!

“Then again, even Dolly Kadmons, those bred from purebloods and magically modified as infants, only live about half a normal lifespan. And since you, Eighette, were an experimental body made for feedback purposes, isn’t your time almost up? You’d better enjoy life while you still can!”

With an overly familiar tone, Coppelia casually rattled off personal details—no, not just personal details, but what were clearly top-secret matters about the Church’s dark side and the tragic circumstances of her past.

The girl—whom Coppelia had referred to as “Eighette” (which, by the way, is not a human name)—had been frozen in place. But as the conversation progressed, the blood drained back into her once-pale face, and she started trembling.

Her complexion went beyond a normal blush and turned a deep, flushed red.

(Oh no…)

As Coppelia’s nominal master, saying this was awkward would be an understatement.

(I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.)

I pressed my hands together in my mind, silently apologizing as I averted my gaze and took a slight step away from “Eighette” (temporary name).

But she clearly had no attention to spare for me. Raising her head proudly, Eighette glared fiercely at Coppelia.

“Don’t call me by that ridiculous name! I have a proper name now!”
“Oh? And what is it?”

I want to punch that smug smile.

“I have no name to give to the likes of you!” With a furious roar, Eighette planted her feet firmly, standing her ground.

“Wow, you’re a pain…” Coppelia sighed and shook her head, looking utterly exasperated—only to be met with a unanimous You’re the problem here glare from everyone present.

Stomping her foot, Eighette launched into a passionate condemnation of Coppelia.

“The arrogance of treating humans as mere playthings! The audacity to toy with life without remorse! You who wear the guise of holy men but are nothing more than fiends in human skin! I live in hiding, bearing the shame of my survival, for the sole purpose of taking revenge on you all! To avenge my sisters—those ‘sacrificial lambs’ who were deemed failures and discarded like trash—I have endured, sharpening my hatred like a blade!”

“Aah, is that so? Sounds rough. Good luck with that~”
“Don’t act like this has nothing to do with you, watching from your safe little perch! You’re part of the cult I should be avenging myself on—no, you’re one of the root causes, aren’t you!”

“No no, I’ve already washed my hands of that world. These days, I’m just your average, run-of-the-mill maid, blending right in. If you really can’t let it go, go vent your grudge on Master Victor who’s still alive in this era. His lab’s located just past the boss room of the Labyrinth near Clarus, by the way.”

“…Hooh.” As most people stood there with visible question marks above their heads at Coppelia’s excuse—or rather, her completely absurd rant—I heard a small, intrigued hum from Emil. A fickle wind spirit whispered the sound to me.

Incidentally, I had no way of knowing at the time that this offhand comment from Coppelia would come to hold significant meaning later on…

“Don’t mock me! Or is that confidence I hear? You must be so satisfied, right? After sacrificing me and my sisters in your attempt to create an artificial saint—you finally completed your masterpiece!”

She flung her arm out and pointed dramatically—at me, for some reason.

“—Eh??”

A totally idiotic noise slipped out of my mouth.

“Excuse you, Lady Clara is not an artificial Saintess made by the Church. I mean, she does have some Dolly Kadmon genes, but still.”

Wait, what?! This is the first I’m hearing of this!!

“Lies! Someone this young, capable of advanced healing arts and proficient in multiple schools of magic… and most of all, that inhuman appearance!! If she’s not an artificial saintess crafted by the cult’s secret rites and bloodlines—then what the hell is she?!”

To Eighette’s desperate cry—(and excuse me, but ‘inhuman appearance’ feels like a low blow)—Coppelia responded proudly, puffing out her chest:

“She’s a mutated freak of nature!”

Author’s Note:

Since there were questions, here’s some additional clarification.

“Dolly Kadmons” (〈初源的人間〉) are essentially pure-blooded individuals born from generations of selective breeding within the cult—specifically among those with high magical power and aptitude for healing arts. Then, after birth, the infants are subjected to enhancement procedures.

In short, they’re the crystallized result of generations of magical hotties… ahem, let’s say diligently pairing off. So, despite everything, they are still human.

In contrast, artificial saints are full-on homunculi—created by tossing ingredients into an alchemical cauldron and having alchemists stir and mix them like some kind of grotesque recipe.

That research was later fed back into the development of Dolly Kadmons.

Also, the average lifespan of a Dolly Kadmon is around 40–50 years, whereas a homunculus lasts about 15–20 years.

Translator’s note:

Don’t you love eugenics? Also, it’s the author that wrote dolly kadmon on furigana for 初源的人間.

Editor’s note:

I had to come up with a title since this chapter apparently doesn’t have one.

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“You’re right. I believe Colin will be fine for now, but lost blood and stamina don’t just return overnight. Make sure he eats nutritious food and gets plenty of rest to recover. Now then, let’s take care of your injuries, shall we?”
“Huh!? N-No, my injury isn’t that serious—”
“That can’t be true. Even from a quick glance, I can tell it’s practically no different from a stab wound made by a sharp blade.”

Since the wound was on her back, maybe she wasn’t feeling much pain. But it was dangerously close to being a fatal injury.

Still, Colin’s injury was also a reverse-diagonal slash from behind—an oddly precise cut that seemed like something inflicted by a highly skilled assassin. Just how vicious are the slimes around here?

I mean, slimes are supposed to attack by charging or dissolving things, right? But are they really the kind of monsters that can slice someone so cleanly like this? My impression of them was more like semi-transparent, jiggly creatures crawling around like wobbly jelly. Clearly, my understanding of slimes was all kinds of wrong.

“Occasionally, a rare metallic-type slime is discovered around this area. That’s probably what you encountered.”

Kaisa seemed to pick up on my curiosity and kindly explained.

“That thing is absurdly powerful for a slime. It moves at incredible speeds and can freely reshape its steel-like outer layer to attack, making it quite a nuisance. …Well, it’s only exceptional for a slime. As long as you can land a hit, even a D-rank adventurer can defeat it.”

Ah, I see… So, it’s an abnormal slime. A mutated monster coming at you out of nowhere, that’s a terrifying thought. With that explanation, I could finally imagine the creature and accept the reality of it, so I nodded firmly.

“At any rate, I need to examine your injury first… Um, I’m terribly sorry, but since this is a treatment for a lady, could the gentlemen please step outside?”
“But we are duty-bound to guard you, Lady Clara…”

The three templar knights and Cestlavie wore reluctant expressions, but after I properly explained the reasoning and circumstances, the two female adventurers serving as my guards pounded their chests confidently and declared:

“We will protect Lady Clara even if it costs us our lives, so you can rest easy.”

With that reassurance (though, from my perspective, I couldn’t possibly overlook someone else sacrificing themselves in my place…), the others reluctantly agreed to leave.

“You’re truly loved by everyone, Lady Clara…”

For some reason, Colin’s girlfriend’s quiet muttering caught my ear. If we’re talking about love, a girl with a boyfriend like her is a million times more enviable, though.

Anyway.

“Well then, everyone except the ladies, please wait out in the hallway. Treating an injury is a race against time, so please hurry.”

After making that request, everyone left the room, one after another, leaving behind the unconscious Colin lying on his back, his girlfriend diligently wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, and my bodyguards, Kaisa and Daniella.

“Are you sure about this? Won’t you be short-handed if something happens?”

Cestlavie was the last to remain, grumbling with a sour look on his face. But having a man present at the scene of a girl’s treatment would be ethically inappropriate, so I more or less shoved him out of the room.

“It’s all right. Besides, just in case something happens, I’ve already arranged for reinforcements on the way here.”
“Reinforcements…? Who?”

As if answering that question, with a loud noise, the thick door of the Adventurers’ Guild’s underground hazardous materials storage room was pushed open from the inside.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Lady Clara! Your ultra-competent maid, Coppelia, has arrived right away at your call!! Ah, so you didn’t forget about me after all. To think you deliberately kept me in reserve as your secret trump card for emergencies—just as expected of Lady Clara!”

With her usual energy, the maid clad in a French maid-style miniskirt was none other than the automaton Coppelia, crafted by the freak alchemist Professor Victor. She ascended from the underground with the same unshakable cheerfulness she had when we parted ways.

Following behind her, for some reason, was a Hobbit man about 140 centimertes tall, his face looking utterly gaunt and worn out.

““““““……””””””

“—Oh?”

Coppelia, noticing our bewildered expressions from not being able to keep up with her pace, turned her gaze toward Colin’s girlfriend, whose face had stiffened slightly, her posture seemed somewhat tense. Tilting her head with a puzzled look, Coppelia’s curiosity was clearly piqued.

“Could it be that the one over there is the failed artificial saint that my former master tried to create in collaboration with the secret society Morning Star of the Dawn within the Order…?”

“—!!” Colin’s girlfriend gasped sharply.

“I thought all of those were discarded, but it turns out the research was still ongoing, huh? Wow, what a surprise! —Well, Master Victor did take the research funds and just up and vanished before finishing the project, though.”

It’s probably not just from her injuries. Glancing at her, pale and blood-drained, I sorted through the scattered pieces of information in my head and reached a conclusion.

In short, once again, Victor and Coppelia are the root of the problem.

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When I unwrapped the tattered rags, which had likely once been old clothes or sheets repurposed as makeshift bandages, a deep wound stretched from Colin’s left side to his right shoulder, as if slashed by a sharp blade.

“…Guh…”

The moment I lightly touched the wound, Colin’s face twisted in agony, and a pained groan escaped his lips.

But still, he showed no signs of waking up.

His breathing was rough, his forehead drenched with sweat to the point of being soaking wet.

Whether this state was due to the shock of being slashed, a blow to the head when he collapsed, or even a coma brought on by severe blood loss, I couldn’t be sure.

To confirm his condition, I began by using a technique derived from Water Magic Arts to manipulate bodily fluids and control the bleeding. Simultaneously, I circulated the magic to check for any hidden wounds or swelling and thoroughly scanned his body with mana vibrations using Search Art.

This approach is fairly standard among magic doctors in the big cities and healers. While the specifics may vary depending on their individual skills, the basics are the same. Essentially, it’s like performing an ultrasound or MRI.

If you think about it, being able to conduct examinations similar to modern medicine without bulky equipment suggests that medical technology in this world is surprisingly advanced.

However, that advancement is ultimately dependent on individual skill and experience, and to top it off, patients are expected to pay a mind-boggling amount of money for treatment. So, it’s not something you can simply praise without reservations.

The problem is that their methods are so convenient that they’ve never bothered to pursue more universal and reliable medical instruments. So, convenience can be a double-edged sword.

Still, ignoring a working method just because of its flaws would be foolish.

After carefully completing my scan, I confirmed that aside from the wound on Colin’s back, there were no signs of internal bleeding or damage to any vital organs.

As far as standard medical practices go, the next steps would be to apply a potion to the wound, bandage it, and let him rest. After that, whether he survived or not would depend entirely on his strength and luck. It’s said that in the Graviol Empire, where medical technology is more advanced, some areas even practice stitching wounds shut, which apparently raises survival rates a little. But honestly, it’s all more or less the same.

However, this is the heartland of Healing Arts, the very domain of the Saintess’ Church. From here on, it’s time to show what I can do.

“「The Great Healing Hand shall kindle your flame of life.」”

As I chanted, a radiant orb of light ignited at the tip of my beloved magic staff.

This staff was originally a master-crafted piece gifted to me by my mentor, Regina, but during the chaos surrounding Igoronak, it was further modified by Professor Victor. What was once silver is now golden.

The appearance isn’t the only thing that’s changed. Its internal structure has been heavily modified as well. Especially when it comes to healing and purification magic, Professor Victor vouched with utmost confidence that it’s on par with “legendary-grade” equipment.

“…Well, I used some mysterious artifact from some ancient ruins that I can’t quite understand myself, you see?”

That little addition certainly stirred up some worry, but it’s been more than ten months since then, and there haven’t been any problems so far, so it’s probably fine.

More importantly, it’s one of the few personal possessions I managed to bring with me to this era, so I’m rather fond of it.

“「Regenerate.」”

Whether it’s thanks to this staff or the fact that my magical power has grown even further, I’m not sure. But this spell, which I could previously only cast once or twice a day, now leaves me only mildly short of breath.

The moment the light burst forth, like magic—well, it is magic, after all—Colin’s horrendous wound healed in an instant, leaving his back as smooth and flawless as a baby’s skin.

The people surrounding us, who had been holding their breath and watching anxiously, all let out a simultaneous gasp of admiration.

“Oooooooohhhhhhh!!”

“This is incredible. If we were to request such healing from the Church through our household, just how much the cost would be…” Emil, Sir Simon’s attendant, voiced a rather practical observation.

“Well, at the very least, it’d start at five large gold coins or Eunice lira in similar value,” Cestlavie followed up with a rather grounded estimate.

What a harsh reality…

“As a shrine maiden, I cannot possibly demand compensation. This is purely an act of charity, so please rest assured.”

I made sure to declare this clearly to Colin’s girlfriend, who had been glaring at me with a sharpness that suggested I had killed her parents or something. When money is involved, people can drastically change. That’s probably why she’s so angry.

“What—For free!?”

Immediately, everyone present let out a gasp of shock.

Even the templar knights looked just as surprised. Were they seriously planning to extort five large gold coins or something? Colin clearly seems to be struggling financially—charging him that much would be a death sentence for his wallet.

“Okay?” I gave her a gentle smile, implying that I wouldn’t make any unreasonable demands.

“…Thank you.”

She bowed her head politely in gratitude. Then, perhaps worried about the time, she took out a golden pocket watch from her pocket and checked it, letting out a faint click of her tongue. It’s late at night, so her family must be worried. It might be better to ask someone to deliver a message to them.

Just as I was thinking that—

“Hmm, while it’s not deep, it’s still quite a serious injury you sustained there, Miss. You’ve been holding yourself together pretty well—I’m impressed. Lady Clara, I think it would be wise to treat this young lady sooner rather than later.”

It was hard for me to see her clearly since she was partially hidden from my view, but Kaisa, who had been assessing the girl’s injuries as if appraising merchandise, furrowed her brows slightly and urged me to heal her.

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“Eeeeh?!” Everyone frowned with dissatisfaction.

To be fair, this world provides a huge variance in individual abilities, and depending on how much training someone has undergone, their capabilities can skyrocket without limit. So, for adventurers and trained templar knights, the point I was trying to make probably didn’t quite hit home. But for the average person, even fighting a monkey with a weapon would be a fifty-fifty chance at best.

And if instead of a monkey, it were a small goblin or an orc the size of a human, armed with a weapon… Well, the result would be obvious.

“…Ah, but yeah, I remember the first time I defeated a monster. I was eleven, and it was just a small kobold, nothing special—about one mertes tall—but I was scared out of my mind.” The one speaking with a distant look was Daniella, the martial artist. “I broke four or five of its ribs with my fists, but it still came at me, biting like crazy… I totally panicked, just flailing my arms and legs around, forgetting all my training.”

“Exactly. Even a trained martial artist like you had trouble. So for an ordinary person with no training, even a slime can be a formidable foe. Especially if they’re caught off guard while trying to protect us delicate women.”
“Delicate…?”

Cestlavie glanced back and forth between me, Kaisa, and Daniella, his expression doubtful.

“““What, are you saying we’re not delicate?”””

I silently conjured over a dozen fireballs to hover around me. Kaisa drew her dagger and bisected a fly that was buzzing in front of her cleanly in a single stroke. Daniella casually thrust her hand into a reinforced brick wall, leaving a gaping hole.

“S-Sorry. I was wrong.”

Overwhelmed by our Feminine power, Cestlavie hurriedly retracted his words.

Just as things were about to get awkward, the armed guild staff member at the front quickly gave us a brief rundown of the situation while we waited for the special elevator.

“My apologies, Lady Clara. We did manage to stop the bleeding and used what potions we had on hand, but the wounds were deeper than expected. Both the young reporter and the girl accompanying him are in critical condition…”

“Accompanying him? Were they sneaking off for a midnight tryst?”

I mused half in admiration and half out of envy, thinking how bold they must be to go rendezvousing on such a foggy night. Or rather, how utterly lacking in a sense of danger they were.

Now that I think about it, this world doesn’t have twenty-four-hour businesses or even the concept of late-night establishments.

I had assumed, based on vague impressions, that places like taverns or red-light districts might be exceptions, operating without time restrictions. But apparently, there are no such hard-working tavern masters or prostitutes here. (Well, since we are practically in the backyard of the Holy City, brothels and similar establishments are outright forbidden. Though, of course, there are always exceptions everywhere.)

Nowadays, large towns like the Holy City are equipped with gas lamps fueled by beast oil. But even then, their numbers are limited, and they’re all extinguished once the time comes, making nighttime outings hardly feasible.

More importantly, in this world where monsters and ghosts roam freely, with the mysterious and the mystique part of reality, the darkness is infinitely deep. Walking around at night always means living side by side with danger.

Because of that, not only women and children but even laborers and adventurers follow a lifestyle reminiscent of a certain southern island’s king: They wake and work when the sun rises, return home before it sets, are late when the wind blows, and take the day off when it rains… That’s the norm.

Naturally, the Adventurers’ Guild is no exception. As we walk down the corridor, we occasionally pass by guards on patrol, but for the most part, it’s deserted—eerily like an empty school at night.

So when we finally reached the brightly lit first floor, bustling like a field hospital near the main entrance, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief.

“Where are the injured? I’ll start with the one most gravely wounded!”

Quickly regaining my composure, I gripped my beloved magic staff, which had been returned to me when I left the guest room, and made my way through the crowd.

“—Lady Clara!?”
“Oh! It’s Lady Clara!”
“Over here, Lady Clara. The boy is in critical condition, and the girl is severely injured but stable for now, thanks to some basic blood-stopping measures and potions.”

The guild staff and adventurers who noticed me immediately stepped aside to clear a path.

Ahead of me, young Colin lay limp on a sheet spread across the floor, resting on his side. Beside him knelt a girl who seemed to be around my age or perhaps a bit older, watching over him with a worried expression.

“…Eliza?”

For some reason, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu upon seeing her and blurted out the name without thinking. She didn’t particularly resemble Eliza, but something about her general aura—or rather the vibrations of her Mana—felt strikingly similar. Of course, compared to Eliza, her magical capacity was so faint it could be blown away like a feather and seemed ready to be swallowed up by the surrounding crowd.

(Actually, it’s almost like the kind of magical depletion you experience after casting a large spell…?)

“—Lady Clara, would you please begin the healing?”

My mind had started wandering toward unrelated thoughts, but the staff member’s prompt brought me back to the present. I hurriedly knelt down beside Colin to assess the severity of his injuries.

“…”

For a brief moment, I felt a sharp gaze from the girl kneeling beside him, as if she were staring at me like I was her mortal enemy. But when I glanced her way, her sorrowful eyes were fixed only on Colin.

Was it just my imagination? Shaking off the uneasy feeling, I raised my staff and began the healing process.ragwe

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With hurried footsteps and a panicked expression, a guild employee burst into the waiting room next to the VIP suite—a small room where armed guards were stationed. After a brief exchange of words, the head of security entered the VIP suite with a courteous demeanor.

“I have a report, Deputy Guildmaster Tarki. It appears that taking advantage of the fog, water demons and certain monsters dwelling in the Eusus River have infiltrated the Holy City. We’ve just received word that passersby were attacked right near the Guild headquarters.”
“What?! And the damage? Have the monsters been repelled?!”
“Yes, sir. The guards noticed the screams and rushed to the scene, managing to protect the victims in the nick of time while eliminating the surrounding monsters. Some of them may have fled to the Eusus River, but we are currently preparing to issue rewards to available adventurers to deal with the situation.”
“Mmgh… To think that monsters would attack tonight, and so close to the Guild headquarters…”

Was it a mere coincidence? Or was someone manipulating events behind the scenes? It couldn’t possibly be some cruel trick of fate, could it?

“——”

While Deputy Guildmaster Tarki pondered deeply with a troubled expression, the head of security glanced away from him for a moment, looking at me and Eliza as if he had something to say.

““……?””

Before we could ask anything, the man suddenly spoke shocking words.

“Well, um… The victims were a man and a woman. We performed emergency treatment and brought them here. One of them, the one with particularly severe injuries and who remains unconscious, was the reporter boy of that infamous gossip paper we detained at the Guild headquarters until this evening. —Apparently, the monster that attacked them was a slime.”

“—Gah!”

Despite the grim report, Eliza opted to sip her Opera (a type of green tea scented with fruits and spices), but when she heard that Colin had been done in by a slime out of anything, she suddenly choked.

“Cough—koff koff koff!!”

It seemed the tea had gone down the wrong pipe. Eliza squirmed in pain as the shrine maiden apprentices accompanying her attempted to help her recover.

I’m the type who enjoys tea for its original flavor and aroma, so I’m not particularly fond of scented teas. But apparently, Eliza prefers this heavily spiced variety that’s currently popular among the Holy City’s upper class. Unfortunately, the spices seem to have backfired this time.

“Wha… What is this tea?! It wasn’t steeped properly, and it’s way too hot!” Eliza tried to cover up her embarrassment by grumbling irritably, her nose slightly runny.

Everyone pretended not to notice the ungraceful sight of the beautiful girl and subtly averted their gazes. I also shifted my eyes around casually while savoring the white tea served in what appeared to be an expensive teacup.

White tea, named for the silvery-white down that densely covers its young buds and leaves, is a rare and delicately flavored tea. …However, that delicacy seemed to be its downfall this time. As Eliza had pointed out, the poor preparation had blown away half of its refreshing aroma.

Most likely, it was brewed by one of the staff members who was free at the moment, not a tea expert. Such a precious tea, completely ruined.

“My apologies. I sincerely regret causing you any discomfort.”

Marina immediately sensed the mood and deeply bowed her head to us.

“It can’t be helped. Considering the time and the circumstances, it’s understandable that the maids couldn’t be kept on duty… Ah!”

Speaking of ‘maids,’ I suddenly remembered—We do have a maid in the premises. Mine.

Just as I was about to mention that, “Um… It’s not just a maid, it’s difficult to arrange for a doctor at this hour. So, if possible, I was hoping that the esteemed Shrine Maidens could provide healing.”

Before the head of security could even finish his polite request, I quickly downed the contents of my white tea cup and rose from the sofa without hesitation.

♢♦♢♦♢

“I’d heard a swordsmanship instructor who served the shoguna…err I mean, a certain country—his name was Yagyū Tajima—was said to have kept a pet monkey. And whenever a swordsman hopeful came seeking apprenticeship, he would have that monkey hold a wooden sword and spar with them. Only those who could defeat the monkey were allowed to become his disciples.”

As I shared this half-remembered bit of trivia, Kaisa tilted her head while walking.

“A monkey? You mean like those Rock Apes, the monster kind?”

I tried to visualize it. A gigantic ape, nearly two mertes tall, its body wrapped in rock-like muscle, bloodshot eyes, knife-like fangs, drooling mouth, and a thick club in hand, appearing right from the start of the admission test… That would certainly be a climax from the get-go.

“No, just an ordinary monkey… About fifty centimertes tall, weighing around ten kilogura.”
““Wait, that small?!””

Kaisa and Daniella spoke in unison, their voices a mix of shock and disbelief. Everyone else around who’d been half-listening seemed to react the same way.

After all, in this world, when people think of monkeys, even the smallest are at least the size of a chimpanzee (around thirty kilogura, with the grip strength to crush an apple between their thumb and index finger). And the largest ones are colossal beasts standing three to fifteen mertes tall, roaming around like they own the world.

A monkey as small as a Japanese macaque would be something even an F-rank adventurer-in-training could dispatch more easily than crushing a mouse—at least, that’s their understanding.

“But you see, more than half of those confident martial artists lost to this monkey. In other words, as skilled as one might be in life-or-death combat, it just shows that humans couldn’t match a wild animal in terms of pure physical ability.”

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“What a rip-off! Not even forced labor in the mines could ever cover that! It’s as bad as a loan shark!”

Daniella burst out in outrage, to which the templar knight responded with a calm expression, “That is simply the law-abiding regulation.”

“I have no intention of demanding such an outrageous fee like some unlicensed doctor!” Jill, apparently having finished the treatment for the moment, retorted while wiping the sweat and dirt from Colin’s forehead with a handkerchief.

“I have no intention of putting a price tag on someone’s life! As long as Colin takes proper rest and returns to living a peaceful, normal life, that’s enough for me!”

The assembled group let out sighs of relief.

With peerless beauty, unmatched healing abilities, and above all, a sense of justice, wisdom, and humility that surpassed everyone else’s, Jill’s resolute attitude made even the templar knights stand straighter and bow their heads without argument, their posture corrected by her mere presence.

Even Colin, who was still unconscious, seemed to have his pain-stricken expression softened into something more peaceful.

“So, that’s how it is. Good for you, young lady.”
“Yes, thank you so much…”

Kaisa spoke cheerfully to the other victim receiving treatment—Maria Lou—and while she nodded in response, something dark and unsettling seemed to flicker across her expression. Not quite sadness, but something else. Kaisa frowned, sensing the shift.

(…Was it just my imagination? We’ve been through a lot in such a short time, so I’m probably just feeling overwhelmed.)

Watching Maria Lou’s restless behavior as she occasionally pulled out a golden pocket watch from her pocket to glance at its face, Kaisa tried to gauge her state of mind.

“Well, I’ve healed all his injuries for now, but as for the lost blood and stamina, he’ll have to recover those gradually through rest and proper meals. Please be mindful of that. —Now then, let’s proceed with your treatment.”

When Jill turned to face her, Maria Lou straightened her posture and bowed her head.

“My apologies, Lady Clara. But my wounds are not that severe, and the medicine you applied earlier is more than enough.”
“That won’t do. It’s true the wounds and bleeding are minor, but since they’re stab wounds, they must be deep. And if, by any chance, poison or harmful bacteria got in, it would be disastrous. Besides, I can’t bear the thought of leaving scars on a young lady’s skin.”

Jill’s easygoing tone pressed on, but Maria Lou looked troubled and strangely hesitant.

Realizing the reason, Jill glanced around at the men in the room. “Since this is treatment for a young lady, I must ask the gentlemen to leave the room.”

“But, Lady Clara, we can’t simply leave you alone…”
“That’s what we’re here for. Leave it to us.”

Kaisa added to the conversation, trying to ease the concerns of the reluctant templar knights. Even so, they were uneasy about the situation, leaving Jill’s protection to just the two of them.

“It would be a great help if you would.” Maria Lou spoke, her expression now visibly relieved.

“Anyway, healing wounds is a race against time, so hurry up.”

Added with Jill’s own urging, they were left with no room to argue. Reluctantly, they agreed to leave, under the condition that the door would remain open so they could rush in at any moment. They would wait in the hallway, ready to react if necessary.

In that instant—

“…No. That won’t be necessary.”

With a lethargic voice, a slender man appeared, standing casually at the entrance with a cigar in his mouth and a pair of unsheathed jamadhars in his hands.

Everyone instantly went on high alert at the sudden appearance of this obvious intruder.

“Don’t move!”

One of the jamadhars, thrown without any warning, pierced Maria Lou’s left shoulder just as she was about to lunge at Jill from behind.

“ “ “ “ “What—?!” ” ” ”

Despite being slammed to the floor by the force, Maria Lou swiftly rose to her feet with unexpected agility and forcefully yanked the jamadhar out.

“Inquisitor b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲…”

She glared at the man with venomous hatred, her voice trembling.

Realizing the truth, the templar knights glanced at the man’s attire, confirming the ceremonial robes reserved for high-ranking clergy. Their eyes widened.

“Could it be… His Eminence, Cardinal Callisto, Chairman of the Inquisition Committee?!”

“That’s right. You, Phantom Thief ‘Red Ram’—or I should say, the Saintess Project failed Prototype No. 8. It’s time to pay the piper. Resistance is futile.”

At Callisto’s words, Maria Lou twisted her lips into a mocking smile as she rose to her feet with a slow, deliberate motion. The expression frozen on her face was one that inspired not mere discomfort but a primal sense of disgust and terror.

“Failure… That’s right. That’s how the Sant’Angelo Sanctorium sees me, isn’t it? And this girl and the other one are considered the completed, successful versions, is that it?”
“………”

Nobody had any idea what was going on, but it was clear that the “enemy” here was this girl, and the suddenly appearing Cardinal Callisto was their ally.

Everyone present readied their weapons, forming a circle around Maria Lou to surround her.

They were deep in hostile territory, and with this many skilled fighters surrounding her, there should be no way for her to escape… or so they thought. But as experienced warriors, each of them couldn’t help but feel a strange unease, as if trying to grasp a slippery eel that would slip away at any moment…

“But too bad for you. You failed to realize that the abilities of this so-called ‘failure’ had already awakened. That’s your loss!”

“Stop her, now!!” Cardinal Callisto’s desperate shout was the trigger. Everyone charged at her with full force, holding nothing back.

In that moment, the hands of the pocket watch in her hand began to spin furiously in reverse, and then—

♢♦♢♦♢

“What’s wrong, Maria Lou?”

Colin had started walking, but suddenly noticed Maria Lou had stopped behind him. She was staring intently at the face of the golden pocket watch in her hand, a troubled expression on her face.

“…About two hours, huh. And it drained my magic considerably, too.”
“Aren’t we going back?”

When he asked again, Maria Lou lifted her gaze and looked sharply ahead, as if trying to peer through the fog-covered road. Then, without warning, she spun on her heel.

“I’ve changed my mind. Walking around in this weather and at this hour is dangerous. I think it’s better to take shelter at the Adventurers’ Guild headquarters for a while.”
“—Huh?”

Leaving those words behind, Maria Lou briskly continued walking. Colin, holding a night lantern, hurried after her, his expression filled with confusion.

He happened to glance up and saw the hazy moon resting under the eaves of a red-roofed house nearby.

At the same time, the toll of the church bell, signaling bedtime, echoed throughout the town. Against that backdrop of the moon, a cat rose from the rooftop, stretched its wings on its back, and let out a soft “—Meow.”