The Holy Grail of Eris, Vol. 3


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Copyright
 THE HOLY GRAIL OF ERIS
 3
 KUJIRA TOKIWA
 Translation by Winifred Bird
 Cover art by Yu-nagi
 This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
 Eris NO SEIHAI Vol. 3
 Copyright © 2020 Kujira Tokiwa
 Illustrations copyright © 2020 Yu-nagi. All rights reserved.
 Original Japanese edition published in 2020 by SB Creative Corp.
 This English edition is published by arrangement with SB Creative Corp., Tokyo in care of TUTTLE-MORI AGENCY, INC., Tokyo.
 English translation © 2022 by Yen Press, LLC
 Yen Press, LLC supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.
 The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact the publisher. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
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 First Yen On Edition: November 2022
 Edited by Yen On Editorial: Emma McClain, Anna Powers
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 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
 Names: Tokiwa, Kujira, author. | Yu-nagi, illustrator. | Bird, Winifred, translator.
 Title: The holy grail of Eris / Kujira Tokiwa ; illustration by Yu-nagi ; translation by Winifred Bird.
 Other titles: Eris no seihai. English
 Description: First Yen On edition. | New York, NY : Yen On, 2022.
 Identifiers: LCCN 2021060246 | ISBN 9781975339579 (v. 1 ; trade paperback) | ISBN 9781975339593 (v. 2 ; trade paperback) | ISBN 9781975339616 (v. 3 ; trade paperback)
 Subjects: LCGFT: Light novels.
 Classification: LCC PZ7.1.T6223 Ho 2022 | DDC [Fic]—dc23
 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021060246
 ISBNs: 978-1-9753-3961-6 (paperback)
 978-1-9753-3962-3 (ebook)
 E3-20221014-JV-NF-ORI
 
 
 Contents
 Cover
 Insert
 Title Page
 Copyright
 Chapter 1 — A Chance Encounter
 Chapter 2 — The Truth Comes to Light
 Intermission — The Shadows Begin to Move
 Chapter 3 — For the Sake of the Future
 Intermission — Shoshanna
 Chapter 4 — Those Who Fight Against Fate
 Reminiscence — Cess and Cici
 Chapter 5 — A Public Execution
 The Final Chapter
 At the Grand Merillian
 Exclusive Short Story — Shoshanna and Salvador
 Exclusive Short Story — Smiles Bloom
 Afterword
 Yen Newsletter
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Light filtering through the curtains woke Connie. She rubbed her eyes and stifled a yawn. She’d had a hard time falling asleep the previous night.
 According to the letter Lily Orlamunde had left behind, Faris had been trying to invade Adelbide—its supposed ally—ten years earlier. San and Eularia, who were supporters of Princess Alexandra, had said the same thing. But according to them, the plan had failed at the last minute. The reason?
 Why, the execution of Scarlett Castiel, of course.
 What in the world could San have meant by that?
 Connie shook her head and climbed out from under the covers. She walked over to the window and threw aside the curtain. Sunlight poured in, illuminating the dim room.
 She squinted. Behind her, someone snorted.
 “This damn weather is so perfect, it’s depressing.”
 Scarlett’s disdainful tone was the same as always. But Connie detected a hint of unease, perhaps the result of San’s words.
 San had left without explaining what she meant—talk about evasive. The revelation had shocked Connie, but she wasn’t sure about Scarlett’s reaction. When she tried to remember, everything was hazy. In other words, mouthy Scarlett had kept her thoughts to herself for once.
 And that hadn’t changed. Her continued silence about the previous day’s events struck Connie as unnatural.
 Connie stared at her. Noticing this, Scarlett scowled back suspiciously.
 “What?”
 “Nothing, I was just wondering if…you’re okay.”
 “Me?”
 Her well-shaped eyebrows shot up. It seemed she was as short-tempered as ever. Just as the room’s atmosphere was beginning to chill, someone knocked on the door.
 Grateful, Connie called out, “Yes?”
 Marta opened the door, looking slightly frazzled. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re awake. Sir Ulster is here.”
 “His Excellency?” Connie asked, blinking in surprise. She didn’t remember making a date with him.
 “He said he happened to be in the neighborhood,” Marta explained. “What shall I tell him, miss?”
 Connie opened the door of her wardrobe in a panic. “I’ll get dressed right away, so please ask him to wait a moment—”
 “I guessed as much. I’ve already shown him into the drawing room. He appears to be off work today. I’ve brought him some tea as well, so you just take your time and get dressed, miss. Did you hear me? Take your time. I won’t have you going out there in one of your usual slapdash outfits, with your hair barely brushed. And remember, however anxious you feel, a lady must not run!”
 “Yes, ma’am!” Connie replied smartly, slipping off her nightgown, grabbing the first dress her hand touched, and pulling it over her head.
 Ignoring Marta’s screeches of admonishment, Connie flew out of the room, still tugging a comb through her hair.
 She was sorry about not listening to Marta, but the only reason she could think of for Randolph dropping in to see her like this was Daeg Gallus. The fact that he hadn’t sent word in advance surely meant there must be some emergency.
 Or so she thought.
 But for some reason, when she got to the drawing room and sat down, the young man across from her, dressed all in black, remained