Chapter 21
The nearby bushes rustled, and a small figure appeared.
"Grandmother."
"Bianca? Since when were you there..."
Since the beginning. Hehe.
The Countess hadn't chosen an outdoor spot for tea simply because of the picturesque scenery.
It was a recommendation from her daughter, who had deliberately picked a location with plenty of cover.
From now on, it was time for grandmother and granddaughter.
"I didn't know you had such an ability, Grandmother."
"...Abilities related to death are shunned by people, so I don't usually reveal them."
"Was it really because I was destined to die soon? It wasn't that you disliked me?"
"I am truly sorry. If I hadn't distanced myself, I wouldn't have been able to bear it later... Unable to say a single affectionate word as a grandmother should, unable to embrace you... Fearing my own pain, I ended up hurting young you."
"Grandmother..."
Watching the misunderstanding unravel, I smiled with satisfaction.
"If you don't mind, would you share tea with this old grandmother?"
"Yes...!"
The atmosphere now truly called for my exit. Just as I was tactfully swallowing my macaron and about to rise from my seat—
"Ailet, thank you truly. I owe you a great debt. I don't know how to repay you."
"Come on, if we're talking about repayment, you already gave me the necklace earlier."
"That was payment for the request, so that's separate."
"It's fine..."
No, wait! This isn't the time to reflexively refuse!
'Word of Creation, Word of Creation! Are you there right now, Word of Creation?!'
['The Word that Builds the World' rushes over in urgency, looking around asking what the matter is.]
Good. Preparation for exercising public authority: complete.
"Um... then, I'd like to make a small request."
"What is it?"
"I want to tour the Holy Pontifical Court!"
Will it work? Can it? It should, right?!
Cardinal Cattleya answered without a moment's hesitation.
"What a devout child you are. As it happens, this is the time when children flock to the Holy Pontifical Court for divine power examinations. It's not a difficult request."
A message popped up.
['The Word that Builds the World' marvels at your capability.]
[
[
Gather the herb 'Elephantipes' that grows abundantly infused with divine power in the Holy Pontifical Court.
Success Reward: Fresh Elephantipes seedling
Failure Penalty: None]
[
Obviously selecting 'Yes'!
"Then let's depart together in three days."
"Yes!"
With this, the condition was fulfilled.
Now, let's go, weeds! And sweet potatoes!
✠
Meanwhile, that evening.
Bianca came to find me with a slightly flushed face.
I thought she might be sharing her impressions after enjoying a cozy time with her grandmother.
"This isn't your first life, is it?"
I was directly interrogated about my secret.
It was bound to happen eventually. Bianca is a quick-witted friend. I had also let slip various things at the tea table.
['The Heavenly Secrets Leakage Inspector' has been dispatched upon receiving a report of heavenly secrets leakage.]
['The Heavenly Secrets Leakage Inspector' glares at you fiercely.]
A new entity has appeared.
Ugh, what do I do? How should I explain this? Within bounds that wouldn't constitute rebellion against the worldview...
At that moment, Bianca brought her index finger to my lips.
"Shh, don't say anything."
"Hmm...?"
"Usually, you can't talk about these things because of taboos. Just let me listen comfortably, child."
"......"
"I didn't ask Grandmother. I just thought about the conversation between the two of you during the day. Grandmother said you were special. Between the lifespan you've lived and the lifespan you have remaining, she was probably referring to the lifespan you've lived. She said possessors of Life-and-Death Insight cannot casually make mentions of the future."
"......"
"I speculate that the time you've lived differs from your physical age. You somehow didn't seem like someone your age either."
...Sorry Bianca, but using mental age as your basis is a bit...
"You're certainly not a disguised demon; you're definitely human. I looked through documents and found a few cases of people with unusual lifespans."
The meticulousness of having already visited the library.
"Grandmother said you were 'one who returned,' meaning regression, right? But my thoughts differ."
Gulp. I swallowed dryly.
"Not regression, but reincarnation. If you had regressed and known the future, given your personality, you wouldn't have let me get tangled up in that dungeon."
"Oh..."
Sharp, isn't she?
I'm fundamentally a possessor, but it's also true that I reincarnated.
['The Heavenly Secrets Leakage Inspector' roars that making an admiring expression here is basically confirming it!]
How is that my problem?
Anyway, I didn't say anything. It's not my fault Bianca is smart. Ahem.
While I was feeling proud of having such a great friend, Bianca took my hand.
"To have a friend who is both an apostle of a god and a reincarnator, I must be truly lucky."
"Via..."
"I'll keep your secret to myself. Don't worry."
"Yeah, thank you."
I gained a friend who shared my secret, excluding the possession.
It felt like our friendship had deepened a little more...
"So how old are you?"
"...That's a secret."
"Age doesn't matter between friends."
"E-even so, later."
"Alright."
Someday the day will come when I can tell her, or when Bianca will figure it out.
The complete secret.
Chapter 7. Outside the House is Dangerous
"Phew, this should be enough luggage, right?"
"...Child, you aren't planning to never return, are you?"
"No, I'm not?"
Currently, I was laying out and inspecting the luggage I would take on my trip before putting it into my inventory.
Basic necessary clothing and toiletries. Regular medicine and sleeping pills to help with adjusting to a new place.
And finally, plenty of healing potions and emergency rations just in case. An excellent composition.
Bianca's thoughts seemed slightly different.
"The potions and emergency rations alone amount to a whole carriage's worth, you know?"
"You never know how life will turn out, Via."
Inside the Count's castle, the survival difficulty is F-rank, but outside is S-rank. What's wrong with being thoroughly prepared?
...Of course, since we'll be teleporting directly from the Count's castle to the Holy Pontifical Court, there's absolutely zero chance of getting caught up in a dungeon on the way.
"Honestly, I wanted to feel like I'm on a trip."
I never got to go on anything like a trip in my past life...
At my honest reason, Bianca finally understood and took my side.
"Well, you said if you put it in a spatial bag it doesn't feel heavy and doesn't spoil. Since you're packing anyway, put this in too."
"Ah, macarons?"
"Yeah. I specially asked Chef Peisha to bake them. They say the meals served at the Holy Pontifical Court are really tasteless, so eat them while hiding."
"Thank you so much, Via. I'll definitely bring back a souvenir when I return."
"I don't need souvenirs, so just be careful and come back quickly."
Bianca seemed reluctant to be apart from me for three days.
She could have come along, but since she had started her heir education today, the timing was awkward for her to be away.
This was a change that occurred after spending intimate time with her grandmother.
Apparently, Bianca had declared her ambition in front of Cardinal Cattleya that after ascending to the next Count's title, she would bring in Sword Master Derril as her husband to continue the lineage of the sword arts noble house.
Deeply moved, Cardinal Cattleya immediately summoned the Count and Countess and ordered them to assign all kinds of tutors to Bianca.
Thanks to this, Romdio, who had until now unquestioningly believed the next Count title was his, was reportedly trembling in shock.
"All done."
I neatly packed the luggage into my bag, changed into a comfortable dress, and finished preparations by putting on the necklace I received from Cardinal Cattleya. I went out to the main gate with Bianca.
"Child, travel safely. Listen to the Madam well."
"Don't worry, Dad."
"Will you be okay on the way back? You mustn't get lost."
"Come on, Brother. We'll warp using a teleportation stone, so why would I get lost?"
The experience of being seen off by family was as novel as the trip itself.
"Then everyone, stay well! I'll be back!"
After sufficient farewells, I approached Cardinal Cattleya's side.
"Are you all ready?"
"Yes!"
"Then let us depart."
The light particles created as the spatial teleportation stone crumbled enveloped our bodies.
The spreading white light devoured my vision. And.
[
"You may open your eyes now."
"..."
Even as the light faded, it was still dazzling. It was because water droplets bouncing everywhere were diffusely reflecting the sunlight.
I shielded my eyes slightly with my hand and looked around.
"Wow."
An entirely new landscape unfolded before my eyes.
Elegant arches and pillars made of snow-white marble, clear fountains pouring down like waterfalls along the waterways scattered throughout, dynamic sculptures of angels and saints.
It was an unrealistically beautiful place, as if I had descended into a new world.
['The Word that Builds the World' boasts about putting some effort into the graphics.]
Enough to make even the Creator feel proud.
As hymns played on a pipe organ from somewhere were added, sacredness naturally overflowed.
With my mouth hanging open, I slowly lifted my head.
Directly ahead, a massive triumphal gate carved like the entrance to heaven awaited me, displaying its majesty.
"This is..."
"Yes. The holy domain of the Theocracy, the Holy Pontifical Court."
I had finally arrived at the sweet potato habitat.
Special privileges for a possessor