โAsk the guardian beasts to find Marion and report back on her condition!โ
โBut, guardian beastsโฆโ
I look at Da-u.
โWoof?โ
Da-u tilts his head cutely.
If the guardian beasts are like Da-u, I worry whether theyโll 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 heโd get lost. Even if he managed to find her by using his dog skills, observing and reporting her condition is probably impossible.
โDonโt worry, Luria-sama. Guardian beasts are smart.โ
โHmm.โ
โCarro and Koruko are also guardian beasts.โ
โIs that so!โ
โKyukyu.โ โKoo.โ
Carro and Koruko are more reliable than Da-u. It seems that not all guardian beasts are like babyish Da-u.
โBesides, the guardian beasts Iโll ask are the birds in the courtyard.โ
โWhat! Those birds are guardian beasts too?โ
โThatโs right. Those birds know Marionโs face, are intelligent, and are the perfect fit.โ
โI see!โ
Thatโs reassuring. Still, there seem to be more guardian beasts than I thought. Itโs comforting.
While I was thinking about this, my mother flipped the blanket off me.
โOh my, Luria. What are you doing under the blanket?โ
โMmmph. A meeting!โ
โYou must be hot; your face is bright red.โ
โIโm not hot!โ
I said that, but since Da-u, Koruko, Carro, and I were huddled together under the blanket, it was hot.
โWhat was the meeting about?โ
โSecret!โ
โOh my.โ
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.
โEveryone, please search for Marion.โ
โPlease.โ
โHooh hooh.โ
โMarion is in the western regionโโ
It seemed Kuro had already gathered some information.
After Kuro finished explaining, most of the birds took off. Only one large hawk remained.
โIf you guard the area, Kuro can relax.โ
โKyurururu~.โ
In the following days:
In the mornings, I studied medical books in the library.
It was very difficult, and I couldnโt understand even half of it, butโ
โThat illness occurs when oneโs magical power is depleted!โ
โWhoa.โ
I studied while Kuro, unexpectedly knowledgeable, taught me.
In the afternoons, I trained in swordsmanship. Without physical strength, itโs hard to use healing magic.
Iโm still young. My body isnโt fully developed, so I donโt think I can use magic very well. Unlike my previous life, Iโm not a โSaintโ now.
Unlike before, I canโt borrow endless magical power from the spirits and freely use it.
Thatโs 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.
โMagical powerโฆ running outโฆโ
โI donโt think thatโs true, thoughโฆโ
โIf something happens, Iโll rely on you too, Kuro.โ
Even though Iโm not a Saint anymore, if I can borrow power from the spirits, I might be able to use stronger healing magic.
โOf course Iโll lend you my strength, butโฆ is there a point?โ
โThere might not be. But please?โ
โUnderstood.โ
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 powerโall require separate skills, talent, and the physical ability to wield it.
โI may not have the right body or talent, but I have the skills!โ
Iโm 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, itโll get a little better.
Of course, improving physical ability doesnโt happen overnight.
Building the magical circuits in my body takes time, and itโs 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 wonโt have much effect.
But still, itโs better than doing nothing.
โHunh! Hunh!โ โWoof! Woof!โ
The maids commented while watching Da-u and me practice swordsmanship:
โToday, Lady Luriaโs spirit is different.โ
After dinner, when the family gathered, I didnโt forget to bring up the topic of Marion.
Because Iโm a strategist.
โIโm worried about Marion.โ
โYesโฆ It seems her illness is lingering a bit.โ
My mother looked worried too.
Father and my siblings also had slightly sad expressions.
โMother, did you know Marion from before?โ
Iโll start by gathering information naturally.
โYes, Marion is the daughter of a baron family from my fatherโs side.โ
It turns out Marion was the daughter of a baron.
Iโve heard that my mother is from an old marquis family. Although my grandfather passed away, Iโve met my uncle, my motherโs 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.
โWhat kind of person is Marionโs husband?โ
This is something I need to ask as well.
โHeโs the son of a knight who served my father, your grandfather.โ
โA knight and a baronโs family, huh?โ
โMy late father highly valued Marionโs husbandโs fatherโฆ But this might be a bit complicated for you to understand, Luria.โ
โMmmph.โ
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.
Itโs generally difficult for a woman to inherit land in this country, so Marionโs husband was chosen as her groom and took her familyโs name.
He was a very talented knight who served my deceased grandfather with great loyalty.
Now, heโs inherited the title of baron.
By marrying into the family and inheriting the barony, Marionโs husband must be quite capable.
โโฆIs Marion in that barony?โ
โNo, sheโs in a mansion in the capital.โ
Noble families who own territories usually have estates both in their land and in the capital.
It seems Marion is staying at the baronโs mansion in the capital.
The mansion where Iโm currently staying is also in the capital. So Marion isnโt too far away.
Iโve obtained the information I wanted.
Although I canโt see him, Kuro must have heard it as well.
If Kuro heard it, it should be communicated to the guardian birds as well.
โโฆHmm. Marion is in the capital, then.โ
I deliberately spoke louder so that Kuro could hear.
โโฆLuria. Youโre not planning to go see Marion alone, are you?โ
โNo, of course not!โ
โOf course not. But can you promise me that?โ
โI can promise.โ
I quickly changed the subject to avoid being asked for more promises.
โAnyway, I want to see the wet nurse!โ
โThe wet nurseโs child? Yes, butโฆโ
โMarion must be lonely because sheโs sick. If I pet Da-u, sheโll feel better.โ
โWoof? โฆWoof!โ
Da-u wagged his tail energetically.
โHmmโฆโ
Mother seemed a little troubled. I needed to push a bit more.
โIs the wet nurseโs child sick?โ
โNo, theyโre not sick.โ
โThen, itโs not contagious, right?โ
โWell, thatโs true, butโฆโ
โFather! I want to see the wet nurseโs child!โ
I had to convince my father as well.
โLuria.โ
Father picked me up.
โThe outside of the mansion is dangerous.โ
โShould I hide my red hair?โ
โYes, that would be better. Amalia, do you think it would be difficult?โ
โHmm, wellโฆโ
โLuria is already five years old. We canโt keep her in the mansion forever, can we?โ
โYesโฆ It will require some preparation, though.โ
โYay!โ
It was easier than I expected to get permission to meet the wet nurseโs child.