Seeing all the people looking at me in amazement, I didn't know what to do, but slowly approached the Head Priest. The Head Priest stood in front of me and cleared his throat.

  "This is the blue-robed trainee priestess who has been approved by the temple and the Lord. Does anyone have any objections?"

  The knights were all silent. That was probably a sign of no objection. I looked up at the Head Priest and he gave me a slight nod.

  "… it seems your answer is no. Very good."

  The Head Priest chuckled, and the knights finally came to their senses. But their expressions had changed. Their eyes were no longer wide with surprise, but all glowed as if they had found a game.

  "Huh?!"

  I forced myself not to scream. Under their eyes, I was petrified and stiff. I felt like a frog targeted by a snake, ready to be eaten if I wasn't careful. To escape the sight of the knights, I moved my trembling feet and hid myself in the shadow cast by the Head Priest.

  "And I forgot to tell you that the trainee priestess is under my protection. You all understand what that means, don't you?"

  With these words the carnivorous looks of the knights vanished. I felt relieved, but what did the Head Priest really mean? Looked like I was the only one who didn't know.

  "Very well. Let's go back to town."

  While I was still confused, everyone else was already preparing to head back to town. Arnaud took the staff from the Head Priest, and Fran came to confirm my condition. The knights put on their helmets again, summoned their animal mounts, and got ready to take off.

  "Come here, Maine."

  The Head Priest and Castad called to me from the spot where Skicossa had collapsed. Resisting the urge to run, I walked slowly toward them.

  "Maine, do you have any claims for what happened today?"

  The Head Priest fixed his eyes on Skicossa, and it seemed that he was only going through the motions of asking my opinion as a victim. His expression clearly wanted me to say "no", but I decided to ignore it.

  "Yes."

  As soon as I replied, the Head Priest frowned. Even though I knew he was screaming "Mind the occasion! " to me inside, but I decided to keep ignoring it.

  "I would like to ask you to prepare a new ceremonial dress for me."

  They both seemed surprised at my request and stared down at me. I spread my arms so that they could see my clothes better —— there were two big holes in the sleeves and they could even see the trees through them.

  "Please make me a new dress like this one, for it is newly made and very expensive. A commoner like me cannot afford to order another ceremonial dress."

  "I see. We really should compensate for that."

  Castad could not help laughing, and immediately agreed with me. "What do you mean when you say you want one like this one?" asked the Head Priest, perhaps not quite understanding me.

  "The dress was made especially for me. I asked my tailor to use special techniques so that I could still wear it when I grew taller. It was torn before I could grow even 1cm taller, which was just too much to accept."

  I heaved a huge, exaggerated sigh, which provoked Castad to laugh.

  "It seems that women's obsession with clothes has nothing to do with age. You may rest assured that a new ceremonial dress will be prepared for you."

  Castad gave his full consent. It was hardly a punishment, but I was satisfied.

  "Thank you, Lord Castad. A visit to the Gilberta Company will help you settle the matter. I cannot attend the ceremony without ceremonial dress, so please make sure this is done before winter."

  "Before winter? Why?" Asked Castad, puzzled.

  "There will be ceremonies in the winter… and if she is not wearing a ceremonial dress, the temple chief and the other blue-robed priests and priestesses will laugh at her for not being able to afford a ceremonial dress, even if she has done nothing wrong."

  When the Head Priest finished, I nodded gravely. This was what I found most troubling and what I feared most. Even if another Tronbay appears, it doesn't matter if I'm wearing a ceremonial dress full of holes, as the knights know what happened today. However, for the winter ceremonies, I still wanted to wear a new and beautiful dress.

  "I see. I will let the new ceremonial dress finish on time. Do you have any other requests?"

  "I shall be quite content if you can get me a new ceremonial dress. In other matters the order of the Order shall be obeyed, and I do not wish to provoke further undue resentment."

  "Well, that's wise. Then, the other matters will be decided by the Order."

  Castad nodded, and I bowed my head to thank him.

  "This is too much! Why are there big holes in Master Maine's dress? It's only just been made!"

  "Fran, what has happened to Master Maine?!"

  When I returned to the temple, Delia screamed at my torn ceremonial dress, and Rosina covered her mouth and stumbled a little.

  "Much has happened, but as it concerns the Order, the Head Priest has decreed that it cannot be talked about."

  Fran replied, dodging their inquiries.

  I changed my clothes before Lutz saw me, but he knew I was in danger. When he came to pick me up, he looked flustered. He grabbed my hand and said, "Maine, the best thing is that you're safe!" He immediately began to examine my physical condition, as if he knew what had happened to me.

  "Lutz, how do you know?"

  "All of a sudden in my head I heard you yelling, 'Lutz, help!' and then I saw you… It almost killed me that I wanted to save you, but I didn't know where you were."

  Lutz's mental image had stopped just before I was rescued, so he didn't know what had happened to me, and he was in a state of panic until I returned.

  "I'm sorry to have worried you, Lutz."

  I suspected that the blue light must have been responsible for Lutz's magical experience. The ring had been returned to the Head Priest. I looked at my bare fingers, and all the memories of today flashed through my mind.

  "I'm really glad you're okay."

  Lutz threw his arms around me, and his voice came straight to my ears. My nerves relaxed in the face of a boy who cared nothing about status or magic, but genuinely worried about my safety. I knew he would never throw me off at any time, so I was able to coquettish to him without being shy.

  "… aristocratic society is terrible."

  I whispered, holding Lutz tight.

  Not surprisingly, I fell into a trance after the disturbance. I slept for a few days, but this was a common occurrence at this time of year, so my family didn't say anything. I just wish the Head Priest would stop thinking that everything was his fault and take on so many unnecessary responsibilities.

  By the time I was well enough to move about, the end of autumn was drawing near, and it was too cold to make paper out of the river water.

  "I've got to go to the Gilberta Company before I go home."

  As I pondered this, I reached the temple gate, where Fran was waiting for me.

  "The Head Priest has called for you, Master Maine. He seems to have something important to say to you. He wants you to come to his office as soon as you arrive at the temple."

  I went to the Dean's Office and changed into the blue robe before I set off for the Head Priest's Office. It seemed that I couldn't touch Fespiel, but I wanted to practice it especially today. I walked slowly, but no matter how much I procrastinated, I finally arrived at my destination.

  "Maine, here you are. I think Fran has told you. Come in."

  The Head Priest's face was a little grave, and he strode off to the secret room. It seemed certain that I would not escape his sermon. I had no choice but to enter the secret room opened by him.

  "Bring me all the papers over there."

  I pushed aside the papers on the bench, and was about to sit down as before, when the Head Priest, as he spoke thus, held out his hand to me. I organized the papers into a sheaf and handed them to him. He laid the papers on the table and pulled up his chair as usual. But today he carried a fine gold headband set with a red gem, and a bottle small enough to hide in the palm of his hand.

  "Drink this, Maine."

  The Head Priest opened his hand and handed me that little bottle. I saw that it contained some red liquid.

  "What's this?"

  "It's a potion I concocted to make it easier for the magic to penetrate the body. You have to drink it in order to use this magic tool. No matter how bitter or foul it smells, you have to drink it."

  The Head Priest, with a power which I could not question, held the bottle before me. Hearing what he said, I felt even less inclined to drink it. I still remembered the murderous smell of his medicine. Seeing my hesitation, he narrowed his pale golden eyes and smiled.

  "Do you prefer to be held by the nose and force-fed?"

  He was serious. He was the kind of person who would do terrible things whenever he saw the need.

  I hurriedly shook my head and took the bottle in his hand. What will it taste like this time? I nervously raised the bottle to my mouth. This time, however, there was no strange smell. I drank all the potion in one gulp with a heroic attitude.

  "… eh?"

  This potion was not bitter at all, and even tasted good.

  "Head Priest, not only is this not bitter at all, but it has a sweet taste. If only the healing medicine were as good as this."

  I handed the empty bottle to the Head Priest, and his eyes widened in surprise.

  "Does it taste sweet to you?"

  "Yes. What's wrong with that?"

  "… nothing. Well, put this on. The gem should be on your forehead."

  The Head Priest held out the gold headband. There was probably no use resisting, so I took it and put it on. Like the ring, the headband was immediately shrunk to my size and fitted over my head.

  "Head Priest, what is it? Is this also a magic tool?"

  "It is what I asked the Lord to lend me, and now it has finally arrived."

  "What is it for… eh? What's the matter?"

  After putting on the headband, I suddenly felt very sleepy. My mind went blank and I couldn't lift my eyes.

  "Why? Why am I so sleepy…?”


  "Close your eyes and sleep. There is no need to resist."

  The voice of the Head Priest sounded faint. I could hear him, but it seemed to take me a while to catch his meaning. Now that he had said I had no need to resist, I resigned to the intense drowsiness and prepared for bed as usual. I took off my hairpin, my shoes, and lay down on the bench. As soon as I lay down, my consciousness fell into the abyss of darkness.

  "Good night…"

  As I made a last effort to say good night to the Head Priest, I felt his fingertips brush my bangs. He seemed very close to me, and his voice entered my head without any hindrance.

  "This is a memory-exploring magic tool that is used in critical situations to determine whether a suspect or witness has lied… So, let me see your so-called dream world."