Saint Awakening (Behind the Scenes)

That day, the world was shaken.

Suddenly, a divine, hallowed light appeared in the sky over town, circled as if searching for something, then shot straight toward a certain place.

… People who witnessed the sight were struck dumb.

It felt as though the air had been faintly fogged over until now. Such was the refreshing clarity.

Without a doubt, it was holy.

Many fell to sudden prayer, calling it the work of God.

The one who quickly grasped the situation was His Highness the First Prince Harks. He visited the girls' dorm at the academy for an on-site inspection, two bodyguards in tow.

He had summoned Hiiro Inn—and without being rebuffed with a "there's no such student," she hurried into the reception room they'd been shown to.

Then, without even taking the sofa, she slid into a prostrating dogeza.

"Y-your Highness… I trust you are in good spirits."

"… Raise your head, Lady Saint."

"Ha-haah! Please, please just take my head and be done with it…!"

"If I took the Saint's head, I'd earn nothing but universal condemnation. Keep it attached!! I'm assigning you a bodyguard instead! Understood? Answer!"

"Oof. Yes."

For the time being, Harks had Hiiro sit on the sofa across from him.

"Ah. Could that person be the bodyguard?"

Hiiro looked to one of the bodyguards standing behind Harks.

She'd never seen the other one before, but this one was a vaguely familiar face with the practical build typical of an adventurer.

"Yeah, we've met before. During the kidnapping."

"I am Jangaria Hastur. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Saint-sama."

"Ah, I remember. The bodyguard from back then. Ojou-sama said you're also a capture target… You can be more casual. If you're that stiff, you'll make my shoulders tense up too."

"Oh, that helps."

At her words, Jangaria immediately loosened up.

—He too was a capture target. With this, all four capture targets would have gathered around the Heroine…

Harks had intentionally chosen Jangaria as the guard. When she found out, he figured Koleha would be pleased.

"Er. How should I explain this to Ojou-sama…?"

"Tell her this: 'It'll mainly be outside the dorm, and even then he'll guard you secretly on his own initiative, so you don't need to report it. I don't want to needlessly worry my fiancée.' That's what I said. Just now. And Hiiro is a commoner… no, wait, in this case it's Summer? Anyway, as a commoner you can't defy the words of royalty. How's that sound?"

"Your consideration is appreciated, Your Highness."

Hiiro dipped her head politely.

"! Ah. Ohh, right. The maid who was with the prince's fiancée back then. Wow, that kid grew into such a beauty… Guess I'm getting old…"

"Finally remembered, Jangaria? Right, that maid from back then is this one. When she looks like this, address her as Lady Hiiro or Lady Saint. When she's without makeup… 'that girl from back then' is good enough between you two. Use your judgment. And above all, make sure Koleha doesn't notice you at all."

"Yessir, understood."

Thus, the Saint Hiiro gained a bodyguard.

And of course, the conversation continued.

"… I suspect the church will be making a huge fuss and showing up here before long."

"Ah… yes. Probably."

"What does Koleha intend? That's what I wanted to ask most. Should we announce publicly that Hiiro is the Saint, or hide it?"

"… This time was kind of an accident, so let's hide it, I guess?"

"Got it. Then we'll deflect with, 'currently under royal investigation.'"

Saying so, Harks glanced at the other guard. They must have received prior instructions; the arrangements proceeded smoothly.

"Then tell me in order what actually happened."

"Y-yes. Um. Ojou-sama taught me the Holy Magic incantation…"

And Hiiro recounted to Harks what had just transpired. She was used to reporting by now.

But as always, the content itself was something he could never get used to, and he could only clutch his head.

"… Setting aside how she knew incantations that should be church secrets or require pilgrimages to shrines to learn… having you and Koleha trigger reinforcement of the Demon King's seal… What even is affection, then…?"

"Ehehe, it's the power of my love with Ojou-sama."

"I'm the one who loves Koleha more."

"My love with Ojou-sama has been proven by Holy Magic, you know. If Your Highness can prove it too, let me know. I'll be waiting on this stage… Oh, Holy Magic can only be used by me. Ufufu."

"Don't get too full of yourself just because you became a Saint. If you lose your head as Koleha's retainer, it would lower her standing."

"Oops. My apologies."

Knowing she'd gotten carried away, Hiiro apologized honestly.

"… Hmm. Perhaps we should just make Koleha herself the Saint. She's at the root of all this, and this Demon King sealing spell or whatever, more than half of it involves her. It wouldn't exactly be a lie."

"Oh, that's perfect! Ojou-sama as a Saint! She's already being called the Saint of Medicine, the Medicinal Herb Saint, the Savior of the Orphanage, the Goddess of Formats, the God of Magitech… adding one more won't be a problem!"

"She has more achievements than we can count. Not a bad idea. And convenient."

"… Your Highness, or rather, the royal family, wants to steer things toward 'marry the Saint,' right?"

"Exactly. I'm glad to see your academy studies bearing fruit."

This also followed the 'game' flow that Koleha had spoken of. Because she was a 'Saint,' she could insert herself into a royal engagement. Or marry a future king's aide. That was the setting.

Such was the value of the existence called 'Saint' to this kingdom.

If that 'Saint' was already the prince's fiancée, it would be unshakable.

Of course, Harks had no intention whatsoever of yielding the 'Saint' to a mere aide.

Thus was the course set here for the villainess to be installed as the Saint.

"Heh-heh-heh, as long as you arrange it so I can serve at Ojou-sama's side, I'll lend Holy Magic to Ojou-sama any time."

"Naturally, you're top priority as Koleha's personal attendant. No half-hearted person could keep up anyway… Wouldn't it be fine to make both of you Saints? It's not like there has to be only one. If the queen is also a Saint, having you hold that standing as well would smooth over a lot of matters."

"Then I'll be the little Saint supporting my Ojou-sama the great Saint! Heheh, my dreams are expanding."

Harks and Hiiro chuckled darkly.

In a sense, it was a scheme to 'trap the villainess,' a wicked plot fitting for heroines.

The pit they'd drop her in was marriage, and the outer moat was steadily being filled in.

"By the way… why today?"

"Ah. Ojou-sama apparently just happened to remember today. And we went with the flow."

"… A Demon King remembered and sealed as casually as deciding on tonight's dinner… it feels… pitiable, somehow… Was there truly no room for a gentler approach?"

"Leave it alone and it'd ruin the world Ojou-sama is in, you know? No mercy, no mercy."

"True enough. No quarter."

Harks clutched his head. He should have been pleased the Demon King was firmly sealed. Yet somehow, it didn't sit right. Typical of anything involving Koleha.