After making arrangements with Rita, Diana walked over to the Temple of Mist just before the royal carriage arrived and asked the priest, "May I have a word with you? She asked the priest. The news of the Red Rose's disappearance seemed to have reached the temple, and after she gave her name, there was a great commotion up and down the hall.
I was led to the House of Exorcism next to the Temple (which still looked like a normal castle), and when I arrived there, the King came down from the palace carriage and said, "Are you all right, Red Rose? The knights wanted to know more about her, but Yuri and the rest of the palace maids and maidservants did everything they could to silence them, and Diana was immediately examined by a doctor.

Last night was a close call, but Deanna, who had been protected by Kai, was unharmed after all. She ate a good breakfast and lunch, and after a long run to relieve stress, she is in good health and full of energy. The knights who came to listen to her this time were turned away, and after a full body massage, Diana was thrown into bed. After being massaged all over her body, Diana was thrown into bed.
After resting for a while and having dinner, the knights who had received permission from the maids came to inquire about her behavior from last night to today. After satisfying them with their planned answers, I was led to a large, luxurious bath with a spacious tub. I was told that it is the custom of the royal family to soak in the baths to purify themselves before attending the Lord's Day service.
Even though she had been massaged before dinner, her whole body was polished again here, and Diana went to sleep feeling rather tired.

And then, after a night of sleep...

Through the work of the god Amenos, the world has been flooded with light and promised prosperity. We give thanks to the great god .......

The Chief Priest, the apex of the Armenian faithful, had given us these words of gratitude, which we would not have been able to see without such an opportunity.
Deanna was a little prepared for the fact that we would be worshipping in the main temple, thinking that we would be expected to have different manners and etiquette than usual, but the content itself was so ordinary that she wondered if this was really okay. If you think about it, the "royal family receiving blessings" is just like having a priest say, "May Amenos be with you again next year," at the annual service. All you have to do is to walk quietly up to the altar and hang your head down quietly. There was nothing difficult about it, it was a simple job that anyone could do.
At the end of the service, all the participants sang a song in praise of Amenos, and the service ended in an orderly fashion. Considering the fact that we had traveled all the way to the north by horse-drawn carriage for five days just for this service, it would have been better if there had been some more spectacular performance.

I'm not asking you to put on a skit like we do here.
That temple is exceptional. I've heard that priests from other places are stunned without exception.

After the service, Deanna returned safely to her assigned room and chatted with Rita, who was helping her get dressed.
There are several temples in the Cresta region, but the one familiar to the lord's family is not easily recognized as a temple at first sight due to its colorful and cute appearance and the atmosphere where the children of the town are always coming in and making noise. When Advent approaches, the regular visitors voluntarily form teams to practice skits based on a fairy tale called the "Myth of the Founding" and perform them at the Sunday service. It is a mystery when such a joyful custom started, but it seems to have already been a common practice when Dualis was a child. Incidentally, Diana once participated in a skit as a village girl when she was in the first digit of her age.
I'm not sure what to make of this. But, as a daughter of a nobleman, she had experienced the service in the capital once before, so she didn't doze off.

Ours was an extreme case, though, right?　I thought it was some kind of divine ritual, since His Majesty the King came all the way to the city during the busy year-end season.
I'm sure that's what I thought too. It's true that the building itself was magnificent and the priests' costumes were sparkling, but the service itself was rather formal and ordinary. I thought, "This could have been done in the royal capital.
"Right?　Everyone said that it was meaningful to hold it in the main temple, but when you consider the cost effectiveness, it's not a very solid tradition.

It's a pragmatic squire. The fact that they are outsiders makes them unforgiving, even when it comes to opinions.

After taking off her formal dress, which had been heavy since morning, and changing into a simple short dress, Diana finally let out a sigh of relief. When she returned to the living room, two able-bodied maids were waiting to make her a cup of warm tea. The two of them looked radiant, knowing that the biggest show of the day was over.

I'm sure you'll be pleased with the results. ...... Would you two like to join us for a cup of tea?

In the first half of the trip, the two royal courtesans were changing their perception of Diana. Their "Red Rose" is really good at behaving like a noble lady, but at heart she is a wild and insane person. But in her mind, the two coexist without any sense of discomfort.
When Diana is in the palace, she does not invite her maids to tea. I guess being on the road has loosened her "nobility". She was strangely comfortable.
Yuri and Lurie looked at each other, smiled a little, and nodded.

I can't say no to Master Diana's invitation.
But you can't go back to the palace.

Rita laughed at their adaptability.

You're both very reliable. You two are very reliable. Keep up the good work and discipline Diana-sama.
"What do you mean by that, Rita?
What do you mean by that?　You don't realize how much work you've put us through the day before yesterday and the day after that, do you?

Oh no, I'm in trouble.
It's a good idea to have a good idea of what's going on in your life. In addition, Rita lightly blocked Diana's side, and the escape had to be abandoned.

In the event that you're looking for the best way to get the most out of your wedding, then you're going to want to make sure that you're getting the most out of your wedding. For the two of them, the time they spent without the Lord was so worrisome that they didn't even feel like living, and yet the person in question arrived at the temple with a blank look on her face.

I've already understood that common sense doesn't work with Diana-sama. Can you please tell me the truth?
We don't believe that what you told the palace knights last night is true.

Suddenly attacked by a stranger, the Red Rose, confused with fear, quickly fled deep into the forest. As she was desperately fleeing, she was saved by a kind traveler who happened to be in the forest and was able to come safely to the Temple of Mist.
The traveler who took her back to ...... realized that she was a woman of incredibly high rank and, perhaps because he didn't want any trouble, he left without telling her his name. The Red Rose followed the path that the traveler had told her to take when they parted and made it safely to the temple.
This is the story of the double-cross that Rita and Sirius told me. Most people would be fooled by this, but as expected, .......

"Diana was probably the calmest of us all at the time. You got out of the carriage with a clear purpose, didn't you?
"You didn't simply run away from the scene because you were scared, did you?

You can't hide from the eyes of the able-bodied maids of honor who were riding in the carriage.
The eyes of the able-bodied maidens in the carriage could not be deceived.

"Isn't it unfair to ask a question you're already sure of?
It may be unfair, but we think it's more conscientious than Deanna, who dares to surprise us with no explanation.
...... I knew you were worried.


Of course. Rita had some idea what was going on, but we have no idea.

Their anger now was a reaction to their worry from the night before last. It was painfully understandable, so Deanna slowly bowed her head.

I'd like to apologize for causing you so much worry. I just couldn't think of a better move to make at the time.
...... So, you had an idea?
It was almost by reflex that I stepped out of the carriage. It was almost a reflex to get out of the carriage. I could feel someone in the woods trying to kill Rita.

That creepy feeling in my back. It wasn't me that was targeted, but when you're in the crosshairs of someone you know so well at such close range, your instincts kick in.

I was in a real hurry to get there in time, but I was relieved that I managed to stop the arrow before it got into Rita. But ......

I was relieved that I managed to prevent the arrow from piercing Rita. It's not just one or two people, but all of the people surrounding the carriage were clearly trying to kill her.

The goal of those who attacked the carriage was not the royal family or money. It was my life. ...... Do you know what that means?
Do you mean that you will not stop attacking ...... the carriage until you have Diana's life?
At least that's what I saw from the men the day before yesterday. That's why I ran, I ran.
You don't mean...
If there was no one left to kill, there would be no reason for them to attack the carriage, would there?

In the event that you've got a lot more than one of these, you'll be able to get a lot more.

It's a good idea to take a look at the actual information on the web.
You mean you dared to run away ......?　For our own good.
I couldn't think of anything better to do. They were more skilled than I thought they would be, and sooner or later, we would have lost, and someone would have lost their life.
"That's not the point!

It's not a matter of that!" Yuri said with a calm expression. If you look closely, you can see a fierce light wavering in the depths of his eyes.

It's outrageous that Diana, who is supposed to be protecting us, would make the most dangerous choice for us. It's outrageous!
I agree with you, Yuri. It's our job to protect Diana's life, even if we have to shield her in times of need, you know?　In the event that you're in a high position, your first priority should be to protect yourself, even at the expense of the lives of those below you.
I've never even had that kind of resolve.

I've never even had that kind of determination." Knowing that she was being scolded, Deanna looked back at the two palace attendants, but she could not compromise on this one thing.

I've never even been a noble. I don't want to be self-sacrificing.

Deanna was more than half-serious in her words.

I'm ready to protect my people and my country, but I'm not ready to be protected by my 'status'. Rather than sacrificing my life for someone else's, I will choose to protect everything, including myself, and live with the regret of not being able to protect them. Once you lose your life, you can't get it back.

It was rare for Deanna to be so assertive. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to help me.

As long as you're alive, there's nothing to really 'mourn'. If that's the case, I'll find a way to get through this without anyone else dying, even if it means putting myself in a bit of danger.
...... So the result of your thinking was that you escaped alone?

If you're a normal girl, your death is confirmed at that point. It is only natural that Yuri and Lurie were worried about her.
But their master, who cowered his shoulders, smiled rather like a mischievous child.

I'm sure you've got a good idea of the odds.　If I could just lead them deep into the forest, they would never be able to catch me.
"Why?

Rita, who was munching on a cookie next to Deanna, answered Luly's question.

Have either of you ever been to the Crestor Zone?
The Crestor Zone ......?　No, I haven't. It's one of the territories of the Earls of Crestor, right?
It's the oldest of the Crester estates, given to my family when we were knighted. It's also my off-season base, so it's local to me.
I heard that the Earls of Clester rarely leave the estate during the off-season.
That's just a rumor, though in reality they are out and about a lot.

Anyway, Rita put her teaspoon back in her saucer and exhaled.

The Cresta region is an area that has been carved out of the forest.
"Oh, really?
The lord's mansion also stands surrounded by the forest, and the forest that surrounds it is also part of the mansion. In short, it's a garden.
"H......, could that be...
Yeah, Luly, you're probably right. -Diana has been playing in the woods of the Cresta since before she could remember. There's no one who can catch her in the forest nowadays.
"That's it?

The two maidens were stunned, and Diana smiled in annoyance.

I don't see why you should be so surprised. ....... It's just a matter of keeping in tune with the trees, listening to the wind and letting it tell us where to go to avoid being seen.
"So only you can do that, Deanna. Please be aware of that.

You can't think that something you've taken for granted since you were a child is special, even if you've been shoved into it. All she can do is twist her head.


The two royal maids seemed to understand something when they saw her like this.

I'm not sure if it's a good thing or not.
"It wasn't so calm, but... I was able to believe that the worst would not happen.
I was not as calm as I should have been, but I had faith that the worst would not come to the worst. ...... Diana and Rita never cease to amaze me. I didn't know you were so familiar with fighting.

I'm not sure what to make of that. That's the "pass" signal.
Deanna smiled and shook her head from side to side.

I'm not that familiar. It's just that you never know where things are going to go in life, and I know a few things about martial arts so that I can protect myself in case of emergency.
But no ordinary family would want to teach their daughter martial arts, would they?
Well, I suppose we're not the most common family in that sense. We're basically parents who don't stop our children from doing what they want to do.

It's not just uncommon, it's out of the ordinary, but you don't have to be so aggressive to tell people that your family is weird. Finally freed from her bed of needles, Deanna took a sip of her tea and smiled at the two men in front of her.

She took a sip of her tea and smiled at the two men in front of her, "I'm sorry for worrying you, and I apologize again and again. But I don't think I want to sacrifice anyone to protect myself in the future. So, even though you may worry about me again, I promise you this: ....... I will not waste my life, and no matter how much danger I am in, I will survive and come back safe and sound.

Ao's eyes were surprisingly pure as she said this. Her eyes were so pure and clear that they could reach the depths of a person's heart without hesitation.
It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for and what you can do to help.

I'll make sure of it.
"Yes, of course.

Yuri, who rarely changes his expression, smiles softly. I'm not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing.
I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not, but it's a good idea.

"......, my dear Red Rose. I'm not sure what to say.

In the moment when they almost touched, a voice echoed from the other side of the door, and the four of them looked at each other.