Chapter 27: Scoring

Fen and Kelly waited patiently for Elena.

The girl’s expression grew more and more serious, and she even furrowed her brows, seeming quite dissatisfied.

“If the full score is 100, I can only give her 60 points…”

This was unexpected for Fen.

According to his memory of the game’s story, at this point that Elian still had rose-tinted glasses and fantasies about his family.

The purple-haired girl was not surprised.

She seemed to agree with the girl’s words and nodded lightly.

“Little Elena, could you tell me the basis for your score?”

“…”

“First… her campaign slogans… are all quite hollow…”

“She keeps saying she wants to unite the people, reform the Church… shouting her slogans loudly…”

“But how to do it, what specific policies, what aspects to reform… she didn’t mention any of that…”

Elian used to be like this too.

He naively believed that if he was good enough, if he worked hard to become a qualified “leader,” like many heroes in history.

With his talent and passion, he would surely move many people in the process.

Eventually, more and more people would gather around him, like-minded companions increasing, and together they would bring change, surely making the country better.

In this process, he only needed to play the role of a leader.

Later, Elian learned that there was an insurmountable chasm blocking his path.

That chasm was called reality.

When he truly touched upon that hot-blooded youth, that fact that noble children cannot reach, he understood.

Not all nobles have Elian’s awareness, praising his lofty ideals while smilingly giving up some of their vested interests.

Not all commoners will stop in their tracks to listen to a young man’s speech and respond to this knight’s call—compared to the future picture the knight paints, they are busy at the moment, they have their own work, they have to struggle for a living, they have to worry about food, clothing, shelter, and transportation for the next day.

‘These are things Lila will have to go through in the future…’

Does the youngest child of the Valcier family really have the ability to bear these things?

The girl looked worriedly into Lila’s eyes.

“A-and also! I don’t know if she’s sick or in bad condition—she always has such a weak, lacking-in-confidence look when she speaks! This is too unconfident!”

Seeing that Kelly did not refute, Elena continued more confidently.

“As the Saint of the Church… she should always maintain a good state in front of the people and uphold the Church’s authority!”

Fen wiped his sweat.

This wasn’t a matter of confidence after all—Miss Lila had a secret she couldn’t tell.

After all, there was something stuffed down below.

“And… it’s strange…”

“It’s supposed to be the Saintess Selection… she had the chance to become a Saint leading the people…”

“From her tone… I can’t see any passion…”

“Even if it’s… predetermined… even if the outcome might already be decided, maybe the speech in front of the people is just a formality… she only gives the feeling of going through the motions…”

Elena didn’t remember teaching Lila these things.

That girl who yelled she wanted to become as excellent as her sister and brother… that girl who aspired to become a qualified Saint… where did she go?

“Little Elena’s evaluation… coincides with mine, the Great Magician…”

Kelly squeezed out of the crowd of onlookers and patted the dust off her robe.

“Alright, alright, there’s no helping it—since the Church has tacitly allowed them to hold the speech… it mostly represents the Church’s official stance on this matter…”

“Let’s just pray… that this future Saint… can grow up soon and take on her responsibilities…”

“B-but…”

The girl bit her lip lightly.

“Can a girl who knows nothing about politics… really lead this country well?”

“Pfft—easy for you to say, Little Elena.”

Kelly teased the girl.

“Compared to the girl on stage… you don’t look much older than her, do you?”

The girl’s ears secretly turned red.

She couldn’t help it again… she judged a matter with a knight’s way of thinking.

That’s right… in this body now… saying such things… no persuasiveness at all…

“But well—”

Kelly looked at Elena with new respect.

“I actually think… Little Elena… you’re more suited to be a Saint than that girl on stage—”

“Eh—th-this can’t be!?”

As if the Great Magician had said something treasonous, the girl frantically waved her hands. “I… I’m clearly—”

“What’s impossible? Little Elena has such good talent… she’s gentle… and so responsible…”

“If you run… I’ll vote for you—”

The purple-haired girl winked playfully.

“M-Master! Please don’t tease me… I was being serious just now!”

With that, Elena turned around and looked pleadingly at Fen standing beside her.

“By universal reason… indeed Elena is a bit more suitable.”

Fen gently stroked his chin.

‘Un-universal reason, what the heck is that!’

‘N-no! Why are both of their looks so frighteningly serious!’

‘Don’t take an impossible thing so seriously!’

“F-Fen!? H-how are you too? You clearly know… my… my situation, this is impossible…”

Elena muttered quietly.

“Aiya—alright, alright, I’m done teasing you!”

Kelly stopped the joke.

“Master is hungry!”

The girl pinched her growling little belly, lifted her head, and stared at the two.

“I command you! Quickly follow me, this young lady, to a restaurant to find food!”

With a whoosh, Kelly rushed out of the crowd.

“Hey! Don’t run so fast!”

The two chased after the purple figure in a fluster.

‘It’s my money being spent…’

‘It’s Fen’s money being spent…’

The two simultaneously complained weakly in their hearts.

The speech was not over yet.

Before leaving, Fen turned his head one last time and looked at the blue-haired girl.

So this is the future Saint of Eseriel…

In the original story, soon after the Saintess Selection, Elian’s story stopped when he became dispirited…

But according to the Goddess’s prophecy… the world experienced the Demon King’s world destruction ending.

It seems Lila wasn’t a very good Saint… What will our Eseriel become…

Come to think of it… Elena giving her 60 points… was still too kind.

Luckily, Elena doesn’t know what the magic stone beneath Lila’s abdomen is for.

She also doesn’t know why she’s maintaining the wind magic resonance inside her body.

If she knew her sister was doing this kind of thing in public…

Lila would probably get zero points.