Her magic flowed from the severed ends of her hair, the mana dwelling inside sparking free. Lille could feel her power intensifying, raw energy running through her all the way to the tips of her fingers.
“Wh-What’s she doing?”
“Beats me… I can’t really see properly.”
When Lille turned her attention to the townspeople, she heard their thoughts just as easily as she’d heard their voices. She could even look into the hearts of the king and his officials. She consumed the emotions of every single person standing in that plaza.
Her chest constricted. Some people were hiding their pain under the guise of unfaltering smiles, and others were dealing with anger beneath their serene façades. The visceral loneliness of those who thought nobody needed them was so harrowingly cold, it felt as though her heart had turned to ice.
Hearts really are a heavy burden.
Even the most complex emotions came filtering through to her as if she were the one experiencing them herself.
“Lille. Are you okay?” Ark called out in concern after noticing she was clutching at her chest and beginning to hyperventilate.
“Yes, I’m all right. Thank you, Ark,” she replied, calming herself down. At that moment, her heart was like a melting pot of every person surrounding her. When she found what she was looking for within them, however, she also found the courage to stay strong.
The support of those precious to her gave her the strength. She was doing this to see her loved ones smile. To protect her family’s happiness.
She had listened to the townspeople for so many years. Even after being imprisoned and seeing herself die, she couldn’t bring herself to hate the citizens of her home country. How could she, when they had provided her comfort every day for nearly a decade? They really were no different from people from any other nation. They were just like Lille, and everyone Lille knew. She was sure of it, since she’d finally found the proof she’d been looking for in their hearts.
At last, she held her head high, and peered down at the people beneath her. It was time for the final touches.
“I have just seen what’s inside every single one of your hearts,” she called out at the top of her voice. Everyone stared up at her with a perplexed look on their face. Some began to panic, fearful that their secrets would be exposed to the public the same way as before.
“I saw that every soul here fears war. Even if some of you won’t say it aloud, you’re all thinking you don’t want to be involved. Therefore, I shall reiterate my previous point: you do not have to do this. If none of you wants to go to war, there is no reason to do so. Simply erase any such plans,” she said ringingly, with a forceful gaze.
The people hesitantly looked around, sharing nervous glances with one another. They still seemed to have some doubts, but were clearly relieved to know that everyone was feeling the same way. They weren’t alone.
“While many of you say sorcerers are criminals, not one of you has ever been hurt by one. You’re only afraid of them because no one has ever told you the truth: they are purely human—just as you all are.”
The prejudice began as an old superstition from an unknown source. Nobody knew who first spread the belief, or when. However, clearing up misinformation was far more difficult than spreading it. No one denied Lille’s wisdom that time, but no one called out to agree, either.
“Your Majesty. I have seen your thoughts, also,” she said sagely. The king froze on the spot, his body going rigid and trembling. His skin was almost blue at that point.
“Your gifted older brother died after falling ill with a plague, and you always resented the fact that you succeeded to the throne in his place. You hated how spineless you were, and how subserviently you listened to whatever the senate said. You only decided to start a war in order to prove yourself, did you not? It’s nothing more than a rebellious phase. You’re like a child throwing a tantrum, trying to make others accept you despite your own lack of confidence,” she articulated.
Though the current portion of the plan wasn’t scripted, Lille was finding it easier to speak smoothly. Really, all she had to do was recite the exact feelings she found in the king’s heart.
“Neither magic nor sorcerers are to be feared. Magic has existed in this world since the beginning of time, just as water and air have. Sorcerers are not criminals; they are merely people who can control that force of nature. What reason is there to fear something that has always been with you?”
All of a sudden, a child began to cry, their wails echoing through the tense silence. Everyone looked to the source of the sound. Presumably, the child had fallen over after being pushed by the flow of the crowd.
Leo, I’m counting on you.
Lille exchanged a glance with Leo, who was standing in wait in the shadow of a building. When he figured out her intent, he maneuvered his way over to the child, avoiding bumping into anyone. Then, Leo surreptitiously cast a healing spell on him. The little boy suddenly stopped crying and blinked with wide eyes, shocked by how quickly the pain had disappeared.
“This is the true nature of magic. It protects the ones you love. It makes life just that little bit easier. It’s something for people to enjoy. It’s not intended to hurt people or make them suffer in the slightest,” Lille said, gesturing for the crowd. The little boy that had been bawling only moments before swiftly jumped to his feet, and started to shout eagerly to the adults around him.
“I get it now! Magic’s really gentle and kind!” he exclaimed, his eyes sparkling after experiencing magic for the first time in his life. The innocent sincerity of his words and excitement touched the hearts of the people around him.
“Wow, was it really that nice, honey?”
“If that’s what he thinks, it might actually be true.”
As his parents picked him up and murmured to him, the aftereffects of what just happened gradually began to spread through the crowd. Charles, Leo, and August were all smiling slightly as they watched the scene unfold from their respective positions.
“Your Majesty. If you vow to do what I asked you, I shall impart magical protection unto this land. Surely, with that outcome, your people will come to love you as a ruler who makes wise decisions. Alternatively, if you refuse, they will forevermore pass down the tale of a foolish king who destroyed his kingdom for his own gain. The choice is yours.”
The king fell to his knees in defeat. The imperial commander moved to help him up, but he batted the soldier’s hands away and got to his feet again of his own accord.
“Very well—you have my word. I’ll do as you wish, o god,” he said with a hint of finality. When he stood up tall to look her in the eye, Lille finally saw a glimpse of a true king in him—one that endeavored to protect his nation.
…It’s finally over!
A round of applause thundered up from the masses. The townspeople shouted enthusiastic cries of celebration, the imperial commander was moved to tears, and the officials rushed to praise the king one by one as he stood there with a begrudging look on his face. It was all over. As for the magical protection she’d promised them, August would take care of all the proceedings to arrange an alliance between the two countries.
“With the matter sorted, I will now be on my way home,” Lille announced, satisfied. With a powerful flap of his vast wings, Ark soared up into the sky. She needed the people to believe she’d gone back to wherever gods lived, so the plan was for Ark to fly until no one could see them anymore.
With each beat of his wings, the hustle and bustle of the city center grew quieter. Just as they reached the deserted outskirts of the city, a woman yelled out to stop them.
“Wait!” she screamed. “A-Are you…?”
Lille looked down to see a small group of people sprinting to try catch up with them, wheezing harshly. Something within her stirred as she realized how familiar they were; they were the family from her dreams.
“Mother… Father…”
They were ten years older than she remembered them, but there was no doubt that they were Lille’s family. Her little brother had grown as tall as Leo, and her grandfather was staggering after them with a cane in his hand.
“Are you our…our…”
“Our daughter?” were the words that Lille’s mother’s eyes screamed, although her voice couldn’t quite manage. It was remarkable that she could tell it was Lille despite how much time had passed and with Charles’s magic still at work. How?
“…Lille, what’s up? Don’t you want to go back home to your family?” Ark asked, slowing down.
“Mm… No, I don’t think so,” she said, shaking her head.
She had a new family now, and she had no intention of ever returning to her home country. Though, she still hoped to introduce her new family to them one day.
An image of her parents, brother, and grandfather standing in the magic item shop flashed through her mind. She even imagined Charles and her father bashfully exchanging pleasantries. It was a glimpse of a very happy future. If that future ever actually came to pass…
“Ark, could you fly a little lower?” she asked.
“Got it.”
When she was close enough to see their faces clearly, Lille unclasped the pendant from her neck. She threw it in her mother’s direction, who caught it by reflex, and both her parents looked down at it with bemused expressions on their faces.
“Take good care of it for me! I’ll come back when we can meet properly!”
As she called out to them, tears were rolling down her cheeks before she knew it. As proof they would meet again, she thought it would be fitting for them to keep a piece of her heart. She couldn’t think of anything better to give them.
“…All right, Ark. You can go now.”
“Are you sure?” he double-checked, surprised.
“Yes.” She nodded. “That’s enough for now.”
As Ark rose into the sky again, voices came chasing after them.
“We’ll always be waiting for you, darling!”
“Promise you’ll come back, Sis!”
“Take care of yourself!”
The wind carried the sobs and tears that Lille couldn’t hold back, droplets flying behind her. When she turned around, she could see the city fading into the distance. At that moment, she realized that from that point forward, whenever she said “hometown”—she would really mean it.