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RICHARD’S Flame Corps was welcomed with great fanfare everywhere we went in the Balbis earldom. The earl and his son were also delighted while their subjects shed tears of gratitude at our arrival. Everywhere we went, we heard a storm of praise.
“Does His Highness rouse the people’s morale in the Empire just like he does on the frontlines here?”
“It makes me feel safe seeing how strong the knights’ fighting spirit is. They’re so well-mannered too. Unlike the Church’s priests, they actually listen to the people’s woes.”
“He’s so handsome and strong. Prince Richard truly is a god…”
And so it went, as they all expressed their deep admiration for him.
We took up residence temporarily in Earl Balbis’s castle. As we recovered our energy from the long journey, Richard had chosen the next location for our monster hunt and conducted talks with the area’s lord. At the moment, he, Xenu, and I were sitting at a round table in a dining room located within a building separate from the main castle. This dining room was used specifically for lunchtime. Darius stood behind Richard while Solarus stood behind me.
Richard was enjoying a delicious, simple stew. As usual, he was in a good mood.
“Thanks to the rumors spreading all across the country about our deeds in Temporary Bases A and B, we’ve received a deluge of requests for aid from feudal lords. Ahhh, does my heart good to see us being accepted like this.”
“Hm… I wonder if the demand for you will ever go down, Richard,” I remarked.
“So long as you keep working hard for me, Miss Monica, I’m sure it won’t.”
My heartbeat sped up at the dual assault of his sugary tone and smiling face, and the food stuck in my throat, refusing to go down.
“W-Well, bully for you, I suppose,” I responded.
Capturing the people’s hearts through bold propaganda then turning the tide in his favor had been Richard’s signature move since his time in the Empire, even before his exile to Kophe. Now that we were back, he still participated actively in the monster hunts while allowing me to take center stage on the campaigns. The redheaded imperial prince alongside Saint Monica making her triumphant return combined to create a powerful, lasting impression. He really was too good at capturing people’s hearts, this charisma monster.
I drank some cold water to control my racing heart. Poker face, Monica, poker face!
“I still can’t believe the government of Kophe has yet to give its official approval on our deployment…” I said.
Richard nodded thoughtfully. “Kophe’s political deadlock goes beyond my predictions as well. Eh, but it can’t stop our momentum. It won’t be much longer before our activities involve the whole Kingdom.”
“Madam Monica, you’ll be happy to know that I’m doing everything I can too,” Xenu interjected with a smile.
“And by that, do you mean…distributing suspicious good luck charms?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Heh heh heh… Not just that. I make sure the troubadours sing about your fantastic deeds all over the country and gather information where it can be found. Those are my contributions to the cause, you see. And of course, I continue to hand out the Priestess Teardrop Stones.”
“I really think your reputation will improve if you stop giving those away… Wait. D-Did you just say songs?! What?!” I cried, embarrassed.
“Oh, yes, they sing of the legend of the fearless crimson comet and the white shooting star, the Ferocious Crown Prince and Saint Monica, who protects and heals everything with her miraculous supernatural powers. There are even wandering storytellers using paper plays to depict this epic tale.”
“P-Paper plays…?!” I repeated.
“Almost forgot to mention the promotional efforts in the urban areas. Accessories and local goods featuring both of your images as well as anthologies and fan books written by authors in each region.”
“Wait, wait. The scale of what you’re telling me is so vast, my brain can’t keep up. Not to mention all the unfamiliar jargon you’re using.”
When I gestured frantically with my hands for him to stop, Xenu chuckled merrily. Richard’s unreadable smile remained pasted on his face as he calmly took it all in stride.
“Miss Monica, don’t be fooled. Though he’s hidden it well, he’s been using the work I assigned to him as a pretext to rake in the riches. Of course, I’ve been supervising his activities closely, meaning I fully intend to collect our dues from his sales of products featuring our names. So no need for you to worry.”
“Hohoho! Now, now, ‘hidden’ is a bit of an exaggeration, Your Highness. You should know speed is of the essence in business, so I merely informed you after the fact is all.”
“Hahaha! You don’t say.”
Their laughter did nothing to assuage the tension sparking between them beneath the surface. All I could do was chuckle dryly.
“Right then, there you have it. I can lay the groundwork in the Empire, but not so much in Kophe, which is why I put Xenu in charge of it here,” Richard said.
“That makes perfect sense to me.” I nodded.
Richard produced excellent results on the battlefield. His popularity was soaring too. Furthermore, thus far our victories against monsters in Kophe had been leagues easier to achieve than in the Empire. We had more than enough personnel and equipment, making the current bouts of fighting nothing compared to the carnage we’d experienced every day in Mayga Cieux. In the past, there was never a night when we could all enjoy a good drink in victory because we would inevitably lose comrades.
In the span of less than a year, the citizens of Kophe became disillusioned with the Church and the holy knights’ endless series of disgraceful defeats. Then, Richard appeared leading his knights. How beautiful he must appear to them, shining like a beacon through his remarkable successes on the ground.
“Ah, yes, speaking of reputation,” Richard commented while clearly enjoying his meal. “The address ‘arousing priestess’ has evidently spread throughout the Kingdom as an official honorific title for you, Miss Monica. You don’t mind, do you?”
“Do…do you even know the definition of ‘honorific title’?!” I cried.
“Hm, let me think. A respectful way to refer to someone. Am I correct♡?”
“Then how in the world is ‘arousing priestess’ respectful?! Honorable?! Have you lost your mind?!” I slammed my hand down.
“I don’t think so?” He beamed at me. Then his sweet smile transformed into a statesman’s smile. “‘Saint Monica’ already exists and the title doesn’t pack much of a punch. Wouldn’t you agree? I suppose calling you the Special Class Saint isn’t terrible, since you’re the only one in history to be given that rank. But if we use that, the only impression most folks will have of you would be, ‘Oh, she must be quite strong.’ And I feel that’s not quite enough.”
“I guess you’re not wrong, since many people aren’t even aware of the different classifications for holy women’s supernatural powers,” I agreed.
“Exactly. Which is why the Arousing Priestess is the best title to make both your abilities and accomplishments known,” he pressed.
“Ugggh… I can’t deny it makes sense logically, but still.” I clutched my head. Richard narrowed his eyes and continued talking.
“Kophe’s crown prince, the one who popularized ‘arousing priestess’ as an insult, is on shaky ground in the royal court. So this is the perfect opportunity to turn it against him by using it as an honorific title for the saint who saved the Kingdom. I did the same with the Ferocious Crown Prince because it was first used to criticize me. Besides, haven’t there been times in the present when people called you that respectfully?”
“W-Well, yes…”
“Then it’s settled. People will accept it much more easily than you think. As the patron saint of children and fertile livestock, you could be a blessing to the average family.”
“I mean… Hm… I guess…? Hahaha…”
Laughter was the only response I had to Richard’s wink. The term ‘arousing priestess’ had long ago left my hands and I certainly couldn’t stop its out-of-control spread at this point.
“Not to mention it irritates me when people say your name so easily,” Richard said. “Do you know how long it took before you told me what your name was, Miss Monica?”
“Huh?”
My eyes jerked to his face at the sudden roughness in his voice. I found him smiling his usual smile at me.
“Anyway, that’s the long and short of it.” Beaming, he tilted his head meaningfully. Heat rushed to my cheeks.
“I-It’s nothing. Nothing’s wrong with me.”
“Miss Monica?”
Truly, something was wrong with me lately. Every time I saw Richard, I reacted strangely, like I did in heat.