As a result, Helena was safe.

The infirmary teacher said Sylvia’s emergency treatment was also crucial this time. I thought I should express my gratitude to her later, and I was able to meet Ashillya and hear about the aftermath.

“…Are you serious?”

Upon hearing Ashillya’s words, I could only blankly open my mouth. She chuckled as if finding my reaction funny.

I slowly blinked at her demeanor which didn’t match the situation at all.

“I don’t think it’s time to laugh right now.”

“What dost thou expect me to do when thine expression is so amusing?”

Ashillya puckered her lips and answered snappily to my dumbfounded words.

No, you cut off the Hero’s arms and legs, and now you’re laughing? Even though I left the aftermath to Ashillya, and even though she’s the Crown Princess,

I was a bit worried that this might have been too harsh of a punishment.

As if sensing my thoughts, Ashillya gently smiled and calmly explained.

“Do not worry. The thing thou art worried about will not happen.”

“…Are you sure it’s okay?”

“Well, dost thou think We would not have considered that much?”

In this world, gods truly exist. As in the previous world, no one had ever seen their form, but the difference was that oracles were delivered.

At the same time, the mysterious power called divine power was also proof that gods existed.

Religion’s power in a world where gods truly exist cannot be ignored. Even for the Empire, it was not easy to suppress a religion that more than half of the continent’s population believed in.

Moreover, the person whose arms and legs Ashillya cut off was the Hero, who could be called the messenger of the gods.

Even if his personality was trashy.

As I looked at Ashillya with concern, she kindly continued her explanation.

“One of the things many people mistakenly think is that looking at the current Hero, they believe Siegfried, the next Hero, can also be reformed as he gets older.”

“…I have also heard that the current Hero’s personality was not good either. I don’t know to what extent, though.”

Just listening to Professor Selenda, I knew how dirty the current Hero’s personality was.

There were also records about the current Hero in Felix’s memories, and many of them said he was arrogant and full of self-love.

But Ashillya was saying it wasn’t that.

“Regardless of how trashy the current Hero’s personality was, he at least opposed evil and confronted the strong. He had the cause of protecting the weak and spreading good.”

“…Is that so?”

“He didn’t recklessly use his power, and even if he boasted about being the Hero, he didn’t draw out the Holy Sword or anything like that.”

I gently nodded at Ashillya’s explanation.

“However, Siegfried, the next Hero, didn’t even have such thoughts. Rather than moving for a cause, he was a person who prioritized his own goals.”

Siegfried’s sole objective was Sylvia. For that, he didn’t hesitate to draw his sword and didn’t care about making enemies with anyone.

“Many also doubted how such a person was chosen as the Hero. His personality was undoubtedly disqualified in the people’s eyes.”

It was true.

Even the academy students often murmured if he was really a Hero after seeing Siegfried’s actions.

“Regarding that, Duke Geyrus once said this.”

“…What did he say?”

“It was destined to be this way anyway. Destiny cannot be defied. By anyone.”

Suddenly bringing up fatalism here?

As I made a dumbfounded expression, Ashillya chuckled as if finding my reaction amusing.

“Anyway, I digress. Such a Hero has been able to maintain his title until now solely because he received the Holy Sword. That was the only shield protecting Siegfried.”

“That’s right.”

It was the symbol of the Hero, and even if Siegfried’s personality was not good, the Sun Church had no choice but to protect him.

“But this time, the Hero greatly overstepped the line. To the extent that the Sun Church religion cannot protect him.”

It wouldn’t be because of me. If you weigh the Hero, one of the top weapons against monsters and the second son of an earldom, anyone would side with the Hero.

“He not only dared to confine the current Saintess but also tried to make the next saintess as he pleased. And he did it in collusion with a powerful figure in the Empire.”

“…Jeffrey.”

“Yes, and if you add the crime of insulting the Imperial Family that thou ignored and the crime of attempting to assassinate the Crown Princess, there’s no way they can protect him.”

“Ahem.”

At Ashillya’s words, directly quoting what I had said to Leonhardt, I couldn’t help but cough and avert my gaze.

Ashillya, smiling brightly at my reaction, followed my gaze and continued.

“We have already found and protected the current Saintess, and she will testify about Siegfried’s misdeeds. With that, she will be on our side, and the Sun Church will no longer be able to dispute it.”

“…But what was Siegfried thinking when he caused all this?”

Suddenly curious, I looked at Ashillya and asked. From what she said, it seemed like a fight Siegfried could never win.

Ashillya, receiving my gaze, nodded while her red eyes shone.

“Think about it. If Sylvia had fallen for Siegfried’s scheme and things had proceeded without anyone knowing.”

“…The Saintess and the Hero would be on the Second Prince’s side.”

“The Sun Church cannot dare to interfere in the Imperial Family’s affairs, but they can capture the hearts of the imperial citizens.”

Just imagining it sends shivers down my spine.

Of course, I didn’t think Sylvia would have fallen for Siegfried’s scheme. Still, if that had happened, even the Emperor would not have been able to ignore the will of the Sun Church followers completely.

It’s not like they could overturn what had already been decided, but Jeffrey would have probably emerged as a strong rival to Ashillya.

“Then the competition would start again. Perhaps a lot of bloodshed could have occurred.”

It meant the small flapping of a butterfly’s wings like me could become such a big typhoon. Seeing my serious expression, Ashillya smiled as if she realized I was worried about her and looked into my eyes.

“But thou stopped it this time as well.”

“Even if I wasn’t there, I think Your Highness the Crown Princess would have handled it well on your own.”

“No way.”

The affection in Ashillya’s red eyes was so great that it was heavy. I tried my best to deny Ashillya’s words, but she firmly shook her head.

“It is undeniable that things became easier because thou were there. This one always receives help from thee.”

“I also received help from Your Highness the Crown Princess, so wouldn’t it be the same…?”

As I answered with an awkward smile, Ashillya smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

“Thou may think that way, but I do not think so. If I receive help, this one must repay it.”

“You don’t have to…”

“Look forward to it.”

As Ashillya suddenly brought her face close to mine and smiled, I was at a loss for words and could only quietly nod.

As I tried to focus my gaze on her long eyelashes, Ashillya, who had been looking at me, smiled again and waved her hand slightly.

“Then I shall go to handle the aftermath.”

“…Be careful.”

Jeffrey was driven into a corner by this incident.

It was common sense now that a cornered rat might bite the cat. Upon hearing my words, Ashillya laughed as if pleased and nodded.

Siegfried’s appearance, conspiracy, exit, and even Jeffrey’s scheme.

Perhaps because so many things happened in a single day, my head felt dizzy.

@

“Hmm…”

Marquis Degrosis stroked his chin as he listened to the reports from his retainers. At the same time, he recalled the red-haired boy he had met at the banquet.

[Do not go against the new wind. The times are changing.]

The boy who had approached him and uttered those sudden words was already the eye of the typhoon then, but he had grown even larger with this incident.

‘The escort of Crown Princess Ashillya, and the second son of one of her loyal families that made Ashillya the Crown Princess.’

Contrary to his expectation that the boy, being a second son and having officially given up the position of family head, would have no power, he became a dangerous opponent.

It was an undeniable fact that listening to the boy’s words and ignoring the Senate’s suggestion to support Jeffrey and belatedly siding with Ashillya had saved Degrosis’ life.

Degrosis endlessly continued his thoughts and mentally placed weights on a scale.

“What should I do?”

Muttering to himself, he thought about the boy.

Would it be profitable to gain? Would it truly benefit Degrosis to stand by his side?

The marquis, who had been continuing his thoughts, finally made a decision and put down his pen.

“Tell Pamela. There is something you need to do for me.”

It was time to present Degrosis’ doll.