This chapter was tough. Especially in terms of defining the dialog characters. For example, "-dono" uses Himari, Prince Oswald and some others, but Himari isn’t in the room with them (probably; because it's not clear from the text either), so it’s most likely Oswald speaking. But the text itself doesn’t specify whose lines these are.
Part One, Section Three: “And Then, the Sisters Sprang Into Action”
Chapter Twenty-seven
“I had heard that the king of Girtonia was not in good health, but to think that he had been taking the medicine prescribed by you, Miss Philia… This is quite unexpected.”
“Indeed, I can’t help but admire you, Lady Philia. Not only for your accomplishments as a saint but also for your contributions in many different areas…”
“But if the disappearance of the recipe for that effective medicine was deliberate…”
What Lina meant was that there was a great deal of malice in this. In other words, it indicated that Prince Julius schemed to hasten the passing of the king of Girtonia.
Mia seemed certain of it.
And thus, fed up with Prince Julius, who did not seem genuinely devoted to protecting the kingdom, she was thinking of removing him from the political stage to secure the country.
What reasons could lead her, who was always kind and gentle to everyone, to be driven by such intense emotions?
Well, judging by His Highness Julius’s recent attempts to bring me back, I can’t help but feel that he’s rather incompetent, but still…
“Anyway, I’ll pass the recipe on through Ms. Himari. I’ve improved it since, so there may be a chance for a complete recovery. Also, I will include a note asking Mia not to overexert herself…”
The king’s illness was one from an epidemic, but during my time in Girtonia, the medicine I concocted could only alleviate the symptoms.
However, after coming to Parnacota, I extracted a component from a plant I happened to find while erecting barriers, successfully enhancing the medicine’s effects. To the point some patients with the same symptoms as the king completely recovered…
So… in terms of timing, Mia’s request couldn’t have come at a more appropriate moment.
“However, if this letter is indeed true… Miss Mia could find herself in quite a dire situation if things go poorly.”
“I agree. I too want to stop her if I can… But…”
Mia’s determination was profound. She, as the saint of Girtonia, was prepared to face danger without hesitation… She was ready to take action. Thinking that way, what she was attempting holds some justice too. After all, what a saint must protect wasn’t a royalty…
“What a saint should protect is the ‘nation,’ isn’t it, Lady Philia?”
“Should protect the nation?”
Before I could speak, Grace voiced it out, and Lina repeated it in the form of a question. Grace had read something I had written in a book before and seemed to remember it.
“It’s not the Royal Family but the citizens who make up a nation… The fate of a country without its people is easy to envision. It left a strong impression on me from a book published by you, Lady Philia, so I remember it well.”
“The truth is that if only the Royal Family survives and there are no citizens, the country will collapse. Even His Highness Reinhardt mentioned something along those lines.”
“A saint solely must protect the country—you emphasized that, right, Lady Philia?”
I only meant to write my thoughts, but that book angered Prince Julius the most. ‘You are looking down on royalty… A country exists solely because of royalty.’ That’s what he said to me. Looking back, I might have written something slightly radical.
But Mia, whether influenced by me or not, was trying to put that into action. Even if I thought her actions were justified, if it were me, I wonder whether I could have acted so boldly…
She had a noble, strong spirit. That was why I wanted to protect her even more. Not just as a saint… but selfishly as an older sister.
“It will be fine, Lady Philia. The Parnacota Knights are strong, so I’m sure they can aid the kingdom of Girtonia and Lady Mia.”
As if seeing through me, Lina reassured me with her words. With the help of the Parnacota Knights, we might be able to manage even if we were late. However, reading Mia’s letter, it was becoming doubtful whether Prince Julius was considering accepting military force from another country.
“But then again, the survival of Girtonia is still in the hands of Miss Mia…”
“With your medicine at hand, Lady Philia, I believe the king of Girtonia will surely make the right choice.”
“Ms. Himari is there as well, you know.”
That was not good. Lately, it seemed my emotions were becoming more visible on my face. The fact I had been consulting others about such a radical letter from my sister might itself signify I had changed.
…My heart has grown weaker.
A saint must be strong. Both in body and mind… no, it was the force of will that must by far surpass the physical strength.
Barrier spells and anti-evil techniques were closely tied to one’s mental state. That was precisely why I underwent various training methods to enhance my force of will and amplify the effectiveness of these techniques.
Being touched by the warmth of people’s hearts… I unconsciously found it comforting and started relying on it. I must be firmer… At this rate, I might not even be able to protect the country, let alone aid Mia.
Mia was embarking on the thorny path as Girtonia’s saint. I need to reconsider what I, as her older sister, could do.
“…I’ve improved compared to yesterday, but it’s still challenging…”
Grace, who returned to ancient spell training, still seemed to struggle with activation. Just like with the Grand Anti-Evil Magic Circle, if more people could understand and utilize the ancient language, situations like this could have been easily avoided.
The Martilas family seemed to teach ancient language, so one more step and Grace would be able to activate the spell.
Wait. In ancient rituals, there was…
Before I knew it, I had opened the ancient manuscript that I’d reread numerous times…
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