“I-I don’t have that kind of preference!”
“…Preference? What kind of preference?”
Eliya seriously asked me back, as if she was intrigued by my accidental nonsense.
“What does smelling feet have to do with preferences?”
“Uh…!”
I shut my mouth tightly as I tried to defend myself against Eliya, who casually desecrated the world of preferences that should be respected by all of humanity and regarded as a personal sanctuary.
“If I defend this, it would seem like I actually have that kind of preference, right?”
In the first place, I…
…No, that’s not important.
“Or does it mean my foot odor doesn’t match your olfactory preferences?”
“No, no, that’s not it…I mean, I wasn’t… smelling your foot odor…”
Eliya tilted her head curiously, as if to say, “Then why were you shoving your nose in your own foot?”
From the standpoint of someone who isn’t into that at all, my head was spinning.
“Why did the quest reward come at that timing…!”
Of course, I couldn’t deny my own mistake at that moment, but I decided not to think about it.
“Well, whatever…”
If you say so, then I guess it is.
Eliya’s response was exactly that.
Eliya, who had no interest in romance and could not understand it at all.
Thanks to that, I could let it pass without any problem.
But why do I feel a little embarrassed and somewhat miserable…?
“Anyway, hurry and sit back down. We’re not done yet.”
Only then did I begin to pay attention to my surroundings.
People were murmuring, clearly taken aback by my sudden action.
Why must I realize again at such a moment that there are so many guests at this adult ceremony?
Everyone’s eyes staring at me were anything but normal.
Among them, Balak and Ria looked almost scary.
“I want to hide, but there’s no place to do so…”
Even if there was, I likely couldn’t hide.
With my mouth firmly shut and avoiding their gaze, I knelt down again.
Eliya stood up.
She raised her ceremonial sword.
The magnificent sword slowly descended above my head.
The shame and deep contemplation about preferences I felt just moments ago all vanished.
“Eliya…”
Eliya, who had been shooting fire at me.
“What the heck was that scene…?”
The sword moved.
It went from my left shoulder to my right shoulder, and then touched the top of my head.
“I swear under the light of the Sun God. I, Eliya, will receive your loyalty and life.”
Eliya’s gentle voice echoed through the temple.
“I will serve you with glory.”
I answered like a machine.
After that, the remaining process of the installation ceremony passed by quickly.
I didn’t even know how it happened.
My mind was all jumbled.
Eliya, who had been shooting flames, was clearly aiming at me.
It didn’t even look like a mistake.
There was a clear intent to kill.
“The second tragedy…”
The scene of tragedy shown this time was different from last time.
In other words, it was a tragedy that I’d been able to avoid previously.
“As nothing has happened yet, I can assume that’s correct…?”
So I believe this tragedy will be the same.
I can avoid it if I want.
I don’t need to worry excessively.
“Fortunately, there are more clues than last time.”
This time, Eliya’s expression was evident.
Angry and twisted, yet also crying.
Could it mean that I did something wrong?
“That Eliya is angry enough to consider it a mistake… I really couldn’t figure it out.”
Anyway, I resolved to be more careful from now on.
I don’t know if I can be more careful than this.
After calming my mind, I checked the next reward.
A comical segment.
This gives more information than a tragedy.
Since it’s a “segment” rather than just a sentence.
The beginning is the same as when a tragedy is revealed.
First, a scene is presented.
Like a puzzle coming together, the picture completes step by step.
I see someone lying on a bed.
It’s me.
It doesn’t show what the space is.
The scene only presents me lying on the bed.
My body is wrapped in bandages.
As if I had been gravely injured.
It seems to be a serious injury, but my complexion isn’t bad.
That’s the end of the scene.
Following that is a brief explanation of the scene, unlike the tragedy.
[Eliya’s comedy.]
‘…Not my comedy, but Eliya’s comedy?’
This is a first.
Usually, good or bad events are shown from the perspective of the person seeing the future.
But this future shows Eliya’s comedy, not mine.
‘What happened, I wonder…?’
I can link this to the previous tragedy.
Eliya, who shot flames at me.
And me, greatly injured and collapsed.
It’s described as Eliya’s comedy.
‘My being injured means it’s a good thing for Eliya… a sun that must kill the moon.’
If this is harder than the last tragedy, then it’s harder—if it’s easier, then it’s easier.
It’s difficult in the sense that I need to avoid situations where Eliya kills me for comedic events.
The reason it’s easy is that I can at least infer causal relationships this time.
Eliya with an angry expression.
‘I need to be as careful as possible about what I do from now on…’
*
After the installation ceremony, Eliya’s coming-of-age ceremony began in earnest.
During the ceremony, I stayed by Eliya’s side.
It was the duty of her knightly escort.
Though it’s called a coming-of-age ceremony, it’s nothing more than an extravagant birthday party for her 18th.
A luxurious birthday party held in the Sun Symbol Temple.
‘Eliya always seems unhappy on her birthday.’
Well, it makes sense.
She has to face the mocking faces of her family on her birthday.
I indirectly came to understand how Eliya was treated by her family.
It must have been tougher when her powers as a wizard were weaker.
In the large space under the throne, the Pope of Molsin Church was delivering a congratulatory speech.
‘His name was Nadab, if I recall correctly.’
An individual who didn’t exist in the future I once knew.
The Pope of Molsin Church, Nadab.
To be precise, the religion known as Molsin Church was gone.
‘It was said to have fallen because of the Bevel family.’
At that time, only Eliya remained as a member of the Bevel family.
Everyone else had died.
By Eliya’s hand.
So when did Eliya massacre her family?
When did Molsin Church decline due to the Bevel family?
Will these two events flow the same way even in this place where I have intervened?
‘This is a very important question….’
I looked at Eliya.
Sitting on the throne, looking down the banquet hall dully.
From a slightly diagonal view, her cheeks were round.
‘Hmm. Cute.’
I couldn’t imagine her as the one who had thrown fire at me.
Eliya, who was bored watching the coming-of-age ceremony, looked up.
Her red eyes met mine.
She then smiled gently.
As she always did when she faced me.
A smile exuding calmness.
As much as I think, I can’t see this Eliya as one who would kill me.
“Why are you staring like that? Do you have something to say?”
Eliya asked in a whisper.
Why am I staring like this…
‘…Good question.’
I just…
“…It’s nothing.”
Before I knew it, the Pope’s congratulatory speech had finished.
Now it’s time for free conversation and exchange.
Various people came to congratulate Eliya.
Eliya received their greetings indifferently, barely paying attention.
Then, a woman stood before Eliya.
Golden hair braided neatly.
Eyes the same color as Eliya’s.
“It’s been a while, Eliya.”
The woman said with a radiant smile.
“Was the last time we saw each other during the trial?”
Eliya also replied with a smile.
“Does it even matter? No matter when we meet, or how many times, it’s equally unpleasant for both of us.”
Despite the blatant sarcasm, the other party didn’t lose her composure.
She kept her smile steady.
“I’m sorry about the misunderstandings regarding your mother. But Eliya, won’t you let your mother go free now? It’d be troublesome if you keep this up.”
“Sister Jezebel, you still haven’t learned how to read letters properly.”
“…Huh?”
“I’ll introduce you to a great grammar teacher. After you’ve learned letters, read the verdict. It will contain the answers you’re looking for.”
“……”
“Ah, by the time you learn all the letters, the Duchess might have aged and died naturally.”
Jezebel, the woman facing Eliya, was now anything but calm.
She glared at Eliya with a stiff face.
It was a deadly atmosphere.
Even in front of that, Eliya smiled nonchalantly.
‘This is terrifying…’
Eliya is usually quite indifferent.
If I were to compare her to something, she’d be like a cat who couldn’t care less about anything.
Yet when it comes to family matters, her demeanor changes completely.
Her face remains calm, and she smiles leisurely.
But the words she utters are laden with thorns.
“Eliya… are you really going to keep this up? You received compensation due to the trial’s outcome. Couldn’t you show at least a little mercy to treat your mother like a person?”
“Sister. There are guests waiting behind you. If you’ve finished talking, move aside.”
“You… do you think you can handle this?”
Jezebel asked, trembling with clenched fists.
Eliya looked up at her blankly.
She tilted her head slightly, as if confused, and just smiled wryly.
“What, what is it…?”
Jezebel asked in disbelief, but Eliya wouldn’t answer.
She just waved her hand dismissively as if swatting away a fly.
“Move along. I’m busy.”
“…You’ll regret this.”
Whether she says that or not, Eliya continued to receive greetings from other guests.
After Jezebel, no other siblings of Eliya approached.
I checked the five people scattered throughout the banquet hall.
‘Cain, Levi, Jezebel, Aghan, Sara.’
I memorized them all thanks to attending Eliya’s birthday parties for five years.
‘They are likely the current closest individuals to Eliya and the biggest threats, including Balak.’
Once the greetings were over.
Next, the gift-giving ceremony was left.
But an issue arose.
‘I didn’t bring a gift this time…?’
For five years, I made sure to bring gifts without fail.
To the best of my abilities within a single-digit budget—flowers, cheap gemstone bracelets, simple hairbands—those sorts of things.
Eliya always accepted them with a smile.
Even though they were totally unworthy of her status.
She still wears the bracelets and hairbands I gave her back then.
Unlike the scarf and cat doll, which I always bring, I sometimes remember to bring the others and sometimes forget.
‘Well, she does use them often, though.’
Anyway, that’s not the important part.
In the waiting for the final exam and the installation ceremony, I completely forgot about the birthday gift.
‘What should I do…?’
Eliya, the guest of honor, changes outfits every so often.
As she walked to change outfits, I cautiously followed her and spoke.
“Um, milady… I’m really sorry, but I couldn’t prepare a gift this time…”
Eliya, standing before the dressing room door, looked at me intently.
Her expression was blank.
Is she angry?
“You don’t have to.”
Contrary to my concerns, Eliya seemed very nonchalant.
“It’s a luxury to ask for more from someone who already brought the Sun Symbol.”
Hmm. The Sun Symbol indeed has that much worth.
“And.”
“And what?”
“Now that you are my knight, that’s enough. I don’t need anything else.”
“……”
“Just wait a moment. I’ll be out soon.”
Eliya entered the dressing room.
The door shut with a click.
I stood quietly in front of it.
Every time I hear such words lately, it’s becoming hard to stay sober.
My head was spinning.
“Ugh…”
As I let out a deep sigh, someone approached me with heavy footsteps.
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