Chapter 29

“I don’t remember ever asking you to stick around. The only one we need is the dug weapon-compatible faerie Nephren Ruq Insania and only her.” Gulp. When she heard her name, Nephren’s eyebrow twitched slightly. Not only did she not have Insania, there was an odd entity that was inside her now. She wasn’t even confident she was Nephren Ruq Insania anymore. When she thought about how someone was still calling her by that name, she felt a little happy. “Shut up! Quit rambling and just let the kid go!” Wham! He slammed his hands on a very expensive-looking table. “This is one of the kids he wanted to make sure got back home! He paid for this with his life! She’s got a big family back at home! Why can’t you understand shit as obvious as this?!” The boggard was starting to get worked up. He’s a good person, Nephren thought. A little crude, though. She could tell that he was genuinely thinking of her—a being nothing more than a disposable weapon (that had even already served its purpose)—as a child. But his consideration was slightly misplaced. The faerie warehouse was kind of like her family, but it was a place where it was normal for someone to not come home. It wasn’t like anyone was waiting for her… Well, she wouldn’t go as far as to say that. But there wasn’t much point in rushing back. She obviously wasn’t going to say that out loud, though. Nephren stared off with her usual blank expression as all those thoughts crossed her mind. “—Glick Graycrack.” Baroni Makish shook his head, exasperated. “I did a little reading on you. It appears you once belonged to The Winged Guard. You quit after six months but used your connections and funds at the time to start up a salvager business.” “Tch.” Glick clicked his tongue. “I heard you were quite capable. How unfortunate.” “’S all in the past. Forgot it already.” “But it is true that you once wore the Guard uniform. Those are the grounds on which I ask that you stop acting so unreasonably. Derailing the conversation will only waste our time.” “That stuff doesn’t suit me, and that’s why I quit.” Glick threw himself back onto the sofa, an obvious frown on his face. “…Wait. I have a question.” Nephren raised her hand. “Where is Willem anyway? I heard you had a guess as to his whereabouts.” “Oh, pick me, pick me! Ask about Elq, too! Please ask where my little girl might be!” Carmine Lake’s voice, audible only to Nephren, clamored by her ear. “We’re inside the world that Ebon Candle created, no? Her presence is scattered, so I’m not quite sure where my girl is.” “…And apparently, there should’ve been one more, a little girl nearby.” “Ah yes, you’re talking about Second Enchantments Officer Willem Kmetsch. I’m not so sure about a little girl… Did that illusion say that to you?” Nephren nodded. Baroni Makish murmured quietly, unimpressed. “We don’t quite have a precise grasp on where he is, but we do have a guess. We’ve had a suspect on our list for quite a while now, but you brought back definitive evidence.” “Huh? We did?” The rabbitfolk turned to look at Glick, and Glick, his eyes wide, only blinked in response. “The Elpis Collective. You know who they are, don’t you?” Nephren nodded. Glick scratched his head. “They’re the ones on the western half of Island No. 13, right? That country of folks who claim that big rock o’ theirs is a god and worship it. I’ve never been, ’cause their entry taxes are way too high.” “Yes, them. They are a diverse nation, made up of a vast array of races, but they maintain order by uniting behind a common religion. That is why they are very proud as a people and their policies are aggressive.” “Yeah, sure. And what about them?” “The camp remains and ration tins you found on the surface belong to their Air Defense Force.” “I see where you’re going with this. And I’m asking what they did.” “Broadly speaking, we have good reason to suspect that a camouflaged airship from the Elpis Air Defense Force transported a number of Beasts from the surface.” —Silence. “Huh?” “Hah?” Both Nephren and Glick voiced their doubt at the same time. “Sorry. I don’t think I heard you right. What’d you say?” “I said, people from Elpis brought Beasts into Regule Aire.” —More silence. “Why did they do that?” asked Nephren, the first to come back to her senses. “Bringing in Beasts goes entirely against the island cluster charter. They should know how dangerous they are. And it’s dangerous to just run into one, so how did they ‘bring them in’ in the first place?” “Simple. They have been angling for the title of defenders of Regule Aire as a card to use in political negotiations with their neighboring islands. That’s the reason they always wanted to stick their neck in the battles with Timere, which The Winged Guard traditionally has sole jurisdiction over.” “Hah?” Glick didn’t seem to buy their motives at all. “It’s not that strange, really. Of all the military organizations in the island cluster, The Winged Guard is in a privileged position where we are the ones entrusted with the duty to protect the whole of the islands. The war with the Beasts, as well as all information pertaining to it, and the weapons used in those fights are solely our responsibility. There are more than a handful of people who are not a fan of this setup. The Elpis Air Defense Force is among the more irritable of the bunch.” “…Okay, but then why’d they wanna get involved with those awful things? For the fun of it?” “That explanation is simple.” Baroni Makish held up two fingers and folded each one down as he spoke. “First, it’s because the Beasts are so awful that they’re profitable to deal in. Second, since The Winged Guard has a practical monopoly on all detailed information pertaining to the Beasts to begin with, you could say there are very few who know firsthand how terrifying they really are.” “Seriously? ’S scary they don’t get it.” Glick gazed up to the ceiling drearily. “We’ve received reports from a spy we sent into Elpis territory detailing the development of several weapons to use in battle against the Beasts. Among them was apparently a new kind of barrier tech for capturing Beasts. In short, they currently have a method for bringing Beasts back with them.” One of Baroni Makish’s ears twitched slightly. “Of course, should word of this get out, they would no doubt be the target of public outcry for violating the charter. As of now, we cannot say why they’ve decided to go through so much to do that.” “Wait, but that doesn’t explain anything, either. What about where Willem is?” “Try and guess from the information I just gave you. There should be only one conclusion.” For some reason, the Elpis Air Defense Force brought up to the sky a Beast they’d discovered on the surface. And Willem had now turned into a Beast. What did that all mean together? Oh, now it made sense. The gears slotted into place. There surely was only one conclusion she could come to. Nephren stood from the couch. “What is it, little lady?” “I’m going to Island No. 13.” “There’s somewhere else you needa go first.” “Move. I’m not asking you to take me anywhere. I’m going on my own.” She activated her venenum and spread her wings. “Wait, wait, wait! Hold on! Don’t do that!” Glick shouted, flustered. “Elpis is big,” Baroni Makish said calmly. “How are you going to find the military facility, which is most likely hidden, considering all the cities that make up that country?” …By burning them down? “It is not clear what they wanted to do with the Beast they brought to the sky in the first place. If we grow impatient, that will only delay the resolution. Think of this moment as a part of the process.” “But… Okay.” She folded her wings and sat back down on the sofa. “The moment we are sure we know where the second officer is, we’ll let you know right away, Nephren. That’s why I want you to sit tight and wait.” “Okay…” “We cannot ignore what Elpis is trying to do. We will investigate with all the power we have, and we may obtain information on the second officer through the course of the investigation. At the very least, it should be more effective than having you running around on your own.” “Okay… I get it. Thank you.” “There’s no need for thanks,” he replied over his shoulder as he whirled around. “You are in a very unique situation right now, Nephren. I was just thinking of the future and came to the conclusion that there is plenty good reason to take the initiative and curry your favor… Now, if you’ll excuse me.” There was the heavy sound of boots hitting the ground. And just as he said, the rabbitfolk first officer disappeared behind the door. “…Was he buttering me up?” “Beats me. Why don’t you ask yourself that?” “Mm…” She fell into thought. She closed her eyes, calmed her nerves, and posed a question to herself: Please answer yes or no. Do you want to destroy Regule Aire? After a moment of thought, the answer she got was no. It was all right. She was all right. She hadn’t changed into something that would’ve picked yes. Sure, she could still feel the empty, directionless impatience stirring in her chest. But it wasn’t something that was trying to swallow Nephren herself. That was very likely because leprechauns were things that mimicked emnetwiht but weren’t emnetwiht themselves. This impulse, which turned…or returned emnetwiht back into Beasts, might lurk inside Nephren, who was similar to an emnetwiht, but it couldn’t go as far as to change her nature itself. But it wouldn’t be that easy for Willem. He was a proper emnetwiht. If the same amount of this destructive desire had made its way into him as it had for her, then… …he probably wouldn’t be able to endure it. “I saw him completely give up on being an emnetwiht and turn back into a Beast with my very own eyes.” It wasn’t that she’d believed Carmine Lake. But she couldn’t actively doubt her, either. No matter what Willem had turned into, she would go to him. Half of that was her true intention, and half was just a front. She wanted him to hold out for just a little longer. He was so kind, so hardworking. He was supposed to be different from the sad existences of the faeries, destined from birth to meet such empty ends. That’s why— If nothing else, she wanted just the smallest bit of salvation for him, for the lonely Quasi Brave, who had lived all this time as an emnetwiht. She so desperately wished that for him. 2. The Looming End Unusual visitors came to the faerie warehouse. There was an orc wearing a crisp suit and several brawny semifer who seemed to be his bodyguards. “…And who might you be?” “Pardon us. This is who we are.” Nygglatho took the business card from his outstretched hand, glanced at it, and her expression tensed. “Let’s talk outside.” “Oh, will you not invite us in? I heard you’re currently the only manager here. I doubt anyone will be listening.” “Let’s talk outside,” Nygglatho repeated, her voice stiff. She threw an outer coat that hung by the front door over her shoulders. The orc shrugged and made way for her. “I hope you don’t mind walking into town.” “As long as you have a spot picked out.” “We don’t have many options out here in the country.” With a composed look, Nygglatho began to walk down the path, leading the way. The men followed her. “…Suspiiiiiicious!” Collon commented from atop a tree growing by the side of the faerie warehouse, her right hand shielding her eyes like a visor as she watched Nygglatho and the men walk away. “It’s the first time I’ve seen her make a face like that,” Pannibal murmured, sitting halfway down the tree, leaning against the trunk. “They didn’t look like important enough people that she has to humble herself like that.” “Hmm. I think this is a little different.” Both Collon and Pannibal tilted their heads in tandem. “Guys, let’s get down… The big kids told us we shouldn’t climb the tree ’cause it’s too dangerous!” Far below the two girls, Lakhesh clung to a thick branch and whined with a quivering voice. “A woman must aim for great heights!” Collon stuck her arm up, pointing straight to the sky. Her pose probably didn’t mean much. “It’s important for us faeries to preserve our agility. This counts as intensive training,” Pannibal said plainly, stretching their excuse even further. “That’s not the problem… If someone finds us, we’re gonna get in trouble…” “Oh no, we don’t want that. We’ll just run and leave you behind, then, Lakhesh.” “Yep, you can take up the rear!” “You guys are meeeaaan…” Lakhesh laughed, her eyes watering. “Hey!” They heard Nopht yelling from a second-floor window. “I said you’re not allowed to climb trees as long as you’re not afraid of falling! How many times have we said that?!” “That’s why I said this was a bad idea!” Lakhesh was on the verge of tears. “I climbed the tree to learn fear!” Collon defiantly claimed and puffed out her chest. Pannibal forced a change of topic, her expression muted. “Nygglatho just left with some visitors.” “…Visitors? Who?” “I didn’t recognize them. She looked super serious. I’ve never seen her like that before.” “She looked serious?” Nopht knit her brow and turned to look back inside the room. “What do you think about that, Rhan?” “You might be asking me, but I didn’t see her face, so my answer is nothing.” “Sure. But doesn’t that remind you of something awful?” “It does.” It had been about seven or eight years ago. Either Collon and the others didn’t remember or they didn’t know of it. But Nopht and Rhantolk could recall it quite clearly. There was a violent orc crime syndicate in town at the time. And that night, they suddenly vanished. Neither Nopht nor Rhantolk knew exactly what happened. They were taught that children were meant to sleep at night, and they didn’t have the courage to disobey. But when they retraced their vague memories, they felt like the howling of beasts was particularly loud that night. That marked the day when the people who lived on the island suddenly started looking at Nygglatho very differently. While they had once treated her as a lovely neighbor, everyone started acting like she was a savage predator from that point on. Nopht and Rhantolk never knew the details of what happened, nor did they want to find out after all this time. Rhantolk shut the book she had just opened and gave a little sigh. “As long as history doesn’t repeat itself, though.” They went to the usual café in town. There weren’t any other customers around. After bringing over drinks for everyone, the waiter trembled as he went to hide behind the counter. “Let’s get straight to business.” The orc leaned forward slightly, smiling affably. “We have come to recruit you, Miss Nygglatho.” “…Is that so?” Nygglatho responded quietly, bringing her tea to her lips. It was bitter and tasted awful. She endured the urge to vomit, then placed it back onto the table. “We’ve taken the liberty of investigating you, and we were very surprised. Though you are young, you are top-quality talent, whether it be in the number of qualifications you’ve gained at the general academy or your grades while you were a student. And yet, Orlandry is putting these talents to waste by stationing you in such an out-of-the-way spot.” “…Why, thank you.” Now that they mentioned it, they were right. Nygglatho went back over her memories. She was supposed to follow the career path of an elite. Her plans had been to take several qualifications that would help her succeed in life and get a job at a large trading company; steadily increase her influence, make lots of money, and meet a wonderful partner. Nygglatho had dreamed of such a glamorous life and managed to complete it only halfway. She’d gotten wrapped up in a power struggle within the Orlandry Merchants Alliance. And in the cross fire, she had gotten ousted to an unimportant post in a rural area. She was so shocked by the sudden change in her life, which had been smooth sailing up to that point, that she felt like she’d gone a little off the rails then. I sure scared the children at the warehouse when that happened…, she thought, remembering it all with fond nostalgia. “We are not like that. Though obvious as it may sound, we wish to welcome you with treatment that would suit your abilities.” “Thank you very much. But why me?” “You’re a sharp woman—you must’ve gotten an idea as to that answer by now. We place exceptionally high value on your ability and experience with handling The Winged Guard’s and Orlandry’s ultimate weapons, the dangerous leprechauns.” Her hand almost unconsciously moved, but Nygglatho forcefully willed it to stop. “To be honest, when I saw the barracks themselves just now, I thought…what is Orlandry doing? It was practically identical to a ruined stable you’d see on a farm. It seems like they aren’t giving the leprechauns any budget for management, all while placing their whole destinies on them.” “Those at the top must have their reasons,” Nygglatho responded quietly. Of course, she knew well what those reasons were. That was why she wasn’t going to share any details with these men before her. And these guys seemed to have already investigated everything about and around her anyway. It didn’t make sense for her to do any more to let them know. “And because of those reasons, they will soon surrender their monopoly on the leprechauns. An era where organizations besides The Winged Guard can get their hands on such powerful weapons will come. And a company that can break in good-quality leprechauns will blaze a trail in this era.” He spread his arms wide, the excitement in his voice obvious. “We at the Elpis Collective will take Orlandry’s place. You have the talent required for our goals, and we are ready to welcome you with the greatest treatment.” “You think far too much of me, but thank you.” Nygglatho spoke smoothly, her mouth refraining from smiling. “By the way, if you don’t mind my asking, what would you do if I rejected your kind offer?” “Well, if something like that were to happen—and this is a purely theoretical answer, mind you.” The orc stroked his chin. The semifer on either side of him stiffened and savagely stood from their chairs. “These men are very good at making women listen to my requests. But I’m not a big fan of such methods. I ask you not to make any foolish decisions.” “Is that so?” Nygglatho cast a glance at the semifer’s faces. And for the first time—she smiled at them. “I’m sorry. I hate people who have unpalatable-looking meat.” “Do it.” The orc’s face grew serious in a flash as he gave his order, and one of the semifer moved to obey. He kicked over the table, extended his log-like right arm, and grasped Nygglatho’s neck. He clutched her, pulling her up in the air. The waiter gave a high-pitched scream from behind the counter. “—Oh, pardon us.” The orc turned to face the waiter and shrugged. “I hope you don’t mind us making a little mess. We might break the tables and chairs here, but we will compensate you for double their cost.” “My, how generous.” “Big projects will be allocated appropriate budgets. Those who fret over paltry sums will never get a hold of a great deal of money. We are not like Orlan…dry?” The orc finally realized how calm and composed Nygglatho looked. That shouldn’t be possible. She should have been feeling the full strength of a semifer’s tight grip around her neck, and such a slender featureless shouldn’t seem so serene given her situation. His shocked gaze screamed that she shouldn’t be able to breathe, shouldn’t be able to make any noise. “Why are you surprised? I thought you looked me up? You should already know I’m a troll.” “Th-that’s… No, but—” “Perhaps you’re not familiar with the troll race? Perhaps you thought there was nothing to fear, since featureless are generally physically weak?” It was hard to tell if the orc’s astounded expression was agreement or denial. “I thought we were rather famous! We’re just a little tougher, just a little stronger than other people. If you truly want to scout someone, then that’s something you need to study beforehand, is it not?” She smiled brightly and placed her hand on the semifer limb that grasped at her neck. Her fingers slowly sank into the steely muscles. The semifer cried out in pain. “…Oh. And you said you’d compensate in double for everything that will be broken, didn’t you?” “Huh? Wait…what?” “If that’s so, then that’s a relief to hear.” Nygglatho turned to look at the waiter, shivering behind the counter. He knew very well what sort of race the trolls were. That made things easier for her. “Could you let the owner know that when the new store is built, I’d be happy to come here to celebrate?” Confusion surfaced in the orc’s eyes. He almost asked what she meant by “new store.” But he never gave voice to his question because there was no need. The answer was manifesting right before their very eyes. The troll lightly shook her arm. That one slight movement, which didn’t seem to carry much power behind it at all, was enough to toss one of the semifer into the air and send the one standing beside him flying. Several thick wooden tables, which looked quite sturdy, toppled over, easily crumbling like animal crackers. “What?” A different semifer gave a ferocious roar and flew at the troll. His perception of the person in front of him changed from a frightened woman to a most evil monstrosity. He knew he wouldn’t win with simple strength, so he grabbed her arms and tried to pin her down on the floor. Once he managed to do that, she shouldn’t be able to counterattack with simple strength. “My, how excited you are.” The troll waved her arm again. The semifer easily flew through the air, his head piercing into the ceiling. Differences in physique, combat proficiency… All the elements that would typically create great differences in battle were playing no part. “Oh, ohhh…” The orc’s legs gave way, and he fell onto his rear on the spot. When she saw his reaction, the troll smiled gently, calmly, bewitchingly. Screams. Shouts. Cracking. Smashing. And for good measure, another scream. And that’s how a café disappeared from the face of Island No. 68 that day. “I heard the report.” The face of the lizardfolk on the other side of the communication crystal was hard to read, as usual, but he seemed somewhat vexed. “It ssseemsss you went overboard.” “It was their fault,” she responded calmly. “They were treating my precious children as things right in front of me. They deserved capital punishment. Oh… Also, a number of grown men attacked me and tried to use force to get a woman to do what they want. That is inexcusable behavior if you think about it, no?” “It isss quite like you to follow sssuch a procssedure.” Limeskin hummed. “But more importantly, there iss ssomething I musst tell you, asss well asss sssomething I musst asssk of you.” “…What do you mean?” She furrowed her brow. “I’ll listen if you have something to say, and if there’s something I can do, I’ll do it.” “There iss a bug.” A bug. …Was someone listening in on their conversation over the crystal? Who? How? The crystal they were using now was an important communication tool between the Guard and the Merchants Alliance. She doubted someone outside their organizations could so easily listen in on them. Was something like that really possible? Assuming it was, then how did they do it? There was (probably) no panic in Limeskin’s expression. That meant their being eavesdropped on wasn’t an emergency… She realized what it was. Oh right, that’s what he meant. Their connection wasn’t something that just anyone could easily listen in on. In that case, the answer was simple—they were being eavesdropped on by somewhere who wasn’t from the outside. The bug was close to Limeskin. It was in The Winged Guard. The Guard wasn’t a monolith. The members’ opinions were split, especially when it came to dealing with the leprechauns. Even though they belonged to the same organization, there was opposition in the ranks. “Is that something you can just leave alone?” “I do not know. That iss not a judgment I can make. That iss why I want to asssk you sssomething.” “I understand.” She gulped. “Say anything you want, even if it’s roundabout and hard to understand.” Even though she’d known Limeskin for a long time, she still struggled to understand his difficult way of saying things. If they used it well, they might be able to outsmart their eavesdropper…is what she was thinking when she said that, but— “Come to Collina di Luce.” “What?” It was now, of all times, that he talked business in an absurdly simple manner. “The city of Collina di Luce? …What? You want me? To go there?” “Yesss. And bring along with you all the mature faerie sssoldiersss who are battle-ready.” “W-wait a second. Them too? On what pretense?” “…I have no idea. I leave that plan to you.” “Hold on!” The faeries were weapons owned by the Guard and Orlandry. Even if there was the possibility that the situation might change in the near future, they still had to respect the current arrangement. The mature faeries, especially, served as critical firepower in the defense of Regule Aire. Nygglatho wasn’t allowed to take them wherever she pleased. She needed a justifiable reason and preferably a set of orders for a military operation. Nygglatho was a member of the Orlandry Merchants Alliance. And if any organization members could just take Ithea and the others out of the warehouse whenever they wanted, that would give part of The Winged Guard ammunition to denounce the faerie warehouse. And on a long-term basis, that would only shorten the life of the warehouse, and— “I ssshall be waiting for you there.” …Oh right, that’s what he meant. And of course, Limeskin also knew that on a long-term basis, that would be a poor move on their part. Not only that, he was also leaving the entire plan to her and simply asked that she show up. That meant he not only knew how unreasonable it was but, at the same time, also made the decision that it was necessary to make that request. Was the situation they were facing really that dire? She didn’t want to believe there was no reason to think about the long-term anymore. “All right. I’ll figure something out.” Even if she wanted to ask the details of the situation, she couldn’t right now. She decided to ask about all the things he was probably hiding when they met in person. Before ending the call, she voiced one slight complaint. “…And even though we don’t have to talk about war anymore, it doesn’t seem like we can ever talk about nice things, can we?” “Oncsse the enemy before uss hass disssappeared, everyone beginsss to sssearch for the nexsst enemy among their neighborsss…” And surprisingly, she got a reply that sounded like a complaint. “Perhapsss everyone hass recognized that peacssse iss the mossst terrifying of dissasssterssss.” Well then, I’ve been handed a rather difficult problem. She’d been told to bring all mature faerie soldiers who wielded swords…which meant: Ithea Myse Valgulious, Rhantolk Ytri Historia, And Tiat Siba Ignareo. Those three. Nopht was a mature faerie, but since they lost Desperatio, the dug weapon she was compatible with, she lacked a sword of her own. Nygglatho felt nervous leaving the little kids alone, so maybe it was a good thing to put Nopht, one of the oldest, in charge of things while she was gone… Nopht wasn’t exactly the most attentive of the bunch, which made Nygglatho a little hesitant to count her among the older girls, but she was going to actively ignore that part. And so what she had to think of was a pretext. If she was going to take all the fighting power that was supposed to protect Regule Aire and fly out to Collina di Luce, she needed a really good reason for it, no matter how far-fetched. “Hmm…” She walked down the hallway in thought. What about shopping, for example? No, that wasn’t good enough. What could they possibly have to buy that they’d need to fly all the way from Island No. 68 to No. 11? If they were told to keep their shopping in the neighborhood, she wouldn’t have a way to refute that. Then, what about sightseeing? Collina di Luce was the oldest city on Regule Aire, and there were plenty of famous spots that one could find nowhere else. There was no way they could do any of that in their neck of the woods, but… Right, such a leisurely reason wouldn’t be persuasive in the first place. Nygglatho knew that. In that case, what other reasons were there? What about proposing a mock battle with the forces stationed in the city? No, she could use that excuse only after they accepted the proposal. Then, she could force the start of a mock battle by asking for approval after the fact. No, that would just start a war. She couldn’t think of any ideas. Oh dear. What should I do? As those thoughts ran through her mind, she dropped by the kitchen and made herself a cup of tea. It ended up tasting rather bitter, since she made it while she was distracted, but, well, it was much better than what she had earlier that day. She tilted the cup, ready to take a sip and start calming down— “U-um, can I talk to you now?” A little faerie with peach-colored hair—Lakhesh—stood beside her. “…Er, I’m sorry, I’m busy thinking right now.” “Oh… Okay, I’m sorry…” Her shoulders drooped. “I’ll come back later.” “Ohhhhh no, wait. Sorry, I got my priorities backward.” The guilt that bubbled up inside Nygglatho forced the words to rush out of her mouth. “There’s no point if you aren’t my top priority… What’s wrong?” “Oh, um…are you sure?” “Of course. What is it this time? Did Collon break a window again?” “No, that’s not it. It’s about me this time.” “My, my.” This was unusual. The young faeries were essentially pure and innocent, or maybe just brazen—but either way, they were all energetic. Lakhesh, though, was one of the very few exceptions. She always acted as a control for the other faeries, who tended to go wild. Regardless of whether or not she actually kept them under control, she still tried. Up until now, she was never the kind of girl to report anything about herself. “What is it? Did you break a flowerpot?” “No, um… It’s nothing like that.” She faltered and fell silent for a moment but then seemed to gather herself and continued. “I had a dream.” “……Hmm?” For a moment, Nygglatho didn’t understand. “I had it while I was taking a nap just now. I dreamed I was in a dark place, but there were, like, all these lights surrounding me. Those lights were like stories I could read, like books, and… Ohhh, I can’t really explain it…” Well. That would be… “Is it the ‘special dream’?” “Yes, it is!” Lakhesh grew excited. “I’m sure of it. I knew it was right away when I woke up. I knew it!” The younger girls would all reach a point where they would have a dream. They would be in a place they had never been, looking at scenery they had never seen, talking to people they had never met. That kind of dream. They were in an absolute fantasy world, but it had such a sense of realism about it— And then, the moment they awoke, they knew, without rhyme or reason—that dream was special. They knew they had connected with something important. That signaled the end of their youth. It meant all the preparations for them to become matured faeries were finished. “……” A young faerie had seen a special dream. Then, what was the next thing that had to be done? Physical adjustment. The handlers had to record her physical data as they tweaked her physique so that she could start work as an independent adult faerie soldier. “Tha…” “Tha?” And to make that happen, Nygglatho had to take the child to the general clinic in Collina di Luce. That was her given duty as the one who managed the faerie warehouse. It was her duty, and that meant it was a perfectly justifiable excuse. “Thaaat’s it!” Overcome with joy, Nygglatho scooped Lakhesh into her arms. “Eeeep?!” If she hugged Lakhesh with all her might, of course, the girl’s upper and lower halves would probably have had to bid each other tearful good-byes. So she carefully, softly embraced her, like a marshmallow, all while maintaining a firm enough grip to keep her prey from escaping. It was the secret to hugging that Nygglatho had worked so hard to master. “Ohhhh, Lakhesh, you are such a considerate girl! I love you so much!” “What? What? What?” Lakhesh was bewildered. 3. The Man without a Past There was this feeling as if he were rising from heavy, sticky mud. Once he sat up, the black that covered his skin slowly slipped away. But that didn’t mean it was gone. It pooled at his feet and didn’t leave him. —That was how he felt the moment he woke up. “Urgh…” Slowly, his eyes opened. A single ray of light pierced his pitch-black world. It steadily grew and soon became the face of a little girl, examining him up close. “…Uh?” “Oh!” Their eyes met. He saw her big, crimson eyes blink once. He watched her serious expression slowly transform into a beaming, ear-to-ear smile. “Wi…” Wi? “Willie’s awake!” “…Huh?” His brain wasn’t working properly. Incomprehensible, distracting thoughts swirled around inside his skull, but he couldn’t remember anything even if he tried. What was “Willie”? It sounded vaguely familiar yet somewhat uncomfortable. “Nils, come here! Willie’s awake!” she hollered as she spun around and hopped in place. Her absurdly long, red hair swayed softly back and forth. “Yeah, yeah, I hear ya. Pipe down—you’ll bother the neighbors.” A weary-looking man entered the room, lazily scratching the back of his head. Right, the room. He looked around again and saw that it was a well-maintained room, likely one in an inn. The furniture, including the bed he was lying on, wasn’t particularly fancy, but it wasn’t shabby, either. The going rate for this room was probably around thirty bradal a night—and he could tell at a glance it was being cleaned, so it might be a little more than that. But now wasn’t the time for idle musings. There was a dull pain deep in his mind. His thoughts kept running in circles. Things that hardly mattered grabbed his attention while what was truly important continued to be casually brushed aside. “Hey, Willem,” said the man near his bedside, a grin hiding what he was really thinking. “…Willem?” “Yeah. That’s your name. You forgot it, didn’tcha?” Willem. Willem. Right. So that was his name. Now that he heard it, it certainly did have familiar ring to it. But he never would’ve noticed if the man hadn’t mentioned it, which meant— “Did I lose my memory?” he asked. He immediately realized how weird of a question that was. The only one who could tell if his memory was gone was he himself. It wasn’t something he could ask someone else about, at least. Just as that thought crossed his mind— “You could say that.” An unexpected response. “Here, I’ll explain the whole thing easily for you: “Right now, you’ve got something nasty rooted in your memory and personality. Your physical body’ll go to shit if we leave it out in the open. So I personally put a lid on a big part of your memory to seal it shut. It’s a makeshift, emergency measure, but it’s my doing, so it’s not gonna be torn apart that easily. You can go ahead and cry and grovel at my feet in thanks.” “Wait, what’s easy about all that?” “Shut up. Who’s the one who showed up at my doorstep a total mess in the first place?” He had no choice but to fall silent when he said that. “…You talking about me? Don’t remember.” “Both you and this kid here. You two sure hit it off, bringin’ in nuisances like that.” The man patted the girl from before, his big palm heavy on her head. “Ow! Ow!” “Don’t worry, ’s not like this is gonna kill you again after all that.” He roughly mussed her hair around. “No, ow! Stop!” “Bah-ha-ha-ha, all right, all right.” Willem sat up from the bed. Willem’s arm moved faster than his own eye could see. He swiped the man’s hand away and pulled the girl closer to him. Her small, light body sat right on his chest with a thud. “Eek!” she squeaked. She’s cold, he thought. Kids this small typically had much higher body temperatures. “I don’t know what’s going on, but cut that out. She doesn’t like it.” “…Right.” As the man responded, bewildered, the look in his eyes softened. It was like he was observing something he hadn’t seen in a long time. The girl in his arms fell speechless, held her breath, face flushed, and blinked. It didn’t look like she particularly hated it, so he decided to stay that way for the moment. “And? The way you were talking made it sound like you did something to her.” “Cut it out with that scary look. I didn’t do anything she wouldn’t like, okay?” “Are you sure? You were just smacking her!” “Hey now, we’re just close. Doesn’t it bring a smile to your face? Don’t raise your eyebrows at me like that.” “No one else here is smiling. That excuse isn’t gonna fly.” He glared at the man. “You never change, do you…?” the man said, somehow profoundly. “Well, whatever. That there’s a living corpse. What we’d call a type of low-class ghost, hilariously.” He pointed at the girl. “What?” “Well, that body’s immortal to begin with. The curse on her was to turn her into a corpse, and that’s what it did in practicality. So I, the special one, undid the curse on her just a little. And her soul, slimmer now that it’s been smashed in half, slipped in the gap there. She’s just a touch healed—her body about one percent and her soul about fifty percent better.” “Wait, what on earth are you talking about?” Corpse? Ghost? Immortal? Soul? He thought (because he had no memory so he couldn’t make an accurate judgment) those weren’t things one typically heard. Not something that fit the little girl in his arms, at least. “Don’t believe me? Peel ’em back and take a look for yourself. Her heart’s still sliced in half. Hasn’t healed.” “What?” He really wondered what this guy was talking about, but he decided to do what he said for the time being. He hooked his finger on the collar of the girl’s clothes and pulled. He peeked in through the gap. —And there it was: a wide, deep stab wound in her chest. No matter how he looked at it, it was fatal. Any proper living thing wouldn’t stay that way once this was inflicted on them. “Wha…?” “See? Told you. I’ll make a mistake sometimes here ’n’ there, but I never, ever tell a lie.” That didn’t strike him as something one should say so proudly, but that didn’t matter for now. He turned his gaze back toward the girl’s chest, just trying to figure out what was even going on— Hmm? He looked up at the girl. Even though she shouldn’t have had any blood circulating through her, her face was flushed bright red. Tears were quickly pooling in the corners of her eyes, as though she was going to burst out crying at any moment. He was already too late when he understood why. “Stuuuupid!!!” She slammed both of her hands onto his cheeks. The man was cackling. “What’s so funny?” “Your face, what else? It’s pure art how red it is. Look in a mirror.” He could picture it. He didn’t want to go out of his way to look. Instead, he looked toward the door the girl had dashed out through. When he thought back with a cool head, it was obvious to him that he’d failed just now. Girls were still girls, even— No, especially girls as young as she was. He should’ve been more careful. Wait—she might’ve been a little girl, but she was still a corpse. But even if she was a corpse, she was still a girl. Why was a corpse moving around anyway? Immortal? Why? Ah crap, I don’t get any of this. “…Well, let’s forget about it for now. Let me be serious with you.” The man’s voice dropped to a low tone. “How much can you remember, either about yourself or anything else?” “About myself…?” He thought for a bit. First, since he was able to have this conversation, that meant he hadn’t forgotten the common language of the island cluster. He could remember the names of various things in the room—he looked around to make sure—without a problem. But anything about himself? Nothing. Where had he been? Who was he close to? What was he doing? All the things he liked, all the things he would never tolerate—none of that information surfaced from the depths of his mind. It didn’t go well whenever he tried recalling a personal memory; getting in his way was a pressure akin to him diving deep into a bottomless swamp. But still, he forced his hand deep into the mud of his memories— —and there was someone, smiling sadly at him. “Gh—?!” A sudden headache. He pressed on his forehead. “Stop. I made the seal for a reason. Don’t waste it,” the man grumbled. “Right now, you’re on a very thin line where you can still be yourself. You step over that, and nothin’ but a great big fall’s waiting for you. Everything that was you will disappear. When that happens, there’s nothin’ I can do. Got it? If you value your life, you will never, ever try to remember.” “…What if I had something I had to do?” If he kept his eyes closed and his fingers pressed on his forehead, his headache slowly abated. “Give it up.” The man shrugged. “I’m not sayin’ this out of spite, you hear? I dunno what you wanted to do, but the second you remember what it was, you’ll stop being yourself. And that thing that’s not you will in no way accomplish what you wanted. I’m saying that either way, it won’t happen.” His logic was correct. He basically had no way to refuse besides turning him down emotionally. But the feeling to do so never came to him. He couldn’t really say no. “…Right.” For some reason, he felt a slight weight lift from him at that moment. When the man said he didn’t have to remember his past and didn’t have to shoulder all the things that came with it, he felt like he’d been saved somehow. His headache disappeared, but his mind and gut still felt heavy. He tossed his head back onto the pillow. “I’ll follow your advice. I can’t remember what you did, but seems like it’s true you took good care of me.” “Well, just sleep a little more. Next time you get up, that screwy head o’ yours should be a bit better.” A sudden drowsiness overcame him. “…Yeah,” he responded blankly. “Oh right, there’s something I wanna ask you.” “What?” “You and the kid. What’re your names?” “Right… Yeah, you’re right. Man, I completely forgot.” The man scratched his head as he spoke. “I’m Nils. The little ’un’s Elq. And your name’s Willem.” Nils. And Elq. “I feel like I’ve heard both your names before. Did we originally know each other?” “Yeah. You used to look up to me and call me master,” the man said with such pride and a stupid look on his face. “Nah, that never happened.” “Don’t doubt me! I don’t tell lies, remember?!” “Nah, c’mon, there’s no way. You don’t look like the kind of person who teaches people anything, y’know?” “I’m tellin’ you—it’s the truth! Why’s this the only detail you refuse to believe?!” “Natural virtue.” “You used to say that crap all the time! You know your memory’s supposed to be sealed, right?!” Well, even he thought it was a little odd, too. He understood that his attitude wasn’t something that was meant for someone he’d met for the first time. It felt strangely right to banter with him. And that made it feel like he’d come back to his distant hometown for the first time in a long time. “You’re more like my damn old man than a master.” “…Seriously, kid…” Nils sighed deeply. “Ah, whatever. I’m headin’ out, so get some rest.” “Thanks for everything.” “If you were gonna thank me so sincerely all along, then you shoulda done that first. Sheesh.” Though the man’s back was to him, he could still tell the man was smirking from over his shoulder. He didn’t turn back to face him; Willem guessed he might be embarrassed. “—Oh yeah.” Nils stood right by the door and added one more thing as though it just crossed his mind. “Don’t use your right eye too much. My seal only works on changes to the spirit, ’kay? Changes to your body stay as is. The seal’ll come undone if you get too used to it.” “My right eye?” “Take a look for yourself. There’s a mirror there.” The door shut. His footsteps faded away. In the spot he last gestured to with his chin was a desktop mirror, small enough to fit in his palm. Why the hell…? He felt somewhat grumpy, but he couldn’t just ignore it. He dragged his lethargic, sleepy body out from the bed, took the mirror in his hand, and looked at his own face. “……” Before him was the face of a dark-haired young man who lacked ambition. The first thing he noticed was how both his cheeks were red and swollen with little handprints. The second thing was how his right eye…and only his right eye blazed in a gold color, almost like that of a savage animal. His left eye was the same black as his hair, so that was most likely his original color. That was probably the proof that something terrible inside him was trying to do terrible things to him, just like Nils said. “…I get it now.” Unease swelled up inside him just by looking at the gold. Whatever it was, it wasn’t something good. Now that he firmly believed that, he shut his right eye. He then crawled under the blanket and slowly shut his remaining eye. “Mr. Nils? He left very early this morning.” The next morning, the innkeeper—who was, surprisingly, a featureless man—informed him. “Huh?” “He told me he’s going on a bit of a trip and isn’t sure if he’ll be able to return. He also said to be well.” “Wait, wait, hold on. I didn’t hear anything about this?” “He’s the sort to get up and go without much forethought, you see. From the way he phrased it, he might come back out of the blue sometime soon, but who knows when that will be?” “Wait, what?” How much of a wanderer was that old man? He’d been on the receiving end of all his help, so maybe he shouldn’t be thinking about it like this, but he wanted him to spend at least more than two seconds thinking about the people he was leaving behind. He couldn’t remember his past, so it wasn’t like he had any assets to his name. It wasn’t normal to leave someone who didn’t know left from right from up from down all on their own. At least, he himself would be too afraid to do it. The man said Willem had once called him “master.” There was no way that was true. Willem couldn’t imagine himself looking up to that irresponsible man as a master. “Oh, it seems your companion is awake.” Wondering who it was, he turned around, and peeking out from behind a corner in the hallway was the face of the redheaded girl—Elq. “My companion?” “So I’ve been told.” Okay. So that’s how he explained it. By leaving himself out. Willem grew increasingly irritated by his savior and gently beckoned the girl to come closer. Elq acted hesitant at first, but she soon showed herself and rushed toward him. “M-morning…” “Sorry about yesterday.” He bowed his head. Elq stared up at him blankly. “Oh… I-it’s okay. As long as you understand… Um, besides, I’m not that mad anymore…” “I see. You’re very kind, Elq.” He lifted his head and smiled at her. For some reason, Elq gave a short “urk!” and took a half step away from him. “What is it?” “N-nothing.” It was unusual to hear a “nothing” that sounded so unconvincing. He thought about teasing her by pressing the question, but that wouldn’t be very mature of him, so he refrained. Both Willem and Elq had apparently been found relatively near each other. And just like him, she’d been saved by Nils, too. And together, they had both been left behind by Nils. He didn’t know how long they’d known each other, but they were in this together, so it was probably best if they got along. Probably. First, he needed to get ready to start leading a new life. He needed to get a grasp on what he could and couldn’t do. He needed to find work, too. Elq was still little, so he had to make enough money to support her, too. And when Nils came back, he’d give him an earful. There was no chance he’d forget that. “By the way, I still haven’t received payment for last night’s stay—what do you want to do about that?” He made one adjustment to his previous statement. When Nils came back, he’d give him a good punch to go along with the earful. There was no chance he’d forget that. “…D’you know of any places around here that would hire a featureless who doesn’t know a thing about himself?” “Sure. I can think of one off the top of my head.” Apparently, there was such a place, surprisingly enough. He’d doubted there would be when he asked. “That’s a big help. Couldja introduce me?” “You’ll also be served three square meals a day, and they won’t mind if you have a little lady with you.” “That’s—” “And I apologize for taking so long to introduce myself. I’m Astartos, the owner. We may be a small inn, but there’s plenty of work to do. Make sure you’re up to it, okay?” He held out his right hand, expecting a handshake. Damn that Nils. He predicted this would happen and left us behind, didn’t he? He was absolutely convinced that was the case, and he felt sorry for himself now that he had no choice but to take the innkeeper up on his goodwill. “…Yeah. Thanks.” Fighting the urge to drop his shoulders in disappointment, Willem grasped the man’s right hand with his own. 4. Ancient Cities and the Faeries The faerie warehouse was on Island No. 68. Collina di Luce was on Island No. 11. Roughly speaking, these two islands were located on Regule Aire’s outskirts and central area, respectively. So naturally, there was quite a bit of distance between the two. And there wasn’t an airship route that connected the two places directly or anything convenient like that, so travelers had to be ready to take plenty of detours and transfer airships a number of times. Things could go much smoother if one of the military patrol ships could drop them off, of course. But those were typically quite cramped; they were very shaky, since they weren’t equipped with stabilizing mechanisms; they were very easy to grow depressed in, since the windows were small, and they as passengers were left to sit in the holds with nothing to do; and so many other reasons that made Nygglatho quickly turn down that option with a firm “no.” No one disagreed with her. Of course they wouldn’t. They rattled around in various airships for almost an entire day. “Wow…” As Lakhesh stepped down from the airship, she looked around, grinning from ear to ear. “I-it’s, it’s a-amazing… Tiat, look! Look!” “Yeah, it is amazing; now please let go of me.” Lakhesh had a tight grip on Tiat’s shoulders as she shook her around, and Tiat twisted in protest. “But look, i-it’s real—it’s the real thing…!” “I know, I know, I know it’s the real thing, so let go.” “Wooooow!” Lakhesh was over the moon. Well, Rhantolk could see why. Because this was none other than the city of Collina di Luce—the jewel box of the azure sky, the melting pot of dreams and romance. The faeries weren’t allowed to leave Island No. 68 without permission. That’s why their only chances to learn about the other islands were through stories in books or projections. And most of the brightest, most attractive stories took place here in the city of Collina di Luce. This was where the Second Cloaked stole a million bradal from an evil crime ring, where Rustnose met his true love, where the Minchuette Clan had endured such a tumultuous time… The faeries had watched and read all these stories with incredible yearning. And now they could stand on this stage for the first time with their own feet. That was something so unbearably happy for them. Even if it wasn’t the first time for them, it was still pretty exciting, to be perfectly honest. “…And where will we be going from here?” Rhantolk asked Nygglatho quietly after taking a deep breath; she felt it would be unbecoming of her to show her excitement. “Hmm. We ultimately have something to do at command headquarters, but I suppose before that, we’ll have to hand Lakhesh over to my classmate’s place.” “Your classmate?” “Remember? He’s the one who also took care of your adjustments when you matured—the big cyclops doctor. He was in the class above me when I was a student at the academy.” “Well, that sure is a frightening combination. I bet your classmates didn’t feel alive until they graduated, huh?” Ithea butted in. “How rude. I didn’t do that many things that were too dangerous.” Nygglatho’s denial didn’t even sound like a denial. Maybe it was best if they left the subject alone. “…Come on, Lakhesh, Tiat. We’re going.” She grabbed both the shaker and the shakee. “We’re not here to sightsee. Let us do what we need to do.” “Oh… S-sorry.” Lakhesh came back down to earth and meekly bowed her head. “Oooooh, the island’s spinning…” Tiat was still out of it, her eyes swimming. She’d probably recover in a little bit, so no harm done. “Well then, shall we go?” Nygglatho asked, adjusting the large rucksack on her back. Poking out from the top of the tough leather bag were several oblong objects wrapped in cloth. Inside were dug weapons…four Carillon: Ithea’s Valgulious, Rhantolk’s Historia, Tiat’s Ignareo, and one more sword without an owner, just for good luck. Altogether, they weighed about as much as a small wardrobe (a full one), but she carried them in a way that made them seem much lighter. “I want both of you to behave. We have a little walk to make before we reach our destination, so be sure not to get distracted and get lost, okay?” “O-okay, I’ll do my best.” It worried Nygglatho that this was something Lakhesh felt she had to do her best at, but she would recognize how optimistic she was. “…Could we take little detours along the way? There are a lot of things I didn’t get to see last time.” And she wished Tiat would try a little harder. “Don’t make me repeat myself. You know we’re not here to sightsee, right?” She placed her hands on her hips and spoke sharply, and Tiat shrank back, falling silent. Nygglatho wondered if she’d gone too far, but she couldn’t think of anything else to say to comfort her. It was fine, though, because Tiat had already grown up to be a wonderful adult faerie soldier; she knew she could keep herself in line…or so she thought. “Ooooh, ooh, is that the Falcita Memorial Plaza?!” And there Lakhesh went, right after Nygglatho said no sightseeing. “And in the middle there, that’s a statue of the Great Sage, right?! Can I go take a look up close?!” Rhantolk whirled around to look. There was a plaza with a fountain. Countless couples milled about, and there was the statue of an intrepid old man with a large hood over his head. It was apparently sculpted in the likeness of the Great Sage, the legendary man who was said to have created the foundation for the birth of Regule Aire and who still watched over them today. And there was apparently a rumor about it that the statue could strengthen the bond of a relationship. It was unclear if that was true or not, but that didn’t seem to matter to the lovebirds who gathered there as various couples of all races whispered sweet nothings to each other around it. …Right. Even if they were allowed to make pit stops, Rhantolk had a feeling that wasn’t a place to take little children. Or something like that. “I wanna go see it, too! Willem said no last time we were here, so I didn’t get to see it!” Tiat took the opportunity to jump on the bandwagon, but Rhantolk brought her fist lightly down onto her head. “Didn’t you hear? No distractions, no side trips. We’re going on ahead.” She repeated what was already said, and both Lakhesh and Tiat deflated. Thirty minutes later. It was quite distressing. Rhantolk took stock mentally, desperately wiping away the stress that gathered in her mind like a cold sweat. She looked to the right. Stone buildings lined a large avenue. All kinds of different people went this way and that. Horse-drawn carts rushed by with loud clattering noises. She looked to the left. There was a long black iron fence and a neatly maintained garden on the other side of it. An unobtrusive green covered the whole lot, likely because it was a little too early for spring. It probably wouldn’t even be a month before everything would be in bloom, displaying a whole assortment of different colors. She was a little sad she wouldn’t be able to see it. But wait, this wasn’t the time for that. It went without saying that both these sights were unfamiliar to her. And—this was the true nature of her problem—she didn’t see anyone she’d been traveling with, neither Nygglatho nor Ithea nor Tiat nor Lakhesh, anywhere. “What a fix I’m in.” She pressed her temples and closed her eyes. She recalled what had happened. It was very simple. As they walked through the city, a distant building had suddenly caught her attention. It was the steeple of a famous cathedral that she’d read about in a book. The book said it was built by a genius architect three hundred years ago and the structure was only one of the seven grand-scale buildings built by this architect in all of Regule Aire. It said its unique silhouette captured the hearts even of those who spotted it from a distance. Indeed—the book was right. When she noticed its silhouette, she was captivated for just a moment (at least, that’s how long she intended it to be), but then by the time she returned to her senses, she’d gotten separated from the others. “This is awful.” She’d made such a blunder right after acting all high and mighty, reminding the littler ones that there would be no distractions or getting lost. She had never imagined that, of all things, she herself would be making such a mistake. Their destination here on Collina di Luce was the general clinic. It was a place Rhantolk herself had been once when she matured. She had only a vague memory of it, but she could probably find the way there. In the worst-case scenario, she could fly in the sky and check the path that way. She didn’t want to stand out too much, but it would be better than being fatally late for their meet-up. “Anyway, I suppose I’ll start walking.” Luckily, Collina di Luce was a commerce city that had plenty of interaction with various other islands, so featureless like the faeries weren’t all that unusual to the people who walked the streets. As long as she didn’t do anything conspicuous, she wouldn’t stand out. As long as she kept walking, she became a part of the city’s scenery. When she thought about it that way, she forgot about her situation, and her steps grew lighter. Another seven minutes later. “…Wow.” Rhantolk once again learned how truly formidable this city was. That was because after just a few steps down the street, she would encounter something fascinating. She saw famous buildings, then little side streets that caught her eye, then bronze statues built right into the center of the road for no logical reason. The city had so much to offer, she never tired of it. Every single time she found something as she walked alone, her feet would stop. This wasn’t good. She had to seriously start thinking about making some progress, otherwise the sun might actually set on her. She jogged down the avenue, the panic pushing her along, and turned a corner. “…Wow.” And she encountered another magnificent building. It was the Collina di Luce Great Central Library. It was a huge marvel of a library, counted among the oldest existing buildings in Collina di Luce, as well as prided as having the largest collection of books in the entire island cluster. Its tower was elegant and chalky white, still preserved so after such a long history. Rhantolk thought she was ready, but her attention was suddenly stolen again. And her legs, carried away by the panic to keep rushing forward, still unconsciously moved. As a result— “Eek!” “Oof!” —she ran into something wall-like. Rhantolk was thrown back, falling hard on her rear on the spot. “Ouch…” “Oh, my apologies. I was looking elsewhere.” “Oh, no, I wasn’t looking in front of me, either…” It seemed she hadn’t actually run into a wall but rather a featureless old man of a great, boulder-like stature, with golden hair and a golden beard. As though it wasn’t already enough, the man’s gaudy, pure-white cape made him stand out in a bad way, for some reason. It even stood out from the rest of the scenery of Collina di Luce, which was accepting of people from all walks of life. But even after seeing who it was with her own eyes, she still doubted for a split second that what she ran into wasn’t really a wall. She wasn’t sure why, but she could sense a deep and mysterious force from him that gave her the impression of a rock-solid entity. “Are you hurt?” Even his words of concern were filled with an intimidating air that hung over her. She was still impressed by this historical metropolis—there were lovely gentlemen dressed like this walking around like it was no big deal, and that was beyond anything she could have imagined in multiple ways. “Oh…no. Thank you.” She timidly grasped his extended hand and stood up. He wore a kind smile, but it wasn’t enough to hide the sharp, stinging gaze behind it. Even though she was a seasoned veteran, if she didn’t consciously try to keep herself together, her legs might give way. “Oh… By the way, young lady, I feel this conversation of ours must be fate. Do you think I could ask you for directions?” A brief silence. “Sorry?” “See, I know this is a bit embarrassing, but I’m actually a little lost.” He was scratching his cheek, likely out of awkwardness. It didn’t suit him. “I knew I had to ask someone for directions but, see…talking to people as they rush by isn’t really my forte.” “Huh.” She could see how. His presence dominated everything around him, even when he was just standing there. She couldn’t really see him calling out to someone for a friendly chat. “I wouldn’t mind, but I’m not a local so I can’t say that I know the streets very well. I’m not sure I can help.” She, of course, decided not to mention that she herself was practically lost as well. “And where is it you’re hoping to go?” “A restaurant. It’s right by the general clinic, I hear.” Well then! Rhantolk thought. “I need to go that way as well. Would you mind coming along?” “Yes, that would be wonderful.” The old man smiled. Or at least, the wrinkles in his ancient, bark-like face deepened and took the shape of what seemed like a smile. It was an intense expression, one that would make little kids cry if they saw it. Thinking how glad she was to be a grown-up, the edge of Rhantolk’s mouth twitched upward slightly. “I’ve been here before, you see. I told them I remembered the way and refused a guide,” the old man grumbled as they walked down the street. Walking alongside him—thinking she probably seemed like a maid waiting on a king—Rhantolk gave a disinterested “mm” in response. “But when I tried to make the walk on my own, what did I find? All the streets were changed!” “Mm.” That shouldn’t be possible. Collina di Luce was an old city. There were lots of definitions as to what constituted an “old” city, but one of them had to be that the buildings had stayed where they were for a very long time. So the streets changing was something that couldn’t happen. As far as Rhantolk knew, the neighborhood around the great library hadn’t gone through major rezoning for a hundred or so odd years. …Well, I suppose he is getting on in age. She thought that perhaps it wouldn’t be all too odd if his memory was a little jumbled, but that was a rude thing to think. “I don’t often get this chance, so I thought it might be nice to do some sightseeing while I was at it. But I can’t let people wait for me forever, you know.” “Oop—” It was like an invisible thorn plunged into her chest. “But this is a city you can’t just walk through, right? I’ll have to come back another day just to be a tourist.” “Do you live on an island far from here?” “Yes, there is some distance involved, but the biggest trouble—” The old man suddenly lifted his gaze. Rhantolk followed suit and looked up as well. “Oh.” There was Nygglatho on the other side of the street. She was very easy to spot, since she stood a head taller than all the passersby. And she seemed to have noticed Rhantolk as well. She quickly cut across the avenue and drew nearer. “I finally found you! Gosh, I was so worried!” “I’m sorry.” She had no excuses. Rhantolk bowed her head sincerely. “I was wondering what I would do if you got hit by a carriage! You’re all so strong when you fight, but you’re not that tough under normal circumstances—you know that.” “That’s… Yes…I know.” Almost half the strength a leprechaun had in battle was a result of activated venenum. And the other half was from the dug weapons in their hands. Put simply, they had practically none of the strength they wielded on the battlefield during normal daily life. But beyond that, most living things wouldn’t be okay after getting hit by a carriage—faeries weren’t unique in this. And of course, Nygglatho knew she didn’t fit into “most” living things. “Pulled meat is always better when done with a proper machine, you know.” “Um… Sorry?” Rhantolk wasn’t too sure what Nygglatho was trying to say. But she was sure she’d made her worry…she thought. She wanted to honestly thank her and reflect on her mistakes. “Oh… Sorry to interrupt, ma’am,” the old man butted in from beside her. “You don’t have to reprimand her that much. I’m just a passing tourist, see, but I’d gotten lost. I took this kind girl up on her offer to show me the way.” “Huh?” What is this old man talking about all of a sudden? “I do have a few connections, so if this has caused you any inconvenience, I take it upon myself to make amends for it. That’s why I ask that you don’t scold your little sister too harshly.” “My…” Nygglatho was slightly astonished. “Is that so?” “Um… Well, I guess…it is true?” Rhantolk was perplexed, of course. They had just been walking in a way that made her look like the guide, sure. But it was completely her own fault that she had gotten herself lost in the first place, and there shouldn’t have been much room for her to make excuses. And while they were at it, she and Nygglatho weren’t sisters. “Well then, what can I say?” Nygglatho was somehow proudly exasperated. “No one’s found out so far, and there haven’t been any problems. I don’t want to say you can’t show others kindness, either. But be sure to say something next time, okay?” “Oh… Yes, I…understand.” Rhantolk nodded, going with it. “And you, sir.” “Hmm?” “I know you must’ve felt terribly helpless having lost your way, but I am not impressed that you decided to reach out to a young girl and walk around with her. Someone is going to see that and think you’re kidnapping her, you know?” “Oh… Ahhh, you’re right. You’re exactly right.” “Kidnappings that target tourists aren’t too uncommon in Collina di Luce. If you need directions, there are plenty of golems from the tourism bureau stationed around the city, so you should ask them next time, okay?” Her tone was kind yet strict, like she was admonishing a child for their pranks. After a short moment of silence, the perplexed old man suddenly burst out in explosive laughter. Every single person passing by turned to look at them, the pigeons resting their wings on the streetlights all leaped up into the air, and a horse pulling a carriage several paces away got worked up and went out of control. “…Sir?” “No, I’m sorry.” The old man held back his laughter, wiped away the tears in the corners of his eyes, and began to explain himself. “There hasn’t been anyone who has taken that tone with me for a very long time. It’s also the first time in a while that a young woman has stood before me without fear, and for that, I’m grateful. It’s unusual for me, but for a moment, it felt like I’d gotten a little younger.” “Okay…” Well, sure. The old man had both a face and build that were terrifying, and even his enigmatic presence was frightening. But that was all. Nygglatho didn’t think that was enough to scare everyone. “Alright then, I know the way on my own from this point. I cannot take up any more of your time, so I will pardon myself shortly.” “…Will you really be all right?” “Hmm, if I get lost again, I just need to ask a golem, don’t I?” he said, briefly winking. It was an expert wink. “Thanks for the fun time.” As they watched the old man disappear down the avenue, the two tilted their heads slightly. “I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before. And recently, at that,” Nygglatho said, and Rhantolk, too, noticed the stirring feeling of unease inside her. “Maybe we’ve met him before… But if we did, I don’t think I’d forget someone who would leave such a strong impression like that…” “Hmmmm. If both of us recognized him, then maybe we saw him on Island No. 68? But I don’t think that’s it…” They couldn’t find the answer. And since they couldn’t, their heads stayed tilted. Falcita Memorial Plaza, with the stone statue of the greatest wise man of Regule Aire, the Great Sage, was right nearby the street the two of them had just passed. “All right, then, can I have the one who saw the dream come here?” “M-me! I-I-I’ll be right dddere!” Lakhesh was led away by a doctor in a lab coat and headed for her adjustments to become an adult faerie soldier. And it seemed like it really hurt when she bit down on her tongue so hard like that. “She probably isn’t that far.” Nygglatho scratched her cheek with a worried look as she left to go search for Rhantolk. “I can’t believe she’s making me worry like this. I’ll punish her with a big, strong hug if she’s not okay.” They said Nygglatho’s strongest embrace, incidentally, could shatter a boulder. And with all that happening, there were only two left. They were pushed into a simple waiting room in a secluded corner of the clinic and told, “Wait here until you receive your next orders.” And there was no comment as to when those orders might come, of course. “Wonder where Rhan went?” Ithea murmured, bored, in her chair. “I bet I know where she went—the Perjurer’s Grave!” Tiat answered as she hopped by the wall, wanting a peek at the scenery outside from a window that was just out of reach. “We passed right by it, though! It’s one of the most popular spots that you have to see when you come to Collina di Luce! No fair!” “Rhan’s not like you. She has a little more self-restraint when it comes to that stuff, y’know?” “Rustnose said beauty confounds the heart!” “Is that what the context of that phrase is s’posed to be?” Ithea tilted her head in puzzlement. “Either way, sure is boring here. Wanna play a word game or somethin’?” “I’m not bored! I’m really busy right now, okay!” “Oh yeah?” Ithea laid her head down on the table, watching Tiat from behind as she jumped up and down. Of course, all she had to do was kindle some venenum and fly up. But Tiat hadn’t realized that, and Ithea wasn’t about to point it out to her. “Ooooh, c’mon, legs! All the physical training we’ve gone through has been for this very day!” “You’re such a peaceful kid…” When Ithea looked up at the window from where she sat, she could perfectly see the blue sky beyond it. It looked the same no matter where she stared up at it, whether it was from Island No. 68 or Island No. 11. That was all she could see from her spot. Then there was a light knock on the waiting room door. “Are those our orders?” Ithea lifted her head. The door opened. “Hello…?” The one who hesitantly came into the room wasn’t Nygglatho or a doctor or a soldier. It was a lycanthrope girl with soft-looking white fur. “Hey, aren’t you—?” “Miss Phyr?! Wow, it’s been so long!” Tiat recalled the girl’s name before Ithea could. It was Phyracorlybia Dorio, the mayor’s daughter. Several months ago, Ithea and Tiat took a short tour around Collina di Luce with her guidance—or more precisely, through Willem’s trickery. For leprechauns who never had any contact with the world outside of Island No. 68, it had been a unique and unforgettable experience. “Miss Ithea, Miss Tiat…” Phyr’s expression was stiff for some reason as she glanced around the room. “I knew it—they’re not here. Miss Chtholly and Miss Nephren, I mean…” “Phyr?” “My apologies…” She entered the room, closed the door behind her, and sat on the floor on the spot. “I had no idea. I had no idea who you were. All the days we simply whittle away only exist thanks to your sacrifice…” “Huh?” Tiat’s eyes grew wide. “Ahhh… I see.” Ithea understood what the sudden apology meant and scratched at the back of her head. “Who told you about us?” “I just happened to overhear my uncle and my father talking.” Her uncle was First Officer Limeskin, who had known her ever since she was little. And her father was Gil-Andalus Dorio, the city’s mayor. It was unclear as to why leprechauns would come up in conversation between the two, but regardless, it seemed to be true that Phyr ended up finding out about them, despite how they were meant to be secret weapons. “All I worry about is which jam I should put on my scones for lunch while you risk your lives in battle. I had no idea, and I lived my days not feeling a hint of shame about it. I feel so humiliated, and I’m so sorry…,” she confessed, hiding her face, on the verge of breaking into tears. “Ummm, I, uhhh…” Tiat was bewildered. “Uhhh, okay. I appreciate the honest reaction, but Phyr?” “Yes?” “Times like these, we’re not gonna say that you shouldn’t worry, because we’re disposable weapons to begin with. I’d say you’ve got a good head on your shoulders. You’re from a good background, and you believe that there are more good people in the world than evil. I’m not gonna force someone like that to come to terms with that fact. So think about it this way: We’re just secretly stretching our lives thin so all the regular people who live on Regule Aire can live their normal lives stress-free and without them knowing a thing.” “Normal lives…for people who don’t know anything…” “Exactly. So don’t be ashamed that you didn’t know anything. That is precisely why we fight, and I guess you could say we’re almost proud of it in some way.” “Oooh…” Tiat sounded impressed. Maybe she was finally conscious of all that. “So chin up, okay? At the very least, we haven’t been risking our lives just to see our friends cry.” “Miss…Ithea…” “And quit with the ‘miss’ stuff, ’kay?” She scratched her head. And— Clack. The door opened again, and this time, a faerie with indigo hair—in other words, Rhantolk—peeked in. “Sorry I worried you all—” Rhantolk paused partway through her apology. She looked around the room. Ithea had her elbows planted on the table, Tiat was plastered up against the wall and only her head was turned toward the door, and an unfamiliar lycanthrope sat in the middle of the floor. “…What’s going on here?” “Now, that’s a difficult question!” Ithea forced a loud laugh, small creases deepening between her brows. “But wait, you’re alone, Rhan? I thought Nygglatho went to get you?” “Yes, but a messenger from First Officer Limeskin caught ahold of her just back there.” She gestured toward the entrance of the clinic. “She went off with him, and they left. She told me to wait here with you two.” “She went with him? Where?” “I don’t know, but I don’t think we need to worry.” “You’re right—we don’t need to worry at all.” They both nodded to each other. “…Um?” Phyr, who wasn’t keeping up with the conversation, tilted her head with tears still in her eyes. “And, and? What did you see? You saw the Perjurer’s Grave, didn’t you?! Or did you go all the way to Barley Square?! I know that one’s a little far, though.” And Tiat was, well, the way she always was. “This way, Miss Nygglatho.” “Yes?” “First Officer Limeskin is expecting you.” A smaller lizardfolk messenger was waiting for Nygglatho. He was probably more of an average size, considering individual lizardfolk stopped growing at vastly different times, but just looked a lot smaller, since she was used to Limeskin’s gargantuan stature. “We just arrived, so why can’t I rest for a moment?” No response. It was somehow very military-like not to waste any words. “Everyone is already waiting for you.” “Who do you mean by ‘everyone’?” No response. Right, fine. The messenger led Nygglatho out the back entrance of the clinic, and they passed through a dim alley that smelled of soap and sewage. When she glanced up, she saw ropes that hung between windows on either side of the alley and laundry hanging from them. —Where are we going? It was a burning question, but a taciturn air hung around the messenger’s form, and it didn’t seem like she’d get an answer even if she did ask. —If they specifically called for me without any of the girls, then that means there’ll be lots of pesky talk they shouldn’t hear. Am I right? The thought made her melancholy. Then the delicious scent of burned meat tickled her nose. When she looked up, there was a little sign that indicated the back door to a restaurant. As Nygglatho thought about what to do for dinner, the messenger opened the small back door and stepped inside the building. “Here?” she asked, but of course, no response. The lizardfolk glanced back briefly, signaling her to follow inside, then passed quickly down the short corridor. The inside decorations looked very handsome. “Oh dear, I’m not breaking the dress code, am I?” Nygglatho looked down at the dress she was wearing. Her outfit was just something she thought was cute based on her own standards, but they were still nothing more than regular attire. And she had just spent the entire day sitting in airships anyway, so it was even hard to say she was polished up. The lizardfolk was quickly disappearing down the hall. She mentally complained to herself that this messenger should at least make some sort of conversation with her, then followed suit. They stopped before a heavy-looking door. The messenger’s clawed hand knocked—twice quickly, followed by a pause, then a third time. “Enter,” came a low voice. Nygglatho was slightly awestruck: Goodness, what a rather authentic code! The door opened. There was a large table in the room. Unfortunately, there was no food on it. Surrounding the table were faces both familiar and unfamiliar. “…What?” By the wall stood Limeskin in his Guard uniform. Well, she wasn’t terribly surprised about that, since he was the one who summoned her here in the first place. Standing beside him was a rabbitfolk soldier. She glanced at the insignia on his shoulder, which depicted a shield and scythe. That was of the military police, if she remembered correctly. A middle-aged lycanthrope sat at the table. He didn’t seem familiar to her. He wore a well-made suit and a sophisticated monocle. He looked ever so much a gentleman and, at the very least, suited this fancy restaurant much more than Nygglatho did. For some reason, the old man with the white cape who they had just parted ways with was there, too. He made a surprised “oh?”, and judging by the expression that matched, this encounter was just as unexpected for him as it was for her. And then, one more. There was an exceptionally special face, one that easily made her forget about every other one she’d just seen. It was a gray-haired girl. For some reason, she held her left eye shut tight, but there was no doubt about it. She was a faerie soldier, one who should have been lost in the battle on the surface. “Neph…ren?” “Mm.” Nephren put her head a little to the side. “Are you…real?” “At least half of me.” The response she received was one she didn’t quite understand, but she could barely hear it anyway. She wanted to rush to her, squeeze her, pinch her cheeks, burst out in tears. All those impulses bubbled up inside her at once, swelled, and then burst. Nygglatho fell to her rear on the spot on the shaggy carpet. “I… I’m terribly sorry for such an embarrassing display…” Nygglatho took a seat after she was offered one. And she also grasped a grumpy-looking Nephren and forced her to sit on her lap. The men’s gazes, seeming as though they were watching a heartwarming scene (in fact, probably because they were watching a heartwarming scene), were hard to bear. But she wasn’t going to let her go. “You’re putting on an embarrassing display, in the present tense.” “Be quiet now.” She wasn’t going to listen to complaints, either. “…Now then, allow me to introduce myself once more.” The lycanthrope, still seated, bowed his head slightly. “My name is Gil-Andalus Dorio. I am the elected mayor by the people of this city.” “Oh.” Nygglatho froze. “Er, um, I’m Nygglatho of the Orlandry Merchants Alliance…” “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Nygglatho. And this here—” “Coincidences are awesome things, aren’t they? …We met earlier, didn’t we, young lady?” The old man in the white cape cut off Mr. Dorio, and he winked again. “My apologies for not giving my name earlier. I am Suowong. I act as a sort of adviser for The Winged Guard.” “Oh, okay… Nice to meet you.” The mayor and a retired guardsman—why were these people secretly meeting in a place like this, and why was she invited? She couldn’t quite put the whole thing together. “Er, and…I don’t really understand the situation. What is going on right now? Why is Nephren here? Could that mean”—Willem is safe, too? she was about to ask, but she stopped herself—“that someone else was rescued from the surface safe and sound?” The air in the room grew a touch heavier. No one spoke. She figured that wasn’t something she was supposed to ask. “I hope you don’t mind if I start by explaining the situation.” The rabbitfolk soldier adjusted his glasses as he took a half step forward. “Go ahead.” The white-caped old man nodded generously. The rabbitfolk bowed to him briefly. “I am First Officer Baroni Makish. A pleasure.” “Oh yes, likewise…” He was a first officer, which meant he was in just as important a position as Limeskin, who stood next to him. “First, let me clear something up. The thing you are currently hugging on your knee is not the faerie girl you knew so well. It is something else that has been contaminated by a Beast on the surface and has been psychosomatically altered.” “Huh…” She didn’t quite understand what he said. She gave Nephren’s cheek a poke. It was soft, the kind of soft she wanted to boil in water and take a big bite out of. It was a very familiar sensation, one that hadn’t changed at all. What did he say she was? Something contaminated by a Beast? “Additionally… I believe you already know there are no forecasted Timere attacks at the moment.” Of course she did. Nygglatho nodded. “We have identified the cause—Chtholly Nota Seniorious.” What? “In order for Timere to attack in the sky, it needs a body over a certain size that it can divide, the pieces of which catch on the wind and drift here by chance. Essentially, they only form when the large numbers required gather together first. “However, in the earlier battle at the K96-M.A.L. Ruins, Chtholly destroyed an extreme number of Timeres. Moreover, ones that should’ve been sleeping underground came out of the ground, and she annihilated them.” “Chtholly…did that?” “There has been a remarkable decrease in the number of Timeres on the surface. They might not be entirely exterminated, but it will take a considerable amount of time for them to encroach upon the sky again.” “That girl threw away… No, ussssed up her whole life to protect our home, Regule Aire.” What Limeskin said didn’t quite reach Nygglatho’s ears, either. To sacrifice oneself to save the islands—that was the faeries’ original duty. Chtholly wanted to be free of it, so she fought, and she should have come home. But did it turn out that way in the end? “…What a clumsy girl she is.” She didn’t want to call her death “fate.” She didn’t want to accept it as that. She fought until her very last moments, of her own free will, for the people—or maybe just person—she loved. And coincidentally, as a result, she saved Regule Aire, too. That’s how Nygglatho wanted to see it. Or maybe that’s what the Braves Willem used to talk about were like. They themselves were just fighting for their own selfish reasons. But their fights were twisted into battles of fate or duty, changed into something meant for the whole world. With no more fighting to be done and the danger gone, Nygglatho should’ve been happy. She should’ve been proud. But for some reason, she felt a bit disappointed. “This information is spreading not just through The Winged Guard but also among organizations throughout Regule Aire with a certain caliber of intelligence. And they all have reached the same conclusion: Now is the time to rework the entirety of Regule Aire’s anti-Beast strategies.” “And…they want to snatch up our dug weapon-compatible faeries, don’t they?” Limeskin had a look that seemed to retort, You’re the one who’sss done the sssnatching. Nephren turned to look at Nygglatho. “What does that mean?” her expression asked. Obviously, Nygglatho couldn’t just tell her “a lot of stuff happened, but it’s all okay because I beat up the bad guys.” Instead, she lightly balled her hand into a fist. Hopefully Nephren got the message. “Indeed. That’s part of it.” “…Just a part?” “What they are asking is for The Winged Guard to relinquish all authority related to combating the Seventeen Beasts. More specifically, the weapons’ development, retention, and use in emergencies. Everything related to dug weapons is just an example.” It took time for her to understand what he said. “The Beasts are enormous foes whose true properties are unknown. By developing and maintaining firepower to stand against them…” She gulped. “…That would mean they want permission for unlimited military expansion.” “That’s right. If one is unable to judge exactly how much power is needed to fight back against an enemy, then any sort of power can be justified as potentially necessary. Both ethics and the island charter are superseded in the face of that mentality.” People of varying races lived on Regule Aire, some of whom used to be considered predator while others were considered prey. Though they’d reconciled after such a long period of time, they still basically lived in the same place but with differing worldviews. Naturally, conflict was never-ending, no matter how large or small. It wasn’t just a one- or two-time occasion that a large-scale war threatening to involve a great number of islands had been on the verge of breaking out. The island cluster charter existed to prevent fighting like that. It was established at the dawn of Regule Aire by that legendary Great Sage and was the highest law of the land, constantly in use everywhere, by everyone. Don’t kill. Don’t steal. No excessive armaments. Those who violated these prohibitions were punished by their island’s respective ruling body or, in times when that wasn’t possible, by The Winged Guard. “And that now brings us to the topic at hand.” “…There’s more?” “They also seek the right to use the anti-Beast weapons at their own discretion whenever something happens. That means…” He looked at her, as though asking her to finish his sentence. She didn’t know. Nygglatho wasn’t a member of the military. She was a member of a merchant company. While she wasn’t completely ignorant when it came to the tactics of those who were specialists on both fronts, she couldn’t say she completely understood. “…They can use as much firepower as they want whenever a Beast appears,” Nephren murmured in response. “Exactly.” The rabbitfolk nodded. “…But why? None of the other Beasts besides Timere can fly, so that doesn’t really matter now, does it?” “Sure, on the surface, that’s what it seems like. However…” “…However, if a Beast was to appear on the islands, then they could fight them however they wanted,” Nephren said quietly, taking over. “But that shouldn’t be possible…” “Pardon me. I hope you don’t mind if I take over from here.” Mayor Dorio, who had been quietly watching the conversation unfold until then, cut in, his characteristic pointed lycanthrope ears twitching. He glanced individually at all the people of high station in the room before continuing. “An incident occurred about two weeks ago. An airship crashed onto this island. It was registered as a civilian salvaging company ship, but that was just a disguise, and we know that the corresponding company does not actually exist. The ship’s real name was Tomorrow Grasper No. 7. It is one of the Elpis Air Defense Force’s surface-observation ships that they keep off the record.” “It was a complete ruin when it fell, but the spot that would’ve been the cargo hold seemed to have been built to be especially sturdy, and its original shape was still intact,” added the old man in the white cape—Suowong, was it? “Inside, we found traces of rather high-level capture barrier technology.” What were these people talking about? She didn’t know, or rather, she didn’t want to know. She understood well enough what they were talking about that she felt that way. “Capture barrier technology…?” “Sturdy enough for even me to say so. Sturdy enough to contain a Beast.” “…Um—” She didn’t quite get what he meant by “even me,” but from the way things were going, there was only one possible conclusion. It was all so out of this world that even she couldn’t believe her own idea. “Don’t tell me Elpis smuggled a Beast into Regule Aire?” Ha-ha-ha, don’t be absurd! She wanted them to laugh at her. But not a single person present so much as cracked a smile. She felt Nephren shiver slightly on her lap. “Of courssse, it isss naught but a possssibility. We have no evidencsse. There were no tracssesss of a Beassst essscaping from the ssship, and there have been no damagesss, either. And ssso that iss why we have called all the faerie sssoldiersss here in thisss manner.” “We have information that many soldiers from Elpis have infiltrated Island No. 11. There is no question that they’ll be trying to pull something here in the near future.” The two soldiers consecutively provided more depressing information. “…But— That can’t be. Why…? Why would they do that?” “No matter how abnormal these behaviors might seem, it is still true that there are people who are acting this way, so we must react appropriately. Please. Please allow us to keep the faerie soldiers here in the meanwhile and prepare them for the most unlikely emergency.” Mayor Dorio bowed his head. She cast a glance at the soldiers, and they nodded silently at her. The Winged Guard as they were now couldn’t legally demand the faeries to act for an incident such as this. And so they made it look as though Nygglatho brought the faeries here at her own discretion. Was that it? “…Very well.” Nygglatho nodded, a bitter lump deep in her throat. She couldn’t shake her head in refusal after hearing all that. “Though, right, since we’re here already, I have just one condition to add.” “But of course. We’ll do anything within our power.” The answer came straightaway. It wasn’t her intention to negotiate in a way that took advantage of their weaknesses, but she had the perfect opportunity before her and wasn’t about to let it go. She would be an absolute demon if it meant doing something for the girls—disregarding the fact that she was already a demon, of course. This confusing resolve solidifying in her heart, Nygglatho asked— “Would you please allow the girls some free time?” 5. The Young Man Named Willem The scarlet of the setting sun faintly lit the room through the lace curtains. The only forms in the small room were that of a young man and woman. “Hah…hah…” The young tourterelle woman’s breath came out ragged atop the rumpled sheets. “That felt…incredible…” She suddenly sat up as though recalling something. Then she lightly brushed her reddened cheeks and smoothed out her mussed clothing. “I got so warm when you touched me, like a fire started burning in me. It almost felt like I’d left my own body.” “Glad to hear it.” Willem sat at the edge of the bed, staring off into space. Although he could barely remember anything about himself, he was still very much a healthy young man. And the tourterelle—the strong, light-gray wings on her back aside—looked remarkably similar to a featureless. Her skin was soft and warm when the tips of his fingers made contact, velvety as he ran them across it; he couldn’t help his mind going into the gutter when she let out odd noises. “Your muscles were weirdly stiff in a few spots, so I just eased them up, more or less.” He took deep breaths to desperately soothe his excited heartbeat so that she wouldn’t find out. “The inflammation shouldn’t get any worse, so long’s you don’t try and carry too much right away. Take a hot bath or something and go to bed early today.” “What’s wrong? You stepped away the second it was over.” “Nothing.” “No way. Your ears are bright red!” “Okay, but you don’t have to point it out!” he argued, still looking away from her. At that moment, the eye patch covering his right eye slipped out of place. He hurriedly readjusted it. He still wasn’t used to wearing it, so he just couldn’t find it comfortable. “Ohhh, I’m sorry. I feel like I was making a ton of weird noises while you were doing all that stuff to me. You didn’t get too excited, did you?” “Not really. I’m not a kid; it’s not like I react to every little thing or whatever.” “You know it’s something for adults to react to, right?” “You don’t need to bring logic into this!” he snapped again, still averting his gaze. “Ah-ha! Awww, you’re so cute.” The woman giggled like a child. “Willem, was it? You kind of act like you’re all grown-up, but you’re still young, right? How old are you?” “Don’t remember.” That was the truth. “It’s only recently that you started working at Mr. Astartos’s inn, right? I guess you were probably studying medicine in Collina di Luce?” “I’m telling you, I don’t remember.” That was also the truth. Collina di Luce was a huge city not too far from where they were. It had one of the richest histories in all of Regule Aire and a large population. Of course, there were several renowned schools of medicine in the city. And naturally, there were plenty of people who were studying to become medical professionals there. But when she brought up the possibility that he might be one of them, he got the feeling that wasn’t quite it. What he learned probably wasn’t medicine or any sort of science like that. What his fingers remembered wasn’t the knowledge for giving a nice massage but something else—something bloodier, muddier. He had a hard time explaining it, but that’s what it was. “Oooh, I feel so light! Now I’ll definitely be able to fly around again tomorrow!” She stood up and stretched. “You were pretty stiff. Does your job tire you out that much?” “I’m a delivery person for the post office. I have to carry really heavy stuff some days, y’know.” She rolled her shoulders and added, “I’d hate to get too muscly, though.” “Don’t push yourself. What I did now wasn’t much more than some emergency measures. Don’t take proper care of yourself, and you’ll end up falling outta the sky again tomorrow.” “Ugh, that’d be awful… Wait, you’re going already?” “Yeah.” “You’re so busy. Why don’t you have some tea before you go?” “Nah. I’ve got company waiting for me.” “Company…? Oh, that little girl.” The tourterelle gave an odd-sounding chuckle. “Too bad I couldn’t tempt you, but I suppose I can’t just tell you to forget about her. Oh well.” “I’m glad you understand. See ya.” “Byeee! Say hello to Mr. Astartos and the little one for me, okay?” Who am I? the young man thought. His name was apparently Willem. Apparently—in other words, that was just hearsay. He couldn’t remember his name—or anything about himself, for that matter. Every time he tried to recall something from the past, his head erupted with a splitting pain. Every time he tried to overcome the pain, Elq—another survivor of the same airship accident—for some reason, looked at him with distress. That was why he hesitated to try any more than that. Everything he’d lost was already gone. He decided to value all he had in the present rather than be wed to the past and lose everything he had now. And so he decided to begin a new life. A brilliant sky hanging precariously with stars filled the clear night. The cool, crisp air felt good on his flushed skin after finishing up another job. “Haaah… Man, I’m real tired all of a sudden.” He was currently an employee at an inn. So of course, making house calls as a masseur wasn’t in his original list of duties at work. His mind still wouldn’t reveal who he was in the past, but his fingers seemed to still remember plenty. At first, his chiropractic services were just for the inn’s regulars, but word got out in the neighborhood, and lately, he was being requested by name to personally make house visits here and there, like with this most recent client. Most of his clients were middle-aged semifer men. They found his service convenient because they were a race of people born with lots of muscle that greatly weakened from being out of shape or from old age. Oftentimes, older semifers pushed their muscles overboard thinking they were still young, injuring themselves and causing inflammation and such—those kinds of people were his regulars. But sometimes, young women would call him over, like what had happened just now. And— “You’re sloppy, Willie.” On the way home, Elq sounded cranky as she walked beside him. “You always get so shy when it turns out to be a pretty grown-up lady.” “No I don’t,” he groaned in response. “Cheater.” “I told you, I don’t. And it’s not like I have a girlfriend anyway so I can’t be cheating… I think.” Now that he thought about it, he wasn’t sure what his relationships with women had been like in the past, since he was now without his memory. It wasn’t entirely impossible that there was someone out there he’d dedicated his heart to and ended up marrying. …No, there couldn’t be. He thought it over again. Willem couldn’t really imagine himself whispering sweet nothings into some girl’s ear. Not only that, but he had a hard time thinking about himself entering a special relationship with a woman. So he was sure he was single. And he shouldn’t be criticized for getting shy around some people. Then— “Ah!” Elq tripped on a rock, likely because the road was dark and she was looking up at the stars as she walked. She fell forward, and just as she was about to lose her balance completely, he grabbed her by the scruff of her neck. “Hey, be careful. The road’s uneven around here.” “O-okay…” “Wanna hold my hand?” “Huh? Um…but…” She seemed somewhat hesitant. Regardless, he reached out and forcefully grabbed the girl’s little hand. It was cold. And then he realized that there was too much of a height difference between them, and they wouldn’t be able to keep walking like this. “L-let go. I’m embarrassed.” “What? And you were just saying all sorts of naughty things like a grown-up!” “That’s because I’m not a chil— Wah!” They couldn’t walk holding hands. The road was too uneven to let her go. It was an irksome problem, but it wasn’t like it was unsolvable. He lifted the girl’s tiny body all at once and placed her behind his neck. Basically, he had her ride on his shoulders. “Woooow…” “Be careful—you’ll get more than a scratch if you fall down.” “I’m so high up! I can see everything!” She wasn’t listening. “I can almost reach the stars!” She raised her hand up to the sky as far as she could manage. There was no way she could ever reach them. But it almost seemed like she could. And so she stretched as far as she could. Willem understood how she felt. He couldn’t pinpoint a reason why, but he knew it well. “Get a good grip on me. Doesn’t matter if it’s my hair or whatever, okay?” “O-okay!” He couldn’t treat her any more like a child even if he tried. But she didn’t complain about it. “Hey, Elq,” he called out toward his head. “You knew me before I lost my memory, right?” He could feel her waver. “…I didn’t.” “Really? But…” She seemed to know a lot about Willem for someone who didn’t know him. Hang on—this girl was even the first person to tell him that his own name was Willem. And… “Well, you act awfully natural around me for someone who was supposedly a stranger. Although, that’s actually been super helpful for me emotionally.” “It just…ended up this way, yeah.” Her response was obviously faltering. She was clearly trying to hide something. But, well, he probably didn’t need to press her any more. “Carmy went off somewhere. I’m grown-up, but this is the first time my life’s been my own, so I don’t want to be alone.” “Carmy?” “She’s been taking care of me ever since I was born. There’s Carmy and Ebo and Jay.” “Huh.” She brought up a lot of names; maybe they were some kind of servants who had served her family for generations. Which would make this girl the esteemed young lady of a rather good home. Should she really be casually hanging out in a place like this? Wouldn’t her family be running around in a frenzy right about now? “Don’t you need to go home?” “No. I don’t have one anymore.” The outrageous claim seemed to come so easily to her. “I’m sure if I keep waiting, Carmy will find me. Then together, we’re gonna look for Ebo.” “Huh.” Maybe they were going around visiting her old servants who were all scattered now. He wasn’t really sure, but he hoped it went well. “That’s why it’s only chance that I’m here with you now, Willie. I’m sure things will come to an end soon, so for now, this is just a dis…dissolute…relationship…?” She was using a word she didn’t know well in the wrong way. “That sure sounds grown-up of you.” “Right?” He could feel her chuckling proudly to herself above him. “—And there’s one little thing to add to what we just talked about.” “Hmm?” “Chtholly is me. But I’m not Chtholly.” —What? “Ch…tholly?” That was a name he didn’t know. One he didn’t remember. One that stirred his heart. “That’s why I’m not gonna fall in love with you, Willie. I think it’s not fair at all— Willie?” Elq realized something was off and tightly gripped his hair. “What’s wrong? Do you feel sick?” “…Nah.” He forced the enormous feeling of nausea back down into his chest. “It’s nothing. Just got a little dizzy. I’m outta shape.” “Really?” “Yeah, really.” It looked like his body was used to putting on a brave face when kids were around. And it seemed it was trained to spout lies if it meant he could maintain the facade. Despite his headache and nausea, Willem smiled naturally. “All right, I’m gonna run home from here. Running’s your first and best bet to get back into shape.” “What? Wait, wait a second, I’ll get down, then.” “Not lettin’ you! You’ve gotta keep a real good grip on me so you don’t end up falling off!” “What? Wh-wh-what?” He disregarded her baffled noises of alarm. And just as he said he would, Willem dashed off along the nighttime road. “Ah, ahhh, ahhhhhh!” Of course, Elq ended up bouncing violently atop his shoulders. Her little hands had a tight grip on Willem’s black hair. It did hurt a little. Of course, that kind of pain was actually very welcome to him. It warmed his heart much more than unreasonable headaches. “You better stay quiet, or you’ll bite your tongue!” “O-okay, but then, you sh-should let me d— Ahhhhhowww!” Told you so. “…Hey, Elq.” “Wh-wha…?” “You know I do love you, right?” “……” For some reason, there was a long silence. And then— “You’re treating me like a kid again,” she said, her tone reproachful. “Ha-ha, guess you found me out.” “Of course I would.” She wrapped her arms tightly around the back of his head. “You’d never say something like that and mean it, Willie. Chtholly, and I guess even Lillia, worked so hard for it.” Zing. His head hurt again. And for some reason, even his chest hurt this time. Elq Hrqstn was—apparently—dead. She was originally an immortal being, but something had been plastered over that, labeling her as a “dead” thing instead. Both this world and the Visitors’ physical bodies were convinced by the label. The world treated her as a corpse, and her body itself acted like a corpse. If everyone thought it was a corpse, then it was a corpse… At least, that was the sort of logic with which the label overwrote reality. Not too long ago, Nils’s own hands put a tiny scratch onto that label. The label lost a bit of its persuasive power from the scratch. And for the miniscule amount of persuasiveness that had been lost, her body took a tiny step away from being a corpse. She changed into a strange being that was infinitely close to a real corpse yet with a body that was just ever so slightly immortal. Apparently. Willem didn’t really understand the logic, but he probably didn’t need to anyway. What was important now was that the girl’s body was certainly almost identical to that of a dead person. And on top of that, she was just ever so slightly alive. She was childishly acting like an adult, living her day-to-day life in joy. And maybe, somehow— Unlike he, who’d lost his past, this girl had a place to go. People to meet. Things to do. And yet, she hid all of that and was staying here. He knew why. She was worried about this “Willem” and couldn’t leave him alone. Boar meat simmered gently in the pot. Tempted by the delicious smell, he almost wanted to reach out and take some for himself. But Astartos’s gaze was keeping him in check. If he wanted to have meat at its most delicious, then he couldn’t disobey a troll’s instructions. Willem knew that. But of course, as always, he had no idea why he knew that so well. He thought of his own past as full of mysteries, like it belonged to someone else. Astartos the innkeeper was a troll. Trolls were an ogre race and had a frightening racial custom of treating others very well then eating them. But now, in the present, since killing intelligent life was restricted by law, they could no longer carry out their customs as they once had. Now, with no other choice, they just fulfilled their instinctual urge to treat others well, and that was why he was running an inn…or so he said. “Many trolls choose to live this sort of lifestyle. There are some communities here and there, but only about half the race live in them; the other half lead similar lives all over the place,” Astartos explained, gazing rather softly down at the meat in the pot. “I have a grown daughter who took a job taking care of small children on a different island. I know I’m her father, but I really do think she’s a kind girl, so it must be a dream job for her.” “Huh,” Willem responded noncommittally, but then a thought suddenly came to him. “If you have an adult daughter, then how old are you?” “I just reached fifty not too long ago.” “…You don’t look it,” he murmured and looked back up at Astartos’s face. His face looked like one with an indiscernible age to him. He had plenty of gray hairs, and there were wrinkles carved throughout his cheeks, but Willem didn’t get the impression that he was old. But then, he didn’t exactly look young, either. The shape of his face was hard to pinpoint—one where he could be told the man was any age, and it still wouldn’t sound right. “That’s how trolls are as a people. It’s not like we don’t age, but it doesn’t stand out too much. Oh, the meat should be good to go now.” “You have no idea how jealous I am,” he responded half-heartedly as he took a piece of meat from the pot and tossed it in his mouth. “…This is delicious.” “Heh-heh, isn’t it?” Astartos beamed. “Ah, hah, ih hah…” Elq’s eyes went wide in surprise, so Willem got the water pitcher for her. “Don’t force yourself if you’ve got a sensitive tongue,” he said. “I thought it’d be okay…” She puffed her cheeks, eyes watering. She was at the age where she wanted to act older, and she was not straightforward at all. “Oh right, so have you gotten used to life here now?” Astartos suddenly changed the subject. “We’re close to Collina di Luce, and we’re along a major highway. People of all sorts come and go. I don’t think it’s putting featureless like you out, is it?” “Not at all.” He gave a soft, bitter smile. “I have to thank you. I might be too comfortable here—I almost want to stay forever.” “I wouldn’t mind one bit. I know at first we talked about you staying here until Mr. Nils came back, but you’re welcome to stay for longer after, too.” “…Y’know.” “Yes?” “If this was a classic amnesia story, then that’d be something a nice girl my age who’s been living alone would say to me.” “Ha-ha, I could say the exact same to you. You’ve wandered your way here into the home of a man who lives alone, but why aren’t you a nice young woman?” Indeed. Now that he mentioned it, he was right. Their ideas were totally at odds. “I feel like I’m being ignored.” The girl much younger than either of them was getting into a little huff. “Well, fiction aside, we’ll take you up on your kindness for now. Yeah?” he responded as he placed some carrots on Elq’s plate. She made a little pouty frown. It seemed she didn’t like them. “Don’t be picky. Otherwise, you’ll never grow up,” he said and realized something. Now that he thought about it, he’d been told this girl was (somehow) practically immortal. So no matter what or how much she ate, she might not have a future where she grew physically bigger. And why was she eating stuff anyway? “Ooooh…” Tears pooling at the edges of her eyes, Elq took a whole bunch of carrots and threw them into her mouth. She chewed them into pieces then swallowed. They must’ve caught in her throat, since she took the pitcher of water and gulped it down. Her eyes were in a haze as she pounded on her chest. After a brief moment, she grinned. Neither of them responded, so she looked into Willem’s eyes and grinned again. “Good, attagirl.” He tossed her the first compliment that came to mind. “Yeah!” She beamed. And who was it insisting all the time that she didn’t want to be treated like a child? He closed his eyes and made a little wish. He hoped that these peaceful days, calm days—though it was uncomfortable how much they felt somehow like a sham—would continue, even for just a little while longer.