Chapter 7

“This is terrible, Iska! It’s a disaster!” “Right, sure, it is. Anyway, about today’s joint drill—” “Uh, wait, Iska? Please listen to me!” “Commander Mismis, whenever you say something’s a disaster, it never actually is.” The Imperial capital Yunmelngen. In the sector three military base within the city, Iska took his time turning around. “If you found an abandoned cat outside, then take it to the consultation office. It should be fine.” “It’s not that!” “Then if you’ve found a drunk lying down outside the base, call the military police…” “It’s not anything like that either!” The petite commander shook her head. She was Commander Mismis Klass. Despite her baby face and tendency to act like a small animal, she was actually a full-grown adult. She was also a member of the Imperial forces and the one who kept Unit 907 together as its commander. “This really is huge news. It’ll have the Imperial Forces in an uproar for sure!” “…If it were really that important, then wouldn’t it come directly from headquarters?” “I got my hands on an exclusive scoop! See here!” She held a periodical that had been handed around the capital. The Astonishing Truth Revealed! The Nebulis Sovereignty Princess Has a Lover! “Uh…” “Right, isn’t this something?” “Oh, I see. You mean the article below that. ‘Kittens Born at Capital’s Sector Three Café’…” “No, not that! The one about the Nebulis princess in love!” The Nebulis Sovereignty was, to summarize it succinctly, the enemy that the Imperial forces were at war with. The Empire that Iska and his companions were part of were in an ongoing century-long war with the Paradise of Witches, the Nebulis Sovereignty. “…Is it really such a big deal that an enemy princess has a lover?” “A huge deal! Look at the rumors! Plus, the boyfriend must be just as big of a deal. Maybe he’s royalty from another country somewhere!” Commander Mismis grew more and more animated. “If they actually get together officially, then the Sovereignty might end up with a powerful ally. They might become an even bigger threat to us.” “Oh, you’ve got a point.” Iska wanted to ignore that and chalk the news up to being part of the rumor mill, but she was right—there was a possibility this would affect the Imperial forces. Now he could understand why Mismis was so panicked. “So one question. Why’d you come straight to me with this news? Wouldn’t you normally head over to the headquarters to tell them first?” “Well, because your photo’s in it…In the article.” “Come again?” There was a picture of him? In an article about a Nebulis Sovereignty princess having a boyfriend? “What do you mean?” “See, here. Your photo is on the side of the article. The back profile of the person they’re claiming is her boyfriend looks just like yours.” “Oh, is this another joke…huh?……” Their back profile did indeed resemble his. That looked like his messy black hair and slim-yet-muscular back. …It really does look like me. …Those even look like my clothes. Iska had a jacket that looked awfully similar to the one in the photo. He recognized the streets in the background. It was the business district of the neutral city Ain, which Iska often visited. “Iska, you haven’t betrayed the Empire and been out consorting with the Nebulis Sovereignty, have you…?” “S-stop right there, Commander! It does look like me, that’s for sure, but still!” Iska waved his hands around in a panic as Mismis eyed him suspiciously. “It’s someone else. Someone who resembles me a lot.” “…Really?” “I sure don’t remember doing that. And how could I be the lover of an enemy princess? What kind of Imperial force member would do that?” Despite what he’d said, Iska did have an inkling about the news. He actually was acquainted with a Sovereignty princess. But he sure wasn’t her lover—they were rivals on the battlefield. “But what if Alice…? No, she wouldn’t do this. It must be a mistake.” It was preposterous to think that Alice would ever report to someone else that Iska was her boyfriend. In other words, it had to be a doppelganger. That was what Iska concluded, at least. “Plus, I’m pretty average-looking, anyway. I could appear to be anyone else from behind.” “Hmm…I suppose. Yeah, you’re right. There’s no way you’d be the boyfriend of an enemy princess.” Commander Mismis accepted that. “I’m sorry, Iska. The person in the picture looks so similar to you that I had to ask.” “No, it’s all right. Sometimes coincidences happen. He just happened to resemble me.” Iska nodded slowly as he looked at the photo in the article. There was no way—he couldn’t imagine it was actually him, even in his wildest dreams. Several days earlier. The Paradise of Witches, the Nebulis Sovereignty. A room within the palace. “…This is bad. This is extremely bad. Her Majesty will be here soon!” Alice was frightened at the prospect of a visit from her mother, the queen. “Rin, the door is closed, isn’t it?” “Y-yes, Lady Alice.” “Excellent job. Please shut the windows just to be sure as well.” Aliceliese Lou Nebulis was a beautiful princess with brilliant golden locks. The Imperial forces feared her as the Ice Calamity Witch, and the Imperial swordsman Iska shared a mutual rivalry with her, though they kept this secret from everyone else. And as for Alice… Once a month, she was subject to a day of fear. “Lady Alice.” Rin, Alice’s attendant, pointed at the door and turned back to her. “It is time. It seems Her Majesty has arrived.” “No, Rin! You absolutely cannot open it!” She fled deeper into her living room and hid behind a large bookcase. Only her head was peeking out from her hiding place. “I’m out right now. That’s what you should tell her!” “Even if I did, you were just at a conference meeting.” “Th-then…I’m sick. Cough, cough…see, my head feels so heavy, and I think I feel a fever coming on. Oh, I might fall right over on the spot!” “But you’re the picture of health.” “R-regardless, I can’t do this. I don’t intend to see Mother toda—” “I can hear you, Alice.” “Eep!” The door was forced open. Oh no. She’d made a miscalculation—the queen had a duplicate key to the room. When Alice realized her fatal error, she let out a deep sigh. “Mother…” “Good morning, Alice. You look uneasy today. Is something the matter?” Nebulis VIII. The queen—the greatest witch among the witches—was feared by the Imperial forces, but she was beautiful, elegant, and beloved by the Sovereignty’s people. And she was Princess Alice’s mother. “Whew. Carrying these around is so tiring.” Thump. The queen had placed a mountain of photo albums on Alice’s desk. “You don’t mean to tell me…” “Here is this month’s list of prospective candidates to meet with.” “Nooo!” she wailed and backed away. Yes. This was the day Alice feared each month—when she was given a list of her prospective suitors. “Mother! I haven’t even had a boyfriend yet! It’s much too soon to meet with marriage in mind!” “Alice, I’m going through the trouble to ensure we find a good romantic prospect for you.” The queen picked up one album. “As a seventeen-year-old princess, you really should find a boyfriend. The palace is in agreement about this matter. In fact, it is a royal decree.” “…Urgh!” Alice was still very serious about her feelings on the matter, though a royal decree had a very persuasive effect on her. “While I may be a princess, Mother, I’m also a regular girl. You make it sound as though I will simply agree to these marriage meetings, but I don’t intend to—” “This month, you will see three candidates.” “I don’t get any say in this?!” “Alice, this will bring you happiness. Also, there is a crowd simply itching to meet you.” She received marriage proposals from other nations on a near daily basis from royalty, entrepreneurs, and the wealthy. Though Alice’s status as possible heir to the throne was attractive, her seventeen-year-old charm was even more alluring. “But why just me? You don’t make Elletear and Sisbell do this.” Alice was the second born of three sisters. Though she had both a younger and an older sister close to her in age, she’d never heard of either of them being ordered to go to prospective marriage meetings. “Why is it just me, Mother?” “Elletear is overseas visiting other nations, so she couldn’t possibly attend marriage meetings when she is away from the castle.” “But Sisbell is here.” “It’s impossible.” The queen shook her head plainly. “She already doesn’t leave her room as it is.” “……Right.” Indeed. The third princess, Sisbell, was an extremely shy shut-in. Alice hadn’t seen Sisbell leave her room for nearly a month. If anyone tried to force her into marriage talks, she would have refused to leave her room for an entire year. “So I’m afraid you’ll have to make up for your sisters and do three people’s worth of courting, Alice. I’m counting on you.” “Three meetings, though? I have to do three people’s work?! That isn’t fair, Mother!” “I have a conference to attend now,” the queen said, not even hearing Alice’s protests as she exited the room. Alice and Rin were left to their own devices. “Wh-why is this happening…?” “Lady Alice, I understand how you feel, but there are some things you just must accept.” Rin looked very serious as she picked up the album. “You are Her Majesty’s beloved daughter. She is simply hoping that you will find a wonderful partner.” “I know that, but still…” She staggered onto the sofa in front of her. “I don’t think love should be so contrived. I don’t want to meet this way—I want to have a fateful encounter!” Alice was at a sensitive age, so of course she would have ideas about what love should be like. If she was going to fall in love, she wanted it to be dramatic, something straight from a dream. “Hmph…” “Please don’t pout. They’re your prospective partners, so you must choose them yourself.” Even as Alice sulked, Rin was in the midst of picking out suitable matches. “What do you think of this guy? He’s a doctor from a neighboring nation. He’s young and graduated top of his class from medical school. I would feel much more at ease having a doctor around if something were to happen to you.” “I don’t care who I meet with…I’ll turn them down anyway, so you can pick, Rin.” Alice sprawled out on the sofa. She absentmindedly stared at the pile of albums on the table. “Say, Rin, doesn’t it seem like there are a lot more offers this month?” “Oh, that would be because—” Rin stopped as she was turning a page in an album and clapped her hands together as though she’d recalled something. “I believe that is because a photo of you was revealed to the public when applications opened last month.” “A photo?” “Yes. It was one from when you went on the trip to the beach. See, this one.” “But that would make it a swimsuit shot!” Alice leaped up. She opened the album with the same gusto and stared at one of the pictures. “Is this…?!” The photo featured a white coast and a blue ocean that sparkled like a jewel, as well as Alice in a swimsuit, elegantly looking up at the brilliant sunlight as it blazed down upon her… “Wh-wh-what is this?!” “As I said, that came from the month before last, when the beaches were opened.” “That’s not what I mean! I don’t recall anyone taking this picture of me!” One of her subordinates had likely sneakily taken it. But Alice wasn’t red in the face simply because of the swimsuit. “This was a private trip, wasn’t it?” “Yes.” “And they said I could relax, so I remembered thinking I could wear a slightly trendy swimsuit…” As a result of wearing a somewhat skimpier swimsuit…Alice’s ample bosom seemed close to falling out. Her hips were also exposed for all to see, and her wet golden locks clung seductively to her pale skin. …I wasn’t aware of this at all. …Was I really so scantily dressed? Even from her perspective, it seemed very risqué. Alice turned red from the unexpected embarrassment. “Wait, this picture was made public to the marriage proposal applicants?!” “Yes. The cabinet ministers unanimously approved it.”