The Saintess in the Birdcage Knew Love, and Then She Fell Into Madness - Chapter 02: What is a Saintess?

Chapter 02: What is a Saintess?

“…”

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Hii!”

In the morning, as I was lost in thought, the knight from yesterday spoke to me. The sudden voice from behind startled me, making me jump, and the knight shrugged his shoulders in resignation… but soon, he wore a serious expression.

“That reaction… It’s almost like the one I had when I saw something inexplicable and couldn’t sleep at night… Did you see something too? A ghost, perhaps!?”

“Ah, no… well…”

Ah, yeah. This guy is really a scaredy-cat… Even more than me. The knight, Darren-san, was so flustered that it somehow calmed me down.

However… I still don’t understand what happened yesterday. I mean, it’s true, isn’t it? Unlike me, the two of them didn’t seem to see the door, and if I said that a stunningly beautiful woman was inside, they would only find it amusing and probably think I’m crazy.

“It’s nothing…”

“I see. Well, we met for a reason. If you ever have any troubles, feel free to speak up.”

“…Darren-san, you’re kind.”

“I am a noble before a knight, but since I became a knight sworn to protect the people, I’ve become more attentive to the weak. Laurent, there’s something called aptitude in people… I don’t know if my words as a powerful man will reach you, but you should perform your duties in your own way.”

“…Yes!”

Whoa, what a cool adult.

“Well, even so, there’s probably nothing to worry about… After all, we have That in the kingdom.”

Saying this, Darren-san pointed towards the sky. When I strained my eyes to the cloudless sky, I could see something like a magical circle faintly shimmering, enveloping not just the royal capital, but the entire kingdom.

“That is the magical shield protecting our Furyas, a gift from the gods seated in the heavens.”

Indeed, it’s a well-known tale that the Kingdom of Furyas is protected by a mysterious force. This shield blocks external malice and even prevents monsters from entering. Thanks to it, Furyas functions as a sort of inviolable nation… one could even say it’s the reason for our peace.

“A gift from the gods…huh.”

And this shield floating in the sky is believed to be a divine gift. The reason it’s referred to as such is simple: no one can explain why or how it exists. But even though its origin remains unexplained, its role in protecting our nation is undeniable, revered as a miraculous power bestowed solely upon Furyas… it’s merely referred to as a gift from the gods because it can’t be explained otherwise.

“What would happen if it suddenly disappeared?”

“We should consider what we would do in such a scenario. Hasn’t the king mentioned it? Indeed, it is a gift from the gods, but it’s crucial for us to possess the strength to protect ourselves and our country should it ever be lost.”

I truly feel proud of how well-structured our country is. This nation is protected… though this shield may block external malice to some extent, internal malice is another matter… but that’s a concern for another time.

“Well then, I’ll take you there again… but no more ghost stories, alright?”

“Ahaha… I understand.”

And with that, I headed towards that place.

▼▽

“…”

So… here I am, faithfully carrying out my duty as a guard at this place. However, my eyes are inevitably drawn to that door again… I once thought maybe Darren-san or Luke were in cahoots to scare me, pretending they couldn’t see it, but it seems I’m really the only one who can see it.

“…I’ve looked into it, and there shouldn’t be a door here… Moreover, directly on the other side is just the outside… it’s inconceivable to think there’s space for an actual room there.”

But… yesterday, there indeed was a room beyond this door, and a stunningly beautiful woman was there, completely undressed… I couldn’t help but swallow hard.

“No, no… This isn’t because I’m excited about that woman, or because I want to see her again out of some transparent desire!”

Ah… Yes! I need to be prepared to deal with any disaster that this might cause! But… still, there’s an undeniable sense of eeriness and fear.

Yet, driven by curiosity, I reached out to the door again… and slowly opened it.

“…Eh?”

As the door cracked open slightly, something appeared from the gap, easily wrapping around my body.

“What is this…!?”

Is this… It looks like a string, but it’s not a string – some kind of magical thread!?

By the time I realized this, I was unable to stand my ground, retreat, or even raise my voice.

Pulled in with such a strong force… and then, I met that woman again.

“It’s been since yesterday.”

“…Ah.”

Her appearance hadn’t changed at all from yesterday… still incredibly beautiful. About the same age as me… no, perhaps slightly older… maybe around twenty?

“You’re surprised, aren’t you? But I am more surprised… because you are the first person to come here.”

“The first…?”

“Yes – the first person I’ve met, and the first stranger I’ve seen directly with these eyes.”

“…Huh?”

As the woman moved her fingers, my body was lifted by a mysterious force. Set upright, the woman standing in front of me gazed at me with apparent delight.

“What’s wrong? Why are you looking down?”

“No… it’s just that…”

Unlike yesterday, she was properly clothed. However… being stared at from such a close distance by someone this beautiful is really bad for my heart.

“…Well… You’re beautiful.”

“Beautiful… me?”

“Yes…”

I couldn’t believe I was responding so seriously. I’m not adept enough to lie… or rather, there’s something about this woman that makes it impossible for me to lie!

The woman pondered my words, touching her chin thoughtfully.

“So, my appearance is considered beautiful… I didn’t know, as it’s the first time anyone has told me that.”

“…”

What’s with her… our conversation has been strangely odd since the beginning.

Setting aside her comment about being told something for the first time, what does she mean by being the first stranger she’s seen…?

As I continued to ponder, tilting my head in confusion, she clapped her hands together and said,

“In such situations, it’s customary to introduce oneself, right? I am Aria Liv Faerie – the Saintess of this country.”

“Ah, thank you for the courtesy… My name is Laurent Bless.”

We both bowed slightly as we introduced ourselves.

“Um… if I may ask.”

“What is it?”

“…What does being the Saintess of this country mean?”

I had studied the history of this country while I was at my family’s home. Not just common knowledge, but also things that are known specifically because we are nobles – I thought I had a decent grasp of them… but the term ‘Saintess’ is new to me.