Chapter 5

#005 Houlride (2)

"......I have never seen such a large and radiant sanctuary before."

Unlike me, who was caught off guard by the sudden situation, Benshajian seemed to know what was going on.

It took me about ten seconds to realize that the ability to summon a golden circle on the floor was one of my given powers.

Although I was bewildered by the effect, which I had only seen in games, I had an instinct that asking, "What is this?" here would be foolish.

[Anyway, no one will get hurt because of me. Not Benshajian either.]

My voice echoed again, like in a karaoke room.

The light of the circle in the courtyard gradually faded and eventually disappeared without a trace, as if it understood that I had finished speaking and retreated.

"I will believe you since you have given me a divine message."

"......"

Benshajian had the most gentle and bright expression I had seen in the past week.

I didn't respond at all.

It was difficult to manage my expression, and I had a lot of studying to do in my room.

'Sanctuary,' 'divine message.' And the reason for Benshajian's sudden actions.

I felt anxious, as if I had entered an exam room without fully reviewing the material.

*

"Kanael, can I talk to you for a moment?"

I finally closed the study materials, or rather the theological books, and caught the child.

Kanael, who had seemed so happy during the morning walk, was noticeably unstable by the afternoon.

His complexion was poor when he served lunch, and he would awkwardly laugh and dodge when I spoke to him.

"Prince, Prince."

"Sit down first. Have you eaten?"

The child answered that he had, and I could see his large golden eyes trembling.

He had definitely heard something from Benshajian, or something had happened that he couldn't possibly be unaware of.

Benshajian, who had caused my anxiety, had disappeared without a trace after the walk.

He had vanished without answering any of my questions.

"Earlier in the garden, Benshajian told me something strange. Do you know anything about it?"

"Ah!"

It was clear that he knew a lot.

Kanael was quick to notice things but seemed to lack the talent for acting or lying.

Or maybe he just couldn't hide things from me.

"If it's news related to me, I need to know too."

Of course, it was probably nothing. I tried to suppress my anxiety.

I had really behaved well over the past week and had never met the prince as planned.

I hadn't even heard about the protagonist, Christel, from the novel "I Quit My Job and Became a Noble in Another World."

It meant that the protagonist, the male lead, and I had never been in the same place.

"That is, Prince, well......"

I waited calmly for him to speak.

I knew that urging a child of this age to spill the beans would only backfire.

At least, it had been the case with Eunseo.

"Th-there was a thief."

"Huh?"

What, a thief? Not a spy, but a burglar?

I was puzzled as to why a significant theft would require me to hear strange things from Benshajian.

My expression must have been odd, but Kanael seemed relieved.

"Indeed, it's something you don't know, Prince. I believed it would be so."

"No, Benshajian even mentioned martyrdom. Even if it's not related to me, I need to be aware of it."

I had a premonition. A premonition that something important was happening without my knowledge.

It might be a major event in the "Noble" storyline.

Even if I tried to avoid being swept away by the current, a pebble cannot become a rock. If the current is strong, it will be carried away.

At the very least, I wanted to know how the river I was in was formed, where the rapids and the calm waters were.

"According to what I heard, a treasure, a divine object, has disappeared......"

-Knock

The heavy knock made us stop talking and turn our heads.

"Come in."

Benshajian appeared when I spoke. Kanael quickly stood up. I was curious about where he had been, but he spoke first.

"Prince, a guest has arrived."

"A guest?"

"Sir Elizabeth Mute, the Royal Guard Commander."

Crazy.

"I didn't make any appointments."

"Excuse me, Prince."

A young woman suddenly appeared behind Benshajian and bowed politely.

I was taken aback and stood up.

She had short, olive-colored hair, and striking gray eyes.

Her uniform was adorned with medals that testified to her military achievements.

"A significant theft occurred at the border between the Lieste Empire and the Penetian Theocracy. I urgently requested an audience to ask the Prince a few questions. Please forgive me for not informing you in advance."

It would have been strange or suspicious if I didn't forgive her.

I slowly nodded.

Even though I knew who she was, I had to accept the meeting, and it felt like my earlier thoughts had become reality.

This feels like I've boarded the wrong Houlride.

*

The only thing I've stolen since I've been here is the oxygen I breathe.

I straightened my back, reminding myself that I was someone who had nothing to hide.

"Indeed, you are drinking tea without any awakening components."

Sir Mute spoke first.

She was tasting the hibiscus tea Kanael had brought. I now understood what she meant.

The priests of the God's Church did not drink awakening components, such as caffeine and alcohol.

They believed that one could not properly cultivate divine power with a mind that had been forcibly awakened or clouded by judgment.

According to the first chapter of "The Rules and Beliefs of the God's Church," this was a custom practiced only by the most devout priests today.

When I asked for herbal tea on the first day, Benshajian and the children were surprised because they didn't expect the prince to be so devoted to the doctrine.

After all, he was known as the "Theocracy's Troublemaker."

For me, it was like a bull backing up and catching a mouse.

"The scent is wonderful. I should recommend it to the Crown Prince. He always drinks strong coffee."

"Y-You can get straight to the point."

My interruption surprised her.

But the information that Crown Prince Sedric was a masochist who enjoyed espresso was not something I needed.

"Sir Mute must be busy. You mentioned a significant theft."

And most importantly, I didn't want to talk to her for long.

"The Guard Commander does all the work. I'm just a figurehead. Please call me Elizabeth."

She smiled and answered. I managed a slight smile.

Sir Elizabeth was the heir of a baronial family, and her position was far from a figurehead.

"Then, I will ask a few questions, if I may."

The Guard Commander took another sip of tea and began questioning me slowly.

I noticed a ring shining on her left hand, which was wrapped around the teacup.

"Where were you and what were you doing on the night of March 17th?"

"March 17th...... That was the day I first arrived here. I just washed up and went to sleep, I think."

I wasn't sure if I had opened my eyes on the morning of March 18th.

But since Benshajian, my dedicated caretaker and monitor, said so, it must be true.

"Did you have any contact with outsiders before or after you went to sleep?"

"No. But you should ask Benshajian. I was too tired to remember clearly."

"I have already questioned him. He gave the same answer."

So Benshajian had been away for a few hours. I nodded.

"Please tell me, in chronological order, who you met on March 24th."

"Yesterday. Well, Kanael and the twins woke me up. Benshajian was with me when I got dressed. During the afternoon walk, I met some gardeners, but I haven't memorized all their names yet."

"Most people don't."

Her answer had a hint of a smile.

"Kanael was right. I heard that you were kind to the attendants and respectful to the gardeners."

Well, the attendants were younger than my brother, and the gardeners were about the age of my parents or grandparents.

"It's just more comfortable that way."

That's how I expressed it. It seemed like a socially awkward but appropriately truthful answer.

"You mentioned that one of the attendants is a twin?"

Sir Elizabeth changed the topic.

"Oh, they don't look alike. They're the children of the Belang family, but they're the same height."

I answered. The two boys who followed Kanael were thirteen years old.

I concluded by saying I hadn't met anyone else after that.

Initially, the only people who regularly helped me were Benshajian, Kanael, and the Belang twins. Other attendants only came occasionally when there was a shortage of hands.

"I visited the Belang family when I was young."

"......Is that so?"

"The baron and baroness were kind people. I should send them a letter to check on them."

It didn't seem like she had asked anything important, but she sounded relaxed, as if the questioning was over.

She stood up and bowed neatly.

Considering that Benshajian had exaggerated in the garden, Kanael was anxious, and Sir Elizabeth herself had called it a "significant event," the atmosphere was too light.

Of course, since I hadn't done anything, it felt natural.

"I'll see you again, Prince."

She said as she left the room, and I responded with a smile.

Meeting the "Prince's close friend" spontaneously was enough for one time.

*

"You really did your best today, Prince."

Kanael, who had come to tidy up, spoke to me.

I was sitting on the bed, flipping through the study materials, or rather "The Theory and Practice of Divine Power," when the child approached.

"You also did well to be questioned. I don't understand why they're asking us about a theft in another town."

"Don't even mention it. I was really surprised."

The child sighed deeply.

After Sir Elizabeth left the Juliette Palace, I asked Benshajian for the details.

The "Border Temple" where the theft occurred was very far from the palace.

It was said that one had to pass through many portals and ride for a week in the direction of the border after exiting the last portal.

"Isn't that a very secure place?"

I had read about it in a book.

The Border Temple was the largest temple on the continent, located on the border between the Lieste Empire and the Penetian Theocracy.

It was also the residence of the vacant papacy.

The pope loses his nationality upon election, so the Border Temple, where he resides, is a neutral area jointly guarded by the empire and the theocracy.

"That's right. According to the attendants of the Romero Palace, the divine object disappeared without any traces or witnesses. If the theocracy had stolen it, they would have naturally smuggled it back to their country. I don't understand why they are bothering the Prince."

I found it amusing. They seemed to take me for granted as a hostage.

Even if the prince, who had been taken hostage by the empire, had helped with the theft, he would have been searched thoroughly upon arrival at the palace and wouldn't have brought the treasure with him.

"Just think of it as a witness interview."

I said nonchalantly.

In fact, Sir Elizabeth's actions and words were not heavy.

If I had been seriously considered a suspect, the Guard Commander, not the Royal Guard Commander, would have come.

Or I would have been taken somewhere for interrogation.

"Yes. Good night, Prince."

"Good night, Kanael."

The child turned off the light, said goodnight, and left the room.

I waved at his back and slowly lay down.

Looking at the ceiling, I thought of Eunseo. Had he ever told me a story like this?

I don't think so.

I remembered him talking about temples and ceremonies, but not about a treasure being stolen or "our Eunseo" being framed.

It seems my premonition was wrong. What a Houlride.

The surrounding people were so agitated that I had been quite shaken.

Well, a premonition is just a snack name.

-Click

At that moment, the door opened without a knock, and someone entered the room.

It was the twin attendants, the Belang brothers.