Chapter 3

"What is this?"

It was in such a situation that the king and the dwarf arrived. Two black-haired girls were slumped on the ground, and the two who had arrived earlier were in a daze, covered in filth.

"It smells like alcohol."

The dwarf muttered.

"It seems that the current holy maiden is of drinking age."

The king called out to the flustered priests.

"The holy maidens look unwell. Take them to their rooms and clean them up. Eris, Zainus, go take a bath. We'll talk in the office!"

The priests and knights sprang into action. Two maids who had been on standby for half a year were also eager to help.

"Please lend the holy maidens your shoulders, sirs."

"Wouldn't it be faster to carry them?"

"They might insist on getting down again. Be gentle and don't shake them."

Thus, Makoto, who was almost unconscious, and Chiharu, who was still alert even in this situation, were pitifully taken to their rooms. Chiharu thought, indeed, it's not fitting for her first princess carry to be helping a drunk.

The two were briskly wiped down with warm towels, given a citrus-scented drink, and changed into yukata-like nightgowns.

"Let's talk tomorrow."

They were put to bed. Chiharu resisted being separated into different rooms, so they ended up sharing a large bed. The maid confirmed they were settled and said goodbye.

"If you need anything, ring the bell by your pillow. Good night."

"Um,"

"What is it?"

"Thank you."

Chiharu said in a small voice. The maid smiled and left.

Makoto was snoring softly next to her.

"Chiharu is a big catch. It's a good thing tomorrow is Saturday."

Though she didn't understand what was happening, they weren't being asked to do anything unreasonable, like typical summoning scenarios. The people here seemed kind enough to play with an unfamiliar Makoto. Chiharu thought, whatever happens, the best thing to do now is sleep.

Soon, the snoring became a duet. The many people listening in the hallway sighed in relief.

"Let's head back to the office. Sera, come with us."

"Yes."

The king called to the maid, and two guards took their positions by the door. Confirming this, they headed to the office. Inside, an elf and a beastman with serious faces were waiting, along with the prime minister, the prince, the king, the dwarf, and the maid Sera. Once everyone was gathered, the king spoke.

"Well, with the bangs, it was hard to tell, but which one had the holy maiden's mark, Sera?"

"That's the thing."

The maid Sera hesitated.

"What?"

"Both of them."

The prince and the prime minister, who hadn't been to the temple, exclaimed.

"Really! There are two holy maidens this generation!"

"What does this mean? There's no precedent."

The king rubbed his forehead.

"Considering it took half a year for them to appear, this is quite unusual. Prime Minister, have you received any divine messages?"

"No, not particularly."

"Then, in essence, there are two holy maidens. The purification will be doubled, or perhaps each has half the power. Still, thanks to the previous holy maiden's frugal lifestyle, the budget for the holy maidens is more than sufficient. This generation will require a bit more support from each region, but it should be manageable. No problem. That's all."

"How will we handle things from tomorrow?"

"Follow the holy maiden manual. They'll likely be in turmoil for a month, maybe even half a year, before accepting their roles. The key is to ensure they don't suffer mentally, so let them live quietly and peacefully."

Eris, who had been frowning, interjected.

"Looking at it this way, it might be better that there are two. They seemed to know each other."

"They weren't afraid of the beastman."

Zainus added. Eris stroked his chin.

"Come to think of it, that's true. Perhaps this generation can visit the beastman kingdom as well. They seemed to enjoy high places, so they might be okay with airships. Or, one to the beastman kingdom and one to the elf territory."

"Eris, don't get ahead of yourself. You're still as restless as ever, even at over 300 years old..."

"Still, Arthur."

"Anyway, the women of that country prefer peace. Forcing them is out of the question."

"Umm, yes."

The dwarf suddenly murmured,

"What is it, Guld?"

"Would a quiet woman drink until she vomits?"

"Don't say that."

"Did you notice, Arthur?"

The king rubbed his forehead again, and Zainus and Eris grimaced. Indeed, it was a shocking experience.

"Well, they were summoned across worlds. They must be feeling unwell."

"Let's leave it at that. Besides, I was getting bored of palace life. This is getting interesting."

The king and Guld exchanged words.

"Tomorrow, we'll check on their health and talk if they're up to it."

With that, they dispersed. As they left the room, the prince asked Eris,

"Hey, Eris, what were the holy maidens like?"

"What can I say? When I first saw them, they were looking down, and when I helped one who was about to fall, I only saw the back of her head. She looked small and had black hair, that's all I can tell."

"Small and black hair are characteristics of that country. I know that without asking. What else?"

"They smelled of alcohol."

"So they're adults. Will they match me?"

"Prince, the holy maiden does not bear children. Marriage to the royal family is out of the question. Besides, you're too young. You're only 18."

Eris said firmly.

"They are technically adults. There was no divine message saying they won't bear children. Just because previous holy maidens didn't doesn't mean this generation won't."

"Well, you can dream. Zainus, you look happy."

"Yes. It's been a while since a beastman has been close to a holy maiden."

"It's strange that the previous holy maiden wasn't afraid of beastmen. I wonder how it will be with me. At least, it won't be boring."

"Indeed."

Dissatisfied at being treated like a child, the prince walked with the three of them to their rooms. Will they be able to see their faces clearly tomorrow? Eris suddenly noticed that the palace air had become clear.