Althea: The Legendary Saintess [Shoujo]

In the royal castle's VIP room, Thomas and Althea sat facing each other. The confidential meeting had just concluded, and the two were escorted to this room. They would spend the night here, and Thomas was scheduled to attend an emergency meeting at the castle tomorrow.

Despite the late hour, the castle bustled with activity as servants and maids hurriedly went about their tasks in preparation for the emergency meeting.

"Althea, I understand that you are the Maiden of Dusk and the bearer of the highest-level magicbook. But why do you intend to join the prince in the quest for the Sword of the Sun? You must know it's a perilous journey. If you are determined to go, can you tell me why? There must be a reason."

Thomas's concern was entirely reasonable. The quest for the Sword of the Sun was no mere monster-hunting expedition. For the creatures of darkness, the idea of a descendant of the primordial deity wielding the sword threatened their very existence. Thus, they would stop at nothing to prevent it. No parent would willingly send their child, let alone their daughter, into such danger.

Thomas's genuine worry for Althea was evident, but she hesitated. How much could she tell him? Would he believe her? The weight of these thoughts made her silent.

"Althea."

Her father's gentle voice, reminiscent of her childhood, broke the silence.

"I have fought and lived to protect this family. I will continue to do so. I wish for you to live safely and happily, away from danger. But as the chosen Maiden, you will not find peace until the darkness is vanquished. I understand that. Everyone has their role to play in creating a world of peace. Yours is likely more demanding than most. While I might not grasp everything, please tell me what you must do. Trust me, your father, who wants to help you achieve your goals. Share some of your burden with me."

Tears welled up in Althea's eyes. The idea of a noblewoman going to battle was unthinkable, yet her father sought to understand rather than oppose her. His compassion gave her the courage to confide in him.

"Thank you, Father, for trying to understand my wishes. This might take some time..."

Althea recounted everything to her father, from meeting the fairy on the day of her magic measurement to speaking with the goddess through the fairy's power.

"Haa... That was beyond what I imagined."

"Do you believe me?"

"I know you're not one to lie about such things. Your lies are much more innocent."

Thomas chuckled, then, with a more solemn expression, murmured, "So, my daughter is beloved by this world..."

"What?"

When Althea questioned him, he brushed it off, saying, "Nothing. So, what is the advantage of you joining the quest for the Sword of the Sun?"

As Althea prepared to explain, a voice chimed in, "I'll explain!"

Ciel materialized in human form with a pop.

"Ciel, are you okay? I thought you couldn't take human form for a while..."

Althea's surprise was nothing compared to Thomas's astonishment.

"You... You're Ciel?"

"Yes! Nice to meet you, Thomas. Can I call you Thomas instead of Father?"

"Ah... Yes."

"Thank you! Now, I'll explain. The goddess guides me, so if Althea joins the quest, we can find the sword in the shortest time. Only Althea can always hear my voice."

"But if you can take human form, can't everyone hear you?" Thomas questioned.

"Yes, but then I can't talk to the goddess. And besides, my territory is Althea, so I can't stray far from her."

"Can't talk to the goddess? Territory?"

Thomas was puzzled, so Althea elaborated.

"Father, Ciel needs magic to take human form and to communicate with the goddess. Since they're connected to another world, it uses a lot of magic. After speaking with the goddess, he can't take human form until he recharges enough magic."

"I see. What about the territory?"

"Fairies have territories with the mana they need to survive. They usually choose unoccupied places. Ciel came to me right after he was born."

"That's right! There was lovely mana nearby when I was born, and it led me to Althea. No other fairies were around, so I made it my territory."

Ciel puffed out his chest proudly.

“Once a territory is established, you can’t stray too far from it,” Althea told me earlier.

“Hmm. So, this territory isn’t tied to a specific piece of land?” Thomas asked.

“Well… Althea’s territory isn’t really land, right? Maybe it’s more like a place or a space? Anyway, as long as Althea moves, I can move too.”

“I don’t quite grasp the concept of a territory, but it sounds like you can only exist within a certain distance from Althea. Returning to our previous discussion… Can you always talk to the goddess?”

Ciel shook her head. “Not exactly whenever I want. It’s incredibly draining on my magical energy. The goddess exists in a world without a physical body, so normally, those with bodies can’t reach her. However, since I’m a fairy with a longer lifespan and my body is close to an ethereal form, I can access her.”

“I see…”

As I processed Ciel’s explanation, she continued, “You know, Thomas, Althea is the first maiden who has talked to the goddess with.”

“Wait, what?!”

Both Althea and Thomas were taken aback.

“None of the maidens before have befriended a fairy. The goddess said that even when they noticed a way to be saved, they couldn’t communicate it. She feels sorry for a few maidens… So she wants to prove it with Althea. Also, she mentioned that if the night darkens too much, it could be problematic. Therefore, I think it’s best if I inform Althea of the location and find the Sword of the Sun quickly.”

Indeed, the darkness seemed to be growing thicker each day.

Yesterday, the Maiden of Dawn was found and offered her prayers, but perhaps due to a fundamental lack of magical energy, her prayers were short-lived, and maintaining the status quo might be all she could manage.

“Understood. For now, let’s keep your involvement a secret and ask His Majesty to allow you to accompany us. By the way, Althea, does Regulus know about Ciel?”

“Yes, my brother, Layla, and the prince are aware.”

“The prince too?… Well, if we’re going to travel, it’s reassuring that not just Regulus but also the prince knows about it. Althea, I must remind you once more. Even if it’s to save the world, don’t forget to value your own well-being. So that all of us who love you—your family and everyone else—won’t be sad.”

“…Yes. Thank you for listening to my selfish request.”

Embracing Thomas, Althea reaffirmed her determination to survive.

 

---

At the Same Time

 

---

In the king's private chamber within the royal castle, Adrian and Siegfried faced each other.

“Father, what did you mean earlier when you said the Maiden of Dusk is targeted? Is it not the maiden who is being targeted?”

“Of course, the Maiden of Dawn is also targeted. However, if one were to choose, it would likely be the Maiden of Dusk.”

“Why is that?”

“The Maiden of Dusk possesses far more magical power. The Maiden of Dawn generally lacks in magical energy. She excels in prayer, but that’s about it. On the other hand, the Maiden of Dusk often has vast amounts of magical energy and a rare ability to share her power with others. If demons are ruling, it’s clear which would be more troublesome.”

“But wouldn’t the prayer abilities of the Maiden of Dawn disrupt the demon world?”

“…The prayer abilities can be substituted.”

“Substituted?”

“Yes. By the Sword of the Sun. Even if harm came to the Maiden of Dawn, if the Sword of the Sun remains intact, it could still affect the demons. The Sword of the Sun is indestructible. However, if the Maiden of Dusk’s abilities are compromised, the prayers of the Maiden of Dawn and the Sword of the Sun would not function at their full potential. Moreover—”

Adrian beckoned Siegfried closer. Whispering, he said, “It seems the demon king desires the Maiden of Dusk.”

“!! Is there a record that the past Dusk Maidens were sought after?”

“There was a maiden who left a diary. It was discovered later, and it mentioned hearing a voice in a dream. Another ancient book explicitly recorded ‘sacrifice.’”

“Such…”

“If it becomes known that the current Maiden of Dusk is Lady Althea, she will undoubtedly be targeted. Perhaps, though… It’s written that previous maidens lost their lives, but there is a possibility they were sacrificed.”

Siegfried, silent, clenched his hands tightly, his fingers trembling slightly.

Observing his son’s trembling hands, Adrian continued, “Given this possibility, I didn’t search for the Maiden of Dusk and had no intention of publicizing it even if found. If Lady Althea is indeed the Maiden of Dusk, I certainly wouldn’t want to reveal it. However, the information conveyed by Lady Althea tonight was full of surprises. Finding a way to manifest power without publicizing it is fortunate. And the appearance of the Pope seems to be divine guidance. Siegfried.”

“Yes.”

“It seems your beloved is also beloved by the gods. You have many rivals.”

Adrian smirked as he spoke.

“What…!? Rivals…!?”

Siegfried’s face turned bright red as he panicked.

 

From a young age, my son had been constantly harassed by both men and women. As a result, he learned to maintain a certain distance from others, never letting his emotions show. Yet, despite this, I was genuinely grateful that he had found loyal retainers and friends he could trust.

Now, that same son was letting his emotions slip, and not because of his friends.

As his father, it had been years since I had seen him visibly flustered. Inwardly, I couldn’t help but savor this rare moment of joy.

While I silently rejoiced, Siegfried regained his composure and requested permission to use the Forbidden Archives. It seemed he intended to uncover the records of the past.

“That’s fine, but... Once we gain approval at today's emergency meeting for keeping the Maiden of Dusk's identity secret and using the 'Rainbow Magic Stone,' we will depart to search for the Sword of the Sun the next day.”

“I understand. I will not do anything to jeopardize our mission.”

Siegfried’s resolve was evident, so I reminded him, “Remember, the search will proceed as planned. Even if it means reducing security in our major nations, you and Graham will split into two groups to find the Sword of the Sun. This mission is crucial for not just our kingdom but the entire world.”

Seeing Siegfried’s determined nod, I retrieved something from the chest drawer and quietly chanted an incantation. Then, I handed him a necklace embedded with a purple and gold magic stone.

“This will grant you access to the Forbidden Archives. Return it to me by the end of the day. If you fail to do so, the departure will be delayed. You know well that any delay will drain her magical power further.”

Siegfried nodded again, his resolve unwavering. As I turned to leave, I added a final warning.

“And be sure that no one sees that necklace. No one. Understood?”

He nodded once more, securing the necklace around his neck and tucking it under his clothes. With a final glance, he left the king's private chamber, ready to dive into the secrets of the past.