Chapter 37: Persuading The Holy Woman

After the meeting with the expeditionary force, I was called into Cyril Villa, the emperor's public estate, located right in the center of Sutherland. The only other attendees were the emperor's personal knights and his personal confidant, the prime minister.

The reason became apparent if you looked at Lilinor, whose face was red and had tears in the corner of her eyes.

"I don't want to!" she shook her head, firmly denying her father's proposal.

Well, this went just how I had imagined. That's why he should've told her earlier. Worst case scenario, we'd have no choice but to confine her into Sagami Co.'s premises or something.

"Please understand," the emperor said, "this war is dangerous."

"You've already told me that. But the enemy are undead, and as someone who wields holy magic, I should bring much-needed assistance to the table," Lilinor replied.

"Lily, you're still young. Too young to put your life on the line."

"If you're going to say that, then isn't Grey only 12?"

"T-that's...So I didn't tell you yet, but Grey's under a curse that doesn't let him age---he's actually about the same age as your papa," the emperor desperately declared, but Lilinor just puffed her face in response.

"Satella and everyone else have been saying that Grey's 12. Why would you speak such an obvious lie, Father!?"

"Grey~" the emperor pleaded in my direction. Okay, okay. I'll do it, so please stop making that pitiful face at me. Seriously though, am I some cat robot from the future?

I cleared my throat and turned towards Lilinor, saying, "Even if you were to join in, as you have no actual experience, you'd just be a hindrance to everyone."

"But there's only so many people in the empire that can use holy magic!" Lilinor complained.

So now you're bragging. Well, Lilinor had obtained the power to use holy magic from a young age, so it'd actually be quite difficult to tell her not to overestimate herself.

"So you won't understand even if I explain it."

I turned to signal at Aquido, nodded, and raised my right hand towards the ceiling.

"Holy Knight Summon"

Several bands of silver light formed concentric circles around the room. The light then enveloped the ornament placed by the suits of armor on the wall and began radiating bluish-white light.

Immediately, the suits of armor twisted, enlarged slightly, and wrapped around the human-shaped bluish-white light .

After a bit, several fully armored knights that radiated a dazzling bluish-white light stood before us.

"N-no way!?" Lilinor gasped as the knights began to move.

The emperor's personal knights who were on standby quickly changed expression and moved to protect the emperor and Lilinor.

"It's fine. No need to worry; just leave it to Grey," the prime minister said, signaling the knights to step back.

The armored knights walked in front of Aquido, kneeled, and said in unison, "Master, your orders."

"Protect this villa. From now on, follow the orders of this villa's owner."

"As you command!"

Excepting a few knights, the rest all left the room in patrol.

Lilinor fixated her sights on the holy knights and began sweating profusely. Well, it looks like she's understood how abnormal this magic is.

This was a top-rank spell, Holy Knight Summon, which copied the memories of the world's heroes and subordinated them. They were merely hazy memories, so they wielded just a fraction of their original power, but as they subsisted on atmospheric magic, they would continue to exist as long as they weren't forcefully destroyed.

"Aquido-san, are you a famous archbishop?" Lilinor somehow squeezed out.

"No, as I had said before, I'm just a mercenary. I'm even scorned as a backstabber."

"B-but---"

I walked up to Lilinor and gently patted her head, which was still drooped down. Although, I was the shorter one, so it was quite pathetic that I had to stand on my tiptoes just to reach her.

"Lily, the common sense that you've experienced until know is just that---common sense. Shouldn't you have come to understand that these past few days?" I asked.

"..."

She gripped her skirt and bit her lip in frustration.

"And this undead disturbance is clearly far removed from common sense. Even if you were to go out on the battlefield, nobody would desire that," I said. "In addition, there's something I need you to do."

"Something you want me...to do?"

"Yeah. I want you to heal any casualties, and, on the off-chance we fail, help the citizens of Sutherland evacuate."

It wasn't just Lilinor. Satella, Carla, the Scarlet Phoenix's kids and the eight-headed dragon were all to stay stationed in Sutherland for that one in a million chance that the plan failed where they would then help everyone escape.

We'd also bring many wounded back into Sutherland, so Lilinor, who wielded recovery magic, served as a cornerstone to the main plan.

"That's right," the emperor cut in. "I order you to heal the injured. Yep."

Lilinor spared no glance at her father and just stared at me with her seemingly transparent, blue eyes, and asked, "So is that my mission?"

"Don't be so stiff. You're just the right person in the right place. Nothing more, nothing less. In the end, we're just doing everything we can," I said.

"I understand."

"Then for further details, please ask Satella and Carla. I'll have them come by later."

I confirmed Lilinor had nodded in affirmation before turning back to the emperor. I quickly adjusted my posture and said, "Your Majesty, I will now take my leave."

I bowed once and exited Cyril Villa.