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“Phew…”

Letting out a weary sigh, Eliza, perhaps drained from speaking so much, staggered past Maria Lou and made her way toward us.

Her complexion seemed pale, her entire body weighed down with exhaustion.

That was only natural, I suppose.

Unlike me (…right? I am different… aren’t I?), Eliza was a purebred sheltered maiden, born and raised within the Saintess’ Order’s headquarters, Sant’Angelo.

Raised like a delicate flower, cherished like a butterfly, she had suddenly been kidnapped — even if by another woman — kept confined for an entire day, and in the end, locked away stark naked inside the mouth of some incomprehensible creature. For her not to be completely debilitated after all that would be strange in itself.

“Are you all right? You must have been terribly frightened…”

Unable to leave poor Eliza, exposed and humiliated, in the care of the men, I hurried over myself. Pulling a bedsheet from my Close magic art, I draped it over her shoulders and held her close to cover her.

Off to the side, Colin and Maria Lou were occupied with their own troubles, while Cestlavie, Regulus, and even the winged cat Sechs all politely averted their eyes like proper gentlemen.

Coppelia, however—perhaps because she had never gotten along with Eliza in the first place—only followed me out of obligation.

“…Regrettably, she’s healthy. A little weakened, yes, but there are no signs of assault or violation.”

She delivered her assessment mechanically, taking Eliza’s hand to check her pulse, prying open her eyelids for a cursory examination, and then tacking on that indifferent comment as if it were an afterthought.

It was reassuring, of course, that there was no immediate medical issue—but people can easily collapse from stress alone, so there was no room for carelessness.

“I see. In that case, what she needs most is rest to calm her heart and body before anything else.”
“Indeed. By the way, Lady Clara, this has nothing to do with anything, but—why is it that they call using honey traps to fish out blackmail materials Badger’s Game?”

That really had absolutely nothing to do with anything.

Maybe it was because of that absurd remark, or maybe simply because her tension had finally unraveled—but suddenly Eliza’s legs gave way beneath her. She swayed, then collapsed limply against me.

“Eliza! Are you all right?! Are you feeling unwell?!”

Perhaps the situation really was dire.

I instinctively cast iRegeneration and called softly to Eliza, who was resting her face against my left shoulder, head bowed.

There wasn’t much change, but her complexion did seem to gain the faintest trace of color.

“…I’m fine. You really are incredible, you know. And strong, too. Even in a situation like this, you don’t waver at all. I doubt there’s anything in this world you fear…”

Her voice was surprisingly steady, despite her posture.

“That’s not true. I have plenty of things I’m afraid of. For example… the rebound after eating too many sweets, or the Moon-Eye Day (Monday) after an all-nighter.”

I said it half-jokingly, though there was a good deal of sincerity behind the words.

Then again—

“Lady Clara, that sounds very much like the sort of thing an utterly hopeless human would say,” Coppelia cut in, reprimanding me. Perhaps it was a reckless confession.

“There are other things, too. Human relationships. The past, present, and future. Especially uncertainty about what lies ahead. My place in the world. Harsh criticism. Getting Axed.”

The list goes on. And if I’m not mistaken, that last one might not have come from me at all.

“Fufufu… So even you have fears. You cheerfully do charity work in the slums and even treat the injuries of brutish adventurers on your days off. I honestly thought you were incapable of fear.”

Perhaps the strain of the emergency had loosened her tongue—Eliza was speaking her mind more frankly than usual.

So, taking advantage of the moment, I decided to be just as candid in return.

“It’s true there are terrifying people out there. But that’s exactly where I—no, we shrine maidens—are needed. The front line of healing is out there, yet the clergy and maidens at the Holy Ground lock themselves away in the sanctuary, spinning theories and basking in their own self-satisfaction. To me, they look less like servants of the divine and more like dreamers refusing to face reality.”

“In other words, Lady Clara is asking, ‘Does food taste good when all you do is sit on the title of shrine maiden and do nothing?’”

Coppelia summarized it with brutal clarity. Not inaccurate, though.

Naturally, I expected Eliza to flare up in her usual way. Instead—

“…How harsh.”

She let out a single murmur, then suddenly, “Ku-ku-ku-ku…”—a suppressed laugh slipped from her lips.

““……””

Without thinking, Coppelia and I exchanged glances.
Was this really Eliza? She was being far too reasonable—it felt wrong somehow.

“To openly defy the Order, and yet remain utterly unshaken… to be recognized not just in spite of it, but as the next Saintess, the ‘Shrine Maiden Princess’ herself. You really are remarkable.”

“Um… Eliza?”

She’s been very forward, it’s ticklish…literally. With a strangely sensual motion, she actually pressed her cheek against the back of my neck.

“The sight of two beautiful girls getting all lovey-dovey. Truly, this is a reward. Very well, I shall preserve this forever in the memory banks of my youth.”

I had no intention of taking Coppelia’s mutterings seriously—absolutely not—but still, a chill ran down my spine.

Uh, um… there’s no weird ulterior motive here… right?

In that instant, my mind was suddenly flooded with words I’d never consciously thought of before: ‘Convent: a den of such proclivities,’ ‘forbidden romance,’ ‘older sister × little sister-in-law’.

Well, yes—Eliza was born and raised as a maiden in a church forbidden to men. But she and I have never gotten along; in fact, she’s treated me as a rival. Right? I even admitted as much a moment ago.

But then again… love and hate are but two sides of the same coin. If you’re thinking about someone day in and day out, the emotions aren’t so different—and sometimes, with the right spark, venom can flip over into something else entirely.

…Wait. Did I just realize I might actually be in a ‘seriously bad situation’ here?

Sensing an ominous premonition, I instinctively tried to pull away from Eliza and leap back—

“—Colin.”
“What is it, Maria Lou—mmph!?”

Out of nowhere, Maria Lou suddenly sprang from the stone golem’s arm, closed the distance in an instant, and pressed her lips against Colin-kun’s, leaving him utterly dumbfounded.

Eh…?

“—Ow… OWWW!?”

“O-Ohhh! Lady Clara’s getting eaten by Eliza!?”

Stunned, I then felt a sharp pain on my neck.
In a panic, I shoved Eliza away with both hands and leapt back in a hasty retreat.

I quickly pressed a hand to my neck. Thankfully, Eliza hadn’t suddenly sprouted fangs, so the wound wasn’t serious—just a little blood seeping out.

“—Heal.”

For something this minor, a chantless spell was more than enough. But still—why on earth had Eliza suddenly resorted to such a violent outburst?!