Chapter 41

When I learned that Lord Zain and Mariabel's mother had been a saint, I couldn't hide my surprise.

It wasn't written in the novel, and I had never asked them about their deceased parents.

"She was truly a remarkable person. Despite being from a marquis family and holding the position of duchess, she continued her charitable activities and duties as a saint with great energy, and was loved by the people."

"...Is that so?"

By looking at Zain and Mariabel, one can understand how wonderful their parents were.

It was truly a pity that they passed away at a young age. The sorrow of the two left behind is immeasurable. I was truly grateful that Mariabel was there by Zain's side.

"By the way, how are saints chosen?"

"It's not clear, but there are various rumors, such as the fact that no commoner has ever been a saint, suggesting that lineage might be involved."

"Lineage..."

At that moment, I felt a sense of unease. Charlotte is a viscount's daughter, but she was originally a commoner, as far as I know.

In the novel, she was only briefly described as "the stepdaughter of the viscount's second wife," but that should be correct.

Perhaps the rumors are just rumors and have no real basis.

"...Well, it doesn't matter even if I worry about it."

If Charlotte and Lord Zain meet and fall in love, everything will naturally fall into place. With that thought, I turned my gaze to the scenery outside the window.

◇◇◇

A week has passed since we arrived in Trasmina Village.

I am staying in a luxurious cottage prepared by Ranhart, spending time with Evan, Yana, and Haniwa.

As expected, the scenery is beautiful, and the sea is crystal clear, washing away my worries just by looking at it. The food is delicious, and it's a peaceful and perfect place to hide.

I am grateful to Ranhart every day.

"Is this what they mean by a calm heart?"

I was reading a book in the shade near the beach, stretching my arms and leaning back in the chair, feeling the pleasant sea breeze and closing my eyes.

I was completely freed from the act of being Grace Sentsberry, which I had maintained for half a year, and was filled with a sense of liberation.

Even inside the mansion, I had to pretend to be a villain in front of anyone other than the two of them, so this is the first time I can be myself 24/7.

"But, you've been studying magic and cooking from morning till night, without taking a break at all."

"I seem to be bad at doing nothing."

"I could continue this vacation lifestyle for another 50 years."

"Sorry to ruin your vacation mood, but Evan, you're working."

In Trasmina, Evan's father pays him a high salary, and he is supposed to work as a guard knight except on weekends, but...

Evan, who seems to be a natural at being unemployed, was playing with crabs with Haniwa again. I wish he would stop.

To avoid revealing our identities, we avoid interacting with the villagers, and Yana is currently buying ingredients in a nearby town.

Yana and I prepare the meals, trying out budget-friendly and seafood dishes, and picking nearby magical herbs to make desserts, all to improve the menu for the café.

We provide free meals to the children, and to attract regular customers with delicious food, we need to make a profit.

– If I used the money earned from selling Grace's assets and land, I could easily provide free meals.

However, the café I dreamed of isn't just that. I want it to be a successful business, so I can't cut corners.

"Still, it's eerily quiet today."

"Indeed. There were many fish and animals until yesterday, but today there's only this one crab."

As I tilted my head in confusion, Haniwa suddenly made a "pi!" sound.

Evan and I, hearing Haniwa's sound for the first time, were surprised and blinked.

"Haniwa...? Is something wrong?"

"Pa pu! Pa pi! Po!"

"This thing can make sounds?"

"The mechanism is unclear, but it's very cute."

We both crouched down and observed Haniwa, who was hopping and making voiced sounds. Everything was so incredibly cute that my heart fluttered.

However, it seemed like Haniwa was trying to communicate something. Suddenly, a dark shadow loomed overhead, as if night had fallen.

Turning around in surprise, I saw a giant, poisonous jellyfish, and a scream escaped my lips.

"Ah! What is this thing!"

"It's a poisonous jellyfish monster. If you get stung, you'll turn into a mess and die after experiencing the agony of hell."

"This is the worst possible death!"

It's definitely one of the top five worst ways to die. The fear was so intense that I couldn't stop sweating.

It seems that magic is harder to detect in water, and Evan hadn't noticed it. Perhaps Haniwa had sensed the jellyfish's presence.

"Didn't we say there were no monsters here!?"

"Yes, it's definitely strange."

However, with Evan around, I felt reassured. I looked at him, holding Haniwa, and saw him place his hand on his waist, making a surprised "ah" sound.

For some reason, his sword, which should have been there, was missing.

"Why are you unarmed!?"

"I used the sword to play in the sand dunes earlier and left it stuck in the sand."

"You should quit being a knight! You're fired!"

He had been using the sword like a stick and left it stuck in a distant place. I wish he would be more responsible.

"Well, I can handle this with my bare hands—"

"–Huh?"

As Evan was about to say that and raise his hand, countless large ice blocks flew from behind me and pierced the monster's body.

A moment later, the jellyfish made a squelching sound and sank into the sea.

"......"

In my daze, I realized I had seen that ice magic before.

There can't be many people who can cast such fast, large-scale, and precise ice magic.

– It can't be. There's no way. Despite this, my heart began to beat rapidly with an unpleasant sound.

"......W-Why?"

Eventually, I turned around hesitantly and gasped.

"Meeting you here is quite a coincidence."

There, in knight's armor, stood Lord Zain, who smiled at me, who was speechless and standing there, with a beauty that surpassed all others.