Chapter 16 TSH Vol. 1 Chapter 3 Part 4

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Meanwhile, Princess Cordelia—

Upon entering the capital, the princess, along with her royal guard Emma, headed straight for the lord’s castle. She felt too weary to search for an inn or even talk to people.

The territory of Ecclesia was under the direct control of the royal family, managed by a viceroy as their proxy. The viceroy’s family warmly welcomed the princess, but citing fatigue from her journey, she excused herself early and shut herself in her room.

Emma, who was given an adjoining room, was uncharacteristically cheerful. The princess figured this was Emma’s own way of trying to be considerate.

Later, as she was soaking in a long, relaxing bath, Emma entered the bathing room instead of a lady-in-waiting, offering to help wash her hair. The princess nodded, and Emma rolled up her sleeves, humming as she shampooed her hair.

Though it had only been a week, the journey had been exhausting, both mentally and physically. On the verge of drifting off from the simple comfort of having her hair washed, the princess gazed out the bathroom window at the night sky.

Suddenly, she remembered that Sieg was somewhere in this territory, and her brow furrowed. She had to find the Hero, yet for some reason, she couldn’t muster her usual drive for the task. She found herself annoyed that, for some reason, all she could think about was Sieg.

As if to deny these feelings, she spoke.

“Starting tomorrow, let’s resume the search for the Hero. He will definitely stop in this territory to acquire the Blessings he needs. I imagine he’s most likely to go to the temple of the healing goddess…”

Anyone entering the city must undergo a simple appraisal using a magic tool at the gate. According to the viceroy, the Hero had not been found, nor had anyone with a mark on the back of their left hand. The viceroy had already been notified by the king of the Hero’s birth and had instructed the gatekeepers to check the left hand of everyone entering the city. Even if one could fool the appraisal tool, the Hero’s Crest could not be hidden.

…Sieg-san didn’t get flagged by the appraisal, and more importantly, he didn’t have a crest on his left hand. So he really isn’t the Hero…

The moment she thought this, she realized she was thinking about Sieg again and angrily splashed water on her face.

Emma yelped. “Whoa! Wh-What was that!? Don’t just move all of a sudden!”

“Ah, sorry, Emma. I just… well…”

That was apparently enough for Emma to understand. She returned to washing her hair as if nothing had happened.

Princess Cordelia let out a deep sigh and finally gave in. She had no choice but to admit it.

She couldn’t stop thinking about Sieg.

At first, she was just happy to have made an acquaintance who wasn’t connected to her royal status. She was also intrigued by his strength. But as they traveled together, she had noticed something.

Every so often, the way Sieg looked at her was tinged with a deep, complex emotion. She felt that hidden within that gaze, beyond the pain and apology, was a deep kindness and a powerful sentiment. Every time he looked at her like that, her heart skipped a beat. She found herself intensely drawn to those eyes, which held so many conflicting feelings.

There was something special between them. She had never thought a person other than the Hero could stir her heart this way. She wanted to understand this feeling, which is why she had wished to stay with him just a little longer. But—that wish had not been granted.

Remembering that last night, the princess’s brow furrowed tightly. She had to clench her jaw to keep her emotions from overflowing.

Emma gently poked her between the eyes.

The princess blinked, and Emma spoke, amused.

“You’re wrinkling your forehead. A face like that doesn’t suit you, Princess!”

Cordelia caught her breath, then let it out in a long sigh. She managed a smile.

“You’re right… it would ruin my beauty, wouldn’t it?”

“I didn’t go that far.”

“Oh, you!” the princess huffed in mock anger, and Emma laughed.

After sharing a laugh, Emma hugged her from behind.

“…What is it? You’ll get all soapy.”

Emma shook her head and whispered.

“You’ve got me, Princess.”

Princess Cordelia let out a small breath and gently squeezed Emma’s hand.

“…Thank you, Emma.”

The princess composed herself and looked up at the night sky once more.

She’s right… I can’t stay depressed forever… That’s it. Tomorrow, I’ll go see Grandpa Roderick. I want him to see how much my mana control has improved.

Feeling much lighter, the princess got out of the bath and told Emma her plan for the next day. That night, just as they had during their journey, the two of them slept in the same bed.

The next day, the lord’s castle was in a small uproar from the morning. The High Grand-Priest, who oversaw all the temples in the Ecclesia territory, was coming to visit.

The High Grand-Priest co-managed the territory alongside the viceroy, but as he was from a branch of the royal family, his station was higher. Though it was said to be a private visit, they could not afford any breach of etiquette.

The viceroy, the chamberlain, and the head maid were all waiting with tense expressions when the High Grand-Priest arrived with his vice-minister and royal guards.

As he entered the hall, the High Grand-Priest looked startled by the large welcoming party.

The viceroy bowed respectfully. “Welcome, Your Eminence, High Grand-Priest.”

The High Grand-Priest stroked his beard, his expression puzzled. “Were you not summoned by His Majesty?”

“I was. I am departing for the capital immediately, but I wished to greet Your Eminence before I left.”

The High Grand-Priest sighed and waved his hand. “Do not wait for an old man like me. Go. You mustn’t keep Leo waiting.”

Leo was the nickname for King Leonar III. The High Grand-Priest also served as an advisor to the king.

“As you wish.”

The viceroy bowed, left the rest to his chamberlain, and departed for the capital. Likely about the Hero search, the High Grand-Priest guessed.

Composing himself, he spoke. “Now, then, where is my little princess?”

All eyes turned. At the end of their gaze was Princess Cordelia. She was kneeling on the floor, head bowed, alongside her guard, Emma. She spoke from that position.

“It has been too long, Your Eminence. This is the Fifth Princess, Cordelia. I should have been the one to visit you, and yet you have come all this way—”

Before she could finish, the High Grand-Priest let out a soft chuckle.

Cordelia looked up, and as everyone else watched in confusion, he spoke.

“My, my, must you be so formal? Or perhaps you won’t call me ‘Grandpa’ anymore? —Cordie.”

The High Grand-Priest opened his arms, and the princess jumped to her feet, her face breaking into a wide smile. Her guard tensed for a split second but, judging there was no threat, stepped back.

The princess ran and threw her arms around him.

“Grandpa Roderick!”

“Cordie! My, how you’ve grown!”

High Grand-Priest Roderick beamed at her, his face wrinkled with joy, looking at her as a grandfather would. Cordelia, overjoyed at the reunion, nuzzled against him like a child.

Everyone present stared at the scene, dumbfounded. It was shocking enough that the High Grand-Priest had come personally, but none of them had known the two were this close.

The High Grand-Priest was not only the kingdom’s religious leader but also a healer who had been part of the previous Hero’s party. To the people, he was one of the heroes who had saved the country.

Of course, he wasn’t her actual grandfather, just an elderly relative. But to her, he was ‘Grandpa,’ and to him, she was his ‘granddaughter.’ He was the one who had taught the sickly young princess how to control her mana and had always encouraged her.

The High Grand-Priest looked at her, his expression turning to surprise.

“My? Cordie, you’ve become quite strong! What in the world happened?”

The princess puffed her cheeks in a theatrical pout. “Ah! Grandpa, you used [Appraisal], didn’t you? Peeking at a maiden’s secrets… you should be ashamed of yourself as a clergyman!”

At her harsh words, the High Grand-Priest frantically apologized. “My apologies, my apologies!”

His vice-minister and guard, standing by, couldn’t hold back their laughter. They had never seen the High Grand-Priest flustered and being scolded by a young girl.

Meanwhile, the chamberlain, head maid, and the throng of servants watched with pale faces, still unable to believe the casual, teasing relationship the two shared.

The princess laughed and took his hand. “Grandpa, would you like to have tea in the garden today? The irises are in full bloom. I’d love for you to see my progress with mana control, too.”

“Oh, splendid, splendid. To the garden, then.”

With the expression of a doting grandfather, he followed her. When they reached the gazebo, tea was served immediately. The princess took the first sip and ate a cookie. It was common courtesy for the host to test for poison.

The High Grand-Priest took a sip of his tea, his eyes widening slightly. “My, this is an unusual flavor. It’s very refreshing.”

The princess replied happily. “It’s an herbal tea. It helps regulate the body and aids digestion. You’re still drinking every night, aren’t you, Grandpa? It’s good for hangovers, too.”

“Ho… But it is delicious. What leaves are these?”

The princess looked down shyly, and the head maid, waiting nearby, answered for her. “That is a tea the princess prepared for Your Eminence. She gathered, selected, and dried all the herbs herself.”

“What! Cordie did this for me!? Head Maid, please wrap up those tea leaves. I shall take them with me. And don’t let anyone else have any!”

The head maid curtsied with a small smile. “As you wish.” The other maids also smiled. The princess had asked to use the kitchens last night, and they had all watched her working so intently on the tea.

The princess quickly added, “Of course, I had help! I didn’t make it all by myself.”

“I know, I know. Still, how did you come to know how to make such a tea?”

The princess’s smile deepened. “Someone taught me during my journey…”

“Oh…?”

Seeing her expression, the High Grand-Priest decided not to press the issue. “Now, on to another matter…”

He glanced at his vice-minister, who waved his hand to dismiss the staff. Once the maids had left, the High Grand-Priest continued.

“It’s about the Hero. I heard from Leo… you are searching for him, are you not?”

The princess nodded, her face becoming serious. “Yes, Grandpa. We haven’t found any trace of the Hero so far. However, based on the records of past Heroes, I am certain he will stop in Ecclesia. He most likely wants to acquire the [Auto-Heal] Blessing from Sanatia, the Goddess of Healing. Therefore, I was thinking of watching her temple.”

The High Grand-Priest stroked his beard. “Hmm. You say ‘watch,’ but how do you plan to do it? It seems this generation’s Hero can slip past appraisals. I doubt he will be found so easily.”

“I know. That is why I was hoping I might borrow the appraisal tool you possess.”

“Ah, you mean that…”

The High Grand-Priest’s family possessed an artifact from the Age of the Gods, an appraisal tool called the [Mirror of Truth]. It required such delicate mana control that very few could use it.

He grunted. “Indeed, Cordie might be able to use it… I don’t mind lending it to you, but will you be able to appraise the Hero without him noticing…?”

As if expecting this concern, the princess answered immediately. “I think I have a way. I just need to fill the front of the temple with people. If I’m hidden among the presence of a large crowd, it will be harder for him to notice the appraisal, don’t you think? The square in front of Sanatia’s temple is always full of the sick and injured. If we hold a soup kitchen there, I believe we can gather even more people. …Grandpa, may I have permission to hold one?”

The High Grand-Priest looked at her, astonished. He had always known she was a bright child, but he never thought she was capable of planning to this extent.

“A soup kitchen… That is not an idea a royal would typically have.”

The princess nodded, her expression complex. “You’re right… During my journey, I visited villages and saw for the first time how the people live. I saw so many suffering from poverty and sickness… I want to help them, even if it’s just a little. Fortunately, I’ve been saving the allowance I receive every month. I should be able to cover the costs with that. Besides, that money came from the people’s taxes to begin with. I’m just returning it to where it belongs.”

She finished, then smiled. “See, Grandpa? Don’t you think it’s a good plan? Two birds with one stone.”

The High Grand-Priest beamed, seeing how much his granddaughter had grown. “To think you had planned that far… It seems your journey was a very meaningful one.”

“Yes. It truly was.”

Gazing at her slightly more mature profile, the High Grand-Priest nodded once. “However, the [Mirror of Truth] is difficult to handle. Will you show this old man how much your mana control has improved?”

“Yes, Grandpa!”

The princess stood and moved a short distance away from the gazebo. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and spoke.

“First, I’ll circulate it through my whole body.”

The High Grand-Priest activated [Mana-Sight], and his eyes took on a bluish tint. It was a Blessing that allowed him to see the flow of mana. When he saw the flow inside the princess, his eyes widened in shock.

Mana pathways, as intricate as a spider’s web, were spread throughout her entire body, and mana was circulating through them without the slightest hitch. It hadn’t been this precise the last time he’d seen it. Now, the pathways were layered upon each other, forming a complex, three-dimensional structure. The High Grand-Priest had never seen such an intricate network.

The princess continued. “Next, I’ll gather it to specific parts. Starting with my right hand.”

The instant she spoke, her right hand erupted in a dazzling light, forcing the High Grand-Priest to look away. The convergence of mana was fast. No, it was faster than fast—it was nearly instantaneous.

“Now the left hand.”

Mana gathered in her left hand, just as quickly. As the High Grand-Priest stared, speechless, the other royal guard was also looking on in stunned silence. He, too, could sense the flow of mana to some degree, and even from a high-ranking knight’s perspective, the princess’s mana control was completely abnormal.

The princess continued to gather and disperse her mana, finally focusing it all onto the tip of one finger. The light was so intense that the High Grand-Priest was forced to deactivate [Mana-Sight].

He blinked, his eyes watering. “I-I see! That’s enough! That is splendid mana control!”

“Eh? Are you sure?” The princess shrugged, dispersed the mana, and settled it back within her body.

The High Grand-Priest wiped sweat from his brow. “C-Cordie, I must ask… converging mana that quickly… that should be impossible. How in the world do you do it?”

The princess answered immediately. “It’s about changing the mental image. If you try to flow the mana through the pathways to gather it, there’s distance, so it naturally takes time, right? Instead of that, you just have to imagine yourself in a state where the mana is already gathered. It’s less about controlling it and more about believing it is already there…”

Hearing this, the High Grand-Priest and the royal guard were thunderstruck. It was common sense that mana was gathered by flowing it through the pathways. That’s what they taught in schools. Who would ever think to just believe it was already there?

“…Did you come up with that method yourself, Cordie?”

At his question, the princess quietly shook her head. “No. Someone taught me. He said, ‘Don’t think of mana as flowing through the paths. Think of it as soaking your body. So when you gather it, you just need to imagine that state.’ I was confused at first, but when I tried it, I understood he was right.”

“…Incredible…!”

It was a theory that overturned the very foundation of mana control, but he had just seen it with his own eyes. He had no choice but to believe it.

At that point, the royal guard spoke, as if having made a decision. “…Your Eminence, may I have permission to speak?”

“Hm? It’s rare for you to interject… Permission granted.”

The knight bowed to the High Grand-Priest, then turned to the princess. “Princess Cordelia, your mana control is nothing short of magnificent. Is it possible Your Highness can use magic swordsmanship? If so, for the sake of my own education, I would be honored if you would demonstrate.”

The princess looked slightly surprised, then glanced at the High Grand-Priest. It wasn’t that she was hiding her ability, but most people assumed she was just playing at being a swordswoman. She was asking him if it was alright to reveal it.

“Hmm… I would like to see your progress as well. Will you show us, Cordie?”

“Understood. Emma, my sword.”

“Right here!” Emma, who had been standing behind the princess, retrieved a sword from her magic bag and handed it over.

When she drew it, the other guard let out an appreciative “ooh.” Princess Cordelia’s sword was a slender longsword. It was unadorned, but well-maintained and of high quality. It was likely a sacred silver alloy, as the blade gave off a faint, white glow.

“Here I go.”

As the princess took her stance, the air temperature suddenly plummeted. The blade began to glow with a pale blue light, and her breath turned to white mist.

The princess closed her eyes. The next instant, countless trails of white light were drawn in the air. The light trails were the afterimages of her magic sword. Her mana attribute was Ice, a derivative of the basic Water attribute. Princess Cordelia was a magic swordswoman who wielded the blade of frost.

The moisture in the air froze, and with every swing, minuscule, glittering ice crystals danced and scattered. Amidst the flurry of tiny, flower-petal-like ice, the princess swung her sword as if in a dance.

Seeing the beautiful sight, the maids watching from a distance let out cheers. Emma watched her master’s sword dance with a look of pure pride. The High Grand-Priest and the other royal guard were both speechless, mesmerized by the astonishing display.

But they weren’t captivated by its beauty alone. They had both realized that every single strike was part of a continuous assault targeting an imaginary enemy. As proof, they could both faintly see the image of a swordsman fighting the princess.

The princess was fighting an imagined, formidable foe with all her strength. The sharpness and speed of her blade, her skillful movements, the feints using her line of sight, the illusory attacks laced with killing intent—every aspect was that of a first-class warrior.

The royal guard’s eyes were wide with shock, holding his breath. And no wonder. Even High Grand-Priest Roderick hadn’t imagined she had grown this much. There was no doubt: someone had taught and guided her in swordsmanship and combat. She could not have improved this rapidly otherwise.

The High Grand-Priest spoke. “Cordie, that is quite enough!”

“Yes, Grandpa. Then, for the finale!”

The princess pointed her sword at the sky and fired several ice bullets from its tip. It was [Ice Shot], a magic sword technique. When the bullets reached their apex, they burst with a sharp crack, scattering fine ice particles. They drifted down like powdered snow.

“Waaaah!”

“Amazing!”

“Beautiful!”

“It’s like snow!”

“It’s cold!”

The maids looked up at the sky, letting out cries of wonder. They caught the falling ice crystals in their palms, laughing with delight.

However, the High Grand-Priest and the royal guard just stared at the falling snow, literally frozen in place. This was not something that could be done easily. Making magic bullets explode at different times required incredibly precise mana control. And the princess had just done it effortlessly.

The princess let out a breath and handed her sword back to Emma. She asked anxiously, “Um… how was it? Have I improved?”

Before the High Grand-Priest could answer, the royal guard exclaimed in excitement. “Magnificent! That was truly splendid, Princess Cordelia! With your skill, you might even be able to hold your own against the commander of our Ecclesia Holy Knights! Thank you so much for gracing us with such a marvelous display!”

The princess shook her head, looking troubled. “No… I am still far from that level. But to hear that from one of the Holy Knights is a great relief. Thank you.”

Then, the High Grand-Priest spoke. “Cordie, that was wonderful! Truly, I never imagined you had grown so much! …By the way, that sword dance just now, it was aimed at an opponent, wasn’t it? Who exactly were you fighting?”

The princess smiled faintly. “The strongest person I have ever met. I cannot even reach his feet. Even in my imagination, I have never been able to defeat him… He is a person of unfathomable strength.”

The High Grand-Priest and the guard both sucked in a breath. Based on the swordsmanship they had just witnessed, Princess Cordelia was likely one of the most skilled fighters in the capital. To think there was someone she couldn’t even touch—it was hard to believe.

But then, as if realizing something, the High Grand-Priest spoke. “I see… So that is the person you traveled with…”

The princess nodded, her expression a mixture of pride and sorrow. “Yes. It was only for a week, but he taught me so much during our journey. From life skills and the basics of travel to mana control and how to handle a sword… That person… Sieg-san… is my… my precious master.”

Princess Cordelia’s eyes had a distant look, lost in the memory of that person.

The High Grand-Priest grunted deep in his throat.

I see… so he was a master of that caliber. But who in the world is he? If someone with that much skill existed, word of it should have reached my ears…

The High Grand-Priest looked at the princess’s wistful expression, and his face suddenly soured.

Still, to make my princess wear such a look…

He felt a surge of irritation toward this mysterious man who had so thoroughly captured her heart.

I don’t know how strong he is… but as her guardian, I suppose I’ll have to meet him and judge what kind of man he is for myself!