I Became the Teacher of the Imperial Family’s Bastard

039. Historia (3)

Historia and the holy knights entered the mansion under Yuren’s guidance.

As she walked, she constantly surveyed her surroundings.

A faint smile played on her lips.

Meanwhile, Yuren spoke.

“Please have a seat, I’ll bring it out shortly. I was just in the middle of preparing something.”

“Oh, yes! Thank you for your hospitality.”

With a bright smile, she replied, and Yuren disappeared from the room.

Then, Historia immediately whispered to the holy knights.

Her voice was full of confidence.

“The servants seem cheerful. The atmosphere of the mansion is also warm. Didn’t I say? The young lord might not be as bad as the rumors suggest.”

The holy knights looked startled at her words.

Why wouldn’t they be, considering they had come fully armed, expressing their concerns that Yuren might harm her.

Despite Historia’s strong denial that such a thing would happen, they had insisted, making their embarrassment even greater.

“…Yes, indeed.”

Contrary to their fears, Yuren was kinder than expected.

He did not show any feelings of admiration towards Historia, but he certainly displayed the courtesy of a noble.

Moreover, he first invited them to a meal and even promised to dine with them.

Historia pointed out these aspects one by one, speaking triumphantly.

“People can change at any time. Although the young lord may have wandered in the past, he is now in the position of a grand duke, isn’t he? And he has achieved many accomplishments. He has matured!”

Even just considering the major feats, he had already hunted the orc champion and thwarted the demon summoning.

An achievement that is hard to believe was accomplished by someone who hasn’t even undergone the coming-of-age ceremony yet.

Of course, what Historia valued highly was not the great achievement he accomplished.

It was the courage to step forward for the greater good despite his young age.

That was what she valued the most.

Originally, that was Historia’s nature.

She loved bright and good things, and believed that no matter how evil a person was, they could pursue goodness if given a small opportunity.

There was no reason for Yuren to be an exception, so she sided with him even before coming here, and seeing with her own eyes that she was right made her feel good.

“From now on, you shouldn’t judge people carelessly. Understand?”

“Yes, Saintess…”

Historia smiled bashfully.

At that moment, Yuren appeared.

He was pushing a tray with food on it.

“Have you been waiting long?”

“Oh, no! But that is…”

She blinked.

The food Yuren brought was very peculiar.

On the plate was a white, round, and transparent bread, with something else faintly visible inside.

Curiosity welled up at the sight of food she had never seen before.

He spoke.

“It’s meat bread. You knead the flour, roll it out thinly, chop meat and vegetables into it, then roll it up and steam it.”

“Oh…! That’s really interesting! Is it traditional?”

“No, it’s a recipe passed down from an old friend. It’s good for a simple snack.”

The menu consisted of only one item.

According to dining etiquette, it might seem disrespectful, but Historia wasn’t one to fuss over such things.

After all, it was an odd time for a meal.

If considered as a snack, a new dish could be quite an enjoyable diversion.

Yuren sat down and spoke.

“Please, Paladins, help yourselves. It’s high in calories and will sufficiently stave off your hunger.”

At that moment, Historia suddenly realized she didn’t know how to eat this food and felt puzzled.

She glanced at Yuren, and seeing him pick up the ‘meat bun’ with his bare hands, she roughly understood how to eat it.

Immediately, Historia carefully picked up the meat bun and took a bite.

Her eyes widened like a rabbit’s.

‘Delicious…!’

That was the impression that came to her mind with the first bite.

It wasn’t the outer crust that was delicious, but the taste of the minced meat and various vegetables inside. The harmony of the textures was indescribable.

As someone well-versed in gastronomy, she could instantly tell that the secret to the flavor was the meat juice infused with the aroma of the meat and vegetables.

Covering her mouth with her hand, Historia spoke with a genuinely excited feeling.

“This is really delicious! It’s the best thing I’ve eaten recently!”

“Of course.”

“Pardon?”

“…Ah, I mean, I was confident it would be. I enjoy cooking.”

“You made this yourself?!”

Historia was taken aback.

It was very surprising that someone destined to become the head of a great family would cook personally.

Moreover, it made Historia feel a sense of goodwill towards him.

She preferred people who valued sincerity and initiative over formality.

Her eyes began to sparkle.

“That’s amazing! Really…!”

“You flatter me. But first, let’s eat. How about we conduct the investigation after the meal?”

“Oh.”

She had forgotten.

Come to think of it, the reason she came here was for the witness investigation.

Historia’s pupils trembled as if an earthquake had struck them.

She soon replied, pretending to be nonchalant.

“Well, let’s eat first…”

Ahem, as she cleared her throat, a faint laugh could be heard from Yuren.

Historia’s ears turned red.

* * *

At this point, who would know better than me what Historia likes and what kind of personality she has?

After all, we’ve spent more than three and a half years together on the battlefield.

During that time, we talked almost every day without being apart for more than a day.

Given the circumstances, it was easy to win her over.

Well, aside from that, I made her ‘meat bread’ out of a desire to treat her.

Although it wasn’t as good as what Hanna used to make, it was easy to match Historia’s taste.

Moving her was easy too.

The investigation time arrived.

With a smiling face, Historia asked me.

“I would like to hear the details first.”

“There isn’t much difference from what I provided in the preliminary report. We discovered signs of the demon, requested help from the Imperial City, and headed there. Wizard Beatrice was in the middle of stopping the demon summoning alone. I assisted her… and got injured, so I left for treatment.”

The alibi ends here.

Of course, it was an alibi that emphasized its flaws rather than perfection.

Historia quickly took the bait.

“Yes, so I have a few questions.”

“Go ahead.”

“How did you notice the signs? And why did you request help from the Imperial City instead of the Papal Office? Lastly, I heard you left for recovery… but there is information that you headed outside the castle gates that night.”

She was quite serious.

She probably didn’t intend to conduct a half-hearted investigation.

But I’m not too worried.

She isn’t trying to interrogate me; she just wants a reason she can accept.

Even if it’s an absurd reason, she would prefer to believe it first.

Because she’s that kind of woman, this method is possible.

“To explain those things, I must first apologize.”

“Apologize…?”

“First, how did I notice the signs? I must speak of matters within the family.”

I stood up and clasped my hands behind my back.

I spoke as I headed towards the bookshelf on the wall of the reception room.

“Pharos has been educated about the wicked and the sinister for generations. Since the founding period, we have been tasked with watching over the royal family, so the heirs are taught at least the basic knowledge of the greatest dangers.”

“Ah?”

“When it comes to demons, we have particularly extensive information. Perhaps even more than the Papal Office.”

Historia’s expression showed a hint of wounded pride.

However, this was not a hastily made-up story, but a fact.

“Three hundred years ago, among those who reverse-summoned the demon that appeared in the empire, was our ancestor.”

Velf Paros.

The man who was the Grand Master three hundred years ago, and the last Grand Master before me, recorded everything he discovered about the demon and sealed it in the Paros library.

Only the head of the family and the heir could read it.

The reason I could run straight to the sunset was also greatly due to that help.

That explanation convinced Historia.

I continued speaking.

From now on, it was important.

“Then to the point, why should I apologize? The reason is that I did not trust the Holy See. As someone to ask for help.”

“···!”

“It was a short judgment, but I have no regrets. In fact, until I reverse-summoned the demon, the Holy See did not appear at the Magic Tower.”

They appeared after I left the system.

That is, after the phenomenon where the sunset sky shattered like glass.

“I don’t know who summoned the demon. In that situation, I had to find someone I could trust, and that was His Highness the Crown Prince, whom I chose myself. The Holy See… Yes, to be honest, I didn’t even think of them, and later I thought it was good that I didn’t call them.”

“Th-that was our shortcoming! But at that time, we were…”

“Yes, there was an important mass to commemorate the founding festival. No one could leave for two hours. Perhaps the demon summoner intentionally targeted that time.”

Indeed, it was true.

It was something I heard directly from Beatrice, the person involved.

Historia’s expression hardened at that.

However, my words were not finished.

“But you see, it was only later that I realized the Holy See never came after I reverse-summoned the demon. Yes, I had my suspicions. What if the Holy See showed up late? What if they detained me for investigation? What if one of them was the summoner? It was a crisis. With such thoughts, I decided that above all, I had to avoid the worst-case scenario of being dragged away while injured.”

“······.”

“I apologize if this is a misunderstanding. But despite knowing it might be rude, may I ask you one thing?”

“···Yes.”

“I heard that the Saint did not attend the council meeting. But why did the Saint also not know about the demon summoning? Moreover, wasn’t he blessed?”

In truth, this part was slander.

Slander meant to plant suspicion that the Saint was involved in the demon summoning.

However, if driven in this way, there was something to be gained.

‘You will begin to doubt the Saint’s actions. No matter how good-natured you are.’

My and the Crown Prince’s goal was to plant a ‘moral suspicion’ in Historia.

To sow the seed of doubt that the Saint might be engaging in strange behavior.

All that was needed was suspicion.

Then surely cracks would form, and those cracks would create an opening for the Saint.

That opening would surely lead to the ‘forbidden book research.’

Surely, disappearing for hours each day to avoid prying eyes would look too suspicious.

‘Researching the forbidden book isn’t something that can be done in a day or two. It’s highly likely that something is being attempted even at this point.’

That’s what I think.

Even at the time of the mass, the Saint was probably researching the forbidden book.

Why, wasn’t it the perfect time to avoid the eyes moving within the Holy See?

But we can’t storm in based on mere suspicion.

If we fail to uncover the secret in one go, it would become quite a significant political issue.

Leaving that aside, our physical intrusion might provoke the saint.

So, we needed to shake him from within, and that means was Historia.

To cut to the chase, the operation seemed to have worked.

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“That is…”

Her eyes wavered.

* * *

The Papal Office.

Saint Verheim’s private study.

Historia was sitting there, facing Verheim.

It was a report on the witness investigation.

However, she just stared at the floor with a troubled face.

“Ria?”

Startled, Historia’s shoulders trembled at Verheim’s call.

She forced a bright expression and answered.

“Oh, yes.”

“Is something troubling you?”

“No, nothing. Ah, about the investigation…”

Historia added a rough explanation.

Yuren’s words pointed out a possibility she didn’t even want to think about.

Even the Papal Office cannot escape from being a suspect in demon summoning.

And even Berheim, chosen by fate, could not escape it.

Indeed, something seemed off if one followed Yuren’s words.

‘Praying personally to the goddess…’

He said he would seek an audience following the revelation.

Being a saint blessed with divine protection, it seemed plausible.

Unlike the goddess of hope, who had neither revelations nor blessings, fate had always imparted teachings to the present world.

But still.

‘Should it have been then? No, if he was in a dialogue with the goddess…’

…Why did even the goddess fail to notice the signs of the demon summoning?

That doesn’t make sense.

Berheim, merely a servant of the goddess, might not know.

But how could the goddess, equal to the demon, not be aware of the anomaly occurring in the capital?

It’s full of holes.

It’s rather strange that no one has noticed it until now.

‘Why? Why has no one thought of that?’

He questioned himself, but the answer was obvious.

Because he is a saint.

Because they believe in his uniqueness and sanctity.

Historia was the same.

She had seen Berheim since she could barely walk.

Berheim was always special.

He was a calm, intellectual person who lived in dazzling radiance.

Therefore, it was only natural to assume that he would be on the side of both gods and humans.

Of course, that thought hasn’t changed even now.

If a god were to bestow a miracle upon humans, it would surely take the form of someone like Verheim.

From the beginning, she didn’t want to believe he was a suspect.

Historia was not the type to be overly suspicious.

But, even so.

“…Hmm, it matches the prince’s statement. The only difference is the motive for escape.”

“Huh?”

“The prince said he set out to find Rebecca. But Yuren Pharos acted out of caution towards the Holy See… Was there anything else he said?”

“Anything else…?”

“What he did all night. Whether he really went to find Rebecca. Whether he saw Rebecca. This part is suspicious.”

Historia sighed inwardly.

A sad smile appeared on her face.

“Ver.”

“…Ah, I’m sorry.”

“No, no. You must have had your reasons.”

Verheim, who had never seen others on the same level as himself, fell in love.

His partner was a cheerful commoner girl.

Historia genuinely supported their relationship.

She hoped it would help Verheim get used to sharing his heart with others.

However, the more he met with her, the stranger Verheim became.

Sometimes, the child I knew so well felt like a stranger.

This feeling had been particularly pronounced in the past week.

Since Rebecca’s disappearance.

‘…She seems anxious.’

No, she looked broken somehow.

Didn’t she?

If someone goes missing, you need to find the cause and the method.

You need to find the traces and follow the path to search for Rebecca first.

But, Verheim…

‘…is creating a culprit.’

She suspects the crown prince.

Even though the suspicion is almost baseless.

She points to Yuren as an accomplice.

Even though the Yuren she knew wasn’t like that.

It wasn’t because there was a valid reason to accuse them, but because she was busy finding elements to make them the culprits.

Her thoughts kept flowing in a negative direction.

Historia was ashamed of herself for that.

She didn’t want to think anymore.

Maybe that’s why.

With a heart close to pleading, she spoke her honest mind.

“…Ver, but you know.”

“Why so?”

“The day the demon appeared. You said you had a conversation with the goddess.”

“…I did.”

“Didn’t the goddess give you any warning about the demon?”

Historia looked directly into his eyes.

Golden eyes, just like hers.

A deep symbol of divinity.

Those eyes were always straight and clear.

But not this time.

“…Have you ever talked to anyone about that worry?”

They were so murky.

Historia’s hand clutched her skirt tightly under the desk.

A smile spread across her face.

“No, never.”

Her fingertips trembled slightly.

Berheim stared at Historia for a long time, then got up and headed to the shelf.

He brewed tea.

He had such a hobby.

The holy flame boiled the water, steeped the tea leaves, and made the tea.

Berheim handed the tea to Historia.

“You seem to be on edge. Drink this. It has a calming effect.”

“Ber, my question?”

“I heard nothing. The communication with the deity is not a two-way conversation. I ask one thing to the heavens, and I get the answer during the dialogue.”

So, does it take two hours to deliver a single message?

What story did you ask for?

The question couldn’t come out.

Knowing that anything more would be an interrogation.

“…I see.”

Historia grabbed the teacup.

And bowed her head.

“It’s a scent I’ve never encountered before.”

“I got it at this year’s founding festival. They say adventurers brought it back from exploring the outer realms.”

“Yes…”

Historia drank the tea.

In doing so, she felt it.

That Verheim was staring intently at her bowed head.

…She couldn’t bring herself to face that expression.

End

ⓒ papapa.

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