“Ask the guardian beasts to find Marion and report back on her condition!”
“But, guardian beasts…”
I look at Da-u.
“Woof?”
Da-u tilts his head cutely.
If the guardian beasts are like Da-u, I worry whether they’ll actually find Marion. Even if they do, would they understand her condition?
Da-u is a dog, but if he leaves the mansion and walks for a while, I feel like he’d get lost. Even if he managed to find her by using his dog skills, observing and reporting her condition is probably impossible.
‘Don’t worry, Luria-sama. Guardian beasts are smart.’
“Hmm.”
‘Carro and Koruko are also guardian beasts.’
“Is that so!”
“Kyukyu.” “Koo.”
Carro and Koruko are more reliable than Da-u. It seems that not all guardian beasts are like babyish Da-u.
‘Besides, the guardian beasts I’ll ask are the birds in the courtyard.’
“What! Those birds are guardian beasts too?”
‘That’s right. Those birds know Marion’s face, are intelligent, and are the perfect fit.’
“I see!”
That’s reassuring. Still, there seem to be more guardian beasts than I thought. It’s comforting.
While I was thinking about this, my mother flipped the blanket off me.
“Oh my, Luria. What are you doing under the blanket?”
“Mmmph. A meeting!”
“You must be hot; your face is bright red.”
“I’m not hot!”
I said that, but since Da-u, Koruko, Carro, and I were huddled together under the blanket, it was hot.
“What was the meeting about?”
“Secret!”
“Oh my.”
After eating breakfast with my mother, I moved to the courtyard with Kuro, Da-u, and the others. I bowed my head to the gathered birds.
‘Everyone, please search for Marion.’
“Please.”
“Hooh hooh.”
‘Marion is in the western region—’
It seemed Kuro had already gathered some information.
After Kuro finished explaining, most of the birds took off. Only one large hawk remained.
‘If you guard the area, Kuro can relax.’
“Kyurururu~.”
In the following days:
In the mornings, I studied medical books in the library.
It was very difficult, and I couldn’t understand even half of it, but—
‘That illness occurs when one’s magical power is depleted!’
“Whoa.”
I studied while Kuro, unexpectedly knowledgeable, taught me.
In the afternoons, I trained in swordsmanship. Without physical strength, it’s hard to use healing magic.
I’m still young. My body isn’t fully developed, so I don’t think I can use magic very well. Unlike my previous life, I’m not a “Saint” now.
Unlike before, I can’t borrow endless magical power from the spirits and freely use it.
That’s why I must rely on the method I used in my previous life when I ran out of stamina and magical power to heal myself.
“Magical power… running out…”
‘I don’t think that’s true, though…’
“If something happens, I’ll rely on you too, Kuro.”
Even though I’m not a Saint anymore, if I can borrow power from the spirits, I might be able to use stronger healing magic.
‘Of course I’ll lend you my strength, but… is there a point?’
“There might not be. But please?”
‘Understood.’
I understand why Kuro thinks that lending me power might be pointless. Receiving magic from spirits, absorbing it into oneself, activating magic, and controlling that power—all require separate skills, talent, and the physical ability to wield it.
“I may not have the right body or talent, but I have the skills!”
I’m fine because I have the skills I developed in my previous life.
To improve my physical ability to control magical power, I just need to build my strength through swordsmanship training, and hopefully, it’ll get a little better.
Of course, improving physical ability doesn’t happen overnight.
Building the magical circuits in my body takes time, and it’s not easy to improve the strength or cardiovascular function to support it.
Even if I practice now, it would just be a makeshift effort, and it probably won’t have much effect.
But still, it’s better than doing nothing.
“Hunh! Hunh!” “Woof! Woof!”
The maids commented while watching Da-u and me practice swordsmanship:
“Today, Lady Luria’s spirit is different.”
After dinner, when the family gathered, I didn’t forget to bring up the topic of Marion.
Because I’m a strategist.
“I’m worried about Marion.”
“Yes… It seems her illness is lingering a bit.”
My mother looked worried too.
Father and my siblings also had slightly sad expressions.
“Mother, did you know Marion from before?”
I’ll start by gathering information naturally.
“Yes, Marion is the daughter of a baron family from my father’s side.”
It turns out Marion was the daughter of a baron.
I’ve heard that my mother is from an old marquis family. Although my grandfather passed away, I’ve met my uncle, my mother’s older brother, the current head of the family, several times.
He visits us almost every summer.
My uncle, the marquis, is about twenty years older than my mother and was very kind.
“What kind of person is Marion’s husband?”
This is something I need to ask as well.
“He’s the son of a knight who served my father, your grandfather.”
“A knight and a baron’s family, huh?”
“My late father highly valued Marion’s husband’s father… But this might be a bit complicated for you to understand, Luria.”
“Mmmph.”
In other words, it seems that my late grandfather, the previous marquis, was the one who arranged the marriage.
From what I heard, Marion was the only daughter of a baron.
It’s generally difficult for a woman to inherit land in this country, so Marion’s husband was chosen as her groom and took her family’s name.
He was a very talented knight who served my deceased grandfather with great loyalty.
Now, he’s inherited the title of baron.
By marrying into the family and inheriting the barony, Marion’s husband must be quite capable.
“…Is Marion in that barony?”
“No, she’s in a mansion in the capital.”
Noble families who own territories usually have estates both in their land and in the capital.
It seems Marion is staying at the baron’s mansion in the capital.
The mansion where I’m currently staying is also in the capital. So Marion isn’t too far away.
I’ve obtained the information I wanted.
Although I can’t see him, Kuro must have heard it as well.
If Kuro heard it, it should be communicated to the guardian birds as well.
“…Hmm. Marion is in the capital, then.”
I deliberately spoke louder so that Kuro could hear.
“…Luria. You’re not planning to go see Marion alone, are you?”
“No, of course not!”
“Of course not. But can you promise me that?”
“I can promise.”
I quickly changed the subject to avoid being asked for more promises.
“Anyway, I want to see the wet nurse!”
“The wet nurse’s child? Yes, but…”
“Marion must be lonely because she’s sick. If I pet Da-u, she’ll feel better.”
“Woof? …Woof!”
Da-u wagged his tail energetically.
“Hmm…”
Mother seemed a little troubled. I needed to push a bit more.
“Is the wet nurse’s child sick?”
“No, they’re not sick.”
“Then, it’s not contagious, right?”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
“Father! I want to see the wet nurse’s child!”
I had to convince my father as well.
“Luria.”
Father picked me up.
“The outside of the mansion is dangerous.”
“Should I hide my red hair?”
“Yes, that would be better. Amalia, do you think it would be difficult?”
“Hmm, well…”
“Luria is already five years old. We can’t keep her in the mansion forever, can we?”
“Yes… It will require some preparation, though.”
“Yay!”
It was easier than I expected to get permission to meet the wet nurse’s child.
