Chapter 7

After that, we dispersed and went to our respective tasks. I was led by Arlshein to his room. In Arlshein's room, there was a person who looked like a young version of a butler. When our eyes met, he smiled and introduced himself.

Come to think of it, I realized that this was the first time someone had formally introduced themselves to me.

"Nice to meet you, I am Arlshein Prince's attendant, Shell Craym. Please call me Shell casually."

"Yochikonegachima!"

"Thank you for your kind words, I will call you Keta-sama."

After our greetings were done,

"By the way, Keta, I brought you here without much thought, but we can prepare a different room or a personal attendant for you. What do you think?"

Arlshein asked me. As a guest, I didn't want to be too demanding.

"If it's not a bother, I'd like to stay here."

"Hmm?"

"Shell, I said, 'If it's not a bother, I'd like to stay here.'"

Shell understood me right away, and I couldn't help but clap.

"Prepare Keta's clothes and personal items for him."

"Already taken care of."

Shell is a capable man. He's in his late teens, with dark brown hair, and is about the same height as Arlshein, around 190 cm. Both of them are lean and muscular, but Shell has a softer expression. If they had the same hair color, I think they would be indistinguishable from behind. At that moment, a simple question came to mind.

"Ar-rushu-hain's age, what is it?"

I asked, facing him, but I couldn't understand what he was saying.

"Keta, did you ask how old Prince Arlshein is?"

"Ooh!"

I clapped for Shell.

"...... You can call me Hein. I'm 15."

"Keta is Keta! Hein!"

"Ah, Keta."

Shell watched our interaction with a smile. Blushing under his gaze, Arlshein turned to his desk and started looking at some documents.

"I'll finish some work. Keta, make yourself comfortable."

He said without looking up from the documents. Shell and I laughed a little, and I looked around the room. A wall of bookshelves, a seating set, a desk, and a few cabinets—it was quite simple. The bookshelves caught my attention. I didn't walk over myself; Shell followed my gaze and placed a large cushion in front of the bookshelves for me.

Can I read the script in this world?

The bookshelves were as high as my shoulders when I stood up, and the books had no titles on their spines. They were bound in leather and were larger than half my body. I managed to pull one out and spread it on the floor. The fluffy light blue carpet made it fine to sit on the floor. Hmm, good job, Hein!

The characters I saw and the ones I understood were different, but I could read them, so no problem! As I flipped through the pages, it turned out to be a history book.

This country, originally a small kingdom, has a long history. It gradually expanded its territory through several wars, natural disasters, plagues, famines, and the rampant spread of monsters known as stampedes. Despite its growth, the kings of each generation never invaded other countries and actively helped neighboring countries in distress. The people revered and followed these kings, and neighboring countries willingly formed alliances and became vassal states. About 1000 years ago, the first Holy Maiden appeared.

The first Holy Maiden was a commoner. She was an ordinary girl living near the border of a small country far from this one. Her life changed because of her excellent academic performance and special magical powers. Recommended by a lord who noticed her talents, she was specially admitted to the National Magic Academy. She excelled in her studies through hard work. A prince fell in love with her, but their love was not accepted by others. At the same time, a plague broke out in the border town where she was from. She rushed back to her hometown and used her special magical powers to help the suffering people. Her magic was ineffective against physical injuries but was highly effective against diseases, saving many lives. She was called the Holy Maiden by the people she saved. The neighboring country sealed off the border to prevent the plague from spreading. Despite her efforts, the plague spread within the country, and she felt helpless and despaired at the increasing number of deaths. To give her a rest, the people who were saved by her brought her to the capital, where she met the prince again. The prince comforted and encouraged her, and they fell in love. As the plague spread, the Holy Maiden's reputation grew, and she became a presence that even the royal palace could not ignore. The prince was allowed to marry her, and they were celebrated by the entire country. After a few years, the Holy Maiden, who had continued to use her magic to treat the plague, exhausted her magical powers and died young. The country, having lost its only treatment, was destroyed by the plague. The first Holy Maiden's name was etched in history alongside the plague.

900 years ago, the second Holy Maiden appeared as the daughter of a high-ranking noble in a country suffering from famine. She used her special magical powers to enrich the land and save the starving people. She fell in love with a prince and married him but died young.

800 years ago, the third Holy Maiden appeared in a country plagued by constant wars. She used her special magical powers to calm people's hearts and end the wars. She fell in love with a prince from the enemy country and married him but was killed by assassins from her own country, who considered her a traitor.

After that, every 100 years, a Holy Maiden would appear, using special powers to prevent disasters and falling in love with a prince from a related country.

300 years ago, the Pope of the Holy Country of Hillarumia, the headquarters of the church, received a divine revelation. Seven days later, a Holy Maiden would descend from a different world to fight against a future Demon King, and her power would be essential. At the time, no one knew of the existence of a Demon King, so the meaning of the revelation was unclear. Seven days later, a magic circle of light appeared in the cathedral, and a girl in unfamiliar clothing appeared. She spoke a language different from any in the continent, had an extremely high magical power, and a delicate lace-like flower pattern surrounded by a sacred white belt appeared. She was treated with great respect in the Holy Country of Hillarumia as a gift from the gods. Her appearance made people believe in the existence of the Demon King, and the Holy Country of Hillarumia prepared for the coming battle. The girl, who had been told by the goddess that she was already dead, that a crisis was approaching the world, and that the world could be saved with the power given to her, had no hesitation in using her power for the Holy Country of Hillarumia, which treated her with great care. Her power was immense against the increasingly powerful monsters. She gained companions who fought alongside her. The battle with the Demon King arrived. The Demon King, who appeared before the girl, her companions, and the army of the Holy Country of Hillarumia, had a human form and overwhelming magical power. The battle was fierce, and many died. Despite this, the girl and her companions fought to the end and finally defeated the Demon King. After the victory, the girl and one of the cardinals, who had fought alongside her, were celebrated and married. A few years later, the girl and her companions died from injuries sustained in the battle with the Demon King. The remaining powerful monsters caused the Holy Country of Hillarumia to fall.

200 years ago, a magic circle of light appeared in a shrine on a remote island nation at the edge of the world. The island nation had no name and its own religion. The people were divided between those who feared and those who revered the magic circle that appeared in the shrine. Seven days later, a girl appeared from the magic circle. She spoke a language they could understand but was shocked and afraid by everything she saw, making her seem different. The closed-off island nation did not accept her. The few officials who governed the island decided to send her away. The only person who was kind to her on the island, a young boy, left with her. The girl and the boy became apprentices to traveling merchants and traveled the world. They learned about the former great nation, the Holy Country of Hillarumia, and realized the girl's true identity. Noticing the crisis in her homeland, the girl and the boy decided to return to the island. After a few years, they found that no one had survived on the island. They spread the story of the island's silent destruction to the world when they returned as traveling merchants.

100 years ago, a magic circle of light appeared in the Rengas Empire, the world's greatest nation. The empire, with its vast information network, had already gathered information about the Holy Maidens from the Holy Country of Hillarumia and the nameless island nation. Seven days later, the Holy Maiden who appeared from the magic circle was thoroughly investigated by the Rengas Empire. They learned about the goddess's explanation, the amount of magical power, the white belt, the lace-like flower pattern, her attributes, abilities, original language, customs, culture, learning ability, and simultaneously taught her magic, noble manners, customs, and the ecology of monsters. The Holy Maiden, originally a diligent student, absorbed the knowledge given to her without hesitation. A few of the most outstanding students in the empire were chosen as her companions and studied with her. A few years later, just as the Holy Maiden was about to graduate from the academy, the appearance of the Demon King was confirmed, and the Holy Maiden and her companions prepared for battle. The army of the world's greatest nation easily defeated the monster army with little loss. As the final battle with the Demon King approached, a plague broke out within the country. It was believed to have originated from the bodies of the monsters, which had not been disposed of due to the constant battles. People fell to the plague, which contained the poison of the monsters, and the battles continued. When the Holy Maiden, her companions, and the army returned to the country after defeating the Demon King, they saw a mountain of corpses and people who were afraid, lamenting, and despairing. At the palace, the royal family and nobles celebrated the victory over the Demon King with a grand party. The Holy Maiden, pained by the stark contrast with the common people, left the palace alone and used the power given to her by the goddess to treat the common people. The plague eventually subsided, and the common people, who had been lamenting, worked hard to rebuild their lives. With many workers dead and the people in poverty, the nobles demanded the same taxes as before. A man stood up in anger at the country. One by one, the people agreed with his voice, and the Holy Maiden joined them. With the support of about 80% of the common people, a coup occurred, and the world's greatest nation fell. Afterward, the leader of the coup and the Holy Maiden married, but the two, originally commoners, lacked the ability to run the country. The former great nation was divided into several countries, and the Rengas Empire fell.