Chapter 14

As the Archbishop spoke, Rakwell felt Alvis collapse limply in his arms. Her eyes were closed. Realizing she had lost consciousness, Rakwell raised his voice.

"Alvis! Hey, Alvis!"

He shook her body, but there was no sign of her waking up. When he placed his hand on her forehead, he could tell that Alvis's innate mana had drastically decreased. Rakwell was one of those who could handle mana, and he could read the mana of others to some extent.

"..."

"Rakwell?"

"Your Majesty, Lord Rakwell... It is likely due to overuse of mana. Even though Lady Alvis is skilled in handling mana, the contract with Lady Luciora must have been a great burden. If she rests for a while, she should regain consciousness."

If the Archbishop was certain, there should be no problem. In that case, it would be best to take her back to the castle and let her rest, but this is the cathedral. Moreover, many citizens are waiting outside for the procession to come out of the cathedral. Showing Alvis in her unconscious state could cause unrest.

As the king hesitated, Duke Lithaard stepped forward, representing the four dukes who had been observing the situation.

"Your Majesty, is it all right?"

"Duke Lithaard?"

"Surely the light brought from the cathedral was visible to the citizens outside. You can say that she fainted because the blessing of the goddess was too powerful. I advise that there is no need to hide her."

"But..."

The blessing of the goddess. It has an effect on the citizens. It is a rare phenomenon in recent years and might help to restore some of the glory lost due to the Girard incident. However, the king hesitated to place any more burden on Alvis. Glancing at Rakwell, he saw that Rakwell was about to lift Alvis by her knees and carry her.

"Brother, I will take her."

"Rakwell, but—"

"I want to let this child rest as soon as possible. Besides, if the citizens recognize Alvis as an object of respect because of this, it will prevent them from elevating someone unworthy."

"Rakwell... I understand. If you say so..."

First, Rakwell carried Alvis out and got into the carriage. Seeing Alvis, who was still unconscious, the gathered crowd began to murmur as expected. However, Rakwell left without saying a word.

Next, the king himself stood before the people and raised his hand to quiet them. The cathedral square fell silent as everyone was curious about the situation. The king slowly began to speak.

"The ceremony to establish the crown prince has been successfully completed. Some may be concerned about the condition of the crown prince... but during the oath ceremony, he received the blessing of the goddess. He fainted due to the overwhelming light and power, but he will regain consciousness after a short rest. Later, during the public appearance ceremony, he will show his well-being."

After conveying only what was necessary, the king left. The people who remained stood in silence for a while.