Time passed after the academy’s midterm exams, and before I knew it, it was the day before the Talent Selection Tournament.
“Wow, that’s amazing.”
“….”
I had reserved an inn near the academy in advance and summoned the executives.
As I waited from early in the morning, I beamed with a smile when I saw Lady Hestia entering with them and began to praise her.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect the transformation to be this perfect. It’s beyond my expectations.”
“Even my eyes, which know the plan, find it completely convincing, so anyone unaware wouldn’t be able to tell the difference at all.”
Instead of her usual long brown hair, she now had short orange hair with a slight red tint.
Her previously flawless face was now naturally dotted with freckles.
Her typically gentle appearance had vanished without a trace, replaced by sharp eyes that somehow looked angry.
Dressed in rough clothing with compression bandages wrapped around her, Hestia no longer carried the noble aura of a saint.
Instead, she exuded the complete presence of a mere extra character.
“Mr. Bergen, you must have gone through a lot.”
Compared to the clumsy disguise Sasha had attempted at the mansion, this was a truly perfect result.
It was easy to imagine just how much effort Bergen, a master of disguises and makeup, had to put in.
“Ha, don’t even get me started. That saint couldn’t stay still for even a moment while I was applying the makeup, so I had to redo it multiple times….”
“……Still, you shouldn’t be smoking. Parsha is here, remember?”
“Ah, my bad. I’ve been around rough folks for so long that it’s become a habit.”
If it were just the saint or Runiel, I wouldn’t have minded.
But since Parsha was around the same age as my younger sibling, I couldn’t tolerate smoking in front of her.
I gave Bergen a pointed look as he rummaged through his cigarette pack, making him awkwardly mutter an excuse.
“Anyway, all of this is ultimately helping me find my daughter, right?”
“…Of course, Bergen.”
His eyes suddenly sharpened as he threw me the question.
I responded with a gentle smile and began to reassure him.
“Once this mission is perfectly completed, the saint and the Holy Nation will stand behind us. Don’t forget that.”
“Hmm.”
“And of course, I will spare no effort or resources in tracking down the hideouts of the black mages.”
“Is that so….”
Despite my words, Bergen’s expression remained dissatisfied.
Well, from his perspective, his daughter was likely suffering somewhere right now, while he was stuck doing something seemingly unrelated.
It was understandable that he felt uneasy.
“Also, this is a secret, but I’ve actually turned one of the black mages into an informant.”
“…What did you just say?”
“Even after this operation ends, I don’t know if I can maintain that connection, but if I can, you might be able to find your daughter very soon.”
Lowering my voice, I shared a piece of information I had obtained during the midterm exams.
Bergen’s pupils widened in response.
“So please, hold on just a little longer.”
“……”
“I promise you, the ones who brought you tragedy will pay the price.”
Bergen stared blankly at me for a moment.
Then, letting out a small scoff, he slumped into a chair in the corner and muttered.
“Honestly, when I was applying makeup on a girl young enough to be my daughter, I kept wondering what the hell I was doing….”
“···.”
“But yeah, I suppose. Someone like you probably has a plan I wouldn’t even understand.”
Being overestimated like this felt a bit burdensome.
Still, I was relieved that he seemed to understand.
“Alright, let’s go over the plan one last time.”
Now, it was time to focus on the operation scheduled for tomorrow.
“Our ultimate goal is to infiltrate the saint into the academy and have her encounter the Hero during the selection tournament.”
“The success of this plan hinges on the moment they come into contact. When they resonate, the saint’s body will emit a radiant glow, allowing us to confirm immediately.”
As I began explaining the plan, everyone fell silent and focused on my words.
For some reason, I started feeling deeply moved.
With such an elite team assembled, failure was not an option.
I needed to stay sharp.
“Now, let’s go over the details. Parsha, distribute the prepared maps.”
“Yes!”
At my command, Parsha, who had been lazily sprawled in her chair, jumped up excitedly and handed out the maps to everyone.
“Tomorrow morning, the saint will naturally blend into the procession of holy knights heading to the academy and enter the premises.”
“Um….”
“I’ll take all questions at once later.”
“Ah, okay….”
Hestia, who had been staring blankly at the map, hurriedly raised her hand but then sullenly lowered it at my words.
She then grabbed a cookie from the table and began munching on it.
Was she trying to enjoy her last indulgence before heading back to the Holy Nation?
Well, I didn’t mind, but if she drank alcohol, it could disrupt the plan, so I had to keep an eye on her.
“Anyway, once inside, the saint will disguise herself as a maid and naturally regroup with me.”
“Then, we’ll observe the situation together. If nothing unusual happens, she will subtly make contact with the tournament winners, and that will be the end.”
I cast a brief glance at Hestia, then shifted my gaze to the others as I wrapped up my explanation.
“That’s everything for now. Any questions?”
“…Me—oh. Ugh.”
Then, Hestia, who had stuffed her mouth full of cookies and was munching like a hamster, swallowed everything in one go and asked a question with an uneasy expression.
“W-Will it really be that easy for me to blend into the procession of the Holy Knights?”
It was hard to believe that this was the same person who used to tremble just at the sight of me not long ago.
But since she was at least sensible, her question was quite reasonable.
“I’m a little worried too. At the knight academy I attended, roll calls and headcounts were routine.”
As expected, Runiel, who had approached and was standing close beside me, voiced her concerns with a worried tone.
“I understand your concerns, but that part won’t be a problem.”
If I hadn’t prepared for something this basic, I wouldn’t deserve to be called an expert.
“…Because the very lodging where the Holy Knights will be staying upon arriving in the Empire tomorrow morning is right here.”
Of course, I had anticipated this and prepared accordingly.
“Naturally, one of the Holy Knights will be assigned to this very room as well.”
“Then….”
“I’ve already spoken to the innkeeper. Fortunately, he has a very close relationship with Alfred. Ha ha….”
However, as the atmosphere in the room grew heavier, I trailed off my laughter and looked around, tilting my head in confusion.
“Well, with the godfather’s influence, even the Holy Nation would have no choice but to comply.”
“That’s right! An inquisition only convicts the accused, but in the underworld, family members are dragged in as well….”
“Hah, you sure know a lot for a kid. Where did you learn that?”
“From my grandfather!”
“…What?”
Hestia’s complexion turned pale, which was one thing, but I couldn’t help but notice the ominous undertone in Bergen and Parsha’s conversation, even if I didn’t fully understand it.
“I think there’s a misunderstanding, but no one will get hurt.”
“…Really?”
“The innkeeper will simply lace their dinner with a sedative. Once they’re fast asleep, we’ll switch the knight’s armor and gear onto the saint.”
Feeling wronged by their reactions, I explained the plan in detail.
After hearing me out, Bergen quietly nodded, and the tense atmosphere gradually eased.
“I see, so they’re just a disposable pawn if necessary… But I was taught that evidence should be completely erased.”
“Kid, what exactly does your grandfather do for a living?”
Parsha was the only one still looking dissatisfied, muttering something under her breath, but since time wasn’t on our side, I ignored it.
“For reference, Paladins and the Holy Knights are required to be in full gear at all times, except during personal activities. That means they always wear their helmets.”
“Ah….”
“Since the saint hasn’t awakened yet, her level of divine power won’t be much different from that of an ordinary knight. That means she can blend into the procession perfectly.”
As I finished explaining, Runiel, who had been listening intently beside me, nodded in understanding.
“That’s why your role is crucial, Runiel.”
“Understood.”
“You’ll be hiding in the room with the saint, helping her change into the armor, and reacting swiftly in case of an emergency. You can handle that, right?”
“Of course.”
After encouraging her and pausing for a moment, Bergen, who had been glancing at Parsha, turned to me with a question.
“I have one more thing I’m curious about. Once the saint enters, who will help her disguise as a maid?”
“That would be you, Bergen.”
I answered cheerfully, only for Bergen to frown in displeasure and voice his complaint.
“Do you even realize how tight the academy’s security is? I need to prepare myself mentally if I’m going to infiltrate….”
“…So are you saying you can’t do it?”
“Well, it’s not impossible, but….”
“Alright, then I’ll count on you.”
Knowing full well that Bergen’s skills hadn’t rusted, I dismissed his complaints easily and turned my attention to Parsha, who had been eagerly raising her hand.
“You said that if nothing happens, the plan will be a success. Does that mean you suspect some kind of incident will occur during the selection tournament?”
As expected, the last question from Parsha pointed out the most critical issue.
“There’s a very high possibility of that.”
“Then we need countermeasures….”
“Of course, I’ve already prepared for that as well.”
I said that, but in reality, I couldn’t reveal the specifics of my plan.
Because if I did, everyone in this room would surely try to stop me—it was a reckless strategy.
“So if you notice anything suspicious, report it immediately.”
“But….”
“Don’t worry about me. Ha ha.”
Fortunately, everyone except Parsha seemed to accept that I had some sort of plan, so I was relieved.
“Something about this feels unsettling….”
“Alright, that concludes the operation briefing.”
With the plan reviewed once more, I finally felt ready to dive into the grand episode of the Talent Selection Tournament.
Depending on whether we successfully navigate this event, the fate of the world could change.
Of course, the fate of both myself and Lady Meredia as well.
“It’s time to move, everyone.”
The time for worrying was over.
“It’s time to save the world.”
Now, I had to throw myself into the grand current of events and reap the rewards of our efforts.
*****
“…Ah.”
With those stirring words, I was about to leave the inn, carrying a slight sense of excitement.
But the moment I opened the door, my heightened emotions froze over in an instant.
“W-Who are you, and why are you in my room?”
Standing at the entrance was a female knight dressed in the unmistakable white armor of the Holy Knights—who were supposed to arrive later.
“…Master, who told you the arrival time of the Holy Knights?”
“That was Prince Kendrick, I believe… Ah.”
As I stood there momentarily dazed, Parsha’s quiet question from behind helped me immediately grasp the situation.
…Did he mistake 9 AM for 9 PM?
Princess Katarina was the type to generously give away information when on your side.
But the problem was, half of what she shared was a ticking time bomb.
Now, I was facing her pure malice firsthand, and it made my head throb.
“I don’t know who you are, but please leave this room at once.”
“My comrades will be coming up soon, and things will get complicated if they see you here. It would be best if you left through the back door—”
For a moment, I silently observed the female knight, who was looking at us with innocent eyes and speaking in a gentle voice.
“Runiel. Bergen.”
“…Yes.”
“Sigh….”
In the end, I let out a deep sigh and gave the inevitable command to Runiel, who was already loosening up, and Bergen, who had started sighing heavily.
“Tie her up.”
And so, a small commotion ensued.
Cliche Novel 