Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 14: A Sense of Unease (1)
On the morning after the victory celebration, Elliot prepared for the day.
Since returning to the royal capital, he had attended daily audiences with high-ranking nobles and distinguished foreign guests.
As the first Holy Knight in more than a century, he inevitably attracted people desperate to make contact. The government called the meetings an important diplomatic duty. Elliot, formerly a commoner and low-ranking knight, felt honored—but was also thoroughly tired of them.
Dressed in a ceremonial military uniform useless on a battlefield, its cords thick with gold thread and its chest covered in medals he didn’t even remember receiving, he finally reached for the sheathed holy sword.
“What’s this…? Am I imagining it?”
The unexpected weight he felt when lifting it puzzled and unsettled him.
He had fought with the weapon for a year and had never experienced anything similar.
—Am I tired? No. It must be because I haven’t trained.
The journey from the battlefield took approximately ten days. Since returning, Elliot had been dragged from military reports to an audience with the king, personal arrangements, preparations for the celebration, and meetings with guests.
He realized he hadn’t trained for half a month.
—My body must be growing sluggish. Elliot dismissed the strange sensation with that conclusion.
When he entered the breakfast room, Emily ran up to him in a lovely dress.
“Good morning, Elliot! Did you sleep well?”
He accepted Emily’s sweet embrace, smiled, nodded—and then sighed with irritation.
Most castle servants watched them with smiles, but a few looked faintly appalled.
Elliot had been ennobled as a count. For the second son of a baronet, this was exceptional generosity. The kingdom plainly valued its Holy Knight enormously, and the same was true of the Saint.
Once they married, Emily would become a countess. Yet both had lived as commoners and hadn’t mastered aristocratic etiquette. Their glorious titles might earn indulgence for now, but that wouldn’t last forever.
Unlike commoners, they couldn’t simply register a marriage and consider the matter settled. Until the wedding ceremony, they were expected to behave with discretion.
—Perhaps that’s why I feel lonely.
Elliot comfortingly patted Emily’s head, then mentioned something he had remembered.
“I heard about the other day. You helped people injured in a fire here in the capital.”
“Hehe, yes! But… a priest took over partway through…”
“…I see. Perhaps the attention you receive makes them anxious.”
When he encouraged the dejected Emily, her smile blossomed again.
“I’m sure that’s it. Besides, everyone remembered that I arrived first, so it was fine!”
“I’m glad. I hope you’re formally recognized as a saint soon.”
Almost everyone—knights, nobles, and commoners alike—now called Emily the Saint, but the Grand Church in the royal capital had yet to grant her the title officially.
—Why is the church hesitating?
Suppressing the anger rising within him, Elliot stroked Emily’s head again.
After the morning’s audience with several distinguished guests, while the king and chancellor were still present, a messenger arrived.
“A single undead beast has been sighted on the banks of the Ureri River northeast of the capital.”
The report caused no unrest. Although rare, solitary undead beasts occasionally appeared near human settlements. Even near the capital, a creature found on an outlying riverbank had probably drifted downstream by chance.
In the past, the threat might still have caused alarm. Now, however, the capital possessed a holy sword and its Holy Knight.
“Excellent. This is an opportunity to witness the Holy Knight in action.”
“Indeed. Cancel this afternoon’s schedule and send him out.”
The king brightened at the news, and the chancellor readily agreed.