It had been quite some time since Noel last met Behemoth.
Behemoth was originally Ahwin’s spirit, but now he was mostly by Leticia’s side, helping her with the revival of the principality.
“Behemoth, what brings you here?”
The silver wolf whimpered and rubbed his face against Noel. Noel burst into laughter at the sight of the wolf, who didn’t know what to do out of joy.
“Behemoth, have you already heard the news?”
Behemoth wagged his tail excitedly. Noel smiled and nodded.
“That’s right. Behemoth, I’ve finally decided to accept Ahwin’s proposal. We’re getting married now.”
Behemoth became even more delighted and embraced Noel. His damp nose rubbed against her cheek. Noel chuckled as she wrapped her arms around Behemoth’s neck.
“Haha, Behemoth, that tickles. I feel like I’m going to fall, haha.”
But something felt off. Behemoth could speak perfectly well, yet today he was only whimpering.
“Behemoth, why aren’t you saying anything… huh?”
Upon closer inspection, Behemoth was holding something in his mouth. He quickly stepped back, gently placed his mouth on the ground, and something white and round rolled out.
“What is this?”
Noel quickly picked up the orb. Since the spirit had been holding it, the orb wasn’t wet at all.
“Who sent this?”
「Lady Leticia!」
“Lady Leticia?”
Noel’s eyes widened.
“You mean it’s a message from Lady Leticia?”
Normally, spirits were not easily seen by humans.
Only those with strong divine power or a natural affinity for spirits could faintly perceive their forms.
However, recently, spirits had become visible not only to the wings but also to ordinary people.
Seeing a silver wolf flying through the sky or water spirits dancing playfully on a lake was no longer an unfamiliar sight.
The fact that spirits had grown so strong was, of course, thanks to Leticia’s power.
And from a few months ago, the spirits’ strength increased once again. Saying they merely grew stronger didn’t do it justice. It was as if they had leapt up a massive staircase or like a seed had sprouted—an immense transformation had taken place.
「The spirits suddenly became stronger? Why is that? That’s strange. There’s been no change in divine power.」
Upon hearing the news, Leticia tilted her head in confusion. It was true that her divine power had been gradually growing.
However, it wasn’t to the extent that the spirits would suddenly go wild.
「It might be because I’ve gotten used to the goddess’s power. Or it could be because I’m happy, thanks to the children.」
As she said this, her son Abel was nestled in her arms.
Abel was the complete opposite of Lehira in terms of personality. Not only in appearance, but his gentle nature also mirrored Leticia’s perfectly.
Perhaps that was why.
When Abel was nestled in Leticia’s arms, it looked as if one were witnessing the most sacred painting in the world.
“What could Lady Leticia need?”
Noel pushed aside her wandering thoughts and focused on the message Leticia had sent through Behemoth.
As she placed her hand on the white, peach-colored orb, a soft click was heard, and the lid opened.
Noel carefully took out the note inside.
Her eyes widened as she read the contents of the note.
「Congratulations once again on your marriage. Before the joyous occasion, there is something I must ask the two of you. Would you, along with Ahwin, become Lehira’s godmother and godfather? I feel I could entrust her to you both without any worry.」
Tears began to well up in Noel’s chestnut-colored eyes.
Behemoth, who had been wagging his tail furiously, leaped towards her. He placed his paws on her shoulders and started licking her cheek as if to embrace her.
“How could I…”
To be Lehira’s godmother. To become the mother of the beloved princess who brought the two of them together.
It was something she had never imagined, and at the same time, an overwhelming happiness.
“The princess’s…”
Noel’s eyes filled with tears.
Her heart swelled with the trust Leticia had shown her, and the connection she felt with Lehira. She finally understood why Leticia had sent the message through Behemoth. Leticia must have known how much joy her request would bring them. She wanted to share the news as quickly as possible.
“Thank you, Behemoth.”
Noel hugged Behemoth tightly. Behemoth panted happily. She held onto his fluffy, silver fur.
Her heart overflowed with happiness.
Once, she had been afraid.
Of Ahwin’s proposal, and of becoming a mother.
But now, it wasn’t like that anymore. The vague fear had gradually faded. And in its place, hope had taken over completely.
Chapter 7: Banessa’s Choice
“Sigh.”
Banessa flopped onto the outdoor training ground and let out a long, drawn-out sigh. The sky was a deep, clear blue without a single cloud. It was the perfect weather for an outing.
“You’re going to make a hole in the ground. Why do you keep sighing like that?”
Banessa’s heart felt incredibly heavy.
It was because of a reason he was too embarrassed to share with anyone.
Sitting still only made him feel more suffocated. That’s why he had been wandering around the training ground aimlessly, and now, exhausted, he lay sprawled out.
Julia narrowed her eyes at Banessa, who was lying down.
She kicked Banessa’s thigh.
“Ouch!”
Banessa shot up from his spot.
“Why are you kicking me? You could just tell me!”
“You seemed like you’d only come to your senses if you got kicked.”
Julia, holding a wooden sword, tilted her chin upward. Her hair, tied in a single tight braid, fluttered slightly. Her thin training clothes were soaked with sweat. Despite swinging her sword since morning, she showed no signs of fatigue. In fact, her eyes sparkled with energy.
A few months ago, Julia had humbled Banessa, igniting a new ambition within him. Even now, Julia was determined to become the sword instructor for the royal grandchildren, practicing tirelessly late into the night. Her skills were improving at a rapid pace.
“Get up, quickly.”
“Why!”
“We need to train.”
“Again?”
Banessa looked at Julia with a face full of exasperation.
“Can’t we take a break? Are you even human?”
“There’s no time to rest. Are you planning to stay unfocused like this?”
“I’m feeling down today! Go find someone else to beat up!”
“The others might actually die if they fought me. You can handle it because you’re sturdy.”
“Sturdy? Am I some kind of practice dummy?”
“You’re a skilled practice dummy. The others aren’t as fun. Now get up. Hurry.”
Banessa had been chosen by Julia because of his exceptional swordsmanship. Though his current condition had been lacking lately, his fundamental abilities were still strong.
“Are you planning to miss out on the princess’s godfather role and the sword instructor position too?”
“…Hey! I told you to stop talking about that!”
Julia even ruthlessly poked at Banessa’s sore spot.
That was right.
Banessa had been feeling down recently.
It was because Ahwin had been chosen as Lehira’s godfather.
He didn’t exactly dislike it, but it left him feeling unsettled.
To be honest, he had hoped for the role of godfather to the royal grandchildren, though he knew the chances were slim.
Banessa knew himself well. He was aware of his own limitations. There were flaws he tried to fix but couldn’t easily overcome.
So, naturally, someone far more perfect than himself should be the godfather to the princess. Ahwin was a fitting choice. Banessa knew how cautious and wise he was.
Still, he couldn’t help but feel disappointed. It wasn’t Leticia he was upset with—it was the painful reminder of his own shortcomings. It felt like he was confronting the limits of his abilities.
Banessa was bewildered. How could that position stir his emotions so deeply?
Julia, of course, saw right through him. Seeing a typically simple and straightforward person like Banessa droop like a soaked sponge was impossible to ignore.
“Get up. Let’s spar.”
Not that Julia had any intention of going easy on him. Life was short, and there was already too little time to improve. Wallowing in self-pity? Ridiculous. As his peer, Julia felt a responsibility to snap Banessa out of it.
“Alright. I’ve made up my mind. You’re not going home until you beat me today.”
“…That’s insane!”
* * *
In the Magus Empire, a month’s ride on horseback from the Holy Empire, lay the capital, Rivaltan.
At the very center of Rivaltan stood a bizarrely shaped tower.
It was the Mage Tower, the sacred ground for all mages across the continent.
Countless mages from all over the continent sought the Mage Tower to hone their magic skills.
The Mage Tower welcomed all mages who came in search of it.
The mages, in return, expressed their respect for the tower by modifying it to their heart’s content.
As a result, the Mage Tower looked like something straight out of a nightmare.
There were houses on top of houses, trees growing between the houses, trampolines between rooms, and armchairs hanging under the trampolines…
It looked as though the tower might topple over with a single gust of wind, but no one passing by seemed to care.
And for good reason.
Though the Mage Tower’s appearance was haphazard, its sturdiness surpassed that of any other structure on the continent.
At the top of the tower was the Tower Master. Or, more accurately, the former Tower Master, who was being overworked in place of Callisto, the current Tower Master, who had abandoned his duties.
This former Tower Master, punished for choosing the wrong successor, was now far from retirement and still toiling.
His white hair fluttered in the breeze that came through the open window. The Tower Master grasped the celestial observatory with his wrinkled hands.
Closing one eye, he slowly brought the other to the thick glass lens.
As he peered at the stars’ movements through the lens, his eyes widened.
‘The stars are moving?’
In the Principality of Genos, there was Gilead’s prophecy, and in the Holy Empire, there was the goddess’s oracle. In the Magus Empire, they read the future through the movements of the stars—this was known as future sight.
For the first time in months, the stars showed a new movement. The meaning of the sparkling stars was clear.
The Holy Empire.
A new star was rising in that land, which had been without a ruler for some time.
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