Chapter 17: Another Eina Candidate part 1
‘I’m not sure if it’s appropriate to consult with His Highness the Crown Prince about this matter.’
“Kassel, it’s been a while since you’ve been to Grace Monastery, hasn’t it?”
“Yes, Father.”
Duke Klein was one of only two Dukes in the entire Empire.
The House of Orléans was a family of meritorious vassals, and though the House of Klein had a somewhat shorter history, it still held considerable influence and immense wealth. Moreover, the Duke was a man who knew how to distribute his mountains of riches generously.
“Haha, Mother Superior Beryl is just as she’s always been, only a little older now.”
“Is that so?”
“It feels like just yesterday when I first met her. She didn’t tremble in front of me and clearly thanked me. She’s like a steadfast green tree that never changes!”
“…”
Kassel had only met Mother Superior Beryl twice but thought well of her.
However, after sending Dorothea as Eina, he felt an uneasiness in his heart. Still, he didn’t want to spoil the mood by bringing up anything negative on this trip with his father.
“When I last visited the monastery to take Dorothea, I made a promise. I told her I’d buy all the wine in the fall, so she should be prepared.”
“Yes.”
“Mother Superior isn’t one to flatter. Haha. If it were anyone else, they’d hear my words and rush to buy the cheapest wine they could find to deceive me, but I doubt she’ll do that. Care to bet on it?”
Kassel had no interest in such trivial bets, but he gave a faint smile to please his father.
“I understand. If there’s even one bottle of bad wine, what would you like me to do?”
“Have a good sparring session with Maurice. Give him a wake-up call. If you win… hmm, what would you like in return?”
A sparring match for his younger brother was something Kassel would do even without a bet. But the gap between Kassel and Maurice’s abilities was so vast that it was almost embarrassing to call it a match. That’s why Kassel hadn’t even bothered to use a wooden sword.
The request for a sparring match wasn’t really about the duel; it was more about encouraging Maurice to grow and eventually be knighted.
Without much thought, Kassel replied, “I’ll hold off on asking for anything. I’ve been enjoying my days lately.”
“Sophia and I feel the same way. It’s because we have you close to us.”
Kassel knew these weren’t just empty words, though he chose not to show his feelings.
“…Yes.”
When they arrived at Grace Monastery, it was steeped in a deep silence. When Kassel had last seen it as a child, it had seemed grand beyond words, but now, it felt unnervingly quiet. Still uneasy about the place, Kassel accompanied Duke Klein to meet Mother Superior Beryl and Hessen.
“Oh, welcome.”
“It’s been a while. As promised, I’m here to buy the wine. Please have it all loaded onto the carriage, and I’ll settle the payment in full.”
“Thank you.”
Hessen was the same as always, but Beryl, aside from looking slightly older, had a troubled expression. To be precise, she seemed almost dazed.
‘What’s wrong with her? Is she ill?’
Though such negative thoughts crossed Kassel’s mind, he didn’t show them.
Taking advantage of the moment when Duke Klein stepped out to talk briefly with Hessen, Kassel approached her. Beryl, who had forced a serene expression onto her pale face, greeted him.
“I’ve heard that you’ve grown into a fine man and even ventured to the perilous borders of Rozia? And that you’ve become the vice-captain of the Blue Rose Knights?”
“That’s right.”
“That’s truly impressive. I will continue to pray for everlasting glory upon the House of Klein.”
Despite the polished tone of her words, much like those used in high society, Kassel couldn’t shake off a sense of discomfort.
Even though he hadn’t questioned her about Dorothea’s strange behavior, why wasn’t the Mother Superior even inquiring about the well-being of the Eina candidate she had personally chosen? Why was she ignoring the very person she sent and instead bringing up Kassel, who left four years ago?
Unable to hold back, he asked, “I understand that you selected a young girl named Dorothea to send as an Eina candidate.”
“Oh, yes, Young Lord. In fact, I had originally intended to send a girl named Morgana. Though I’m not sure of her exact age, she was close to adulthood – always calm and diligent. But the Duke chose Dorothea.”
Kassel frowned.
“So, you had already chosen a different Eina candidate?”
“Selection is at the Duke’s discretion, and we can’t speak further on it. That’s how it was at the time. I trust Dorothea is doing well?”
Kassel, reluctant to talk about her, instead inquired about the other woman’s name mentioned earlier.
“And what about the other Eina candidate? If she was handpicked by the Mother Superior herself, she must have been exceptional. I’m curious to know more about her.”
“Afterwards, she left the monastery to find her path. As I mentioned before, she was close to adulthood. As an old woman, I couldn’t stand in the way of a young person’s future.”
Beryl had no choice but to cut short the story of Morgana. The truth was that Morgana had gone to the Tower of Magic, but she feared revealing this might provoke a negative reaction.
Though the Empire’s aristocrats outwardly respected magic, they secretly feared it, especially when it didn’t run in their family. Since no one in the House of Klein had ever become a mage, Beryl’s assumption wasn’t wrong.
Suddenly, the Mother Superior felt choked by her own words.
Legnakra
Lol the young lord would have connected the dots about Morgana 😗… Thank you Bunny 🐰💕