We climbed the stairs of the main palace overlooking the plaza. I was in charge of the congratulatory speech at the founding festival for the people.
“Whoaaaa.”
“Uooooh!”
Halfway up the stairs, the figures of the crowd could be seen through the cracks.
As I climbed to a high place, I could see that a crowd of tens of thousands of people had gathered for the opening of the founding festival.
“You must be nervous.”
I nodded my head at his words, as if he could feel my expression a little stiff.
Then Kyle said as if he was possessed.
“You always did well. Unexpectedly.”
A reproachful voice pierced my heart like consolation.
At Kyle’s words that gave me courage, I smiled lightly and nodded my head.
A little while later, after greeting the Emperor and some dignitaries who had arrived earlier, I gave a congratulatory speech to the temple in front of a large crowd.
“Saintess!”
“It’s the Saintess!!“
“Worship the saintess!”
When I came out, the crowd cheered with enthusiasm.
“To the people of the Illide Empire, I would like to convey a congratulatory message from Elium.”
Although the cheers were a little burdensome, I steadfastly continued my congratulatory speech.
The congratulatory speech was about the history of the Illide and the temple. It was said that the Gods blessed the Illide when the country was founded, and that this brought glory to the Illide royal family.
[The God of Knowledge, Hessed, is proud of you.]
[The God of Justice, Hetuse, looks at you with a satisfied expression.]
[The God of Art, Mond, is delighted with the worship pouring down on you.]
The Gods watched over me proudly, like parents watching their daughter’s kindergarten school performance.
When I looked back after the congratulatory speech, the Emperor was clapping his hands with a satisfied expression. Now, it seems that he has fully recovered his health, and his face has a good complexion.
When I stepped back, Kyle raised his longsword and cut the string that ran from the balcony to the building on the other side several tens of meters ahead. Then, with the sound of a string breaking, the pre-arranged bag burst and countless petals flew into the air.
“Whoaaaa!”
“Wooowwww!”
Cries were heard from the crowd. It was a fun opening of the founding festival.
Kyle held my hand while I was staring blankly at the scattered petals.
[The God of Destruction, Ciel, wags his tail.]
“The glory of an escort.”
At his words, I smiled.
I knew that the martial arts gathering would begin in the temporary arena in the square.
“Of course. Sir Knight.”
I went down the stairs again with him and headed towards the martial arts venue under the protection of the soldiers.
The martial arts venue was located between the western wall of the Imperial Palace and the plaza.
It has a long history of openly hunting monsters at the martial arts venue during the founding festival to soothe public sentiment and boost morale.
In the past, there were times where random monsters were caught and martial arts were held, but ten years ago, there was a correction opinion on cruelty in the temple, and now the rules have changed.
So, at present, only monsters that attacked private houses, killed people, or caused huge economic losses to the extent that the village collapsed, were being hunted legitimately.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen those clothes.”
“Say it’s a dress. In formality.”
“It’s the first time you’ve ever said that. It doesn’t fit you.”
[The God of Justice, Hetuse, agrees with Kyle a little.]
I laughed at his nonsense and replied back.
“I guess I should have sent Reihausd instead and come to see you in plain clothes. To think that you persecute me like this.”
He opened his lips as I walked and shrugged.
“If you had tried to pull him out again this time, I would have gone to pick you up myself.”
“…”
“And today… you’re pretty.”
I doubted for a moment that I had heard it wrong.
“Yes? What did you just say…?”
Yet he didn’t answer.
Perhaps it was mixed in with the shouts and I heard it wrong?
[The God of Knowledge, Hessed, recommends the holy relic ‘Earpick for the Listener’.]
After a while, we sat side by side at the top of the colosseum-style martial arts venue.
There was a round vacant lot under the circular spectator seats, like a baseball field, and it was probably a fighting field.
“Uwaaaah!!”
“Aaaaa!!”
Soon after, the first act of the martial arts meeting began.
The martial arts meeting takes place over three days, and on the first day, the knights of the imperial palace compete against each other. On the second day, knights from noble families participated, and on the last day, famous mercenaries participated.
Today was the first day, and among the first days, the first act was the stage for the apprentice knights in the Imperial Palace to deal with the weakest monsters.
“Your Highness, have you ever participated in a martial arts gathering?”
I asked, looking at Kyle who was sitting next to me.
“I have. Once, through the Empress’ trick, I dealt with ten ogres alone. How foul and sticky the smell of blood was.”
Kyle responded in a slow tone. His eyebrows furrowed as if recalling that time.
“The Empress did something useless.”
“That’s how it is. It was fun nonetheless. A swordsman must hold a sword to make blood boil.”
At that, I smiled lightly and looked at the martial arts venue and asked.
“Don’t you want to leave now?”
“I don’t want to become a master who breaks the morale of the knights who have prepared so hard. After all, if I go out, all the scenes after that will be boring.”
[The God of Art, Mond, frowns and grumbles that he’s unlucky.]
Still, he was right. Recalling the time Kyle slaughtered a troll in one blow at the hunting event.
I stared at the venue again.
Then Kyle’s voice was heard again.
“Do you like this view?”
I glanced at him and thought for a while.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen it, so it’s too early to say I like or dislike this, but… How to say it… I think it’ll be awesome. Swinging a sword and slaying monsters.”
Did I just say something that’s unlike a saintess?
“Awesome…?”
He repeated a word from my words.
“The sight of the warrior active there will look great in your eyes, that’s what I mean.”
“Ah, yes.”
He glared at the martial arts venue, hardened his eyebrows, and muttered his words.
“…Should I go outnow, I wonder.”
[The God of Destruction, Ciel, blesses Kyle.]
“Yes?”
“No. Somehow, I feel empowered.”
Our conversation, as if we were saying something different, stopped after a while.
“Ooh!”
The cheers of the crowd were heard again.
As the knights, mostly boys, started to come out in two lines, the voices of the people grew louder.
“Oohhh!”
“It’s the knights!!”
Most of the boys undergoing knight training at the Imperial Palace were the sons of low-ranking aristocrats or talented commoners.
The children of high-ranking nobles will usually appear on the second day, as they receive knight training along with heir classes in their own families.
“Ah! Noah!”
I checked Noah’s welcomed face and waved my hand.
Noah must have been very nervous, and the other boys were the same.
[The God of Art, Mond, examines the faces of the boys and ranks them.]
[The God of Benevolence, Oman, joins the ranking.]
[The God of Love, Odyssey, decided on one pick.]
Hey… We’re not filming a production right now.
Anyway, the gauntlet in Noah’s hand was familiar, so I was reassured. It was an object studded with a holy stone that increased not only defense but also luck.
Of course, the holy stone’s function is only secondary, so in the end, Noah’s skills are the most important. I believed in Noah’s skills.
“Open for us!”
“Prepare for battle!”
When the command was heard along with the sound of the horn, the apprentice knights drew their swords from their scabbards.
After a while, there was a sound, and monsters that looked like goblins came out as many as the apprentice knights.
“Disperse, Whale!”
When the boy who appeared to be the apprentice knight leader shouted an incomprehensible word, Noah and the apprentice knights changed their arrangement in a regular form.
“Is that… tactic?”
At my words, Kyle nodded with a relaxed expression. I’ve heard that in the military, various tactics are trained depending on the situation.
“Kikㅡ!”
“Kiiik!”
Although the goblins were small, that didn’t mean they weren’t intimidating. Rather, there are many cases where these small monsters cause small yet extensive damage.
“Advance.”
Hearing the knight commander’s voice, the boys moved in perfect order and swung their swords. Noah was noticeably agile among the apprentice knights on the right wing.
[The God of Benevolence, Oman, expects Noah’s desirable growth.]
One goblin was pierced by Noah’s sword and fell, while the other tried to attack Noah but was disoriented and fell.
Stabㅡ!
Noah’s sword quickly pierced the fallen goblin.
“As expected, he’s a good one .”
Listening to Kyle’s evaluation of Noah, I shrugged my shoulders.
People were clapping and admiring the movements of the apprentice knights in perfect order.
“Well done!”
“Oooh!”
Since goblins are quite intelligent monsters, they dug a gap and resisted, yet the apprentice knights successfully blocked it and defeated the goblins. Among them, Noah was really great.
“Noah, over there. Yes! That’s right!!”
[The God of Love, Odyssey is eating corn snacks noisily.]
I was watching the martial arts gathering with happy eyes when I suddenly felt a gaze from the side. I followed my gaze and turned my head, and Kyle was staring at me as if he were looking at something interesting.