Chapter 97
Image Control Is Important
The day after arriving in Tori.
After finishing breakfast, I immediately set about enchanting the large new magic stone I had brought from the capital with the blessing of the saint.
The pale green magic stone, two sizes bigger than Leo’s fist, was of exceptionally high quality.
This time, no matter what happens, I focused specially to ensure the blessing wouldn’t break the stone.
“Please, protect this land—”
I had spent several months in Tori and interacted with the townspeople.
Even though this was a dangerous land where monsters ran rampant, I recalled the smiles of the people who cherished and continued living in this town, which was their home.
The members of the Third Knight Squad were also strong, hardworking, kind, and truly dependable… such wonderful people.
And also, Anika and Lord Markus were here.
Apparently, my stepmother had fled because life here was too harsh. I wonder where she went? I hope she’s safe…
I didn’t have many good memories with Anika and Lord Markus, but neither of them were really bad people.
We just didn’t quite get along.
I think Anika truly loves Lord Markus, so I sincerely hope things work out for them.
That’s my wish.
“So please, protect the peace of this land in my place—!”
Thinking of the people living in this town, I prayed fervently.
“…Amazing.”
“What power…”
I heard their voices—Lord Markus and the others observing me.
…I know.
I could feel it myself: an extremely powerful magic overflowing from my body.
“Enough!!”
“—!”
Just then, Rick shouted loudly, and I snapped out of my focus, opening my eyes and releasing the magic.
“If you go any further, the stone won’t be able to withstand it—it’ll break.”
“Yes… sorry.”
When I looked, I could see that my magic had indeed overflowed from the stone; I had poured enough into it to almost overwhelm it.
Even though such a large, high-quality stone had been prepared, I nearly destroyed it myself.
It’s not enough to just blindly pour in a lot of power.
I need to learn to adjust it better, too.
“Good work, Sibel. With this, unless something extreme happens, monsters shouldn’t come near.”
“Leo-san.”
“But you must be tired. Sit down.”
“Yes, thank you.”
I obediently followed Leo as he came closer, and I sat down.
“Really. Compared to when I enchanted magic stones in the neighboring kingdom of Barhand, your magic was far stronger.”
“Apparently, the stronger my attachment, the more powerfully my magic manifests.”
“I see.”
Rick had checked my expression, but I still had some magic remaining.
He probably intended to share it with me if I had used it all up.
“…Sibel, thank you.”
“No. I just did what was expected of a saint.”
Behind Rick, Lord Markus muttered quietly.
His expression seemed complex, as if he wanted to say something more about my reply, but instead he smiled faintly.
Later…
“Sibel, may I come in?”
“Leo-san! Please do.”
Leo came to see me while I was resting in my room.
“I brought tea. I added honey and lemon, your favorites, so let’s drink together.”
“Oh, thank you.”
The crown prince, Leo, brewed tea for me… what a luxury.
It was sweet and delicious. The honey must be plentiful.
“This is delicious. I feel refreshed.”
“I’m glad. The Third Knight Squad was happy too. This town should be safe for a while now.”
“Yes.”
I truly hope so. Hearing that was reassuring, but I still had something on my mind.
“…?”
“What’s wrong? Are you worried about something?”
“Well… why did the magic stone break? Did you figure out the cause when you saw the broken stone?”
Even if I looked directly at the broken stone, I couldn’t tell.
Rick, Mirco, and Leo—all more experienced and knowledgeable than me—might have figured something out.
But…
“Unfortunately, we don’t know the exact reason. If we want a proper investigation, we may need to enter the magical wilderness deep in Tori’s forest.”
“I see…”
Tori’s forest was vast.
I’d been to the outer part before, but deeper inside lies the ‘Demon Forest,’ a magical wilderness shrouded in miasma, where sunlight never reaches day or night.
In the past, adventurers who ventured there never returned.
“No one can go there, then.”
“Yes. For now, there’s no report of dangerous monsters appearing, so we’ll probably just watch and wait.”
“That’s fine. It might simply be that my magic was too weak.”
“Are other towns okay?”
“Hm?”
“We haven’t delivered magic stones to all towns in the kingdom yet. There might still be people living in fear of monsters.”
“…That’s true.”
Of course, if something happened, the knights in the capital would be notified, and mercenary groups exist in some areas.
But there might be small towns without mercenaries…
I want to deliver magic stones to every place as soon as possible.
“I want to travel across the country with Leo-san to do that.”
“…I want to too.”
It probably isn’t allowed for me, a saint, to travel with the crown prince…
But practically speaking, that would be the most efficient way.
“We’ll think about that later. Once we return, I’ll speak to my father again about this, but for now, rest well.”
“Yes.”
Yes. I just finished a major task, so now I should rest and fully recover my magic.
“Thank you, Sibel, for always thinking about the kingdom.”
Leo, sitting next to me, gently placed his hand on my cheek.
Looking at me with such affection, my heart immediately raced.
“As a saint… and as Leo-san’s wife, I’ll do my best to live up to your expectations!”
“As my wife… huh.”
“Yes!”
I answered firmly, and Leo leaned closer, pressing his lips to my forehead.
“Thank you. Sibel, you’ll be busy as a saint from now on… but you’ll also meet my expectations as my wife, right?”
“Of course! Tell me anything!”
“Anything, huh…? That really makes me look forward to it. I want to marry you soon.”
“Leo-san…!”
Being the crown prince’s wife must be difficult, but I’m prepared.
When he said that in such a sweet tone and gently tilted my face up with his hand on my cheek, I remembered the Leo from my dream.
Though clothed, his seductive expression mirrored the one from that dream.
From his gaze, I felt how much he liked me, and my body instantly grew warm.
If I marry Leo… will every day really feel like that dream?
“Ah…!”
“Sibel!? What’s wrong!?”
“Sorry… just a little dizzy…”
“Huh…? Are you still tired?”
“No, I actually feel very refreshed.”
“Eh? …Eh???”
Just imagining it made me dizzy and feel like my face was on fire.
I can’t let this happen, Sibel…!
I need to get used to it a little more before marrying Leo…!!
Thinking that, I decided to resume my nightly “newlywed fantasy” image control exercises with Leo from tonight.
