Ludvin nodded. “Floria was an elf and a breathtaking beauty. It seemed dangerous for her to live in the city with so many people about. If she drew the eye of the nobility, there wouldn’t be much I could do to protect her. So before she found any unwanted attention, I arranged for the two of them to live in a pioneer village as an ordinary human couple under my management. I’m afraid I owe you an apology, Aisha. Some of the hardship you have faced has been my doing.”
Aisha shook her head. “Not at all, Mister Ludvin! It sounds like you helped my father a lot. Thank you very much, in fact!”
“Hm...” Ludvin said. “Tell me, Aisha, were you happy, living in that village with your father?”
“It was very hard sometimes,” Aisha admitted, “but I was happy with my father. I can promise you that.”
“I see...” Ludvin sighed. He seemed relieved, perhaps even happy.
“Sorry to not have anything useful after that whole story,” Belinda said. “I’m afraid we don’t know where Floria ended up. I heard that she left the village two years after you were born. If I had to guess, she might have headed for her homeland, the elven village in Gelariau Forest. But that was quite some time ago...”
Belinda seemed apologetic, but Nacht was more than happy with the information they had given her.
“No need to apologize,” she said. “You’ve given us plenty. Now we know where to head next.”
“I realize that the champion of Free Market City can handle herself,” Belinda said, choosing her words carefully. “But what we encountered in the forest back then wasn’t something you see every day either. If you’re heading that way, be on your guard.”
“No need to worry! Nothing will harm Aisha as long as I’m here!” Nacht had a new destination and her spirits were riding high. But Ludvin frowned. It looked like things weren’t going to be as easy as that.
“Now might be a bad time to head for Estoll, I’m afraid...” he said.
Aisha blinked curiously. She seemed to have no idea what this was about. Nacht, however, thought she had the gist of it.
Free Market City was the center of the kingdom’s commerce, and Nacht had a vantage point to observe Elenora herself, the noble who sat at the apex of it all. She had merchants going every which way, working frantically. Clearly, she was in some incredible hurry. Nacht might have written it off as the reconstruction efforts, but there were other signs as well, such as grain shortages and increases in food prices. There was only one thing it could be.
“There is going to be a war with Estoll soon,” Krista said. “If you go there now, you will not be able to avoid battle.”
“Are you gonna fight, Krista?” Nacht asked.
“I am,” she replied, nodding her head just slightly. “The main house has been quite insistent on that matter. I will fulfill my duty as a member of the nobility.” Her face was as unreadable as always, but internally her emotions were unsettled. She wasn’t particularly unhappy with her duty, but she seemed to have a contempt for her family that she struggled to express. “Estoll’s military is much smaller than ours. I can’t imagine that the war will reach very far to the north.”
“I-In that case,” Aisha said, “I suppose we should wait here for the war to—” She cut herself off, noticing Nacht’s gleeful smile. “Um...Mistress?”
“It’ll be fine, Aisha! It’s just some humans having a war. It’ll take a lot more than that to stop me from going where I please.”
“That isn’t what worries me, though...” Aisha was deeply anxious, but Nacht seemed completely unconcerned. If anything, she was even more cheerful than normal.
They spent time listening to stories of Aisha’s father’s exploits and even ended up staying for dinner. After a full night, Nacht, Krista, and Aisha took their leave of the house together. Nacht’s hair fluttered in the cool evening breeze as they walked past the opulent houses of the nobility.
“I suppose you’re heading to Estoll in spite of my warning,” Krista said. She understood Nacht’s personality well and knew better than to think she would back down. “In that case, may I ask a favor?”
“You’ve been a big help to us,” Nacht replied. “I’d be happy to grant your requests, within reason.”
Nacht meant those words. Krista had introduced them to the guild, served as a personal reference, helped them find lodging at the inn, and now, she had tracked down information on Aisha’s mother. Nacht was more than happy to grant her one or two wishes.
“I have just one,” Krista said. “I would like you to refrain from getting involved in the war, if it is at all possible.”
“Hm,” Nacht replied. “And here I thought you were going to ask me to lend you my strength.”
Krista shook her head. “Perhaps that is what I am meant to say as one of the kingdom’s nobles. In fact, I believe Her Highness is going to propose just such a plan when you meet her the day after tomorrow. However...”
Aisha cocked her head curiously at the words “Her Highness.” Nacht suddenly realized she may have neglected to mention the meeting to her. Oh well. It was a minor detail, after all.
“However,” Krista repeated, “I have at least some sense of your true power. Enough to know that if you join the war, it will hardly be a war at all.”
In other words, Nacht’s presence would be overstepping. Nacht understood Krista’s concerns very well. It would be like bringing a nuclear bomb to a sword fight. A complete absurdity.
“I would prefer for you to stay in Free Market City,” Krista said. “If you go to Estoll now, some idiots will think you mean to betray us.”
“Sorry, but I’m not about to let politics or the opinion of the masses stop me from going where I want,” Nacht said.
Krista nodded in understanding. “Yes, and that is why I am asking you not to get involved in this war.”
“I’ll take care not to, as a favor to you,” Nacht said. “But honestly, I don’t think you need to worry. I’m not nearly bored enough to start meddling in mortal affairs. I’m going on a journey with Aisha to find her mother, not to get involved in some nonsensical human war.”
Krista let out a sigh of relief. “I am very pleased to hear that. Miss Nacht, Aisha, I hope you visit us again in Free Market City sometime. I’ll treat you to some fine liquor when the day comes.”
That seemed to be Krista’s way of saying goodbye. Nacht smiled. “Meeting you was a stroke of luck, Krista,” she said. “I’ll look forward to seeing you again.”
“Y-Yes!” Aisha agreed, bowing just a little too quickly. “Thank you so much for your help, Miss Krista. Take care till we meet again!”
Krista’s lips turned up very slightly at Aisha’s antics. It was just a hint of a smile, like a blossom barely peeking out of its bud. It was hard to tell from her face, but to her, this was a full smile. “On the contrary, thank you,” she said. “I wish both of you happiness.”
As they parted ways with Krista, Aisha turned to ask her mistress a question. “By the way, Mistress...who is it you’re going to meet the day after tomorrow?”
Nacht grinned and told her. Upon hearing the answer, Aisha’s shrieks filled the night sky.
~ ‡ ~
The twin moons shone overhead as a girl walked through the forest. As she went, beasts scattered before her, and the leaves and grass lost their color. The trees bent down as if offering her passage.
She had come to the site of the Sealing Lake only to find it dried up without a trace. Her footsteps echoed on the lake bed.
“It’s gone...” she said, seemingly talking to herself. “Butler, are you sure this is the right place?”
Yolno Forest was thick with monsters—hardly the place an ordinary girl would visit. Her voice sounded strange and out of place.
“Perhaps I can’t grant my sister’s wish after all...” she went on. “I should return home. Mother and father are waiting.”
The girl’s lips twisted into a strange smile. Her eyes glimmered in the darkness, filled with the light of the moons.