Chapter: 391
When Benedict heard that Lucy, after waking from a long slumber, had begun training with her friends, he thought it was just a way to shake off her sadness.
He figured it was best to not give his mind the space to dwell on sorrow by working himself too hard—because when despair overwhelmed him, even thinking felt exhausting.
Having gone through something similar in the past, Benedict understood Lucy’s feelings and decided to let her be until she could cope with her grief.
After all, forcing himself into her space would only serve to hurt her more—at least, that was the excuse he told himself.
“Isn’t it just that you don’t know how to comfort the young lady, and you’re just stalling?”
The butler, who had been watching Benedict’s frustrated demeanor throughout the day, finally couldn’t hold back from nagging him.
Seeing Lucy slide back into old habits after having spent some time alone with someone was truly disheartening.
“…Butler. Hitting me with the obvious truth hurts, you know.”
“Then shouldn’t you do something so that I don’t have to say it?”
“If that were possible, do you think I would still be sitting here like this?”
Benedict knew what was right. He was well aware that treating his daughter as he had done before would be enough. However, every time he thought of seeing her, all he could picture was the sight of Lucy collapsing in grief and crying alone in the mausoleum, immobilizing him.
“Whenever I think back on that scene, I wonder if our sweet daughter forced herself to forgive that incompetent father of hers out of worry.”
And as he turned red-eyed again, hastily pulling out a handkerchief, the butler’s gaze turned icy.
It was pitiful to see a man who once instilled fear across the continent wiping tears with a cloth smaller than his own hand.
“Do you think the young lady is the kind of person who comforts others with falsehoods?”
“That’s—”
“She would surely be delighted to hear this story.”
Though the butler’s tone was now tinged with mockery, Benedict couldn’t refute him.
To him, the sight of himself was so disgraceful that it disgusted him. He felt inferior to his daughter, who was managing to overcome her sorrow without needing a useless father’s help.
He tightly gripped the tear-stained handkerchief.
“What should I do?”
“You already know, don’t you?”
“….”
“I believe that the head of the household will no longer be running away from the desk. So, please repay my faith in you.”
After the butler left, mentioning that there was still much work to do, Benedict sat blankly, staring at the documents piled on his desk and sighed.
He knew what to do. He understood that just treating his daughter like he always had would suffice. But how could he bring himself to do it when his heart opposed it?
Knock, knock. Just then, as his sigh echoed, he heard a knock on the door.
From the sound alone, he could tell who was outside.
The little footsteps he’d heard while arriving.
The tune of a song that slipped out involuntarily, even without realizing.
The soft tapping sound that came from tiny hands knocking on the door.
All of these indicated who was on the other side of the door.
“Come in, Lucy.”
“…How did you know? I didn’t say anything.”
“How could I not know when our daughter is coming?”
“Ugh. That’s a bit creepy. You’re making me want to run away from this.”
“…Uh. Uh…”
With Lucy’s disgusted gaze directed at him, Benedict didn’t really know how to respond and blinked like a fool. After hearing his daughter, he realized it might sound a bit odd.
As the silence dragged on, Lucy’s fierce demeanor deepened, and she began to take a step back.
“No, no! Lucy!”
Seeing this, Benedict jumped up from the desk to stop her.
“What’s not no?”
“That’s…! Anyway, I have no bad intentions! I swear!”
“Seeing that creepy face of perv-dad, how can I believe that?”
Is my face that creepy?! Shocked, Benedict crumpled into his chair, breaking it into pieces under his weight.
Even in that moment, he displayed superhuman reflexes, managing to steady himself, but he had no idea how to deal with the wreckage beneath him.
“Pffft. Puhuhuhuh. Hahahaha!”
While blankly staring at the broken chair, he turned his head at the sound of Lucy’s laughter.
There was Lucy, doubled over and laughing like she couldn’t contain herself.
Watching her laugh, which he hadn’t seen since his wife left, made him realize that it had been a while.
“Haah. Seriously, Dad, you’re so pathetic it’s hard to even tease you. When will you stop being such a loser?”
“Weren’t you mad about something?”
“Do I look like someone with such a nasty personality? Have I ever been a mean person to you, dumb dad?”
“No, that’s not what I meant…”
“Puhuhuh. You really are overreacting to jokes. Ba~bo. Babo babo.”
Finally realizing he was getting played by Lucy, Benedict relaxed his shoulders, letting go of the tension.
“So, Lucy, why did you come find this dumb dad?”
“To do the usual sparring session, of course.”
“Sparring… you say?”
“Yeah. Why? Are you scared you might actually lose this time? Are you really that shaken up?”
Facing her taunting tone, Benedict managed a silly grin before swiping the documents off his desk.
He stepped closer to Lucy and gently patted her head.
“…What are you doing? This unnecessary affection is making me want to vomit.”
“I’m just proud, you know.”
“What for?”
“For having a daughter who is far better than this incompetent father of hers, who deserves all the praise.”
Benedict spoke with a voice filled with warmth while lifting Lucy up onto his shoulder.
“Feeling confident, huh? This dad won’t pull any punches, no matter who the opponent is.”
“Can you even say that, Dad? If you say it like that now, you’ll run out of excuses later!”
“Haha. I guess I’ll have to admit I’m pathetic if that’s the case. But that’s fine; it won’t come to that.”
*
A few days after the new year began, Phoebe, granted leave thanks to the pope’s goodwill, was on her way to the Alrn territory with Johan.
While she could have easily arrived there using the church’s teleportation portal or a spatial magician, she opted for the carriage trip instead.
It wasn’t so much that she sought out hardship, nor did she have a desire to disturb the church.
The reason she chose to travel by carriage, visiting this town and that, was solely to assist those who might be struggling there.
Even though the continent wasn’t overflowing with skilled doctors or clergymen, the need for them was abundant. Thus, Phoebe chose this route to help as many as she could along the way.
While inspecting the flower ring that a child from the village had handed to her yesterday, she recalled the bright smile of the girl who cheerfully said, “Thank you, pretty lady!” and a warm smile crept across her face.
It would have turned out to be the right choice to move as usual, resisting the urge to rush to meet Lucy. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to see the child’s smile.
“Looks like we’ll be arriving at Alrn territory soon.”
Listening to Johan’s words, Phoebe looked out the carriage window. In the distance, she saw the neatly constructed castle walls.
Alrn County, the guardian of the kingdom’s border—a place that made it difficult for other nations to even think about invading.
And now it was also the land where Lucy Alrn, someone more precious than anyone else to Phoebe, resided.
“Are you looking forward to meeting your friends after such a long time?”
“Of course! Bishop Johan, just thinking about meeting my friends makes me so happy!”
It’s not just Lucy who awaits her there.
Her old friends Joy Partran.
The clever and polite but often teased Arthur Soladin.
The free-spirited yet frank Frey Kent.
Having escaped the constant tension of the Holy Land, being able to spend time with her easygoing friends felt like a pure joy to her.
“Oh, Bishop Johan, can I ask you something?”
“Of course, go ahead.”
“You’ve spent a long time in Alrn territory, right? Then have you seen the training of the Alrn Knight Order?”
“Yes, I have. Even I, who’ve heard they’re strict, couldn’t bear to force the church’s holy knights into their rigorous training even once—I witnessed it so often.”
Johan reflected back on the year he first came to Alrn territory.
At that time, he thought the knights were putting him through a grueling regimen to pressure the freshly appointed Johan.
However, that was just a misunderstanding. The kind of training they underwent was merely a routine for the Alrn knights.
Upon realizing this fact, he was utterly astonished.
Recalling that shock from back then, Johan chuckled as he asked Phoebe back.
“Why do you suddenly ask about that?”
“My friends are currently training in the knight order.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Once I arrive at the Alrn family, won’t I likely join them too?”
In that instant, Johan thought about how to stop Phoebe.
He recognized that she was truly worthy of being called a saint with her conduct.
She was a crucial person for the church in the future.
However, he couldn’t just stand by and watch her head into hell.
Was his bewilderment evident on his face? Perhaps that was why Phoebe chuckled lightly.
“Don’t worry, Bishop Johan. With my lady by my side, what is there to fear?”
“However—”
“And besides, shouldn’t a saint be able to handle a bit of hardship?”
Understanding Phoebe’s determination, Johan refrained from further objections and continued the lecture on Holy Magic like he usually did.
And so, yet another day passed as they arrived at Alrn territory. After greeting the church, they headed to the Alrn family mansion together.
Seeing how much Johan worried made Phoebe realize just how intense the training in the knight order must be.
But she wasn’t worried. She knew that the strenuous trials she would face would only contribute to her growth.
What she was really eager for was to meet Lucy quickly. With her vibrant expressions, she was simply too noble, and Phoebe wasn’t sure if she could gaze into her eyes properly.
“Bishop Johan. And… are you truly a saint?”
“Yes, guard. I am Phoebe, the saint of the God of the Lord. I have come upon the invitation of the young lady of Alrn.”
The guards, upon seeing Phoebe, were momentarily taken aback, but their panic didn’t last long.
Quickly regaining their composure, they ushered Johan and Phoebe toward the knight order training ground.
“Hahaha! You all have improved so much!”
What Phoebe encountered there were her friends sprawled on the floor, and in the middle of them, was Benedikt with a smile free of any injuries.
Oh? What on earth was happening here?
Is this also a form of training? But they all look far too beaten up for that?
As she blinked at the shocking sight, her wrist was suddenly grabbed by a delicate, warm hand, making her turn her head.
“You’re way too slow. Lazy useless saint.”
“Y-young lady.”
“Come here. Even a clumsy, useless saint with more fat than muscle should suffice. I can at least get a little help, right?”
“…W-what?! Young lady! At least hear me out! Young lady?! Can you not hear my words?!”
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