I Obtained Sword God Level Talent

46 – 046. Winds of Change (2)

The moment I entered the Papal States, I was escorted to a room full of all kinds of clothing.

The good thing was that Maria participated in healing the two children. Thanks to that, I was able to ease my discomfort a bit.

“……Is it really necessary to go this far?”

Among the priests preparing the clothes, I asked Pope Sullivan, who was beaming. I couldn’t figure out why he was so happy, he’d been grinning at me ever since we arrived.

“The Holy Nation is an independent administrative district.”

“……?”

The answer that came back was strange. At my look that asked for an explanation, Sullivan chuckled and added,

“However, the fact that the Holy Nation is within the Empire is undeniable. Naturally, the influence of the Imperial Family will be strong.”

…So, is this because they can’t let the Imperial Prince disregard me, the one chosen by the Goddess?

It seems the Pope and the priests of the Papal States think of me as another representative of the Holy Nation.

I wasn’t planning on walking the path of faith, though.

“Now! Everything is prepared. After washing and changing into new clothes, you look almost unrecognizable!”

The priest, checking his robes, beamed and called out,

“……”

I, standing before the mirror, nodded silently.

A black and white uniform, like a testament to being a person of the Holy Kingdom, along with a black cloak. Anyone who saw me would think I was some important figure of a nation.

‘Damn, I am handsome.’

It was a reaction I couldn’t help but have, once again.

Frey…that is, I, was handsome. This was an undeniable fact. Just in the past, Lancelot, upon seeing me after a bath and dressed in new clothes, hadn’t he said that clothes make the man?

Anyways.

“Now, where do I need to go? What about Ariel?”

“Heh heh! She’s already in a conversation with the Crown Prince, your Grace.”

“…That kid?”

A sudden uneasy thought arose.

‘I wonder if she’s getting unjustly berated again.’

The Crown Prince of the Empire, Friedrich.

His full name was August Wilhelm von Friedrich de… or something like that. He was a character with quite a bit of popularity.

Early in the main scenario, the moves he made after ascending to the throne following the late Emperor’s death were quite unconventional, even when considering the medieval fantasy setting.

On top of that, his personality was cool and easy-going. His only flaw was that he was a bit, a bit of a narcissist.

‘…This might actually be kind of interesting.’

I was quite intrigued by the prospect of meeting Friedrich.

Why? Well, the Crown Prince himself didn’t really hold much of my interest, but his younger sister, Princess Brunhilde, was a character that the past me had been quite fond of.

“This way, please. I’ll guide you to the reception room.”

As I was thinking that, a holy knight, who had been silent until now, abruptly spoke.

Nodding silently, I followed his guidance and moved.

* * *

Rustle! Rustle!

“……”

An awkward silence filled the reception room.

The Crown Prince of the great Empire, Friedrich, couldn’t hide his bewildered feelings.

Before him sat a beautiful woman. But, there was one problem… the conversation with her was not going smoothly at all.

“Your Highness, they say ‘he’ has returned.”

An awkward silence hung as we all sipped our tea. One of the aides standing by approached the Crown Prince and whispered something in his ear.

“Hmm.”

The Crown Prince answered softly, a peculiar anticipation flickering across his face.

A piece of news that would shock the Empire… no, the entire world, had arrived at the Imperial Palace just moments ago.

[ A new owner of the ＜Divine Spark＞ has appeared! Two of them, in fact! ]

It was an absurd story.

Even scouring historical records, the ＜Divine Spark＞ was a blessing that had been bestowed upon less than ten people. Yet, three had emerged in the same era? No one could dismiss their skepticism without seeing it with their own eyes.

[ One of the ＜Divine Spark＞ owners has been chosen by the Goddess to retrieve the Holy Grail. A Saint, and a Grail Knight. The emergence of a new comet, indeed! ]

Upon hearing this follow-up, the Crown Prince simply burst out laughing.

A Grail Knight?

It was unbelievable. A Pope, a Saintess, and now, a Grail Knight. Naturally, suspicion arose that it was all a fabrication by Pope Sullivan.

“Saintess-nim.”

“Munch, munch, yess?”

“……”

The Crown Prince’s lips froze.

The new Saintess candidate, whom he had just met for the first time, was a rather unique individual.

The person sitting before her was the Crown Prince of that great Empire. But she seemed completely uninterested in the Crown Prince, devouring the prepared, high-quality pastries with ‘munch, munch’ sounds.

‘Usually, they don’t eat much at a time like this, do they?’

Information gathering on the person named ‘Ariel’ was already complete.

A person who had awakened a brilliant talent and become the youngest senior mage of the Helios Magic Tower. A person who had lost their mana, after losing their mana hole. However, a person who had been chosen by God to become a new Saintess candidate.

“……What is he like, this person called Frey?”

A strange dizziness washed over him. The Crown Prince pressed his temples with his fingers and spoke clearly.

No matter how noble his status, the woman sitting before him was all but confirmed to become a ‘Saintess’. He’d better be careful with his words.

“Ah…! Frey? Ehehe.”

“……?”

The Crown Prince’s brow furrowed slightly.

She had acted as if she had no interest in him until just now, but the moment someone’s name slipped out, her cheeks flushed a soft pink. The sight oddly bothered him.

“He’s incredibly kind. And gentle. He’s a bit aloof… but it’s obvious that he’s warm-hearted inside. Hehe.”

“……”

The Crown Prince, who had been silently waiting for her to finish speaking, was struck by a single word.

Gush.

Yes. That girl, said to be the new Saintess, one who appears only once every two hundred years, was gushing.

‘The Holy Grail Knight… a grand name, but is he just an ordinary person too?’

Hearing Ariel’s explanation, the Crown Prince felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of deflation.

Saintesses, Saints, Holy Grail Knights – none of it felt real.

Even the Saintess currently munching on snacks right in front of him… besides being a little, or rather, very pretty, she didn’t seem special at all. Like a beautiful country girl, if anything.

But just then.

Thud!

“……?”

A quiet, yet heavy sound filled the ears of everyone in the reception room.

“……Footsteps?”

“It seems ‘he’ has arrived.”

One of the attendants whispered to the Crown Prince, who was now frowning.

The Crown Prince’s suspicious gaze turned towards the reception room door. The faint, thudding sound of footsteps was audible through the still silence.

And then.

“The great Saint, chosen by God, owner of the ＜Divine＞ power, the Holy Grail Knight, Frey, is here—!”

Someone’s voice echoed from outside the reception room door.

‘…Finally!’

The door of the luxurious reception room slowly opened.

Clunk, screeeeak-!

Naturally, the attention of everyone, including the Crown Prince, was drawn to that one spot.

After all, the most important reason for their visit to the Holy Nation was him.

The owner of the Divine power, a Saint, a Holy Grail Knight, a man who possessed supreme martial prowess. In the near future, he would be the one to spread his name throughout the continent.

And finally.

“……!!!”

With a faint thudding sound, a figure revealed himself.

Swoosh!

The Crown Prince’s eyes widened as if they would split open. His mouth hung open dumbly. It happened the moment he saw the figure’s spirited, dignified stride and the softly gleaming eyes.

“……It is nice to meet you. I am Frey.”

A low voice echoed through the reception room.

A hush fell, the atmosphere so thick, no one dared to breathe a word. Not even Crown Prince Friedrich.

‘……Huh.’

It was an entrance as if a god had molded the very definition of ‘nobility’ into a person. His face was somewhat listless, expressionless.

His gait was brimming with grace, and a charisma that commanded the crowd.

And his voice? It was a low hum, laced with a magic that seemed to pull at people’s very souls, as if a great destiny was his inescapable fate.

‘……’

For a moment, the Crown Prince’s eyes devoured Frey’s appearance, a silent hum escaping him.

His golden hair, unkempt yet somehow neither messy nor cumbersome.

Eyes like a shimmering blue lake, the kind where legends spoke of fae frolicking.

Smooth, but tightly sealed lips, a sharp, defined jawline.

And finally… every feature in perfect harmony, creating an undeniable beauty.

And the clothes he wore? It was breathtaking.

The seamless contrast of black and white, like tailor-made, perfectly complementing his fair skin.

The cloak that draped his shoulders… it felt like the very garment of a ‘Holy Grail Knight,’ carrying out a sacred duty.

A slightly… unusual observation was his age.

Frey was much younger than the Crown Prince had anticipated. He looked barely of age.

*Swish.*

Stunned, the Crown Prince rose from his seat, unable to conceal his excitement.

*Tremble tremble.*

He couldn’t fathom what this strange emotion was.

His entire life, he had lived on the admiration of others, the expectations of those around him. It would naturally take time to decipher what this feeling truly was.

‘Ah!’

Having risen, the Crown Prince was finally able to name the feeling. His frozen mind was slowly starting to work properly again.

Yes. This was…

‘……Fucking awesome.’

Admiration.

He expressed his feelings with the most unbecoming, low-brow word. It was the only way he could think to describe it.

Admiration for the stars high in the sky. Admiration for the vast, endless ocean.

…The Crown Prince’s eyes sparkled.