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JILL was in cuffs. She’d been shoved into a carriage covered in a magic seal. She remained obedient, noticing that the seal wasn’t anything serious, but as time passed, she realized that she’d horribly misunderstood its purpose. She didn’t feel her magical energy regenerating at all. Her magical energy was depleted; the magic seal was weak, but it came with an effect to greatly delay her regeneration speed. She didn’t know such an effect existed until now. Jill had tried several times to use brute force and tear the handcuffs apart, but to no avail.
“It’s most unwise to use your stamina without a proper plan in mind,” the girl across from Jill warned.
The carriage clattered and shook something fierce as it carried them to its intended destination.
“They’re experts when it comes to dragons and magic seals,” Faris said. “They haven’t gone up against the Dragon God and Goddess for a millennium for nothing.”
“You seem rather laid back, Queen Faris,” Jill observed.
“Do I seem that way?”
The queen tilted her head to one side, her frighteningly pale skin filthy with dirt. Every limb she had was locked in heavy chains. She was even more tightly secured than Jill. The Dragon Consort recalled a memory of the young queen always in bed as she forlornly awaited her older brother’s return.
“What happened?” Jill asked.
“We were attacked by the border,” Faris replied. “Judging by the attire, they must be the Order of the Ark.”
Jill was surprised Faris had divulged information so easily.
“That’s basically what happened to me, too,” Jill told her. “But wasn’t House Cervel assigned as your guard detail? And you were still abducted?”
“Oh, Lady Jill, how ironic to hear you say that when you’ve been abducted as well,” Faris replied.
Jill couldn’t refute. Faris smiled faintly.
“If House Cervel was abruptly teleported away, even they have no means to fight against that,” the queen said. “Perhaps they were teleported by utilizing the magnetic field of magic near the border. But teleportation is seen as the work of the gods, so they couldn’t have gone far. I’m sure that your family is safe.”
“Talking about my family won’t fool me anymore,” Jill replied, one of her fears abating. “But Prince Gerald isn’t here. You’d never be put in such danger if he was around.”
Faris widened her eyes with surprise before she smiled. “Do you think so? Personally, I haven’t discounted the probability that my brother is cooperating with the Arks.”
“…Are you sure you should divulge that to me?” Jill asked.
“I was hoping to hear your thoughts, for you have memories of the past and present.” As Faris smiled, she seemed awfully willowy. “What do you think? Do you believe my brother will aim for the throne? Will he be willing to form ties with even the Arks? Will he desert me as he’d once done to you?”
Jill frowned and raised her voice. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he does form ties! He once meticulously planned to corner his own father and started a war!”
“You’re right.”
“But he did so to save his kingdom and you.” Jill faced the ground, the words falling out of her mouth. “He isn’t one to mistake his methods and goals. He was like that in the past, and he hasn’t changed even now. So, I’m positive that Prince Gerald isn’t here. Please don’t make me say these things.”
“Lady Jill, you’re very kind, as you always have been.”
The Dragon Consort wasn’t happy to hear those words, and her expression made that clear, causing Faris to giggle.
“As a way of thanks, why don’t I tell you something?” the queen offered.
“No need after all this time,” Jill replied. “You’re sending chills down my spine.”
“My brother didn’t want you, and only you, to find out his truth. Back then, I was a child and failed to understand the meaning of those words, but when I finally did, it was all too late.”
“I told you that you don’t have to speak of such things. It’s not enjoyable for either of us.” Jill turned away.
Faris finally looked up. “Hee hee, you’re right. But I’d like to speak with you precisely because all this time has passed. I want to believe that turning back time and becoming queen was the correct path, but that’s my weakness. I feel like a fool who’s been using the Dragon God as a shield. And just because this is the correct path doesn’t justify doing whatever I’d like.”
“Let’s just think about escaping for now.”
This sort of talk should be saved for their meeting.
“The seal is suppressing your magic and mine,” Jill said. “It shouldn’t last long. There will definitely be a moment when they must create another seal, and we should aim for that opening.”
“The magic seal on these cuffs was made using the Sacred Spear,” Faris replied. “I’d imagine that it’s quite strong.”
“What?” Jill half-closed her eyes.
Faris tilted her head to one side. “She may not be much, but she is still a Goddess. It’s dangerous to underestimate her.”
“Say stuff like that sooner! Wait, why was the Sacred Spear used? Did… Did you stage this entire thing and kidnap yourself?!”
“I’ll have you know that I don’t have such a fetish, and don’t wish to put myself through this hardship.”
“Then how in the world was the Sacred Spear used to seal your magic?! I can hardly believe it!” Jill cried in disbelief.
Faris’s composed face turned dark. “I agree. It’s hardly believable, that useless Goddess…”
“Useless Goddess?” Jill parroted.
Faris flashed an adorable smile. “The Sacred Spear—the Goddess—has been taken by the Order of the Ark.”
“And I’m saying that a Goddess can’t be taken so easily! She’s a Goddess, for crying out loud!”
“But she’s a useless Goddess.” Faris’s tone was firm. “And I cannot return home until I take that spear back.”
“How can I believe you?! Even if there was a chance that Goddess Kratos was taken, why can’t she escape? She might have an excuse if she’s up against the Dragon God or the Dragon Emperor, but this is absurd!”
“Please calm down, Lady Jill. Have the Dragon God and Dragon Emperor shown themselves to be dignified deities? Do they act noble and omnipotent? Can you truly, from the bottom of your heart, believe that these deities cannot be abducted due to pathetic reasons and be confined, unable to move?”
Jill, who rose slightly, flopped back down as various memories flashed across her mind. “Right, you do have a point. Of course it’s possible…” the Dragon Consort mumbled.
“I’m happy to hear you understand,” Faris replied with a smile.
Is she not setting me up for a trap somehow? Jill wondered. She couldn’t help but intently observe the young queen from the corner of her eye, when the girl suddenly had a coughing fit. Jill rushed to her side and rubbed the little girl’s back. Faris had a frail constitution, and she was now trapped in a cold, iron box filled with filthy air and no access to sunlight. Faris’s body could hold on for only so long.
“Hey, at least let the queen rest a little!” Jill barked. “She’s your precious hostage, isn’t she?”
No answer came. Jill clicked her tongue with annoyance as she tried to undo the mantle around her. Her wrists were restrained with chains, making this a clumsy and difficult ordeal, and as she struggled, Faris burst out giggling.
“Were you faking it?!” Jill asked.
“Lady Jill, why don’t we work together until we get the spear back?” Faris offered. “I haven’t the faintest clue what the motives of the Arks are, but at this rate, we certainly can’t hold a meeting. My power and dignity as queen shall be suspected, and the same should go for you as Dragon Consort. We don’t want to create more unnecessary work for ourselves, do we?”
“Well, we do have the same goal…for now,” Jill conceded, growing contemplative.
Faris accepted the mantle from her. The queen wrapped it around her small body. “As you can see, I’m not suited for fighting and shall only be a nuisance,” she said. “I ask that you find any opening you can and make your escape. Since I can trace the presence of the Sacred Spear, they won’t let me go so easily, but you seem to be an unexpected hostage. I doubt they’d pursue you very far.”
“Are you telling me to leave you behind?” Jill asked. “That’s far too dangerous.”
“I’m very much aware of that. It’s the Calvariae faction that’s transporting us right now. They must know my value as the vessel of the Goddess, and they likely won’t kill me.” As Jill cocked her head quizzically, Faris sat up straight. “The Order of the Ark is a group comprised of two factions. One has a base in Rave, as they deny the existence of the Dragon God, and the other is based in Kratos, as they deny the existence of the Goddess. Each faction, cornered by the respective deity, had no choice but to merge and form one group. But these factions still remain—the Moechia faction of Kratos, and the Calvariae faction of Rave.”
“By Moechia, do you mean the Moechia Prison on the Aegle Peninsula?” Jill asked.
That was a prison where noble criminals were kept within the Kratos Kingdom. Faris smiled faintly.
“Any abhorrent place of tragedy for the Goddess and the Dragon God is sacred land to the Arks. Speaking of which, the Calvariae Valley of the Rave Empire is where the Dragon God was killed in the First Holy Battle of Rakia. Now you see where they took their namesakes from?”