Chapter 11

Released:

In the Yuri mode, how did the second meeting between the Saintess and the Crown Princess go?

When I thought about it, I distinctly remembered that their second meeting didn’t take place at the Academy.

“Estelle, have you met Her Highness the Crown Princess again since the first time you saw her?”

“No? How would someone like me even see the so-called Moon of the Empire? I thought I might run into her at the entrance ceremony, at most.”

The faint sarcasm in her tone made me certain it was truly Estelle speaking.

In any case, in the Yuri mode, the two were supposed to meet once more before heading to the Academy.

As I mentioned before, a tea party had been held at Count Maria’s mansion at the invitation of Lina von Maria. It was there that the two had their second encounter.

“Come to think of it, I heard a tea party was held recently at the Maria County. By any chance, did you attend?”

The mention of the Maria County was a deliberate test to see if she had any interaction or connection with Lina.

“The Maria County? Where is that? If a tea party was held in Mr. Theo’s Empire, it’d be strange to invite me, the Saintess of the Holy Empire. The peace treaty hasn’t even been properly implemented yet. Besides, it wouldn’t make sense to invite someone you’ve never met, just because they happened to see you at a party.”

It seemed she really didn’t know anything at all.

“Well, that’s true. Since Her Highness the Crown Princess is coming tomorrow, I should inform my parents and start preparing. Estelle, you should go rest.”

When we mentioned she’d be staying for just one night, my mother gladly offered one of the spare rooms.

Though it was called a spare room, it was a guest room that was always kept clean and well-maintained. Estelle seemed quite pleased with it.

From what I could see, it was just an old bed with a clean sheet and an attached guest bathroom, so I couldn’t really understand what she found so good about it.

“Should I help?”

“It’s fine. You’re a guest, after all. Still, if you get bored while resting, feel free to come out and look around.”

“Alright, got it. Then I’ll head in for now. Um, about today…”

“Today?”

“Thank you, Mr. Theo.”

With that vague expression of gratitude, Estelle quickly slipped into her room, leaving me puzzled.

What exactly was she thankful for? If anything, shouldn’t it be me thanking her for teaching me how to use magic today?

Was she thankful for letting her stay? But I intended to charge her properly for that. What a strange person.

***

While Theo informed his parents of Iris’s visit, which caused an uproar throughout the house, Estelle was staring blankly at the ceiling, lost in thought.

Father, I want to live freely too.

The voice echoing in her mind was her own, from when she was still quite young.

The sound of her voice desperately speaking to her father, the Holy Emperor and the most powerful figure in the Holy Empire, was filled with a heartbreaking cry.

As long as you were born as the Saintess and my daughter, that’s not possible. If you wish to find freedom, grow stronger than I am and take my place. Once you do, no one will ever truly be able to control you again.

The free-spirited, sharp-tongued Estelle of today, who could never hold back from saying exactly what was on her mind, was a persona she had crafted for the sake of her lost freedom.

If she didn’t act this way, she felt as though she might suffocate and lose all reason to keep going.

“Mr. Theo…”

But today was a little different from usual.

The man she met after sneaking out of the church at Duncan’s sudden call had an unusual way of putting her at ease.

At first, she had thought of him as nothing more than an idiot oblivious to his own talents. But the more they talked, the more his way of seeing her for who she truly was eased the tight grip around her chest, allowing her heart to beat a little more freely.

“…I’m going to get scolded when I go back, aren’t I?”

Before entering the room, she had said something about Iris scolding her, but in reality, Iris had no right to do so.

If anything, Iris would likely welcome her warmly and then ask her to give a heads-up before entering the country next time. It was obvious that the conversation would flow peacefully.

The real problem was when she returned to the Holy Empire and faced her father’s wrath. That was what really weighed on her.

“How strange.”

For some reason, that worry didn’t feel as heavy today.

So what if I get scolded? That bold, fearless way of thinking felt possible again. It was Estelle’s typical way of thinking.

“…It’s all thanks to him.”

The fear of being reprimanded was gradually being painted over by her feelings for Theo.

“It would be nice to go to the academy together.”

The unanswered question she had posed earlier kept floating in the air.

Somehow, their conversation had drifted to other topics, and those unspoken questions began to pile up in her heart, one by one.

Estelle wanted to call him just “Theo” and get along with him. She thought that if they attended the academy together, it might help her naturally grow closer to the Crown Princess.

“…Haah, please.”

But in the end, it all felt like she was simply using Theo for her own convenience, and that thought weighed heavily on her.

Meeting the Crown Princess tomorrow was already a huge burden for the people of the Empire.

Because she was staying here, even the people in this place had been burdened by her presence.

Should I just go and meet the Crown Princess now?

Although she hadn’t been told which hotel the Crown Princess was staying at, it wouldn’t be difficult to find. All she’d need to do was head to the city center and check with the personnel stationed nearby to locate her quickly.

No, no, that’s not right. She’s putting so much effort into preparing. I should help instead.

Flying over immediately to meet her and send her away was an option, but when she thought about it again from the perspective of the Empire’s citizens, the visit of the Crown Princess might be burdensome, but it was also an honor.

On top of that, the preparations outside were already in full swing, and there was enough noise to indicate how much effort was being put into the event. If she suddenly said, “I’ve already met with Her Highness, so she won’t be coming~~” it would surely drain all their enthusiasm and energy.

Creak—

“Oh my, dear Estelle, you’re still awake? Were we being too noisy? I’m sorry.”

“Oh, no, not at all. I usually stay up late. But ma’am, is there anything I can help you with?”

Estelle was quite good at cleaning, laundry, and even cooking.

It wasn’t that she excelled at them personally, but her magic took care of all those tasks effortlessly.

All Estelle did was skillfully control her magic.

“If you clean like this, it’s done in no time!”

Though she hadn’t exactly been given permission, she used her magic to clean up quickly, finishing not only the cleaning but also the unwashed dishes in an instant. Theo’s mother’s eyes began to sparkle with admiration.

“My goodness. Even cleaning is something the Saintess excels at. How amazing you are!”

“Oh, it’s nothing, really. So just leave anything to me! Cleaning, laundry, cooking, sewing… basically, I’m good at all kinds of housework!”

“My, do you do such things yourself even in the Holy Empire?”

That wasn’t the case.

In fact, back in the Holy Empire, she wasn’t in a position to do such things even if she wanted to.

When she was younger, she once helped a maid simply because it looked fun and didn’t seem difficult. However, when the Holy Emperor learned of it, he severely punished the maid and had her kicked out in the end.

After that incident, Estelle never helped the maids with their work again.

“No, over there, the maids usually take care of everything. So I want to try doing it myself, at least here! I also want to be of help to you!”

Estelle spoke with a playful voice. She clung to Theo’s mother’s arm and lovingly rubbed against it like a puppy.

“Oh my, our Estelle is just so lovable. Let’s see, what could I ask you to do? Hmm, most of the housework is already finished, so there’s not much left to help with. Ah, right! Theo went to the greenhouse in the field to pick some tangerines. Could you help him with that?”

Thump!

Work with Theo?

To her, who wanted to spend time with him so much that she was willing to create excuses, it was a task too precious to refuse.

“Yes! I’ll help with all my might!”

“Alright then, hoho. I’ll leave it to you.”

As Estelle darted off to find the greenhouse where Theo was, Theo’s mother watched her enter with a deeply satisfied smile.

“Huh, Estelle? What brings you here?”

In the greenhouse, Theo had been carefully and slowly picking tangerines, one by one, with great care. From a distance, he noticed someone approaching and, when he realized it was Estelle, he asked in a slightly flustered voice.

“Oh, I came to help. You know how good I am with magic, right? I helped your mother with cleaning, and when I asked if there was anything else I could do, she told me to come here…”

Her explanation was rather rambling, but Theo managed to understand the gist of it and nodded his head in response.

“Hmm, my mom even put a guest to work. Well, looks like I won’t be able to collect the lodging fee I was planning to charge tomorrow.”

Theo half closed his eyes and spoke as if he was mourning the loss, which made Estelle burst out laughing.

“Pfft, what’s that about? I’ll pay the lodging fee. Helping out is a different matter.”

“Eh, then I’d have to pay for using your magic services too. Honestly, that’d cost way more. Let’s just call it even.”

“What? Then wouldn’t I be at a loss here?”

When Estelle gave him a playful glare, Theo grinned mischievously and changed the subject.

“Oh, these tangerines are super fresh! Want to try one?”

“Your ability to change the subject is impressive, Mr. Theo.”

“Haha, is it? Well, anyway, this one really looks sweet. Go ahead, try it.”

The tangerine Theo handed her looked so fresh it seemed to sparkle.

“…Alright, I’ll enjoy it.”

As Estelle took the tangerine from him, she couldn’t shake the strange feeling that, along with the fruit, Theo had given her a small piece of his heart.

7 responses to “Chapter 11”

  1. RiamuP Avatar
    RiamuP

    Soo cuteee

  2. haskidoge Avatar
    haskidoge

    so the saint really want to friend the princess

    1. Pe551 Avatar
      Pe551

      thanks for the chapter

      1. Pe551 Avatar
        Pe551

        damn misclick

  3. JimmyJohns05 Avatar
    JimmyJohns05

    Holy moly she’s down so bad already

  4. Pe551 Avatar
    Pe551

    thanks for the chapter

  5. ITACHI69999 Avatar
    ITACHI69999

    that’s so damn good i mean mc rizz is gonna be insane

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