Thanks to the efforts of our kingdom’s brave knights, the monsters were gone in a flash. I gazed at the knights in wonderment as they approached me wordlessly.
“Everyone was super strong!” I said excitedly to Sirius, who was closest to me. “And they’re so nice for looking out for me since I don’t know much about being a saint! I can’t imagine how hard everyone must have worked to make sure I didn’t have to do too much. I mean, nobody got hurt at all after I joined in!”
But Sirius frowned. “What are you saying, Serafina?!” he shouted incredulously. “The reason everyone fought like demons is because of your spells! I’ve never heard of them before—what in blazes were they? Who in blazes are you?!”
Sirius spoke much more roughly to me than he did before. I’d noticed he’d been blunt throughout the battle, but I thought that he would go back to his usual fatherly tone once things were over. The fact that he was still talking roughly made me feel like he’d accepted me as one of his team. What a nice thought!
“Heh heh.”
I couldn’t help but smile and giggle, which only made Sirius’s frown deepen.
Behind him, the knights pressed their hands to their mouths. “Oh my goodness! Is that the fabled smile of a goddess?!” they exclaimed hoarsely.
“P-Princess Serafina, are you more than you appear? You look like an adorable little princess, but maybe you’re actually a goddess? Who else could turn us into super soldiers?!”
“You have my worship and adoration! I’m certain I’ll never see magic as mighty as yours again!”
As the knights clapped their hands together and bowed their heads before me, I looked at them and thought, Oh, I suppose this is what they do after they win a battle. I glanced around hesitantly, not sure if I was supposed to copy them.
My eyes met with Sirius’s, and I grinned at him instinctively. He bit his lip and knelt in front of me.
“Oh, um…?” I squeaked.
When Sirius came down to my eye level, he spoke in a lower voice than usual. “Serafina, your magic is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It’s truly amazing.”
“Really?!” I jumped, startled. I really didn’t expect Sirius to praise me out of the blue.
Being a gentleman, Sirius did not draw any attention to my awkward jump. He smoothly took my hand and said, “It must have taken an indescribable amount of effort for you to master such powerful magic while blind, and I was ignorant to all of it. Anything I say would only sound frivolous, but I want you to hear me out anyway.”
“Er, um, okay?”
Sirius used a lot of big words that I didn’t fully understand, but I nodded anyway. If he wanted something from me, I would do it.
Then Sirius said something I never expected. “I want you to lend me your strength. Serafina, come with me to the Royal Capital.”
“Whaaaa—?!”
Sirius said he respected my wishes when it came to where I wanted to live, so his forceful request took me by surprise. But as his words sunk in, I could feel my cheeks flush with happiness. This was Sirius’s desire. He knew fighting better than anyone, and he chose to invite me—I guess this meant that he valued my ability as a saint. That made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Being blind, everyone had always looked after me, but for the first time ever, I was being seen as a comrade.
My hand squirmed in his as I tried to figure out how to respond. I had a lot of fun spending time with Sirius and the knights, but they lived in the capital, and I always knew that they would all have to leave one day. I’d been thinking of taking a visit to the castle, like Sirius suggested, but I figured that I would eventually return to the forest.
I’d already accepted that we would part ways, and yet… All of a sudden, it felt so hard to bear. Knowing that now was the time for me to make a decision, my breath was unsteady.
Ah…this was going to be the most important choice in my whole life. But I had to pick: Leave the spirits or say goodbye to Sirius and his knights. Which one?
The spirits had been by my side for as long as I could remember, and they taught me so many things. The thought of leaving this place had never once crossed my mind. The land had been so good to me; it had everything I wanted. If I chose to stay and live with the spirits, I’m sure I would be as happy as I’d always been.
But on the other hand…Sirius was so brave and righteous that I was sure he would find himself suffering in more battles, and would come to face greater danger than what he dealt with today. I wanted nothing more than to be at his side and heal him when the time came. We’d only been together for ten days, but I already felt so strongly about him.
Caught in indecision, I gazed up at Sirius. His eyes peered straight back at me, not wavering for even a second. Then, as he clenched my hand, he slowly and deliberately spoke.
“Serafina, let’s go back to the capital together. I know that you’re happy here. I swear that I’ll make you just as happy as this place makes you. So…come with me.” He’d said the same thing on that first day of his visit. Oh, he was always as straight and true as an arrow. And his kindness toward me never changed.
As my heart welled with emotion, he continued, “Your eyes have been healed, and you demonstrated a rare power when they did. No matter where you choose to live, people will come for you because they’re interested in that power. You used your magic to heal us today, but I’m sure some would try to take advantage of your compassion. I can’t bear the thought of you being in danger somewhere I can’t reach you, so let me protect you.” He paused and then added, “I’ll take you to the capital even if it means kidnapping you.”
“Huh?” My eyes widened in surprise at that last bit. K-kidnapping is a crime, Sirius!
But he went on speaking without a hint of shame. “Please, Serafina. Whether you make the decision yourself or I make it for you, you’re going to end up in the same place… If you can’t choose, then give up and let me abduct you.”
Um, hmm… “Let me abduct you?” I understood what he was getting at, but…
As I blinked in confusion, the knights behind me started cheering in excitement. “Oh gosh, is this what I think it is?! My eyes are not deceiving me?! Proposing to royalty in public… Ooh la la, I had no idea our vice-commander was so bold!”
“I’m just blown away! I always thought the vice-commander was scary, but he can be suave when he wants to! I mean, he was always good-looking, but who knew he was such a sweet talker? Gee, I can’t imagine how Her Highness can resist his swagger when he gets up close and personal!”
“I’ve never seen the vice-commander ask for anything with such intensity! Princess Serafina might be tiny, but is she a secret seductress?!”
Then every one of them lowered their heads at the same time. “Your Highness, we make the same request! Please come to the capital with us! We’ll do anything for you!”
I didn’t understand half of what they were saying because there was some slang (I think?) from the capital mixed in, but the knights looked so cheerful and enthusiastic that I couldn’t help but giggle.
Sirius looked at my face and immediately scooped me off my feet for some reason. “Ohhh?” I squealed as he stood up.
Since he was so tall, my feet were completely swept off the ground when he carried me. I loved it so much that I let out another giggle.
Sirius gazed back at me with a bright smile. “Then it’s settled, Serafina! Your place is with me. I’ll be sure to make you happy.”
“Oh my!”
I blinked, completely stunned—who knew the vice-commander of the knight brigade could be so forceful!
“Your eyes are finally open,” he went on, unbothered by my surprise. “I’m sure you’ll be taking in a lot of new sights. Serafina, I vow to show you what’s beautiful about the world. It’s what your eyes deserve to see, nothing less.”
Wow, Sirius was more overprotective than I thought. Glancing at the knights behind us, they all looked astonished. I guess this meant that the serious Sirius usually didn’t show this side of himself.
I faced the doting vice-commander…and gave him a firm no. “Sirius, I don’t want to just look at pretty things. I want to see the same things you do.”
Sirius’s eyes widened in surprise. “You saw that battle. I’m sure you’re well aware what kind of life I lead. You say that’s what you want?”
“Yes!” I answered emphatically.
Sirius pressed his head against my shoulder as he carried me. “You’re full of surprises. Something tells me you’ll come to my aid one day…or maybe you already did that when we met. Serafina, are you fine with me taking you to the capital? And never coming back to the forest?” Even though he made a big show of abducting me, Sirius still asked for my opinion in the end.
I nodded firmly. “Yes, Sirius. Let’s go to the capital!”