The Power of the Saint is All Around (LN) - Volume 7 - Chapter 1

Act 1:

Departure

“SEI, you’ve got a delivery.”

“Thanks, Jude.”

I was busily making potions at the institute to deliver to the knights when Jude poked his head into the workroom with boxes in his arms. He left the package for me by the door before turning on his heel to deliver the others.

I called “thanks” to his back, got to a good stopping point, and then went to open the box. It contained new varieties of herbs and seeds along with a letter. The package was from Corinna, the head alchemist of Klausner’s Domain.

The letter opened with the usual sort of greeting, but what came next made me yelp. “No way!”

Johan Valdec, the head researcher at the institute, overhead me as he was walking past the door. He stopped to duck inside the room. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, this is from Corinna.”

“The head alchemist from Klausner’s Domain?”

“Yes.”

I was so excited that I was unable to form full sentences. Johan gestured to try to calm me down, though I still took a couple of seconds to do so.

“So, what did she write?”

“That she managed to successfully grow the herbs.”

“Which ones? These? Whoa, aren’t these—” Johan’s eyes went round with surprise as he realized what I was so excited about.

Corinna had sent the herbs that she had managed to grow along with the letter. Johan appeared to have already realized that this was an exceedingly rare type of plant, for he was left speechless at the sight of it. It wasn’t surprising to see him fall into such a state. It was said that this sort of herb was extremely difficult to find even in the wild. Moreover, Klausner’s Domain had once been able to cultivate this species, but they had eventually ceased being able to make it grow.

This herb that Corinna had managed to successfully cultivate was an ingredient needed to make superior-grade HP potions.

“Sh-she managed to grow this?”

“That’s what she wrote. I tried cultivating it as well, but I didn’t have much luck.”

“What? You did?”

“Huh? Did I not tell you?”

“No, I don’t think—” Johan stopped. Then his shoulders dropped out of self-effacing shock as he recalled that I had. Lately, Johan had been pretty busy, so it was likely he had forgotten that I had informed him in advance.

I didn’t let on that I had broken out in a cold sweat; it was entirely possible that I had in fact forgotten to tell him.

Returning to the herb in question, the requirements for cultivating it had been described in a diary left behind by an alchemist who had also been a previous Saint. However, for some reason, we hadn’t been able to grow it again even under the same conditions. For that reason, Corinna and I had been experimenting to see who could manage to get it to take.

“I can’t believe she did it…”

“It’s incredible, right? I wouldn’t expect anything less from an alchemist of the holy land.”

Johan’s shoulders probably weren’t sagging like that just because he was tired. In all likelihood, he was disappointed that someone other than him had mastered a species of herb that was considered impossible to cultivate. He was also obsessed with the art of herbology, after all.

I shared in his frustration. But part of me was happy all the same. After all, the fact that Corinna had managed to cultivate it once meant that she could grow even more of it now.

“You look happy about all this,” Johan said.

“Of course I am. Now I can finally brew the kind of potions that I’ve been dreaming of all this time.”

“Potions?”

“Yes, the most potent sort.”

I hadn’t yet been able to make superior-grade potions because they required so many ingredients that we had, until now, been unable to procure. Conversely, since we could at last obtain those herbs, surely I would now be able to do so. My Pharmaceuticals skill had already reached a sufficiently high level, after all, and that was the only other required component for the brewing.

“Wait a minute, wait a minute,” Johan interrupted. “You can make those?”

“Corinna told me I had the skill, yes.”

You had to make products of difficulty appropriate to your level in order to increase your related skills. For example, you increased your level in Pharmaceuticals by first making a large amount of low-grade potions until you gained a level high enough to make the mid-grade variety. Similarly, by making mid-grade potions of higher and higher quality, you would eventually be able to create a high-grade brew. And once you made enough high-grade potions, you would eventually be able to brew superior-grade.

I had already raised my Pharmaceuticals skill as high as I possibly could with high-grade HP potions. That meant I was now up to the task of creating the superior-grade variety.

That was where I had hit a wall with my leveling. I had been unable to find recipes for potions more powerful than the high-grade sort. That was when I’d met Corinna in Klausner’s Domain and she’d taught me her secret recipe. Thanks to it, I had been able to continue raising my level. However, even that recipe had its limits, and I was, once again, no longer gaining levels. Therefore, the news of this breakthrough was welcome indeed. I hoped that once I was able to create superior-grade potions, I’d be able to start leveling up again.

You might wonder, was it really necessary for me to keep raising my level? To which I’d say, you never know what might happen. I thought it best to continue leveling up as long as I could do so.

…Although I admit that one of the reasons I was so gung-ho about this was because I’d always loved rising to ridiculous challenges in games.

“Your level is that high?” Johan asked. “Even so, I’m not sure we have enough ingredients.”

“Corinna’s sent me some to work with. Besides, I was thinking of cultivating this species here at the institute too.”

“So you say, but you haven’t managed to make it take, right?”

“No, but Corinna wrote out all of the steps in her letter.”

While it was surprising that she had successfully cultivated this herb, the really surprising thing was the process required to grow it. Klausner’s Domain had a different climate as well as different soil. Despite that, the notes in her letter were incredibly useful.

Naturally, Johan knew how valuable her information was, which meant that he was yet again at a loss for words.

“She wants the superior-grade HP potions I make for her research,” I explained.

“I see…”

“Will it be all right if I send them?”

“Good question. How many do you think you can make using the ingredients we have on hand?”

“I don’t know for sure. Since I haven’t brewed them before, I can’t predict my success rate.”

“Then let’s just send them a third of however many you successfully create. The remainder we’ll keep for our own research or give to the palace for their use.”

“The palace?”

“Yes—since we haven’t been able to make anything like these in such a long time.”

No one, even amongst the alchemists who gathered in the alchemist’s holy land, could make superior-grade potions. I didn’t know how long it had been since anyone had last been able to brew them, but doing so had to be quite the remarkable feat if we were actually going to surrender my yield to the palace. Furthermore, the herbs themselves were valuable, so I would be behooved not to use them all.

However, this all meant that I now had express permission to make superior-grade HP potions.

As we were discussing how many herbs to reserve, another researcher came into the room. He walked straight over to us; it seemed he had business with Johan. “Sorry to interrupt, but there’s a messenger from the palace.”

“Oh? Why?”

“He’s here to speak with both you and Sei. He’s waiting in the parlor to meet with you directly.”

“All right. We’ll be right there.”

Someone from the palace wished to say something to me? I wondered what it could be about. I tried to think of a reason but came up empty. Johan seemed as perplexed as I was.

The only way to find out would be to talk to the messenger. So, the two of us headed to the parlor.

***

The day after we received the messenger from the palace, Johan and I brought ourselves to the king’s office. We had heard that he wanted to speak with us about Zaidera. That was all we had learned from the messenger—and here we’d thought we’d get more details out of the guy.

As for those details, though…

When I heard it had something to do with Zaidera, the first thing that popped into my head was Prince Ten’yuu and the panacea. Prince Ten’yuu’s mother was a concubine of the Zaideran emperor, and she had suffered from an illness for a long time. The prince had come to study in the Kingdom of Salutania to search for a medicine that could cure her. It was then that I’d made the panacea—a brand-new type of medicine that I’d created based on the symptoms the prince described to me.

The panacea didn’t adhere to any existing Salutanian theories of medicine; I had made it without using any herbs at all. The ingredients had been apples grown using my Saintly magic and honey made from apple blossoms.

I had been absolutely stymied as to how to make the panacea when Albert returned from a trip home with some honey for me as a souvenir. That was when I’d remembered that, in my original world, it had been said that honey was good for all kinds of sicknesses. They also said that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

So, I’d come up with the idea to combine the two and tried to make a potion with them. In the end, it had worked. I had created a panacea.

As the name suggested, the panacea was able to cure any kind of abnormal status effect, no matter what it was. It was much, much more effective than any other status cure potion that had been invented before that point.

For that reason, the panacea had been surrendered to the palace’s custody. Even though I had managed to create something that could help Prince Ten’yuu, the king had been the one to ultimately decide whether to give it to him. Or not.

However, I’d later learned that the king had surpassed my expectations and gifted the panacea to Prince Ten’yuu, though he had concealed the identity of its maker.

I didn’t know what exactly had happened when he gave Prince Ten’yuu the panacea, nor did I know if it had made it to Prince Ten’yuu’s mother. Perhaps during this meeting I would at last learn both of these things.

I had tried to come up with other ideas as to why I might have been summoned, but there was nothing. I figured the only way to find out for sure was by talking to the king, so I’d accepted the messenger’s invitation and he had returned to the palace.

“Thank you for coming. Please, have a seat.”

The prime minister was also in the king’s office.

At the king’s encouragement, Johan and I sat down next to one another on the sofa. At the same time, the king waved his hand and the chamberlains and knights who were present in the room exited.

Once there was no one in the room but the four of us, the prime minister said, “We summoned you here today to discuss some gifts that have arrived for you from Zaidera.”

Gifts from Zaidera? That was not what I had been expecting.

The prime minister seemed to perceive my confusion since he subsequently offered an explanation. According to him, the gifts had arrived two days prior. They were from Prince Ten’yuu, of course, who had sent them as a token of appreciation for the kingdom’s acceptance of his sudden request to study at the Royal Academy, and for enabling him to make so many new acquaintances.

The things he had sent were all of the sort that the people of the various research institutes and facilities he had visited could use. For example, books about river management and Zaideran crops, ores and gems found in his home country, and so on.

Since there was more than enough to go around, the palace had decided to give a share of the haul to each facility. The Research Institute of Medicinal Flora was no exception—for us, the prince had sent seedlings and seeds for herbs that were native to Zaidera.

“Here is a list of what has been sent for your research institute.”

“I shall take a look.” Johan scanned the list that the prime minister handed him. He didn’t try to hide the way his eyes sparkled.

I peeked over his shoulder and couldn’t help but be amazed as well. The name of the first plant I caught on was one that Prince Ten’yuu had told me was rare even in Zaidera. If I remembered correctly, Johan had been present for that conversation and said he would like to see the herb himself someday. I definitely understood why he was having a hard time controlling his expression.

Just as I was looking further down the list in Johan’s hands to see if there were any other kinds of rare plants, the prime minister said, “And these are for Lady Sei.”

“For me?”

Only then did I finally understand why I had been summoned. After all, if the gifts had been exclusively for the institute, they only would have summoned Johan. That was why I had been at such a loss as to why my presence was necessary.

“Yes,” he said. “After all, you were the one who provided the panacea.” 

But… The king had been the one to give Prince Ten’yuu the panacea. If he hadn’t told the prince that I was its creator, and the gifts were specifically thanks for the panacea, then shouldn’t they be for the king?

Then again, if it’s a reward for whoever made the panacea, then it should be okay for me to accept it, right?

The prime minister wore a kind smile in lieu of his usual solemn expression, so I couldn’t get a read on the intentions underlying the gift.

When he noticed my hesitation, the prime minister added that the gifts were merely daily necessities, such as stationery.

Was it really okay for me to accept such a thing? I looked at Johan for reassurance, and he gave me a solemn nod. I then told the prime minister that I would indeed assent to receive the generous gift, etc. It was decided that my reward would be sent together with the presents for the institute when they were delivered later.

The following afternoon, the packages from the palace arrived.

The researchers and I were ecstatic when we saw all the seeds and seedlings that had been brought to the storehouse. We immediately looked over the books, which detailed how best to grow our new charges. After discussing where and when we’d plant them, I headed back to my room, where I had asked the institute’s servants to send the packages addressed to me.

The prime minister had called them “daily necessities,” but I wondered what exactly that meant. He’d mentioned stationery, so perhaps it was paper made in Zaidera.

If that was so, then I looked forward to opening the package. Prince Ten’yuu had said that papermaking flourished in Zaidera and that they even made paper colored with dyes and fancy paper printed with designs.

Full of excitement, I returned to my chambers to find boxes of various sizes stacked on top of my desk. Most of them were ordinary, but there was a black box among them that caught my eye. I hadn’t seen boxes of such make in a long time, but unless I was mistaken, it was the sort one used for lacquerware.

I felt a bit apprehensive as I approached the desk to get a closer look. What I found left me greatly perplexed.

It was indeed a lacquerware box. I had been unable to tell until I got closer, but plant designs were embossed along the sides. And that wasn’t all—the rim also sported decorations, painted in gold and silver.

The lid was especially gorgeous. A part of the design, near the center, even shone like a rainbow. Yup, it had been inlaid with mother-of-pearl.

I couldn’t help falling into a trance as I stared at the extravagant box. What the heck was this thing? It was too big to be a mere letter box. Maybe you were supposed to put documents in it? I couldn’t think of any other uses.

I decided I couldn’t just wonder. It was time to find out what had been sent.

So, I moved to pick up the letter box (maybe?) that I had been examining. It was then that I sensed something unusual. The box was heavier than I had expected. Much heavier.

Finding this curious, I opened the lid, and within the box I found a tea set. The pieces were made of simple white porcelain, but their shape was very interesting indeed.

The teapot distinctly differed from the sort that was popular in Salutania: Its body and handle were both angular. The cups, meanwhile, were small and had no handles. They were less like the European style of teacup than they were chawan tea bowls—like the kind you might use when drinking Chinese tea.

Memories of Japan made me newly nostalgic. I picked up one of the cups to better examine it. That was when I noticed the faint pattern on the side. I had to look very closely to make it out, but when I did, I made out a lotus flower design. When I returned to looking over the teapot, I saw that it had the same design. How fancy.

“Taking a look at everything?”

“Oh, Johan.”

As I was gazing at the pattern on the teacup, I heard a voice at the door, which I hadn’t bothered to close. I glanced back to see my friend. It seemed he had been curious about my gift as well.

“What did you get?” he asked.

“The prime minister suggested it would be stationery, but there’s more than just that.” I held out the teacup to show him.

At my invitation, Johan walked into the room. “What’s this?”

“A teacup, I believe. If you look closer, you’ll see the design on its side. It’s very pretty, don’t you think?”

“Oh, my, you’re right. I’ve never seen anything with a design quite like this. It must have taken a great deal of skill to create.”

The way Johan said it with such wonder gave me a disquieting feeling. A great deal of skill?

“A skilled artisan would have had to make these?”

“Well, yes, wouldn’t that make sense? Since this is in thanks for the panacea.”

“For the panacea…”

“Indeed. Compensation for a potion that the royal family supposedly kept under lock and key. Prince Ten’yuu couldn’t have sent anything but the best in return.”

“So, what you’re telling me, then, is that these are pretty expensive?”

“Most likely, yes.”

“Ooooh, dear me.”

I had been right to feel so apprehensive about these deliveries. I crouched down on the spot, clutching my head.

It only made sense, though. Johan was right. There was no way that the prince could express his thanks for receiving a treasure from the royal family with items of ordinary quality.

Uuugh, “daily necessities” sure is a way to phrase it…

Johan had clearly guessed that my gifts would be especially valuable when the prime minister mentioned that they were repayment for the panacea. That explained the serious look on his face when he’d nodded to me.

Still, I really wished he had warned me! That said, I understood that Johan wouldn’t have said anything that might make me want to decline something in front of the prime minister.

I made up my mind as I gazed at the valuable gifts before me. At the end of the day, I have no one but myself to blame for accepting. I shouldn’t have trusted the prime minister’s smile. I’ll have to be more wary of that expression in the future! 

***

The clear and beautiful sound of a woman’s laughter floated through the gazebo in the palace gardens. The owner of the voice was Liz, who was so pretty that even the blooming flowers behind her couldn’t compete with her visage.

Lately, Aira, Liz, and I had been enjoying a number of tea parties together, but for once, Aira was absent. Thus, on that day, it was just the two of us. It had been a while since it was just me and Liz.

“His Excellency sure got you there,” Liz giggled.

“You can say that again,” I replied wearily.

We were talking about all of the things Zaidera had delivered to me via the king just days ago. By “His Excellency,” Liz referred to Prime Minister Goltz, who had told me the gifts were simple enough—and there I’d been, taking him at his word. I was moaning about how all of it was so much more expensive than I had thought it would be.

Aside from the tea set, which must have taken quite a lot of skill to craft, I had also received beautiful writing paper—just as I had hoped—as well as a white paperweight exquisitely carved in the shape of a dragon, a transparent calligraphy brush holder with similar lotus designs engraved upon it, and lustrous fabric in vibrant colors, among other things.

Technically all of these items could be considered daily necessities, but they were also the kinds of things that you wouldn’t ordinarily use.

I was really, really hoping it was just my imagination that the paperweight was the color of ivory and that the brush holder was so crystalline. I wanted to believe I was overthinking things, because if I wasn’t, it would be bad for my mental health.

“This teapot was one of the things you received, yes?”

“That’s right. It looks like it’s just white porcelain at a glance, but there’s a design on the side if you look close enough.”

The teapot we were using was the one from Zaidera. It had been the first thing I noticed in the set. But since it was a gift and all, I’d decided that I ought to take the opportunity to use it during this tea party.

According to my etiquette instructor, a certain level of formality was required when unveiling such a rare and expensive item. As such, even though this tea party was only between friends, that friend was the daughter of a marquis and betrothed to a prince. Therefore, I was certain that unveiling a gift from Zaidera was right on track. Surely my teacher wouldn’t be angry to hear about this. Or at least, I prayed as much.

“My, you’re right. It has such an unusual shape too.”

“I suppose it would look unusual to you, but I like it. There were some teacups that came with it, and those are atypical as well.”

“How so?”

Unlike the teacups generally found in the Kingdom of Salutania, the ones that had come with this teapot were perfectly round and smooth-sided. I hadn’t wanted to take Liz by surprise by presenting her with all kinds of things she wasn’t accustomed to using, so I’d only brought the teapot for this party.

At Liz’s query, the maid who was waiting on us held out a tray with the cups upon it. I thanked her and picked one up to hold out in front of Liz. “This is one of them.”

“It seems it has no handle.”

“Indeed. I was afraid it might confuse you, so I decided not to whip them out today.”

“I see. I appreciate your concern. But given that lack of handle, how exactly do you drink from it?”

“I believe you fill it up just over halfway, then hold the top half of the cup from above—like this.”

“You already know how to use it?”

“I’m only guessing because we had similar teacups back in Japan. Zaidera might use them somewhat differently,” I explained. Then I handed it back over to the maid, since I was afraid that I might accidentally break it if I kept holding it.

Liz watched the maid take the cup and then raised her hand. At her signal, the maid and our guards, both of them knights, stepped away from us.

She always has such control of the situation, I thought with admiration. But I also gave her a puzzled look. Why had she done this?

“I’m sure you’ll have a chance to learn how they use these cups in Zaidera soon enough,” said Liz.

“What do you mean?”

Salutania and Zaidera had begun trading regularly, and their transactions were gradually growing in scope. My company had started importing all kinds of things from Zaidera, and now others were following suit.

As exchanges between the two countries continued, so it followed that there had been an influx in the presence of Zaideran culture as well. It was likely only a matter of time before Zaideran etiquette became popularized, which would include knowledge of how to use these kinds of teacups.

But I got the feeling that this wasn’t what Liz was referring to, based on how she had phrased her comment. I was a little afraid to ask, but I couldn’t help my curiosity and wound up requesting an explanation.

“Just between you and me, we will be sending a delegation to Zaidera,” said Liz.

“Like a diplomatic party?”

“Precisely. Many of our research institutions have requested permission to seek an opportunity to study abroad in Zaidera.”

A multitude of Zaideran books had been among the gifts from Prince Ten’yuu. The books had been distributed to the relevant research institutions, and upon reading them, the researchers had discovered that they were packed with new information. Many of our institutions had been stuck in their investigations but then been able to continue thanks to the data in those books, so there was a flurry of progress being made across the board.

While we could learn a lot by studying books, the researchers had begun to wonder how much more knowledge they could accrue if they met and talked with researchers in Zaidera. The people who had come up with new ideas while conversing with Prince Ten’yuu during his visits were especially interested. And so, they had petitioned the king to grant them the opportunity to study in Zaidera as well.

“Wow, so that’s why they’ll be sending people.”

“The king has also begun to consider whether studying abroad would be beneficial for certain projects.”

I couldn’t disagree with that. Even at the Research Institute of Medicinal Flora, conversing with Prince Ten’yuu had sparked wonderful new ideas—and the prince wasn’t even an expert on herbology. If we could speak with actual experts, I was sure our research would bear even more fruit.

“Does that mean people will be dispatched from every research institute?”

“I believe so.”

I wondered who would be sent from ours. I would have wanted to go myself, but I doubted they would give me permission. I hadn’t heard of any new black swamps being discovered, but there were still more monsters than usual roaming about the kingdom.

It would be nice if I could go once the situation is better, I thought as I sipped my tea.

The next thing Liz said took me by surprise: “Prince Kyle will be the ambassador for the delegation.”

“Wait, you mean the crown prince?”

“The very same.”

I asked her again just in case. I just couldn’t square what she said with my initial assumptions.

I supposed the son of an emperor had led the delegation from Zaidera. It only made sense that a prince from Salutania would be in charge of our delegation to match their initial display.

But was Liz okay with this? I had heard that Liz and Prince Kyle were to be wed as soon as they graduated from the academy. If things proceeded as planned, that meant that they would be married in less than a year.

Prince Ten’yuu’s decision to study abroad had taken less than a year, including travel time, but that was only because of extraordinary circumstances. Studying abroad typically meant being gone for well over that time in this world. If Prince Kyle was going to Zaidera as part of a delegation, then I doubted he’d be able to marry Liz in accordance with their original plan.

Did that mean the wedding would be postponed? When they graduated, Liz would only be fifteen years old. By Japan’s standards, there wouldn’t have been a problem if they waited a year or two to marry, but it was a different story here.

I went quiet as I sank into thought. Liz seemed entirely unbothered by all this, though, and she took a sip of tea. Then, as if she had guessed what I was thinking, she said, “This is also just between you and me, but my betrothal to Prince Kyle has been called off.”

“Huh?”

Liz had dropped that bomb as if it were nothing special.

She’s no longer engaged to him?! Why?! Isn’t that a huge deal?

I flailed about in astonishment. But Liz was the picture of calm as a slight smile played across her lips.

“I’m about to become awfully busy,” she said. “I foresee myself being invited to many tea parties.”

“That’s what you’re concerned about? Why tea parties, though?” I stared at her in confusion, unable to figure out the connection between her broken engagement and tea parties, of all things.

“Because a great number of people will be wanting to introduce me to their sons or brothers,” Liz explained.

As Liz was not yet an adult, she couldn’t attend any evening parties. On the other hand, she could grace social gatherings held during the day. That meant that noble ladies would be hosting tea parties, the fundamental gathering around which all noble socialization revolved, to try to show off their sons and brothers to Liz. In other words, they would be trying to hawk her a new potential fiancé. If Liz showed interest, then the nobles would take the opportunity to formally introduce her to the young man.

I thought it strange that people would do this the instant after her engagement had been called off, but that was just the way of it. I still had a lot to learn about life in Salutania, and if Liz said it was so, then it undoubtedly was.

In addition, Liz was a great catch in terms of her looks, mind, and family’s social standing—as one would expect from a woman who had been selected to be a prince’s fiancée. Liz was also popular, so I could somewhat understand why people would be scrambling to try to hook her up with their family members. Even so, it was extremely calculating on their part.

“I am accustomed to this sort of thing from high society, but it can be a bit of a nuisance,” Liz admitted.

“You said it. I can kind of see how it would be.” I tried to imagine it, and it sure sounded like it would be annoying.

I had no issue with hearing good things about people I had never met. However, it would be a bit of a problem if someone spent a whole tea party talking up a stranger. It seemed like the kind of thing where your face muscles would start to hurt from all the polite smiling you would have to do.

“You know, this applies to you as well,” Liz pointed out.

“I don’t think—” I tried to protest, but Liz interrupted me.

“It does. You’re even more popular than I am.”

“I doubt—” I tried to deny it again, but she interrupted me once more.

“It’s true, though.”

My cheek twitched at the smile on Liz’s face, which seemed unusually, ah, sinister.

“You’ve already made your debut into high society, and you haven’t had much work recently, yes? I’m sure you too shall be receiving invitations before long.”

“Invitations? To tea parties?”

“That—and to parties in the evening as well, I’m sure.”

“What?” My voice reflexively took on a tired tone upon hearing this, eliciting a chuckle from Liz.

Then, as if trying to deliver the killing blow, Liz suggested that a large quantity of invitations had very likely already arrived for me at the palace.

I wanted to believe it couldn’t be true, but only a few days after that tea party, Johan summoned me to his office, and I learned that Liz had been all too right.