Interlude:
Behind the Scenes 3
(Misha Jur)
OF THE THREE ROYAL CHILDREN, the one furthest removed from the revolution was undoubtedly Yu. With the Harvest Festival incident we helped her pull off, she’d abandoned her right to the throne. Even after the country’s government split into the provisional government and the revolutionary government, both sides kept their distance from her.
“It looks like Claire’s making her move. I’m thinking I’ll help out as well.”
When Claire first told us she was going to begin helping with the rationing efforts—presumably alongside Rae—I didn’t want Yu to get involved. She was finally at peace, after so many years of being forced to go through life in the guise of a gender she didn’t want. I didn’t want that peace to be disturbed.
Yu, of course, saw right through me and laughed. “There’s no need for the frown, Misha. I may have renounced my bid for the throne, but I still care about my people.”
She told me in her own words that this was what she wanted. She could be rather hard to pin down at times, but there was no denying that she was raised with the noble values of royalty.
We started helping with rationing efforts at once. The Church already opened soup kitchens in the winter anyway, so the whole process wasn’t unfamiliar to us. Financing appeared to be a problem at first, but Claire and Rae provided plenty of funds sourced from who-knew-where.
Things eventually got worse than they’d already been, however. About half of the provisional government’s army switched sides and joined up with the revolutionary army, the two sides then beginning to skirmish. Public safety took a turn for the worse, and the rationing provided by both governments was suspended. The needy came to us all at once for food. I suggested we stop rationing until things cooled down, but Yu stubbornly insisted we continue.
“Right now, the ones suffering the most are those fighting for neither government: the powerless common people.”
She insisted we continue rationing for their sake. As a former noble myself, I was familiar with the idea of noblesse oblige. But what Yu had was something far grander. Perhaps that’s just what it meant to be royalty.
If the revolution continued to intensify as it had, there was a chance the royalty would become targets alongside the nobility. Yu didn’t seem to care about that possibility one bit, however. Nor did Thane, for that matter. The revolutionary government supported his ascension to the throne, but he didn’t let that go to his head and still did all he could. Rod’s well-being was unknown, but I was sure he was doing the same somewhere. The three of them all were doing what they could for the people. Perhaps, then, I ought to reconsider what I should be trying to do.
After some time, our financial support from Claire and Rae ceased. I became unable to contact Rae as well. Without money, we could not provide food. I thought we had hit the end of our road when Manaria and Lene suddenly showed up.
“You’ve done well to hold out this long. Let me lend you a hand.”
“Lady Misha, let me do what I can to help as well.”
Manaria brought a number of resources from Sousse, while Lene provided a small fortune she’d somehow procured. Thanks to them both, we were able to continue distributing food to those who needed it.
Even better—Rod eventually arrived on the scene too.
“Yo. Sorry I’m a little late.”
His body was covered in wounds, but he still had his usual big, reassuring grin on his face. He’d been caught in the eruption, as we’d feared, but narrowly escaped death—albeit at the cost of losing his arm. He should have been on bed rest, but the sheer force of his pride as royalty brought him back to the capital after receiving only the briefest care from the village he saved.
Later, Rae joined us. Now we only needed Claire back before we’d have all the Academy Knights reassembled.
“Leave the soldiers on both sides of this mess to me. I’ll cool their heated heads down,” Rod said.
“I’ll take care of exposing Salas’s dirty workings. Rae, could you compile Dole’s achievements?” I said.
“Of course.”
“That leaves taking care of Alter to me, huh? I might be able to use Spellbreaker to free her from whatever spell she’s under,” Manaria said.
The day before the public executions, we all gathered to work out our plan. We were dead set on saving Claire and Dole, and not just for selfish reasons either. Of course, everyone here owed both Claire and Rae a lot. But we also believed Claire and Dole were both people the world needed, even after the nobility fell.
I could not save them myself. But I would watch and do what I could to make sure things went right.
An anonymous message reached us. It seemed Thane was doing what he could from where he was as well.
Our preparations were done. All that was left was to wait for tomorrow.
“…Say, when we were kids, we took day naps together a lot, didn’t we?”
“We did. I remember it was always a struggle getting you to wake up.”
That night, we stayed over at the place where the people from Sousse were lodging. As there weren’t enough beds, Rae and I shared one.
“Rae?”
“Yeah?”
“…Are you worried?” She seemed kind of restless. I figured talking about it might help.
“Yeah. I’m a bit worried.”
“I see…”
“But the thing I’m most worried about is how I’ll make Miss Claire change her mind.”
“That does seem like it’ll be a challenge.”
Claire had changed. When I first met her at the Academy so many years ago, she was your typical selfish and snobby noble. But she now bore the values of an old-fashioned noble, the very same values I saw in Dole. Out of pride and a sense of duty, she was welcoming her death. It would take a lot to sway her will.
“Lady Manaria suggested I hold nothing back and tell her I want her to live, but I don’t know if that’ll be enough…” Rae grinned wryly.
“It’s not like you’ve held back with Miss Claire up until now or anything. Would that really cut it?”
“That’s what I’m saying. But Lady Manaria keeps insisting it’d be enough.”
“Is that so…”
Why was that, I wondered? Rae wasn’t the type to conceal her true feelings. Of course, she could hide things when needed, like the plan she made with Dole, but when it came to her love for Claire, well…she wore her feelings on her sleeve. I swear, she whispered sweet nothings to Claire every opportunity she got.
Ah. But then again…
“Rae… Don’t you think you’re a bit too used to failure?”
“Huh?”
“I’m sure it’s partly because of your past life’s experiences, but I’ve hardly ever seen you flustered by a setback.” And I was sure Claire would say the same. “Rae…to be in love is an unsightly thing.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Well, to give an example… When you and Miss Claire came to us asking for help with the rationing efforts, I actually wished Lady Yu would turn you down.”
“Whoa. That’s quite a confession.”
“Focus, Rae,” I chided. She sulked and urged me to continue. “You always act like whatever’s happening isn’t a big deal.”
“What? No, I’m not.”
“You may not realize it, but that’s how it seems to others. I’m sure part of why Miss Claire was willing to die for the revolution was because she thought you would be okay without her.”
“Oh…” Rae went silent.
“…Rae?”
“That’s certainly a novel idea.”
“Pardon?”
“Oh, sorry. It’s just that I’ve never stopped to think that might be how others saw me.” She scratched her head awkwardly.
“I apologize if I upset you.”
“No, not at all. What you said was a big help. Few people are lucky enough to have a friend as sweet and caring as you.”
“How glib.”
“Ehe heh.”
Seeing her joke around like this, I figured she would probably be okay. “All right, let’s get to sleep. We have an early morning tomorrow.”
“Right. Good night, Misha. And thank you.”
“You’re very welcome. Good night.”
The morning of the public executions was here.
“You ready, Rae?” Manaria asked.
“Ready. This time for sure, I’ll make Miss Claire understand just how hopeless of a human being I am!”
“You’ll what now?” Rod, overhearing Rae’s reply, laughed. Yu and I were present as well, as were Lene and Lambert.
“Oh, you’ll understand. I’ll rescue my princess, not with grace or gallantry, but unsightliness!”
“You’re not making any sense, Rae,” Lene said with a sigh.
Rae was her usual chipper self. This unique brand of off-kilterness was similar to how she had declared she would accept Claire’s bullying if it meant she would get her attention way back when we first enrolled at the Academy. I didn’t know what to say to her then, but I did now.
“I’m glad to see you’re yourself, Rae. Now go break a leg.”