CH 172

「Onward to our next fun, Skipping boats!」

That’s what Rafinha called for soaring just right above the surface of the lake.

「Okay.」

Fwsssssssssssh!

The water splashed noisily. When Inglis looked behind, what she saw was the scene of columns of water rolling as though they were chasing after the Star Princess unit.

「Ahahaha! I got splashed! Cold! Breeezyy!!」

After flying around a bit, Rafinha gave Alina a suggestion.

「Alina, while you’re here anyway, wanna try holding the steer?」

「C-, can I…?! Won’t you two be scolded for letting me hold it without permission?」

「Ha-hah. It’s fine, it’s fine. We’re not borrowing it. It’s ours!」

The two took it upon themselves to teach Alina how to operate a Flygear. Seeing Alina enjoying herself so much made both of them joyous, and time flew past. The sun had completely set, and the night sky was decorated with stars without a single cloud. The half-moon was reflecting its beautiful shape on the surface of Lake Vault.

「Uwaah, so high!! I almost could touch the stars……so pretty…」

The three of them were edging on the altitude limit of their Flygear, taking in the starry sky and the scenery down below. It was a wonderful view, but Inglis wondered if Leone, who seemed to be a little bit uncomfortable with height, would be scared by it.

「Can I ask you one thing, Alina?」

Inglis suddenly spoke up.

「What is it, big sis?」

「Have you ever been baptized with the Baptismal Box?」

Inglis and Rafinha underwent baptism when they were six years old. The ritual involved the use of a Baptismal Box to engrave «Runes» onto their bodies.

「Eh? I haven’t, why……?」

「Is that so… Thank you for answering.」

There was no «Rune» etched on Alina’s hand, which meant she was a Runeless, but… When Inglis touched her hand to teach her to steer, she could tell. It seemed that there was quite a lot of mana dwelling inside Alina.

She felt a glow of mana that was probably in the same High Grade Rune class as Rafinha, or at least enough to be unthinkable for her to be a Runeless. After having fought with and listened to Yua, Inglis had been very interested in carefully examining strains of mana around her, be it the mana of the people or the mana in nature, but… For Alina to be a Runeless, it felt strange to her.

「Eeh. Hold on, isn’t baptism something that everyone goes through when they’re six?」

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The “everyone” that Rafinha mentioned referred to the people in her environment; those who lived in the world of aristocracy and titled knights, and those who were in close circle to them. There was a much harsher world outside that circle.

This was where Rafinha’s naive front, or rather her belief that humans were fundamentally good, became really apparent.

「Even if you give me that……Hey, hey, Alina. Did your father and mother not allow you to take the baptism?」

The Baptism itself, as in the ritual to receive «Runes», could be performed at any church all over the kingdom.

It was not rare for powerful noble families to own their own Baptismal Box, and it wasn’t uncommon for them to have those instruments available for their subjects. Although those services weren’t always free, they cost you next to nothing.

It was essential for everyone living on the Midland to discover who had the qualities of a Knight and have them as a force to protect the places where people lived. There really wasn’t any reason not to use the Baptismal Box extensively.

Even if one was born poor, so long as they could receive a «Rune», they could open a path to Knightdom and even escape poverty.

Rafinha must have thought so far herself, but… It seemed that she couldn’t see much further than that.

「Both dad and mom are no longer here.」

Answered Alina with a lightly lonesome smile.

「Ah… I-, I see……S-sorry, I asked something sensitive…」

「Nope, it’s alright. Both of you are so kind after all,」

She knew that Rafinha bore no ill will with her question, or so it seemed. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Alina were angry, but, in a way, she was the bigger person between the two. Or perhaps, it was more appropriate to address her attitude as unnaturally accustomed to being hurt.

「I was sold by mom and dad, so……baptism and the like is, for me…」

If that was the case, it was no wonder she wasn’t given any chance to undergo baptism. She was bought as a labor force. If her talent as a Knight was discovered, she would have to be taken away by the state or the nobles, and thus cannot be used as labor anymore. Her employee didn’t see any reason to risk it.

Inglis wondered, was the small pattern she saw on her right arm was some kind of “Product” identification they branded on their goods? It hinged on her mind, but she couldn’t possibly pry any further.

Perhaps, telling Alina that she had a talent for becoming a Knight made her suffer even greater.