Act 1: The Appraisal

Act 1:
The Appraisal

 

I SIGHED FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME as I gazed disconsolately out the window of the carriage making its way to the Royal Magi Assembly.

Johan Valdec, the head researcher at my institute, chuckled. “You don’t look too happy about this. Though I can’t say I don’t understand how you must be feeling.”

“Yeah…” I responded with my own chuckle. Johan shrugged apologetically.

My attention drifted back outside the carriage as I reflected upon the events of the day prior.

Just as we were wrapping up for the day, a message arrived from the Royal Magi Assembly. They wanted me to visit them so they could perform the Appraisal tomorrow—you know, the day that was now today.

Appraise what, you ask? Me.

After the mass magical healing I cast the other day at the hospital, every person in every corner of the Kingdom of Salutania was now calling me the Saint. Meanwhile, about a week ago, the grand magus, who had fallen into a coma after the Saint Summoning Ritual, finally woke up.

This grand magus was the only person in the whole kingdom who could Appraise human beings. His lengthy coma had thus far protected me from being subjected to the process. Though he had yet to fully recover, the kingdom considered confirming the Saint’s identity of highest priority, so he would push through to get it done.

Considering the events at the hospital, I couldn’t be surprised it had come to this. Of course people had started rumors I was the Saint after I used such powerful healing magic.

So, I had prepared myself for what was to come…but I was still agitated. From what I understood, Appraisal verified a person’s Stats, which meant there would be no hiding it anymore—my Stats clearly indicated I was the Saint.

“Are you really so upset about this?”

I must have made a bitter expression because when I turned, I found Johan frowning worriedly.

“Mm. I’d say I’m feeling pretty depressed.”

“I know you don’t want to hear it, but that’s what you get for going on a rampage like that.”

“‘Rampage’? That’s slander if I ever heard it. All I did was cure them a little bit,” I pouted.

“You call that ‘a little bit’?” Johan said, exasperated.

We exchanged a humorless chuckle. Johan had taken good care of me ever since I had moved into my room on the third floor of the research institute. He usually tried to shrug off even serious topics as no big deal so I wouldn’t fret, but once in a while, the matter was too obvious to defer.

He probably only tended my feelings because I worked for him, but I was grateful. Our spot of banter did cheer me up a little.

“Even so, I doubt they’ll act right away even after you’ve been Appraised,” he said slowly, suddenly wearing a grave expression.

The change had been gradual at first, but the palace was now certain that the number of monsters had decreased since the summoning ritual, meaning the Saint had definitely been summoned. However, the monsters had only decreased in the vicinity of the capital. They were still far too common once you ranged farther afield.

In the distant past, the Saints had accompanied the Knightly Orders to any territory suffering from a monster invasion. There, she used powers only she could wield to wipe out the monsters and purify the land. The kingdom hoped to do the same now.

“Does eliminating monsters…mean having to fight them?” I asked.

“It does. However, mages cast spells at range while protected by knights, so optimally, you wouldn’t be in as much danger.”

“But what if the monsters used magic, too? They’d be able to hit us then, right?”

“True enough. I can’t say you’d be completely safe.”

“I’ve never seen real battle. Neither has Aira.”

Sure, globally speaking, some places in my old world were embroiled in war. However, for as long as I’d been alive, Japan had always been at peace. Neither I nor Aira, the girl who had been summoned with me, had ever been in life-threatening situations—I assumed. I doubted either of us would be especially useful getting dragged along on one of the knights’ expeditions.

Although, I suppose I do have a ton of experience slaying monsters in games.

“Well, I expect she’s done some kind of training by now,” said Johan. “That girl who was summoned with you—Aira, was it? This is just the sort of thing she’s been studying at the Academy.”

“Really?”

“The students go to the eastern forest to slay monsters, after all. I’m sure she’s been as well.”

I was a bit dismayed to be reminded of this. I couldn’t help worrying about whether she’d be okay, though I also recalled one of the Knightly Orders had been assigned to guard her—along with the crown prince and the crown prince’s entourage—on just such an excursion. I hadn’t heard about Aira being injured or anything, so she was probably fine, I hoped. They’d gone to the eastern forest, hadn’t they? I understood that was largely populated by weaker monsters.

A thought popped into my head. “What if…today’s Appraisal doesn’t indicate I’m the Saint?”

Johan’s eyes widened a little, but he smiled and chuckled. “Then the work of the Saint would fall to Aira. But…”

“But what?”

“You’ll probably be asked to provide support.”

“Support how?”

“They’d primarily want you to employ your Healing Magic.”

That made sense. I had shocked a whole ton of people when I healed every single one of the injured members of the Second and Third Orders without breaking a sweat. I could very well picture them asking for round two of that treatment.

“If they request my assistance, am I going to have to transfer to the Royal Magi Assembly?” I asked.

“I’m not sure.”

“I’d rather not…if possible.”

The research institute was my favorite workplace ever. I didn’t mind saying “yes” to the odd request for support on the battlefield, but I kinda wasn’t looking for a career shift. When I told Johan as much, he promised he would handle it.

As we debated what was to come, we arrived at the barracks of the Royal Magi Assembly. One of their mages came out to greet us, and we followed him through the barracks.

Wherever we went, the other mages sneaked furtive glances at us. People had started doing the same at the royal palace, too. I was used to it, to an extent, but it still bothered me. Not that feeling bothered could change the situation.

“Head Researcher Valdec of the Research Institute of Medicinal Flora and Lady Sei are here to see you,” the mage announced as he knocked on the door to the grand magus’s office.

We were promptly told to enter, so the mage ushered us in. Inside, we found Lord Smarty-Glasses and a young man with navy-blue hair whose facial features were so perfectly beautiful that you’d think he’d been artificially crafted.

What in the world? How can there be so many gorgeous men assembled in one room like this?! I seriously feel out of place here!

Our mage guide left as soon as he saw us in, which left us at four: Johan, Lord Smarty-Glasses, the young man, and me.

“Welcome to the Royal Magi Assembly. I am Grand Magus Yuri Drewes.” The young man smiled sweetly as he introduced himself.

“My name is Sei.” Despite being overwhelmed by his beauty—I was frozen in place!—I somehow managed to introduce myself.

This was the grand magus? He looked even younger than Lord Smarty-Glasses, who stood right next to him. Or maybe Lord Smarty-Glasses came off as older because he was so handsome and put together.

Actually, this Yuri might be about the same age as Jude. It was probably impolite to guess, so I did my best not to show my surprise.

In any case, we were invited to sit on a couch. As we did so, Yuri also introduced Lord Smarty-Glasses, though he seemed to add it as an afterthought. “Oh, and this is Magus Erhart Hawke. I believe you two are already acquainted.”

“Uh, yes.”

Oh nooo. We had never formally introduced ourselves to one other, so I hadn’t had any idea who he was. Given the way the other mages got all stiff and flinchy around him sometimes, I had assumed he was high-ranking, but I hadn’t realized he was their magus, i.e., their second-in-command. I could totally see it, too.

However, it was his last name that really gave me pause. “Hawke”—did that mean…

Johan, who was sitting next to me, must have picked up on my surprise, because he whispered, “That’s Al’s older brother.”

Introductions out of the way, Yuri immediately jumped to the main reason for our meeting. “Now then, as I believe you are already aware, I wish to Appraise you.”

“So I heard.”

It was time.

Yuri began with an explanation of the magic, which proved similar to the one Jude had once given me. Appraisal Magic could be used on people, but without the subject’s consent, it got repelled. Furthermore, if the appraisee’s base level exceeded the Appraiser’s, it simply wouldn’t work.

“So, please, just relax,” Yuri said with a smile.

I’ll do my best… I nodded.

“Appraise.”

I wasn’t an entirely willing subject, but more than anything, I hoped the spell wouldn’t just bounce off. The implications of that… At any rate, I obediently let him cast it on me.

For a moment, an indescribable sensation washed over me—followed by the sensation of something…glancing away? The strange discomfort vanished more or less immediately.

Huh? Wait, did it work?

I blinked in surprise. Everyone, including the grand magus, looked shocked as well. Then Johan sent me a suspicious glance.

Wait, wait, I’ve been falsely accused! I swear I cooperated!

“Sei,” Johan scolded.

I was positive I hadn’t fought the spell, so I shot him an annoyed look.

At this, Yuri smoothed over his own startlement with a smile. “I take it that means you didn’t refuse the Appraisal on purpose?”

“Of course not!”

Yuri touched his chin and looked down, only looking back up after a moment of thought. “In that case, I can only conclude that your base level exceeds mine.”

“I see.”

“Would you care to share that level?”

He had figured me out. This had to be the problem, since it was the only other reason Appraisal could fail. And, well, I was nearly sure my base level surpassed his. You see, the knights of the Third Order were all lower than me, and the majority were in the thirties. I had long since realized that meant people of higher ranks in the knightly and magical orders had to be Level 40-something, or thereabouts.

But since my base level was Level 55, even someone at Level 49 would be six levels lower than me.

He wants the truth, huh? Hm… Jude and the knights were all so casual when I asked for theirs. I guess it shouldn’t be too big a deal to share mine.

“Fifty-five,” I answered honestly.

All three of them made a different face: Yuri’s smile froze. Lord Smarty-Glasses’ eyes opened wide. Johan gaped.

That’s quite the once-in-a-lifetime expression for you, Johan.

“Fifty-five…you say…” Yuri was the first to regain his composure, and he murmured as if trying to register what I had said.

I confirmed aloud. For some reason, he started laughing.

“Level 55 would indeed fend off my Appraisal, yes.”

“Your base level’s how high?” Johan stared at me, still shocked.

Please, don’t look at me like that. I’ve been the same level this whole time!

“I see. That is quite perplexing.” Yuri didn’t look especially perplexed to me, though. When I tilted my head in question, Yuri furrowed his brow in a somewhat perplexed manner. “If we can’t Appraise you, then I suppose we must resort to the traditional method.”

“Traditional method?”

“Indeed.”

Upon hearing this, Lord Smarty-Glasses smoothly rose from his seat, went to gather a pen and paper from the grand magus’s desk, and placed them in front of me. Yuri explained himself as I frowned at these two thoroughly mundane objects: If no mage was available to Appraise someone, it was up to the person in question to report their Stats themselves.

The grand magus simply didn’t have the time to check every single person’s Stats, so the majority of the populace reported their abilities using this method.

For example, everyone who worked at the palace self-reported their Stats prior to employment. However, a person’s skills and level partially determined their career path and potential for promotion, which tempted some to exaggerate their numbers. As such, palace employees were subjected to random tests to see if they could back up their claims. Previously, these tests had required the individual to use magic appropriate to the level they reported themselves to be. Now, however, if the need arose, the current grand magus could wander over and Appraise someone himself.

“Will you be able to see my Stats if I cast the test spell?” I asked out of curiosity.

“No. Stats are naturally confidential, and we treat them as such.”

It sounded a bit like how personal information was treated in Japan. Nevertheless, despite Yuri’s assurances, given how offhandedly Jude and the knights had told me their levels, it didn’t seem like most people were inclined to keep this information all that big of a secret. Since useful skills could lead to quick promotions, a number of people thought it beneficial to freely share theirs.

“I see.” I looked back down at the paper. Hmm, what to do? Maybe I should just write it down…

I stared unmoving at the paper. I was so still that the other three didn’t say a word. The room sank into silence.

On the way to the Assembly, Johan and I had talked a lot about the future, but I still felt uncertain. If I wrote my true Stats now, I would be compelled to take up the mantle of the Saint.

So…what if I lied? Slight problem there. Although I had asked Jude and everyone about their levels and such, I didn’t really know what average Salutanian Stats looked like. And if I didn’t concoct a convincing lie, it would be as good as not lying at all.

“Are you unwilling?” Yuri asked while I mulled. I frowned up at him, and he smiled kindly at me. “You don’t have to report anything you don’t want to.”

At those words, Lord Smarty-Glasses eyes widened again. I looked to my side to find Johan with the same expression.

“Really?” I asked.

“I don’t mind.”

“Grand Magus.” Lord Smarty-Glasses sounded flustered, but Yuri didn’t take back his words.

Rather, he laughed again. “Listen, if you don’t want to do it, how can we believe anything you write? No, this won’t do.”

Be that as it may, were they really okay with no report at all? Lord Smarty-Glasses and Johan didn’t seem to be.

I know they have ways to assess my Magic skills in a roundabout fashion, but are they not going to do that either? I didn’t ask that out loud, but I peered at Yuri dubiously.

His smile deepened, just slightly. “Instead, I ask only that you cast a spell or two.”

Ah, so that was his plan. But seeing as so many people had already witnessed me casting unusual magic at the hospital, I couldn’t really protest against casting the same thing in front of them—that skill was already on the record.

I nodded, and Yuri explained what he wanted me to do. I was to cast Heal, which I had used numerous times during that whole “rampage,” as Johan called it. I pointed out that no one here was injured—I hoped—but Yuri assured me the spell could be used on healthy people, too.

Was that really all he was after, though? Heal was the most basic of Holy Magic spells. Although, I suppose its power increased depending on an individual’s Holy Magic level. Additionally, when cast on healthy people, it was difficult, if not impossible, to quantitatively describe its effect, so I couldn’t see how this was going to help them determine my Stats.

“Just what is this going to tell you?” I asked curiously.

“There’s just something I’d like to confirm.”

Yuri explained that he wanted to see if magic cast by those summoned from another world was qualitatively different from magic cast by people of this world.

Hey, wait a minute… Was it? I had seen Jude cast magic before, but Water Magic and Holy Magic just looked too different for me to make any assumptions. Unfortunately, I had never seen anyone else use Holy Magic. Oof. I wanted to ask for a visual demonstration from a native, but that would make it sound like I expected there to be a damning difference. After all, I had been reluctant to report my Stats. They had ample reason to suspect my true nature—they just lacked confirmation.

I thought it over, but I couldn’t come up with a deflection.

At worst, if there is a remarkable difference, I can just hand-wave it by speculating that it’s, you know, like he says—I’m from another world! Guess my magic’s weird! Or, you know, it’s just odd because my base level is high, right? Right.

Okay. I could do this.

I concentrated on casting Heal. Yuri didn’t direct me to cast it on any specific person, so I just cast it on myself. The spell covered my whole body in a faint but bright white mist. Gold sparkles twinkled through the white, just like always, looking very pretty.

“Oh, my,” I heard someone say under their breath and found Lord Smarty-Glasses with his eyes once again stuck in big ol’ deer-in-headlights position.

Hoo boy. Maybe there was something different about my power.

I glanced at the other two to find Yuri’s eyes positively sparkling, while Johan actually looked calmer and more like himself than he had since I revealed my base level.

Yuri and Lord Smarty-Glasses, though… They didn’t seem calm at all.

“Is… Is there something weird, then?” I asked.

“Indeed.” Yuri nodded excitedly. “Take a look at this.”

And then Yuri cast Heal on himself, too, and his body glowed white.

“Do you see?” he asked after the light faded.

But, well, I couldn’t. I shook my head, and he cast it again. His body once more glowed white—and that’s when I figured it out. To double-check, I also cast Heal on myself. Just like Yuri, I glowed white, but my spell produced those tell-tale gold sparkles.

“Do you see it now?” he asked.

“I do…”

At last, Yuri revealed that he had heard from the knights of the Second and Third Orders that my Heal spell had seemed somewhat odd to them. When other mages cast the spell, they produced a white light like I had just seen on Yuri—sparkles, though, those were weird.

Sometimes, granted, Elemental Magic could (literally) color a spell. White light indicated Holy Magic; other elements emitted different colors. Normally, though, you needed to train in order to perceive this effect.

Yuri said he wasn’t sure if my gold sparkles were an effect of my alien origin or if there was another cause.

It occurred to me then that I didn’t think anyone had checked Aira’s Stats yet, either. When I asked, they confirmed they hadn’t. I wondered if they would tell me how her Stats came out… But since they were confidential, that was probably a pipe dream.

However, Yuri did promise that if he discovered the cause for my sparkles, he would tell me right way—seeing as it directly concerned me.

In the end, we didn’t confirm whether I was the Saint, but we did now know my magic was different from that of anyone else in the kingdom.

So many crazy things had happened since my summoning. At least I now had a feeling I knew the cause of my fifty-percent-bonus curse—it mostly arose when I used magic, after all. Good grief.

 

***

 

Two days after my Appraisal at the Royal Magi Assembly, a messenger came from the palace. Messengers from the palace were a regular thing, but this time it was a much more formal affair than usual, so much so that Johan received them at the entrance to the research institute. He even asked me to join him in welcoming them.

After a terribly stuffy exchange between Johan and the messenger, we all went to his office.

The messenger was being all stiff because he had brought a letter addressed to me from His Majesty, the king. The contents of the letter were as follows: He wanted me to meet him the following day at the palace.

Uhh, so this is an audience with the king?

“Johan…” I said.

“Yeah?”

“I don’t really have anything suitable to wear.”

Upon reading the letter, I couldn’t help thinking of the first time I had met the king. He’d said something about wanting to issue a formal apology. Was that what this was about? But I was pretty sure I had told him I didn’t need—or want!—an apology on such a grand, official scale. Maybe he hadn’t listened.

Also, while Liz had taught me some basic manners for conducting myself here in the kingdom, we hadn’t covered anything on the level of an audience with the king.

Therefore: I tried, oh how I tried, to refuse the meeting on the basis of improper attire…but that didn’t work.

“You needn’t prepare a thing, Lady Sei,” said the messenger. “We have all you might require ready for you in the palace.”

Welp, there went my chance for escape. I had to confess I really had no idea what I was doing, but the messenger assured me manners wouldn’t be a problem and kept politely encouraging me and/or insisting that I should go. Although I felt a bit uneasy about the messenger’s unerringly polite demeanor, I realized it might be problematic if I resisted any further and gave in to the invitation.

Maybe I should have pushed harder, but I had a feeling that would just cause more trouble in the end.

The day I met His Majesty in the library, he had tried to offer me all kinds of things, like land and a title. If I were to deny him yet again, he might think I was still mad about my initial treatment—and maybe I was, kind of—and then he might forcibly grant me land and a title as some kind of desperate apology. It would leave me in an incredibly awkward position, since I definitely wouldn’t know what to do with that.

Also, part of me worried I might get Johan in trouble if I put my foot down. From the point of view of the research institute, the king was their boss’s boss’s boss, etc. Though I was in another world and was considered a bit eccentric, Johan could catch blame for not corralling me, as he was born here and had to know better.

Even if no one got on his case explicitly, it had to be difficult for him being stuck between me and the palace all the time. Middle management sure has it rough. Johan had done so much for me, so I didn’t want to stress him out or make trouble.

Though, I bet if I ever expressed this concern to him, he’d just tell me not to worry.

 

The following day, I left for the palace early in the morning to ready myself for the audience.

It seemed the process of getting ready to meet the king was an involved one, to say the least. When I wondered aloud if it was truly necessary to start preparing at the crack of dawn, the messenger snorted as if I were crazy.

The palace had prepared large chambers for my arrival; it resembled a hotel suite in that it had several rooms, including a bedroom and living room. The maids waiting there swarmed me the moment I entered. They whisked me to the bathroom, had me stripped in the blink of an eye, and propelled me into a piping hot bath.

I washed every day at the institute, so I thought it kind of unnecessary to do so again, but they wouldn’t budge. They scrubbed me from head to toe, even my fingertips. I was overwhelmed, but I had endured this before, back when I lived in the palace for a time right after my summoning.

It was a little scary to think I might become used to this kind of thing.

The maids attending me that morning were the ones who had taken care of me in my first days at the palace, which did help me reckon with this second round of embarrassing intimacy.

After I got out of the tub, the maids thoroughly massaged my whole body. They used a combination of geranium and bergamot essential oils, so the room filled with a lovely perfume. The maids were quite skilled masseuses, so it felt fantastic. Considering I’d woken up before sunrise, I couldn’t help but doze off.

After the massage, I sat in a daze as the maids swiftly applied my makeup. Then someone said my name, snapping me back to reality. When I looked in the mirror, I found myself so polished that I didn’t recognize the lady staring back at me. They had left my hair down as usual, but even that had been treated with scented oil and attentively combed, which left it luminous. The maids seemed quite satisfied with their work.

Now that my body was ready, all that remained was to get dressed. The maids held up not a dress, like I had imagined, but a robe made of lustrous white cloth with elegant golden embroidery. The choice surprised me, since up until that point, it had seemed they were trying to doll me up like some kind of noble lady. I had really thought they would stuff me into one of those dresses with the hardcore waist corset.

This robe resembled what the mages of the Royal Magi Assembly wore, but far lovelier. I couldn’t help but think it looked…saintly. My cheek twitched reflexively at the thought.

I couldn’t remember doing anything that particularly Saint-ish on the day of my Appraisal. However, while I hadn’t exactly confirmed anything, I had acted rather suspiciously. In the end, I failed to write down my Stats, which probably just made me look guilty. And that was that. Between my behavior and everything else, they likely felt justified in going ahead and treating me as the Saint.

As I thought all this over, the maids went about clothing me. When they were done, I took another look in the mirror, only to find the Saint standing where Sei should’ve been.

Yeah. What could I say? Even I was surprised. I looked so pure and Saintly that I almost expected a halo to pop into existence over my head. It was like some kind of joke.

“You look beautiful,” the head maid praised me.

“Thank you,” I said honestly. If I looked impressive, it was entirely thanks to their skills.

My own hard work had improved the condition of my skin since my arrival, but I looked as pretty as I did now because people whose jobs it was to beautify people had worked their magic on me. Honestly, seeing my skin glow even brighter than usual pleased me and left me a little excited, too.

Just as I was admiring my reflection, I heard someone announce I had a visitor. I didn’t mind, since I was decked out in such a way that I couldn’t possibly be embarrassed, and told them to let the visitor into the living room.

I took one last look at myself in the bedroom mirror before heading out to meet my guest.

“Lord Hawke?” I found Knight Commander Albert Hawke waiting for me on the couch. I blinked at him in surprise. Huh? Why is he here?

He stood and turned toward me. “Good morning, Sei.”

“Good morning. Um, did something happen?”

I asked it in such a weird way that Albert cocked his head in confusion before finally grasping what I was trying to ask. At that, he explained that he was here to be my bodyguard on the way to my meeting with the king.

My bodyguard?! Wait, we’re in the palace, aren’t we? Why would I need a bodyguard?

He chuckled awkwardly at my surprise. “Perhaps I thought you’d be lonely by yourself. Guess I shouldn’t have come?”

“Huh? Oh! No, I don’t mind at all!” I shook my head.

“Good.” He looked relieved.

“Um, thank you.”

Apparently, even the people native to Salutania got nervous before their first audience with the king. Albert had come especially because he understood it helped to have someone you knew beside you at times like these. He had heard about my audience from Johan, who was also worried.

My heart warmed at their kindness.

Thank you, both of you. As I thought that, I noticed Albert staring at me. “What is it?” I asked.

“Oh, uh… Just, you look different than usual, but very pretty as always.” He was momentarily at a loss for words, then smiled softly.

On my end, it was like he’d dropped a bombshell on me. Although I had grown a bit used to Johan’s attacks, Albert’s were still super-effective. The days he said such things, with that glow on his cheeks and slightly husky voice, I always! I just! Aaahhh…

My face flushed instantly. I was sure steam was coming off my cheeks. I really wasn’t used to this kind of compliment, okay?!

I held back the urge to screech and stared down at my feet in an effort to hide my face. Plus, I couldn’t bring myself to look him in the eye just yet.

“Sei,” Albert took a step toward me, closing the distance between us.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him raise his hand. I squeezed my eyes shut just as he was about to touch my cheek.

“I-It’s because the maids are so good at their jobs…” I trailed off and then remembered the maids were actually with us.

W-was I acting weird in front of other people?! My eyes darted about to find the maids glancing our way as they waited by the walls for further requests.

When my eyes met theirs, they quietly looked away.

They definitely saw… Oh my God, I just want to crawl into a hole right now. I cradled my head, filled with the urge to crouch down on the spot, but then there was a knock at the door.

The indescribable mood in the room dissipated, and one of the maids moved to answer the door. As Albert lowered his hand, I trembled with a mix of relief and disappointment.

The official who knocked had come to tell us the king was ready to receive me.

The maids saw us out as we followed the official to the throne room. It seemed to be some distance, and we walked in silence down a series of long, long halls. If I had been alone, I probably would’ve lost my mind around then. Thankfully, since Albert was right behind me, I remained relatively calm.

When we arrived at the doors to the throne room, the official explained what would happen once I stepped inside. Thank goodness he covered it again—I feared I was about to be tossed into the deep end. At last, I took a deep breath, and the guards posted outside opened the doors.

To my surprise, the throne room was far smaller than I had imagined. I had expected something huge and spacious, not this relatively confined space that contained a dozen or so people (whom I could only assume were nobles). In the back, at the center, the throne loomed, with His Majesty the king seated upon it. The man standing next to him had to be the prime minister. He was middle-aged, with smoothed-back navy-blue hair and a stern expression.

Albert stepped out from behind me and moved to join the nobles. Our eyes met for the briefest of moments. A twinkle in his eye told me I would be okay.

And so, I followed the official’s instructions and walked to the center of the room. When I came to a stop, I heard the doors close behind me. I didn’t have a script for what was supposed to happen next. The official had told me to come here and nothing else. I felt nervous, and the atmosphere was strange and tense.

After a few moments, the king stood from his throne, making the atmosphere tense even further. He proceeded down from the dais the throne sat upon and made his way to me, stopping only a few steps away.

“I am Siegfried Salutania, the ruler of this kingdom.”

“My name is Sei Takanashi.” I gave my name back; I didn’t know if that was the appropriate next step, but it seemed right.

“First, I must apologize for summoning you to my kingdom without warning, as well as for my son’s uncouth behavior.” He bowed deeply to me.

Everyone around us followed suit: they bowed simultaneously to me.

Whoa, hold on a minute. How am I supposed to handle this?! I was mentally drenched in a cold sweat, but everyone remained completely still as they followed the king’s lead.

Putting the question of forgiveness aside, I should probably have him raise his head, right?

“Please rise,” I managed to stop my voice from quivering as I made the request.

All at once, everyone stood straight again. The tension in the air seemed to relax just a touch.

I knew the king wanted to make me a formal apology, but this was just way too much for a commoner like me to handle. Hoo boy, I’d really appreciate if we never did this ever again.

I hoped we were done, but I wasn’t so lucky.

“Lady Sei, since your arrival, you have performed numerous meritorious deeds for my people. In addition to my apology, I am compelled to reward you. What do you desire? Say it, and it is yours.”

“A reward?” I had no idea off the top of my head, especially since I had been banking on the apology being the end of these shenanigans.

A reward, a reward… Come on, Sei, he asked you this before, didn’t he? But there wasn’t anything in particular I needed! Would it be okay to say I don’t want one again?

I glanced Albert’s way to find his brow furrowed. It wasn’t just him, either, but the other nobles, too. They watched with bated breath to see how this played out.

“It could be rank in court, land, anything, as long as it is in our power. Simply name your wish,” the prime-minister guy suggested, since I had been silent for so long.

I really didn’t know how to respond, and worse, I realized the mood was getting all tense again. Both the (probably) prime minister and the king wore stern looks.

Maybe it’s common to dole out titles and land and stuff, but I don’t want any of that! There’s no way I’d be able to handle either, and I’m afraid they’d limit my freedoms, too. Not to mention, possessing either of those would make it difficult to leave this country if I ever needed to. Although, I guess I could just accept them and then give it all up if I really wanted to leave.

“Um, I’m not…”

As my thoughts swirled, I started mumbling a vague refusal, but that only made the prime minister frown all the more. What would happen if I once again insisted I didn’t want anything? I had the impulse to say just that, if only to see what they’d do, but I had a feeling that was kind of inappropriate, given how agitated everyone looked.

Based on the king’s own words, the point of this audience was his apology. Perhaps they meant to use my acceptance (or not) of this reward to gauge my true feelings.

In truth, while I had been pretty ticked off when I was first summoned, over half a year had passed since then, and that anger had simmered down quite a bit. I liked my life at the research institute, and I’d stopped being so worked up about things since devoting myself to my research.

Being angry required a cosmic crap-ton of energy, after all, so it was hard to stay upset for long. Rather than waste my energy on ill feeling, I preferred using it to gain a firm foothold on my new life. In fact, the researchers, the knights, everyone I had met…they were all good people. Maybe part of me was already bound to them.

At first, I had wanted to leave Salutania as soon as possible, but now, I didn’t think I did. Actually, I only wanted to be prepared to leave as an emergency backup plan. Despite that, I didn’t really have any strong feelings about fleeing anymore, even with the king insisting on this vaguely mortifying apology.

Hmm. I want to say “thanks, but no thanks,” but I worry it’d just put us back at square one, and we’d do this song and dance all over again. And that would be problematic. It’d be better to think of some kind of reward and end it here. I’d rather it be something that wouldn’t be too troublesome, but what?

Suddenly, an idea came to mind. “You said I could ask for anything, right?”

“Of course.”

“In that case, may I have permission to enter the Forbidden Depository?”

The king looked slightly taken aback. However, the fact of the matter was that this request wouldn’t cause me more problems later, and more importantly, I did actually want it a whole lot.

I had been hoping to make a kind of potion even more potent than high-grade potions, but I had been stuck for a long time. I had finished reading practically every book related to herbology in the royal library, and all I could think to do next was check out the books in the Forbidden Depository. However, I had half-given up on the idea, since only a few of the researchers had permission to go in there.

Therefore, I asked for this permission as my reward. I had no other options.

“Also, I would like to study magic, so could you assign me an instructor?”

Asking for one more thing had to tie a bow on this—it just had to.

And, after all, thanks to my Magic skills, I could use magic, too. However, everything I knew was self-taught from books in the library, so I suspected I still had a lot to learn. The world I came from didn’t have magic, so I wanted a chance to properly learn from a teacher. Not to mention, being able to use magic in this world would lend itself well to my future independence.

“Very well. I shall have these prepared for you.”

With that, my wishes were granted. However, they seemed unexpected. The palace said it would take some time to coordinate things, so once my rewards were ready, I would be notified.