Chapter 290 (2/2)

It wasn’t on a scale that could be concluded with the word “diversion”, but Celis also felt that was most likely the case.

That Alva said that his objective was the Altluwand and to erase Celis.

In that case, as she thought, there was no mistake that the one behind the scenes was Narika, her older sister.

However, before thinking about that, there was something that was bothering her.

「S, so, um……Who is that person over there?」

「I am called Ichika.」

In response to Ichika who made a perfect and elegant bow that the one that the earlier Alva made couldn’t even be compared to it, Celis even hurried to bow back.

「I, I am the Third Princess of the Canal Kingdom, Celis. On this occasion, I am grateful for your assistance in my predicament. Erm, so, um. What kind of relationship do you have with Reina……」

「……」

After making a wry smile at Ichika who kept silent and didn’t answer, Reina went “uーn” and then put up her index finger and started spinning it around in the air while muttering.

「Let’s see. How should I explain it……Well, please just understand it as her being an acquaintance of mine.」

「Right……」

Although she was bothered by how Ichika had turned a gaze that said she was dissatisfied with that to Reina, Celis nodded.

It was because she understood that once Reina said something like that, it would be impossible to get more words out of her.

And then, the moment that Celis tried to open her mouth, the sound of several footsteps together with heavy *gasha gasha* sounds could be heard.

That sound climbed up the stairway sounding hurried, and their figures appeared in the Altar Room.

「Princess Celis, are you alri……Uoh, the Altar Room is!?」

「Knight Commander, I am fine. Since Reina and……Ichika-sama here had saved me.」

「Heh? R, right……However, just where did that person called Ichika come from?」

Although she received the Swords of Light Chivalric Order Commander’s gaze that compared Ichika and the broken ceiling with his eyes and had a face that said he was thinking “could it be”, Ichika stood there with a composed face.

「Well, that should be fine. More importantly, the guy who seemed to be the principal offender of the attack this time was defeated. I’ll tell you about it in detail later but……for the time being, let’s escort Celis to her room. Ri……Ichika, you’ll help too, right?」

「……Yes.」

After Reina said that and carried Celis in her arms, *porori*, the long staff fell from Celis’s hands.

Ichika, who tried to catch that staff, was repelled the moment she touched it, and she unconsciously pulled her hand back.

「Whoa.」

Reina nimbly picked up the staff that fell to the floor and made a dull sound, and mace Celis’s hand grip onto it.

「That’s no good, it’s an important staff, right?」

「Y, yes.」

While carrying Celis who was tightly gripping onto the long staff, Reina told the Swords of Light Chivalric Order Commander that stood in front of the stairway to “move out of the way” with her gaze.

「Oi, you all! Go down!」

「Y, yessir!」

Hearing the sounds of the Swords of Light Knights that seemed to have jammed up in the middle of the stairway hurriedly heading down the stairway, Reina was also about to head down the stairway after confirming that things had settled down. But, it was there that she turned around and called out to Ichika who was staring at her.

「Erーm……Ichika, it’s fine for you to come as well. It’s not like you intend on returning like this, right?」

「……Yes, of course.」

After answering like that, Ichika followed after Reina and also started to head down the stairway.

Going down from the Altar Room, and into the Throne Room. And then, Reina walked to Celis’s room that was on that floor.

Only one of the black cat ears peeked out from Celis’s hood as she was held within Reina’s arms, and having noticed that, Celis flusteredly fixed her hood to cover it.

Wondering if it was seen, Celis hurriedly looked at Ichika who was walking behind them, but she couldn’t surmise that sort of response from the expressionless Ichika.

Celis was a bit scared of Ichika whose atmosphere seemed somewhat like cold ice, unlike Reina who possessed an atmosphere that would make people feel relieved, and she tightly grabbed the hem of Reina’s clothes.

It’s alright. Since she’s Reina’s acquaintance, it’s not scary.

Since Reina’s here, it’s not scary.

As if to relieve herself, Celis muttered that over and over in her mind.

Reina stared at the slightly trembling Celis that was in her arms, with a slightly troubled looking……yet gentle expression.