Chapter 9

“Enough, Sir Nersian. What brings you here?”

Even though Nersian was the Commander of the Tyr Church Holy Knight Order, Conrad treated him as if he were just some common knight, not giving him any particular respect. There wasn’t even a hint of reverence in Conrad’s demeanor. Since they were alone, and with Nersian so tense, he didn’t even have time to feel offended before blurting out his business.

“I was wondering what you thought of the petition I submitted last time… I came here even though I knew it was unlikely to be approved.”

“Hm.”

Conrad nodded slightly.

Ever since he discovered Elcia’s innate talent for doll magic and decided to support her, Conrad had been plagued by troublesome matters. The cause was the second healing doll she developed—White Bunny.

A miraculous doll that could heal injuries and illnesses perfectly, using only healing magic without any holy power or medicine. It was possible because the soul of a healing spirit, thought to have died out in ancient times, had somehow attached itself to the doll’s core. Although it couldn’t heal multiple people at once, its ability was truly remarkable. It could heal patients who were resistant to medicine or holy power, which was a blessing beyond even divine favor.

Elcia, who possessed such a precious doll, was gentle and kind by nature. She had even cured Conrad’s mysterious chronic headaches without asking for anything in return, not even the name of the illness. However…

‘I shouldn’t have sent Elcia to the other temple just to test White Bunny’s healing abilities. Sigh, that’s the only thing I regret since bringing Elcia here. It ended up being troublesome for her as well.’

The two churches that divided the religious world of the Draug Empire—Tyr Church and Vanir Church—had recently begun to show signs of a strange rift. Though they had always been separate, the atmosphere was very different from when Vanir Church’s Saint Kayla was still alive and gentle.

Nersian, the newly appointed Commander of the Holy Knight Order, played a significant role in creating this uneasy atmosphere. After the Saint from the other church passed away, he adopted a strange new policy: focusing on training priests with healing abilities.

Holy power was certainly the best way to attract new followers. But originally, Tyr Church centered on Holy Knights with military strength, and healing patients was almost entirely entrusted to Vanir Church. That’s why, even as both churches expanded their influence over the years, there was little friction between them.

Nersian was competent at his job, but his actions always seemed to irk the Crown Prince.

‘…It was the right decision to send Elcia far away to Usley Castle.’

Nersian had even formally requested that Elcia, a mere doll magician without holy power, be sent to Tyr Church. Would he have dared make such a request if she were the daughter of a prestigious noble family instead of a commoner? Conrad was so displeased he considered sending a letter of rejection, but then decided against it. Angry, he tossed the unused paper into the fireplace as kindling and forgot about the whole thing—until now.

“I haven’t given it much thought.”

“Your Highness!”

“It’s a proposal I simply can’t understand, Sir Nersian. Why would you want a doll magician without holy power sent to the temple?”

“Isn’t serving Tyr, the principal deity, an honor for anyone? Your Highness, please ask the doll magician herself just once. If you send her to the temple, I’ll do my best to persuade her.”

“For what reason?”

The moment Conrad heard Nersian’s words, his previous displeasure flared up and he rose from the throne. Faced with Conrad’s intense reaction, Nersian didn’t back down but insisted on his point.

“If she comes, she’ll become the focal point of our church!”

“…What did you say?”

Though he’d expected something like this, Conrad’s face hardened at Nersian’s outrageous statement. Was Nersian planning to use Elcia’s doll magic for some nefarious purpose under the guise of holy power?

Seeing his chance, Nersian boldly revealed the ambition he’d kept hidden until now.

“Your Highness, ever since Vanir Church’s Saint died young, they haven’t found a new candidate for Saint. At a time like this, if Tyr Church presents a doll magician who can heal anyone—even without holy power—it will cause a great stir!”

“What?”

“If you send Miss Elcia, I promise to treat her well and never overwork her. Wouldn’t it be fine to let her heal just two curable patients a month?”

“Sir, do you even know what you’re saying?”

Conrad had never liked the deceased Saint Kayla. Every time he met her, she gave him strange looks that made him uncomfortable. He’d never told anyone, but Kayla always seemed to see Conrad as a man, which was odd for a Saint. Why wouldn’t she act according to her role? Because of those unsettling memories, Conrad avoided meeting her whenever possible.

Yet, hearing Nersian’s words now, Conrad was increasingly appalled. Just because there’s no Saint in this era, did he really plan to replace her with a fake in front of the people? And not even in Vanir Church, but in Tyr Church?

That was blatant deception.

It was a betrayal to the people of the Empire and to those in Vanir Church who had lost their Saint.

How could the Commander of the Holy Knight Order come up with such an unscrupulous idea?

Apparently, Nersian wanted Tyr Church to be overwhelmingly worshipped, surpassing Vanir Church.

Having both the Commander and a fake Saint would draw far more believers.

“I don’t intend to present the doll magician as a Saint. I just want to use her as a means to attract public interest and support…!”

“I refuse, Sir Nersian. The reason is all contained in what you’ve just said.”

“Y-Your Highness!”

Standing, Conrad lightly tapped his clenched fist against the throne’s armrest and spoke sharply.

“Elcia has the right to go wherever she wishes and not be forced to use her dolls. If she decides to heal someone, that’s her own decision, and I’ll respect that—whether she gets paid or not! If anyone tries to suppress her free will, I’ll personally step in and punish them. After all, I was the one who discovered her!”

There was a reason for Conrad’s fierce reaction.

A doll magician didn’t have to give direct orders every time she used her dolls. Though the dolls could move without explicit commands, their autonomous operation had clear limits and couldn’t last long.

But Elcia was physically weak by nature. Unfortunately, even the healing dolls she made couldn’t transform her frail body into a healthy one—they could only maintain her current state. Creating such a useful doll was supposed to help herself too; she couldn’t just keep helping others until she collapsed.

She always seemed as delicate as a cosmos flower, ready to fall at the slightest breeze. Nersian’s desire to take Elcia to the temple now was obviously selfish and wouldn’t last forever. Once he hid her away, out of sight, his true colors would show.

And then, if Elcia were abused, no one would be able to rescue her.

Conrad couldn’t stand the thought of such tragedy.

Elcia came to the capital because he reached out to her first, so it was only right for him to take responsibility until the end.

White Bunny could not only heal through surgical procedures but also create small orbs of light to aid the patient’s recovery—only when her bond with Elcia was strong. In the end, for the doll to use healing magic, it was always dependent on Elcia’s physical and mental state. That’s why Conrad couldn’t let Elcia be pressured into using her dolls by outsiders.

“But…!”

“And Sir, I hope you’ll keep one thing in mind. In our Draug Empire, both Tyr Church and Vanir Church are permitted, but we are not a religious nation that favors one over the other.”

“Excuse me?”

Nersian blinked.

“If you’re a member of the church, shouldn’t you be more careful with your words and actions? You’re the Commander of the Holy Knight Order, yet you speak as if you’re trying to interfere in imperial affairs.”

“N-no, Your Highness, I would never…!”

Nersian’s plan to bring Elcia to the temple and use her as a puppet had failed miserably. More than that, he was suddenly worried he’d incurred Conrad’s wrath. The favor of the soon-to-be Emperor Conrad was far more important than a single female doll magician who could expand his influence.

He bowed quickly, but it was too late.

“Why not show some restraint from now on? I won’t grant you another audience for a while. Out of respect for your loyalty, I’ll refrain from sending a formal letter of protest to the church.”

With a sharp turn, Conrad left the audience chamber. Nersian could only stare blankly after him, regretting how his small ambition had brought about a major disaster.

Meanwhile, in Usley Castle, after Ian’s first hand treatment, the surgery schedule was temporarily paused. This was due to White Bunny’s new opinion.

「Hmm, I don’t think bone-setting surgery is a good idea in winter. If we try to treat it early and it starts aching and making cracking noises, that would be bad. The cold weather isn’t good, so how about waiting patiently until spring?」

“Bunny!”

Startled by the thoughtless remark, Elcia quickly covered White Bunny’s mouth. But Ian, seemingly unconcerned, agreed readily.

“That makes sense. Then… Elcia, will you return to the capital?”

“What?”

Ian looked at her, as if she’d been struck by lightning, and spoke.

“If the treatment schedule changes, there’s no need for you to stay here. Wouldn’t it be better to go back and return in the warm spring? You’re not strong, so there’s no reason to suffer in this remote place. Spending a cold season here is much worse than a little travel fatigue.”

She glanced at the workers outside the window and tried to protest.

“But you even ordered the renovations for me…”

“That was something I needed to do anyway. I only put it off because of the noise, but Seiran has wanted it done for a while, so don’t worry about it. Isn’t the warm capital better than enduring a harsh winter here?”

If she tried to gloss things over, she might really be kicked out of Usley Castle. Hugging the squirming White Bunny, Elcia pleaded earnestly.

“No, I’ll stay here. The weather might warm up early, and other circumstances could arise in the meantime. I want to stay until your hand is fully healed. Please allow it.”

Ian stared quietly at Elcia, who was stubborn despite her frailty.

Her cream-colored hair, unadorned with even a single pin, reminded him of a dessert filled with sweet filling. If he could, he wanted to mischievously mess up her hair. Though it was neatly tied in a ponytail now, if he just untied that little ribbon, it would spread out like a glorious wheat field…

‘What am I thinking?’

Elcia’s appearance was objectively beautiful.

But more than that, she had a nostalgic atmosphere that stirred up old memories for reasons he couldn’t explain.

Though she was from the capital and had nothing to do with the countryside, there was something about Elcia that awakened Ian’s longing for something that shouldn’t exist.

That’s what melted Ian’s frozen heart and made him want to say something more friendly to her.

“…”

“Count?”

When her lips parted to call him, Ian felt as if something was flowing warmly through his chest. He quickly turned his head and changed the subject.

“I told you to call me Ian. Have you forgotten what I said before?”