Several more priests appeared afterward.
Their arrival made the guests at the banquet murmur among themselves.
"As expected, His Holiness must have sent priests."
"It is House Kreuz. Of course His Holiness would send priests."
Duke Kreuz greeted the priest in Ruperi's place.
"Didike Roem."
Since he knew the name, the two seemed to be acquainted.
At the unexpected encounter with a priest, I stiffened. Ruperi whispered to me,
"It's okay. He's a priest close to Father."
He was close to Duke Kreuz?
"Then it'll be okay."
If he was close to Duke Kreuz, would that priest not be quite powerful as well?
The anxiety that had settled after meeting so many high-ranking guests surged up again.
The priest dispatched from the Temple of Horanus was staring at me persistently.
'It does not look okay…….'
The priest finally tore his gaze away and replied to Duke Kreuz.
"It has been a long time, Duke Kreuz."
"I thought you would be too busy to come. Thank you for attending the banquet."
"His Holiness urged me so fervently to attend. Since he could not come himself, he pleaded with me to come in his stead."
"Haha, His Holiness did?"
"He also asked me to deliver a gift while I was here."
The priest shook his head as though burdened by the request and looked tired.
But Duke Kreuz, who knew he was joking, laughed cheerfully.
"Ruperi, did you hear? His Holiness must have wanted to celebrate your birthday."
"Please convey my thanks to His Holiness, Priest Didike. I should visit the Grand Temple soon."
You just said you would not go to the temple.
The priest smiled faintly, seemingly pleased by Ruperi's clear answer.
Then he pointed at me and asked Ruperi,
"May I ask what this teddy bear is?"
"The teddy bear?"
"The doll you are holding, Young Master."
Ruperi was silent for a moment, perhaps puzzled. Then he introduced me in an oddly excited voice.
"It's Paul. A doll Father gave me."
"Duke Kreuz gave it to you?"
The priest's eyes widened.
When he looked at Duke Kreuz, the Duke smiled amiably and explained how he had bought the teddy bear.
"Ruperi spends a great deal of time alone. I bought it in the hope that it would become his friend."
"Ah, a friend. That is a good idea."
The priest nodded readily, as though he understood.
He wore an odd expression for a moment, but it disappeared in the blink of an eye.
'Was that my imagination?'
After exchanging a few more words, the priest handed over the Pope's gift.
It was the same size as Sharos's gift. But unlike earlier, Ruperi could not reject it because of who had given it.
"Please thank His Holiness once again."
"And this is my gift."
The priest reached out and murmured something.
He seemed to be using Divine Magic. Perhaps because he belonged to the clergy, the Divine Power pressing against my body was twice as dreadful as Duke Kreuz's.
'Ugh.'
Duke Kreuz's Divine Power resembled the warm energy of a spring day.
But the priest's Divine Power was so dense that it felt as though I were being forcibly purified.
Ruperi seemed to feel uncomfortable as well, because his face hardened.
"It may feel a little uncomfortable. I heard that you experienced something dangerous not long ago."
"What kind of spell is it?"
"It is a Protection spell that prevents malicious energy from entering your body."
A Protection spell.
It seemed to be a higher-level spell than the Protection Duke Kreuz had cast on us weeks ago.
The flow of Divine Power felt as though it were weaving itself into intricate knots around me.
'I need to be careful.'
But why did he cast it on me too?
As I wondered, the priest gave me an answer.
"And I cast it on your teddy bear friend as well, since you seem to cherish him."
"Thank you."
Ah. He was just like Duke Kreuz.
All these Horein people treated even a teddy bear as though it had its own personality.
A few of the people congratulating Ruperi had even spoken to me.
- So what is this one's name? Ah, Paul? Hello, Paul.
- Where are you from? Hm? A toy shop? Father, I want that one too!
- Does your owner treat you well? He does? ……That Young Master Kreuz?
Some children had whined while looking at me, and others had given me candy because I was dressed so cutely.
Whenever that happened, Ruperi seemed pleased and awkwardly accepted things through doll play.
'But I did not expect the priest to be the same.'
Had he stared at me so insistently because he found it strange that a teddy bear was dressed in clothes and being held by Ruperi?
The priest spoke with Duke Kreuz for a short while before leaving.
Soft music played in the hall. As time passed, groups formed in various places.
Adults with adults, and children with children.
Some young guests approached Ruperi, but he refused and came out to the terrace, saying he wanted to rest for a while.
Ruperi set me down on an outdoor table and asked,
"What do you think? I wasn't found out, right?"
His face looked anxious.
It seemed as though he wished I would tell him the truth, yet also hoped that I would give him reassuring words, even if they were a lie.
I glanced past Ruperi's shoulder at the hall, where warm light spilled out. No one had noticed my identity.
[A little.]
"Only a little?"
[But how did you know I was afraid someone would find out?]
"You thought I wouldn't know?"
Ruperi answered with a sulky expression.
Then again, I had been terribly tense, so there was no way he would not notice.
A faint laugh escaped me at how carefully Ruperi looked after me.
[Did you come to the terrace just to ask that? You're the guest of honor, so you should be in the hall.]
"There's no one left to congratulate me anyway. Even if there is, I've greeted everyone already, so they can just leave their presents and go."
He truly was arrogant.
As Ruperi grumbled, the tension in my heart melted away, and I laughed again.
Then Ruperi hesitantly asked,
"……Can you tell me why you were scared all that time?"
[All that time?]
"You were huddled in the corner and trembling."
I blinked. I had known Ruperi would ask eventually, but I had not expected it to happen now.
Ruperi repeatedly opened and closed his small lips. He knew he should not rush me, but it did not seem easy for him to hold back.
It was an unexpectedly refreshing reaction from him, and I watched him for a moment.
'How should I explain it?'
Should I tell him that I heard Father's voice while trying to untangle my Mana?
I could not say that.
Even if I made an excuse, Ruperi would question me relentlessly, and I would eventually make him suspicious.
I lowered my eyes. As I fell into thought, I could feel Ruperi growing restless.
"If it's difficult, you don't have to tell me!"
But he would ask again someday.
I was Nellis Kere Teneris.
The youngest daughter of House Teneris.
I had lived through hardships alongside Ruperi and the Kreuz family, but my essence belonged to House Teneris.
The kindness shown by the Kreuz family sometimes made me uncomfortable, sometimes made me happy, and sometimes stirred unfamiliar emotions within me. But it was kindness shown to Paul, the teddy bear.
If I revealed my identity, that kindness would turn to disgust in an instant.
That was why I found it even harder to speak truthfully.
Suppressing the feelings that threatened to overflow, I hesitated before offering an excuse.
[Something happened.]
When I looked at Ruperi after barely managing to answer, his expression seemed ready to crumble.
Then, as if he had never made that face at all, he smiled brightly.
"Well, there must be things Paul can't tell me. Then you'll…… stay by my side, right?"
[I said I'd stay by your side.]
"Always?"
[Yeah.]
"Forever?"
Forever?
For a moment, I could not speak.
I knew I had to say something, but as the days passed, the word "forever" made it harder for me to answer.
'Can I stay by Ruperi's side forever?'
Of course not.
I was a Teneris, and now that I had heard Father's voice, I had no idea how things could change.
I tried to reassure him with other words, but Ruperi bit his lip tightly and stopped me.
"No. You don't have to say it. I'll always be by your side. No, I'll be by your side forever."
[Forever?]
"Wherever Paul is, I'll find you. So even if you leave, just let me know that you're Paul."
[……]
"You can do that, right, Paul?"
Ruperi smiled broadly, but he could not fully hide the emotions welling up inside him.