I woke up again today.
I checked the message box on my terminal. There was a message from my mother—the old lady.
She was apparently undergoing vocational training on the planet that was supposed to become my—Tatiana’s—territory. She was training to be a staff member for the Agricultural Cooperative. The whole family was living off Imperial subsidies and the money I sent home.
My younger brother and sister were attending school on the planet, and apparently, their grades were excellent. While they weren't quite at the level to get into the Officer Academy, they were in a position to aim for a national boarding high school...
I mean, seriously! The Officer Academy? What was with those acceptance rates?! They were total elites! Even getting into the Imperial Junior Academy was supposed to be a nightmare. Big Brother Leo... was he actually some kind of genius?
Since I was a minor, the territory wasn't officially mine yet. A guardian, some Count or other, was managing it for me. He was supposedly a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army. Once things settled down, I was told I’d be adopted into his family.
It sounded a bit fishy to me. So, when Big Sister Veronica called for me at just the right time, I decided to ask her about it.
It was a rare moment with just the two of us. Big Brother Leo wasn't around, which made it the perfect time for a heavy conversation.
"About this adoption thing... what’s going to happen to my old lady?"
"The Count is scheduled to take proper care of her," Veronica replied.
"Wait... is my old lady going to become the Count's mistress? Is that okay? That hag will get carried away, you know. Won't she just be a nuisance?"
"No! He is simply looking after her livelihood! Tatiana, you are going to become a Count yourself, so start acting like it."
"Ehh... but there’s nothing I can do about being a clone from a bottom-tier family, sir."
I understood it now, but the idea that 'parents don't matter' didn't really fly in the adult world. I was the daughter of a former prostitute—a clone of one, at that. I was perfect bait for anyone who wanted to drag Big Brother Leo or Big Sister Veronica down. The public wasn't vulgar enough to make it an overt scandal, but my origins were already an open secret. The clone thing, the mother thing—everyone knew.
"Even so, you are my junior sister and a hero who survived the Zork War under my husband," Veronica said firmly. "I will let no one disparage your origins. If anyone utters such nonsense, I shall crush them."
"But it’s a fact that I’m a fake, sir."
"We only know the Tatiana of the present. You are the only hero of the Zork War and the only junior sister we have. Lord Groom has said so many times, has he not? You are the Saint of the Ogre God Nation, one of the Three Musketeers of Comedy, and the 'Witch of Ten Thousand Demons'—one of the Empire's Strongest Espers."
"Wait a second, the 'Three Musketeers of Comedy' is just something Big Brother Leo made up, right? Also, that’s the first I’ve heard of this 'Witch of Ten Thousand Demons' thing."
"It is your code name. Lord Groom is the 'Sage of Hope,' and Alyssa is the 'Unhatched Egg.'"
"Wow, Alyssa-chan’s getting the short end of the stick there."
"Once she awakens, she will be given a proper name. Even if she does not, we can place our expectations on the next generation. Besides, Alyssa is quite talented in her own right. In any case, do not worry about your mother's welfare."
"Understood."
"Now then, to the main point," Veronica said, her expression shifting. "I know not how it is for your mother or siblings, but for us, you alone are Tatiana. One-oh-one and Shiyun surely feel the same. Therefore, I shall give you a grave mission."
"What is it, getting all formal all of a sudden...?"
"Shiyun will descend to the Taikyoku Nation. You are to protect her."
"Well, of course. She’s my friend. But... I don't think you needed to pull me aside just for that. Is it something you can't tell Big Brother?"
"In a sense, yes..."
The atmosphere grew heavy. I figured I had to lighten the mood with a joke.
"You can even order me to die, you know," I chirped.
The air instantly turned freezing. Ah, yeah. I missed the mark on that one.
"Tatiana... let me tell you this: I think of you as family, as a true younger sister. Cease such remarks, even as a jest."
"Ah, yeah, sorry... So, what’s the problem?"
"It is the Ghouls. We can do nothing about them."
"Whaaaaaaaaat?! Why?! There's a treatment, right?!"
"The treatment exists, but there is a high possibility the mechanism is misunderstood. We are being forced to re-evaluate everything. Furthermore, the fact that they are microorganisms is the real problem. It has become uncertain if eradication is even possible... No, it is likely impossible."
"What about burning them all or something?"
"We no longer even understand their ecology. It may be that taking over humans is an anomaly, and the mountains and forests themselves are the true Ghoul Nests."
"No way..."
"That is why I have this. It is a report analyzing the myths, medicines, religions, and cultures of the Ogre God Nation, Latarnia, and the Taikyoku Nation."
Big Sister Veronica pulled out a massive stack of documents.
"It looks like it’ll take a month just to read that, sir."
"Indeed. Therefore, look at this page."
"Huh? The Saint?"
Apparently, a Saint Legend was common to all three countries. First was the founding myth of the Ogre God Nation—a Saint who saved Ogres who were killing each other.
"Ogres killing each other. Do you notice anything?"
"Ghoul possession?!"
"Indeed. In Latarnia, she brought medicine. The Latarnians, whose illnesses were cured by that medicine, achieved liberation and built a nation. This is blatant, is it not? It is Ghoul medicine. Analysis has reported that local herbs had a certain effect on Ghouls."
And then there was the Taikyoku Nation. The Saint assisted the First Emperor as a spokesperson for God. With her help, the First Emperor unified the nation and brought law and order.
"Do you notice anything?" Veronica asked.
"...I wonder? Is it the fact that there's no mention of her curing anyone?"
"Correct. Likely, the Saint was a doctor. She died in the middle of her efforts to treat the Ghouls. The place where she died was the Taikyoku Nation."
"I'm being treated like a Saint, but I'm not a doctor, sir."
"There are other doctors. However, you are the only one being treated as a Saint. You understand, Tatiana? You must become the Saint."
What an impossible demand! What was I supposed to do?!
"I can't just 'become' a Saint! I don't even have a plan!"
"Ah, that is where this comes in. This location."
"Uh... what is that?"
"It is the Saint’s Tomb."
"Huh...?"
"Use your Mimicry to borrow the Saint's power."
"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?! Wait, Big Sister! There’s a limit to how unreasonable you can be!"
"But only you can do it. You are not the previous Tatiana. It is something only you can achieve. My sister, the Witch of Ten Thousand Demons! Now, become the Saint!"
No way... being one of the Three Musketeers of Comedy was way better than this...