On the days we didn't have to help in church, Selene, Teto, and I went out to see the royal capital along with several escorts dispatched from the royal palace.
"As expected of the royal capital. There are so many things I'm not familiar with."
In contrast to me who was frantically buying books from one store to another, Selene and Teto were having fun munching on the food they purchased from the stalls.
Selene hadn't shown that much interest in clothes or jewelry, maybe because she had inherited my and Teto's disposition.
Meanwhile, the guards at a distance looked like they were going to faint at any moment seeing Selene, a dignified noble lady, buying and eating food from the stalls like a commoner though we ignored them.
And when we visited the adventurer's guild, sure enough, there wasn't anyone trying to find fault with a small kid like Selene. Though, they may have taken her as the relative of an aristocrat traveling incognito while in plain sight of trained guards tagging along from a distance.
"Excuse me. We're Adventurers from another place so we have come to greet the royal capital's adventurer's guild."
"Nice to meet you-nanodesu!"
"My, that's so polite of you."
Teto and I greeted the receptionist and directly asked about the A-rank promotion test.
"When is the A-rank promotion test going to start?"
"A-rank? I'm sorry, information about the A-rank promotion test is confidential....."
The receptionist seemed to have misunderstood our intention.
I'm sure she thought of us as children wanting to take a look at the place where the Adventurers they admired gathered more than people who would be taking the promotion exam.
Thus, I displayed my guild card.
"I'm a B-rank Adventurer, qualified to take the promotion exam. Check the card yourself."
"!? P, please forgive my rudeness! I will check it right away!"
Then, she gave a detailed explanation after confirming my and Teto's registration for the promotion exam.
It seems that B-rank adventurers who have obtained the qualifications to take the A-rank promotion exam fight each other in a challenge-type tournament.
"I assume there's no other type of exam like giving out difficult quests and deciding the outcomes based on completion, right?"
"We used to have that system in the past but as there had been precedents of examinees dying during the quest, it had now taken this shape so as to not to dwindle the precious personnel of the guild."
That's understandable, I nodded in agreement and asked about the test in detail, and, apparently, it's a one-on-one battle with the last one standing format since normal tournament battles are mostly influenced by luck.
Adventurers could, of course, show their abilities the best when in a party but the goal was to check out how flexible and responsive they were alone in times of emergency.
Such a format was to ascertain that aspect, apparently.
"I got it. There are some circumstances due to which I currently can't take on any quests yet but I may borrow the training ground when I'm free."
"I understand. However, the other adventurers who are also taking the promotion test are buying information about the examinees. So you can say the test has already begun, in a sense."
Since it wasn't a type of test where one wins and advances to the next round, one's skills would become apparent from 2nd battle onwards.
I see, it's also a valid strategy to gather intelligence about the participating adventurers beforehand, take measures against them in the second round, or have tables turned on them and then test out how they respond to changes.
"The promotion exam will be in half a year."
"Got it. That's all I needed to know, so we are heading back for now. Thank you."
"Thank you-nanodesu! See you-nanodesu!"
We went back after confirming what I needed to know and our stay under the hospitality of the church continued for a while.
Occasionally there would be adventurers coming to the cathedral or clinic where Teto and I were to collect information though I wasn't sure if they were the adventurers taking the same test as us or if they have been asked to do so.
Our days passed like this for a while and at last, the day that Selene and her father, the King, would meet was decided.
"Seleneril-sama, Chise-sama, Teto-sama. Please come this way."
We rode on the carriage arranged by the Royal Palace, entered the castle through the rear entrance, and then were guided to the waiting room.
"We have to dress up the Princess so please wait here a while."
"Huh, wha一, Okaa-san. Help..."
"Do your best to look pretty~"
"Go for it!"
Selene was then led to the bath she had been wishing for so long by the maids who, after the bath, spent a lot of time dolling her up.
And when Selene wore a dress matching her physique, it was the moment a beautiful Princess was born.
"Okaa-san, this is embarrassing. And I can't move well either..."
"Well, this might be your obligation as someone of royalty. Anyway, put these on."
I had sent her packed with defense magic tools when she was taken to bathe and after she came back, I put on her the magic tools I had prepared for her.
They looked boorish when I put them on Selene as they didn't match the dress she was wearing but I was allowed to take advantage of the situation.
"Everything is ready, His Majesty is on his way here."
"Umm, I'm feeling nervous."
"It will be fine. Rather than worrying about that, drink the tea and calm yourself down."
"Selene, these snacks are delicious. It would be a waste to not try them, really."
Teto and I were unreservedly enjoying the delicious tea and snacks of the royal palace.
It was unclear if it was the difference in our skills in brewing tea or the excellence of the tea leaves, but it smelled nice and was easy to drink.
It was on a different level compared to the cheap tea leaves I usually produced with «Creation Magic» (1 pack takes 500 units of mana) back at home.
"This tea is delicious. I wonder if you can tell me about the origin of the tea leaves?"
"The tea leaves are of roseline variety from the Dasil territory. This is a royal warrant item."
"Hee, sounds good. Maybe I should buy them the next time I get a chance."
"Okaa-san, you're acting too familiar."
"You should also try these tea cookies, Selene. They're delicious."
"Uuuh, even Teto onee-chan...... Ahh, really, they're delicious......"
As part of Selene's improvement plan, I had made sure to give her the «Etiquette» skill and had her take a manners course from the sisters, who were daughters of the aristocrats themselves, during our stay in the cathedral so she was able to carry out tasks like elegantly sipping her tea.
As we were enjoying the tea and snacks, the door was knocked open and we saw a group of men just outside the room.
The one in the lead was a young King in his 30s, and the remaining two men were, I assume, his attendants, with one giving an intellectual official-type vibe while the other one was a knight who seemed to be his guard.
I think the guard knight looked as strong as the A-rank adventurer Alsace-san judging from his movements and the quality of his mana.
Selene's expression stiffened from nervousness at the entry of the group but the King, on the other hand, just smiled silently.
"Today's just our unofficial meeting. So feel free to take it easy."
"I see, then we'll take you up on your offer......"
After saying that, I waited for the King to enter the room while reaching out for cookies and requesting maid-san for another refill of tea.
Selene poked at me while quietly muttering "Okaa-san" but I had done it intentionally to soften the mood.
Though, depending on how the King would react, I was ready to bring Selene to «Empty Wilderness» with us right then but一一
"Well then, let me reintroduce myself一一 I'm Albert, Iska kingdom's King and the father of Seleneril."
"I'm Selene's foster mother and a B-rank adventurer."
"I'm Selene's onee-chan, Teto-nanodesu!"
Then King Albert's gaze shifted to Selene, to which Selene introduced herself nervously.
"I'm Selene, daughter of stepmother Chise and mother Elise. Are you my father?"
"Ahh, that's right, Seleneril."
"That...... I'm not used to Seleneril yet..... So I hope you can call me Selene."
"I see, okay. Even so, Selene has grown so much."
King stood from his seat and hugged the tiny body of Selene.
He hugged her tightly, maybe to personally ascertain the growth of his daughter, or to confirm that his long-standing search had finally borne fruit.
"Albert Otou-san?"
"I will not let Evil Cult separate us again. I will not lose you this time!"
As if reacting to his voice, the maids and his attendant who had followed him wept at the moving scene of reunion but..... Well, I just kept quiet and silently watched over them.
The King, who calmed down after a while, let go of Selene and turned his gaze to me.
"I'm thankful to you for protecting Selene and raising her so far. I'm also grateful to you for delivering the remains of Elise and others to the nearby town."
As the King he was, he couldn't bow his head easily but he showed how glad he was with his eyes.
"I accept your gratitude. Besides, another goal of our journey this time is also to visit the grave of Selene's mother."
"Elise has been buried in the tomb of the royal family. I will take you there next time. And then I will make up for all the time Selene has lost in this royal palace!"
King asserted himself strongly but I quickly raised my voice to stop him.
"I can't agree to it as Selene's foster mother."
"What?"
"So far, Selene had been leading a life close to a commoner. Do you think Selene would be happy if you suddenly pulled her to a life of royalty?"
King's attendants' brows raised up at once at my indifferent words.
