Chapter 181: Keeper of the Sanctuary


    Since I heard from Margrave Volton that the observation party of three nations would visit the Sanctuary this day, I confined myself to the mansion obediently.


    Apparently, the three countries held a conference in Wedgefort after I told Margrave Volton about the Sanctuary. After that, I made Princess Mimir the point of contact for today, but I’m also hiding because I don’t want to stand out. Well, the mansion is in the best location in the Sanctuary so I know it’s kinda impossible to continue hiding, but I’d like to refrain from meeting the big shots of the three countries.


    Since I was doing things like making potions, thinking up weapons or magic devices to equip the Magic Ship with in the mansion workshop with Laeva, I didn’t get bored.


    By the afternoon, I was rxing in the living room with Sophia, enjoying cookies and tea made by Maria when Lulu-chan, who is wrapped in ck maid clothes, informed me of a visitor.


    「Takumi-sama, Princess Mimir-sama ising.」


    「Mimir-sama? Huh? She’s a member of the observation group today, isn’t she?」


    I headed to the foyer to greet her, and when I opened the door, there were people I recognize and people I don’t that were staring at me from behind Mimir.


    「<em>U-umm</em>, Princess Mimir, this is…… the heck?」


    「Please forgive me, Takumi-sama.」


    As I was freaking out, Princess Mimir lowered her head very deeply and apologized to me.


    「Now now, I thoughtlessly mentioned Takumi’s name. Mimir didn’t do wrong.」


    「Undine…………」


    When Undine didn’t look even the slightest bit guilty, I ended up suspecting whether this was on purpose or not.


    「So this mansion really was Iruma-dono’s mansion.」


    「Does this mean that Iruma-dono is in an important position in this Sanctuary?」


    「Margrave Volton-sama, Simon-sama, no, I’m not in an important position here.」


    「You don’t have to try to deceive them anymore. Yes, Takumi is called the Keeper of this Sanctuary, or the Protector of the Sanctuary and Guardian of the Spirit Tree.」


    「「「「What on earth!?」」」」


    「Wait, Undine!」


    I told Margrave Volton that I was deeply involved with the Sanctuary, in a position that coulde in and out of the barrier, but I didn’t expect Undine to put things <em>that</em> bluntly. Every member of the observation party aside from Princess Mimir was surprised.


    Of course they would be. I am a person of dubious origins and the Sanctuary is a ce full of sacred magic power that appeared in the savagends in western end of the continent which all nations were paying attention to. Then they were told by Great Spirit that a youngster like myself was the keeper and protector of such a ce.


    「Takumi, why don’t we have some tea in the garden?」


    「Listen here, Undine.」


    「Hoh, that sounds nice. May we join you as well?」


    Undine proposed to have some tea in our favorite spot in the Sanctuary where there are tables and chairs with a view of the spring and the Spirit Tree. I don’t know who it was, but when I was about to object, the man who, at a nce, exuded an aura of importance had agreed.


    「……………………」


    「<em>Fuu~</em>, Lulu-chan’s brewed tea is delicious.」


    「You’re right.」


    「The cookies made by Maria are also tasty.」


    「So true.」


    「…………delicious.」


    Despite the heaviness of the mood which was making my stomach hurt, not only Undine but Sylph, Dryas, Selene, and even the elusive Nyx were drinking tea nonchntly.


    To the left and right behind me, Sophia and Titan were standing guard, giving rise to a bizarre atmosphere in this ce.


    Guarding me from behind as my attendant despite being the eldest daughter of the Chevalier Sylphide family and a peerless beauty even among the Elves, Sophia.


    And the 3 meter tall Adamantite Alloy Guardian Golem, Titan.


    Seeing Sophia and Titan protect me, even Margrave Volton who I am friendly with had stiff cheeks.


    After that, I got a self-introduction from the man with a strange aura. Who would have thought the King Lomaria himself woulde as part of the observation party. Is it fine for both the king and the prime minister to leave their country? And then, despite being my acquaintances, the prime minister of Valkyra Kingdom and Margrave Volton introduced themselves and greeted me, andstly the prime minister of Yggurle Kingdom did the did the same.


    「Iruma-dono, for you to drink normally with the Great Spirits, I wonder, what is your rtionship with them?」


    「<em>U-umm</em>…………」


    When I was at a loss on how to exin, Undine cut in.


    「I’ll introduce you properly. Takumi is the Guardian of the Spirit Tree, Keeper of the Sanctuary[1], Protector of the Sanctuary, and there are many other names, but you understand, don’t you?」


    「Wha?! The Keeper of the Sanctuary is not an Elf, but an ordinary Human?!」


    Prime Minister Balza of Yggurle Kingdom, the elven country, looked shocked as he asked.


    「Princess! Were you aware of this?!」


    「……Balza, Spirits are not just the power of the elves. The Spirits are here for the sake of the world. Our Spirit Magic is merely borrowing their power. Despite this, if I had imparted the fact that Takumi-sama is the keeper of the Sanctuary to the country, fools such as Earl Hordia would surely invade. That moment would be the moment Yggurle Kingdom would lose the protection of the Spirits.」


    「I will take this opportunity to give you advice. It would be in your best interest to not think of attacking this Sanctuary as a country or try to bring Takumi into your country.」


    「「「………………」」」


    When Princess Mimir told Balza not to get the wrong idea, Undine drove her point into the representatives of various countries.


    A dream-likend unexposed to the threat of monsters, thieves, and war, with crops growing bountifully and resources aplenty. For the people of their respective countries, it was something they oh so desperately want, but the Sanctuary is a ce where the Great Spirits control who cane in and out of the barrier. Even if they know that there is no way for one country to obtain this eden right now, they likely couldn’t give up. Everyone aside from Yggurle Kingdom’s prime minister sank into silence.


    After that, in the delicate mood, while consistently talking harmlessly and inoffensively, we talked a bit about the agreement for establishment of a town close to the Sanctuary. And so, the first Sanctuary observation finished and the observation party was sent back using Princess Mimir’s carriage.


    ***


    <b>Footnotes:</b>


    1. I think this might have been a typo, raws said Spirit Tree instead of Sanctuary. Both work, but I’ll put in Sanctuary for consistency.