Overlimit Skill Holder
Book 6: Chapter 5.1

A Letter to the Young Lady

★ Kruvan Holy Kingdom Earl Sillys’ Residence ★

There was a knock on the door. But the sound was slightly louder than usual. This wouldn’t have been noticed by anyone other than Victor Sillys who had been listening to the sound of “a comfortable knock from the butler” from an early age.

「Why, if it isn’t Sebas… It is very unusual for you to be in a hurry. Is there something wrong?」

The Earl said, permissing the chief butler’s entry into the room.

「I apologise. But there is something I must deliver even if it interrupts the conversation between Your Excellency and the young lady.」

The handsome and beautiful father-daughter pair sat across from each other on a sofa. Neither the Earl nor Eva, who were at the forefront of the Red Gate campaign until just a few days ago, showed any exhaustion. They presented themselves in a dignified and noble manner.

Especially Eva. She was growing more beautiful day by day.

When a dress was ordered to be designed for Eva, the designer was so deeply moved by Eva’s beauty that they put all their previous orders on hold. This became a hot topic in the noble community of the Holy Kingdom. Owing to that, letters of engagement proposals have been coming in non-stop recently.

「Don’t tell me it’s an engagement proposal from the 6 Great Duke Houses?」the Earl said.

「I would not be in a hurry if it was just to that extent.」Sebas replied.

「Chief Butler. And father too, it is not proper to use the dukes as a joke even briefly.」Eva said.

「Fufu. Exactly as you say, Eva… So what is the matter?」the Earl asked.

「Yes, sir.」

Sebas approached at his usual pace, but he was sweating slightly – the Earl assumed it must be a fairly important matter.

「…A letter from Reiji-dono.」

The butler respectfully presented the letter.

「!」

「Eva, it is not proper to get excited as such.」

「Uh…」

The Earl reminded Eva, as she reflexively half-rose to her feet in excitement.

「Your Excellency, let’s not tease the young lady. You should read it first, young lady.」

「Sebas, but that’s…」

「Because it is addressed to both parties.」

「Before I realised, you started siding with my daughter, isn’t that right Sebas…」the Earl said.

The chief butler simply responded with a kind smile to the Earl.

(Sebas has changed too… He used to be more on edge.)

Sebas was like a grandfather who was watching over his granddaughter. Recently he also started consulting the Earl on who should be the next chief butler, so he might seriously be considering retiring and becoming a simple old man who watches over Eva, the Earl thought.

However, that’s fine. There is a need for a successor, after all – just like how the Earl is thinking of having Eva succeed the family headship.

「So Eva, what does Reiji-san say?」

At first, Eva was with a smile full of joy, then it turned into a straight face, and then Eva’s expression turned serious.

「Father… Reiji says it’s a “world crisis”.」

The Earl received the letter from Eva, and scanned through it.

Although Reiji’s writing improved a lot while he stayed in the Sillys residence, it was still bad and the Earl could feel the childishness in the writing.

However, the information was still fully communicated.

The Earl sighed.

「Does he also have a magic tool that attracts problems?」

Eva stood up at the same time that the Earl stood up.

Next to them, Sebas received the letter from the Earl, and read it in a hurry.

「Let’s go, Eva.」

「Yes, father.」

Earl Sillys and Eva began to move as soon as they received the letter. Their destination – the Holy Royal Palace.

**

Only a handful of nobles are allowed to visit without prior arrangement.

House Riviere, one of the 6 Great Dukes, is currently under house arrest on suspicion of having channelled the skill orbs that emerge from the First Altar into the black market, and the nobles who colluded with them are stripped of rank.

Since the investigation into the main noble houses has been completed, Earl Sillys’ “Magic Eye of Inquire” is almost no longer needed. But since he still holds the title of “Special Assistant Secretary” of the Altar Management Bureau, he has to come to the Holy Royal Palace every day.

Earl and Eva got off the carriage at the stop immediately after entering the Holy Royal Palace. Another person arrived at the same time.

「Yo, Victor.」

「What a surprise, Your Excellency, Duke Grenjido.」

「Geez, stop that. Don’t kneel in this place.」

He immediately stopped the father and daughter who tried to kneel on the spot.

「But Your Excellency, this is the Holy Royal Palace. We, as vassals, should show respect to the royal family…」

「Shut up. I’m telling you there’s no need for that. You’ll get Miss Eva’s clothes dirty.」

「…………」

Grenjido was the Holy King until just a few months ago. His glowing blue hair clearly shows that he is the pinnacle of this kingdom.

Earl Sillys and Eva stood up reluctantly.

「News reaches you quick too, Victor.」

Grenjido said while walking alongside the Earl.

There were no attendants around them. There is an unwritten rule in this Holy Royal Palace that you should not bring a companion. The number of employees working inside are kept to a minimum, and the majority are the priests for the First Altar.

「What do you mean, Your Excellency?」

「Hmm, it’s regarding Rei– I mean, Her Majesty the Holy King, isn’t it?」

Grenjido said “Rei” because the current Holy King is Reifalgia, Grenjido’s daughter.

As expected, he couldn’t discard the Holy King’s previous name immediately.

「No. We have something to inform Her Majesty.」the Earl said.

「I see. But perhaps it’s the same thing.」Grenjido said.

「Huh?」

「Well, let’s just go and replace out.」

There was nothing else to be said, so the three went on.

They reached a conference room with all the doors and windows open, which felt like a sense of liberation. The table was wonderfully cut out from a single giant tree. But the decoration was minimal. The word “simplicity” suited the room above all.

The Holy Royal Palace, which makes the best use of the ancient lifestyle, is cold in winter and hot in summer. A place where people live far from the image of “the pinnacle of the country”.

「——Your Majesty, I, Grenjido, have arrived.」

「I, Sillys, am here too.」

「Your Majesty, I am Eva, the daughter of House Sillys.」

The three simultaneously knelt before the person sitting at the table in the conference room.

「Welcome, Grenjido, Earl Sillys, and Eva.」

The woman who was dressed in the attire that Grenjido once donned is now — the Holy Queen.

Her long, groomed straight hair is long enough to reach under her breasts. It looked mystical with the glowing blue light.

Her hair ornament was a golden bullion garnished with ruby.

Her stern look was not like her arrogant father, but her sagacious mother.

Standing at attention behind her were two knights of the Holy King, serving as her guard and escort.

At present, the leadership position of the Holy King’s Knight is absent because the leader died in the battle with the mediator. Thus the Holy Queen temporarily holds full authority over the Knights Order.

Including that, the pressure on the shoulders of the Holy Queen, who has not even reached 20 years old yet, was great.

「I summoned you because I need your opinion on something. I am grateful that you answered my call so soon.」the Holy Queen said to Grenjido.

「Your Majesty, you can call me anytime.」

Grenjido sat near the Holy Queen. Perhaps encouraged by Grenjido’s words — by her father’s words, the Holy Queen smiled a little.