As the legendary dragon soared across the sky of the Garland royal capital, carrying men who looked half dead in his claws, everyone stared with wonder. The elderly folk wiped stray tears and prayed.
“Oh? Things certainly have changed around here,” Mr. Dragon said, circling the city with keen interest.
The dragon displayed the symbol of Renard on his back as he slowly flew closer to the palace. Marcel stood up, held out the document the auditor had given us, and raised his voice.
“I, the former swordmaster Marcel, am here on behalf of House Renard to report about the negotiations with the sea monsters!”
The knights who were observing us through binoculars from one of the guard towers hurried to relay the news.
“The former swordmaster Marcel is riding atop a white dragon!”
“And the dragon bears the Renard crest!”
“He’s here as House Renard’s messenger!”
The knights withdrew their weapons, and the castle gate opened. But the dragon ignored it, flying over the gate and landing in the courtyard with a thud that shook the castle walls.
As we all got off his back, His Highness Hodr raced over with a wide grin. I shuddered at the sight of him, my tail hiding between my legs. Liam hugged me from behind, and feeling his warm body against my back soothed me.
“Lune!!! Did you come to visit me?” Hodr asked as though he’d completely forgotten his pitiful retreat during his last visit to Renard.
Lord Reineke stood so that Liam and I were between his front paws. He opened his jaws wide, scaring the boy stiff.
His Majesty the King appeared, his hair a dull golden color. Next to him stood Her Majesty, with her fiery red hair tied up. Of the two, Hodr much more closely resembled his mother.
The prince in question quickly hid behind his parents.
“So this is the legendary white dragon...and Liam Renard rode it here,” the king said.
Liam knelt, and the rest of our group followed suit behind him. Only Lord Reineke and Mr. Dragon didn’t bow, retaining their dignified postures.
I guess they feel like they have no reason to bow to a human king.
That made me a bit nervous.
“I am the first son of House Renard, Liam. This is my adoptive sister, Lune, who has a contract with a great spirit. The former swordmaster Marcel is now my teacher. The son of House Renard’s relative, who is training together with me, is also here.”
Bal flinched, shrinking in on himself.
Liam had purposely avoided saying the boy’s name—it was too soon to reveal it.
The king paid Bal no mind, his focus entirely on me.
“Ah, the great spirit contractor whom Hodr is infatuated with.” He let out a quiet sigh of admiration.
“That’s right, father! Isn’t she incredible? She’s the only person contracted to a great spirit in the whole country! She’s worthy of being the next queen!” Hodr exclaimed with enthusiasm.
In truth, Liam also had a contract with a great spirit, but that was a secret.
The queen cast Hodr a cold look.
“A girl with fox ears becoming queen? Unbelievable,” she whispered, too quiet for anyone else to hear.
But her words actually relieved me.
That’s right! I have a tail too. There’s no way I can be the crown princess!
“Indeed, such a contract is no small feat. It’s a sign of splendid talent. No wonder Hodr is so enamored with her,” His Majesty murmured.
I felt a stab of pain in my heart. My ears flattened and I began to tremble.
No! Please don’t ask me to stay here!
Liam then held out the document the auditor had written, rather clearly changing the subject.
“Per your orders, Your Majesty, we have mediated with the sea monsters. This is a report pertaining to the maritime disasters.”
The king read through the document and frowned.
“A citizen of mine abducted the merfolk princess? In that case, it’s no surprise we incurred their wrath. And you resolved the matter...”
“We also brought the culprits,” Liam said, casting a look at the dragon.
The men were still hanging limply from his claws.
The queen’s face paled when she spotted them.
“I thought they were dead...”
My sensitive ears picked up her whisper.
She put her hands behind her back, and suddenly the men began writhing in pain.
“It’s a silencing curse! Stop it!” the king ordered.
The knights rushed over. The dragon hurled the culprits in their direction. The knights surrounded the men, who were now beginning to foam at the mouth.
Terrified, I clung to Lord Reineke’s tail, which curled around me in response.
“We also found this magical tool that was used to commit the crime,” Liam went on, presenting the box with the golden net.
The king regarded the object, then turned to his wife who quickly put on a smile.
“My queen, isn’t this the tool that went missing from House Cordier?”
“Oh, so it is! I’m so glad it’s been found! These criminals here must have stolen it. Now the mystery is solved. Incredible as always, Your Majesty.” The queen spoke in a sickly sweet voice. But though she was smiling, her eyes burned with fury.
“We request that the main culprit of the abduction be punished severely. Otherwise, we cannot guarantee safe passage at sea,” Liam said.
Her Majesty laughed. “In that case, execute those men and throw their bodies into the sea, right this moment.”
The captured men shuddered at her nonchalant proposal.
“How cruel! We were only following your—”
Before the man could finish, his body seized with pain as the curse took hold again.
Another man desperately tried to speak up.
“It was...Her Majesty’s order! But now you’ll just...discard us like trash?!”
Faced with possible execution, the culprits mustered the last of their strength to defend themselves.
The queen tilted her head in apparent confusion.
“Has the fear of death made them lose their minds?” she mused.
“That must be it!” Hodr said, pouncing at the opportunity. “My mother would never do something like that. How dare you accuse her just because you’re mad at being caught!”
The queen hugged Hodr and smiled.
“Exactly. How clever you are, Your Highness,” she said, then gave the king a glamorous grin. “Surely you won’t take some lowborns for their word? Especially when they have no proof.”
His Majesty paused.
“Well...light magic tools can only be used by their owner or the royal family,” he said. “Yet here is a tool that has been used.”
“But it is not unsealed, see? Which means it wasn’t used. After all, sealing can also only be done by the same people,” the queen reasoned.
“That is true...barring one exception,” the king groaned.
“Yes—light magic wielders. Who don’t exist anymore.”
The queen was giving no leeway. His Majesty looked away with a grimace.
In recent years, the royal family’s light magic had weakened. They couldn’t even contract light spirits, let alone the Lord of Light. The idea of royals contracting the Lord had become nothing more than legend. This weakening relationship with light, which also symbolized royal authority, was one of the pressing issues within our nation.
But if a nonroyal light magic wielder were to appear, the royal order itself would be shaken to its foundation. The royals had first earned their authority because of their contract with the Lord of Light. If that contract were to be made with someone else, it’d be natural for people to view that person as the new rightful ruler.
And if Her Majesty was revealed as the main culprit, our kingdom’s reputation would be ruined. It might even be covered up...and the mermaid queen would never accept that.
I was starting to panic.
“And what if we do have proof that this tool was unsealed?” Lord Reineke spoke up.
Her Majesty shot him a glare. However, he only scoffed at her.
“I am the Great Fox Spirit Reineke,” he proclaimed solemnly.
The air instantly grew tense.
“The very same great spirit who guided the Garland royal family and House Renard?! To think such a being has materialized before us!” the king exclaimed. He knelt before Lord Reineke, then glared at his wife and son. “Lower your heads!”
At his reprimand, the queen and prince reluctantly knelt as well.
“If you need proof, check the tool’s records. Using light magic, you should be able to trace who unsealed it.”
“But no member of royalty can wield such powerful light magic,” the king replied, his voice full of shame.
“No, but the bearer of the holy sword is with us.”
Lord Reineke pushed Bal forward with his tail. The boy and Marcel flew into a panic.
“Lord Reineke, I can’t—”
“He hasn’t earned the title yet, but he is destined to become a great swordmaster of his generation,” Lord Reineke insisted.
The king gasped when he saw the bangle around Bal’s wrist.
“So the holy sword Joyeuse has chosen this boy,” he whispered.
The bewildered Bal knelt again and glanced at the king. This was his first time meeting his father. The man stared at the boy with narrowed, scrutinizing eyes. His gaze seemed to be searching Bal’s face for something, but he couldn’t say anything in front of the queen.
“Very well. Future swordmaster, will you use your magic to let us see this tool’s records?”
“No way!” Hodr cut in. “He can’t be the one that sword chose! He’s a fake!”
“Hodr’s right. The Renards are just trying to take advantage of the legend,” the queen joined in. “I’m sure they’re the ones who stole this tool. These traitors threatened the merfolk and gained control of them to destroy our kingdom! The Renards should be arrested!”
Marcel glared at her scornfully.
“We’ll know if he’s a fake if we let him try,” the king said, then looked at Bal earnestly. He was silently asking the boy to prove himself.
Bal cast a nervous glance at Lord Reineke.
“But I don’t know any light magic,” he said quietly.
Hodr cackled. “Of course you don’t! So let me do it. If somebody like you can use the holy sword, then so can I!”
The boy darted forward and tried to grab Bal’s bangle. A harsh light flared up, blowing him away with a sharp sound. Hodr fell down to the ground, limbs akimbo.
His Majesty sighed and shook his head. The queen glared at him for leaving his son in that sorry state.
“Marcel, lend Bal your power,” Lord Reineke said.
Marcel grabbed the boy’s shoulder.
“You can do it. I’m with you.”
“Master!”
With that encouragement, Bal raised his head.