"Wait... a-are... are you serious..?"
Leaning even more forwards and looking between the Queen and the Princess, Rhefia's shocked expression filled me with a whole lot of curiosity as I too began to look between them, wondering just what that could mean and why everyone was so damn surprised by that.
The Queen sighed and nodded, looking a little tired about everything as she gestured for Heria to continue speaking, which in turn drew all of our attention over to her as well as the Gazellekin behind her who was wearing an expression that alternated between confused and somewhat enraged.
Yet Giselle held her tongue even as she glared at her wife, though Heria seemed to be unbothered by the hole being bored into the back of her head as she said "We are being completely serious, Miss Rhefia."
That had Rhefia slump back suddenly, like her strings had been cut, and for a moment I was wondering again if I should be getting angry on her behalf or not, though Heria continued on before I could even attempt to make that decision.
"These last few days I have been wracking my brain trying to think of a way to make this up to you as best I can. Something that won't leave animosity between you and the crown, something that can maybe make this right...
I cannot give you the time you spent in exile back, nor do I believe showering you in riches would be enough to apologize properly to you, so I had to think of... other things. That was when it hit me; we were already planning on returning everything of Camara's to you, but there was something of hers that technically should never belong to anyone beside the Temple of Blades, which was the armor she died in.
Everyone knows that Camara was chosen by the Goddess Areseta, just as everyone knows what happens when one of her chosen dies in battle. Their body, weapons and armor are all consecrated by the Goddess of War and made into relics of Divinity. Traces of the Goddess' power resides in them, turning them into powerful tools the likes of which nothing mortal can ever match.
Obviously we cannot un-inter her body from her resting place, and I believe even you would never dream of removing her from her rightfully earned tomb outside of the Valorous Hall, while her weapon had been shattered and broken during her final moments. That left only her vambraces, a part of her cuirass, her custom gorget and half of her helmet, all of which were consecrated by the Goddess Areseta."
The longer Heria spoke the more I began to understand why this might be such a big deal, because even in my own twice blessed state with a world bending System at my disposal, I have only managed to create a single thing that was blessed by Reincantra, and even that was only partially blessed... and it has laid forgotten in my inventory since it is a weapon forged in a time of peace.
It would likely eventually see use, but until something happens it would merely remain in waiting, untested and pristine... and if I could barely create something that was barely touched by Reincantra when she had already spoken to me a few times before, what sort of power lingered within the armor of someone blessed by a Goddess during their time of honorable death?
"You and I are both well aware that such a relic tends to come with restrictions, the primary one being an inability to be used by just anyone. To be utilized one has to be blessed by the same Goddess and authorized to wield such a tool... or to have been so dearly beloved by the creator of the relic that the ownership transfers immediately, unequivocally...
As her only daughter, and as her pride and purpose in life, her armor undoubtedly resonates with you... it technically belongs to you, but it is extremely uncommon for such a powerful relic to ever leave their dedicated Temples. A matter of safety and concern for everyone, because desecrating such a relic could draw the Goddess' ire unto anyone and everyone."
"Aw please, we aren't that~ petty all the time~! Though... I feel like Areseta is likely to punish the whole rather than just the few to ensure the message is well learned... She wouldn't destroy Birchan, but a terribly powerful monster or two would do the trick..."
Dryatra chimed in with a grin, her presence reminding us all that... well, there was a Goddess among us, but thankfully she just seemed content to sit and listen rather than explain anything else herself, so we almost forgot about her divinity...
Her daughter nodded and turned back to Rhefia as she continued on, saying "It is uncommon, but this was the only way I could see to make this right. Miss Astra being twice blessed by powerful Goddess helped Dama agree to my idea, while my own network has been telling me that things are shifting in the world once more. Having a powerful and talented warrior amongst us again would be reassuring."
"I will not ever return to the military."
"And I was not asking you to. The way we will never directly ask Magistrate Fenkar or Duchess Leonisa to ever march to the front lines, we would not ask for you to return to your position in the military. The trust has been broken once before, so forcing it to work again would be idiocy.
No, I would rather make things right and pray that you remain within Birchan, that you would want to fight for your home should something happen. I might not personally care for it, but I was raised as a politician and Princess, Miss Rhefia. I want to make a deal that benefits us both. Returning one relic to the blood it was born from and hopefully retaining a powerful warrior for Birchan is a win for everyone, at least I hope."