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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: A New Handmaiden
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“Monica had soft, brown, bobbed hair and vivid blue eyes. The lovely freckles scattered across the bridge of her nose and cheeks were her charm.
Idella, smitten by the very bold and charming Monica, soon became her inseparable friend.”
Right, that description was definitely in the original novel.
I glanced at the sentence from the original work that the AI had displayed, then turned my gaze to Monica.
Just as the novel described, she was a girl brimming with loveliness.
“I apologize for coming so late! There's something I absolutely must tell you, but you seemed so busy during the day that I couldn't find a moment to see you.”
It was true. Starting this morning, Gail had shown up and caused a scene, then Lute Ciel had come, I'd been extorted by the Sun God, swapped the holy relic for a divine object, smashed the relic, and even had a meat party.
So many things had happened.
“It's all right. Did you have a good dinner, Miss Hindel?”
“Yes! Sir Dietrich said it was all thanks to you, Saintess, that we were able to have such a delicious meal today. Thank you.”
“I didn't do it all by myself, but I'll gladly accept your thanks.”
After only seeing people who avoided me, it felt good to meet someone who expressed their gratitude so genuinely.
When I smiled brightly, Monica's cheeks flushed for some reason, and she ducked her head.
But what was this? I felt a sense of déjà vu, as if I'd seen this somewhere before…
Was it because I'd read about her so much in the novel that I felt an internal sense of familiarity?
“P-p-please, just call me Monica…”
“Alright, Miss Monica.”
“Without the 'Miss,' just Monica…”
“I will, Monica.”
It was cute how she made all her requests while trembling, so I nodded.
As if simply being called by her first name was such a big deal, Monica blushed shyly.
Looking at her like this, she seems really young. How old was Monica again?
【‘Monica Hindel’ is currently eighteen years old.】
That's less than half my age from my past life. How cute.
“So, what brings you here to see me?”
“Please make me your exclusive handmaiden!”
*Pfft.*
At Monica's cry, Victoria spat out the tea she was drinking. It was supposed to aid digestion, but now it looked like it would cause indigestion…
“My exclusive handmaiden…?”
“Yes! You don't have an exclusive handmaiden yet, Saintess. I would like to apply!”
Of course, no one would want to serve Ordel, whose specialty was having a foul temper and throwing tantrums.
Not only were there no applicants, but Airic hadn't assigned anyone either, worried that one wrong move could get someone killed.
In the original novel, Ordel never had a personal escort knight, let alone a dedicated handmaiden, right up until her death.
“I can do a really good job. I may not look it, but I'm the most promising up-and-comer among the apprentice priests. I will never do anything to tarnish your name, Saintess!”
The Saintess's handmaidens weren't ordinary maids but apprentice priests, and only the most skilled among them were chosen for the role.
Just learning how to use divine power while attending to the Saintess was a huge benefit to them.
Monica, too, was an apprentice priest with immense potential.
There was a reason she became friends with the real Saintess, Idella.
“Alright. I would be very happy if you took the position, Monica.”
If someone like that was willing to help me, I'd be more than grateful.
Of course, when the truth that I'm a fake saintess comes out, both Victoria and Monica will feel betrayed…
But I'll be leaving the Grand Temple by then, so while I feel a little sorry, it can't be helped.
“R-really? You're really accepting me?”
As if she hadn't expected me to agree so readily, Monica was overjoyed.
“I'd prefer to have someone who actually applied for the job. But my skills are severely lacking, so I won't be of any help to you, Monica. Are you sure you're okay with that?”
The original Ordel's divine power was a measly 2%.
Thanks to the money I'd poured in with blood and tears, I'd reached 10%, but I was probably still weaker than a promising talent like Monica.
Besides, I relied on skills to use my power, so I was even less capable of teaching her how to use divine power.
“To say that you're lacking in skill, Saintess…! Please don't say such things. It's fine if you don't teach me anything. I'm happy just to be by your side and serve you.”
Despite that, Monica clasped her hands and begged me to make her my handmaiden.
She wanted it this badly, so what could I do? As for learning to use divine power, I could just leave that to Idella, like in the original novel.
“Alright, Monica. It's late today, so please start tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Saintess! Then, since I'm your handmaiden now, could you perhaps speak to me more casually…? Right now, it feels too distant…”
She really knows how to subtly ask for everything she wants.
Her skill at getting me to agree in the end was quite impressive.
“If that's what you want, I will.”
“Eek! Thank you!”
“Ahem. Then I, too…”
Just then, Victoria, who had been listening quietly, timidly raised her hand and chimed in.
“We've been together for over a week. Isn't it about time you spoke casually to me? You used to speak informally to everyone, young and old, even the High Priest and the Captain of the Holy Knights…”
That's because I'm a different person…
“I didn't realize you wanted that. Then, starting today, I'll speak casually to you both.”
Since they were the ones asking, I had no reason to refuse, so I readily agreed.
A skilled knight and a skilled handmaiden.
It was the perfect end to a day where I had gained so much.
* * *
“Yes!”
After leaving Saintess Ordel's bedroom, Monica suppressed a cheer and clenched both fists.
She had come prepared to be thrown out, but the permission had been granted so gently that she still felt dazed.
‘She's even more amazing up close.’
It hadn't even been half a year since Monica had entered the Grand Temple.
She had come here after unexpectedly awakening her divine power.
The people of the Grand Temple were all kind and gentle, so she had no trouble living there.
Except for one person. Saintess Ordel.
Warned by everyone that she must never catch the Saintess's eye, Monica had diligently avoided her.
Seeing people occasionally get beaten by her and whimpering only strengthened her resolve to stay away.
But then, a few days ago, the Saintess—that vicious Ordel—had suddenly apologized to everyone!
Naturally, no one believed it. They whispered among themselves to keep laying low, as they never knew when the fickle Saintess would snap again.
Monica, too, made sure not to do anything that would draw her attention.
But then.
‘So, who were you again? What was your name?’
Just as she was crying from the injustice of being slapped for blocking Count Kiris's vassal.
The Saintess had suddenly appeared and shamed Baron Gail in front of everyone. Was that all?
‘Oh, thank you for telling me. By the way, no matter how I look at it, your face looks like it's been hit. Does it hurt? Someone, please take this apprentice priest to be treated.’
When she told her the man's name, the Saintess had worried about her so tenderly.
She couldn't tear her eyes away from that changed appearance.
It was the first time the Saintess she had desperately avoided had looked so dignified and beautiful.
Was that why? The moment her eyes met those beautiful, honey-gold eyes, she had wanted to become her handmaiden.
She wanted to be by the side of that person who seemed to receive the god's love with her entire being.
“Starting tomorrow, I'll be able to see her all the time.”
People worried about her choice, but she didn't regret it.
It was an impulsive decision, but choices made like this had never once brought her negative consequences.
So, Monica planned to entrust everything to her intuition this time as well.
* * *
The next day, Monica came to attend to me as soon as it was 6 AM.
It seemed she had also heard that I exercised at this hour.
I felt sorry for making both Victoria and Monica wake up early every day because of me, so I suggested they could come on alternating days, but my idea was immediately rejected.
Something about a knight and a handmaiden having different duties.
The two of them were already getting along splendidly.
What was surprising was that Airic didn't object to Monica becoming my handmaiden.
All he did was ask Monica if she was really okay with it.
This was the man who had never assigned a dedicated handmaiden to the original Ordel.
It meant my image transformation had been that successful, which made me very happy.
And so, Monica became my official handmaiden.
“Saintess. A letter has arrived from the House of Count Kiris.”
Thanks to Lute Ciel, I now had funds, and I was sitting at a table planning my next move when Monica brought me a letter.
I glanced listlessly at the seal of two overlapping dahlias, used only by Count Kiris, before ripping the envelope open.
Why did Duke Lute Ciel visit the Grand Temple?
To summarize the long-winded contents of the letter, it was this.
