Part One, Section Two: “Crisis Over My Homeland”
Chapter Thirteen
“Hmm, what should I do?”
In the letter I wrote to Mia, the only saint left in Girtonia, I detailed the potential worst-case scenario that could unfold soon. Additionally, I included all the feasible approaches to handle the situation.
The letter I got from Mia revealed that she hadn’t read my previous letter. She had noticed something off about the demons’ activity lately and was convinced I would know the cause. Also, she found it odd that she hadn’t received any communication from me, as she was certain that I would inform her about the situation.
Though she was my sister, I couldn’t help but admire her keen intuition. It was quite impressive how she noticed something was amiss just from a small sense of incongruity and decided to contact me here, suspecting that she hadn’t received a letter.
In any case, it was an undeniable fact that either my father, mother, or both were deliberately withholding the letters I sent. I didn’t know why, but they probably didn’t want me communicating with Mia.
In other words, there was a high possibility that sending another letter would be futile.
In my estimation, there was little time left before the Demon Realm became most closely connected to the Surface World. Therefore, there was no time to idle around. I must quickly devise a reliable way to deliver a letter to Mia without delay…
“Lady Philia, is something troubling you? If you permit me, I am at your service to lend an ear and assist.”
It seemed I absentmindedly uttered some thoughts aloud, and in response, Leonardo, worried about my well-being, came forward to talk to me.
I hesitated whether it was okay to talk about the issue of the letter not reaching my sister, but since I couldn’t come up with a solution on my own, I decided to discuss it with him.
Come to think of it, this might be the first time I’ve ever sought advice or confided about a worry to someone.
Lina, who stood beside me, also willingly lent an ear.
“I see. So for some reason, the letter you send to your sister, Lady Mia, is being crumpled up…”
“It’s scary not knowing the reason, but I suppose there’s no time to delve into that, huh…”
After listening to the story, Leonardo and Lina fell silent for a moment, lost in thought. Then, it was Lina who spoke first.
“Hey, Mr. Leonardo, what if we ask Ms. Himari? I’m sure she can reliably deliver the letter to Lady Mia, right?”
“I had the same thought. There might not be anyone better suited for this job than her.”
The name “Himari,” which they brought up, belonged to one of the maids working at the manor. Her unusual name piqued my curiosity. According to Lina, she came from a tiny island country called the “kingdom of Murasame.”
She had a short stature and black hair in a ponytail, which gave her a reserved and quiet impression.
"Are you two suggesting that we let Ms. Himari take the letter all the way to Girtonia? Why do you believe that’s a reliable method?"
I never imagined a proposal of having a maid carry the mail. Mia was a saint, and I believe she most likely had more guards around her now than when I was there. In such a situation, it seemed impossible for someone from another country to approach her easily… If she were to be discovered and caught, it could become an international issue…
“It will be fine, Lady Philia. Ms. Himari is a ninja, so she won’t be captured easily.”
Lina mentioned the word “ninja” all of a sudden. As far as I remember from my understanding of historical texts, “ninja” refers to a secretive and proficient group of spies and intelligence experts from the kingdom of Murasame.
“As Lina mentioned, Himari’s skills are indeed exceptional. Like Lina and myself, she is one of the individuals directly appointed by the Parnacota Royal Family to serve as your personal guards, Lady Philia.”
“G-Guard? But, unlike you two, I hardly ever see Ms. Himari around…”
According to Leonardo, Himari was also one of my guards, but she wasn’t frequently seen nearby. I wonder what could be the reason for this…
“Ms. Himaaari! Lady Philia is calling for you!”
The moment Lina called out like that… Himari suddenly appeared from within the wall right in front of us. Huh…? When did she get there…?
"Himari, you heard our talk, yes? Do you think you can deliver Lady Philia’s letter to her sister, Lady Mia?"
“Of course. I swear on the Fuma clan’s honor to accomplish this task. My Liege, Lady Philia, please command me without reservation.”
Himari knelt before me, respectfully bowing her head. According to Leonardo, she had been by my side all along, even during my saintly duties. I honed my ability to sense presence, especially since I often face attacks from demons. Yet, I completely failed to perceive her…
It seemed she had mastered a technique of completely concealing her presence.
“In that case, Ms. Himari, could you kindly deliver this letter to my sister Mia? Please don’t overexert yourself, and if you feel like you might be caught, feel free to escape without hesitation.”
“As your command… With this life at stake, I shall deliver the confidential letter from My Liege…”
The moment I handed her the letter, Himari swiftly vanished from the room, leaving no trace.
It was dangerous for someone from another country to approach a saint, but time was of the essence. I could only hope that Himari could make contact with Mia.
I prayed to the gods while worrying about their safety…
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