Recognizing her, Klaus jumped to his feet without thinking.
“Is that Miyako? I knew you’d come back to me. And getting all dressed up as well! You really did miss me!!”
You’re so optimistic! I don’t know where you get all that confidence from.
Miyako turned to face Klaus and his broad smile—
“Yuck, what? I have no idea what you’re talking about! Maybe cut down on the narcissism, you stupid poser!!”
“Wh-What?!”
—and shot him down, then turned back to Fuuka.
Thanks to the Undine’s protection, the river maintained its calm despite the falling rain. Miyako pinched the hem of her crimson dress and looked Fuuka in the eye.
“Fuuka-chan, just like I promised, I’ve come to sa... No, that’s not it. I’ve come to confess my feelings to you one more time!!”
“But, why? I told you to run. I did take your hand once, but then I cast it away.”
“That’s not it! I want to start things over, and I don’t want to just spring it on you like last time...”
I burst into her mansion, got caught up in the moment and spent thirteen days running away with Fuuka-chan. But this time I won’t try to catch her off guard or force my way in; I’ll do it fair and square in front of everyone.
“Fuuka-chan, you work harder than anyone else. You’re patient and kind. You’re not great at cooking, but you go all out to help other people. You can speak Continental like a native. You’re tough on yourself and just as tough on others, but even then, you think of others before yourself... and I love you!”
Miyako raised her dignified voice so that everyone there could hear. Not worried about muddying the hem of her dress, Miyako knelt before Fuuka and held out her hand.
“I don’t mind if you don’t take my hand. But I decided I had to put my feelings into words.”
“Miyako, I...”
“And because this is such an important conversation, I wanted to look as cool as I could when I met you... so I put on this dress. How do I look?”
“...You idiot.”
“Yep, that’s me.”
“You really are such an idiot; you don’t think things through.”
“Yeah.”
“And you’re doing this right in front of the Reinhardts... If you’d dealt with them properly, you could have lived the rest of your life in peace.”
“Yeah.”
“...And it’s impossible for two women to go through life without relying on their family or men. It’s impossible to find happiness that way,” said Fuuka, forcing the words out. That was the curse that had always limited Fuuka’s actions.
This world, and noble society in particular, belong to men and noble families. Women living without their protection tread a hopeless path. The most they can do is enter a monastery and live out their days as nuns. Women are powerless in this world.
When Fuuka finished, Miyako slowly shook her head.
“You’re wrong.”
“...What?”
“Happiness comes in all sorts of different shapes. We just never noticed.”
The traveling merchant from the Continent, Shan Li, her partner Maria, and their treasured daughter Aisha showed Miyako a different kind of family. I want Fuuka-chan to see them as a family, thought Miyako.
“And maybe there are people who’ve given up on happiness, and they’re still regretting that today.”
Miyako remembered the unmarried head maid Susie. Miyako had peeked inside the pendant she carried around her neck, and found an old portrait of a beautiful young lady. I’m sure that girl still has a home in Susie’s heart. Although Susie had warned Miyako against going after Fuuka, she still gave Miyako this dress in pristine condition. Miyako wanted Fuuka to meet her too.
“So I don’t want to hear that two women can’t be happy together. I mean, it’s us we’re talking about. I know that the two of us can find happiness together, Fuuka-chan!!”
“I...!”
Fuuka’s eyes widened at what Miyako said. She lowered them as they began to well with tears, and took Miyako’s hand.
“Don’t blame me if you come to regret this.”
“That’ll never happen, Fuuka-chan!!!”
Miyako smiled in the pouring rain. Fuuka couldn’t help but smile back at her.
But then.
“Enough of this...!!”
They heard a yell from the riverbank.
“Enough of this, both of you... Stop getting in my... Koff, koff...?!”
“D-Did he just collapse?!”
Halfway through his enraged outburst, Dan fell to the muddy ground, grasping in pain at his neck and the fierce rash there. Then, as though following his lead—
“M-My lord, are yo—koff.”
“Hack, hack, hack.”
“Hrrrgh!”
—the Hamilton family’s servants erupted into coughing, until one by one, they collapsed.
“Wh-What’s going on? This is one of those bad things, right? Somebody fetch my spy!!!”
“Your spy is on vacation, my lord.”
“Oh, that’s right!!”
With that, Klaus visibly began to panic; that was how unusually every member of the Hamilton family’s retinue was acting.
“This is... As I expected, that rash is decapitation fever.”
Fuuka gulped.
“Decapitation fever? What happens now?!”
“Outbreaks of the disease are incredibly rare, but if there’s even a single person who’s caught it, the spread is astronomical... There are reports that it has destroyed entire towns and cities.”
“You’re kidding?!”
“At any rate, we have to do something...” said Fuuka, biting her lip.
After all he’s done to you, you’re better off just leaving your father to his fate, thought Miyako, but she kept that to herself. Fuuka would want to save anyone, whoever they happened to be. That was what made her the woman Miyako loved. Besides, we can give him a piece of our minds just as easily after he shakes off his decapitation fever.
My brother better make it here in time...
Miyako looked off into the distance.
“Umi, I need your help!” said Fuuka.
“Nyaa. So be it, I’ll help you. After all, you are now my master’s other half.”
Umi, the beautiful Undine, placed Miyako and Fuuka on her back and elegantly took flight.