Several days had passed since our arrival at the development site, during which I was constantly reviewing reports sent my way by Lieutenant Commander Dragus. Amid the sound of pages turning, Priscilla let out a feigned cough. “Isn’t it time you took a break, Your Highness? You’ve been reading those documents nonstop these past few days.” “Yeah. I’ll take a breather when I feel like it. I’ll let you know when I need you.” “…Do you have a fever?” “A fever? I don’t feel sick, no.” “…I see.” Priscilla breathed an unreadable sigh. Her reaction caught me off guard for a moment, but I shifted my attention back to the report in front of me. “…Does the food disagree with you, Commander?” Navre asked. “For someone who always gets upset with me about being disrespectful, you certainly can be rude sometimes,” I shot back. “I understand where Gark and Navre are coming from,” Priscilla continued. “Normally, Your Highness, you would be reluctantly skimming those reports while complaining to no end. But you’ve spent days engrossed in them. Clearly, something is amiss.” “I wouldn’t go that far, but your level of focus…is a little worrisome,” Navre added. …What on earth were they all blabbering about? I only answered them after I finished the report and put it down on the desk. “I’ll be going back to the capital tomorrow for a short while. There’s something I need your help with, though.” “What would that be?” “Once we get back, I want you to go and find Tilty and Tomas. Once they hear I want to discuss something with them, they should hurry over.” “Why them?” “They’re both external advisors with the magicology lab. So I need to talk to them.” I had arranged their registration as official advisors, as their advice was invaluable to the development of new magical tools. “If you’re calling in those two, does that mean you have an idea for a new magical tool?” Navre asked. “Yep. I’ve been reading Lieutenant Commander Dragus’s reports and talking to the people on the ground over the past few days, and it sounds like construction is going smoothly. We might as well take advantage of this lull to make some new magical tools to help the knights.” “What exactly do you have in mind?” “That’s just the question I was waiting for, Navre. It’s definitely something you’d be interested in. We can talk about it properly back in the capital.” I flashed him a cheerful grin. Instead of making the long journey back to the capital by horse-drawn carriage, we traveled by Airbike, which meant that we could cover the distance within a single day. As we arrived at the newly established landing area, the knights of the Royal Guard serving at the palace gathered to greet me with a formal welcome. “Welcome back, Commander Anisphia.” “I’m home. Just so you know, I’m still not used to being addressed that way.” “Ha-ha. It will take time.” “I hope it doesn’t take too long. Can you look after the Airdra and the Airbikes? Navre, you and the others can have the rest of the day off. I’ll see you all again tomorrow.” “As you wish,” Navre answered. “Me and Navre will stay here, then. See you later!” Garkie added as the two strolled away. “Charnée, Priscilla, you can both have the day off, too. I’m going back to the detached palace.” “Understood! See you tomorrow!” Charnée answered in her usual lively manner. “…By your leave,” Priscilla added stoically. After seeing them all off, I made my way home. Today was a day off for everyone, so the mere thought of spending it with Euphie at the detached palace made me want to run full tilt. I had to fight the urge as I entered the grounds. “…Anis.” Just as I reached the entrance, a voice sounded from overhead. As soon as I looked up, a shadow gently fell on me from above; I was embraced in a hug and almost thrown flat on my backside. I knew this voice, this scent, this warmth—I couldn’t possibly forget the person holding me tight. “I’m home, Euphie.” “Welcome back, Anis,” she whispered sweetly in my ear, unwilling to let go. My cheeks loosened in a smile as I stroked her back. It had been only a week, but I had missed her dearly. It had been painful, not having her by my side, reminding me of everything I still wanted, everything I still needed to do. But perhaps that time apart had been even more difficult for her? I never expected her to leap down on me and cling to me like she was now. “Did you miss me?” I asked. Instead of answering, she tightened her embrace and pressed her cheek against mine. That silent appeal almost made my heart skip a beat. How could pure joy be so painful to bear? There was only one thing for it—I would have to play the role of the older one between us and pamper my beloved queen. “Let’s go up to the bedroom, Euphie,” I suggested in an effort to appease her. “I just got back, so I need to get some rest.” “…Yes, let’s,” she answered, loosening her arms. The next moment, however, my body seemed to float up from the floor. My eyes widened in surprise, and her perfectly proportioned face hovered in front of me once more. Only then did I realize she had lifted me into the air. “E-Euphie?!” “I’m taking you to the bedroom, Anis.” “You’re seriously going to carry me up there?!” As if gravity had no sway over her, she took off into the sky with a light step. With her dazzling skill with magic, she leaped all the way up to the window and straight into the room. It took all I had just to remain upright in wide-eyed astonishment. “…You’re wicked. For a queen, you have no patience at all,” I whispered. “Today’s my day off,” she answered. “Ngh! Put me down already! I was trying to pamper you, but I’m not rewarding this!” “Really?” She sat me down, leaning close to peer into my eyes. Hers were full of tenderness, longing, and pain, piercing me through with an intensity of unspoken emotion. It was unfair, but I couldn’t stay angry before something so beautiful. “Ugh…! I know you missed me, but you realize people might be watching…?” “A lecture won’t change how I feel, you know?” “You realize this is why people criticize your personality, don’t you?” “It’s true,” she admitted unapologetically as she buried her face in my shoulder. She rubbed her face against me like a spoiled kitten, wrapping her arms around my waist as if she would never let go. “…You like to dote on others, don’t you?” “I missed you… Until this very moment, I was so terribly lonely…” “If you’re willing to go that far, I suppose I don’t have any choice but to forgive you.” “Anis.” Euphie pushed her weight against me as she called out my name—sending us both crashing down onto the bed. There, she positioned herself on top of me and brought her face close to mine. Our lips brushed as we pressed our foreheads together. Euphie remained in that position for a long moment, then rotated her body to lie down beside me. Staring up at the ceiling, hands clasped together, we both burst into laughter for no reason at all. “Ha! Ha-ha-ha!” “Hee-hee-hee! Ha-ha-ha!” I started chuckling first, letting my true colors show, while Euphie quickly followed suit, acting far more childish than usual. How long did we lie there, staring up at the ceiling? “How is the construction coming along?” Euphie asked after a long pause. “Smoothly,” I answered. “There haven’t been any major problems, and morale is high. I feel great about it!” “That sounds wonderful. Is Baron Cyan well?” “Right as rain. He gave me a letter to pass along to Lainie.” “She’s been very worried, so I’m sure that will come as a relief for her.” “I’ll bet.” “…Do you think it’ll work out?” Euphie asked. “I’m not sure yet,” I muttered, still staring up at the ceiling. “Everything’s fine for the time being, but I can’t be super optimistic. Given the location, there are plenty of monsters, and there’s no telling if stronger ones will appear going forward.” “I see…” “I’ll keep giving it my all while I can. Early tomorrow, I’m going to call Tilty and Tomas to the lab for a meeting!” Everything would be fine—or so I hoped she’d believe. I had no idea why, but Euphie’s expression turned suddenly forlorn. She closed her eyes, lightly puffing out her cheeks in a pout. “…What’s with that reaction?” “I’m sulking because you’re being so typically you right now.” “What’s wrong with being true to myself?” “…It’s been so hard without you, and the moment you return you find things to do without me. It’s so like you to just take flight once you’ve set your mind on something, but it does get on my nerves a little.” “…A little?” “…Just a little.” “Really?” “Are you trying to make me sulk for real now?” “Ha-ha-ha. Sorry.” I couldn’t hold back a light chuckle, but that only prompted Euphie to puff her cheeks out even more. Unable to help myself, I poked one of them. Euphie reached out to take the hand that I had used to poke her and intertwined her fingers with mine. “I can’t live without you. I feel so jealous seeing that you would be fine without me.” “I wouldn’t be able to do this without you, Euphie. It’s because you set me free that all this is possible.” “…Don’t you think it’s unfair that I have to be lonely because I gave you the freedom to pursue your dreams?” she asked, pulling me close and giving me a teasing kiss. Caught off guard, I felt my heart skip a beat at this sudden gesture. I enjoyed seeing her in this weakened state, but she could be equally unfair, flustering me at the drop of a hat. “How can I cheer you up, my adorable little queen?” I teased. “…You could let me have you all to myself from now till tomorrow morning.” “At least give me time to eat and have a bath. And spare a thought for Ilia and the others. You can’t just spirit me away.” “It’s your fault for making me wait so long,” she said, resting her head on my stomach to use it as a pillow. The jolt surprised me, but seeing her lie that way, unmoving, called to mind a large dog seeking its owner’s attention. I wanted nothing more than to smother her in affection. She closed her eyes in contentment as I gently stroked her hair. “…I knew you would say that.” “Don’t worry. I’m honored that you’re happy to show me your selfish side.” “Pat my head more, please.” She buried her face in my stomach, surrendering to that neediness. Maybe the strain of separation really had gotten under her skin. I thought we were both ready for this new chapter, but no doubt the reality had been much tougher than our expectations. Even if it was just for a short time, perhaps Euphie found it difficult to carry the burden of ruling as queen while I wasn’t around—not that she would ever admit that directly. It must have been hard, feeling completely powerless ever since our encounter with Lilana. Not that she truly was powerless, of course. In any case, my job had to be to support her so she could do her absolute best. “You’re doing great, Euphie,” I consoled her, gently stroking her head and running my fingers through her silky hair. Euphie said nothing, and we remained that way until we lost track of time. Euphie finally calmed down enough for me to go eat dinner and take a bath, but she never let me stray far. She hardly ever left my side, and I couldn’t help but notice the maids watching each time we crossed paths. Unable to endure their stares any longer, I returned to my room, with Euphie still in tow. Now she was holding me close from behind, her face buried in the nape of my neck. Her breath was ticklish, but it also awakened my pent-up frustration. “Satisfied yet, Euphie?” “…Not at all,” she answered. “Oh…?” “By the way, you mentioned calling Tilty and Tomas over. What kind of magical tool do you have in mind this time?” “Ah. Well, first, I was thinking of some kind of version of the Celestial we can manufacture in greater numbers.” “You want a mass-produced version?” “We’re going to have to change it around to cut costs, but I’d like to make something modeled on the swords our knights are used to wielding. The Mana Blade makes for an excellent backup weapon, but it’s pretty much useless if the user exhausts their magical energy or if they never had much to begin with. I’ve heard some of the knights are finding them difficult to control.” “And you think a mass-market Celestial will solve that?” “I mean, most of my knights are commoners. I don’t think the Mana Blade is bad, by any means, but if there’s a way to improve on it, I want to.” “Hmm… If that means we need more blacksmiths, we may need to make plans to increase hiring and training. Send me a report after your meeting, okay?” “Yep. On top of that, I also want to work on a new magical sword, one not for mass production.” “A new magical sword?” “Yes. That’s why I need Tilty. I want to hear her thoughts on it.” “…I’d like to take part, too. But I can see that won’t be possible,” Euphie whispered forlornly. I pressed back, leaning into her with my weight. “…On a different note, I’ve been thinking about a few things,” I began. “Like how I should carry myself and what I should do from now on, I guess.” “…Why?” “I realized how heavy a responsibility it is, being a knight commander. Now I can see things only I can do in the role. Even when it feels too hard, when I wish I could hand the reins over to someone else, there are some things only I can achieve. I thought I knew that, but visiting the worksite opened my eyes.” The more conscious I was of my newfound position, the more conscious I was of my responsibilities. It was getting easier to imagine how difficult Euphie’s life must be as queen. No matter how many times I thanked her, it would never be enough. If I needed proof of her love for me, this was it. By comparison, I felt like I wasn’t trying hard enough. “Now that I’ve experienced it for myself, I realize how hard it must be for you as queen. Thank you, Euphie—for everything.” “I did it because I wanted to.” “Yeah… But you know? You can’t have your way with everything.” “…I know.” “Even if you wanted it, I don’t want to see you suffer. Especially if you chose this life because of me.” “But even if I did, it’s the path I decided on. We both know that…” “I know. You can be more selfish, you know?” “…Selfish?” “I’m doing what I love. You gave me the freedom to pursue my dreams, Euphie, and I couldn’t be happier. But I want you to be happy, too. It’s okay to think about yourself. Whatever you do, I’ll forgive you.” Euphie hugged me tighter, enough to make her embrace slightly uncomfortable, and pulled me closer. “…That is me being selfish. What I want is for you to be free.” “Yeah.” “But if you’ll let me be a little more selfish… I want you to be free and to always come back to me. No matter what needs to be done, I’ll endure. I’ll give everything I can for you.” I placed a hand atop hers to quell the slight tremble in her voice. Euphie laced her fingers through mine, as if beseeching me not to go. I felt my hand grow warm with our shared heat. “Please… Let me have you all to myself. Give me a taste of that freedom I’ve given you,” she murmured, her voice so faint that I only barely caught the sound of it. Her lips brushed up against my neck, and I wondered if I would feel teeth if I provoked her. “Don’t you remember?” I said, trying to soothe her anxieties. “I promised to give you everything. I’m glad you gave me this freedom, but I’d rather stay here with you than see you suffer.” “…But you cherish your freedom, Anis.” “Because it’s the freedom you gave me. You wanted me to be free. It’s because of your wish that I can embrace this freedom. If it ever becomes a burden for you, I’ll gladly be your captive until you’re ready to let me go again.” Euphie grabbed my hand, softly kissing my skin. I adjusted my position so I could stare up at her. It wasn’t long before our gazes were as entangled as our fingers, pulling each other in as we pressed our lips together and I sank down into the bed. Euphie was trembling ever so slightly as she pressed her face into my chest. After a moment, I heard a weak sniffle and felt a little dampness against my skin. “Why are you crying?” I asked. “Says the one responsible for it.” “I wanted to comfort you.” “…I’m pathetic.” “I love you all the same.” “…You’re so mean, Anis.” “I’m older than you, that’s all. There, there. You can trust me. Your big sister is here to pamper you… Hold on! Ow!” Just as I closed my eyes and patted her head, Euphie bit into my collarbone. The pain was so intense that I yelped, tears welling up in my eyes. Her bite had been too forceful for mere play. When Euphie looked up, she fixed me with a sharp glare. There were still a few tears in her eyes, so she clearly hadn’t finished pouting… “I had no idea you could be so cruel. Have I given you too much freedom?” “E-Euphie…?” “Well, if you’re the older one, maybe you should show more restraint? Perhaps I should be the one doted on.” “Y-your smile is giving me the creeps…” “I’ll see for myself whether you meant any of what you said,” Euphie deflected, wearing the brightest smile she had shown me all day. I smiled back, but inside, I was shivering at this fierce whirlwind of emotion. My plans tomorrow, I suspected, wouldn’t go entirely smoothly. But there was a part of me that wanted to be fully open with her, to share my thoughts and worries, even to be the butt of her anger if need be. So I took Euphie at her word. “That’s fine. The night is still young, after all.” Smiling, I gently stroked her cheeks, watching as her eyes softened in pleasure. That won’t be enough, her expression was saying. Try as I might, I couldn’t stifle my laughter. “Ah… Mm-hmm… Hey, Charnée, Priscilla… My voice isn’t hoarse, is it?” “…Did you catch a cold?” Charnée asked, tilting her head in concern. There was a vague sense of discomfort in my throat, thanks to that hateful, lovable little queen of mine. “I brought some throat lozenges, Your Highness. Please take one.” “…Thank you, Priscilla.” “Not at all. You must have had a burning fever last night,” she answered. “…? I don’t remember feeling all that hot…” Judging by her tone of voice, Priscilla had perhaps guessed the truth, but she was trying to protect the innocence of the other one with us. I was supposed to have visitors, but I could hardly see them like this. I had to fight to regain my composure as I put the lozenge Priscilla handed me into my mouth. “Are they already here?” I finally asked. “Yes, they’re waiting for you, Your Highness.” “I guess I’d better go, then,” I murmured, leaving with Charnée and Priscilla. Our destination was the room I had been using as a makeshift office. Garkie, Navre, Halphys, Tilty, and Tomas were already waiting inside. “Good morning, Princess Anisphia,” Halphys said in greeting. “Morning,” I answered. “There haven’t been any issues, I hope?” “We’re fine here. Nothing has changed, though we’re as busy as ever…” “I see. Thanks for coming, Tilty, Tomas.” “…Of course,” Tomas responded. He must have felt nervous, as he was even less talkative than usual. That was to be expected. He was the only non-noble among us, so it was natural he would feel uneasy. Then came Tilty. For whatever reason, she fixed me with a mischievous smile. “Well, aren’t you late, Anis. Did our dear queen not want to let you go?” “…It took me a little longer to get ready this morning, that’s all.” “Ohhh…? Well, I suppose that will do. And what brings you back here, summoning me at short notice so soon after setting out on your pioneering mission?” “I know we’re all busy, so let’s get right down to it. The reason I asked Tomas and Tilty to join us is because I’m hoping to design a new magical tool.” “You never change. Once an idea strikes your mind, you don’t let anything else get in your way,” Tomas remarked. “I’ll take that as a compliment. Also, like I’ve said before, it’s okay to speak freely here. That’s the whole point of being an external advisor. No one here is going to stand on ceremony.” Right? I nudged the others, glancing at each of them in turn. No one raised any objections, though Navre pressed a hand to his forehead and breathed a deep sigh. I decided to ignore him. “…All right. You’re saying we’re here to work on a new magical tool?” Tomas asked. “Basically, I want a version of the Celestial that we can produce en masse. I don’t expect them to be as high quality as the Celestial itself, mind you.” “En masse… So you want to equip your knights with them?” “The development work is going well, but we’re facing frequent monster attacks. The knights are happy with the Mana Blades, but a good number of them have suggestions to improve the design. I think a mass-produced version of the Celestial, basically a new and improved Mana Blade, would make everyone happy.” “Hmm… The Mana Blade does have its merits, but it takes a good amount of time to master. And of course, it won’t work if you run out of magical energy to power it. The Celestial can also be used as a physical sword, so I can see the advantages to it being distributed to the knights.” “We’ve already made the Celestial, so it shouldn’t be too difficult, right?” “Now hold on a minute,” Tilty interjected. “…Yes?” I glanced over at her, unsure why she had interrupted. For the longest moment, however, all she did was stare back at me. Her expression was sharper than usual, and my breath hitched. At last, she exhaled quietly before speaking up. “I understand what you’re aiming at. But are you really sure about this?” “What do you mean?” “I thought you were against using magical tools as weapons? Forgetting the Mana Blade, the Arc-en-Ciel, and the Celestial, that is.” “…Well…” “I know why you feel that way. That’s why I’m asking you this now,” she said, narrowing her eyes. I clammed up, and the room slowly descended into an unbearable state of tension. Eventually, Charnée could contain herself no longer. “U-um… What’s wrong with making magical tools to be used for fighting? There must be a reason if you’ve been avoiding it, Lady Anis…” “Because it would be too dangerous,” Navre answered for me. Charnée glanced back at him, no doubt hoping he would elaborate, but it was Halphys who stepped in. “Magical tools are incredibly useful, and even commoners can use them. In fact, many of Princess Anisphia’s magical tools are already improving people’s daily lives. Only a very small number of them are clearly meant to be used as weapons—the Mana Blade, the Celestial, and Queen Euphyllia’s Arc-en-Ciel. Why do you think that is?” “…Is the fact that they’re weapons a problem?” Charnée asked. “Precisely. Most of the magical tools invented thus far were meant to help people, but they can pose considerable danger in the wrong hands.” “Think about it in light of Lady Anis’s past reputation. What would happen if she distributed weapon-type magical tools among the common people?” Tilty asked. “…If they were distributed carelessly, we could end up with a rebellion,” Navre muttered gravely. Charnée’s breath caught. “Oh my! A r-rebellion…?!”
Chapter 115
21 min read