After Retirement, Living a Stud Life in Another World - 159

Episode 159: At the Ceremony

After ending what had become an interrogation-like street parade, the main festival moves to the grand cathedral of the church. Here, His Majesty will receive the “Crown of the Year” from His Eminence the Cardinal.

In Berzenbrück, there are as many crowns as there are magical attributes, eight in total. They are kept at the central church in the royal capital, and each year the king receives a crown adorned with a gem symbolizing a different attribute, which is then returned the following year. The people naturally incorporate the crown’s attribute into their daily lives, like saying, “This year is the year of wood, so we should have a good harvest” or “Your daughter was born in the year of wind, so she’s two years different from ours.”

When His Majesty offers the tiara adorned with garnet, symbolizing the fire attribute, to the altar, the elderly Cardinal places a crown decorated with tanzanite, representing the water attribute, on His Majesty’s head. This annual event has been continuing for hundreds of years, and it feels refreshingly new, much like the New Year’s celebrations of the old world.

Despite enjoying the atmosphere, I can’t help but be concerned about the surroundings. I’m worried that enemy forces targeting Beato might be planning something.

The magical warriors, former imperial war slaves who had been protecting Beato and me throughout the parade, are naturally not allowed in this sacred royal ceremony. The skilled members of the Dark Clan that Ayaka-san had assigned to us are in the same situation due to their lower social status in this country.

The only woman here who might be able to protect us is Gretel, but as “the princess’s fiancé’s second,” she is only given a seat far behind us, far from where Beato and I are lined up in the front. It would be difficult for her to assist us in an emergency.

So, I’m desperately on guard, making sure no harm comes to Beato. Well, with my lack of experience in the dark world, I wouldn’t be able to detect a serious assassin anyway.

A young woman in priestly robes approaches Cardinal His Eminence, who is holding the returned crown. She carries a tray with both hands. It’s natural for her to come to collect the crown that has fulfilled its role for the year, but something feels off. Her arms are trembling slightly. When she takes two or three steps back from the altar, she raises her right hand high and chants:

“Light!!”

This is the “Flash” magic, which almost any light attribute mage can use. It emits a dazzling light from the body, temporarily blinding the enemy’s vision—a rather basic debuff technique. However, no one here, including the royal family, high-ranking nobles, and church leaders, would expect anyone to perform such an act. Almost everyone inside the church lost their sight for about ten seconds… except for me, who has an unusually high magic resistance.

The woman draws a dagger hidden in the tray and charges forward with a lowered stance… targeting Beato. None of the surrounding people have recovered from the flash debuff yet.

There’s no time to think. My body is reacting reflexively. I need to get between the charging woman and Beato… just a few centimeters away; if there is a supreme deity in this world, I hope they can stop time for even a fraction of a second.

It seems my wish was granted. I feel the woman’s soft body collide with my right side and a hot sensation as if being pierced by something… Ah, I’ve been stabbed.

It’s right between the ribs… I didn’t have the luxury to avoid the vital spots, so I took a direct hit in a critical area. It’s probably fatal, but if it means protecting Beato and our unborn child, that’s enough. I’ve lived for over sixty years if you include my previous life. But I’m sorry that this will make Gretel sad… I can only apologize for that. I’m truly sorry.

Such disjointed thoughts flit through my mind in a fraction of a second. But these sentimental feelings are abruptly interrupted by a pained voice I know well… Clara’s scream. I quickly turn my gaze to her, and I see Clara collapsed on a bench on the opposite side. The red stain on her light blue dress is spreading.

“Princess Clara!” “Princess, what happened!”

The high-ranking nobles opposed to Beato, including the Prime Minister, are also in a panic.

It’s strange. I check my chest, where I’ve been stabbed, and indeed the narrow silver dagger is deeply embedded in my body. But strangely, there’s no pain or suffering.

“This is…”

“Lutz!”

Gretel, flying in with the force of a light beam from the last row, freezes when she sees me and Clara. But she seems to have quickly understood what happened. She knocks the stunned attacker away with a single blow, rendering her unconscious, and then rushes to Clara’s side, beginning to chant a light healing spell.

“Beato, I don’t understand what’s happening…”

“A high-level gold attribute mage can create a ‘substitute doll.’”

“Oh…”