“In that case, why don’t you come to our inn? You might catch a cold if you stay out here all night.” The girl stared at Shizuku’s hand in front of her. Then she looked up. “Are you sure? I won’t be a nuisance?” “Once we’re there, we can talk and decide what to do next. It’s better than staying here by yourself.” Abandoning someone who was in trouble was not an option—not for Shizuku at least. She wanted to hear the girl’s story, but first they needed to go somewhere safe. The young girl gently took Shizuku’s hand. There were silver rings on each of her fingers, and she smiled sweetly. “Thank you. I’m Lyshien. I come from a country far to the east.” Her hand was soft and warm, and she spoke with a clear, beautiful voice. Lyshien wore her invisibility cloak on the way to the inn, so she wasn’t seen by anybody. When they got to the room, she was able to warm up her freezing body in the bath, and once she was finished, Lyshien sat down on the bed next to Shizuku. “Thank you so much. You’ve been a great help.” Lyshien bowed her head deeply. Having borrowed and changed into Shizuku’s pajamas, she was so pretty that she almost sparkled. With all the jewelry hanging from her ears and adorning her neck, the girl exuded exoticism. That said, everything Shizuku had encountered since coming to this new world had been exotic to her. Just as Shizuku was admiring how dainty Lyshien was, Erik asked a question from where he sat in a chair. “So can I ask you who you are and why people are coming after you?” “I’m, uh, from a country in the east.” “Which country?” “Anneli.” Shizuku caught a flicker of sadness in the girl’s eyes, and Erik frowned. Lyshien continued speaking, albeit softly. “I don’t really know why people are coming after me, nor who’s behind it. The truth is, nobody was supposed to come after me.” “They weren’t supposed to? Why not?” “The person who let me out and imprisoned me…gave me permission to leave.” That was a strange turn of phrase. How could someone let you out and imprison you at the same time? If you were imprisoned, that usually meant you were stuck inside. Erik seemed to find this odd as well, because a frown creased his handsome face. Shizuku visualized the map of the continent. “Anneli is next to Tarys, where we started our journey. It’s a long way east of here.” Furthermore, Shizuku was sure that Anneli had been captured by another nation a short while ago. Shizuku was about to bring this up, but Erik raised his hand to stop her and posed a new question. “Were you officially told that you had permission to leave?” “No. Other people probably think I’m dead… Maybe somebody realized that I’m not, and that’s why they’re coming after me.” It seemed like she was putting thought into every answer she gave, but her faltering responses made her sound far younger than she looked. Erik asked her another question. “Does the person who’s been chasing you want to use you for something?” “I don’t know. I don’t think I’d be of any use anymore.” “You wouldn’t? Why not?” “My younger brother chose not to fight.” This was another strange answer. Why was she mentioning her brother all of a sudden? Shizuku found this bizarre, but she stayed quiet and let Erik do the talking. He continued questioning Lyshien, unruffled. “Does the person who’s coming to get you work for you?” “No… He’s the person who took me away.” “So you left Rozsark with him?” “Yes… Huh? How do you…?” “I see. I think I know who you are.” Shizuku looked at Erik, her mouth agape. How could those confusing questions have led him to any kind of realization? “What did you figure out? I couldn’t follow your conversation at all… Even that last question was kind of weird…” If Shizuku’s memory served her right, then Rozsark was the country that had conquered Anneli. She couldn’t understand why this other country had suddenly been brought up—but Erik just gave her an awkward smile. “It’s not that I’ve figured anything out—it’s just a hunch. Now, we just need to check whether or not I’m right.” Erik turned back to the black-haired girl. “Are you the princess who was locked away in Anneli?” he asked, staring her squarely in the face. “Huh?!” Shizuku squealed, glancing at Erik and the girl in turn. Lyshien looked back at Erik, wide-eyed. She replied to the mage, sounding genuinely astonished. “How did you know?” “No ordinary person would be able to get their hands on the kind of jewelry you’re wearing, so I suspected you might have been from a noble or royal family. It seemed likely that you were from Anneli, too. It’s only logical that someone like you would have fled the country after the castle was captured.” “Well, I suppose that is true…” The silver hoops that hung from Lyshien’s pale earlobes and the rings on each of her fingers all looked expensive. More than anything else, though, her invisibility cloak must have been incredibly valuable. Erik gently scratched his temple. “Anneli may have been conquered, but the livelihood of its citizens, nobles and commoners alike, seems to be guaranteed for the time being. There’s no real need for anyone to flee…with one exception.” “What exception?” “There was a rumor going around when the castle fell and travel restrictions were put in place. Didn’t you hear? People claimed that a princess who was imprisoned in Anneli had been taken away by the king of Rozsark when the country was captured.” “…Oh yeah! I think I did hear about that! But there was talk of a prince escaping, too.” “That’s right. That prince has already been found—he must be Lyshien’s younger brother. When Lyshien said that she had been ‘let out and imprisoned,’ she must have meant that the king of Rozsark freed her from her confinement, then held her as a hostage. The idea that she was the princess seemed far-fetched at first, but the more questions I asked, the more it all added up.” “Whoa…” Erik had been delightfully quick on the uptake. As Shizuku voiced her admiration, Lyshien herself shrank back. “I have been advised not to talk about myself too much…,” she said. “That’s understandable—but since we’ve provided you with shelter, I want to have a clear understanding of your situation. Rest assured, I don’t intend to exploit the information or leak it to a third party,” said Erik, speaking in a businesslike manner. Lyshien nodded. Shizuku, who was sitting by her side, gazed fixedly at her. “A real-life princess… That’s incredible… It’s like you’re from a fairy tale…” “Didn’t you have royalty where you’re from?” Erik asked. “Yes, but it’s rare to come across a member of the royal family in person. It’s a lot to take in.” “But they always pretended I didn’t exist,” said Lyshien. “They did?” Lyshien’s words made Shizuku cock her head in confusion, and Erik explained on her behalf. “For many years, it was thought that the royal family of Anneli had only a single son—but when Rozsark captured the castle, rumors began to spread that he had an older sister who’d been imprisoned in an outlying building on the castle grounds. There was no proof, though, so nobody could be sure whether it was true.” “It is the truth,” confirmed Lyshien. “Oltovine took me away as a hostage.” “Oltovine is the king of Rozsark, right? He’s still young, so he must have thought that marrying the princess of Anneli would make it easier to govern the country once he’d invaded. In the end, however, there was no need for such tactics—Rozsark were able to take over without much resistance, and the prince of Anneli and the king of Rozsark were able to reach an agreement. That must be what Lyshien was alluding to when she said her younger brother chose not to fight.” “How do you know all this, Erik?” “I heard all sorts of information when we were in Candela. It’s good to stay informed when you’re traveling.” Shizuku was grateful that her guide Erik kept abreast of all that was happening, but at the moment, the focus was on Lyshien. Shizuku processed everything she’d been told. “In other words, Lyshien is the princess of a country in ruins. Since the conquering nation and her younger brother came to an agreement, she was able to fake her own death and leave. Yet someone’s still hunting her down.” “That’s…correct,” said Lyshien. “If we want to find out why someone is trying to capture her, we’ll have to ask them directly. Anneli and Rozsark may have reached a compromise, but there might be someone seeking to interfere, thinking that capturing the princess could give them an advantage. In reality, it would be difficult to pull that off unless you were as powerful as one of the Great Nations, but not everybody realizes that.” “Right. After all, people have all sorts of different opinions when it comes to politics…” “It’s fairly common for royalty to be plagued by such problems. Sometimes, individuals find themselves in situations they can’t control, and escaping isn’t easy. It’s not uncommon for young royalty to be overwhelmed by the pressure.” Shizuku glanced at Erik, surprised. His tone of voice was different than usual—there was a sadness to it. A gloomy haze appeared in his deep-blue eyes, but he wasn’t looking at anything in particular. Something difficult for anybody else to understand lurked deep within his gaze, but as Shizuku was hesitating over how to react, Erik nodded in his usual manner. “Ideally, we should find Lyshien a proper place to stay—a place where she will be protected. I don’t particularly recommend it, but Farsas might be an option.” Hearing this, Lyshien leaped to her feet and vigorously shook her head. “Farsas is not an option. I’m not supposed to go there.” “Hm? Why not?” Farsas was where Shizuku and her companions were heading next. What was wrong with it? Erik had once declared that there was no country he wanted to avoid more, so was it actually incredibly dangerous? “I’m not sure, but the person who released me told me not to go there.” “I see. I can understand why, I suppose. Where is that person now?” “In a different town, I think. He told me to stay hidden while he threw my pursuers off the scent—however, I got the coordinates wrong when I was teleporting and ended up here.” “You’re in the same boat as us, then…” Was there something in the area that was causing teleportation mishaps? This shared experience made Shizuku feel closer to Lyshien, but Erik ignored her and kept on talking. “Right now, it’s vital that the pair of you are reunited. Can you contact him?” “No. I think I should be able to find him in the town of Kochea, though. A dressmaker there is, uhh, doing some work for me…” “Kochea, huh? That’s east of here, near the border of Farsas, isn’t it?” “What kind of work?” asked Shizuku. “They’re making me a b-bridal gown…” The girl flushed red. This was the most human expression Shizuku had seen from Lyshien so far—and the cutest, too. Shizuku found herself mesmerized by her…and she felt a warmth in her chest. While Shizuku felt all warm and fuzzy inside, Erik just carried on speaking in his usual manner. “He must be the man you’re marrying, then. That’s a good point—if you’re unsure of his whereabouts and have no means of contacting him, he might assume you’ll meet him at the dressmaker’s. It’s worth a shot.” “Then…” “Yeah. Kochea is on our way anyway, so we’ll take you with us tomorrow.” “Thank you so much!” Shizuku cried out, throwing her arms in the air in gratitude. “I appreciate your help,” Lyshien said, calmly bowing her head. Once they’d decided on their plan for the following day, Erik returned to his own room, and Shizuku and Lyshien lay down in bed together, side by side. They probably should have paid for an extra person at the inn, but there were mercenaries in the town who were actively pursuing Lyshien, so they needed to make sure that her presence remained unnoticed. “Do you think you can sleep? I know we don’t have much space,” said Shizuku. “It’s fine. Thank you.” Lyshien gave Shizuku a small nod. Up close, her eyelashes looked unbelievably long. Shizuku found herself entranced by the girl’s beauty. There was a question she wanted to ask Lyshien, but she wasn’t sure whether she should. In the end, though, her curiosity won out. “Are you marrying the person who rescued you?” “Yes… Although it was Oltovine who set me free, he was the one who took me to Rozsark and taught me how to read…” “He taught you to read?” “I’d been locked up since birth, so I hadn’t spoken to anyone for…uhh, sixteen years. It seems like everyone was forbidden from speaking to me, so even those who fed and dressed me never said a word.” “Wh-what…?” Shizuku didn’t know what to say. Lyshien was braver than she’d imagined, having gone through the same sort of solitary confinement that criminals had to endure. She wanted to know what had led to a princess ending up in such a horrific situation, but she felt like that wasn’t something she could bring up as a matter of curiosity. Lyshien’s faltering manner of speech made sense now, though. Yet Lyshien smiled as if her past didn’t bother her at all. “The truth is, I felt like I needed to dedicate my life to the people of Anneli—but he assured me that everything was under control, and he suggested I try living for myself instead. He makes me work hard, teaching me how to read, as well as a lot of other things.” “Lyshien…” She grinned, looking proud of herself. Sixteen years of Lyshien’s life had been stolen from her, and she was just beginning a new life. She’d spent years simply existing, unable even to read, and though she’d still intended to dedicate herself to serving her people in spite of all she’d been through, she’d been given the opportunity to start afresh. Lyshien was the same age as Shizuku’s younger sister, Mio. Just looking at Lyshien made Shizuku feel emotional, but she tried not to show it. Shizuku gave Lyshien’s hand a tight squeeze. “I’ll stay by your side until you find him again!” “Thank you…very much.” Lyshien looked shy and happy at the same time. Shizuku found the smile on the younger girl’s face strangely reassuring and drifted off to sleep. That night, she didn’t have any dreams. The cuisine there was unlike anything Shizuku had tried in any of the towns they’d passed through so far, likely because it was so close to the sea. “That smells great. I don’t think I’ve had fresh fish in a long time.” The paper-wrapped parcel that Shizuku was holding had lightly fried whitefish fillets inside. Since they had Lyshien to think of, they’d decided to get takeout rather than eat at a restaurant, so Shizuku had gone into town early in the morning to buy them breakfast. She’d visited a number of different food stalls and bought bread and a few other side dishes for their meal. As Shizuku hummed a tune to herself, Mea warbled along from her perch on Shizuku’s shoulder. Mea would have liked to turn back into a girl and go shopping with her, but she was a demon with hair that was a vivid shade of green. She’d stand out even more than Lyshien in her own way. As the pair were walking down the road, Shizuku suddenly sensed someone watching her and turned around. She met the gaze of a young man standing on the opposite side of the street. “Who’s that?” She didn’t recognize him. He looked around the same age as Erik, but had ashy-colored hair and wore a dark-blue outfit. His gaze bored into Shizuku, almost as if there was a bounty on her head. “Did he follow me here from Candela…?” Had they issued an arrest warrant following the chaos she’d caused in the castle? Even if they had, it seemed unlikely that any pursuer would manage to find her so quickly, considering how far away from Candela she was. The young man couldn’t have known what Shizuku was thinking, but he quickly lost interest and turned back the other way. As he did so, however, a child ran right into him. “Wah!” the young boy cried, tumbling to the ground. Startled, Shizuku continued to watch them, intrigued to see how the man would respond. He scowled and tutted, then reached out toward the dumbfounded boy and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck. “Wait…” Shizuku wanted to call out and stop him—but before she had the chance to rush over, the young man had hoisted the boy to his feet, tapped him lightly on the cheek, and left. The man’s calm reaction left Shizuku feeling relieved. “…He was a decent person after all, Mea.” Maybe he was one of those people who, rather unfortunately, made a deceptively stern impression. Shizuku kept finding herself looking over her shoulder at the crowd of people behind her as she made her way back to the inn. When she returned to the room, she found Erik and Lyshien waiting for her. “Welcome back. Did you find anything you liked?” “They had fresh fish! It looks so good!” “I like fish,” remarked Lyshien. Shizuku laid their breakfast out on the table; it was still plenty warm enough. As the three of them were eating, they discussed their next move. “Let’s depart before noon… Did you spot anyone suspicious in town, Shizuku?” Erik asked, spreading a vegetable paste on his bread. “Not particularly. There was this one guy, but I think he was just one of those unfortunate people who gives the wrong impression.” “What does that even mean? I really hope Lyshien’s pursuers have given up on finding her here. Lyshien, are they coming after you because they know your true identity?” “I…think so. Probably. The people who have been hired to look for me might not know…but the one who hired them knows I’m the princess of Anneli… They said I might be useful, which is why they want to hear what I have to say.” “You might be useful… They want to hear what you have to say…?” As Erik was thinking to himself, Shizuku cut a large rolled omelet into six pieces. She piled some of the pieces onto Lyshien’s plate, then served some to Mea, still disguised as a small bird. Lyshien’s eyes were sparkling with excitement. The plump, fluffy omelet had a pie-like base, and it had a slightly sweet, gentle flavor similar to a pancake. As Shizuku and the others enjoyed the rolled omelet they were sharing, Erik tore off a piece of bread. “We might want to try looking at things from a different angle,” he said. “A different angle?” “Yeah. If this person’s saying that Lyshien ‘might be useful,’ then they probably realize that her capture won’t carry much weight, politically speaking. The part about them wanting to ‘hear what she has to say’ is odd, too. If they wanted to use her for their own personal gain, they’d usually be saying that they wanted to speak to her.” “Oh… That’s true.” “So if we can get a better idea of what they want, we might be able to negotiate with them. Are you in possession of any sort of valuable information, Lyshien?” “Valuable information…?” Lyshien’s shapely eyebrows furrowed slightly. At that moment, Shizuku realized something and gently interjected. “Erik, it sounds like people were ordered not to speak to Lyshien while she was locked away. So if she did know anything, then—” “It must have been something that happened after she was taken to Rozsark.” “But everything I learned in Rozsark is common knowledge… Oh.” Lyshien clapped her hand to her mouth. “Do you know what this valuable information might be?” Shizuku asked in the middle of breaking up some fish into smaller pieces for Mea. “There was something that Oltovine told me. He said it was a secret.” “The king of Rozsark has a secret, huh? Interesting. I assume it’s a sensitive topic?” “Oltovine told me he wants to keep it a secret. I don’t see why he needs to, though.” “Oh, right.” No matter what kind of secret it was, the king had ordered her to stay quiet about it, so it wasn’t as if Lyshien could reveal what she knew. This meant that negotiating with her pursuer could prove difficult. Erik accepted some cheese from Shizuku. “You could offer them some false information, but we should probably discuss this with your husband first.” “Y-yes,” Lyshien replied. She’d turned bright red. Erik’s use of the word “husband” must have embarrassed her, and Shizuku couldn’t help but find this reaction sweet. Shizuku put some fish on her bread and bit into it. The whitefish had absorbed the flavors of the oil it had been fried in, giving it a delicious aroma. She was so happy to taste seafood after such a long time. “Still, our plan of going to the dressmaker and trying to meet up with Lyshien’s husband remains the same. How are we going to avoid getting spotted on our journey, though? Will we need to avoid the main road?” asked Shizuku. “No. I’m not familiar with the area, so that would be risky. We’ll just go down the main road like ordinary travelers. Luckily, Lyshien is more than prepared.” “Huh?” Lyshien had been drinking her tea, lost in thought, and she twitched like a startled cat at the mention of her name. Erik glanced at one of her possessions hanging from the wall— Her invisibility cloak. The two horses trotted along side by side. With Shizuku guiding one and Erik guiding the other, they had begun to make their way east. Shizuku looked up from her saddle and gazed at the evening sky above her. “It looks like it’s going to rain. Are you okay over there, Lyshien?” “I am…fine. It has been a long time since I last traveled by horse, so I’m enjoying it.” “Oh, right. You used teleportation to travel around, didn’t you?” Lyshien had ended up in the town after putting the wrong coordinates into the transit ring. As with Shizuku and her companions, it was lucky that she hadn’t ended up on the other side of the continent entirely. That said, she might have still been sitting in a back alley clutching her knees if nobody else had found her—an idea that pained Shizuku just to think about. She was so glad things hadn’t ended up that way. About two hours after they’d departed, Shizuku spotted the town they were heading for in the distance and breathed a sigh of relief. “It looks like we’re going to get there without any issues. Lyshien’s pursuers must have given up.” “I’m not so sure. It depends on how important she is to them,” responded Erik. “Lyshien?” “Yes?” The girl had her hood up, and she tilted her head to one side. “Wouldn’t you be able to contact your husband if you took that jewelry off?” asked Erik, his eyes glued to the road ahead. “Huh? Oh, maybe… But I’ve been told not to remove it.” “There must be exceptions to that rule, but fine. You can stick to that advice until we have no other choice.” Erik glanced behind him, prompting Shizuku to do the same. What she saw alarmed her. Two horsemen were hurtling toward them at a fast clip. Shizuku recognized the men’s faces—they were the mercenaries who’d evaluated her appearance just before she reached the first town. The small bird on Shizuku’s shoulder chirped, and Shizuku called out to the man on the horse beside her. “Th-they’re here.” “Stay calm,” replied Erik. “Hey! You on the horses over there! Stop!” a man bellowed. Shizuku reluctantly loosened her horse’s reins. Erik did so, too, and as she sensed them coming closer, Shizuku cowered nervously. One of the men immediately reached out and pulled back the young girl’s hood. “…!” She shuddered as the mercenaries gave her a scrutinizing look. “Huh? It’s you again,” one of them said. They were looking at Shizuku. With the hood of her completely ordinary cloak pulled down, she glanced back at the mercenaries in mute surprise. The men snorted with laughter, then moved on without saying a word. Their horses sped past Shizuku and her companions, vanishing into the town ahead. Shizuku relaxed her shoulders, relieved. “We got away with it…” “Yeah. That cloak’s invisibility magic is really strong. You can’t see through it unless you’re a mage,” Erik explained, looking over his shoulder. Sitting behind him, Lyshien adjusted her hood to speak to them. “Did that go okay?” “It went fine. Still, it’s best that you keep your hood up.” Lyshien had been on Erik’s horse the entire time, with Shizuku acting as a decoy to divert attention away from them and give Lyshien a little more freedom. “Now, we just need to safely reunite you with your husband,” said Erik. “Those men will be in the same town as us, won’t they? I don’t like the sound of that,” complained Shizuku. “We should be able to buy ourselves some time. At any rate, we should find ourselves an inn before it gets completely dark,” Erik replied. His horse was trotting along at a leisurely pace. It seemed like he was trying to match Shizuku’s pace. Once they’d arrived in the town of Kochea, they headed to the dressmaker where Lyshien’s bridal gown was being made. The young girl fidgeted restlessly the entire way, but when they got there… “Oh,” said Shizuku. “It looks like it’s closed for the day.” The shop was shut and the curtains drawn, presumably because it was past sunset. Lyshien stood before the door, her shoulders visibly slumped—the very picture of disappointment. Shizuku couldn’t bear to see her like that. “D-don’t worry. We’ll come back when they’re open tomorrow and ask them to pass on the message.” “…Okay.” “For now, let’s find somewhere to stay,” said Erik. “No matter how this works out, we need to make preparations to cross the border. And as long as we’re in this town, there’s a chance we’ll cross paths with him.” Shizuku and Lyshien followed Erik’s lead and left the dressmaker’s shop. Lyshien, who had her hood back up, was invisible to Shizuku, so she’d started holding her hand while they were walking. Just off the town’s main road was a street lined with inns. Shizuku smiled as she took in the pleasant aromas wafting from the surrounding eateries. “I wonder if there’s anywhere that offers takeout. I doubt I’ll get the chance to enjoy seafood again once we’re farther inland.” “Oh, I’d like to see what they have, too,” said Lyshien. “We can look at the food once we’ve decided on an inn,” reasoned Erik. “…Wait.” Erik slowed down. Right ahead of them were the mercenaries they’d come across on the highway. This time, however, they were joined by another man, who was wearing loose-fitting clothing, secured by a belt. Keeping his eyes on them, Erik lowered his voice. “This is bad. That third guy is a mage.” “What?” While it was unlikely that he’d heard what Erik had said, the man in question suddenly glanced in their direction. His gaze was focused, as though he had found precisely what he was looking for, and the color drained from Shizuku’s face. “Shizuku, take Lyshien and get away from here right now. Try to act as natural as possible,” Erik said, his expression unchanged. “Huh? But what about you?” “He might have seen through Lyshien’s invisibility cloak. I’ll buy you some time, and we’ll regroup later.” As Erik was saying this, the mage muttered something to the two mercenaries, and Shizuku saw the three of them begin to make their way over. She wasted no time in deciding what to do. “Got it. We’ll meet back up after.” “Yeah. Take care. Look after them, won’t you, Mea?” The little bird—Shizuku’s assistant demon—chirped, and Shizuku dragged the invisible girl along by the hand. The two of them turned back the way they’d come and started walking up the street. “Come on. Let’s try and throw them off the scent.” If they started running, it would only make them look more suspicious. So instead, Shizuku tried not to bump into anyone as she led Lyshien into the throngs of people. Once they were some distance away, she looked over her shoulder. Shizuku could see Erik talking to the three men. The sight sent a chill down her spine, but she was sure he’d be able to wriggle his way out of the situation. If she and Lyshien had stayed behind, that would have only made things worse. “Let’s take a look at the street stalls first. I’m sure they’ll have some tasty food to offer,” Shizuku said in the most cheerful voice she could muster, trying to conceal her inner disquiet. “But…” “Don’t worry about it. We’ve dealt with scarier people than them. Plus, we might find the person you’re looking for as we walk around town.” Lyshien seemed to stifle any further objections, and after Shizuku made sure that the three men hadn’t followed them, they stocked up on bread and prepared food from a nearby stall. The younger girl carried one of the paper-wrapped bundles and held it inside her cloak—if she hadn’t held it like that, it would have looked like the bag was moving through the air by itself. As Shizuku strode along, both hands full of packages of food, she whispered to Lyshien beside her. “By the way, what does this guy you’re searching for look like?” The streets weren’t exactly crowded, but there were a lot of people coming and going. It would be helpful if Shizuku had a rough idea of what the man looked like. Lyshien was quiet for a moment, then answered hesitantly. “He’s tall. About…twice my height?” “There’s no way he can be twice your height…” Lyshien was slightly shorter than Shizuku, but someone who was twice her height would be almost three meters tall. A person like that would instantly stand out from the crowd. Shizuku heard the other girl murmur to herself, lost in thought. “Hmm. Oh, I know—” Lyshien stopped mid-sentence. Shizuku waited for her to continue…but something didn’t feel right, so she came to a stop. “Lyshien?” Just as Shizuku called out, Mea emitted a piercing cry from her shoulder. Shizuku reached out beside her, but she couldn’t feel Lyshien. Startled, she looked around, and at the entrance to an alley behind her on the left, she saw a bag fall through the air—the bag that Lyshien was supposed to be carrying. “Wait!” Shizuku yelled, turning in that direction. Having suddenly raised her voice and burst into a run, Shizuku attracted dumbfounded stares from those around her—but she paid no mind to the bystanders as she dashed into the alley. About twenty meters ahead of her, she saw a man standing by some wooden crates. Lyshien stood next to him, her hood down. Shizuku saw that the man had grabbed Lyshien by the arm, and she yelled out to him. “Stop that!” Hearing her voice, the young man looked around, and when Shizuku saw his face, she almost yelped. He had ashy-gray hair and a sharp, piercing gaze—the young man Shizuku had spotted that morning in the last town they’d visited. He looked at Shizuku, then extended his right hand in her direction. Recognizing the gesture, she raised her voice. “Mea, protect me!” The small bird on her shoulder spread its wings and created a barrier, which collided with the magic that came hurtling through the air toward them. The man was a mage—Shizuku had recognized the gesture he’d made as he cast his spell—but even so, she didn’t hesitate to run toward him. He watched her with a look of exasperation, then uttered one simple word. “Stop.” “Huh?” All the strength drained from Shizuku’s legs, and she seemed to topple over on the spot. Her face almost smashed against the ground, but she quickly put down her hands to save herself from the impact. “Don’t do this!” Lyshien cried out. “If you don’t want those around you to get hurt, I recommend you keep quiet. I have no intention of hurting you; I just want to hear what you have to say.” “It doesn’t matter what you want to know,” said Lyshien. “I don’t have anything to share.” The corners of the man’s mouth turned upward. His grizzled expression made him look much older than he actually was. “You can just tell me what you know. Do that, and I’ll make sure you’re looked after. As a member of the royal family, you should want for nothing. My master’s influence can make that possible. Otherwise…” The young man glanced at Shizuku. The icy look in his eyes made her shiver, and Shizuku realized he was planning on using her as a pawn to manipulate Lyshien. Lyshien must have worked this out almost instantly, too, because she’d gone very pale. “She has nothing to do with this,” Lyshien asserted. “Just come with me and meet my master, then. Don’t worry—there are other people who’ve defected from Rozsark, too. He’ll set you all free as soon as he loses interest in you.” Lyshien pressed her lips together tightly. Her dark eyes darted around indecisively…but then her expression grew a little sad, and she began to speak. “Fine. I—” “No, you can’t do this. Don’t give in!” They both looked at Shizuku, drawn to the sound of her voice. She pushed against the ground and lifted herself back onto her feet, then extended a muddy hand toward Lyshien. “You’ve finally found your freedom. You can’t give it up now.” “Shizuku…” “For sixteen years, you couldn’t speak to a single person. Now, you can choose who to talk to and what about. You can’t let go of that freedom. At least not now.” Shizuku was trying not to hold Lyshien back but to help her with her new life—that was the whole reason she’d stuck by her all this time. Shizuku tried to hide the fact she was shaking as she scowled at the man, whose name she didn’t even know. Then she quietly began to speak. “Mea,” she whispered. “Let’s create an opening for us slip back onto the main street.” The man was only able to see through the invisibility cloak because he was a mage, in which case it was a better idea for them to try to attract public attention to escape. Erik would probably spot them then, too. Her grazed leg still throbbing with pain, Shizuku tried as hard as she could to steady herself as she stared at the mage. “It sounds to me like you want to lock Lyshien away in yet another cage. If you know who she is, then you must know what she’s been through, right?” The man didn’t reply. He just looked back at Shizuku, his eyes devoid of expression. Slowly channeling her strength into her feet, Shizuku raised her voice. “I don’t trust anybody who’d take her away, despite knowing what she’s experienced. Nobody has the right to do that!” As those words left her lips, Shizuku began to run. “Mea! Bring those crates down!” she called. The pile of crates beside the mage collapsed, and the man stood in understandable shock as they began to fall on top of him. Shizuku seized the opportunity to grab the young girl by the hand. She went to rush back onto the road they’d come from—but then, Shizuku’s field of vision violently shook. “…!” What was that? Shizuku thought to herself. It had almost felt as if something had momentarily shaken her ear canals. The small green bird fell onto the road, and as Shizuku sank to the ground beside Mea, she heard a man sigh from above her. “It appears you have an intriguing assistant demon by your side. However, if you’re unable to work out what’s going on around you, then her powers are wasted on a fool like you.” This was the most honest and unaffected that the man had ever sounded. Overwhelmed by nausea, Shizuku held her breath. “Stop!” Lyshien cried out sternly. “If you go any further, I’ll—” “Unfortunately, I cannot allow you to use your magic. The reason you were locked away, Your Highness, was because the magical power you possessed was too strong. It is only thanks to that sealing gear you are wearing that your powers can finally be restrained. From the day you were born, living a life of freedom was never an option for you.” She can never be free? These callous words made Shizuku lift her head, but all she saw was Lyshien’s hurt expression. It was the face of someone who’d tried to move forward, only to be pushed back. Shizuku’s vision was so hazy that she’d started to see Lyshien’s face as her sister Mio’s. “Don’t worry, Shizuku,” she could almost hear Mio saying. “I’ll be fine.” Although she was trying to stay strong, Lyshien looked like she was about to cry. Before Shizuku had the chance to process what she was seeing, however, words began to escape her lips. “That’s not for anybody else to decide.” She wasn’t talking to anybody in particular. It was just the truth—the truth to Shizuku. The man’s eyes widened. Lyshien’s lip trembled. The young girl looked at Shizuku…then back up at the man. There was determination in her dark eyes, and she began to speak softly, yet with conviction. “I don’t want to go. I want to live a normal life.” This wish was the culmination of sixteen years of solitude—a desire that had remained unheard for so long. It was straightforward and juvenile, but it came from the heart. The man fell silent. He looked at Shizuku, who was still sitting on the ground. The man’s intent, unrestrained gaze put her on edge, but then he suddenly heaved a sigh. “I guess negotiations fell through… But never mind. You might not have complied, but I have other people who are willing to help me. Unlike you, they gladly offered themselves up.” “Huh…?” The mage with the ashen hair turned his back to Shizuku and Lyshien, as if he’d never been interested in them at all. As he began walking down the alleyway, he made one final coldhearted comment. “If you want a chance at living a normal life, I’d stay away from this town. The nobles who live near here like the way you look and have got their henchmen searching for you. The fate you’ll suffer if they catch you will make you wish you’d come with me.” “…Are you talking about those mercenaries?!” Shizuku asked, but the gray-haired man didn’t answer her. Just before he disappeared out of sight, Lyshien reached out toward Shizuku. She tossed one of her rings on the ground, then pressed her hands against Shizuku’s cheeks. “I’m sorry, Shizuku,” she said. A warm power flowed into Shizuku’s body—healing magic, something she’d experienced several times before. Shizuku noticed the scrapes vanishing all over her body, and she blinked in astonishment. “You were able to use magic after all.” “I’m sorry for keeping it from you. I’ve been advised not to use it in front of people very much.” If the man they’d just met could be trusted, then Lyshien possessed an excessive amount of magical power. That was why she’d been imprisoned. Even now that she was free, her magic was being sealed away to avoid attracting people’s attention. Shizuku shook her head. “You have nothing to apologize for. Thank you for healing me. We need to focus on getting out of here—and quick. That man might have given up on you, but if those mercenaries are working for someone else, then you’re still in danger.” Shizuku reached out toward the small green bird and picked up her tiny body. “Are you all right, Mea?” The little bird nodded her head but didn’t seem as lively as usual. Shizuku held her feathery friend against her chest, then picked up the ring that had fallen to the ground and slipped it back onto Lyshien’s finger. Without hesitating, she took Lyshien’s hand in hers once more. “Come on, let’s go.” Shizuku wiped the mud off herself, got to her feet, and took Lyshien back the way they’d come. Just as they were about to come out onto the street, however, two men appeared from an intersecting alley. They weren’t the mercenaries Erik had been distracting, nor was either of them the mage, but they were relatively well dressed and looked delighted to see Lyshien. “That’s the girl. It’s true—you really do recognize her on first glance,” said one man. “The lord promised us a reward, so try to avoid harming her,” said the other. “Gah!” exclaimed Shizuku. “I’ve heard about these kinds of nobles—the ones that have no concept of human rights!” Erik had told her plenty of stories about such people, and they sounded particularly wretched. She pushed Lyshien behind her to keep her safe. Mea was still weak, and Erik wasn’t around to help out, so it was up to Shizuku to find a way to get them out of this situation. She kept an eye on the men as she surveyed her surroundings, hoping for an escape route. Then she heard Lyshien raise her voice behind her. “Oh!” “Huh?” One of the men had suddenly vanished from sight. Shizuku had no idea what was happening. A brief scream echoed through the air—then the other man disappeared, too. Lyshien weaved past Shizuku and began racing ahead. “Oscar!” The young girl rushed straight into a nearby alley. There, in the shadows of the buildings, stood a lone man. At his feet lay both of the nobleman’s emissaries. It had all happened in a matter of seconds. Lyshien leaped at the man, who threw his arms around the petite young girl. “Are you okay, Lyshien? I was surprised when you didn’t come home or go back to the inn.” “I teleported to the wrong place and ended up in the next town over…” “So that’s what happened. I should have made you stay at home. I’m sorry.” His voice was overflowing with affection as he patted her gently on the back. He gazed at Lyshien with a calm, loving look in his eyes, which were the blue of a bright night sky. The tall man was muscular, and he had a handsome face. In contrast to Erik’s pretty, androgynous features, his were masculine and well defined. While he was young—most likely in his mid-twenties—he had the serene air of a much older person, and a red creature that looked like a small dragon perched on his shoulder. Everything had been so sudden that it had left Shizuku in a daze, but she could immediately guess who this man was: He must be the person who’d taken Lyshien out of Rozsark Castle. Rather unsurprisingly, he wasn’t actually twice the girl’s height, though he was still taller than Erik. He looked at Shizuku and forced a smile. “Were you the one who brought her here? Thanks. I appreciate it.” “Uhh, sure…” That goofy response was all Shizuku could muster, but it was understandable. The man was nothing like she’d imagined him to be, as vague as that mental picture was. Since he’d taught Lyshien how to read, Shizuku had envisioned an academic like Erik; however, it was obvious from his physique and the longsword attached to his waist that he was a fighting man. Unlike the mercenaries Shizuku had come across during her travels, he seemed more of a traditional warrior—but considering he had permission to access the castle, that was hardly surprising.
Chapter 18
37 min read