Chapter 151: Nobody notified me.

Lita discovered that her situation wasn’t nearly as dire as she’d imagined.

She’d thought she’d be treated like a prisoner, watched over by assigned guards, then interrogated by a host of Holy Knights, left with no choice but to wait for a final verdict like some lab mouse.

But reality was nothing like that, nothing at all!

“Miss Lita, it’s truly an honor to have you here. If there’s ever anything you need from me in the future, don’t hesitate to ask, alright?”

That elegantly dressed, bald man spoke in a shrill voice, giggling as he raised his powdered, plump hand, gesturing a handshake from a distance.

Lita looked at his hand, thick with rouge, and politely mirrored the gesture with her own.

“Lord Pierre, it’s just as much an honor for me to accept your invitation today. Well then, I’ll be taking my leave.”

“Oh my, Miss Lita, please, don’t rush off.” Pierre’s eyes nearly disappeared in his delighted squint as he watched Lita depart, murmuring to himself, “What a fine girl this Lita is. Cecilia really is fortunate.”

Once outside, Lita glanced up at the darkening sky and let out a sigh.

That makes four today, doesn’t it?

Ever since she’d left the main hall and returned to the room Cecilia had prepared for her, people had been coming by, one after another, asking to meet her.

That flamboyant bald man just now—strange as he seemed—was actually the Court Chamberlain. The title might sound unremarkable, but not only could he advise the King, he also controlled the fates of many, making his role crucial, even if not particularly high in the hierarchy.

There was also the Chancellor of the Exchequer, a Duke whose name she couldn’t recall, and an elderly magus.

Looking at it this way, even though she was just an ordinary person accused of possessing a coveted treasure—and not even a Crest Knight yet—there were already plenty of people eager to curry favor with her.

She couldn’t tell if they valued her for her own potential, Cecilia’s influence, or something else entirely.

No matter the reason, Lita’s status had leapt from that of an unknown nobody at her arrival in the royal capital to someone everyone wanted to win over.

Makes sense. If she did eventually become Cecilia’s exclusive knight, it’d be much harder for them to approach her then. Helping someone in their hour of need was always more valuable than adding flowers to a brocade.

After a long day of twists and turns, Lita finally returned to the palace. The soldiers and maids, clearly given instructions, greeted her with excessive politeness whenever they caught sight of her, even pausing to nod as they passed.

Lita ignored them, hurrying straight to Cecilia’s chambers.

The King had already ordered Cecilia’s confinement. It was merely symbolic, but the order had to be carried out all the same.

Lita had meant to return earlier, but after those back-to-back invitations, it had been impossible to refuse anyone.

Of course she couldn’t refuse—she didn’t even know who they all were. She wasn’t a real Crest Knight yet; what right did she have to say no?

When Lita reached Cecilia’s door, the extra guards posted there quietly stepped aside.

Lita knocked, and Cecilia’s voice called out from inside.

“Lita? Come in.”

Lita pushed open the door and scratched her head sheepishly. “Lady Cecilia, um… how did you know it was me?”

“I just knew. If I couldn’t recognize even you, how could I call myself your mistress?”

“I suppose you’re right.” Lita scratched her head again, momentarily lost for words.

It had only been a day. Normally, time would pass quickly enough as she lounged on the front of her carriage, letting her pony Pearl run free. But today felt unusually long.

So much had happened—almost too much to believe.

“Don’t just stand there like that. Sit down.” Cecilia gestured at the chair across from her.

Lita immediately sat down, but still didn’t know what to say.

Cecilia gazed at Lita’s nervous face for a while, then suddenly sighed. “You’re nervous, aren’t you? Because of the trial?”

“Well… a little, I guess?” Lita muttered.

Being accepted by the Holy Knights felt like a trial straight out of Stardew Valley, where the new arrival was tasked with greeting every single person in town.

No, this was even worse—she didn’t just have to say hello, she had to win their favor.

Some of them, like the exclusive knight of the Third Princess or that upright-looking Eltel, were downright intimidating. Lita had no idea how she was supposed to accomplish this task.

Let alone succeed—she barely knew anyone. She didn’t even know where to start.

True, she no longer had to undergo the Holy Knights’ test, but her new challenge was, in some ways, even harder.

“No need to worry. Just do what you’re meant to do. Father never intended to make things difficult for you; otherwise, he wouldn’t have handed this over to the knights.” Cecilia comforted her. “Still, I was surprised that Silverfang was willing to speak on your behalf. If it weren’t for her, things might still have worked out, but it wouldn’t have gone nearly as smoothly.”

“So things went smoothly because…” Lita trailed off, unsure what Cecilia meant.

“I suspect Father already decided how to handle this. The others’ debates may have swayed his thoughts, but probably not the outcome. In the end, the verdict was always going to go the way he wanted.”

“So, Lady Cecilia, when you said all that in the hall, it was because you already knew what His Majesty wanted and were… trying to push things along, is that it?”

“No.” Cecilia shook her head and reached across the table, laying her hand over Lita’s, which was resting casually there. “I really panicked then. The thought that you might be taken from me completely threw me off.”

That was honest.

Cecilia’s candor left Lita momentarily speechless, making her wonder if she really knew this Cecilia at all.

What Cecilia didn’t say was that the King most likely had several ways he was prepared to deal with Lita. He’d never rely on just one plan and stubbornly push it through without fallback.

In other words, if Lita had agreed to surrender the Golden Blood, the King would surely have rewarded her as promised.

Since Lita’s motivation had always seemed to be money, Cecilia had genuinely feared she might accept on the spot.

She wanted to trust Lita, but couldn’t think of any reason for Lita to refuse such an enticing offer.

That’s why, after Lita’s impassioned speech, Cecilia had truly lost her composure.

She’d wanted to respond, to show Lita she wasn’t fighting alone, to make up for her moment of doubt. That was why she’d spoken so out of character before the King.

If Lita hadn’t spoken first—if Cecilia had taken the lead—she probably could’ve done far better than what she’d actually said.

“All right, Lita. You have more important things to do than sit with me. Get some rest. If you want to see me, you’re welcome any time.”

As Cecilia spoke, she gave Lita’s hand a gentle squeeze, as if to help her put her mind at ease.

After a night’s sleep, Lita woke up in her new room as usual.

She didn’t have much time; she had to earn the approval of the Crest Knights.

But she barely knew any of them. The only ones who came to mind as possible starting points were Fran and Brownie.

Maybe she should try Brownie first…

Some time later.

“Master went out today with the Second Princess. We’re not sure when she’ll be back. If you have urgent business, Miss Lita, we can inform her for you.” The steward pressed one hand to his chest and answered respectfully.

Not only was Brownie out, but Promi had gone out as well—after all, the second round of trials was coming, and Promi needed to improve her strength.

Well, that meant nothing would come of this side, either.

“In that case, may I ask where Stonehand lives? Do you know?”

“I am but a steward. It’s not my place to inquire into my master’s affairs, so I truly do not know,” the steward replied. “Also, Miss Lita, you are already my master’s colleague—there’s no need to be so formal.”

Huh? Colleague? How come no one told me?

Did I really become a Holy Knight just by sleeping through the night?