Chapter 2

The young girl with black hair, cut in a messy bob, was trembling on the summoning circle.

...Indeed, holy maidens are usually in their late teens, but isn't this one far too young!?

When I turned my gaze to the king, he had a face like he had bitten into a bitter bug.

"…It seems she is this year's holy maiden."

I turned my gaze to the high priest, silently demanding an explanation. The high priest, with sweat on his face, stepped forward.

"Apparently, due to the weakening power of the country, the summoning didn't go well…"

He was trying to subtly assert that it wasn't their fault, but there are more pressing issues to worry about!

"Can't this child be sent back to her original world?"

The holy maidens summoned before had an unusually high adaptability and seemed to thrive in this world, exclaiming, "This is what it means to be summoned to another world!?" But this girl is clearly different. It's a complete kidnapping.

"Unfortunately…"

The high priest wiped his sweat as he spoke. I felt like sighing again.

"It seems this child, unlike the previous holy maidens, doesn't even understand our language… and she gets scared when I approach her."

As the king took a step forward, the holy maiden shuddered.

...Well, no wonder. King Yuri, like the previous king, is a tall, handsome man, but to a young girl who has been brought to a strange place without understanding why, he must be terrifying.

The king said with a dark expression.

"She has been like this since she arrived. She crouches and refuses to move even a step."

—It seems they are at a loss. As the queen, I was called here, I suppose.

Sighing, I looked at the holy maiden in front of me.

She was hugging herself and trembling. Her messy hair, the odd shirt and pants that fit her body tightly, and the overall dirtiness made her wrists, visible from the sleeves, look very thin.

"…Oh?"

At that moment, I noticed something.

From the wrists visible at the hem of her clothes, I could see something purple on her arms.

As I approached, the girl shuddered again and hugged her head as if to protect herself.

...This reaction is way too scared. It's as if she thinks I'm going to hit her.

I slowly squatted down and spoke as gently as I could.

"…I'm sorry, but can you show me a little of your body?"

As I lifted her clothes, as expected, there were scattered purple bruises. —They were marks of being hit.

I bit my lip hard.

What a terrible thing to do to such a young child.

Anger at the unknown parents welled up inside me, but I suppressed it for now.

I moved away from her and looked at the king.

"Your Majesty, I have a request. Could you please leave me alone with her for a while? And could you bring a soft blanket and my sketching set?"

King Yuri's eyes narrowed. But he must have remembered my family background, as he nodded immediately.

"Alright, I'll leave it to you. I'll prepare the tools. If you need anything else, let me know."

"Then, could you also bring some warm soup and some sweets?"

The king immediately did as I asked. He dismissed the worried ministers and priests and had the maids leave, leaving us alone.

The girl was still trembling pitifully.

Painfully, I approached her gently, squatted down to meet her eye level, and wrapped the thin body in a soft blanket.

"…It's okay, I'm just covering you with a blanket."

Then I sat a little away from her. I set up the canvas on the floor, spread the paper, and started drawing with the chalk, ignoring the girl.

In the room, bathed in the sunset from the large window, the only sound was the quiet scratching of the chalk. As if comforted by the sound, the girl's trembling gradually subsided.

How much time had passed?

When I noticed, she was curled up in the blanket, staring at my hands. I smiled at her, and she immediately turned away.

...It's about time, I think.

"Want to see? I'm pretty good at drawing, you know."

As I said this, I placed the drawing in front of her. Her eyes widened as she looked at it.

It was her portrait.

I've always been good at drawing and often used it to make my sisters happy. By the way, I am the eldest of four sisters.

"See, isn't it pretty good? It's a perfect likeness, isn't it?"

As I said this, I placed the drawing in front of her.

She didn't say anything, but her eyes sparkled. Looking at her, she is indeed a beautiful young girl, even at such a young age.

Then I pointed to my face with my index finger.

"My name is Edeline. E-D-E-L-I-N-E."

I repeated my name several times while pointing, and she seemed to understand. Next, I pointed to the girl.

"What's your name?"

After hesitating for a while, she slowly opened her mouth.

"…Ai"

A delicate, bell-like voice. I smiled.

"So, your name is Ai. Nice to meet you, Ai. Let's be friends."

—From then on, the new life with the holy maiden Ai, me, and the king began.