"Fia, where have you been for so long? You caused such a commotion this morning, and then you disappeared as soon as we brought you back to the manor!" (Cyril)
Captain Cyril came up to me looking genuinely worried.
"How many hours do you think have passed since then? It's almost dusk, you know." (Cyril)
It sounds like a huge problem, but, well, I'm an adult, you know? And since today was a festival, all the knights should have been free to do as they pleased.
Why is the Captain worrying about me like I'm a child?
Feeling dissatisfied, I glanced up, only to see Captain Cyril continued as if to confirm.
"I don't know how you will be treated in this land because of your red hair, so I told you that either I or Curtis will accompany you for your safety." (Cyril)
"Ugh!" (Fia)
…Yes, I certainly think that’s what he said. I had completely forgotten about it until now.
W-Well, that was before the residents became convinced that I was the reincarnation of the Great Saint, so the situation has changed... I guess that will work? Yes, that doesn't work. I should have explained that to Captain Cyril beforehand and gotten permission to go out alone.
Looking at Captain Cyril who was frowning in worry, I realized that this was all entirely my fault.
It's impossible. It would be the height of stupidity to try to fight against the already eloquent Captain Cyril in such a bad situation!
Realizing that this was a completely losing battle, I decided not to commit any more foolish acts, but instead bowed deeply and apologized sincerely.
"I'm sorry for worrying you. As for where I was, after I left the lord's mansion, I went around the festival shops with the children. I ate baked fruit, amber candy, fluffy candy, egg bread... and then the children went home, so I was left alone." (Fia)
In order not to give Captain Cyril an opening to attack, I explained quickly and without stopping.
"Then, Erial... well, he seems to be the grandson of the tribe chief over here, and he tried to kidnap me... but in the end, Erial made a mistake and the kidnapping didn't succeed, so I followed him on my own two feet. Then Captain Curtis secretly followed us, and he was slashed by Erial and his men..." (Fia)
"Wait, Fia! There were some strange words. Why would you follow someone who was trying to kidnap you? And what do you mean, Curtis was slashed? I'm sure Curtis was even more furious than I was when he went looking for you..." (Cyril)
Captain Cyril tried to interrupt me with his own words, but the moment he saw Captain Curtis appear from behind me, he was speechless.
...I think that's probably true. Looking again, Captain Curtis's once pure white knight uniform had turned dark black due to his blood. Of course the bleeding had stopped, but there was almost no white left in his knight uniform, making him look like he was seriously injured and on the verge of death.
"It's fine. Just a minor injury." (Curtis)
Captain Cyril looked worried, and Captain Curtis said it so casually, leaving Captain Cyril at a loss for words.
It was unclear whether this was because Captain Curtis, who had always been polite with Captain Cyril, suddenly started using ordinary language, or because he had boldly described what were clearly serious injuries as only minor, or whether he had sensed that Captain Curtis was exuding an aura of a different person.
However, Captain Curtis himself paid no attention to Captain Cyril's surprise, and just looked at me as if waiting for my response.
Suddenly, I looked over at the large group of residents who had gathered around me.
Then, Chief Radek came running out from among the residents in a panic.
"Great Sainte, I'm glad you're safe!" (Chief)
As he said that, the chief bowed his head exaggeratedly, but when he noticed Myu holding hands with me, his eyes widened in surprise.
"Myu, you're sick, aren't you supposed to be living in the cave with your father? You shouldn't be coming back here..." (Chief)
The words he was about to say were cut off midway.
The chief strode over, knelt in front of Myu, rolled up her sleeves, and examined her palms and arms.
"Oh, the yellow pattern has disappeared..." (Chief)
The chief muttered in an excited voice and looked up in shock at the sick people standing behind Myu.
There, all of his family members were gathered together, all of whom were suffering from incurable diseases and whom he had thought he would never see again. They were in tears of joy and there was not a trace of yellow anywhere on their bodies. On the contrary, none of them seemed to be in any sort of physical condition, and they were all standing on their own two feet in good health.
".....Great Sainte...." (Chief)
The chief looked back at me, nearly out of breath, and spoke the word tremblingly.
"...Great Saintess!!" (Residents)
When they realized it, all the residents there were kneeling on the spot, all reciting the ancient honorific in the same trembling voice.
The only ones left there were Captain Cyril, Captain Curtis, and myself, and knowing that this was definitely not good, I looked towards Erial for help.
"A-Erial!!" (Fia)
Hearing what I said, Erial stood up as if startled and called out to the chief.
"Th-that's not it, Grandpa, no, Chief! Lady Fia is not the Great Saint, she's... well... well..." (Arial)
Erial, in a panic, seemed unable to find the next words and looked at Captain Curtis in confusion.
Captain Curtis caught Erial's gaze and, looking around at everyone, began to speak.
"It's just as Erial said. Lady Fi is neither a saint nor a great saint. She's just a knight. Do you understand?" (Curtis)
At that moment, Captain Curtis had such a strange power that no one could deny it. As a result, everyone present, including Erial and the tribe leader, swallowed hard and remained silent, even though they looked like they wanted to say something.
However, it seemed he still couldn't bear it any longer, and he looked at me as if he wanted to argue with what Captain Curtis had said, as if he wanted to ask for help.
Although I noticed everyone's gazes on me, I knew I couldn't help, so I avoided making eye contact with anyone and apologized in my heart.
...I'm sorry. It's impossible. I'm sure you all don't want to confirm what Captain Curtis said, "I'm not a saint, I'm a knight," and would like me to deny it, but... I, I also affirm that I am a knight.
"It's as Captain Curtis said. I'm not a saint, I'm a knight. As for the new miracle cure, Captain Curtis suddenly had an idea and gathered the necessary materials for me. Then, Sariella used those materials to create the new miracle cure." (Fia)
"………………" (Everyone)
The chief and the other residents still stared at me as if they wanted to say something, but when I didn't answer they just bowed their heads in resignation.
"…Understood."
...Well, well, the residents are now convinced that I'm a knight, not a saint. I nodded and gazed at Captain Curtis in admiration.
Captain Curtis's earlier words sounded like a threat, but the captain was well-liked in this land, so his words seemed to carry some persuasive weight.
Not all residents were convinced by the threats. I was sure that behind this was the trust that had been built up between Captain Curtis and the residents over the years. Isn't it an amazing feat to be able to convince someone with just one word that I'm just a simple knight, and not a great saint?
As I was breathing a sigh of relief, Chief Radek muttered something as if to confirm.
"...I see. Lady Fia is not the Great Saint, is she?" (Chief)
"Oh, yeah. That's right, grandpa." (Arial)
When Erial answered in the affirmative, the chief looked up and muttered in a trembling voice.
"But even so, I'm grateful that you've created a medicine for an incurable disease and saved us..." (Chief)
What was reflected in the eyes of the Chief Radek was gratitude and respect for something greater than himself.
I sensed the uncontrollable gratitude of the residents quietly spreading throughout the place, and stared at the chief in amazement.
...What the heck! Even though our conversation doesn't seem to make sense, it does. Captain Curtis muttered softly from behind me.
"...I see. A conversation isn't made up of words. It's made up of a variety of things other than words and can be understood." (Curtis)
The clan chief Radek looked at his grandson Erial with a pleading expression.
"Erial, I have received such a great favor from the Great Saint, yet you cannot even thank her?" (Chief)
"...Because that is what the Great Saint wishes." (Arial)
"I see..." (Chief)
He muttered, and the chief looked at me with a very sad expression. I instinctively looked away and noticed that the other residents were looking at me with the same expressions.
Unable to stand it any longer, I instinctively flinched, and in front of my eyes, the chief hugged her great-granddaughter Myu tightly.
"Oh, Myu. Myu. We have received new kindness without being able to repay anything in return. What should we do?" (Chief)
The chief's heartfelt words echoed throughout the silent room.
"What should I do?"
However, in front of the residents who still believed that I was a great saint no matter what I said, it was me who wanted to question his words.
………R-really, what should I do?