Chapter 10

The day after I arrived at the palace of Dizark.

I had to go to the Emperor once again with Dizark for the magic aptitude test.

While being dressed in a dress borrowed from Marie, I couldn't help but yawn.

"...Sleepy."

I nodded in response to Nora's mutter as she adjusted the hem of the dress.

"Yeah, a bit."

Since I came here, I have been assigned two more maids besides Marie.

When asked if I wanted a large number of maids, I replied that I didn't need many if they weren't necessary.

As a result, Nora and Lise became my maids.

They are twins, and the one with the ponytail and droopy golden eyes is the older sister, Lise, while the one with the twin tails and upturned eyes is the younger sister, Nora.

Lise seems to be a gentle older sister, and Nora is a bit tsundere, but they are both twenty years old.

Marie is actually nineteen and a bit older, but she is just Marie.

"...This dress is so outdated."

"S-Sorry, sorry, it's my old one...!"

"...Even for an old one, this is too much."

Nora is quite a sharp-tongued person.

"But thanks to that, I don't have to worry about what to wear. Besides, it's cute."

"..."

Nora steps back and bows silently, indicating that my preparations are complete.

"Can Marie stay and watch over the place?"

"Y-Yes! When I heard that Sayaka-sama can actually use magic, I was surprised, but it's good to have a lot of magic power...!"

"A-Ah, yeah, that's true."

Marie is probably not mentioning the suspicion that I might be an all-attribute user.

Maybe it's different, and it would be embarrassing if it turned out to be false after all the fuss.

Nora is supposed to accompany me as a maid today.

Marie is still new to the empire, just like me, so she will be learning from Lise in the palace.

When the door was knocked, Nora answered it, and Dizark entered immediately.

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Alright, let's go."

I placed my hand on the outstretched left hand of Dizark, who escorted me down the corridor and out the front door, where a carriage was waiting, just like yesterday.

But Ebers wasn't there.

The driver opened the door, and we got into the carriage.

After I, Dizark, and Nora got in, the door closed, and the carriage slowly started moving.

"What exactly does the aptitude test involve?"

Since we had some time before reaching the castle, I decided to ask.

"There is a special magic tool, a gem, for the aptitude test. When the magic power of the person being tested is channeled into the gem, the colors of the attributes they are suited for will appear."

"...Is that all?"

"Yes, the magic power test is similar. When magic power is channeled into a special stone called a magic ore, the color of the stone indicates the amount of magic power. The darker the color of the magic ore, the more magic power the person has. It's just a matter of channeling magic power, nothing difficult."

I felt relieved.

...If it's just channeling magic power, I can do it.

Looking out the window of the carriage, which was swaying, the view was beautiful with neatly maintained trees lining the path within the castle grounds.

"What if I'm an all-attribute user?"

Dizark answered.

"Nothing much. You are already my fiancée. This engagement will not be dissolved or broken. At most, you might receive better treatment."

"Hmm, no, I don't need any better treatment. This morning, Nora told me that they were planning to call in people from dress and jewelry shops today."

"Once you become my fiancée, it is only natural to receive appropriate treatment."

...He can say that so casually.

The Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Dunié should take a leaf out of Dizark's book. Really.

"But isn't it bad to spend too much?"

When I asked, the wrinkle between Dizark's eyebrows deepened.

"This is not wasteful spending. As a member of the royal family, it is necessary to maintain the dignity of my fiancée, who is the royal brother."

"I see."

Indeed, as Dizark's fiancée, who is a member of the royal family, there must be a lot to consider.

"I'd prefer a light and easy-to-move dress."

"Discuss it with the dressmaker."

"Got it."

While we were talking, the carriage stopped, and looking out the window, we had arrived at the castle.

The driver opened the door, and Dizark got out first.

When I tried to get out with his help, Dizark suddenly spoke to me.

"Would you like me to carry you?"

"Eh, carry what?"

Staring at me, I realized he meant to carry me.

"Why suddenly?"

"You seem light."

"You want to check? Well, okay, but I'm probably not as light as you think."

Dizark's hands slipped under my arms, and he lifted me up easily.

A "Whoa?" escaped my lips as my view became higher.

Dizark, who was carrying me, froze.

"...You're light. You should probably eat more."

Surprisingly, he gently set me down.

I placed my hand on the outstretched left arm and followed Dizark as he started walking.

Nora quietly followed behind us.

"What kind of food do you like, Sayaka?"

"Well, I might prefer a bit less seasoning. The food in the kingdom and the empire is quite strong. It's delicious, but I can't eat much."

Dizark murmured, "I'll tell the head chef."

"Is that okay?"

"I don't want to be misunderstood as mistreating my fiancée because she's thin."

Looking up at Dizark, he was walking with his eyes fixed ahead, but a deep wrinkle was etched on his forehead.

His red eyes briefly glanced at me and then quickly looked away.

He looked a bit unhappy, but I noticed his ears were slightly red.

...Is he blushing?

I found his awkwardness a bit cute.

We walked through the castle, but it seemed to be a different place from yesterday.

The walk was shorter than yesterday.

Dizark knocked on the door of the room we arrived at, and it was opened from inside.

"We have been waiting for you, Prince Dizark."

A man in his sixties with beautiful white hair stood there.

He wore a black robe like a magician, had round glasses, and held a thick wooden staff shaped like a question mark, which made me a bit excited.

...Wow, he looks like a magician!

"Where is His Majesty?"

"He has not arrived yet."

The door was fully opened, and Dizark and I entered together.

The room was filled with books.

Bookshelves lined the walls, and books were piled on the floor and the large desk.

However, the sofa and table were clean, and Dizark and I sat down on the sofa.

There was a small cushion on the table in front of us, and a transparent glass-like sphere sat on it.

"Sayaka, this is Dorian Faniel, the head of the court magicians. This is Sayaka Shinoyama, my fiancée."

When Dizark introduced us, I bowed, and Dorian returned the bow with a gentle smile.

"Nice to meet you, Shinoyama-sama. I am Dorian, and I will be conducting your magic aptitude test today. I have already been informed of your situation, so please feel at ease."

"Thank you. ...Pleased to meet you, Sayaka Shinoyama. I look forward to working with you today."

I felt relieved by Dorian's gentle demeanor.

"Since you can transfer magic power, your aptitude and magic power can be easily measured. There's no need to be nervous."

As I nodded in response, the door was knocked on again.

Dorian said, "Excuse me," and stood up to go to the door.

The Emperor entered, followed by a servant who looked familiar, the same person who had served tea the last time I met the Emperor.

"Sorry for being late."

Dizark stood up, and I followed suit, but the Emperor waved his hand.

"Oh, it's fine, sit down, sit down."

Dorian closed the door.

The Emperor sat on a single-person sofa diagonally in front of us.

Dizark sat down, and I followed.

"So, is it true that Sayaka might be an all-attribute user?"

The Emperor asked with great interest.

"At this stage, it's 'probably.'"

"I see. Let's get started then."

Everyone's eyes were on me.

"Then, I will now conduct the aptitude and magic power test. ...Shinoyama-sama, please place your hands gently on this magic tool."

"Yes."

Following the instruction, I placed both hands on the sphere in front of me.

The sphere felt very smooth and cold, as if it had been well-polished.

"Please channel your magic power into the magic tool."

As instructed, I channeled my magic power.

Imagining the blood flowing from my heart through my hands, the sphere began to change color.

Red, green, blue, brown, white, black.

Six colors swirled and shone inside the sphere.

White made up nearly half of the colors.

"You can stop channeling your magic power now."

Even after I removed my hands, the six colors continued to shine inside the sphere.

Everyone stared at the sphere intently.

"If I'm not mistaken, there are six colors."

"I see them too."

"Yes, as you can see, there are six colors. Shinoyama-sama is a six-attribute user, meaning an all-attribute user. Moreover, the most suitable attribute appears to be the holy attribute."

Dizark and the Emperor looked at me.

"You are supposed to be an ordinary person who was caught up in the summoning of the holy maiden Yuna Kouduki, right?"

When the Emperor asked, I nodded.

"That's what I thought... But you're not just an ordinary person! ...I apologize. Being an all-attribute user is rare, and with such a high affinity for the holy attribute, it's not surprising that you were chosen as a holy maiden."

"Eh, isn't the holy maiden Kouduki-san?"

I was taken aback by Dorian's words.

The Emperor and Dizark remained silent, and the atmosphere became a bit awkward.

Dorian handed me a white stone.

"Next, we will measure your magic power. Please channel your magic power into this magic ore."

"Understood."

Holding the stone in my palm, I channeled a moderate amount of magic power, just like before.

The white stone instantly turned black.

"Oh, this is...!" Dorian stood up, and I wondered if I had done something wrong again.

Even after I stopped channeling magic power, the stone remained black.

Conversely, the six colors swirling inside the sphere suddenly disappeared.

I remembered Dizark mentioning that the darker the color of the magic ore, the more magic power it indicated.

"...This is just a hypothesis, but..."

The Emperor spoke up.

"Sayaka, you are probably a holy maiden too. You might even have higher abilities than the other holy maiden in the Kingdom of Dunié. You weren't just caught up in the summoning; you were summoned as a holy maiden, weren't you?"

"Brother, you also thought so?"

"Rather, I can't think of anything else."

...I'm a holy maiden? For real?

Looking up at Dizark, he nodded in response.

My first thought was, "This is going to be a hassle."

Why I thought that was because the Emperor was smiling with a satisfied look.

"This is wonderful. Our country's holy maiden is already quite old, and we have been searching for the next one, but it's been difficult to find. But if Sayaka is a holy maiden, it will be much easier. To think that a holy maiden with all attributes and the black attribute would come to our country, such a wonderful being!"

The Emperor stood up and took my hand.

"Sayaka, I look forward to working with you."

He said it with a very pleasant smile, and I wondered if I had made a hasty decision by becoming Dizark's fiancée, but at the same time, I felt a sense of relief.

...Maybe I'm not useless after all.

The empire needs a holy maiden, and if I can become one, it would be beneficial for both sides.

The empire would get a holy maiden, and I would have a secure place to stay.

It's much better than just being chosen for the dragon's favorite color, black.

"In that case, we can't keep Sayaka's status as a holy maiden a secret. Well, the Kingdom of Dunié might say something, but they can't be too forceful given the treatment Sayaka has received so far. This will ensure the stability of our country."

The Emperor laughed happily.

Dizark, with a deep wrinkle on his forehead, looked down at me.

"Are you okay?"

It was a question with many meanings.

"...Yeah, somehow. I mean, my head is keeping up, but... I don't think I'm cut out to be a holy maiden..."

"Your attributes don't reflect your personality."

"Oh, really?"

If that's the case, maybe I don't have to force myself to act like a holy maiden.

"...It's going to get busy from now on."

Dizark's words made me have a bad feeling.

...I just want to be lazy and have a leisurely life with three meals and naps.

The sigh I let out inadvertently seemed to coincide with Dizark's.

Looking sideways, our eyes met again.

"I'm sorry, it seems things are going to be different from what we agreed on."

He said it with a frown, and I smiled wryly.

"To be honest, I feel like, 'Is this for real?' But if you say I'm a holy maiden, I guess I have no choice. I'll try my best to do my part."