Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World - Ex PDF Free Download
1 / 197
/197
100%
Copyright
Re:ZERO-StartingLifeinAnotherWorld-Ex,Vol.1
TappeiNagatsuki
TranslationbyKevinSteinbach
CoverartbyShinichirouOtsuka
Thisbookisaworkoffiction.Names,characters,places,andincidentsarethe
productoftheauthor’simaginationorareusedfictitiously.Anyresemblanceto
actualevents,locales,orpersons,livingordead,iscoincidental.
Re:ZEROKARAHAJIMERUISEKAISEIKATSUExSHISHIOUNOMITA
YUME©TappeiNagatsuki2015
FirstpublishedinJapanin2015byKADOKAWACORPORATION,Tokyo.
EnglishtranslationrightsarrangedwithKADOKAWACORPORATION,Tokyo
throughTuttle-MoriAgency,Inc.,Tokyo.
Englishtranslation©2017byYenPress,LLC
YenPress,LLCsupportstherighttofreeexpressionandthevalueofcopyright.
Thepurposeofcopyrightistoencouragewritersandartiststoproducethe
creativeworksthatenrichourculture.
Thescanning,uploading,anddistributionofthisbookwithoutpermissionisa
theftoftheauthor’sintellectualproperty.Ifyouwouldlikepermissiontouse
materialfromthebook(otherthanforreviewpurposes),pleasecontactthe
publisher.Thankyouforyoursupportoftheauthor’srights.
YenOn
1290AvenueoftheAmericas
NewYork,NY10104
Visitusatyenpress.com
facebook.com/yenpress
twitter.com/yenpress
yenpress.tumblr.com
instagram.com/yenpress
FirstYenOnEdition:November2017
YenOnisanimprintofYenPress,LLC.
TheYenOnnameandlogoaretrademarksofYenPress,LLC.
Thepublisherisnotresponsibleforwebsites(ortheircontent)thatarenot
ownedbythepublisher.
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Names:Nagatsuki,Tappei,1987–author.|Otsuka,Shinichirou,illustrator.|
Steinbach,Kevin,translator.
Title:Re:ZEROstartinglifeinanotherworldex/TappeiNagatsuki;illustration
byShinichirouOtsuka;translationbyKevinSteinbach.
Othertitles:Re:ZEROkarahajimeruisekaiseikatsuex.English
Description:FirstYenOnedition.|NewYork:YenOn,2017.
Identifiers:LCCN2017036833|ISBN9780316412902(v.1:pbk.)
Subjects:|CYAC:Sciencefiction.|Timetravel—Fiction.|BISAC:FICTION/
ScienceFiction/Adventure.
Classification:LCCPZ7.1.N34Ref2017|DDC[Fic]—dc23
LCrecordavailableathttps://lccn.loc.gov/2017036833
ISBNs:978-0-316-41290-2(paperback)
978-0-316-47907-3(ebook)
E3-20171024-JV-PC
ADREAM’SBEGINNING
1
When he saw her in the castle garden, Fourier Lugunica came to a screeching
halt.
His large scarlet eyes went wide with curiosity as the wind tugged at his
goldenlocks.Oneofhispronouncedcanineteethpokedoutlikeasmallfangas
thebreathrushedfromhismouth.Theyoungboy,noteventenyearsold,leaned
outoftheopen-airgallerytopeerintothegarden.
Fourierwasverymuchinthemiddleofrunningfromoneofhistutorsand
hadnotimetogawk.Hecouldalreadyheartheman’svoicebehindhiminthe
hallway.Ifhewascaught,hewouldbedraggedbacktohisdangerouslyboring
lesson—but even knowing that, Fourier couldn’t tear his eyes away from the
scenebeforehim.
The gardens at Lugunica’s royal castle were the work of crown gardeners
whoexercisedeverybitofskillandknowledgetheypossessed.Theresultwasa
fantastically rich tapestry, dizzy with flowers and different blossoms every
season.
The leaves of the trees rustled in the cool breeze, and a shower of petals
tumbled through the air, speaking to the world’s transience. It was in that
enchantinggardenthatFourierfoundashimmeringbud—agirl.
Herverdantgreenhairwastiedbackasshestruckaposturebothrefinedand
beautiful.Clad in a dress the color of fresh grass, obviously of fine make, the
young, self-possessed girl wore it perfectly. Fourier saw little more than her
profilefromwherehestood,butthepalewhiteofherneckandcheekalongwith
theamberofheralmond-shapedeyeshintedatherbrimmingbeauty.
Andyet,hadthatbeenall,shemightnothavemadesuchafirmimpression
onFourier.Itwouldhavebeennomorethanamomentaryaffair,aglimpseofa
gorgeousyoungladyinthecastle.
Butitdidnotendthere.
“—”
The girl stood in the garden, casting her eyes over the array of colorful
flowers. If she had merely been taken with the vibrancy of the blossoms, it
wouldhaveshownthatherdispositionwaslikethatofanyother.Butinsteadof
looking at the flowers in the center of the garden, she was inspecting a single
budinafarcorner. Staring at it intently, as though shebelieveditmightopen
thenandthere…
“YourHighnessFourier!Soyouheedmeatlast!”
Histutor,breathinghard,finallyreachedthespotwhereFourierstoodinthe
hallway.Heregardedtheboywithreliefwrittenonhisface,butthatwassoon
replaced with an expression of puzzlement when he noticed how Fourier was
staringintothegarden.
“YourHighness?”hesaid.“Whathascaughtyourinterestou—?”
“Nothing,sir!Nothing!Notathing!Surelynotsomethingforyoutoworry
about!”
Fourierrushedattheinstructorasthemantriedtodiscernwhathadtheboy
so intrigued. The hand Fourier held out in hopes of hiding the scene collided
withthetutor’sface,andthemanstumbledbackwithacryof“Myeye!,”but
Fourierhadnotimetoconcernhimselfwiththat.Hewasmoreworriedthatthe
girlbytheflowersmighthaveoverheardthecommotion.
Anxiously,helookedtowardthegarden.Thathappenedtobetheexactsame
moment the girl, who had heard something going on, turned in his direction.
Fourierscrambledtolowerhisgaze.
“Th-thisisn’tgood.Ifeelreallyweird…MaybeI’msickorsomething?My
cheeksareallhot,andit’shardtobreathe…”
Notinganacheinhischestandhowhehadadifficulttimebreathing,Fourier
concluded that this was a bad place for him to be. He grabbed his writhing
teacherbythelegandbeganfleeingbackdownthehallwayintremendoushaste.
“Y-YourHighness!Ouch!Thathurts!”
“Justgrinandbearit!It’snotlikeI’mstrongenoughtopickyouup!ButI
can’t just leave you in sucha dangerous place. After all, I’m part of the royal
family—prideofthepeople.”
“I am moved by your concern for me, my prince, but—yow! Perhaps you
could stop running and—ouch!” The tutor cried out, his head colliding with
everywallandpillartheypassed,butFourierignoredhim.Hecouldstillseethat
girl whenever he closed his eyes. She was clearly the cause of his pounding
heart, yet for some reason he could not force her image out of his head, no
matterhowmuchtimewentby.
It was a mystery to Fourier why he felt so reluctant to leave as he dashed
awayfromthegarden.
2
FourierLugunicabelongedtotheroyalfamilyoftheDragonfriendKingdomof
Lugunica,adynastywithmorethanathousandyearsofhistory;hewastheson
ofthereigningking,RandohalLugunica.Consequently,hewasaprincewiththe
rightofsuccession,andworthyofthehighesthonors.
“Yes,butI’mthefourthprince.Mybrothersallprecedeme.Idon’tseethe
kingshippassingtomeanytimesoon.Doesn’titmakeallthiseffort,dayinand
dayout,seemabitpointless?”
“Ho-ho-ho!Iseeyou’velearnedtheartofimpudence,YourHighness.”
Fourier had finished his classes and was seeking respite in his personal
rooms,wherehewasconversingwithavisitor.
Fourierscreweduphisfaceatthewordimpudence.Theonelaughingwasan
exceptionally old man, his long hair and beard both white from age. Miklotov
MacMahon—arepresentativeoftheCouncilofElderswhowasconsideredthe
brainsofthekingdom.Miklotovwastheonewhowieldedalltherealpowerin
the government. Truly deserving to be called a wise man. Fourier was well
acquaintedwiththerumorsthatevenifthekingweretodisappear,thekingdom
wouldcontinuerunningsmoothlysolongasMiklotovwasaround.
Fourierwasnotenamoredwiththerumorsthatmadelightofhisfather,the
king,butMiklotovwasaloyalsubjectwhoservedtherealmwithoutambition.
Anditwastrueenoughthattheelderdidhisutmostservingaroyalfamilythat
left something to be desired in the way of stewardship—so Fourier was hard-
pressedtocondemnsuchtalk.
“Ifmyfatherandbrothersaren’tuptothejob,whydon’tyoubecomeking?”
Fouriersaid.“Thingswouldbemuchsimplerthatway.Don’tyouthink?”
“You give this old man quite a shock,” Miklotov replied. “Those are not
words that oneof Your Highness’s stationshould speak solightly. And in any
event,itwouldbeinviolationofourpactwiththedragon.”
“Ourpactwiththedragon,right.”
Miklotovgaveasombernod.Fourierlaidhisheadonhisdeskandbeganto
think.
The pact they spoke of was the reason the Kingdom of Lugunica was
occasionallyreferredtoastheDragonfriendKingdom:Anoathswornwiththe
HolyDragonVolcanica,whoseprotectionhadensuredthekingdom’sprosperity
forhundredsofyears.
“The dragon handles everything,” Fourier mused. “The kingdom’s harvests
andsafety.Andtheonlyonewhocanreceiveitsblessingsisablooddescendent
ofthefirstKingLugunica,whoforgedabondoffriendshipwithit.Itallseemsa
bittoogoodtobetrue.”
“And yet we do have the dragon’s blessing. This makes His Majesty the
King,tosaynothingofYourHighness,peopleoftheutmostimportancetothis
kingdom.”
“SoI’veheard,enoughtimestomakemyheadache.”
“Mm.AndIhavesaiditoftenenoughtomakemytonguesore.”
Fourierpursedhislips,butMiklotovstrokedhisbeardnonchalantly.
“That story is the reason I earnestly wish you would have a greater
appreciationforyourposition,YourHighness.”
“Hmm,thenI guessIhaveno—Wait!Ifit’sonlyourbloodthatmakesme
and my father so important, doesn’t it mean that all this study isn’t really
necessary?Whataboutthat?”
“Ho-ho,impudencerearsitsheadagain.Thinkofitfromyoursubjects’point
ofview.Theymaybeobligedtorespectwhoeverholdstheoffice,butdoyou
think they would rather serve under an ignoramus or brute—when they could
haveamanofintelligence?Andthe intellectdoesnotblossomwithoutproper
cultivation.NordoesthebloodoftheLionKing.”
“TheLionKing?Thatdustyoldnameagain?”
AnunusualpassionhadenteredMiklotov’svoice,butFourierregardedhim
withawrysmile.“LionKing”wasatermforthefirstrulertomakeapactwith
the dragon—in other words, the first person to establish what was now the
KingdomofLugunica.Hehadbeencalled“thelastLionKing.”
“IunderstandhowmuchyouexpectoftheLionKing’sdescendants,”Fourier
said.“Butit’slottoaskofthoseofusbornsofardownthelineofsuccession.
The sages are all but unparalleled, whether you search the world over or look
backthroughhistory.Idon’texpectanytobebornanytimesoon.”
“Soyoumaysay,YourHighness,butthebloodhasnotrunthin.Itisafact
thatonceeveryseveralgenerations,atruemasterappearsintheroyalline.Two
generationsago…”
Miklotovhadbeenspeakingfluently,butsuddenlyhestopped.Hiswrinkled
facedarkened,andheshookhisheadandmurmured,“No.”
Afteramoment,hewenton:“Myapologies.Aslipofthetongue.Memory
growsunreliableinoldage.”
“Youlosingyourmemoryisabouttheworstthingthatcouldhappentothis
kingdom!Quitworryingaboutadelinquentlikemeandtakecareofyourself!”
“IhardlythinkYourHighnessisdelinquent…”
Miklotov put up some resistance as Fourier tried to hustle him out of the
room.Buthisoldboneswerenomatchforaboyintheprimeofyouth.
“Now,then…”
Havingchasedoffthegarrulouselder,Fourierwasalone.Hebegantostrip
offhisclothes.Hechangedintowhateverhefeltlikeandwrappedhisheadina
bandanna that would disguise his conspicuous golden hair. Then, having
preparedagainsteveryeventuality,hesnuckoutoftheroom.
Noone wasinthe hall. Fourier set torunningthrough the quiet castle in a
greathurry.Hewashopingtostayinconspicuous,itwouldnotdoforanyoneto
seehim.
Hewasheadedforthesameplacehehadgonetoeverydayrecently.
—Agallery,whereeverydayhelookedoutoverthegardens,hopingtosee
thatgirl.
3
Fourier arrived in the gallery nonchalantly, making sure no one was around
beforeheclimbedupontherailingandbeganlookingavidlythroughthegarden
forthegirlhesought.
“Hmm.Nottoday,either,huh?Imakesuchanefforttocomehere,andallfor
nothing.Todosuchathingtoaprince—thatgirlisfearless.Heavens.”
Unabletofindtheonehesolongedfor,Fourierwasfullofregret.Tendays
hadpassedsincehefirstsawherthere.Thatday,hehadrunawaybecausethe
drumminginhischesthadseemeddangerous,butnowhehopedtoseeheragain
exactlybecausehewantedtoexperiencethatfeelingoncemore.
The ache in his heart had never really gone away. In fact, it was renewed
everytime he recalled her face. He wasconvinced that the only wayhe could
findreliefwastomeether.
Fourierhadneverdoubtedtheintuitionthatguidedhisactions.Hewouldon
occasion sense an answer emerge, for no particular reason, from among
countlesschoices.Whathediscoveredthiswayalwaysledhimdowntheright
path. It had been the same whether in arithmetic and history class, or when
decidingamoveinChantrange,aboardgameplayedwithpawns.Asanextreme
example,severalyearsearlier,hehadevenforeseenthatawheelwouldfalloff
thedragoncarriagehisfather,theking,rodein.
Butalloftheseweredismissedasmerechance;simpleguessesthatcouldnot
be repeated. He told his teacher, but the man grumbled something about
nonsense.Fourierwas notsoignorantachildastopresstheissueofainsight
thatmadehimdifferentfromnormalpeople.
“No matter. The girl is what’s important now. If I only knew her name, at
least,thiswouldbesomucheasier…”
His only clue at the moment was that she must be the daughter of some
family prestigious enough to be granted entrance to the castle. If he told them
whenandwherehehadseenher,theguardsandservinggirlsmighthavebeen
abletohelphim.
“ButIhateneedingthingsfrompeople.Idon’tknowwhy,butIfeelitwould
beratherinconvenientifanyoneknewIwaslookingforher.Hmm…”
The palpitations, the unusual sense that what he was doing was not quite
acceptable—all ofthis mystified Fourier. He didn’t even really know what he
woulddoifheeverfoundher.
“Isuppose Icanfigure out whatIshould do afterwemeet. IthinkIrecall
someimportantpersonsayingthatthinkingtoocarefullyisjustanotherformof
cowardice…Mm!”
As he stood there muttering to himself, suddenly something clouded the
edgesofhisvision.Fourierleaned outovertherailing, tryingwithhiseyes to
followthe silhouetteofwhoever was passingdirectlybelow the openhallway.
Hesawahintofasleevethehueoffreshgrass.
Itwastherightcolor,theoneherememberedfromthatgirl’sdress.
“Oops…”
Themomentthegirl’simagefloatedthroughhismind,Fourierfelthisfoot
slipfromtherailing.Hehadpitchedtoofarforward,losthisbalance,andfound
himselftumblingoutofthegallery.Thegardenwaspavedwithflagstones.Ifhe
hithisheadonone,itwouldn’tbepretty.
Hewasgoingtopayforthislittleindulgencewithhislife…
“Hwah?!”
But asit turned out,no such thinghappened. He felt his body sinking into
somethingsoft,breakinghisfall.
“Bff!Bfaaah!Pft!Bleh!Whatisthis?Isthis—dirt?!”
Extricatinghimselffromthesoftpileofearth,Fourierspatleavesandmud
outofhismouth.Hehadapparentlymanagedtolandinaflowerbedinsteadof
ontheflagstones;miraculously,hewasunhurt.
Lookingup,hecouldseethehallwayhe’dcometumblingoutof.Perhapsit
wassheerchance,again,thathadkepthimfromhurtinghimselfdespiteafallof
nearlytwostories.
“Wow. That’smy luck for you. Just goesto show that a littlegood fortune
can get you out of even the tightest spot,” Fourier said with a touch of awe,
looking at his muddy palms. He ignored the fact that if he had really been
blessedwithgoodfortune,hewouldn’thavefalleninthefirstplace.Hejumped
outoftheflowerbedandlookedaround,thinkingthathewouldhavetofinda
maidtoreadyabathforhim.
“—”
Andtherestoodthegirl,watchinghimwithwideeyes.
Shehadtheidentical,beautifulgreenhair,stilltiedup,theclearamberirises
heremembered,andshewaswearingthatgrass-coloreddress.Shewasexactly
thesamegirlwhohadbeenburnedintoFourier’smemory.
“Oh…Oh!Ohhh…”
NosoonerhadthisregisteredthanFourierfelthischeeksstartburning,and
he found he had lost the ability to speak. His confidencethat he would know
whattosaywhenthetimecamehadlefthiminthissorrystate.
WhileFourierstoodthereunableeventothink,thegirl,hereyesstillround
withsurprise,slowlylookedup.Shelookedbackandforthbetweenhimandthe
railing—once,twice.Thenherealizedthatshethoughthehadhurthimself.
“Aw,noneedtoworryaboutme!See?I’mnotinjuredintheleast!Icansee
I’ve upset you, but you needn’t worry about it. My body is so tough it’s
practicallyaweapon!”
Fourierwasstillconfused,butheheldoutbotharmsinanefforttoprovehe
was unharmed. The girl showed no reaction, but she must have at least
understoodthathewasallright.
Fourierverymuchwantedtocontinuetheconversation,buthewasalsoall
tooawarethatshehadwitnessedhiminamostunprincelymoment,andhisfeet
hadastrongdesiretocarryhimfarawayfromthatspot.Perhapshewouldhave
tobecontentwithhavingmetherasecondtime.
“Well,I’mquitebusywithagreatmanythings,soexcuseme!Ibidyougood
day—Huh?”
He waved and was about to step out of the flower bed, when he found his
pathblocked.Thegirlwasstandinginfrontofhimandfixinghimwithasharp
stare.Shespokesternly.
“—Youthinkyoucanweaseloutofthiswithsuchflimsyexcuses,intruder?”
Fourier noticed how clear and strong her voice was, befitting her appearance.
Butastonishmentsoonreplacedthatfeeling—thankstothedaggerglitteringin
thegirl’shand.
“W-whoa!Awomanlikeyoushouldn’tbewalkingaroundwithathinglike
that!”
“Myfatherdoesn’tlikeit,either,butasyoucansee,it’sgoodtohavearound
sometimes.Don’ttryanythingfunny.Anddon’tunderestimatemejustbecause
I’magirl.Justwaituntilyoufindoutwhattheydotopeoplewhotrytobreak
intothecastle.”
“Huh?Wha?Hrh?”
The girl’s voice had become razor-sharp, and she showed no sign of
respondingtoFourier’sattemptstocalmherdown.Nohesitationappearedinher
eyes.Shereallydidthinkhewasanintruder.
Shecouldn’thavebeenolderthanhewas,andyetshehadsuchcourage.No,
therewassomethingelse.
“—”
HergriponthedaggerhiltwassotightthatFouriercouldseeherfingertips
turning white. She had no experience pointing a blade at a person. This was
simplywhatshefeltshehadtodo,whiletryingnottoshake.
Fourier had certainly not expected to be spoken to this way. He had never
thoughtthatwhenhemetthegirlagain,itmightbelikethis,orthatthiswasthe
attitude she would take toward him. But there was one thing he hadn’t been
wrongabout—
“Youaretrulyagoodyoungwoman,aren’tyou?”
It was that he cared about the girl in front of him even more than he had
imagined.
Thegirl’sexpressionwavered,thrownoffbyFourier’smurmur.
“…Youcan’ttrickme.Myeyescanseerightthroughliesandruses.”
“Anupsettingresponse,whenI’verevealedmytruefeelings.Whatisityou
dislikesomuchaboutme?Ishouldliketoknow!”
“…DoyouthinkI’dtrustsomeonewhohideshisface,justbecauseheasks
meto?”
“Hmm…?Oh!Oh,Isee,Isee!Thatwasmymistake.”
Fourier finally realized that the reason for the girl’s suspicion was his own
fault.Hetouchedhisheadandfoundthebandannahehadusedasadisguise.He
hurriedlyremovedit,andhisgoldenhairfellaroundhisface.Atthat,thegirl’s
eyesgrewevenwider.
“IseeIconfusedyou,”Fouriersaid.“Asyoucantell,Iamnointruder.Iam
the fourth prince of this nation, Fourier Lugunica! You may gaze upon my
visage.”
Fourierwipedsomesweatfromhisbrowasheannouncedhimself,tryingto
reassuretheshockedyoungwoman.Surelyhersuspicionwouldvanish,andthat
smileofherswouldbloomlikeaflower…
“Mydeepestapologies,YourHighness!Even turning myowndaggerupon
myselfwouldnotatoneforthis!”
…butofcourse,nothingwaseverthateasy.
4
ThegirlwiththedaggerkneltinplacewhensherealizedwhoFourierwas.This
would be an earth-shattering event for her. She had captured someone she
thoughtwasanintruderinthecastle,andheturnedouttobeaprince.Andshe
hadevenbaredherblade—itwouldbetoomuchforherpoorheart.
“How could I ever ask you to take the blame? I disguised myself with the
bandanna,wellenoughtomakeyoususpectIwassomedubiouscharacter.AmI
abrutewhowouldholdoneofmysubjectsresponsibleforamisunderstanding
thatwasmyownfault?”
“But to have taken such a tone with Your Highness… It does not deserve
forgiveness.Please,deliverjudgment.”
“Youarestrangelystubborn,aren’tyou?Yoursenseofdutyissodemanding!
Verywell,then, doas Isay.Youfeelguilttoward me andwoulddowhat you
musttoseemyhumorsettled.Isthatnotso?”
Fourierwasdesperatetostopthegirl,whoseemedreadyatthatverymoment
to sheathe her dagger in her own belly. She replied, “Yes, my prince,” and
handedhimherknife.“Please,YourHighness,dowithmeasyouseefit.Iwill
acceptanypunishment.”
“Um—‘asIseefit’?‘Anypunishment’?Whyismyheartpoundingso…?”
Fourierfelthisheartracinginhischestatthesightoftheseveregirlbeforehim.
Butheshookhisheadtoclearhismindandtookadeepbreathtocalmhisheart.
“ThenIpronounceyourpunishment.You…Yes.Iorderyoutohelpmepassthe
timefora while.Converse with meformypleasure, untilIhavesettled down
some.”
“I…YourHighness,howisthatapunishment…?”
“Stayyourtongue!Ishallentertainnoprotests!Didyounotsayyouwould
abidebymywishes?Well,mywishesareplain.Youcannotrefusesothismatter
isfinished.Yes?”
Armscrossed over his chest,Fourier brought the conversationto an abrupt
end.Thegirlstaredathimforamomentandthentouchedherhandtothecorner
ofhermouth.
“Hee-hee!”
A giggle slipped out, though she tried to hold it back. It was the first time
Fourierhadseenhersmileinawayexpectedofoneherage.Agirlishandlovely
liftingofherlipsbrokethroughherstiffandsomberexpression.
“Iwasworriedforamoment,butallfornothing,itseems…Hmm?”
Asheuncrossedhisarms,Fourierhappenedtocatchaglimpseofthedagger
he still held in his hand. That was when he noticed it. The dagger was an
exceptionalpieceofwork,yes,butthehiltandsheathboreadistinctivemark.It
lookedlikealionwithitsjawsopen,anditwasveryfamiliartoFourier.
“Thisinsignia—acrestintheshapeofalionbaringitsfangs.Youmustbea
memberoftheKarstenhouse…Wait.YoumustbeMeckart’sdaughter!Youare,
aren’t you!”hesaid,pointingtothedaggerafterhesuddenlyrealizedwho the
girlwas.
Thegirlgavearesignedsighandasombernod.“Yes.ItisasYourHighness
discerns.IamthedaughterofMeckartKarsten,headoftheHouseofKarsten.
MynameisCruschKarsten.Itwasterriblyrudeofmetonotintroducemyself
first.”
“Itwasmychoicetogivemyname.Andmychoicetohidemyface.There’s
noneedtostartthatagain.Butimaginemysurprise—thedaughterofthefamous
MeckartKarsten.”
Crusch. Fourier held the sound of her name in his ears, carved it into his
memory.
Her father, Meckart, was a high-ranking nobleman of a ducal household.
Though he gave a somewhat diffident impression, he was a thoroughly
trustworthyservantoftheroyalfamily.Itwassimplyhardtopicturethisgirlas
hisdaughter.
“Crusch.Afinename.Itfitsyourgallantandnoblebearing.”
“YourHighnessistookind.ButIthankyou.”
“D-do you takemy words for flattery?Ah, yes.I must return this to you.”
Unaware that he was staring enamored at the self-effacing Crusch, Fourier
coughed.Hischeeksfelthot.Hepassedthedaggertoherinanattempttofocus
onsomethingelse.Shetookitreverently,clutchingitgentlytoherchest.
“Itlookslikesomethingofatreasuretoyou,”hesaid.
“…Itisagiftfrommyfather.Tocelebratemybirthday,thoughhewarnedme
touseitcarefully.”Hervoicewashesitant;perhapsshewasstillflusteredather
episodeofmistakenidentity.Fourierdeliberatelytriedtochangethesubjectso
theywouldn’tfindtheirwaybacktothatagain.
“A dagger for his daughter’s birthday? Even for Meckart, that seems a tad
tone-deaf.”
“Iaskedforit.FatheraskedwhatIwanted,andIsaidIwantedthecrested
daggerpasseddownbytheheadsofourhouse.”
“Hardly tone-deaf at all! Yes, a dagger is a fine gift. Convenient to have
around,daggers!”
“You need not bother yourself to spare my feelings, Your Highness. I
understand that my tastes are not quite like those of other young ladies.” She
gave a somehow ephemeral smile at Fourier’s furious attempts to change his
opinioninmid-conversation.
Most girls Crusch’s age might have requested jewelry with which to adorn
themselves.It was indeed an unusual child who, given the choice, would pick
thefamily’sheirloomdaggerforagift.But,seeinghowtenderlyCruschheldthe
thing,Fouriersenseditwouldbesuperficialtorushtosuchajudgment.
“What’s wrong withit? It might be one thing if a girl were fixated on the
bladeitself,tryingdesperatelytoobtainit.Butthatisnotwhatwasinyourmind,
wasit?Youweretakenwiththelioncrest,weren’tyou?AndhowcanIbearany
illwilltowardagirllikethat?Afterall,ImyselfamadescendantoftheLion
King!”
“—”
“Issomethingwrong?”Fourierasked.Hehadbeensoconfidentashespoke,
butCruschsimplystaredathim.Thisgirlhadseemedsostoicatfirst,andnow
he had seen so many of her varied expressions—although he wished more of
themweresmiles.
“N-no,”Cruschsaid.“It’ssimply…Thisisthefirsttimeanyonehasthought
Imighthavebeeninterestedinthecrest,andIwassurprised.”
“Ah,Isee.Butisitnottrue?”
“Yes…itis.”
CruschseemedtowanttounderstandwhyFourierhadmadethisguesswith
suchconfidence.Sohestuckouthischestproudlyandsaid,“Soyouknow,there
wasnoparticularreasonIthoughtthat.Noproof.Justmyowncertainty.”
“…I can see Your Highness is serious. You surprise me more with every
moment.”
“Generallyspeaking,Iamalwaysserious.Myeccentricitiesareofakindnot
oftendetectedbythecommonpeople,however.Heh-heh!Areyouafraidofme
now?”
“No,mylord.Onlyadmiring.”Cruschpulledinherchin,raisingthedagger
sothatFouriercouldsee it.Her delicatefingertipsranacrosstheseal,andher
ambereyessparkled.“IsYourHighnessawareofthereasonthatthecrestofmy
house—theKarstenhouse—isalion?”
“Um—yes,yes,ofcourseIam!But…justforform’ssake,Iwishtohearit
fromyourownlips.Imustseeifwesharethesameunderstanding.”
“Of course. As Your Highness knows, the lion crest was originally the
insigniaoftheLugunicaroyalfamily.”
That had been four centuries earlier, before the pact with the dragon was
madeandthenationcametobeknownastheDragonfriendKingdom.Inthose
days,theKingdomofLugunicahadflownthelioncrest,anditsrulerhadbeen
calledtheLionKing.
Wise and strong, these lords provided guidance to all the people. The title
was lost when the last Lion King made his pact with the dragon, and dragons
becamemorereveredthanlionsinLugunica.
“By the dragon’s good grace, the kingdom became rich and prosperous,”
Crusch concluded. “And with the Lion King no longer needed, the lion crest
gavewaytotheonewehavetoday,whichbearsthedragon.”
“That’sright—Iremembernow!Thelioncrestwasnotlostbutgiftedbythe
rulertoanespeciallyvaluedsubject.Andthelionbearingitsfangs—”
“—becamethesymbolofmyfamily,HouseofKarsten.”
Miklotov’s endless chatter and those classes Fourier was always running
awayfromhadfinallycomeinhandy.Buthehadrarelyheardtheancienttitle
“LionKing”morethanhehadtoday.
“TheLionKing…”hebreathed.
“Indeed,”shesaid,“theLionKing.”
Itwasatitlethathadbeenallbutforgottenbymany.Fouriertriedtospeakit
freelybutfoundhimselfunable.ThesmilethatplayedacrossCrusch’slipshad
broughthimupshortassheagreedwithhim.Itwasnotthesmileofsomeone
faintlyrecallinganoldandfadednamefromthepast.
—Rather,itbespokeanadmiration,indeedafondness,fortheforgottenking.
“Eeyowch!”
“YourHighness?!Wh-whatareyoudoingtoyourself?”
Fourierhadbeenonthevergeofbreakingintoavacuoussmile.Topreventit,
hehadgivenhimselfaforcefulslaponthecheek,startlingCrusch.
“Areyouallright,YourHighness?Hassomethinghappened?”
“N-nothingatall.Atrivialmatter.Abuglandedonmycheek.Itismyburden
tobelovedevenbycreaturesassmallasthat!”
Fourier’s cheek was red and his eyes were watering, but Crusch looked
suitablydeceivedandsaid,“Isee…”
Convincedthatthepainhadbeenworthit,Fourierprivatelypraisedhisown
judgment.ThenhetriedtoturntheconversationbacktothesubjectoftheLion
King.
“Crusch.IseeyouhaveanexceptionalappreciationoftheLionKing.Whyis
that?”
“No special reason. And is this something we should be discussing in the
royalcastle…?”
“What, would it become an issue if anyone overheard? Then let it be our
secret,yoursandmine.I,forone,certainlyshallnottellanyone.Ineverbetraya
promise!”
He sounded so sure of himself. After a moment’s silence, Crusch smiled
again.Shewasspeakingtooneoftheprimarymembersoftheroyalhousehold.
Therewas no such thing asa secret. To her, Fourier seemed to have forgotten
thathewasofroyalblood.Shelookedathim,alittlestunned.
“I have a thought sometimes. Even though, knowing the meaning of my
house’s crest, and knowing of the pact with the dragon that protects our
kingdom,Ithinkitmightbetoomuchforthissmallbodyofmine.”
“Whatthoughtisthat?”
“Inthetimeof the LionKing,we didnothave thestabilitywe enjoynow.
But they did not have this stagnation, either. The dragon’s blessing makes our
liveseasy—perhapstooeasy.”
“—”
Fourier found himself swallowing heavily at her words. Seeing him fall
silent, Crusch’s lips curled into a smile again. However, it was not the
affectionate smile of earlier but a detached expression that somehow seemed
adult.
“WillYourHighnesspunishmenowfordisrespectingthekingdom?”
“In all honesty, I’m beginning to think it is best to keep this between us.
You’rerightthatthistalkoughtnottobesharedwithjustanyone.Andyet…”
FouriercouldnotquiteseewhatCruschsaw.Callitadifferenceinintellect
or in way oflife. The young prince had only just begun becoming acquainted
withhernature,andhewasunabletoofferananswertowhatshepondered.
WhenshesawFourieragonizingoverwhatshehadsaid,Cruschhalfclosed
hereyes,thestrengthdrainingfromhershoulders.“ForgetwhatIsaid,mylord.
Thinkofitasthefoolishmumblingsofagirlwhoknowsnotherplace.Ihaveno
brothers,butitremainsthatIamawoman.Iamunabletochoosealifebefitting
myhouse’screst…thepathofalion.”
She spoke the words unable to choose in a tone of profound resignation.
Therewassomethingshedesperatelywantedtodoandcouldn’t.Surelythatwas
whatsettheyoungwomanCruschdistinctlyapartfromothergirls.Itwaswhy
shehadcapturedFourier’sattentionsocompletely.
Hefeltarushofheatinhisragingheart.Heopenedhismouth,revealinga
fang-liketooth.
“Foolishness? Let others call it that. But you must never concede so
yourself.”
“…YourHighness?”
Fourierknewalltoowellthepainofmisunderstandinganddismissalswith
wordslikefoolishnessornonsense.Ithadcausedhimtogiveupinthepast—but
evenifhehadtoadmitasmuch,itwasdifficulttoallowthis.Toseethewoman
who had grabbed his attention forsaking the very thing that had sparked his
interestinher.
“Idon’tknowwhatdesiresyouharbororwhatyouwishtodo.ButIamsure
thatthegirlstandingherebeforemetodayistheresultofhereffortstoachieve
thatgoal.Itseemsyounowregardthattimeaswasted,but…”
Hehadbeenutterlycaptivatedbythesightofherstandingthere—herface,
thesoundofhervoice,andthetimetheyhadspenttogether.Andallthesethings
he had fallen for had surely come about because of her constant striving to
realizeherwish,thewishshewasnowabouttoabandon.Andsohispushback
camefromthefireofhisowndeeplyseatedpassion.
—To let that wish go would be a grave mistake. This, Fourier knew with
everyfiberofhisbeing.
“I’mconvincedyouaremoreintelligentthanI.Butintelligencehaslittleto
dowithme.Youarewrong!Iknowyouare!”
“YourHighness…?YoumeanwhatIseekiswrong,aswell?”
“Idon’tknow!Idon’tknowwhatiswrong.Butsomethingis.”
CruschlookedtakenabackbyFourier’sbluntpronouncement.Herideashad
beenamplycriticizedinthepast.Shehadbeenrepeatedlytoldshewaswrong,
different from those around her, until she had finally begun to doubt her own
thinking.Atheart,Fourier’soutburstwasnotthesameasthoseotherrejections.
“Don’tgivemethatresignedsmile!Perhapsyourwordsarefoolishness,but
theybelongtoyou.Iwillnotlaugh,andanyonewholaughsdoesnothavethe
visiontoseewhereyouareheaded.Youneverknowwhatmightcomeofit—
what flower might bloom. You are still just a bud! And who can say what
wonderfulblossommightemergebeforeithasfullycomeintoitself?”
Fourierwasratherproudofhavingcomeupwiththismetaphor.Heturnedto
theflowerbedandpointedtotheimmaturebudinthecorner.
“Idonotknowwhatyouwereseeing,butwhenyoulookedatthatsproutI
knewyourheart.Because,Iamsure,itisthesameasmine!”
“—”
“S-so… So don’t blame yourself for being different from others. It means
nothing,anditisunimportant.Wemayhaveourdifferences,butifwesee the
samebeautyinthesamethings,thenallwillgowellforus!”
Fourierthrusthisfistintotheair,exclaiming,“Howaboutthat?”inashowof
excitement. Crusch was wide-eyed, overwhelmed by his ardor. Silently, as if
drawnalong,shelookedattheflowerbed,too.
Thenshesaid,“Icameheretodaytoseeifthathadfloweredyet.”
“Ithoughtasmuch.Youwereobservingitwithsuchinterest.”
Cruschwasconfused.“IsthisnotthefirsttimeYourHighnesshasseenme
here?”
“Oh!Uh,no,itisthefirsttime!Iwasjust…speakingonintuition!Yes,that’s
it!”
Crusch didn’t press Fourier about these strange remarks, only smiled.
Quietly, she said, “If you think we see the samebeauty in thesame things…”
Her face relaxed. “Then, my lord, when this bud blooms, may I view it with
you?Tofindoutifsomeoneasunusualasmyselfsharesyoursensibilities?”
“Oh?Oh!Youmay!Youcertainlymay.Iwouldenjoythat!”
Fourieransweredinafitofecstasy,turningredfromtheneckupatCrusch’s
smilinginvitation.
Onlythe flowers—andasinglebud—bobbing inthewindstood witnessto
thisoddbutamusingexchange.
5
“SothesourceofyoungmasterFourier’sheartsicknessisCruschKarsten,isthat
it?”
In a room of the Lugunica castle lined with bookshelves, Miklotov was
receivinga report.Standing in front of the old sage was the tutor tasked with
Fourier’s education. The prince had always been capricious, but lately he had
beenevenlessabletofocusthanusual.Whentheinstructortoldhimwhatthe
problemwas,Miklotovnoddedandstrokedhislongbeard.
“Mmm.Isee.The daughterof thehonorable LordMeckart.I’veheardthat
she’s quite an odd girl… Perhaps that is precisely what drew His Highness
Fouriertoher.”
“IamafraidIdon’tknow,sir.Butitappears tobe factthat theyoung lady
andHisHighnessareonfamiliarterms.Theotherday,Igathertheywenttothe
gardentolookataflowertogether…”
“Howsweet.Butifthiscauseshimtoneglecthisstudies…”
“Er,ahem,onthatnote,sir.”ThetutorinterruptedMiklotov.Thesageraised
an eyebrow. “If anything, His Highness has been more focused on his studies
thanbefore.Perhapshisacquaintancewiththeyoungladyhas…”
“…moved him to present himself as his best? Yes, how sweet, indeed.”
Miklotovfinishedthetutor’sreluctantsentence.
Themoodwas somewhat awkward, but immediately after, Miklotov’sgaze
sharpened,andhestraightenedup.Fixedbytheoldman’sstare,thetutorfelthis
throatgodry.Miklotovasked:
“Andtheyounglord…?Hasheshownanysignsoftheblood?”
“Ahem,he—no,hedoesn’tappearto…Atleast,notthatIhaveseen.”
DespondencecrossedMiklotov’seyes.Theoldsageletoutalongsigh.
“Is that so? …Perhaps the second coming of the Lion King is only a
dream…”
Hecouldnothidehisdisappointment.Thetutor,notquiteabletosympathize
witheithertheelder’sthoughtprocessorhiswishes,couldonlyremainsilent.
Thesagewishedforthesecondcomingofawiserulerwhohadheldswayin
thedaysoftheLionKings.Butthetutorwonderedwhatmeaningtherecouldbe
inthat.Thekingdomwassecureunderitspactwiththedragonandtheblessings
itprovided.Theroyalfamilyneededonlytocarryonthebloodline;nomorewas
askedofit.
Thus,theinstructordidnotreporttoMiklotovthemorepeculiaraspectsof
Fourier’s nature. Sometimes the boy would be seized by an unaccountable
intuition.Butthetutorhaddismissedhisflashesofinsightintoboardgamesand
arithmetic exercises as mere flukes. He was too much of a realist to consider
theseeventsassignsthatFourierwasqualifiedtobethesageking.
AndifhefailedtosympathizewithMiklotov’sreasoning,hewasalsounable
tounderstandFourier’s resourcefulness.Thistutorwasagiftedteacher,butno
more than an ordinary citizen of the kingdom. He had reached these heights
largelybecausetherehadnotbeenenoughofficialstofilleveryvacantposition.
“Inthatcase,IhopeHisHighnesswillatleastspendhisdaysingoodhealth.
Ishallexercisetheseoldbonesalittlelongertobesureitisso…”
Sage though he was, Miklotov was not a mind reader. He could not know
that, in his heart, the tutor actually possessed the account Miklotov longed to
hear.AndFourierlivedinignoranceofwhatothershopedofhim.
Itwasaspeciesoftragedy,butalsooneofthegreatironiesofdestiny.
—Butitwouldbefar,farinthefuturebeforethetruemeaningofthiswould
cometolight.
6
Afterthat,FourierLugunicafoundhisdaysevermorefulfilling,neverrealizing
that those who looked to him expectantly saw their hope slowly give way to
despair.
SeveraldaysafterhehadmadehispromisetoCrusch,theywatchedthebud
bloomintoagreatflower.Hersmileatthemomentshelaideyesontheblossom
wasfixedclearlyinFourier’smind.
“—It’sbeautiful,isn’tit,YourHighness?”
“Indeed,itcertainlyis!IbelieveIshallneverforgetthis.”Fourierdecidedto
keeptohimselfwhatexactlyhewouldcommitforevertomemory.
Their garden rendezvous continued frequently after that day. Crusch would
visitthegardenwhenevershearrivedatthecastle,andFourierwouldalwaysbe
there. But Crusch was different somehow, ever since they saw that flower
blossomtogether.Astheysaweachothermoreandmore,somethingabouther
begantochange.
“Younolongertieyourhairback,”heremarkedoneday.
Whentheyhadfirstmet,herhairhadbeentiedup,andshehadwornadress
thatwastheverypictureofgirlishness.Butlately,wheneverhesawher,shelet
herlonghairhangdown,andthedesignsofherdressesgrewmorerefined.
“IoweittowhatYourHighnesssaid,”Cruschrepliedwithaslightsmile.But
Fouriercouldn’timaginewhatshemeant.Whathadhesaidtohertoinspiresuch
change?
“Youneednotunderstand,mylord.ButIthankyoujustthesame.”
“Hrm!ButhowwillIbeatpeacewithoutknowing?Itweighsonmeso!”
CruschsaidnothinginreplytoFourier’soutburstbutonlyreacheddownto
herhip.Thedaggerhungthere,andFourierrealizedshehaddevelopedahabit
oftouchingthelioncrest.HefeltsuddenlyasthoughtheLionKinghadtaken
herfromhim,thoughshewasstandingrightthere.
“You’requiteenamoredwiththeLionKing,aren’tyou?”hesaid.
“Youmisunderstand,YourHighness.I’msimplyproudofmyancestor,who
diligentlysupportedhiscountryandwasrecognizedasthegreatestservantofthe
king…thoughIunderstandIdothisquiteoften.”
Herflushedcheeksbetrayedherattemptedexcuseafternoticingtheprince’s
sullendemeanor.Lessandlesshappywiththesituation,Fouriereyedherdagger
ruefully.
“ButtheLionKingisnomore,”hesaid.“Thinkofhimashighlyasyoulike;
nooneelsewillever…”
“—”
“Er—no!I mean—I was speaking figuratively! I didn’t—” His inadvertent
wordsmusthavestruckCruschintheheart,forsheretreatedintooppressiveand
mournfulsilencewhile Fourier frantically tried to takeback what he had said.
Finally,heclappedhishandsandsaid,“Verywell!Ifthatiswhatyouwishfor,
thenIshallmakemyselfintothepersonyouseek!”
“Mylord?”
“Let us see whether your love for this kingdom approaches what the Lion
King saw in your honored ancestor! Whynot? The Lion’s blood flows in my
veins,doesitnot?Ihaveeveryrighttobethejudgeofthis!”
Crusch’sshockatthesementalgymnasticsgavewaytoasmile.
“Hmm!Doyoulaughatme?Idaresay,I’veimpressedevenmyselfwithmy
impeccablelogic!”
“N-no, I…I apologize. It is simply… Your Highness is such an amazing
person…”
“Ah-ha!Youwonder,doyounot,whetherIamasworthyofavowofloyalty
astheLionKing?Verywell.Watchmeclosely.Ishalljudgeyourloyaltyasyou
shalljudgemyworthiness.Then,weresurrectoncemorethebondbetweenthe
LionKingandhismostdevotedretainer!”
“Ah—ha-ha-ha!”
“Don’tlaaaugh!”
Butheramusementwaslikeaflowerblooming,andsoonFourierjoinedher.
No one knows whether the vow they exchanged was made in seriousness.
Butthetwoofthemremaineddeartoeachotherlongafter,andintimeanother
young man was added to their number. When that happened, Fourier would
dreamadream,inspiredbythebondthisvowhadstarted.
So this was merely the beginning of a dream—the dream of Fourier
Lugunica.
<END>
FELIXARGYLEISAPRETTYBOY
1
“Thisisterrible!TheysayIamtoattendamatchmakingmeeting!”
SuchwerethedesperatewordsthatrangthroughtheKarstenmanoronefine
afternoon.Thedoortotheparlorflewopen,andayoungboywithgoldenhair
tumbledin,stillbreathinghard.
Hehadscarleteyes,distinctivecanineteeth,andfineclothing,includingan
extravagantfurrobe.Ifhecouldhavemusteredadignifiedsilenceandasmile,
nodoubthewouldhavecapturedtheheartsofmanyagirl.Butalas,noonehad
everseenhimactthatmature.
TherestlessyoungboywasnamedFourierLugunica,andhewasthefourth
sonofthekingoftheDragonfriendKingdomofLugunica,abonafideprince.
“Calmdown,YourHighness.Howcantherestofusmaintainourcomposure
whenyouaresofrantic?”
Thesourceofthisadmonitionwasayoungwomanwhoshowednotevena
hint ofpanic. She had long, beautiful green hair tied with a white ribbon, her
still-growing body clad in men’s clothes. Her almond-shaped amber eyes and
firmfeaturesmarkedherassomeonewhowouldbeagreatbeautyoneday.
This was Crusch Karsten, the only daughter of the master of this house,
MeckartKarsten.She would onedayinheritherfamily’sducalestateandwas
suretobecomeawomanofgreatstature.Butatthistime,shewasstillagirlof
fourteen—thosearoundherhadhadscantopportunitytorecognizehergifts.
“Youexpectmetobecalmatatimelikethis?!They’retryingtomarryme
off!Don’tyouthinkthatshouldbeofgreatconcerntoyou?Shouldn’titbeof
greatconcerntoher,Ferris?!”
“Ah? You’re asking Ferri?” The person in question spun and pointed to
himself.Thethoroughlysurprisedspeakerwasagirlishboyflickinghisflaxen
catears—FelixArgyle.
IthadbeenfiveyearssinceFelix,forhisownreasons,hadtakenthename
Ferris,begundressinginwomen’sclothing,andbecomeCrusch’sattendant.The
two of them were well acquainted with Fourier since long ago and had
developed the capacity to enjoy whatever apparent crises the excitable young
princebroughtthem.
Overcoming his initial surprise, Ferris tapped a finger to his lips and said,
“Mm,you’reright,PrinceFourier.But!But!You’refourteennow…You’renot
achild,soitmakessensethey’dwanttosetupameowtchforyou.”
Fourierpaledatthat;hisballedfiststrembled.“No,absolutelynot!Ishallnot
bepartytoanymatchmaking!Irefuse!”
“But,YourHighness.Asamemberoftheroyalfamily,itisyourdutytotake
a spouse and continue the royal line. The problem won’t go away simply
becauseyoudon’tlikeit.”
“U-um, you’re not wrong, of course. It’s—I’m not objecting to the idea of
marriage in general, you see. But, you know…I—I have the right to choose,
don’tI?Idon’tneedamatchmakerto…Ahh,whatareyouforcingmetosay?!”
“Ah,myloutishprince…”Ferrissaid.
AsFouriervoicedhisardentresentmentofthematchmakingmeeting,Crusch
replied with irrefutable logic. Fourier attempted to respond, but there was
nothinghecouldsay,andhesoonresortedtoared-facedboutoftemper.
Ferriscouldonlyshakehisheadandsigh.Hefeltthefrustrationbornfrom
fiveyearsofwatchingthesetwotalkpasteachother.Fourier’sinfatuationwith
Crusch was plain to see. It made sense he would have no interest in a
matchmaking meeting when his heart had belonged to another for so long. If
onlyhecouldbringhimselftobehonestaboutit.Thefourthprince,Fourier,and
the daughter of a duke. They were close enough in status; there would be no
harminit.But…
“Ferris,HisHighnessseemsquiteupset.DidIsaysomethingwrong?What
doyouthink?”Cruschsaid,whisperingtohimsotheprincecouldn’thear.She
wastotallyoblivious.
CrushwasFerris’slifelongmaster,themostlovinggirlinalltheworld—and
she was utterly unable to discern anything more than friendly affection. There
wasno harmin Fourier’s romantic interest, except that Crusch herself was his
lastandgreatestobstacle.
He wished Fourier would hurry up and find the courage to confess his
feelings…
“No,LadyCrusch,youhaven’tdoneanythingwrong.It’sallHisHighness.
He’smadethemeowstake.Lady,helpmetellhimtobelessofalout…”
“Hmm,verywell.IsupposeIcantrustyourassessment.YourHighness,I’m
notentirelyclearonthis,butIoffermyheartfeltrequestthatyoustopbeingsuch
alout.”
“Hrk!”
Therewasnobitetothewords,butFourierclappedhishandsoverhischest
andfelltohiskneesbecauseitwashisbelovedwhohadspoken.Crusch’seyes
wentwideatthis,andshelookedreprovinglyatFerris.
“I’llpunishyouforthislater,Ferris.”
“Awww,butFerrijustwantedtogetasmileoutofyou,milady!”
“Sheesh.Ever the smoothtalker. I suppose you’re the only one who could
sneaksomethinglikethatpastmyblessingofwindreading.It’sjustaswelltobe
remindedthatmyprotectionisn’tall-powerful.”
“Yes!That’sallFerriwastryingtodo—toremindyouofthat,milady.”
“I’llpretendtobelieveyou.ButI’mstillgoingtopunishyou.”
Crusch nodded sternly. Not once in her life had she ever failed to follow
throughon something she saidshewoulddo.Punishmentwasa fine-sounding
word, but she didn’t pull her punches when it came to handing them out, so
anyone who wanted to play a prank on her had to be prepared for the
consequences.
“Ohwell!Ferriwillkeepmakingjokes,that’sforsure!Justtoseethelovely
LadyCruschwearthatlookofsurpriseonherface!Oh,whatararetreat!”
“Arrgh, that will be enough out of you two! When a person comes in
agonized,tormented,isitnotusualtocomforthim?!Ordoyouenjoyleavingme
tosuffer?Oh,theloneliness!”Fourierbrokeinaftergrowingquitetiredofbeing
leftout.
It could be a challenge to pacify Fourier once he got into one of these
childishtantrums.CruschandFerristurnedtothetasktogether.
Itwasperhapsatestamenttothestrengthoftherelationshipamongthethree
thatneitherofthemseemedtoconsiderthisroleaburden.
2
WhenFourier’stemperfinallycooled,thetriostayedintheparlordiscussingthe
detailsofthematchmakinginterview.
“Theprospectivematchisthedaughterofsomerelationtothearchbishopof
Gusteko.Theysayshe’snineteen!Awholefiveyearsolderthanme.Thiswill
notdoatall.Wemustcancelthemeeting.”Fourieralreadysoundedthoroughly
convincedofhisownconclusion.
“YourHighness!YourHighness,I’mtellingyou,youhavenoproof!”Ferris
attemptedtoremonstratewithoutraisingtheyounglord’shacklesagain.
TheHolyKingdomofGustekowasoneofthefourgreatnations,knownfor
its freezing temperatures and the blizzards it endured year-round. It was also
famousforareligiousoutlookthatcouldonlyhavebeenproducedbysuchharsh
circumstances, a unique form of spiritualism. The archbishop Fourier had
mentionedwasadeeplyreveredpersoninthatcountry.
“InGusteko,thearchbishopisalmostasimportantastheCouncilofEldersis
here,” Ferris said. “A meowrriage alliance with that family would be very
importantforLugunica…”
“Such a match would be of tremendous import for both nations, Your
Highness,”Cruschadded.“Thisisanessentialduty.”
“Wait,wait,wait,wait!We’rejustgoingincircles.Whendidthebothofyou
startsidingwiththeHoly Kingdom?WhatI’msayingisI don’twant tomake
anymatches!Help me!”Fourier clungto Ferris’sknees, nearly in tears.Ferris
couldn’thelpthinkinghowunbecomingthisscenewouldlookifanyonewereto
bearwitness,butnonethelesshegavethecrybabyprinceapatonthehead.
“Ifyou’rethatupset,LordFourier,thentheyprobablywon’tgothroughwith
it…but unfortunately, being bothered probably isn’t a good enough reason to
turndownthemeetingitself.”
“Mm,yes, I realizethat myself. By which Imean,when I said as much to
Miklotov,Iwassubjectedtooneofhisrarefitsofanger.Ihadnoideahecould
workhimselfintosuchafury…”
MiklotovoftheCouncilofElderswasknownforhiswisdomandhislevel
head. The news that Fourier had already managed to upset the great adviser
causedFerristoputhisheadinhishands,thenshootadesperatelookatCrusch.
“LadyCruuusch…Whatshouldwedo?”
“Good question. For the good of the kingdom I would have His Highness
simply resign himself to this meeting, but as I owe a great debt to him, I am
obliged to do all I can when he comes to me for help. Incidentally, Your
Highness,ifthismarriageweretogoahead,wouldtheyoungladybecomingto
Lugunica?”
“No—MiklotovtoldmeIshouldpreparetocontinuemystudiessomewhere
chilly… I can’t do it! I hate being hot and being cold, but cold is definitely
worse!Youknowme—evenonawarmdayliketoday,Ineverletmyrobeoutof
mysight.”
Fouriercouldn’tbringhimselftohaveanyinterestinthemeeting,andhewas
certainlyconcernedaboutwhatlifewouldbelikeoncehewaswed.Hewould
feelbadforayoungwomanstuckwithsomeonewhohadresistedthematchso
fervently.Thenagain,ifshewasanythinglikeFourier,itwaspossibleshewas
alsobeingforcedintothis.
“Andthatmeansit’spossibleneitherofthepartiestothismarriagewouldbe
happy…”hemoaned.
It would have been simple enough to point out that many marriages were
similar, and let the matter end there. But just as Ferris loved and respected
Crusch, he felt a deep affection for Fourier as well. If it could be done, he
wantedtoseethembothenjoythegreatestpossiblehappinessinthislife.Even
if,attheworst,itleftFerrishimselfwithoutaplacetobelong.
“Okay,YourHighness,mew’vemadeyourselfperfectlyclear.Wemustfinda
way to scuttle this meeting. I guess your reputation can’t get any worse,
anyway!”
“Oh!You’vecomearound?Now,that’sencouraging,Ferris!So,what’syour
plan?ShallwepretendI’malreadybetrothed?Youknow,to…someone?”
“Mewwouldhavetoshowmorecouragethanyou’veevershowninyourlife
topullthatoff,YourHighness!”
Theywouldneedmorethanenthusiasm.EvenashechastisedFourierforhis
lackofspine,FerristookCrusch’shand.Shewaslookingveryputout.Thenhe
placeditoveranotherhandthatwasstillclingingtohisknees—Fourier’shand.
“Thisishowitworks,”Ferrissaid.“AssorryasIfeelfortheyounglady,at
themeetingyouhavetodeclarethatyourheartalreadybelongstoanother…and
that’showyou’llmakeitthrough!”
“Th-th-that’syourplan?!But…butCruschandIaren’tlovers…!”
“You’re right, you’re not! But all you have to do is get the other side to
believeyouareandbackoutofthematch.Afterthat,thetwoofmewjusthavea
bigfightand‘breakup’orsomething.Nomoreproblem!”
“Ferris!Myhearthurtsforsomereason!Andmychestandmyback!Please,
casthealingmagiconme!”
“Healing magic can’t fix the kind of pain you’re mewling right now, Your
Highness.Sorry!”
FourierfoundhimselfcaughtupinthemomentumofFerris’sidea.Thetrio’s
hands were still joined, and Fourier slowly turned red as he came alive to the
realizationthathewouldgettopretendtobeCrusch’slover.
Afterthatepiphany,hewasquicktojumponboard.Hestoodwithnosmall
amountofconfidenceandsaid,“Heh-heh!Verywell,then!Iexpectednolessof
you,Ferris…Iapplaudyoufordetectingmynaturaltalentsasanactor!”
“No,no,it’salldown toYourHighness’spliantpersonality. Ferrididn’tdo
anything!”
“Ha-ha-ha! You needn’t praise me so! Yes, I’ve started to feel quite good
about this. The cloud that hung over me has vanished like it was never there!
Very good—now, Crusch!” With a great guffaw Fourier returned to his usual
self.HeheldouthishandtohisbelovedCrusch,flashingasmilethatshowedhis
teeth like a child playing a mischievous trick. “Work with me to reduce this
meetingtonothing!Irequestthiscooperationofy—”
“YourHighness,I’mafraidthereissomethingImusttellyou.”
“Um…andwhatwouldthatbe?”
Fourier looked less than pleased to have been interrupted at the climactic
momentofhisspeech.Cruschgavehimaknowinglook,butatthesametime,
shefurrowedherwell-formedeyebrows.
“Itsohappensthatmyfatherhasalreadyaskedmetoattendtosomebusiness
onthesamedayasyourmeeting.It’snolessthanasummonstothepalacefrom
Miklotov…”
“Mrrow?!”
Fourier was taken aback, and Ferris couldn’t hide his surprise. But unlike
Fourier, who had already stopped thinking, Ferris suspected such an
inconvenientturnofeventswasentirelyintentional.
“Do you think they deliberately arranged a conflicting engagement so you
couldn’tmesswiththemeeting?”Ferrisasked.
“Knowing my father and the esteemed Miklotov, such a ploy is possible.
Thenagain, itmightreally bejustcoincidence…So, YourHighness,I’mvery
sorrytosayIwillnotbeabletolendyoumyaid.”
“I—Isee.Th-that’sfine.Ha-ha.That’s…Yes,completelyfine.”Fouriersat
downbroodingly,notquiteabletohidehisdisappointment,despair,andshock.
Helookedabsolutelypathetic,andFerrisrushedtocomforthim.
SeeingFourier’sexpression,Cruschcockedherheadandnodded.“Mylord,I
don’tsupposeitmatterswhetherIamtheoneyou’reallegedlyinlovewith?”
“—Huh?”
FerrisandFourierbothlookedupandspokeatthesamemoment.
Seeingtheir perfectlysynchronous reactions,Cruschgaveoneof her rarest
smiles:thegrinofarefinedyoungwomanwhohadsomethingnaughtyinmind.
3
Thelongawaiteddayhadarrived.Themeetingwasheldinamansioncloseto
the border between the Kingdom of Lugunica and the Holy Kingdom of
Gusteko.Specifically, it was the manor of Viscount Misère, who oversaw the
whole northern region of Lugunica; when informed of the scheme they were
planning,hehadbeensurprisinglyeagertoparticipate.
“ThatHolyKingdomlotarefranklyeerie.Idon’twanttoimaginetheroyal
blood of Lugunica being mingled with the line of those dreamers. The young
ladyyou’llbe meetingtoday isespeciallybad.Byallmeans,bringthingstoa
screechinghalt!”
Althoughhecouldn’traisetoomuchhellaboutit,beingonthebordercaused
noendoftroubleforthelocallord.Hewasmorethanwillingtooverlookalittle
mischiefinordertoobtainsomereliefforhimself.
“Meowbeyouhavetobeabitweirdtogetanimportantjoblikethis.Lord
Meckartisthesameway.”
ViscountMisèreremindedFerrisofacertaintroublesomemasterofanoble
house.Meckarthardlyseemedtheimageofanobleman,butwhenFerristhought
back on all the people he had seen in the castle, it seemed very few of them
looked quite the way one expected when imagining the aristocracy. He also
recalledthetimewhenhehadgonefortraininginhealingmagicseveralyears
before.Therewasadistinctimpressionthatnoneofthenobleswerevery,well,
noble.
“Well,that’snottrueoftheonesI’mclosestwith,though,”hemused.Neither
Crusch and Fourier nor Meckart offered anything to complain about on a
personal level. They weren’t stereotypical nobles, concerned only with
reputationandlordingoverothers.MaybeFerris’sparentsweretheonlynobles
likethat.“Ahh,stopit,stopit!Ican’tgomakingmeowselfalldepressedatsuch
animportantmoment!”
Hegavehimselfaslaponthecheektobringhimselfback,buthemadesure
todoitgentlysohisfacewouldn’tturnred.
Ferris had prepared much more thoroughly than he usually did for his
engagements.The maids who had attended him at Crusch’sbehest had done a
fantasticjob.Itwasasignthatshewasexpectingalotofhim,eventhoughshe
couldn’tbepresentherself.Justthethoughtmadehisheartfeelaslightasifit
hadwings.
“Allright…”hesaidtohimself.“Heregoesnothing,Ferri!”
HeimaginedCruschgivinghimalittlepushtogethimstartedandstepped
out ofthe changingroom. He swept the hem of his skirt with much the same
resolve as a soldier going to the battlefield, and the viscount, waiting outside,
sawhimoffwithasmile.Ferrisletthenobleman’sunexpectedenthusiasmcarry
himtowardthefatefulroom.
One of the viscount’s men, standing with a nervous look just outside the
closeddoor,gaveFerrisanod.ThenFerrisstoodinfullviewasthedooropened,
beforestridingproudlyintothemeetingroom.
“IamHisHighnessFourier’slover,”heannouncedinagirlishtone,“andI
willnotallowthismeetingtoproceed!”
IfCruschcouldn’tbeheretounderminethismeeting,hewouldhavetodoit
himself.
4
Ferris’s unexpected entrance threw the meeting into confusion. Apparently he
hadbargedinjust at the moment when the two youngprospectshad been left
alonetogether.Itwastwoagainstone,andthenumbersfavoredFourier’sside.
Butfromthepointofviewofsheerquantity,itwasverymuchtheotherway
around.
“The… The young lady looks very strong, doesn’t she?” Ferris muttered,
sizing up the other party to the meeting, who sat across from them. Asthings
stood,thethreeofthemwereinameetingroomwithasmalltablebetweentheir
side and hers as they faced one another. Ferris seated himself next to Fourier,
while the prince’s prospective match was seated across from them. She had
presenceenoughtoovercomethedisadvantageinnumbers.
“Oh,there’snoneedtodancearoundit,”shesaidwithanelegantshakeof
herhead.“IknowI’mabitbiggerthanmost.”Shelookeddown,embarrassed.
The quality of each gesture, however, communicated the refinement of her
upbringing.
—Unfortunately,herbodywassolargethatthephraseexceptionalcarriage
wassimplyinadequate.
ThegirlwasseatedinfrontofFourier,butshetookupsomuchroomthatit
wouldhavebeenfairtosayshewasseatedinfrontofFerris,too.Theyfeltmore
liketheywerefacedwithaboulderthanaperson.
“A-andsoyousee,MissTiriena…”
But she had a lovely name. It sounded like a spell that could be used to
summonsnowsprites,butsheherselflookedlikeamountaininablizzard.Ferris
hadheardthat,inGusteko,withitscontinualsnowfall,girlsprizedskinaswhite
as new fallen snow, and this figure was no exception. Up close, her skin was
peerless;fromadistance,itevokedtheimageofapeerlesscliff.
Even the normally charismatic Fourier seemed cowed by this woman, his
wordsuncharacteristicallyinarticulate.Still,hemanagedtothrowanarmaround
Ferris’sshoulder,pullinghisslenderbodyclose.
“I—I’msosorryyouhadtocomeallthisway,butIalreadyhavesomeone
I’vesetmyheartupon.I’mafraidIjustwon’tbeabletoacceptyourproposal.”
“It’s true. Oh, I just can’t imagine being betrothed to anyone but His
Highness.Ibegyou,don’ttearthetwoofusapart…!”
In contrast to Fourier’s near inability to speak, Ferris was an accomplished
actor,augmentinghispleaswithatearinthecornerofhiseye.Perhapshehad
tugged on Tiriena’s heartstrings, because she lowered her eyes with an
expressionofpityonhersculptedfeatures.
“There’snoneedforeitherofyoutoapologize.Icanseealltoowellthelove
you share. It’s enough to make me ashamed…” Tiriena, wearing one of the
uniquelyunrevealingdressescommoninthenortherncountry,pressedahandto
herchestgently,thenregardedFourierandFerriswithcleareyes.“Evenwein
the Holy Kingdom know of the civil war from decades ago. I had heard
resentmentstillremainedfromthosedays,but…Iseeithasn’tstoppedthetwo
ofyoufromcherishingeachother.Whatabeautifulloveyoushare.”
FerrisrealizedTirienawaslookingathiscatears.Thecivilwarshespokeof
wasalengthyconflictLugunicahadwagedagainstthedemi-humans.Theears
weresimplysomethingFerrishadinheritedfromhisancestors,buttheyplayed
nosmallroleinthetroublehehadexperiencedasachild.Hecouldn’tkeephis
facefromstiffeningatTiriena’swords.Hispaleshoulders,exposedbythecutof
hisdress,begantotremble,andhereflexivelytriedtomakehimselfsmaller.But
thearmaroundhisshouldersdrewtighter.
“Just so, Lady Tiriena.” Fourier was gazing directly at her now as he
attemptedtoholdFerrissteadywithhisarm.Thebewildermenthehadshowna
moment before had vanished, replaced with a commanding presence and
strengthofspirit.“In friendship and inlove I pay nomind to birth or species.
Oneloveswhomoneloves.Othersmaysaywhattheyplease—butIcannotdo
anything about the yearnings of my own heart. I love this woman beside me,
righttoherveryears.Ievenadoreherfelinefickleness.”
Fouriersmiledproudly.Ferrisfelthischeeksgrowhot,theirfacesclose.For
aslongastheyhadknowneachother,FourierhadonlybroughtupFerris’sears
once or twice. And it was true that he had demonstrated his magnanimity by
neverbelittlingthem.Butsayinghelovedthem?Thathehadneverdonebefore,
anditbroughtaflushtoFerris’sface.
“Goodness,Ienvytheideathatonecanbesodearlyloved.”Tirienasmiled
likeacontentedbear.
HerlookmadeFerrisrealizethatTirienaagreedthatthemeetinghadtoend.
Shewasempatheticandperceptive.FerriscouldnotletherhaveFourier,buthe
couldseethatTirienadeservedtobehappy,too.
“Forgiveme,MissTiriena,”Fouriersaid.“Youareintelligentand,aboveall,
kind, and if I were not already so in love, I could do much worse than be
betrothedtoyou.”
“Please,youdon’tneedtotrytosparethefeelingsofawomanyouhaveno
interestin.ItwouldbesomuchworsetoknowIwaswithsomeonewhoseheart
belonged to another. I myself have been thoughtless, anyway. I’d heard the
rumors that His Highness Fourier Lugunica was in love with a manly, martial
youngwoman—andIhavetoadmit,Iwondered…”
FerrisbarelysuppressedasqueakatTiriena’scommentsassherosefromher
seat.Itmeantthatthismeetinghadcometopassbecauseofamisunderstanding
of Fourier’s feelings for Crusch. In other words, the reason they were even
having this meeting was the same reason they were trying to break it up:
Fourier’sloutishness.
“YourHighness,”Ferrissaid,“Ihopeyouhaveagood,longthinkaboutyour
behaviortoday…”
“What do you mean?! I think I was very manly today, if I may say so
myself!”
5
AsViscountMisèrereenteredtheroomwithTiriena’sescort,hewasmerciless.
“Itlookslikethere’snoneedtoaskhowthingswent.”
It was simply his personality, but it was still wrong to say something that
might be hurtful to their guest. Tiriena, however, had a tremendously gentle
smileonherface.
“You’re as cruel as ever, Viscount. Have you no words of comfort for a
brokenheartedyoungmaiden?”
“I thought we held this meeting in hopes that you would find someone to
offeryouthatcomfort.Ifitdidn’tgowell,that’syourproblem.Complainallyou
like;there’snothingIcandoaboutit.”
Itwasaratherupsettingconversationtohear,butneitheroftheparticipants
seemedtobequitebothered.FerrisgaveoneofTiriena’sattendantsataponthe
shoulderasifitwerethemostnaturalthingintheworld.
“Um, excuse meow for asking,” Ferris said, “but have those two met each
other?”
“Ah?Oh,yes.ViscountMisèrecametotheHolyKingdomseveraltimesin
hisyouth,onwhichoccasionshemetLadyTiriena.They’veknowneachother
fornearlyadecadenow…”
Themiddle-agedguard’sexplanationcasttheconversationinaverydifferent
light.In fact, the entire sequence of events started to look different. Why, for
example,theviscounthadseemedsoaggressiveinhisdesiretounderminethe
meeting.And why, with that goal accomplished, he seemed more than a little
pleased.
“CoulditbethattheviscounthasfeelingsforLadyTiriena?”
“Wha?!” At Ferris’s blunt question, the viscount started to turn red before
theireyes.Inanearpanic,heturnedtoTirienaandsaid,“It’snot—it’snottrue!
Thatfool’ssickinthehead!Idon’tcareawhitabout—”
“Iknow;youdon’thavetogetsofrantic.ButIcan’tbelieveyouwouldusea
wordlikefoolforsucharefinedyounglady.Apologizetoher!”
Inhisvehementefforttodefendhimself,Misèreaccidentallyletthecatout
ofthebag.
“AfoolheisandafoolI’llcallhim!Dressornodress,that’saman!”
“Huh?”
Tiriena,shocked,lookedatFerris,tryingtodecidewhetherthiswastrue.It
might have been possible to go on deceiving her, of course, but if she set her
mindtoit,itwouldn’ttaketoolongforhertofindoutthetruth.
“—It’strue.I’maman,justlikehesaid.”
Nopointindenyingit.Ferrispulleddownthefrontofhisdresstorevealhis
perfectlyflatchest.Tirienastilllookedasifshecouldbarelybelieveit.Withno
choiceremaining,Ferrislifteduphisskirt.Tirienawasdeeplyshocked.
“But—yes,I’maman,butthepartaboutHisHighnessandmebeinginlove
istrue!Weareinlove!Aren’twe,YourHighness?”
Ferrishadprovenhissexbutcontinuedtoinsistthattheloveitselfwasnolie.
HeclungtoFourier’sarm,snugglingupagainsthim.
“I love you, Your Highness.” He looked with adoring eyesat Fourier, who
stoodspeechless,thenplantedakissonhischeek.
The soft sensation of his lips seemed to finally rouse Fourier. The young
prince gave a shake of his head and looked Ferris full in the face before
declaring:
“I…Idon’tcareifyou’reaman!Aslongasyou’reyou!”
Itwas,inaway,themanliest,leastloutishthinghehadeverdone.
6
“I heard how things went. Word is, the young lady Your Highness met will
becomeViscountMisère’swife,”Cruschsaid,unabletorepressasmile.Itwas
unliketheever-rationalgirltofightbackagrin.Itwasevidenceofhowcloseto
hometheseeventshadhitforher.
Ferris,ontheotherhand,didn’tappeartobeenjoyinghimself.“Iguessit’s
goodthatwemanagedtoavoidthatmatch.Butnowthingsarekindofawkward
withHisHighness.ItmakesFerrilonely.”
“Tothinkthat’showHisHighnesswouldfindoutaboutyourtruesex…but
surelyyoudidn’tthinkyoucouldhideitfromhimyourentirelife?”
“Nah,Idon’tthinkevenHisHighnessisthatdense.”Thathestillhadnever
saidanythingwastestamenttoFourier’sfearsomeobliviousness.
ButViscountMisèrehadfinallybeenabletorevealhislongandpatientlove,
anditseemedTirienawouldfindherhappiness.Ahappyendingforall,ifonly
FerriscouldfindawaytorepairhisrelationshipwithFourier.
“Incidentally,” Crusch said, “perhaps it’s just the way the story was told to
me,buttherumoristhatHisHighnessprefersmen.Whenthatgetsout,offersof
marriage maystop coming.As soon as the word started circulating, though—
well,IfeltlikeIgotquiteafewsympatheticlooksinthecastle.Iwonderwhat
thatwasallabout.”
“Oh, uhh, you know, there are all kinds of people and all kinds of
opinions…”
“Mm,it’saquestionwithnoeasyanswer.Isee.Ishallconsideritfurther.”
Crusch,asseriousasshewas,wouldnodoubtendupdeductingsomereasoning
shecouldaccept.Althoughbeingasignorantinmattersoftheheartasshewas,
shemightneverarriveatthecorrectanswer.
Meanwhile,Ferrisfoundhimselfunderacloud,eventhoughitrepresentedan
uncharacteristic moment of disloyalty to his master. But even Ferris was
surprised by how hurt he felt when faced with this newfound distance from
Fourier.
The two of them had parted ways after they had left the viscount and the
youngladyinthemeetingroomtogether,andFourierhadgottenintohisdragon
carriage.Hislast,tremblingwordstoFerrishadbeen,“Icommandyoutoleave
mealone.”Hehadnever“commanded”Ferristodoanythingbefore,anditwas
asignofhowdeeplyshakenhewas.
Truth be told, Ferris had pictured this situation more than once. It was his
ownweakness that had kept him from telling Fourierthetruthwhentheyfirst
met and led him to instead deceive the prince. And in all the times he had
imaginedthismoment,hehadneverbeenabletoworkoutanaptwaytohandle
itwhenthetruthcameout.
“—Ferris.” Crusch drew close to him, cutting through his anxious self-
reflection.In a quiet voice, she said, “Trust His Highness. He is the man you
thinkheis.”
She had no proof for these words and offered none, but Ferris found them
more comforting than any lecture on Fourier’s virtues. The bond and the trust
between Crusch andFerris were justthat strong. And he wanted to believe he
sharedsomethingsimilarwithFourier.
Thatwaswhy…
“Thisisterrible!Thegreatestcrisisofmylife!Whereareyoutwo?!”
HewassurprisedwhenFourierflewinwithhisusualcommotion,lookingat
FerrisandCruschjustashealwaysdid,everybitaspanickedashealwayswas.
Heskiddedtoahaltinfrontofawide-eyedFerrisandcrossedhisarms,looking
cornered.
“Myelderbrotherandmyfathergotaholdofmetheotherday.Theyaskedif
itwastruethatIonlylovemen.Iwonderedwhattheycouldpossiblybetalking
about—andapparentlyit’ssomerumoreveryoneinthecityisspreading!Thisis
graveindeed!”
FerrisjustaboutlostitwhenherealizedFourierwasupsetaboutexactlythe
thingtheyhadjustbeendiscussing.But…
“Ahhh-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!”
Beforehecouldburstoutlaughing,Cruschbeathimtothepunch.Itshocked
him:Cruschvirtuallyparalyzedwithhilaritywasaveryunusualsight.
Finally, Ferris could restrain himself no longer and started laughing, too.
“Ha-ha…ha!Ohh,YourHighness!Youaretoo—ha-ha-ha!”
HepoundedFourier’sshoulderinhismerriment,nearlyhardenoughtoinjure
theyoungprince.
“Ow! That hurts! Anyway, what do you two find so amusing? The sky is
practicallyfalling!Wehavetodosomethingaboutthismisunderstanding!”
“Aww,whynotjustleaveit?Ferrisuredoesn’tmindbeingtreatedlikeYour
Highness’slover.Didn’tmewtellmeyourselfhowmuchyoulovedme?”
“That’sacompletelydifferentsubject!It’s truethatgenderdoesn’tstandin
thewayofmyloveforyou,butyou’reaspecialcase!Iwouldn’tfeelthisway
aboutjustany—wait,whatareyoumakingmesay?”
Fourier put his head in his hands, thoroughly confused by his own
pronouncement. Ferris hugged him from behind, throwing himself against the
prince’sbroadback.Thecat-boyshotCruschahappygrin.Thesmilewasstill
onherface,andshenoddedasiftosaysheunderstoodhowFerrisfelt.
All his anxiety from earlier melted away; he felt as if his heart had wings
again.Atthatmoment,hefeltasifhecouldfloatrightuptotheskyandletthe
windtakehimanywherehewantedtogo.
<END>
THEVALKYRIEOFDUKEKARSTEN’SLANDS
1
The first order of business in the morning was to address the reflection in the
mirror.
“Cute!Iamcute.Agirlishyoungwoman,awonderfulandcutegirl.”
Forquitealongtimenow,thishadbeenthemantra,thewordsrepeatedlike
magic. No, not like magic. They were magic, for all intents and purposes. A
magic spell was simply words that contained the power to change things, to
affectthewaytheworldworked.Avowtoone’sselfthatbroughtaboutchange
couldbecallednothingless.
Afterthisincantation,itwastimetorunabrushthroughdistinctiveshoulder-
lengthflaxenhair.Ensuringitwasfullandneatbeforebitingbackayawnand
changingoutofpajamas.
While moving over to the closet, cold air hit pale, slender—and at the
moment—naked,tremblingskin.Itwasimportanttopickashirtthatwasn’ttoo
loudandaskirtwithahemshortenoughtoperhapsraisesomeeyebrows,then
check how it all looked in the mirror. Then came the culottes and knee-high
socks,alongwithwhiteribbons tobe tiedintothehair.Andjustasthe earlier
magicalincantationhadaffirmed,thepictureoftheidealyoungwomanwasnow
complete.
Striking a pose in front of the mirror, then checking once more to be sure
nothing was out of place. No detail could be overlooked; there could be no
mistakes.This girlishness was borrowed, though it ought to have belonged to
thispersontobeginwith,soitwasimportanttotreatitcarefully.
“Okay!Lookinggoodtoday—again!”
Everything was wrapped up with a satisfied nod and a wink. Perfect, no
mistakeaboutit.
Truthbetold,apointhadlongagocomewheretheregularaffirmationswere
no longer necessary. These words were a part of the person who spoke them
now.Afterall,ithadbeensixyearsalready.
“Itwon’tdotolookmeowlancholy.”Apatforeachcheek.“Now,let’sattack
theday!”Andwithatinyyawn,itwastimeforthemtoleavetheroom.
Thehallwayofthemansionwassilentintheearlymorning,achillnoticeable
intheair.Thiswasthehourwhenonecouldsensethecoldseasonarriving.Even
thoughthispersonwasusedtosavingmoneywhereverpossible,morningslike
thismadethemconsideraddinganotherlayer.
Inthehallway,morninggreetingsandeasysmileswereexchangedwiththe
servants who had already begun the day’s work. Everyone remarked on the
suddencooldown,andtherewasevenagentlewarningnottocatchacold.
“Whatareyou talkingabout? Youmeanthat oldsaying, ‘Illnesssparesnot
evendoctors’?”
After smiling and waving, they went their separate ways, while a certain
person continued to themansion’smain entry hall. An elderly steward opened
thedoor.Walkingthroughitwhileunconsciouslybracingagainstthecoldwind
thatcameblowingthrough,asinglefigurehunchedover.
“—You’rehere.”Anotherhadarrivedattheentranceearlierandnowtossed
thebriefremarkoverhershoulder.Shewasbeautiful.Thewomantuggedonthe
reinsofthewhitelanddragonthatwasherfaithfulsteed,holdingherlonggreen
hair against the rising wind. Feeling her upturned, amber eyes watching made
the newcomer unconsciously attempt to straighten up from their previous
stooped position. It wasn’t an attempt to look good for the woman; her eyes
simplyhadthepowertoprovokethatreaction.
“Youdidn’twaitlongforme,didyou,LadyCrusch?”
“No, you’re right on time. I just woke up a little early. My father finally
decidedtopermitmetotakelongerridesagain.I’vebeendyingtogoforone.”
Thedragonputitsfaceclosetohers,andshestrokeditshead,herexpression
relaxingintoasmile.Shelookedverycollected,andyetitspokeofsomething
childishwithinher.HernamewasCruschKarsten.
Shesmiledevenwiderasshenoticedhercompanionlookingherway.“Go
getyourselfalanddragonfromthestables.Ourdestinationwillbethesameas
always,allright,Ferris?”
“Yes,ma’am.”Ferrisrespondedwithaperfect curtsy,appearingevery inch
theperfectlady.
ThiswashowFerris—theyoungmanFelixArgyle—beganeveryday.
2
Ferris,nowsixteen,wasafirmbelieverinthepowerofaperson’swillandfaith.
Ifyoukeptbelieving,surprisingthingscouldhappen.
Forexample,heshouldhavedevelopedsecondarysexualcharacteristicslong
ago,butasifinresponsetohisdailywishesandprayers,heshowednosignof
becoming more masculine. His voice grew no deeper and his body didn’t
thicken.Hewasquietlythankfultohisancestorsthathedidn’tgrowabeard.
But the things for which he was grateful to his bloodline didn’t stop at his
body.
“HaveIboredyou,Ferris?”Acalmvoicebroughthimoutofhisreverie.He
wastakingabreak,sittinginthegrassandleaningagainstalargetree.Crusch
hadkneltdirectlyinfrontofhimandwaslookingintentlyintohiseyes.
“…Sorry,meow.Kindadriftedoff.”
“Oh?That’sunusualforyou.Areyoutired?DidIworkyoutoohard?”
“No,Ijustletmymindwanderabit…Areyougoingtopunishme?Lady
Crusch,areyougoingtopunishFerri?Myheart’spounding!”
“Punish you? I would hate to be so coldhearted.” Crusch shook her head,
oblivious to the significance of Ferris’s reddening cheeks. The cat-boy sighed.
Crusch,stillpeeringdownathim,continued:“Andthere’snoneedtostandon
ceremonyhere.Letyourmindwanderifyouwish.Nomatterwhathappens,I’m
here.”
“Aww,LadyCrusch,youalwaysknowjustwhattosay…evenifyounever
seemtorealizeit.Ferrimightjustbeinlove…”
“—?Yourfaceisred.It’schillytoday—don’ttellmeyou’vecaughtacold?”
“No,notatall!That’snotitatall!Oooh,LadyCrusch,youarejusttoocruel!
Ican’tstandit!”
Ferris’smistresswascompletelyoblivioustoanyfeelingsofaffectiondeeper
thanclosefriendshipandtookhiswordscompletelyatfacevalue.“Isee,”she
said.“I’m sorry.” She looked properly embarrassed. Her very innocence itself
wasendearing—andcompletelyunfair.
“—”
Satisfied by Ferris’s declaration of good health, Crusch returned to her
originalposition,almostasifshewerebeingpulledover.Thisgrassyfieldwas
where the two of them always came when they wanted a longer ride. It was
aboutanhourawayfromthemansion,aplaceofpuremanaandfullofwind.It
seemedtoborderonholy.Ferriswasalwaysoverjoyedtospendtimewithjust
thetwoofthem,inaplacewherenoonecouldinterrupt.
“—Yah!”
The lithe Crusch went through a series of movements with her sword as
Ferriswatchedfromhisspotbesideatree.Herpolishedstrikes,theaggression
she exuded—even Ferris, who was an amateur when it came to swords, could
tellhowaccomplishedshewaswiththeweapon.
Cruschwascompletelytakenwiththebeautyofsteel;shehadbegunlearning
theswordevenbeforeshemetFerris.Butstill,thefactthatherswordsmanship
hadreachedthislevelwasthankstohim.Andthatknowledgemadehimprouder
andhappierthananything.
ThatwaswhyhewouldnevergrowboredofwatchingCruschworkwithher
blade. Seeing talent that he had helped cultivate captured his heart like the
shimmerofajewel.
“You’reevenmoreintoitthanusualthismorning,LadyCrusch.”
“True enough. It’s what comes of waiting so long for the sword and an
extended ride. Without you to keep me from getting cabin fever, I’m sure I
would’vemadesomeridiculouscomplainttomyfatheroutofsheerboredom.”
Itwashardtotellfromtheside,buthealmostthoughtCruschwassmiling
pleasantlyassheswungherblade.
Her eyes had been shining like a child’s during the ride to this place. For
morethanamonthshehadbeendeniedthetwothingsthatmadeherfeelmost
alive,anditmusthavebeenkillingher.
“Butitwasjustlikeyou,milady,nottotrytosneakoutanddoitonthesly.”
“Of course not. My father was right to reprimand me. I was the one who
causedthetrouble.IfIsawfittobreaktherulesafterthat,peoplewouldsurely
sayIhadnoshame.”
WhatmadeCruschwonderfulwasthewaysheembodiedwordslikehonesty
anduprightness.Becauseshebelieveditwasnaturaltoupholdtherules,shewas
wont to protest her innocence when it was clear she had done nothing wrong.
Thishadcertainlybeenoneofthosemoments.
“You know, Ferri is not very happy with Lord Meckart’s decision. It was
exactlybecausemewweretherethatthingsdidn’tgetanyworse!”
“It’sonlynaturalthatmyfatheraskedmetoactappropriatelyasthedaughter
ofaduke.AlthoughIdowishhe’dacceptmeoneofthesedays…Sowhichof
usismorestubborn—meormyfather?”
Ferrispuffedouthischeeks,butCruschjustgavearuefulsmile.
Theeventthat rousedFerris’sirehadoccurredaboutamonthbefore.Ona
day much like this one, Crusch and Ferris had taken one of their long rides
throughtheKarstendomain.Alongtheway,they’drunacrossagroupofpirates,
the source of some local unrest, attacking a dragon carriage, and Crusch had
gallantlydriventhemoff.
Crusch had never been in any real danger, although she faced nearly ten
brigands.Butherfather—MeckartKarsten,currentheadoftheducalHouseof
Karsten—hadbeenextremelydistraughtwhenthestoryreachedhisears.
Cruschhad knownhewould be andsohadleft thegratefulcarriage owner
without giving her name, but she was far too famous for that to work. Her
penchantforswordsmanshipwascommonknowledgeintheKarstenlands.And
since the crest with the lion baring its teeth had been perfectly visible on her
sword,therewasnoroomtodenyanything.
A duke’s daughter who eschewed dresses for men’s clothes and preferred
crossing blades to admiring blossoms. The rumors were all too readily
substantiated, and as punishment, Crusch was forbidden to take up a sword or
travelveryfarfromthepalaceforonemonth.
Crusch seemed to accept this, but Ferris had voiced his outrage directly to
Meckartmorethanonce.Butthemanwouldnotrelent.Amonthofwaitinghad
finallyledtothecurrentday.
“IdefinitelyackmeowledgehowmuchIoweLordMeckart,butthatdoesn’t
meanIhavetoaccepteverythinghedoes.”
“I wish you wouldn’t criticize my father so much. He seems thinnerevery
daylately.Theresponsibilityofrunningaducalhouseholdmustweighonhim.I
wanthistimewithhisfamily,atleast,tobeasourceofgoodcheerforhim.”
“DoyoumeanFerriisapartofthefamily?”
“—?Ofcourse.”
Ferris’scheeksflushedatbeingincludedsoreadilyinthefamily.Hequickly
pattedhisskirttodistractfromhischeeks.
“It’s—it’s fine,” he said. “Lord Meckart practically seems to like it when
Ferri puts him on the spot like that. He said he enjoys having people say
outrageousthingstohim…”
“What?Myfathersaidthat?Ididn’tknow…andIthinkI’llseehimalittle
differentlyfromnowon.”
CruschwascompletelytakeninbythisbitofgossipFerrishadstrategically
deployed to distract her from his embarrassment. Meckart’s daughter wore a
lookofplainsurprise.Ferristriedtofixtheexpressioninhismemory,asitwas
somethinghesawalltoorarely.Andsilently,heapologizedtotheduke,albeit
mentallystickinghistongueoutwhilehedid.Hedidn’ttrytocorrectCrusch’s
misunderstanding,though.Maybethatwasasignofjusthowdispleasedhestill
was.
3
“Felix,mayIhaveamoment?”
“Yes,sir?”Ferristurnedatthevoice,offeringhismostgirlishlookinafitof
pique.The other man seemed dismayed at the openly flirtatious glance. Ferris
enjoyed the moment. “Ooh, it’s just too easy to get a rise out of you, Lord
Meowckart.It’stoomuchfuntoteaseyou!YoubringoutFerri’sinnertrickster!”
“What?Andyoublamemeforthis?Er—Imean,I’msorry.”
All you have to do is look a little bit put out, and he’ll apologize. What a
pushover.
Standing before Ferris was a man in his fifties. He had grown a mustache,
ostensiblyforthegravitasitprovidedhim,butthestrangeshapeofhiseyebrows
andhisgentlefacerobbedhimofanybenefitfromit.Theonlythingheshared
withCrusch,hisblooddaughter,wasthecolorofhiseyes.
Itwasallthemoresurprising,then,thatthiswasDukeKarsten,headofone
ofthemostfamousnoblehousesinLugunica.AndhewasalsoCrusch’sfather
—MeckartKarsten.
A doleful smilecame overMeckart’sfriendly face. He tugged at his rather
incongruousmustacheashesaid,“IbelieveyouwereoffonaridewithCrusch
thismorning.Howisshedoing?”
“Ifyou’reconcernedabouther,sir,pleaseletmehumblysuggestthatyouask
her yourself. This is you we’re talking about, of course, but even so, do you
thinkLadyCruschwouldlietoyou,LordMeckart?”
“I’mnotquitesureIlikethewayyouputthat.Butno,I’mnotworriedthat
she would lie to me. It’s just… Well, I was the one who imposed that
prohibition. I thought it might be hard for her to say how she was really
feeling…Um,orrather…hardformetoask.”
Hisgoodheartwonoutoverhisdesiretodeceivehimself,andhevoicedhis
true problem. Father and daughter were also alike in their inability to tell a
blatantlie.
“I see… Well, put your mind at ease. Lady Crusch isn’t mad at you or
anything.Sheevenseemstounderstandwhyyoudidwhatyoudid.”
“YousaythatasifIwerethevillain…But,ahem,thankyou.”
“Fortherecord,though,Ferriisstillmad.Nasty,nastyLordMeckart!”
“What?Um,Imean,I’msorry…EvenIthinkIwentabitoverboard.”
Meckart,lookingweak,rubbedhisupperabdomen.Thankstothestressesof
hisposition,combinedwithhisanxiouspersonality,heandstomachpainwere
closepersonalfriends.
“ShallIusehealingmagiconyou?Itmighttaketheedgeoff.”
“Right.Nowthatwe’vechatted,perhapsyoucouldhealme.Wouldyoumind
comingtomyroom?”
“Nuh-uh!I’venoideawhatmewmightdotomeinthere,sir…!”
“Nothing!Iwon’tdoanythingtoyou!”
Eventhoughhegavethedukeahardtimeaboutit,Ferriseventuallyfollowed
Meckarttohisroom.Theplacewassimple:adeskforasecretary,alongwitha
lowtableandleathercouchforreceivingvisitors.
FerrisandMeckartsatfacingeachotheronthesofa,andaservantbrought
teaasreadilyasifthishadallbeenplanned.Aftersettingoutthesteamingcups,
theattendantdepartedwithadignifiedbow.
Withtheservantgoneandthedoorclosed,Meckartputhiscuptohislipsand
sippedatitcarefully.“…Cruschwillhaveherseventeenthbirthdaysoon.”
Ferris knew that, of course. The joyous day was just two weeks hence;
indeed,itwouldnothavebeenanoverstatementtosayFerriswasmoregrateful
forthisdaythanforanyotherdayonthecalendar.
“I’m thankful for the stars and the sky and the earth…and for Crusch,
definitely.I’msogladshewasborn.”
Meckart cut into Ferris’s reverie. “Excuse me, Felix, but would you mind
letting me make my point? There’s…something I’d like you to ask that girl
aboutherbirthday.SomethingIfind…difficulttoexpress.”Fromhisawkward
toneandhisevasiveattitude,FerrishadafairlygoodideawhatMeckarthadin
mind.Afterall,itcameupalmosteveryyear.
“…YouwantLadyCruschtowearadress,don’tyou?”
“Yes,Felix,exactly.It’sherbirthday.AndthisyearIhavesomethingmore
extravagant than usual in mind. So I really wish she would wear something
appropriate…”
“Ifit’satallpossible,sir,Ireallythinkyoushouldspeaktoheryourself.You
don’thavetogothroughme…”
“That girl won’t so much as nod her head if you don’t, isn’t that right?”
Meckartaskedinalowvoice.Ferris’scatearsimmediatelydetectedachangein
theair.Theflaxenanimalearshehadinheritedfromhisdemi-humanancestors
wereexceptionallysensitivetosubtleshiftsintheatmosphereandenvironment.
“IknowaboutthepromisebetweenyouandCrusch,”Meckartwenton.“And
I’msureyou’vespokentoherinlightofitbefore.”
“YouknowhowIknowyoutwoarerelated?Neitherofyouevergivesup.”
“Perhaps she does get her obstinacy from me… But we can’t simply run
paralleltoeachotherforever.I’mdesperatetofindsomecompromise.”
“Compromise,sir?”
Itwasnota term to be used lightly,especiallywithCrusch, for whom that
wordmighthavebeentheleastcongenialthingimaginable.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s only in public, only for show,” Meckart said. “Of
course,deepdown,I’vealwayswishedshewouldcomportherselfasexpected
of a duke’s daughter, but my requests on that front have been rebuffed often
enoughthatIknowbetterbynow.Myhopeisthatmysuggestionthistimewill
allowustomeetinthemiddle.”
“—”
“IknowherpromisewithyouisthereasonCruschcontinuestoplaywithher
swordsanddresslikeaman.Therefore,ifIwishtomitigateitatall,itmakes
sensetogothroughyou.Willyounotspeaktoher?”
“—Iunderstandwhatyou’retryingtosay,LordMeckart.ButI…”
Meckartcuthimoffsharply.“Idon’tbelieveyoudounderstand,Felix.”
Ferriscaughthisbreath.Thedukelookedgrimmerandlonelierthanhehad
everseenhim.
“Cruschismyonlychild.Shehasturnedoutsowellastobewastedonme.I
haven’t been a reliable father by any stretch. But the more pathetic I am, the
moreadmirableshebecomes…Idowanthertofollowherowndreams.Ipray
shegrowsuptobeexactlywhoshetrulyis.”Meckartloweredhiseyes,affection
forhisdaughterovercominghim.“ButIamadukeaswellasafather.Andshe
isthedaughterofadukeaswellasmychild.Solongasshelivesinthishouse,
supported by the people of this domain, she will have certain duties she must
perform. And when she is performing them, people will expect dress and
decorumbefittingherposition.Well,Felix?AmIwrong?”
“…No.”
“Infact,Iamwrong.Iamtryingtoforcemydaughtertodosomethingshe
doesn’twanttodo.Doingtherightthingcanbeamistake,andamistakecanbe
the right thing to do. Such are the difficulties of this place where I and my
daughtermustlive.”
Asthedukelaidouthisargument,Ferrisbegantofeelashamedofhimself.
Hehadbeensosuperficial.Untilthismoment,hehadsimplyassumedMeckart
wasjustanoaf.Ithadneveroccurredtohimthatbehindthestubbornexterior
was a father deeply concerned about his relationship with his daughter. Ferris
found himself choking up as he realized he had been saved from this
thoughtlessness by Meckart’s compassion, his willingness to try to talk things
outinsteadofsimplyimposinghiswillthroughhisampleauthority.
“HisHighnessFourierwillbeinattendanceatthebirthdaycelebration.I’m
surehe’slookingforwardtoseeingwhatdressCruschwillwear.”
“…Yes,Isupposehewouldbe.”
“Indeed!So not just for my sake, but for His Highness’s—will you please
talktoCrusch?”
The invocation of the young prince’s name relaxed the tone of the
conversation.Perhapsthat,too,wasMeckart’sconsideratetouch.Ferrisputthe
cupoftea,coldbynow,tohislipswhileattemptingtoignorehisownmeanness
ofheart.
Herecalledapromisehehadmade,backwhenhewasstillyoungenoughto
takeyouthasanexcuse.Unconsciously,hetouchedthewhiteribbonCruschhad
givenhimthatday.
“Youknow,I’vealwaysthoughtthatpromisewasn’tright.”
“…Mm,perhapsnot.Youandmydaughterarebothgoodchildren.”
“ButI’vebeensohappytodowhatIpromised…It’smademehappierthan
anythingelseinmylife.AndmaybeItakehersidetoomuchbecauseofthat.”
Hishandwasstillathisribbon.Meckartnoddedquietly.
Inhisownway,thewordswereFerris’sanswertoMeckart’srequest.
4
HislittleteapartywithMeckartover,Ferrisfurrowedhisbrowanxiously.There
wasno room for argumentafterthat conversation. And he had no intentionof
renegingontheirpromise.
“But how in the world am I supposed to bring it up now?” he wondered
aloud.Itwouldbedifficulttofindtherighttimingandanaturalopeningtotalk
aboutit.
Todaywasespeciallybad.Themonth-longprohibitiononCruschwieldinga
sword or riding a dragon had only just been lifted. Of all the times this could
havehappened,thiswastheleastopportunetimehecouldchoosetoappearand
askhertowearadress.
“Oh,but!But!Thebirthdaycelebrationisjusttwoweeksaway.Itmightbe
evenworsetoputofftalkingaboutit…”
The subject could hardly wait until the last moment. This was a birthday
celebration for a duke’s daughter. The longer there was to prepare, the better.
Eventwoweeksbarelyseemedlikeenoughtime.Meckarthimselfhadnodoubt
beenhesitatingtotalktoFerris.
“Arrgh!MeowwillIevermanagethis?!”
“What’sgoingon,Ferris?You’llscaretherestofthehousehold,standingin
thehallwaylookingsogrim.”
“Mrrrrow!” Ferris just about jumped out of his skin when Crusch herself
calledouttohimwhilehestoodthere,dancingfromonefoottotheotherwith
worry.Heflewbackagainstthewall.Cruschcrossedherarmsandstaredathim.
“I stillthink youlook tired. If you’re feeling worn down, I could give you
sometimeoff…”
“What?No!I’mtotallyfine!Neverbetter!HoorayforLadyCrusch!”
“—?Ha-ha,you’reastrangeone.”
Shesmiledslightlyashestoodtherewithhisarmsraisedinacheer.Itwas
obvious he hadn’t really thrown her off the trail, and he hadn’t quite calmed
down,either.
“Bytheway,”Cruschsaid,“youspokewithmyfather,didn’tyou?Whatdid
hewant?”
“Oh,uh,Imean,youknow,meow…”
He couldn’t have asked for better timing to broach the subject. The only
problem was that, mentally, he felt completely unprepared. Then again, the
momentwassofortuitousthatitseemedlikeasignfromtheheavens.Nowwas
thetimetotalk.
“Well,um,”hebegan,“Ferridoes,uh,wanttotalktoyouaboutsomething,
LadyCrusch…”
“Ithoughtso.Yourwindisdifficulttoread,butthatwastheimpressionIgot.
YouknowyouandIdon’thavetoholdbackfromeachother.Talktomeabout
anything.”
“Iloveyou,LadyCrusch.”
“AndIyou.”
Hehadconfessedhisfeelingsinanexcessofhappiness,buttheseriousreply
quicklydousedhisenthusiasm.Hadn’thebeenreflectingonhowmovedhewas
by Meckart’s kindness just moments ago? To immediately return to letting
Crusch’skindnessspoilhiminsteadwouldnotsaymuchforhispersonalgrowth.
“Iloveyou,LadyCrusch.”
“—?AndIyou.”
Hewasrepeatinghimself,butitcalmedhimdownandmadehimfeelbetter.
Hewasabouttoembarkonaverydifficultconversation.
“Well,uh,thisisjustLordMeckart’sopinion,andFerriwouldn’twantmew
tomeowstakethisforagreement,but…”
“This is an awfully roundabout way to start a conversation. Fine, I
understand.Andwhatismyfather’sopinion?”
“Yes,well,itwillbeyourbirthdaysoon,milady…”
Hehadlaidallthegroundworkandwasabouttocometohispointwhen—
“—Crusch,areyouthere?!Iamindiredistress!Crusch,showyourface!”
“—?!”
Ferrisstiffenedwithsurpriseatthebellowthatrangthroughthehallway.In
frontofhim,Cruschwaslookingupandcockingherheadatthevoice.
“Ihesitatetobelieveit,butwasthatHisHighnessFourierjustnow?”
“I—I don’t care if he is a prince,” Ferris fumed. “How could he spoil my
perfectmoment…?”
“Crusch!Aren’t you there? I said this is a crisis! Come quickly, or I shall
witherforloneliness!”
“That’shim,allright,”Cruschsaid.
The initial shock had passed, and the second exclamation was more than
enoughtoverifythevoice’sowner.Ferris and Crusch exchanged a glance and
thentrottedtotheentryway.Atthedoor,theservants,includingasteward,had
formedareceivingline,andrightinthemidstofthemwasthemanhimself.
“Ah!Crusch and Ferris!” he said when he spotted them. “Are you both in
goodhealth?I’mdoingquitewell,myself.”Thenhesmiledwithgenuinemirth.
Hewas ayoung man whose eyesappeared guileless despite his years. He had
longgoldenhairandunblemishedscarleteyes,andhiscaninesstuckouteverso
slightly.Hegaveaverylikableimpression.
Sloughing off his rich fur coat, Fourier Lugunica appeared as energetic as
ever.
Thefourth prince of the royal family oughtnot to dropby so casually, but
CruschandFerriswerebothusedtoit,andneithershowedanysurprise.Crusch
madeamodestbowtoFourier,whostoodimposingly.
“YourHighness,”shesaid,“itisanhonortoseeyou.Butwhatpromptssuch
asuddenvisit?Issomethingwrong?Ihaven’theardanythingfrommyfather…”
“Whatareyoutalkingabout?Wasitnotpreciselythetwoofyouwhoinvited
me here? For Crusch’s birthday celebrations? I even brought my invitation.
Look!” With many a huff and sigh, Fourier went over to Crusch, who had
greetedhimsorespectfully,andheldoutaletter.Shetookit,scannedit,andthen
noddedslowly.
“Thisisindeedaninvitationfromourhouse…but,mylord,youseemtohave
mistaken the most crucial part—the date. I’m happy you took the trouble to
comeallthewayhere,butmybirthdayisstilltwoweeksaway.YourHighness
hasbeenatadtooeager.”
“What?! You mean…I am the first person to congratulate you on your
birthday!Perfect!Ferrisalwaysbeatsmetoit,butforonceI’vegotalegupon
him!”
“—”
“Youdidwelltobeborn,Crusch!Iamoverjoyed!Whatawondrousday!”
Fourier laughed suddenly, apparently ignoring his own mistake. Crusch found
herselfspeechlessatthisaudacity,butagentlesmilewassoononherface.
“Thankyouverymuch,YourHighness.Yourwellwishesmeanagreatdeal
tome.”
“Good, very good. But does this mean there are two weeks yet till your
birthdaycelebration?Well,thatisaproblem.WhatshallIdountilthen?”
Fouriertendedtoactwithoutthinkingofthefuture,rushinwithoutthinking
ofthefuture,speakwithoutthinkingofthefuture,andjustingeneralnotthink
aboutthefutureatall,buthehadenoughcharmtoexcuseallofit.Ashestood
there struggling to figure out his plans, even Ferris couldn’t help a smile. The
princehadn’tchangedabitsincetheyhadfirstmet.
“Hmm?”Fouriersaid.“Whatisit,Ferris?Whythegrin?”
“Ijustfindyouamusing,YourHighness.”
“Me?!Ah,yes…Iamnoordinaryleader.Ibringsmilestothefacesofmy
servantswithoutevenmeaningto.Doyounotthinkso,Crusch?”
“Icanonlyadmirewhatagrandpersonageyouare,YourHighness.Ferris,
punishmentlater.”
“Awww!”
LeaveittoCruschtoensurethathedidn’tgowithoutpayingthepenaltyfor
his lapse in etiquette. But at the same time, the three were so close that such
irreverencecouldgowithoutgenuinereprisal.ForFerris,whohadsofewthings
heconsideredprecious,thisbondwassomethinghecherished.Whenhethought
aboutwhatwas importantto him,he thoughtof Crusch,Meckart, andFourier.
And the servants in the Karsten household. Not to mention the patients and
colleagueshehadencounteredthankstohisworkasaspellcaster.Itturnedout
therewerequiteafewpeoplehevalued.
Comparedtowhenhehadbeenshutupinhisfamily’shouse,withnothing
evergiventohim,hewassomuchhappiernow.
“…Ferris,”Fourierwassaying,“Iamawareofmydashingappearance,but
pleasetrynottostaretoomuch.Allthisattentionfromyoumightjustleadme
astray—evenknowingyourtruegender.”
“Iwasevenyourfiancéonce,andIstillcouldn’tgetmypawsonyou,Your
Highness!”
“Thatwasjust…! Ahem,that’senough.I’maboy,too,youknow! Ishan’t
makeexcuses!Aren’tIquitemanly,Crusch?”
“Yes,mylord.AlthoughifImaysayso,youhaveyettodefeatmeinasword
duel.”
“LadyCrusch!Milady,HisHighnessisonhiskneesalready,soperhapswe
shouldgoeasyonhim…”
Fourierhadslumpedtothecarpet.Cruschgavehimaquizzicallook,entirely
devoid of malice. With her friends, Crusch tended to state the facts a bit too
bluntly. But she delivered even the most stinging remarks with a friendly
expression,makingithardtoconsiderthisatrulybadhabit.
Fourier,forhispart,wasquicktobouncebackfromsuchdisappointments.
“—Ngh,wellthen! Inthatcase,Crusch, bring meawoodensword!I have
some time to kill for the first time in a while, so let today be the day when I
outdoyouinswordsmanshipandprovetoyouwhatamanIam!”
Cruschmetthisboldproclamationwitha“yes,mylord,”asthoughsheknew
fullwellwhatwasgoingon.
CruschandFourier’sduelswithwoodentrainingswordshadbeengoingon
forsixyears,sinceaboutthesametimeFerrisbeganwearingwomen’sclothing.
Ithadbecomeasortoftradition.
FourierwouldfindanyexcusetovisitCrusch.Hisloveforherwasnotatall
difficult to see, except for Crusch herself. As for Fourier, he was outgoing in
everythingexceptmattersofhis ownheart,sothe relationshiphadnever gone
beyondthatofdearfriends.Fouriersawthisduelasasimplewaytoprovokea
changeintheirrelationship.
“Ifyou win,Ishallforce youtodressin women’sclothes!You’vebecome
evermoreobstinateaboutyourmanly attire…Notthat itdoesn’tlookgood on
you!ButIwishtoseeyouinaskirt!”
“You’ll have to settlefor Ferris, my lord. I assure you, his legs are no less
daintythanmine.”
“Iamproudoftheselegs.Havealook,YourHighness!”
“Arrgh!Don’tconfuseme,youtwo!”Fourierturnedredandstompedhisfeet
in frustration as Ferris lifted his skirt teasingly. With one hand he pointed at
Crusch;withtheother,hedisplayedthebirthdayinvitation,whichshehadgiven
backtohim.“It’salmostyourbirthday!AndIwillnotpermitthebirthdaygirlto
dresslikeasoldierasshedidlastyear!ThisyearIshallseeyouinadress!In
oneofmychoosing,atthat!”
“Ah…”
Fourier was so fond of these proclamations. And this one just happened to
lineupperfectlywithwhatFerriswanted.Hecaughthisbreathinsurprise,anda
certaintenderfeelingforFourierwelledupwithinhim.
Thissillyprince…
“He’stheonlyonebesidesLadyCruschwhocangetatFerri’sweakpoint…”
“—”
Ferris’s cheeks flushed, his breath hot with a combination of affection and
envy.
Crusch,theonlyonestandingcloseenoughtooverhearhismurmuredwords,
shotalookathim.ButFerrisdidn’tnotice,andbeforeCruschcouldspeak…
“Allright!Tothegarden,then!Ready,everyone!ThisisthedayIbecomea
man!” Fourier exclaimed with what appeared to be entirely unwarranted
confidence,andFerrisandCruschhadtorushafterhimasheheadedoutside.
5
Itwassixyearsago, butheremembered itasif itwereyesterday: thedaythe
duelsbetweenCruschandFourierhadstarted.ThedayFelixbecameFerris.
“IhardlyseehowYourHighnesscaninterferewithhowIchoosetolive.”
“Hmm…butyousayyou’llthrowawayyourfemininitysoitwon’tstandin
thewayofeitheryournoblefamilyoryourswordsmanship?No!Iwon’tallow
it!Isimplycan’tallowthattohappen!”
“Inthatcase,mylord,whatdoyouintendtodo?”
“Thesword!Usethebladetoproveyourresolvetome!AndIshallshowyou
theerrorofyourways!”
“Aswordfight?Betweenyouandme,YourHighness?”
“Yes, exactly. In the off chance you win, you may take whatever path you
chooseinlife.ButifIwin,you’llhavetoreconsider.Iwillmakeawomanof
you!”
Such was the promise they made with each other. Fourier had all the
enthusiasm,butCruschhadtheresolve.Andthentheduelsbegan…
“Youaretrulywithoutmercy,Crusch!I’maprince!Amemberoftheroyal
family!”
“Allright,YourHighness,allright,”Ferrissaid.“There’snoneedtomewl.
Here,look!I’llgetridofthatboo-booforyou.”
Itcrossed his mind thathehadhealedFourierjust like this onthatdaysix
yearsago.
Nearly weeping and covered in dust, Fourier clung to Ferris. The cat-boy
usedhishealingmagic.Awaveofcomfortwashedoverthebruisesinflictedby
Crusch’swoodensword.Fourierslowlystoodup.
“Ha-ha-ha!Didyouseethat?HowIpretendedtosnivelandcryinorderto
winmyopponent’ssympathyandbuymyselfenoughtimeforFerristohealme?
Justanotherofmyfearsomelyclevercalculations…!”
“Your knees don’t agree, Your Highness,” Ferris pointed out. Despite the
smileFourierhadcarefullyarrangedonhisface,hiskneeswereshaking.Itonly
servedto highlight how refinedand gallant Crusch lookedin comparison. She
hadtakenoffherjacket,revealingherslenderframe.Sheheldherweaponatthe
readyandstoodsostraightshecouldhavebeenmistakenforaswordherself.
“Now,comparethattoHisHighness…”
“Icanhearyou,Ferris!Saveyourpraisesofmeuntilthebattleisover!”
“You know what I love about you, Your Highness? Your irrepressible
optimism.”
FourierturnedhisbackonFerris’sgentlejibe,closingthedistancetoCrusch
in a rush. In that moment, he seemed to forget that his opponent was also the
woman heloved. But she turned aside his blow, and his own momentum sent
him tumbling through the grass once again. Pain followed a moment later,
causinghimtocoughviolentlyashetriedtostandup.
Therewas atremendousdifferencein their abilities, but it wasn’tFourier’s
fault.Ferris was somewhat biased in his evaluation, but Fourier was far more
skilledthentheaveragenobledilettanteofhisage.HisdesiretodefeatCrusch,
combined with many years of these duels, had turned him from a coddled
princelingintoamanwhocouldholdhisownwithablade.Thathestillcouldn’t
bestCruschspoketohertalentandhowhardshehadworked.
“Doyouwishtocontinue,mylord?Ifearmyfather’sheartmightbreakifI
beatyouanyharder.”
“Of course I shall continue! You take me too lightly, Crusch! And I don’t
think Meckart’s heart is as fragile as you suggest, either. Come at me withall
you’vegot!”
Truetoform,hisdeclarationwasaskingalittlemuch.
This battle was taking place out in the center garden, and servants with
nothing else to do were spectating. There was someone else there as well,
someonelookingratherillatthesightoftheentirespectacle:Meckarthimself.
Hecameouteverytimethishappened,eventhoughthestressofitwasenough
tomakehischeekssunken.Well,hedoesn’thavetowatch.
“Oh,whyaretheysomuchmoreseriousthanusual?”Meckartfretted.“But
ifHisHighnessweretowin…”
Meckartgrimacedfromthepaininhisstomach,tornbetweenwhathehoped
forasafatherandwhathewishedasaduke.Atthatmoment,Ferrisknewalltoo
wellwhatMeckartwasfeeling.
Idon’tevenknowifIwantCruschtowinorloserightnow!
“Yaaah!Crusch,wearadreeeesssss!”Itmightbetoogeneroustocallthisa
battle cry, but with those words Fourier rushed in again, and again he was
beaten. When she saw Fourier rise again after being folded double, Crusch
narrowedhereyes.
“Your Highnessseems less inclinedthan usualto concede.What is driving
you?”
“You,ofcourse!You make me this way… No, at the heart of the matter,I
makemethisway!Ihavefoistedthisonyou,sonowImustplaymypart!”
“…YourHighness?”
Fourier,hishandsomefacesmearedwithdirtandsweat,shookhishead.“I
shall not forget how foolish I was those five years ago, how little I knew my
place.Notknowingmystrength,Iboundyoutoanimpulsivepromise.Imade
youswearthatsolongasIfailedtobestyouwiththesword,youwouldwearno
women’sclothesbutdressasaman—Iknownowwhatacruelactthatwas.”
Making this confession seemed to pain him greatly, but of course he was
wrong about the five years. It was six. But Fourier’s words referred to the
promisetheyhadmadeonthatdayFerrisrememberedsowell…
“Do you remember your fifteenth birthday, two years ago?” Fourierasked.
“Youhadgrownupsobeautifully.Infullregaliathatnight,Iknowyouwould
have been more stunning than any flower. Yet you kept your promise. I shall
neverforgetthesightofayoungmaidenwalkingunderthemoonlightinmilitary
dress.You were impossibly handsome…but that was a feeling inspired by the
swordatyourside.ItisnotafeelingIwanttoreceivefromayoungwomanwho
shouldoutdotheblossomsinbeauty!”
Cruschwassilent.
“Thatnight,Irealizedwhatmythoughtlessnesshadwrought.ItwasI,andI
alone,whostolethejoyofbeingresplendentlydressedfromayoungwomanand
forced her to hide herself during what should have been her most glorious
moment!Imusttakeresponsibilityforthat!”
Inallthetimetheyhadknowneachother,FerrishadneverseenFourierlike
this.Theimmenseemotionthatburnedinhisscarleteyestouchedsomethingin
Ferris’s chest, made his throat tight. The audience, too, from Meckart to the
servants, was at a loss for words. They knew now why Fourier fought these
battlesandheardhimexpresswhathe’dneverbeenabletoexpressbefore.
But he was wrong. Mistaken. His resolve was tremendous, but it was
misplaced.
The promise he and Crusch had made was real enough. When, six years
before,Cruschhaddeclaredthatshewouldwearonlymen’sclothingfortherest
ofherlife,Fourierhadrespondedthathewouldallowhertodosojustuntilhe
defeatedherinaswordduel.Thepretextthatshewaskeepingherpromisetothe
princewasthereasonMeckarthadnotbeenabletoobjectmorestrongly.
Fourierhadbeennursingregretaboutitallthistime.Somewherealongthe
line,hehadbeguntobelievethatCruschdidn’twanttowearmen’sclothesbut
wasdoingsobecauseofthepromisetheyhadmade.And,withacombinationof
honestyandfoolishness,hefeltresponsible.
“I’mafool…”
Watching Fourier from behind as he raised his sword, Ferris unconsciously
putahandtohismouth.HehadalwaystakenFourier’simprovementincombat
tobearesultofrepeatedduelsandsimpletenacity.Buttherewasmore.Allthis
time,hehadbeenmotivatedbyregretforhisownoutburst.
He’s been fighting to let the woman he loves, the woman he bound with a
promise,beawoman.
“Crusch!Loveflowers!Appreciatepoetry!Putonmakeup,weardressesand
jewelry,andletmeseethatinnocentsmile!Youdon’thavetorepressyourself
anymore!I permit it! Here, today, I will make right my foolishness and allow
youtobeatruewoman!”
“Y-YourHighness…?”
Itmayhavebeenamisunderstanding,butFourierwasreadytomakegoodon
it.HechargedatCrusch.
Thehard soundechoedthroughthegarden,andCruschwasclearlyshaken
bytheimpact.
“YourHighness!”
“PrinceFourier!”
“YourHighness,helpourlady!”
These were cries from the servants, many of them red-eyed and with a
trembleintheirvoices.TheyhadknownCruschsinceshewasyoung,andthey
wanted to encourage the prince in his resolve. Fourier pressed his attack, and
Cruschlookedmoreshakenstill.
His sword rose and fell in an arc; Crusch was completely occupied with
defending.Forabattleagainsthertobesoone-sidedwasunprecedented.That
wassimplyhowimpassionedFourier’sblowswere.Hisattackwas,initsway,
his suit to Crusch’s heart. His clear dedication may have sprung from a
misunderstanding,butittouchedmanypeoplepresent.
“—I shall entrust this to His Highness,” Meckart murmured. Whenhad he
comeupbesideFerris?
Thecat-boylookedupathim,andMeckartnodded.Ferrisknewimmediately
whatitmeant.Hejoinedhishandsinfrontofhischestasifinprayerandwaited
toseehowthebattlewouldturnout.
“Adress!Makeup!Andjewelry!Flowersandcooking!”
“—ngh.”
“Crusch!Kneelbeforemeeeee!”Thewoodenswordsgroanedwiththeforce
ofhisblow,splintersflyingfromtheblades.Bothweaponswereattheirlimits.
Butthefightwouldbedecidedbywhichoftheparticipantsgaveoutfirst.
FourierbellowedashepushedCruschbackstepbystep,blowbyblow.His
lovelyfacewas red.WhatdidCruschseewhenshelookedathisgallantform
bearingdownonher?Perhapsshesawherselfinhisscarleteyes,awomanbeing
pressedtodoherutmost.
“…Ah.”
Asshefoundherselfpushedupagainstawall,Cruschcastherambereyeson
Ferris.Theylookedateachother,anditseemedtohimlikeshewasaskingfor
something,buthedidn’tknowwhat.
“Lady…Crusch…”Fattearsrolledfromhisroundeyesanddownhischeeks.
Thenextmoment,therewasacrackasthewoodenswordfinallygaveway,
and part of the broken blade skittered across the ground. The one blade that
remainedmoreorlessintactwaspointedatthechestoftheloser.
“…Allthat,andstillIcannotoutdoyou.”
Fourierspokewith strainedbreath,stillholdingwhatwasleftofthehiltof
hissword.Helookedattheground,hisshoulderstrembling.Hemighthavebeen
crying.
Asigh.Disappointed,butnotdespairing.Buteveryone’sshouldersslumped
astheyrealizedhehadnotprevailed.
Butthen—
“No,YourHighness.I’velost.”
Cruschshookherheadgently.Theswordinherhandwasbrokendownthe
middleaswell.Shetossedtheuselessbladetotheground.
“Youstillholdyourblade,YourHighness,whileIhavecastmineaside.The
victor should be clear…indeed, has been clear since your battle cry shook my
spirit—Ihavelostthiscontest.”
“—”
Fourierwasabsolutelysilent.Cruschkneltdown,ignoringthedirtthatgoton
her, and placed her hands on the ground. The gesture was that of offering a
sword—itwasoneofutmostrespectandloyalty.
“Youhaveindeedfulfilledyourformerpromise.I,CruschKarsten,havemet
Your Highness Fourier Lugunica in combat with the sword and have been
bested.Ishallputonwomen’sclothing,then.”
“Er…ahem.Willyou,now?I…Isee.”Fourier’sresponsetoCrusch’ssolemn
wordswashaltingandunsteady.Henoddedonce,andthenhistallframebegan
toleanbackward,untilfinallyhefellspread-eagleontheground.
“YourHighness?!Ohno!Felix,tendtoHisHighness!”
Ferris was rushing over to Fourier long before the astonished Meckart
orderedhimtodoso.Heslidhiskneesunderthehead ofthe collapsedyoung
man,supportingtheprince’sbodyweightasheusedhishealingmagic.
“YourHighness,YourHighness!Staywithme—!YourHighness!”
“Heh-heh!Didyouseeit,Ferris?Didyouseemy…great…victory…?”
Healingmagicwouldcurehiswounds,butitwouldn’trestorethestrengthhe
hadlost.Fourierhadspenteveryounceofhisendurance,andnowthefamiliar
easygoing smile came over his face just before he slipped into a deep sleep.
Ferriswasamazedtohearthecalm,evenrhythmofFourier’sbreathing.
“Ferris.”
“Oh,uh,yes,LadyCrusch.Um,Ferri,Imean—WhatcanFerrisay…?”
“I’msorryforbeingsoselfish.”CruschsmiledgentlyasshewatchedFerris
tendtotheunconsciousprince.Asherwordssunkin,thetearsstartedstreaming
downFerris’scheeksagain.Helookedup,wipingfuriouslyathiseyes.
“I…I’mtheonewhohasn’tbeenfairtoyou…!LadyCrusch,you…Youand
PrinceFourierarealwaysrescuingme…”
“Arewe?Thenyou’veamplyreturnedthefavor.Yourpresenceisaconstant
salvationforme.AndIamonlyjustnowrealizingthattheprincesavedmeas
well.Isupposeitgoestoshowhowill-bredIreallyam.”
“Ill-bred…?LadyCrusch,no…!You’rewonderful…!”
“All the more reason I must strive to live up to your and His Highness’s
estimationofme.”
Ferris continued sniffling, not quite able to speak. Crusch patted his head
lovinglyasshestood.ThenshewentovertoMeckart,whowatchedagape.
What she said to him, Ferris didn’t know. He couldn’t hear over Fourier’s
snoresandhisownweeping.
6
“Ididalltheworktomakethispossible—andyetIdon’tgettoseeCruschinher
dressuntiltheparty?Mostunorthodox!”
“Well, youknow.Lady Crusch hasa lotto deal with.She has to get ready
mentally and physically. Plus, it’s not easy to find the exact perfect dress for
LadyCrusch!”
“Iknowyou’lldoeverythingyoucanforher,Ferris.Veryheartening!”
Ferrisgaveadarksmile.Acrossfromhim,Fourierlaughedeasily.Theywere
inFerris’spersonalchambersattheKarstenmansion.HisHighnesshadshown
up there as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Ferris had
personally made teaand was now entertainingthe prince. Perhaps he ought to
havebeenatouchmoreintimidated—butneitherFerrisnortheprinceseemedto
beholdingback.Theywereoldfriends,ifitwasnottooaudacioustoconsider
oneselfasanoldfriendtoroyalty.
“Thetwoweekssincethatbattlehavebeentrulyvexing.BythetimeIwoke
up,Iwasalreadyinadragoncarriageonthewayhome.Beingsentawaybefore
I even got to speak to Crusch? I have never before been subjected to such a
ploy.”
“You simply wouldn’t wake up, Your Highness, you were so tired. And
besides, you could hardly stay at our meownsion for ten whole days until the
party.Iknowyourstationisn’tverydemanding,butsurelyevenmewhavesome
dutiestoattendto?”
“Indeed,Iamingreatdemand!Butonethingworriesme.Irecallsubduing
Cruschwithmysword,andthencomfortingherasshewept,but…”
“…Guesswe’llseewherethisgoes…”
Events seemed to have become rather more dramatic in Fourier’s
imagination,butFerriswasnotgoingtocorrecthim.Afterall,ithadprobably
beenFerris’sownweepingthathadinspiredthisflightoffancy.
“Thoughthrilledtohaveaccomplishedmygoal,Icollapsedfromfatigue,and
what happened after that, I know not. What became of Crusch? Did she say
anythingaboutme?”
“Shelayinbed,herpillowsoakedwithtearsofregretoverherlosstoyou.
Shemighthavesaidsomethingaboutmurderingyouinyoursleep…”
“Ha-ha-ha!Anamusingdiversion.ButIknowyou’rejoking.Cruschwould
neversaysuchathing.Shewouldcertainlychallengemeface-to-face.Asimple
matter,toseethroughyourlittlejapes…Youarejoking,aren’tyou?”
“If you’re going to act that confident, at least stay confident until you’re
finished. It was a joke, though.” He could never deceive someone who had
known Crusch even longer than he had. With a small sigh, Ferris winked at
Fourier,whowouldn’tstopglancingathimforconfirmation.
“Relax, Your Highness,” he said. “Lady Crusch knows she was beaten. I
think she sees you in a new light, the way you overcame her through sheer
determination.Althoughshehasn’tspokenofyouoncesincethen.”
“She’s angry—I knew it! What do you think?! Tell me what you think,
Ferris!”Heleanedoverandshookthecat-boyemphatically.
“Eek,don’tpullonme,you’llstretchmyclothesout!Iknowit’sjustthetwo
of us, but—!” Ferris shoved the prince away and hugged himself, his eyes
swimming.AshakenFouriersatback,andanawkwardsilencedescendedonthe
room.
“I’mcalledhere,andwhatdoIfind?Ferris,youmustnotteaseHisHighness
socruelly.”Thedooropened,andCruschpeekedin.
“Eeeewhooa!”Fourier let out an unusual cry and spun around. Ferris, who
foundthisrathergratifying,wavedatCrusch.
“Rightontime,LadyCrusch.Wewerewaitingforyou!”
“You told me to come in without announcing myself. Was this your goal?
YourHighness,IseeFerrishasbeenmostdisrespectfultoyou.Butareyouso
astonishedtoseemyface?”
“No!It has nothing to do with your face! Which is beautiful as always! A
picture!Youshouldbemoreconfident;Igiveyoumyroyalguarantee,youlook
wonderful!”
“Youaretookind,YourHighness.ThoughIamatouchembarrassed.”
Cruschworeawrysmile;Fourierhadredcheeks.Despitetheirswordfight,
despite the two weeks of separation, now things went on as if they had never
beenapart.
“LookslikeFerri’sdoneitagain…Myskillasastrategistisalmostscary…”
“Whatareyoumutteringaboutoverthere,Ferris?Andyou,Crusch!”Fourier
stoodandpointedathisfriend,whostoodjustinsidethedoor.“Whydoyoustill
wearmen’sclothesevennow?Where’syourskirt?!Yourdress?!Whataboutour
promisethatyouwouldadornyourhairwithpreciousgems,surroundyourself
withflowers?”
“YourHighness,YourHighness,thatpromiseistakingonalifeofitsown!”
Ferrisprotested.
“Myapologies,YourHighness.Itisverytruethattheeventsof twoweeks
pastremainfirmlyinmyheart.ButIhavespentsolonginmen’soutfits.Ihope
you will give me some time to ready myself. And of course, for my birthday
celebrationtomorrow—Idopromise.”
“Hmm…Ihaveyourwordonthat?”
“That depends on whether you believe I’m one to betray my promises to
YourHighness.”
Fourierwasleftwithnochoicebuttobackdown.Cruschsateasilynextto
Ferris,acrossfromFourier,whowasadjustinghispositiononthesofa.
“You’ve very much put your heart into this, haven’t you, Your Highness?”
shesaid.“Idon’tjustmeanourbattle.You’restayingovernighthere.”
“I was just terrified I might oversleep if I stayed at the castle, so instead I
couldn’t get to sleep at all! Here at the mansion, I’ll have plenty of time no
matterhowlateIsleep.How’sthatforabitofprincelywisdom?”
“Seems like overkill. Like planning to meet up with someone and then
camping out there the day before,” Ferris said lightly, earning a smirk from
Crusch. The bond among the three of them was such that not even a turning
pointliketheswordbattlewouldkeepthemfromgettingalong.
“Onthatnote,whatdoyouplantodoforthebirthdaycelebration,Ferris?”
Fourierasked.“Goingtowearadress?”
“Ohmy,YourHighness,isLadyCruschnotenoughforyou?Gotyoureyeon
Ferri,too?Anyway,sorry.Youcanlookforwardtofindingouttomorrow.”
“A dress, yes… A dress… Say, Ferris, my father seemed more than happy
with the dress you picked out, but I worry it won’t quite be appropriate for
me…”
“LadyCrusch,weneedyoutohavethebestdress,andthebestjewelry,and
justall-aroundlookthebestyoucan!Andbelieveme,it’llbegreat!”
“Yes!Crusch!I’llbesavoringtheanticipation!”
The combined enthusiasm of the cat-boy and the prince finally overcame
Crusch’s objection.Her amber eyes turned to look out the window, presenting
her face in a somehow transient-looking profile. Ferris naturally followed her
gaze,andlookedupatthenightsky.
Thepale,coldhalf-moonfloatedagainstafieldofstars.Thenextdaywould
beCrusch’sbirthday.Themoonlightshimmeredweirdly,asifpresagingagreat
manychangestocome.
7
The next day. Crusch Karsten’s seventeenth birthday was blessed with clear
skies.
“Mm!Whatbeautifulweather!”Ferrislaughedashepulledbacktheshades
andopenedthewindow.Thebreezecaughthisshoulder-lengthhair.Hewasup
earlierthanusual,andthemorningskywasclearandcool.Thenightbeforehad
beenspenttalkinglateintotheweehourswithCruschandFourier,buthewasso
excitedfortodaythathebarelyfelttired.Hewascompletelyawakeandreadyto
go,morethanhe’dbeenonanyothermorning.
“Perfectforabirthdayparty!”hesaidmerrily.“Looksliketheweathergods
are working overtime.” Quickly, he took off his pajamas and pulled on his
feminine clothes,just as always.The white ribbons in his hair made his outfit
complete.Hegavehimselfaonce-overinthemirror,thenveritablydancedout
intothehallway,wherehefoundtheservantsalreadyattheirwork.
“Goooodmorningtoyou!”hechirped.
“Ah,MasterFerris,goodmorning.You’reupearlytoday.”
“Well, it’s a very important day. Need to put my best foot forward, you
know?Andyou’restillallupevenearlier.”
“Itisourjob,sir.Andyouaren’ttheonlyonelookingforwardtotoday.We
wanttomakesureeverythingisperfect.”Theelderlystewardsmiled.Ferrishad
known him for quite a while, and the normally reticent man looked about as
happyasFerrishadeverseenhim.
The other servants around were the same; although they were at work, not
one of them looked unhappy. That was just how much the object of today’s
festivitieswasbelovedbyall.
“But!ButIloveLadyCruschjustasmuchasanyonehere!I’lldoanythingI
cantohelp—justtellmewhatneedsdoing!”
“Howenthusiastic.I’msurethereareplentyoflittlechoresyoucoulddo…”
NoonewassoinsensitiveastosuggestthatFerrisshouldavoidmeniallabor
just because he was a close personal attendant of Crusch’s. They saw how
excitedhe wasandwerekind enoughtolethim help. Ferrisresolvedtorepay
thembyworkingashardashecould.
Thebirthdaypartywasscheduledtostartthatevening.Guestswereexpected
toarriveinthehoursbeforethat,soallthepreparationsforthepartyhadtobe
completedbeforenoon.Ofcourse,mostoftheworkhadbeendoneinthedays
prior,butthereweresomefinaldetailstobesettled,includingtheservingorder
ofthefood,alongwithwhowoulddowhatwhen.
“Ican’twaittoseeLadyCrusch’sdresstonight,”oneoftheservantssaid.
“Icouldn’tagreemore.IhadbeguntodoubtIwouldlivetoseeherinsuch
anoutfit.”
Thelong-standingservantsandthe oldsteward laughedtogether,butFerris
found himself feeling self-reproachful. When he and Crusch had made that
promiseaschildren,hehadneverthoughtabouthowmanypeoplemightquietly
behurtbyit.
Theyweren’tintentionallybeingcriticalofhim,ofcourse.Theyweresimply
overjoyedtoseeCrusch,whomtheyhadcaredforsinceshewasalittlegirl,in
women’sclothing.
“I’msosorry,everyone.”
Itwasaverymodestformofatonement:Ferrisspokehisapologyonlyunder
his breath and only out of his own feelings of guilt. But it inspired him to
redoublehisefforts,andwhentheservantssawhim,theyknewtheycouldn’tlet
themselvesbeoutdone. Sothey allthrewthemselvesmoreandmoreintotheir
owntasks,andthepreparationswerefinishedwellaheadofschedule.All that
remainedwastowaitfortheguests,andnightfall.
Oranyway,soitshouldhavebeen,ifnothinghadhappened.
JustasFerrisenteredthefronthall,heheardavoice:
“ImustspeaktoDukeKarsten!Ihaveamessageofutmostimportance!”
AsFerriswenttoaskwhatchoreheshouldtacklenext,hefoundagroupof
servants circled around someone.He went over to get a better look and saw a
young man, out of breath and sweating profusely. He appeared to have come
runningatbreakneckspeedfromhiscarriage,andeveryinchofhimscreamed
troublewasafoot.Hewasn’thurt,butwasclearlyexhausted,heavilyburdened
bothemotionallyandphysically.
“Imusttellhimwhatbringsmehere…!”
“Tellus,then.Whatisgoingon?”
Astheyoungmanfelltohisknees,hehappenedtolookupatFerris.Thecat-
boygulpedwhenhesawtheghastlyappearanceofhisface.
Shudderingand fearful,theyoungman said, “Demonbeastshaveappeared
onFoutourPlain—massivebunnies!”
8
“Giant Rabbits have appeared, have they?” Meckart sighed as he received the
news.“Whatastrokeofbadluck…”
Abouttenpeopleweresqueezedintotheduke’soffice,lookingworriedlyat
each other. All of them were Meckart’s trusted subordinates, people who had
arrivedatthemansionearlyinanticipationofCrusch’sbirthdaycelebration.But
noonecouldhaveknownthatthehappymeetingwouldturnintoanemergency
council.
“Badluckindeed,butthesilverliningisthatwewereallherealready.The
firstmomentsofademonbeastattackarethemostcrucial.Wewillbeableto
respondasquicklyaspossible.”
“As ever, I am saved by a retainer who knows how to look on the bright
side,” Meckart said. “To begin with, I want to know how things stand. Any
damageorinjuries?Canyoutellme?”
“Y-yes,sir.”The young man was absolutely petrified to be standing before
not only the pillars of the ducal house but also Duke Karsten himself. But he
wanted to fulfill his duty, and Meckart and the others nodded along as he
explained.
Centuries before, a witch had created a variety of demonic monsters—and
GiantRabbitswerereputedtobeamongthethreemostpowerfulofthem.The
verynameportendeddestruction.
The White Whale. The Black Serpent. The Giant Rabbits. They were
sometimes treated like natural disasters, and they were so overwhelmingly
destructivethatentirenationshaddispatchedforcestodefeatthemtonoavail.
That these creatures had survived such determined efforts to exterminate them
hintedatjusthowdangeroustheywere.
Today,GiantRabbitshadappearedonFoutourPlain,awildareaontheedge
oftheKarstendomain.
“Thefirst people to noticetherabbitswereagroupoftrappers in a nearby
forest. They were trying to get pelts from an animal that can be found there
calledtheubzuswhentherabbitsambushedthem.”
“Poeticjustice,onemightsay.Whathappenedtothem?”
“Theherdatemostofthem,includingtheirleader.Theonlysurvivorwasa
youngmanwhohadstayedwiththedragoncarriage.Heworkedhiswaybackto
thenearestvillage,andthatwaswhenwefirstheardwhathadhappened.”
Meckart’sfacedarkenedattheyoungman’sreport.“Hewenttoavillage…?
Andwhatbecameofthatvillage?”
“Forgiveusfornotconsultingyou,mylord,butwepackedallthevillagers
into the local dragon carriages and evacuated them. Including the young
survivor,sir.Myfather,thevillagechief,sentmeheretoinformyou.”
Meckartnodded atthe terrifiedyoung man.“I see. A wise decision. Ishall
rememberyourfather,andyou.”Thenhe turnedto hisadvisers.“Ibelievethe
firstorderofbusinessshouldbetocontainthedamagetherabbitsarecausing.
Hopefully onlythe one villageat most willbe destroyed. Gentlemen, what do
youthink?”
Oneofthemen,middle-agedandwithathoughtfullookonhisface,raised
hishand.“Thisyoungman’svillagemadeanexcellentchoice.Perhapsthebest
move would be to expand the scale of the evacuation to other nearby villages
andkeeptheGiantRabbitsunderobservation.Iftherumorsaboutthewaysof
demonbeastscan be relied on, weneednot provoke them and deliberatelylet
themknowwherethereispreytobefound.”
So the first suggestion was to avoid combat. A grim-faced man offered a
counterargument. “That would only work if the rabbits remain satisfied with
theircurrentsituation,whichisanawfullyoptimisticassumption.Whatifthey
destroythewoodsandthevillagesandstillaren’tsated?Whatthen?Iftheherd
scatters,we’llneverbeabletodealwithit.”
“Whatdoyouproposewedo,then?”
“We must take the initiative. I requesttheKarsten domain muster a unitto
exterminatethecreatures.Wemustnotcedeanypartofourlandstosomebeast,
noteventheuntamedwilderness.Nottomentionthatifwestayshutupinthe
heartlandwhilethepeopleareterrorized,itwillundermineducalauthority.”
“Wehavenothingtogainbydefeatingthesecreatures.”
“We have nothing to gain, but we do have something to lose. Thepeople’s
trust,andourownpride.”
Thoseforbattleandthoseagainstitclashed,andneitheropinionwaswrong,
exactly.Bothhadmerit.Thatwaswhyadecisionhadtobemade.
“—”
Meckartremainedsilent.His own thoughts were as muchinconflictas his
advisers’.Andatthatmoment,ahandwentupthatseemedoutofplace.Itwas
none other than the person who had brought the young man to the office and
thenquietlystayedtolistentotheproceedings—Ferris.
“Um,LordMeckart?Sorry.Iknowit’snotreallymyplace,but…”
“…Ah,Felix.Yes,thankyou.Whatisit?Whatdoyouwanttoask?”
“It’saboutLadyCrusch’sbirthdayparty.Iknowwehavetocancelit,butthe
guestswillbearrivingsoon.Whatshouldwetellthem?”
“That… That’s a good question. Another problem to resolve. Terribly
unlucky,allofthis.”Meckartchewedonhislip.Butthenhesuddenlylookedup.
“SpeakingofCrusch,whereisshe?Youhaven’tspokentoheraboutthis,have
you?”
“Don’t worry, sir. I brought the messenger straight here… I suspect Lady
CruschisbusyentertainingPrinceFourierrightnow.AtleastwecanthankHis
Highnessforthat.”
“Isee,that’sgood.ThatgivesmeallthemoreesteemforHisHighness.”
A palpable relief shot through the room. Meckart was not the only one to
relax;everyonetherewhoknewCruschsharedthefeeling.Iftheyoungwoman,
withhersenseofpride inhernoblehouse andherdevotionto chivalry, found
outthatthepeoplewerethreatenedbydemonbeasts,itwouldbehardtostopher
from flying out the door to save them. All those who were familiar with her
passionatenaturecouldtellitonlymadesensetoensureshegotnowindofthis
situation.
“—Now then, time is short. We don’t have long to spend fretting and
arguing,”Meckartsaid.
Hismomentarysmileofreliefhadbecomeafrownagain,andheadjustedhis
position in hischair.This caused everyone else to straighten up as well. They
attendedsilentlytohiswords.
“First, evacuate all towns and villages near Foutour Plain. Send our own
dragoncarriagestohelp,aswellasthosefromanyothervillageswhocanspare
them.Evacuate all the people and as many of their possessions as is feasible.
Whenthe rabbits comethrough,nothingwill be left.You mustensure there is
absolutelynolooting.Bardok,you’reinchargeoftheevacuationeffort.”
“Yes,sir!”
“Further,setupacombatperimeteraroundtheFoutourforest.Wecan’thave
the rabbits destroying an area we haven’t even cultivated yet. However, our
objective is not extermination. It is simply damage control. So don’t put too
manyhot-bloodedyoungsoldiersonthefrontline,hmm?”
“Understood,sir.Whowillbeincommand?”
“The old coward who’s charged with looking after this domain,” Meckart
saidwithashrug.“Ahh,norestfortheweary,isthere?”Hisadviserssmiledat
oneanother.Andthen,astheroomgrewincreasinglytense,Meckartturnedto
Ferris.“Ihaveanorderforyou,too,Felix.DonotletCruschfindoutaboutthe
rabbits.Andmakesureherbirthdaypartycomesoffflawlessly.”
“You’renotgoingtocancelit,sir?!”
“Whatever happens on Foutour Plain, it’s not likely to affect the mansion.
Andourguestshavegonetoallthetroubleofcominghere.”
“But!But!Withoutyouhere,LordMeckart,it’llbeawfullyhardtohidethat
something’sgoingon…”
“I’mnottellingyoutokeepthesecretwithyourlife.Ifyoucanjustkeepit
quiet for this evening, that will be enough. I assume Crusch will find out by
tomorrow.Iwouldappreciateifyouwouldbesokindastobearherwrathfor
methistime.”
Meckartspokelightly,butFerriscouldseefurtherargumentwouldbefutile.
Hepursedhislipsandmadehisdispleasureobvious,glaringatMeckart.
“You’d better promise to bear it with me, sir. Otherwise, I’ll be awfully
upset.”
“Gracious,you’remostintimidating,Felix.ButintheeventIcan’tkeepthat
promise…”
“…then it had better be because you underestimated the demon beasts too
muchanddiedfightingoneorsomething.”
“Myboy,youdosaythemostinauspiciousthings!”
As they bantered back and forth, Ferris found himself resigned. In
stubbornnessifnothingelse,fatherreallywaslikedaughter.
“Allright,sir.I,Ferris,willstakemyverylifeonmakingthispartyasuccess.
I’ll be praying for your good fortune in battle, Lord Meckart.” He offered a
curtsyalongwithhiswishforMeckart’sgoodfortuneinbattle.
The duke nodded at him, then began to discuss the next steps with his
advisers.Ferrisslippedquietlyoutoftheoffice,andhurriedtorejointhedeeply
disturbedservants.Theywouldhavetomovequicklynow.
—Fortheywereabouttotrytopulloffthebiggestlieoftheirlives.
9
SeveralhoursafterMeckarthadlefttheestate,Ferris,outfittedinaresplendent
dress,wasinthepartyhallwiththebiggestsmilehecouldmuster.
“Welcome,thankyousomuchforcoming.”
It was evening, and well-appointed dragon carriages arrived at the Karsten
mansiononeafteranother.Theirriders—noblesandVIPsofeverykind—looked
everybitasimpressiveastheircarriages.Theyweretheluckyfewtobeinvited
to the birthday party of the duke’s daughter, and as such, they displayed a
sophistication that would have left the average person breathless. Luckily for
Ferris, he lived at the estate of the very duke hosting the party and was close
friendswithanactualmemberoftheroyalfamily.
Havingsaidthat,thewomanheknewspenthertimelookingverygraveand
generallynotbeingsociable,sowhetherthatexperiencewouldhelphimtoday
wasquestionable.Regardless,Ferrisgreetedeachoftheguestsandshowedthem
to their places with exactly the right amount of deference and respect, never
obsequiousorimpudent.Ashestoodreadytoreceivevisitorsinhisbluedress,
eventhosewhodidn’tknowhimstoppedwhentheysawhim,somelookingasif
theymightfallheadoverheelsinlove.
At the moment, he was gently rebuffing the advances of some well-heeled
youngman.
“TothinkIoverlookedoneasbeautifulasyou…Icanonlycastigatemyself
forthislapseinjudgment!”
“Oh,you’resweet.Butyoumustn’tbesolavish.Theyoungwomanwithyou
isgivingmethemostterribleglare…”Astheyoungmanwalkedaway,Ferris
gavethecoupleawink.Notrouble.Itwasallsoeasy.Theleasthecoulddowas
keepasmileonhisfaceforthenight.
“Excuseme,”someonewassayingtothenattilydressedmaidbesidehim,his
fellowreceptionist.“MightIinquireastothewhereaboutsofDukeKarsten?I
shouldliketo askhimtosayafewwordsofintroductionbeforeweannounce
thewomanofthehour,MissCrusch.”
“I’mterriblysorry,”themaidreplied,“butLordMeckartisindisposedatthe
moment…Ithinkhe’llbeaboutshortly,butImustaskyoutowaituntilthen.”
“Whatashame,andonsuchanimportantday.Iunderstand.Pleaseforgive
myimpertinentrequest.”
Since the moment guests started arriving, there had been no end of people
asking after Duke Meckart. It was only natural. Only a handful of people had
been chosen to attend the party. Not counting the members of the household,
mostofthepeopleattheestatewereprobablytheretocheckinonMeckartor
otherwiseingratiatethemselvestohim.Theywouldofcoursebedisappointedto
findhimabsent.
“Well,ifmewaskthem,they’llsaythey’renotupset,though…”
“MasterFerris,becareful.You’refrowning.”
“Oops! I’ll have to be meow careful.” Ferris’s muttering to himself had
drawnthemaid’sattention.Shemusthavefeltthesamewayhedid,becauseshe
didn’tchastisehimforwhatheactuallysaid.Asmuchastheywereusedtoit,it
stillhurtthosewhosimplywishedthebestforthehousehold.
Still,emotionsofeverykindcouldbeobservedamongtheguests.Itwasjust
aswell.Whenthestarofthepartyshowedupinhermostbeautifuldress,they
wouldallfeelnothingbutadmiration.
“Heh-heh…Heh-heh-heh!”
“MasterFerris,Idon’tlikethelookinyoureye…”
“Oops!Havetobemeowcareful.”Hestuckouthistongueinembarrassment,
havingnowbeencalledouttwice,albeitfordifferentoffenses.
The party was only just starting, and the guests were still arriving. The
introductionoftheevening’sstar,Crusch,wouldbethemainevent.Untilthen,
shewouldhavetoremaininherrooms.Shewouldnodoubtbebored,butFerris
couldn’thelpafeelingofrelief.
Thankstoherspecialblessing, itwashard to keepsecretsfrom Cruschfor
long.Her blessing of wind reading allowed her to interpret the wind—not just
the actual breeze but the air in a room or surrounding a person, the aura that
communicated their emotions. She was quite good at it, and it made her very
difficult to deceive. Although, with Crusch being as upright as she was, she
sometimesletherselfbemisledaboutminordailymatters.
“You can’t treat Lady Crusch like an ordinary person…although I guess
that’spartofwhyIlovehersomuch…”
“MasterFerris,there’sdrooldanglingfromyourmouth…”
“Oops!Havetobemeowcareful.”
That was three strikes, and the maid was not looking very pleased. Ferris
knewitwassillyto besoanxiousoveralittlebitof banter,butitalsolooked
likelytobealongnight.
Okay.Timetoputthesmilebackonhisfaceandthrowhimselfintoreceiving
guestsagain…
“Ferris!Ferris,areyouhere?!”
Asifinresponsetohisthoughts,justashewastryingtoturnhimselfintoa
smiling machine, a voice in the distance called his name. There was no doubt
whoitwas—thisparticularmannerofcallingforattentioncouldbelongtoonly
oneperson.
Even as Ferris registered who the owner of the voice must be, the crowd
parted.There,raisinghishand andcallinginthatfamiliar,carryingvoice, was
Fourier.
He was dressed in lustrous clothing, his golden hair and scarlet eyes both
sparkling.Aspeoplerealizedthefourthprinceofthenationwasstandingamong
them,headsbegantobow.
“Hm?Oh, stop that, you’re all much too formal. I am a magnanimous and
friendlyyoungman.AndIamnotthecenterofattentiononthisnight.Goover
totheyounglady’sdaisandenjoytheparty.”Fourierthreatenedtodistractfrom
the point of the evening by provoking the surprise show of reverence. Then
again, since he was in fact a prince, the display of respect for him should not
havebeensurprising—buthiseverydayattitudemadeiteasytoforgetthat.
“HisHighness…Nowthere’ssomeoneelseyoucan’thandlelikeanordinary
person…”
“Whatare you muttering about, Ferris? Um…”Fourierwalkedthroughthe
now-partedcrowd,straightuptothemaidandtheboy.HelookedFerrisandhis
dress up and down, then gave a deep and genuinely appreciative nod. “As
beautifulinadressasalways!Beitabirthdaypartyoramatchmakingmeeting,
Inevergettiredofseeingyoulikethis!Youhavemyenthusiasticpraise!”
“Ha-ha-ha, thank you very much. You look quite dashing yourself, Your
Highness.”
“Don’t I, though? I wracked my brain deciding what to wear tonight. I
neededsomethingappropriateforCrusch’sbirthdayparty,somethinginwhichI
couldholdmyheaduphighbesideher.Whatdoyouthink,Ferris?”
“Anexcellentjob,mylord.Youpracticallylookaman.”
“Heh-heh!Yes,Ithinkso,too.”Heputhishandsonhiships,puffedouthis
chest,andgenerallylookedterriblypleasedwithhimself.Itwasverymuchlike
himnottonoticethejibeinFerris’swords;thiswaspartofhischarm.
Fourier’sarrivalhaddiffusedsomeofthebuildinganticipationforthestarof
theparty,andFerrispattedhimselfonthechest,gladforthebreather.
“But what have you been doing all this time, Your Highness? I certainly
haven’t been able to entertain you. Were you in Lady Crusch’s rooms or
something?”
“Ah, if only I could have been. But I could hardly spend all day in the
chambersofthemostimportantwomanoftheevening.Letmebeclear,Ididnot
withdraw because of the overpowering stares of the maids who were trying to
help the young lady change! Nor did I wander the mansion at loose ends
afterward,either!”
“Ofcoursenot,YourHighness.I’mgladyouwereabletofindme.”
“Yes,agreatrelief.Frankly,Iwasgettingratherlonely.”
Thehonest,almostnaïveremarkwarmedFerris,andhewassurprisedtofind
agenuinesmileonhisface.Itwasthefirstrealexpressionofhappinesshehad
madesincethepartystarted.Thesmilingandgreetinghadgoneonsolong,he
hadbeguntothinkhewouldneverbeabletomakearealsmileagain.
Not that he disliked smiling, but it was so much easier when he was calm
inside.Hejustwishedhe couldsharehisburdenwithsomebodythere,evenif
tellingthestarherselfwasoutofthequestion…
“Oh well. That’s why they trusted me to watch things here—because we
can’t.”
Despitehisbestefforts,hefoundthislittlebitofself-pityslippingout,andhe
useda rueful grin to cover it. When he thought of what Meckart wasdoing—
whythedukecouldn’tbetheretogreettheguests—heknewhecouldhardlyfeel
sorryforhimself.Andanyway,thiswasthejobhehadbeenentrustedwith.The
importanttaskthedukehadentrustedtoFelixArgyle.
“That’sallverywell.ButisCruschnottobeintroducedyet?”
“We’re saving the best for last. Your Highness, you look as excited as a
child.”
“Well,whatdoyouwant?Iamexcited!Aren’tyou?”
“Iaccompaniedher tothe fitting,so Ialready gotto see.Ah! LadyCrusch
wassobeautifulinherdress,meow!Agoddessamongus!”
“Grr!That’snotfair,Ferris!Infact,it’sdownrightcruel!Rememberwhodid
alltheworksothatwecouldseeCruschinherdress.”
Fouriercrossedhisarmsandgaveanangrysnort.Ferrisdesperatelyheldin
hislaughter.
“It was all thanks to you, of course, Your Highness. Lord Meckart knows
that, and all the servants, and of course I do, too. We’re all grateful to you.
Thankyouverymuch!Heh-heh.”
“Hm,areyou,now?Well,that’s good.A man must be generous of heart.I
forgiveyou!Ismymagnanimitynotasvastasthesky?Whatdoyouthink?”
“Oh,itcertainlyis.Yourmagnanimityis like a vast bluesky.” This wasn’t
flattery;Ferrisreallydidfeelthatway.Infact,hethoughtofFourierasthesunin
thatsky.AndthatwouldmakeCruschthewind,theinvisiblebreezethatblew
pastthatsunandthroughthesky.Whatdidthatmakehim,then?Hecouldwish
tobeatleastacloudcarriedthroughtheskybythatwind.
“YourHighness?”
AsFerrisstood,lostinthesethoughts,hesuddenlyfoundahandinfrontof
hisface.ItbelongedtoFourier.TheprincelookedintoFerris’ssubtlydarkened
face,thengavehisusualbrightsmile.
“This is no time to be looking unlike yourself, Ferris. This is all because
you’vebeenforcingyourselftosmile,goingthiswayandthatlikeapuppetona
string.Takemyhand—we’regoingtodance.”
“…I’mnogoodatsmiling,huh?”
“Oh,Iwouldn’tsaythat.Ijustthoughtyoulookeddifferentfromusual.How
long have we known each other? Five years already? It’s only natural that I
shouldknowmyfriend’ssmileinsideandout.”
“Do you consider me a friend, Your Highness?” Ferris replied, raising an
eyebrowattheunexpectedword.Thatcausedtheprince’shandsomefacetotake
onaseriouscast.HegaveFerrisaquestioninglook.
“It’sbeenfiveyears,wedon’thesitatetoconversewitheachother,weeven
shareour little secrets… If thisisnotfriendship,thenI have no friends. What
haveyouconsideredmeallthistime,Ferris?”
“Well,I…It’sjust,Iwouldhatetobepresumptuous…”
“Hah! I am giving you permission here and now. There is no presumption.
Ferris, you are my friend. Stand proudly beside me and share my joy in all
things.Yes?Isitapromise?”
ItwasclassicFourier:forcefulandwithoutmuchconsiderationforeitherthe
otherperson’ssituationorhisownstation.Butthewordswerelikesalvationfor
Ferris, and he was deeply moved. He looked at the ground, suddenly finding
himself onthe verge of tears. He took several deepbreaths. Only after he had
calmedthewaveof emotion did he look up.Therewasateasingsmileonhis
face.
“Then, Your Highness, perhaps I could ask you for one song before our
belovedLadyCruscharrives?”
“Seeing as how I already asked you—yes, of course. You can dance the
woman’spart,can’tyou?Icertainlydon’tknowhow.”
“Relax.Actually,thewoman’spartistheonlypartIknow.”
“Wellandgood,then—becauseIonlyknowtheman’spart!”Fourierpuffed
outhischest,andthistimeFerrisreallycouldn’tresistaburstoflaughter.Then
helookedatthemaidbesidehim;shegavehimaforcefulwinkasiftosay,Let
mehandletheguests.Henodded,gratefulforherthoughtfulness.
“Letusdance,then!Followme!”
“Ofcourse,mylord.”
Fourier was full of enthusiasm, yet when he held out his hand, the gesture
wasgentle.HeescortedFerristothedancefloor,lookingtallandbrave.Atthe
sightofhim,Ferrisputahandtohischest,hisheartjustalittlebitlighter.
“By the way, Your Highness, you’re wrong about how long we’ve known
eachother.Ithasn’tbeenfiveyears.It’sbeensix.”
“Hmm?Isthatright?Hmm.Well,itmattersnot.Inlightofhowlongwewill
knoweachother,itisbutasmallthing.Don’tyouthinkso?”
“Gosh…Well,ifYourHighnesssaysso.”
At the middle of the dance floor, they faced each other and joined hands.
Ferrissuppressed asmile, butthe edgesof ittugged athis lips.Fourier saw it
andsmiled,too,andthenthemusicbegan.
They started dancing, tracing the steps in the dazzling orange light of the
sinkingsun.
Nightwasfalling,andtheywaitedanxiouslyforthepersontheywereallhere
tocelebrate.Thebirthdaypartywasjustbeginning.
10
“Your Highness, I never knew you were so well built. I can feel my pulse
racing.”
“Can’tyou,though?It’sbecauseIamsuchafineyoungman.But,um,stop
blushingandsnugglinguptomelikethat.Itgivesmeaverystrangefeeling!”
“Aww…Weren’tyoutellingthetruthwhenyousaidwewerefriends,Your
Highness?”
“OfcourseIwas!B-butI’mconcernedthatifthingsgoanyfurtherwe’renot
goingtobejustfriendsanymore!Stopteasingme!Whodoyoutakemefor?!”
Theyhadfinishedtheirdanceandleftthefloortothunderousapplause.They
were walking through a corridor of the mansion, heading for Crusch’s rooms,
FerristeasingFourieralongtheway.
Hehadnearlyforgottenhisassignment,caughtupinthedanceashewas,but
he was supposed to be making sure that the party went smoothly. He was
surprisedbyhowmuchhefelthehadbeenabletocontributetothatgoal.The
nextobjectivewastomakesureCruschwasproperlydressed.Shewouldsoon
needtobereadytobepresentedtotheparty.
“Asaman,YourHighness,youcan’tcomeintheroom,”FerristoldFourier.
“You’llseeherdresswheneveryoneelsedoes.Comeon,shoo!”
“What? And to think, you were treating me so very kindly up until this
moment.Anyway, I had no intention of trying to force my way into Crusch’s
rooms.I only thought shemightbe nervous and wanted to behere to comfort
her.”
Itsoundedlikeanexcuse,butFerrisgaveintothenobilityofitandpermitted
theprincetoaccompanyhim.Anyway,itwascertainlytruethatCruschmightbe
abitanxiousaboutappearinginfrontofacrowdinadress.Itwaspossiblethat
havingFourieralongwouldnotbeacompletewaste.
Withthisinmind,thetwoofthemarrivedatCrusch’srooms.Ferrisknocked
onthedoor.
“LadyCruuuusch!It’sFerris.CanIcomein?”
“—Ferris.I’vebeenwaitingforyou.Enter.”
Thesamemasculinevoiceasalwaysgreetedhimandinvitedhimtocomein.
HeandFourierenteredtheroom—andthenwentcompletelystiff.
“IseeyouhaveHisHighnesswithyou.Thatisunexpected.”
Cruschwasnotinadress,butinthemilitaryuniformtheyweresousedto.
Noproblem.Shejustneededtotakeoffthemen’sclothingandchangeintoher
dress.Theissuewaswhatwasatherfeet.
Abutlerwassittingthere,boundandgagged.
“L-LadyCrusch?!What’sgoingonhere?!”
“Iunderstandyoursurprise,butstaycalm.Maloneyisunharmed.Ionlytied
himupbecauseIcouldn’thavehimgettinginmyway.I’msurethenextmaidto
comebywillsethimloose.”
“Youtiedhimup.Whydidyoutiehimup?”
“YouknowI’mbadatbeatingaroundthebush,soletmebedirect.Where
hasmyfathergone?”
“—”
As Crusch’s amber eyes bored into him, Ferris’s throat constricted with
terror. His reaction only made Crusch more certain. She put a hand on the
window of her room. They were only on the first floor; she could climb out
easily.Andshewasobviouslyaboutto.
“W-wait, milady! Where are you going? And how will you know to go
there?”
“My destination is Foutour Plain. My father is headed there because of a
disaster… Demon beasts. He left the mansion with Bardok and some other
confidantes,intendingtoarrivetheretonight.AmIwrong?”
TerrorpiledtogetherforFerris;hecouldonlytremble.Hecouldn’timagine
anyonehadletthesecretslipto Crusch.But she had such a cleargraspofthe
circumstancesthataleakseemedtheonlypossibility.Howhadithappened?
“Iknewitwouldbeimpossibletogeteverythingfromoneperson.SoIwent
onebyone,piecingtogetherthefragmentsofwhateachpersonknew.Andyou
justgavememyproof,Ferris.”
“Oops…”
“Iwillstandbymyfather’sside.PerhapsIwillnotbeanyhelp.Perhapsthey
willmockme,sayingIhadn’tneededtocome.ButImustgo.Whenourmost
loyalretainersgathertothelioncrest,shallIbelollingaboutinagown,waiting
tohearwhatbecomesofthem?Ishallnotstandforit.”
Ofcourseshewouldsaythat.Theyhadknownthatwashowshewouldreact
the moment she heard of it, and that was why everyone in the household had
workedsohardtokeepitfromher.Buttheyoungwoman’ssingulargeniusand
exceptionalsharpnesshadundonealltheirefforts.
“Wait a moment, Crusch! Who said you could do such a thing?” Fourier
calledoutfrombesideFerris,whohadbeencowedintosilence.
Ofcourse,Cruschwasnotabletoignorehim.“YourHighness…”shesaid,
hertonemoresubduedthanbefore.“Please,forgiveme.Imustdothisinorder
tobewhoIam.IswearIwillmakeupforbeingsorudetoallmyguests.ButI
amamemberoftheducalfamily.Youmustletmego.”
“Don’ttrytorushthediscussion.Itisn’taquestionofgoingornotgoingat
themoment.Firstandforemost—Idon’thavetheslightestideawhat’sgoingon!
Isn’t Meckart in bed with a fever? That’s what I heard. Although, looking at
Ferris, I don’t suppose it’s true.” He glanced at the cat-boy, whose shoulders
were trembling, out of the corner of his eye. “Well, regardless.” He shook his
head.“Idon’tknowexactlywhatFerrisandMeckartareplanning,butitisyouI
havetroubleforgiving,Crusch.Whathasledyousoastray?”
“Astray,YourHighness…?”
“If you truly have pride in the blood of the servant of the Lion King that
flowsthroughyou,itisyourdutynottomakeawasteoftoday’sfestivities.It
isn’t yours to decide which is more important, the battlefield or the birthday
party.Norisityouwhowillultimatelydetermineyourreputation—Iwon’tlet
youforgetyourvowtoseethisthrough.”
“—”
Crusch’s face tensed slightly at Fourier’s stern words. Ferris, looking on,
didn’t fully understand whatever it was that most seemed to strike home with
her. A most important thing seemed to have been communicated privately
betweenFourierandCruschalone.
“Forget…?No,itisasYourHighnesssays.ButI…Imust…”
“LadyCrusch…”
Ferris knew all too well the pain, the wave of emotion that swelled in
Crusch’s heart and threatened to swallow her. Her pride as a member of the
ducalhouseholdnowwarredwiththelayersofheridentitythatshehadbuiltup.
Bothwereindispensablepartsofher;withouteitheroneofthem,Cruschcould
notbeCrusch.
“YourHighness,areyoutellingmetostayhere,putafakesmileonmyface,
and…?”
“—? No, I’m saying no such thing. I think you’re still misunderstanding
something.”
“What?”
Fourier’sperplexedexpressionevokedsoundsofsurprisefrombothCrusch
andFerris.Fourier’seyessparkledattheunusualreactionofbothattendantand
mistress,andthenhegaveoneofhistoothysmiles.
“Listen.WhatIamtryingtosayisnotthatyoumustprotectyourpositionas
amemberoftheduke’sfamily.Itisthatyoumustprotectwhoandwhatyouare
asCruschKarsten,theduke’sdaughter.”
“Whatdoyoumeanbythat,YourHighness?”
“Youwishtosupportyourfather,andyoumustgothroughwiththisbirthday
celebration. Both duties are equally demanded of Crusch Karsten, the duke’s
daughter.Andshemustnotfailineitherbutseethemboththrough,justlikethe
youthatIknow.”
“—?!”
Fourierspokewithalltheconfidenceofsomeonewhowassayingsomething
verysimple.Andwhileheseemedtothinkhehadgivenafinebitofadvice,the
youngwomanlisteningtohimlookedtroubledbythisparadoxicalopinion.
“Of course it would be ideal to do both,” Crusch said. “But realistically…
withmystrength,Icouldn’t…”
“Wrongagain.Youhaveme.YouhaveFerris.Youaren’talone.”
“YourHighness…”
“Who hasn’t been at a party where things didn’t quite go according to
schedule?Whatwithallthecelebratingandthedrink…Ifthestaroftheshowis
a little late, the master of ceremonies will find some way to buy her time.
PerhapsI could do a sword dance,” Fourier said, striking a pose as ifdancing
with an invisible blade. This caused Crusch, who until that moment had been
standingdumbfounded,toblink.Thenasoftsmilecameoverherface.
ItwasnaturalandbeautifulenoughtoensnaretheheartsofbothFerrisand
Fourier.
“Your Highness’s concern for me is a greater gift than any other. Let my
person and my heart be given utterly in loyalty to you. Thank you very, very
much.”
“Oh,stop,stop!Ifeelmostawkward whenyouspeakto me thatway.You
andIarefriends.Wemustn’tletthelittlethingsworryus.Moreimportantly—
Ferris!”
“Er—yes, sir!” He straightened up as the prince abruptly called his name.
Fouriergavehimapatontheshoulder.
“Cruschisgoingtodosomethingfoolish.Andyouaregoingtoprotecther.
Youareherknight,afterall.”
“I’m…LadyCrusch’sknight?”
“A true knight must always be at his mistress’s side and constantly act to
keephersafe.IcanthinkofnootherknightforCruschbutyou.”
AthousandemotionsoverflowedwithinFerrisatthosewords.
Hisphysicalweaknesshadlongagocausedhimtogiveuphopeofwielding
theswordtoprotectCrusch.Hehadexchangedthatdreamforapromisewithhis
lady,buttodayhehadlookedsettolosethatpromise.Onthisday,whenithad
seemedhehadnowheretoturnandnoonetolookto,hewouldreceiveanew
vowinstead.
“ButIcanbarelyholdasword…SomeknightI’dbe.”
“ItisHisHighness’swill.Asforthesword,letmewieldit.Iwantyoutobe
by my side, doing what only you can do. That is the only thing I ask of my
knight.”
Crusch’sdeclarationsentasinglehottearrollingdownFerris’scheek.Itfelt
as though it wouldsear him, andhe quickly wipedit away. Then he turned to
Fourier.He knew the prince so well, but now he looked at him with an even
greaterrespect.
“Felix Argyle, acknowledging orders, Your Highness. I will protect Lady
Crusch,withoutfail.”
He made the most elaborate bow possible. Fourier nodded at him, then
suddenly handed something to Crusch. He had specifically brought the object
withhimwhenhehadheardthattheywereheadingforCrusch’srooms.
“Whatisthis,YourHighness?”
“You said my consideration is gift enough for you—but it isn’t for me.
Therefore,Ihavepreparedagiftforyouaswell.Ithinkitwillsuityoubetter
thananythingelse.”
Itwasalong,thin,butremarkablyheavypackage.Crusch’seyeswentwide
as she unwrapped it. She held a sword in her hands—one that was obviously
masterworkquality.
“This isthe best ofall the bladesin the royalarmory. I asked Bordeaux to
verifyasmuch,soI’msureit’strue.Itismygifttoyou.”
“YourHighness…Ithoughtyouwereagainstmywieldingthesword.”
“WhatelsecouldIdo?AllmylifeIhaveseenyouwiththeswordinyour
hand.ThatistheyouthatIlikebest.I’msureyou’llbestunninginyourdress…
butinmymind,youwillalwaysbethegirlwhogripsthesword.”Fourierhad
beguntoflushredfromspeakinghismindsodirectly.“Ifyouwon’tgiveupthe
blade,thenIhopeIcanatleastchoosetheoneyouhold.Otherwise,youmight
neverreplacethatdagger.AndImightnevergetyoubackfromtheLionKing.”
“MyLionKinghasalwaysbeen…No,”Cruschsaid,cuttingherselfoff.She
shookherhead.Thensheheldtheswordaloftandsaid,“Iamgratefulforthis
happiness. I promise I will do deeds with it worthy of your precious
considerationforme.”
“Good!…Well,Iadmitthatwasn’texactlyhowIexpectedyoutoacceptit,
butjustthesame!”
Fourier had, in his own way, done his utmost to communicate his feelings,
butthankstoCrusch’sobliviousness,theyhadgonestraightoverherhead.Ferris
feltbadaboutthat,buthisrespectforFouriergrewevenmore.
ThenCruschsaid,“Well,letusgo,Ferris.Weshallhelpmyfatherandreturn
immediatelytotheparty!”
“Yikes,soundslikealotofwork!AndhereFerri’salreadybeensobusyall
night…”
But Crusch was already out the window. Ferris hitched up his dress and
followedher.Hesteppedoutontothegrasswherethenightairenvelopedhim,
andheavedasigh,wonderingwhattheyweregettingthemselvesinto.
Butthedesperatefeelingofisolationhehadfeltwhiletryingtodeceivehis
mistresswasnomore.
Afterhehadseenthetwoofthemsafelyaway,thefirstthingFourierdidwas
closethewindow.
“I’m glad to have seen them off safely…but I never did figure out exactly
whatwasgoingon.Iwonderwhatitcouldbe?Hmm…”
Ashespoke,hekneltdownsohewaseyetoeyewiththebutler,whomthey
hadsimplyleftthere.Firsthetookthegagoutofthegratefulman’smouth.
“Ineedyoutoexplainafewthingstome.ThenyouandIwillhavetofigure
outhowtogetthroughtheseratherdirestraits.AsCrusch’srepresentatives,we
haveagraveresponsibility!”
And then he laughed merrily, as if this were just another perfectly normal
night.
11
—The attendees of the party at the Karsten mansion were slowly growing
disgruntled.
Itwasonlynatural.Thecelebrationhadstartedhoursago,itwasalreadywell
intothenight,andthemoodwasquiteexpectant.Nowtheywereallwaitingfor
the main event, the introduction of Crusch, the duke’s daughter. And yet the
crucial person utterly failed to appear. What was more, Meckart Karsten, the
hostoftheparty,wasalsonowheretobeseen,claimingillness.Howcouldthe
inviteesnotfeelalittleputout?
“Invitingustoapartywhereneitherthehostnorthecelebrantshowsup—are
theymockingus?”Althoughnoonespoketooloudly,manymadesuchremarks
undertheirbreath.
Despitetheextremedifficultyoftheirposition,thebutlersandservantsdid
theirutmosttofulfilltheirdutiesforthesakeoftheirmasterandmistress.This
wasloyaltyofthehighestorder.
“Erk… Even with me at the helm, it could be difficult to draw things out
muchlonger…”
Fourieraloneamongtheguestsknewwhatwasreallygoingon.Heusedhis
position and a few well-placed rumors to soothe the rising discontent of the
guests, but it was getting more difficult. He could divert them with amateur
sworddancesanddecentlyurilayperformancesonlysomanytimes.
Thislefthimwithonlyonechoice,asecretartpasseddownintheroyalline.
Fourierwouldsetasidehisprideasamemberoftheroyalfamilyandperform
thetrick—butjustashewasabouttodoso,acommotionranthroughthehall.It
appeared to originate with the guests near the door. Suddenly the vast portal
opened, and someone entered. Her long green hair danced, and she looked
startlingandrefreshinginhermilitaryuniform.
“It’sLadyCruschKarsten,”someonesaid,proclaimingthebeauty’sname.
Cruschturnedherambereyestothesourceofthevoice.Thepersonwhohad
spokenstiffened,butsheplacedahandoverherchestandgaveasingle,elegant
bow.
“Esteemedguests. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming all
thisway.Andfortheinconvenienceswehaveimposedonyou,letmeapologize
inplaceofthemasterofthishouse,Meckart.”
The hint of surprise that ran through the room might have been due to the
powerfulresolvethatwasalmosttangibleinhergorgeousvoice. Thisgirlhad
only just turned seventeen, but her forthright attitude silenced even those who
hadbeenmutteringbefore;theylistenedcloselytoherclear,resonantvoice.
“IfIcouldbegyourfurtherindulgence,”Cruschwenton,“Iwouldaskthat
youbepatientjustashortwhilelonger.Iwishtomakemyofficialgreetingto
youallinclothingmoresuitedtotheoccasion.”
She stood straight and raised her head, taking in all those in the hall. Her
gaze,assharpasanyblade,lefttheguestsnochoicebuttoaccedeinsilence.
“Mythanks—Ferris,come.”
“Yes,ma’am.”
AfigureinabluedresshadappearedbehindCrusch.Thisperson,too,was
quitebeautiful.Thefigure’shairandthehemofthedresswerebothinratherbad
shape, but neither attendant nor mistress seemed to notice. The two of them
begantowalk,andasifbysomesilentagreement,everyonemadewayforthem.
Cruschadvanced,dressedinhermilitaryclothes;allthoseshepassedfound
themselves unconsciously straightening up. The jeweled sword at her waist
seemedtoexpressherverybeing.
Themaidsbeganfollowingherasshewent,andthenthey,Crusch,andher
knight exited the party hall. No sooner had they done so than the hint of
anxiousness vanished from the air, and everyone breathed a collective sigh of
relief.Alltheguestslookedatoneanother.
“I’dheardrumorsaboutLadyCrusch,but…”
“They said she was mad for the sword, that she was a noblewoman who
couldoutdoanyman…Sothat’swhattheymeant,ha-ha.”
SmallandtremblingvoicestriedtomakelightofCrusch.Butitwasonlya
front,awayofpretendingtheyhadnotjustbeenoverawedbyayoungwoman—
andthosewhospokerealizedthisbestofall.
Thosewhohadheardhervoiceandseenherwalkbythemwereofonemind:
thederisivetalkofagirlobsessedwithswords,ofMeckart’sprodigaldaughter,
wassheernonsense.Shefullydeservedthesealofherfamilyasshewasevery
bitthelion.CruschKarstenwasatrueheirtothewaysofherhouse.
“—”
Many of the guests, properly astonished, felt that the party had been quite
eventfulenough.Itwassafetosaynoneofthemwereexpectingafurthershock.
Buttheygotone,whenCruschreturnedafterchangingherclothes.
“She’sbeautiful…”someonebreathed.
Nooneknewwhohadspoken,noteventhepersonwhohadwhisperedthe
words,soenrapturedwaseveryonebythesight.Cruschenteredthemoonlithall
wearingablackdress.Shehadtiedupherlonggreenhair,andpreciousstones
glittered here and there against her white skin. In her military outfit, she had
seemedassharpashersword,butinaninstantshehadcometoshineasbright
asageminherdress.Itseemedrudeeventobreatheinthepresenceofsucha
polishedjewel.
Thesoundofherhigh-heeledshoesechoedasshewalked,andthefirstplace
shewentwastoFourier.
“YourHighnessFourier,myapologiesforallthetroubleI’vecausedyou.”
Hisarmscrossed,thefourthprincedrankinthesightofCruschinherdress,
thenhenoddedinsatisfaction.
“Iknewmyjudgmentwascorrect.Crusch,youaretrulystunning.”
“YourHighnessistookind.”
“Ipromise,itisnoflattery.IfIcould,Iwouldlovetokeepyoualltomyself
right now. But I mustn’t—best you show yourself to all those who have been
waitingsoanxiouslyforyou.”
Witha hint of red in his cheeks, Fourier nodded at Crusch. Crusch nodded
backandthenturned,thehemofherdressflowingbehindher.Witheveryeyein
thehallonher,shemadearefinedcurtsy.
“Please be so kind as to forgive my rudeness earlier. And for the extra
momentoftimeyougrantedme,Iammostgrateful.Iofferyouallmyprofound
thanks.”
“—”
“Thankyou,eachofyou,forcomingheretodayforme.Iamseventeennow,
toooldtobeseekingtheindulgenceofmyfatheroranyofyou.Bothtodayand
inmylifetothismoment,Ihavebeensupportedby a great many people in a
greatmanythings.Sotoday,Iwouldliketomakeavow.”Shelookedstraight
ahead,hervoiceunabashed,carryingtoeveryoneintheroom.“FromthisdayI,
CruschKarsten,shallliveasanoble,inawaythatshallgratifytheexpectations
of both my family name and all of you here today. You all aremy witnesses.
Watchmeinthefuture,seeifIbreakthispromiseornot.”
“—”
“Forgivemeoncemoreforbotheringyouallwiththis.Please,enjoychatting
with oneanother.I extend to you again my profound gratitude for joining me
heretoday.”
So her address ended, but there was no applause. Partly this was because
people were overwhelmed. But partly, it was because Crusch’s words and
attitudehadsoughtnoacclamation.
Despite the mood, Crusch made her way back to Fourier and extended her
hand.“YourHighness,mayIhavethisdance?”
“Um…”
Fourier,everybitastakenwithCruschaseveryoneelsearoundthem,tooka
moment to respond. But soon his usual expression had returned, his eyes
sparkling.
“Yes,certainly.Butofcourse.AsitwasIwhomadeyouawoman,itisonly
fairthatIshouldhavethefirstdance.”
“—?!”
He meant his words to be lighthearted, but they quickly produced
misunderstandingandshockamongthosewhoheardthem.Cruschonlysmiled
gentlyanddidn’ttrytorectifythemisapprehensionsassheandFourierheaded
forthedancefloor,handinhand.
“Incidentally,I’llaskyouwhatIaskedFerris—canyoudancethewoman’s
part?I’mafraidyoucan’texpectmetodoso.”
“Noworries,YourHighness.Iknowboththemaleandfemaleparts.Iwould
certainly be happy to let Your Highness dance the woman’s steps, if you’d
prefer…?”
“That might be interesting in its own way, but I don’t think it would look
rightforyoutobesupportingmeinyourdress.”Fourierofferedawrysmile.
“Inthatcase,”Cruschreplied,“Ishallbethewoman.”Thenshesignaledthe
orchestrawithalook,andtheybegantoplay.
Amanandawomandanceunderthemoonlight,thepartyjustasitshouldbe.
—The guests will remember the steps the pair takes as their measured,
elegantmovementsdrawthetumultuousdaytoagentleclose.
12
“Still,Iwasn’tsurehowthingsweregoingtoturnoutforawhilethere!”Ferris
said.
Itwasthedayaftertheparty,andthemainplayershadallgatheredtogether.
CruschwasseatednexttoFerris,andheclungtoherarmasshepattedhimon
thehead.
“I musthave madeyou veryanxious, Ferris,”she said.“I’m sorry for that.
Without you, who would have treated my father’s battlefield wounds? You’ve
doneverywellasmyknight.”
“Aww,youdon’thavetothankme.Justkeeppettingme…”
“Lookatyoutwo,”Fouriergrumbled.“OnenightawaytogetherandIcan’t
pryyouapart.”
Ferris pursed his lips. “How long do you plan to stay here, anyway, Your
Highness?The party’s over. You don’t have any reason to stick around. What
aboutyourjob?”
“Trytochasemeout,willyou?Grr,whendidmyfriendsgetlikethis?”
“Maybe exactly because you said I was your friend, Your Highness.
Meowch!”
“Ferris, that will be enough. Don’t disrespect His Highness,” Crusch said
withafirmtugononeofhisears.ShenoddedatFourier.Hecrossedhisarmsat
allthis,butsoonraisedaneyebrowinCrusch’sdirection.
“There’ssomethingIwanttosaytoyou,too!Firstofall,whyareyoubackin
that outfit? What happened to your women’s clothes? This isn’t what you
agreed.”
“Your Highness, my promise to my father was that I would dress
appropriatelywhenwewereinpublicandwhenitwasotherwisenecessary.He
hasallowedmetodressthiswayathome,andsoIshall.”
Crusch was back to her all-too-familiar military uniform. It in no way
reducedherbeauty,butthosewhohadseenherthenightbeforecouldnothelp
longingforhertowearadressagain.
“Yes,andI’dliketotalktoMeckart,too.Iheardeverythingfromyourbutler,
Maloney,afteryouleft,andIthoughtIwoulddieoffright.GiantRabbits!Were
youabletodrivethemoffintheend?”
“Wesurewere!LadyCrusch chargedrightinandgavethose bunnies what
theyhadcoming!WhenFerrigotthere,LordMeckartwasoutofactionwitha
battlewound,soIdon’tknowwhatwouldhavehappenedwithouther…”
“You overstate thematter, Ferris. Even without me, Bardok and the others
wouldhavetakencareofthings.Ifthereisanythingtobeproudof,it’sthatmy
bladewasofsomesmalluse,aswasyourhealing.”Cruschattemptedtobrush
offhispraise,butFerriswasstillveryproudofwhatshehaddone.
Inreality,Meckarthaddiscoveredhisownpowerlessnessthehardway.All
thedemonandnon-demonbeaststhatnormallylivedonFoutourPlainhadlost
theirhomestotheGiantRabbitsandwererunningrampant.Thatwaswhenhe
had received his wound. They had later made contact with Crusch, and her
supportandcarefuljudgmenthadbeencrucialinpullingvictoryfromthejaws
ofdefeat.
Aboveall,everyonewhohadbeenpartofthatbattlewouldspeakofCrusch’s
swordtechnique—theskillthatwouldlaterbecalled“OneBlow,OneHundred
Felled.”
Bythetimethepartyhadendedthenightbefore,Ferrishadalreadybegunto
hear the appellation “the Valkyrie of the Karsten Lands” applied to her. He
thoughtitwasaveryappropriatenickname.
“Allthesame,itremainsthatIdefiedorders.Myfathershoutedatmeuntil
his throat was raw. And I’m once again forbidden my sword and my land
dragon.”
“EventhoughLordMeckartbrokehispromise,too…Well,that’sadadfor
you!”Ferriscommented.
“There are a few things I myself would like to say to him once he’s
recovered,” Crusch agreed. “Until then, I will get a little taste of my father’s
work.”
Meckarthaddecidedtovacatethemansionforafewdayswhilehiswounds
healed.During thattime,itfelltoCruschtoadministerthe ducal domain. Her
eyessuggestedsheratherlookedforwardtoit.
“Iliketheexpressiononyourface,”Fouriersaid.
Crusch’seyeswentwidewithsurprise,thenshesmiled.“Yes,perhapsitisa
goodlook.LastnightIhadsomeexperiencesthatwouldnormallybedifficultto
gaininanumberofways.IsupposeFatherwouldn’tbehappytohearmesay
this, but I feel as though yesterday’s offense finally allowed me to become
myself.”Herfacewasasclearasafinedayasshedescribedherfeelings.Her
smilewasperfect,andFourierwasutterlycaptivated.Astheprinceworkedhis
mouth, trying to speak, Ferris got a mischievous gleam in his eye and gave
Crusch’sarmanespeciallytightsqueeze.
“And!And,yousaidwearingadresswasn’tsobad,didn’tyou?!”
“I was somewhat anxious before I put it on, but when I tried it, I found it
couldhavebeenworse.Fromnowon…Well,IsupposeIcouldusesuchathing
tosleepin.”
“Ithinkthat’sperfect!Ferriishappytodancewithyouinyourusualclothes,
butifwecouldbothbeindresses,thatwouldbeameowzing!”
“That’ssomethingthatbotheredme!Shouldawomaninadressreallyknow
bothparts?Or…wait,doIhavethatbackward?Shouldamaninadressknow…
Hm?What…?WhatamIevenasking?!”
Fourierhadmanagedtoconfusehimselfwithhisownoutburst.Cruschand
Ferrislookedathimandsighedinunison,butthisonlycausedhimtolaughonce
more.
“There’s a good deal to be done yet before we can say all’s well that ends
well,butthebetterpartofthisaffairhasbeensettled.Andthatwilldofornow!”
“IlovehowYourHighnessisalwayslookingonthebrightside.Ferrimight
fallforyouyet!”
“Ha-ha-ha!Thatisoneofmygoodpoints.Um,butdon’tcuddleuptooclose.
Stopthat!Don’tconfuseme!Stopmakingthoseadorablefacesatme!”
As Ferris snuggled up to the prince, Fourier struggled to muster his self-
control.Cruschwatchedthembothfondly,thenletoutasmallbreath.“I really
am blessed beyond measure—I wonder if I’ll ever be able to repay this
happiness,”shemurmured.Shesoundedprofoundlymoved,asifshefearedthat
shehadbeengiventoomuch.
—ItwasameresixmonthsaftertheseeventsthatCruschKarstentookover
thepositionofdukefromherfather,Meckart.
Shebecameimmenselybusy,andthethreeofthemhadlessandlesstimeto
sitandlaughtogether.
Cruschwouldfindherselfreturningtothisdayoverandoveragain.
Butatthatmoment,allofthiswasstillinthefuture.
<END>
FELIXARGYLE’SCURSE
1
Theroyalguardweretheidolsofeveryknightinthekingdom,thecreamoftheir
crop. Only the most elite of the two thousand knights of the realm were
permittedtojoin,andthemembersoftheroyalguardweresworntoprotectthe
king and the royal family—essentially, they were the sword and shield that
safeguarded the heart of the kingdom. It was said that informer times, family
statusandpersonalbackinghadplayedamajorroleinwhojoinedtheguard,but
today that was not the case. They represented the strongest spirits among the
kingdom’sknights.
“Don’t mew think it’s a bit much, asking Ferri to join such a remeowned
group?”
Ferrisstretchedoutacrossthetable,pouting.
Itwasnoon,andthemesshallattheknights’garrisonwascrowded.Mostof
themwere,infact,knights,whichmadetheplacequiteaspectacle.
Those who served the kingdom, rather than working independently, were
distinguished by the color of their capes. There were four armies, which wore
red, blue, green, and black, respectively. Clusters of the same color moved
together,mostly;thereseemedtobegreatcamaraderieamongmenbelongingto
thesamearmy.
Therealsoseemedtobeanunspokenunderstandingabouttheseatinginthe
messhall,withthefirstarmysittingclosesttotheentranceandthefourthsitting
farthest away. Generally speaking, the seats farthest from the doorway were
yieldedtotheknightsofthehigheststature.And,alsoaccordingtocustom,the
farthest seats of all were given to those who had been permitted to prepare to
don the white mantle of the royal guard—in other words, Ferris and his
companions.
Someone suddenly spoke up from in front of Ferris as he looked
disinterestedlyaroundthemesshall.“Itwon’tserveyoutolookquitesobored,
myfriend.”
“Hmm?”
The speaker sat down across from him, studying Ferris through squinted,
almond-shapedeyes.His hair was a light purple, and his face bespoke careful
cultivationofrefinementandmasculinity.Itcouldn’tcomparetothefaceFerris
lovedmostintheworld,butitwascertainlyhandsome.
“JuliusJuukulius…right?”
“I’mhonoredthatyouknowme.AndI’veheardofyou,too,FelixArgyle.
Your…unorthodoxpromotionhasfueledmanyarumor.”
“Huh…?”
ThehintofasmilefloatedontheyoungJulius’sface.Hewaslookingatthe
catearsonFerris’shead.Ferrisdidn’tlethisemotionsreachhisyelloweyes;he
wasusedtobeinggawkedat.
Prejudiceagainstdemi-humanswascommonintheKingdomofLugunica,so
thepromotionofaconspicuousdemi-humantotheroyalguard,theeliteofthe
elite,wasboundtosetthemalcontentswhispering,eveniftheyweremistaken
abouthisbackground.
PerhapsFerris’sfeelingshadcreptintohisgaze,becauseJuliusfurrowedhis
brow,coughed,andthengavehimapolitenod.
“Myapologies.Ididn’tmeantostare.I’dheardthetalk,butIcouldn’tquite
believeitwithoutseeingitformyself.”
“MaybeI’llforgivemewifmewtellmewhatkindoftalkyou’veheard.Let
me guess. A monster with bulging muscles and fur all over? It’d be very
disappointingifpeoplewerespreadingrumorslikethataboutcutelil’Ferri!”
“Thecaptaintoldmetheywereareflectionofthedemi-humanbloodofyour
ancestors.Andtheyarefineears.Icanseewhyyoumighttrytotakeabiteout
ofanyoneoverthem.”
“…AreyoutryingtopickafightwithFerri?”
ItwasararepersonwhospokeofFerris’searswithanythingotherthanopen
disdain.AndJuliushadevidentlyevenheardthedetailsofFerris’sbackground
from his commander. Perhaps this was his baptism into the ways of the
privilegedclass—Ferrishadlefthisstatusastheheirtoanoblefamilytooearly
tolearnthem.
Unlike Ferris, Julius was a knight who was obviously accomplished in
swordsmanship.Ifthiswentonandthingsreallydidcometoblows,thecat-boy
hadnohopeofwinning.
“Butdon’tthinkyou’llget offwithout a scratch! Ferriis cute,butnotthat
cute!”
“I hate to interrupt you when you’re doing such a fine job of working
yourselfup,butIthinkwemayhaveamisunderstandingonourhands.Perhaps
wecouldtalkaboutit?”
“Meowhat?”
Julius didn’t pick up the gauntlet, and his reaction was so unexpected that
Ferriscouldonlyblinkinsurprise.Atthatmoment,someonepulledoutthechair
immediatelybesidehim.
“Didn’t I tell you,Julius? Let me start the conversation, I said. You’re too
pronetomiscommunications,Isaid.Especiallywithpeopleyou’vejustmet.”
“AndIappreciateyourconcern.ButIdon’tbelievemyjudgmentwaswrong.
I don’t think we could have avoided a certain amount of confusion no matter
whospokefirst.Lookathimnow.”
TheyoungmanwhohadspokensoeasilytoJuliusturnedhisgazetoFerris.
He had blue eyes, and hair so red it might have been a burning flame. Ferris
unconsciouslystiffened.
“Mightyoube…ReinhardvanAstrea?”
His appearance was too distinctive for it to be anyone else. At Ferris’s
question,thered-hairedyoungmangaveanaffablesmileandsaid,“Ah,IseeI
needn’tintroducemyself.Thatisindeedmyname.Toelaborate,I,likeyou,am
amemberoftheroyalguard.AsisJuliusthere.”
“Since you are new, it’s natural to have some reservations about what you
hearfromyourfellowknights,”Juliussaid.“Butwehaveourcaptain’swordto
goon.I’mwillingtoaccepthisevaluationasis.”
“Um,I’mafraidI’mnotsurewhatmewmean.”
Reinhard and Julius appeared to be friends, and there was an unfettered
intimacytotheirconversation.Evenso,Juliusseemedtobeholdingsomething
back.NotthatFerris,totallyleftout,caredintheleast.
Moreimportanttohimwasthequestionofwhythesetwowerepayingany
attentiontohimatall.EspeciallytheSwordSaint,Reinhard.Fromwhathehad
heardofReinhard’spersonality,Ferriswantedtobelievehewasnotthetypeto
driveoutanewcomer.
“Whatdoyouwantwith Ferrithatwould makeyougo outofyourway to
comehere?You’renothereto…tobullyme,areyou?”
“Oh,hardly.Couldwewearthewhiteoftheroyalguardwhiletakingpartin
suchnefariousactivities?We’rejustcarryingoutourcaptain’sorders.”
“YoumeanCaptainMarcus?”Julius’sroundaboutwordsmadeFerristhinkof
thecaptain,amanwithafacelikeaboulder.Whatcouldthetwoofthemhave
cometodotohimonthatman’sorders?
“Well,tobebrief,”Reinhardsaid,“wewanttobesurethatwhatyouwere
afraidofdoesn’thappentoyou.JuliusandIareaboutyourage,andwethought
youmightbeabletoturntousforadvice,sincewe’vebeenintheroyalguard
forquiteawhile.”
“Oh, I see,” Ferris said, resting his chin on his hands. The captain had
chargedthetwoknightswithlookingafterhim.Theboyhadavolatilemixture
of factors in his background: his cat ears, his less-than-stellar ability with the
sword, and the fact that he had entered the guard through his connections. No
doubtithadweighedonthecaptaintobeentrustedwithsuchaknight.
He would only be there for a year, and there was a probationary period
attached—butallthesame,itwasatremendousburden.
“Judging by your reaction, it looks like you understand the position you’re
in,”Juliussaid.
“Ifitwerehappeningtosomeoneelseitwouldallseemlikeajoke,butit’sa
lot more trouble when it’s happening to me,” Ferris said. “By the way, what
exactlydidthecaptaintellyoutwoaboutFerri?”
Thiscaused Reinhard and Julius to go wide-eyed, then they looked at each
otherandlapsedintothoughtforamoment.
“Thatyou’re a favorite of the fourth prince,” Juliussaid,“andthatyougot
intotheguardbecauseheforcedtheissue.”
“Ialsoheardthatyougotaverystrongrecommendationfromthehealersat
the royal castle, as well as the royal academy of healing,” Reinhard added. “I
simply hope your abilities haven’t been exaggerated to justify the captain’s
acceptingyourunusualpromotion.”
TheiranswerstoldFerris,tohisdisappointment,thatthereputationthathad
precededhimwasmoreorlessashehadexpected.
Atthesametime,hewassurehecouldfeelmoreeyesthanbeforefixedon
their little group from all around the mess hall. He didn’t seem to be the only
reason people were looking their way. Even the Sword Saint Reinhard didn’t
accountforallthelooks.TheremusthavebeensomethingaboutJuliusaswell.
“Surelythecaptainisn’tjust trying to keep allhisbiggest problems in one
place…?”Ferrismuttered.Buthecouldn’tshake abadfeelingas his thoughts
turnedtotheprobationaryperiodwiththeroyalguardthatwasabouttobegin.
2
Therewas,ofcourse,a complicatedstorybehind how Ferrishadcome tojoin
theroyalguard,andwithanevaluationperiodattached,noless.
Ferris was now eighteen, and he would have been more than happy to live
outhislifeunderhismistress,Crusch.Sheherselfhadindicatedherapprovalof
this,andthetwoofthemweresoclosethattheyoftensharednearlythesame
thoughts.Therealproblem,however,wasoneoftheirothercustoms.
Ferris—his real name was Felix Argyle—typically wore women’s clothing,
buthewasbiologicallymale.Assuch,ifhewasgoingtoserveCrusch,itwould
be more socially appropriate for him to do so as a knight than as a servant or
aide.
It so happened that, due to a particular series of events, Ferris had been
appointed Crusch’s knight, and she had accepted him as such. All he really
lackedwaspracticalexperienceofknighthood.
Ofcourse,ifhismistressrecognizedFerrisasherknightandperformedthe
ceremonyofinvestiture,therewasnoformalproblem.ButCrusch,Duchessof
Karstenandheadofthefamily,wasoftoohighastationtotakeonaknightwith
nohistory.Cruschwasawoman,andawomanwhosebehaviorinthepasthad
ledmanytolookdownonher.If,ontopofthat,sheweretoacceptaknightwith
no proven skills or actual ability and based solely on the length of their
acquaintance,evenmoreunfavorablerumorswereboundtocirculate.
In order to avoid that, Ferris would need to establish himself as a knight
whoserésuméwouldnotbeanembarrassmenttohismistress.Thefourthprince
ofthenation,FourierLugunica,gavethemsomehelpinresolvingthisproblem.
“YourbecomingCrusch’sknightisimportanttomeaswell.Ishouldhardly
even need to exert myself to get you in with the knights. I’ll just… Ahem!
PerhapsIcansimplyspeaktoMarcusorsomeone.Youjustrelaxandwait!”
Fourier had graced Ferris with a heartfelt laugh and then rushed out of the
roombeforeanyonecouldstophim.Shortlythereafter,Ferris’sappointmentto
theroyalguardhadbeendecided,andheembarkedontheyearofservicethat
wouldallowhimtogildhislegend.
Whichwasnottosayeverythinghadgoneentirelysmoothly.
AroundthetimeofFerris’sentryintotheunit,CaptainMarcushadaddressed
him with a stern look and said, “You are here at the urging of His Highness
Fourier,aswellasanumberofotherstrongrecommendations.TheDuchessof
Karsten has also recommended you to me. In light of all this, I’m willing to
grantyouentrytotheroyalguard…butnotwithoutconditions.”
As they spoke there in his office at the garrison, the captain proposed the
probationaryperiod—ineffect,atimeduringwhichFerriscouldexperiencethe
life of the royal guard, but then throw in the towel and run back home if he
wantedto.
“If,duringthattime,Idecideyouwon’tbeofanyusetome,thenyou’renot
staying in my unit. However, if you get kicked out during the probationary
period,I’llensurethatit’sdoneinawaythatdoesn’tleaveablotonyourrecord.
Ican’tspeakforthefeelingsoftheprinceoryourotherbackers,butitwouldbe
betterthanhavingtospendthewholetimebeingpubliclyregardedasastainon
theguard.Itrustyouacceptmyproposal?”
Marcushadbeenbluntanddidnottrytohidethefactthathehadbeenputin
a rather delicate position. Ferris liked him immediately. It was a tremendous
relief to see the truth in someone’s eyes and not have to worry about politely
beatingaroundthebush.
“MayIaskjustonething?”
“What?”
“Oncetheprobationaryperiodisover,it’llbeconsideredpartofmytwelve
monthsofservice,won’tit?Tobehonest,Ican’tstandtobeawayfromLady
CruschevenamonthlongerthanIhavetobe.”
“—”
MarcuswasleftdumbfoundedbyFerris’sdeclaration,ifonlyforamoment.
Therewasaninstantwhenhelookedtired,butthenhisfacewasonceagainthat
ofaferocioussoldier.
“Ilikeyournerve.You’vegotalotofgutsforsuchasmallboy—youmight
surpriseusyet,”hehadsaidroughly.
“SoIwaskindofscaredatfirst…butbeingaknighthasturnedouttobesort
ofmoreboringthanIexpected.”
“You’ve only been here a few days. It’s a little early to think you’ve seen
everythingknighthoodhastooffer,”Juliussaid.“It’struetheroyalguarddoesn’t
takethefieldasoftenassomeoftheotherunits,butwemustdevoteourselves
fullytowhateverwe’regiventodo.Wehavetobereadyatalltimes.”
“Yeah,yeah,you’retough,Iknow.”
Ferriswavedahand,tryingtosootheJulius.Hehadonlybroughtupthetopic
topassthetime,butwhentheywereonthejob,Juliusalwaysandonlythought
about the task at hand. It had been about ten days since Julius had started
keeping an eye on him, but even what Ferris had seen to that point suggested
howdifficultthingscouldbe.
Although…
“Nobodywouldbeupsetifmewrelaxedjustalittlemore,”Ferrissaid.
“WhenIholdtheswordIamnaturallyrelaxed,”Juliussaid.“ButwhenIset
itaside,thenImustbeaknight.Youcoulddowithabitmoreofthatyourself,
Ferris.”
“Bleh!Mew’resouptight!”
Ferrismadeaface,andJuliussighed.Butsoontheywerebothsmilingagain.
They were already close enough to exchange banter like this. Julius could be
ratherunbendingwhilehewasperforminghisprofessionalduties,butwhenhe
wasn’t working he could be quite interesting to talk to. His somewhat
overwrought fixation on his position as a knight felt like a manifestation of a
certainunbecomingchildishness.ButallthiswaswhyFerrislikedhim.Hehad
muchmoretroublewith…
“Ah,thereyoubothare.I’mgladIdidn’tmissyou.”
“Meowhat?”
Reinhard squeezed in where Ferris and Julius were chatting at their usual
placeinthemesshall.HegaveFerrisapatontheshoulderwithaneasymotion
andsmiledatJulius.Ferris’searswentflatagainsthishead.
“Grr,ambushedagain.Reinhard,youreallyjustcomeoutofnowhere.Ferri’s
senses aren’t used to being tricked so easily. Are you sure you’re human? It’s
kindofscary…”
Ferris’s demi-human ancestors had given him more than his looks; he also
had exceptional sensory organs. His cat ears in particular could detect tiny
changes in his surroundings, so much so that he could practically tell when
someonehadturnedtolookathim.YetReinhard was the exception toendall
exceptions.Ferrishadneveronceheardhimcoming.
“It’sthewayIwas born,my dearFerris.I’mafraid we’llbothjusthaveto
live with it. More importantly, you have a summons. His Highness Fourier is
askingforyou.Sinceyouseemtohavesometimetokill,youshouldgoseehim.
Show him how well you do your duty as one of the Knights of the Royal
Guard.”
“…Wereyoulistening?”
“Certainlynotintentionally.”
Reinhardatleasthadthegoodgracetolookembarrassed.Ferrisfeltatouch
of annoyance. The mess hall was a little emptier now than on some days, but
therewasstillplentyofchatter.FerrisandJuliuswereseatedatthefarend;not
evenFerris’searscouldhavepickedupaconversationatthatdistance.
“If His Highness has asked for you personally, it would be best to hurry,”
Juliussaid.“Youdon’tmindifIaccompanyyou,doyou,Ferris?”
“…Oh,sure.Umm…whataboutyou,Reinhard?”
“I’m delighted by your invitation, but I have other plans,” Reinhard said
apologetically. “I’ll be taking a little trip to our border with the Empire. I’ve
beenaskedtohavealook.”
“Wow.It’snotoftentheysendmewout,Reinhard.”Ferrisgavetheotherboy
aperplexedlook.Julius,risingfromhisseat,gaveReinhardaknowingnod.
“Don’tworry,I can keepaneyeon Ferris bymyself.Yousee toyourown
mission.”
“Missionmakesitsoundawfullyserious…”
“HesimplymeansIshouldapproachitwiththatmind-set.Allright.I’llleave
everythingtoyou.” ReinhardnoddedatJulius, who wavedastheSwordSaint
leftthemesshall.
AsummonsfromFouriermeanttheywouldbeheadedtotheprince’srooms
attheroyalresidence.Theystrodeboldlyalongtheroadthatwentstraighttothe
castle,aswasthewell-knownprivilegeoftheroyalguard.
“HisHighnessasksforyouoften.Youtwomustbeprettyclose.”
“Well, we’ve known each other a long time. It’s going on…eight years
meow?ItgivesFerrialotofpower,youknow…”HegaveJuliusanastysmirk
as they walked the road between the garrison and the castle. But Julius only
smiledruefully.
“You don’t have to pretend. I don’t sense anything calculating in your
relationship withHis Highness.We’ve known each other for a brief time, and
evenIcantellthat.Bothyouandtheprinceseemtovalueeachothergreatly.”
“…It’s kind of embarrassing to hear someone say it. Anyway, mew say
there’s nothing calculating, but I got into the royal guard because of His
Highness,didn’tI?Youdon’tthinkthat’stakingadvantageofhisposition?”
“I apologize for saying such a rude thing to you at our first meeting. But
within a week after you joined…I don’t think there were any of us left who
doubtedyouwerecapableenoughtobepartoftheguard.”
Juliusbowedhisheadinapology,towhichFerrisrespondedbygivinghima
karatechop.Gently,ofcourse.AsJuliuslookedupagain,Ferrissmiled.“Well,
I’m glad you guys think so. If Ferri had screwed up, it wouldn’t just be
embarrassingforFerri,meow.All thepeople who backed me wouldlook bad,
too…”
“Ithinkyou’vedonemorethanenoughtojustifyyourrecommendationsby
now.Happily,youevenhadachancetoshowoffwhatyou’rereallygoodat—I
guessnoneofusareamatchforthecaptainyet.”
“Guessnot,”Ferrissaidlightly,butinsidehewasnoddingfuriously.
Lackingskillwiththesword,theonlywayFerriscouldprovehimselftothe
otherguardsmenwastoshowthathehadsometalentinsomethingelse.Inhis
case,thatwouldcertainlybehealingmagic,andluckilyforhim,he’dhadplenty
ofopportunitiestoshowwhathe could do that week. Thatwasbecauseatthe
practicefield,CaptainMarcushaddecidedtopersonallytrainhissubordinates.
Ashehealedeachofthecarefullycalculatedinjuries,Ferriswasgratefulforthe
captain’s rather unorthodox way of showing kindness. As a result, everyone
recognizedFerris’sabilities,andwhileitwasn’tpossibletosilencewhatpeople
saidbehindcloseddoors,publicobjectionstohisentryintotheguardceased.
“Thatmademylifealoteasier.MeowbeIshouldthankthecaptain.”
“Ofcourse,he’djustdodgeyouifyousaidanything.”
“Yeah,he’sevasivethatway.Forsuchahardworker,hesurehasoddquirks.
Whatapain.”
HecouldjustpicturetheartlessCaptainMarcuspretendingnottounderstand
what he was being thanked for. It was a disappointing scene. Beside Ferris,
Juliuswasnoddingasthoughheunderstoodexactlywhatwasgoingthroughthe
cat-boy’smind.
“Evenso,”Juliussaid,“togobacktoouroriginalsubject,yousaidyou’ve
beenfriendswithHisHighnessforeightyearsnow.I’mverycuriouswhatthe
twoofyouwerelikeaschildren.Wouldyoumindmyasking?”
“No, but I don’t think the stories are meowy interesting. Eight years ago,
Ferri was just cute lil’ Ferri, and His Highness was His Highness… We were
exactlythesame, really.” Ferrisputahand to his mouth and laughed.He was
remembering bits and pieces from the whole span of their friendship. Fourier
hadgrownintoastrappingyoungman,butdeepdown,hewasthesameashe’d
everbeen.“Y’know,IthinkIrespectthataboutHisHighness.”
“If Prince Fourier’s virtues haven’t changed, that’s what counts. Eight
years… Once childhood ends, not everyone is able to remain the same.” In
contrast to Ferris’s suppressed laughter, Julius looked somehow melancholy.
Ferrisnoticedthisandgavehimaquestioninglook.
“Cometothinkofit,Ihaven’theardmuchaboutyou,Julius.”
“That’sbecause,unfortunately,mylifehasnotbeenrichenoughtowarrant
anystories.Ithasbeenperfectlyordinary,boringasabedtimetale.”
“Bleh. If you really don’t want to talk about it, I won’t ask… Have you
knownReinhardalongtime,though?Youseemclosertohimthanmostofus.”
AttheSwordSaint’sname,allthesadnessvanishedfromJulius’sface.
“Reinhard?HeandIhavealonghistory,muchlikeyouandyourprince.”He
brushed his bangs aside and looked into the distance as if thinking back. “It’s
almosttenyearssincewefirstmet.Butitwasonlyafterwebothbecameknights
thatwegrewtobefriends.Wearen’tblessedwithquiteasmanygoodmemories
asyouandHisHighness.”
“Youmeanyoujustkneweachotherinpassing,asfellownobles?”
“Maybe, maybenot. I knew who he was, but I’m not sure he knew who I
was.Because he was so special to me, I was particularly happy to be able to
becomefriendswithhim.”
“Special,huh…?”
TherewasnothingdeeperinthefriendshipbetweenJuliusandReinhard.And
yet,neitherwasitquitepossibletodeclareitmerefriendship.ButFerriswasnot
yet close enough to Julius to ask about such things. Ferris was very eager to
avoid accidentally alienating him by saying the wrong thing—that was how
muchhevaluedJuliusJuukulius.
The two of them found they had chatted all the way to the castle. They
greetedtheguardsandtheofficialsonduty,andthentheycametothestaircase
thatledtothecastle’supperlevels,whereFourierandtheothermembersofthe
royalfamilylived.Theytoldthemenguardingthestaircasewhotheywereand
wheretheyweregoingandwerequicklyallowedin.
Theyascendedthestairsthatledtotheroyalchambersandproceededdowna
carpetedhallway.Ferrisfoundtheroomtheywantedandusedthedoorknocker.
“YourHighness!”hesaidinasingsong tone.“Just asyouasked,yourdear
Ferrihasarrived!”
ThegreetingcausedJuliustoputhispalmtohisforehead.
“Ferris, however close you may be, that’s… Well, I suppose it’s too late
now.”
Heshrugged,andatthesameinstant,thedooropened.
“Areyougoingtolethimoffthateasy?Thatmeanstroubleforme!Ifthat’s
allyou’regoingtodo,whyevenhaveyoukeepinganeyeonhim?”
Bounding out of the room came a young man with golden hair and clear
scarlet eyes: Fourier Lugunica, fourth prince of the kingdom. Helooked from
FerristoJulius,thenlaughed,showinghisteeth.
“Ahh,nevermind!Welcome,bothofyou.Areyoubothingoodhealth?”
“Ihavebeenmostwell,mylord.Yourconsiderationhumblesme.”
“…saysJulius,”Ferrisremarked.“Butwejustsawyoutwodaysago,didn’t
we?We’vehardlyhadlongenoughtogetsick!”
“Isee,maybeso.Butifyou’rewell,that’sallthatmatters.Anyway,there’s
muchtotalkabout,butlet’snotdoitouthere.Comein,bothofyou.”Fourier
gesturedthemintohisroom.Hewasequallygenerouswithboththedeferential
JuliusandthehappilyimpertinentFerris.
Fourier’sroomwassosparseitwashardtobelieveitbelongedtoamember
ofroyalty.NotthatFerrishadbeeninalotofotherroyalchambersforreference
—butFourier’squarterswerealmostassimpleasCrusch’s.Perhapsherdistaste
forexcesshadaffectedhim.
“Youseemkindofantsy,YourHighness,”Ferrissaid,sittingonthesofain
thereceptionarea.“What’sgoingon?”
“Yougetstraighttoit!AndonwhatbasisdoyousayIseemantsy?”
“Youcan’ttrickFerri’sears.There’sa tremblein your voice, your pulseis
fasterthanusual,andyou’veswallowedseveraltimestryingtocalmthemboth
down.”
“Goodness!Yourearscanevenhearmyheartbeat?”
“Nuh-uh.Justbluffing,”Ferrissaidinnocently.Fourierslumpedintoachair.
Hisreactionwasproofenoughthathewaskeepingsomethingfromthem.Julius
shot Ferris a stern look for being disrespectful to such an august person as
Fourier,butFerrissimplyignoredhim.
“All right, I know you’re doing everything you can to hold out on us, but
really,what’sgoingon?Thewaymew’vechasedoutallthemaidsandservants
soyouandFerriandJuliuscantalkalonegivesmeameowybadfeeling.”
“Yes, well noticed. I should have expected as much of you, Ferris. Before
that,though,there’sonethingIwanttobesureof.You,Julius.”Fourier’sgaze
settledontheknight.Foramoment,Juliusraisedaneyebrowinsurprise,butthe
respectfuldeferencesooncamebackintohisface.Heansweredwithanod.
“Yes,YourHighness.Askmeanythingyouwish.”
“A good answer—Can you look me in the eye and tell me that you are
Ferris’sfriend?Ifso,youmaystayforthisdiscussion,butifnot…Well,Iwill
needtoaskyoutoleavetheroom.”
“YourHighnessisquitedirect…”
Fourierwasincapableoftrickeryorartifice.Itcouldbeirritatingattimes,but
itwasunquestionablyoneofhisgoodtraits.Juliusrespondedtothequestionby
placingahandtohischest,assumingaformalexpression.
“I have known Ferris for but a few days, and our fellowship is not deep
enoughformetounabashedlycallhimafriend.However,Isincerelyhopethat
as time goes on, we will only become closer. Does this answer please Your
Highness?”
“Yikes,”Ferrissaid,“talkaboutdirect…”
Julius had perhaps not been as frank as the prince, but it was clear that he
spokefromhisheart.Thatmeanthewasdeliberatelyenteringintoapotentially
riskysituation—prettyoverbearingforabrand-newfriend.Hewasoverbearing,
likelytogoagainstthetide—butFerrislikedthatjustfine.
Fourierseemedtofeelthesameway,becausehenoddedrepeatedlyandthen
gaveFerrisahappysmile.“Lookslikeyou’vefoundagoodcompanion,Ferris!I
seeitwasworthmywhiletorecommendyoufortheroyalguard.Youmustn’t
turnupyournoseatJulius’sfriendship!”
“Your Highneeess, it sounds like I just joined the guards to make friends
whenyouputitthatwayandit’snotveryflattering…”
“Yes,yes,dear,”FouriersaidwithasmileatFerris’srapidattempttohidehis
embarrassment.Butthenhisexpressiontightened.“—Now,tobusiness.”
Ferris’searspickedupanimmediatechangeintheair.Thesourceofitwas
noneotherthanFourier.
“YourHighness…?”Heletthewordsslipoutinanattempttomakesurethis
was still Fourier, that the young man who sat before him looking impossibly
grimwasstillthefriendheknew.
Fourierdidn’trespondtoFerris’spromptingbutslowlybegantospeakina
quietvoice.
“Firstofall,Iamtellingyoubothaboutthisonmyownprerogative.Crusch
toldmenottospeakofit,soIreallyshouldn’tbetellinganyone…”
“LadyCruschtoldyou…?”Whenhismistress’snamecameup,Ferrisgrew
even more uncomfortable. For her to tell Fourier not to speak of something
didn’tbodewell,especiallyifshecouldn’tevenconfideittoFerris.
“Ill rumors have been circulating about a particular place in the Karsten
domain.Private investigations have been ongoing, but I’ve received word that
Cruschhasgonetoinspecttheplaceherself.”
“…Isthatit?”FerrishadbeensoworriedbyFourier’sopeningthatwhenhe
heard what was actually going on, he was almost disappointed. Crusch knew
howtohandleherself.Therewasnoneedtoworryabouther,evenifsheraninto
alittletroubleonhertour.
“And if they were already investigating it,” Ferris went on, “then I don’t
thinkLadyCruschcouldbecaughtoffguard.She’smorethanamatchforany
ordinaryopponent.YourHighnessshouldknowthatbetterthananyone.”
“Mm…I can’t imagine her losing to anyone but me, and yet…” This was
apparentlythebestanswerFouriercouldmuster.
Tojudgebywhathadbeensaidsofar,Ferriscouldnotunderstandthesource
ofFourier’sconcern.Butevenwhenthethingstheprincesaidseemedbaseless,
they often turnedout tobe muchmore thanidle speculation.Perhaps this was
anotheroneofhisunpleasantpremonitions…
“YourHighness,ifImay?”Asthetwoofthemsattheresilently,Juliusbroke
in.
“Mm.Goahead.”
“Ihaven’tmettheDuchessofKarstenpersonally,soIcanoffernojudgment
there,but…sinceyou’vecalledFerrishere,mayIpresumeyouhavesomething
inmind?”
“Julius, you should know that His Highness often does things for no real
reason…”
“No, not this time. This time I have a basis for my actions. For my…
worries,”Fouriersaid,notquiteabletolookup.
This caughtFerris by surprise. But, to be fair, hehad not been paying full
attention.Perhapsbecausehehadn’twantedtobelievethatCruschcouldbein
danger.AndifFourier’slastwordshadbeenasurprise,hisnextwordswerean
absoluteshock.
“The place all these rumors are about? It’s your home, Ferris. House of
Argyle.”
3
—ThereweredarkthingsafootattheHouseofArgyle.
Word had first reached Crusch at the beginning of that year, almost two
monthsearlier.The firstthingshethought ofwhensheheard the nameArgyle
wasnoneotherthanFerris.Her meeting with her beloved servant could never
havecomeaboutwithouttheHouseofArgyle,wherehehadbeenborn.
ButthatdidnotmeanCruschwasgratefultotheArgyles.Shewasthankful
theyhadbroughtthepersonnamedFelixArgyleintotheworld, butwhat they
hadthendonetohimduringhisyouthwasdifficulttoforgive.
Asaresult,eversinceshehadrescuedFerrisfromhisfamilyandtakenhim
underherwing,Cruschhadendeavoredtohaveaslittlecontactaspossiblewith
theArgylefamily.Ferrisdidn’traisetheissue,either;theywereeffectivelyon
thesamepageonthismatter.SowhenshereceivedareportabouttheHouseof
Argyle for the first time in nearly a decade, Crusch found herself
uncharacteristicallytroubled.
“SomethinguntowardishappeningattheHouseofArgyle…?”
“Forthetimebeing,milady,we’retryingtokeepFerrisfromhearingaboutit,
but…whatshallwedo?”
Theywereinheroffice.Crusch’sarmswerecrossed.Theofficialreportingto
herhadapainedlookonhisface.Hewasoneofthephalanxofretainersshehad
inheritedfromherfather,Meckart,alongwiththeduchy.HehadknownCrusch
since she was a baby, and Ferris since he had come to the House of Karsten.
Someone who had been so close to them and the family for so long naturally
sharedCrusch’sconcerns.
“You’reright,I’dratherFerrisnotfindout,”Cruschsaid.“Butitdependson
whatexactlyisgoingon.Theremaybeanaturalneedtotellhim.”
“That’strue,milady.Accordingtothereport,BeanArgyle—Ferris’sfather—
has been inviting a suspicious character into his home over these past several
months.Hemaybeaslaver.”
“Aslaver…?”
Crusch’s brow furrowed slightly at the word. Officially, the Kingdom of
Lugunicadidn’thave slaves.Anyone whoworkedwastobecompensated;the
relationship between nobles and their servants was one of employer and
employee. Perhaps some people were treated no better than slaves—but on
paper,slaverydidnotexistunderthelawsofthekingdom.
Bythesametoken,then,theslavetradecouldnotbeallowedtogoonwithin
Lugunica’sborders,either.
“Andyetthereisno endofpeople whowanttosully theirhandswith that
kind of business… Is the claim that the House of Argyle is working with the
slaver to sell off the people of our domain to other kingdoms? That would
mean…”
Thatwouldmeantheyweretraitors.Andresponsibilityfortheproblemfell
toCrusch,whoruledthisarea.Animmediateinvestigationwouldbringthefacts
tolight.Ifthechargesweretrue,theheadofthehouseholdwouldbepunished,
andtheHouseofArgyleitselfwouldmostlikelyceasetoexist.Ifthathappened,
itwouldbedifficultforFerristoavoidrepercussions.
“‘What the parents sow, the children reap.’ This is no joke. What are the
Argylesthinking?”In her mind,Cruschfoundherself relivingthedayshe had
firstmetFerris.
Hehadbeennothingbutskinandbones,nearlyblackwithdirtandgrime,a
boyso weak he could barely talk. Wasit not enough fortheArgylesthatthey
had squandered the first half of Ferris’s life? Crusch found herself filled with
such roiling anger that she bit her lip to hold it back, a most unusual gesture
fromher.
Buttheofficialmetherragebysaying,“Pleasewait,milady.Thereismoreto
thereport.Don’tmakeyourdecisionuntilyou’veheardthewholething.”
“…I’msorry.Igotabitagitated.”
“Completely understandable. You and I are both affected by anything that
concernsFerris.Regardless,asfarastheHouseofArgylegoes,itappearstobe
morethansimpleslavetrading.”
“More?”
“Yes. The details aren’t certain yet, but it appears that rather than selling
slavestothetrader,theArgylesarebuyingeveryslavetheycangettheirhands
on.”
“Buyingthem?”
She gave the man a look of incomprehension. Because slavery didn’t
officiallyexistinLugunica,peopleengagingintheslavetradeinthekingdom
could not, in principle, have any other objective but selling slaves to other
nations. To buy slaves as laborers would hardly appear different from hiring
themnormallyandwouldn’tarouseanyuglyrumors.
“Thequestionis whetherthe Houseof Argyleisuptoanythingthatwould
move them to purchase slaves,” the official said, voicing the same question
Cruschhadbeenentertaining.
The decline of the House of Argyle had begun nine years ago, when the
HouseofKarstenhadbecomeawareofFerris,andhadsubsequentlymetedout
its wrath upon his family for their transgressions. Bean Argyle was a noble
withoutcourtrank,theoverseerofacollectionoftownsandvillageswithinthe
Karsten domain, and he was valued for his work. But that changed after the
incidentwithFerris,andultimatelytheHouseofArgylelostanyandalltrust.
Beanhad madeanumber ofattemptsto recoverafterthat, butallendedin
failure,andnowtheonlyassetsthefamilyhadleftweretheirhouseandaparcel
of uncultivated land. They had had to let all their servants go, and the last
anyone had heard of them, Ferris’s mother and father were living at best a
modestexistence.
“Inthatstate, what could the House ofArgylebe doing that would require
slaves…?”
Itwouldhavebeenmucheasiertobelievethattheyweresellingpeopletothe
brigands. Of course, had they been doing so, there would have been no
consideration of extenuating circumstances in handing down their punishment,
butatleastshecouldhaveunderstoodtheirmotivation.
“Whateverthecase,themomenttheyenteredintotheslavetrade,theHouse
ofArgyleviolatedthelawsofourkingdom.Andaslaveroperatingboldlyinmy
landsisnobetter.Wewillhavetoarrestbothpartiesanddealwiththem.”
“Inthatcase,milady,willyoubemovingtoapprehendthemimmediately?”
“Yes,I…No,wait.”Itwouldbeeasyenoughtosendhersoldierstocapture
BeanArgyle.Butsuchadecisionwouldbetoohasty.Theyneededtogetmore
thanBean.“Ifwemovetooprecipitously,theslaverhimselfmightescape.”
“A real possibility. These past months, the frequency of his visits to the
HouseofArgylehasbeenonceeverymonthortwo.”
“Whendidthisreportcomein?”
“Twodaysago.Thatwouldmeanleavingthemawindowoftwomonths…”
TheofficialseemedtoguesswhatCruschhadinmind.Sheconsideredforalong
momentandthenshookherhead,seeingthatshehadnootherchoice.
“Makesure theHouseofArgyleiswatchedatall times.Thenexttimethe
slavetradercomestotheirdoor,wegrabthembothatonce.Anyobjections?”
“Justone—Youaren’tdoingthisforFerris,areyou?”
“Hardly.Of courseI bear him in mind,but my responsibility as duchessis
moreimportantthanmypersonalfeelings.AndFerriswouldn’twantmetoput
himaheadofmyduty.”
Theofficialnoddedinsatisfaction.“Then,asyoucommand,milady.”
Hewithdrew,leavingCruschaloneinherrooms.Sheslumpedintoherchair.
She leaned into her seat, looking out the window at the sky. Wisps of white
clouds drifted through clear blue, an unmistakable sign that the wind that day
wasstrong.
Idon’tbelieveIgaveFerrisundueconsiderationsimplybecausethismatter
involveshisfamily.
However,duringtheensuingtwomonths,duringwhichnothingchangedat
theArgylehousehold,theappointedtimecameforFerristojointheroyalguard.
Anditwastruethat,secretly,shewasglad.
4
“FoulthingsafootattheHouseofArgyle.Hmm,Isee…”
Fouriernodded. Crusch had called him to share tea and speak face-to-face.
TheywereintheparloroftheKarstenmanor,andtheguestlistforthisteaparty
includedonly the two of them. Fourier’scustom of visiting the household had
continuedevenafterCruschbecameduchess,althoughwithlessfrequencythan
before.
“Ijusthappenedtohavebusinessinthearea,youunderstand!”hewouldsay.
“IthoughtImightdropintoseeifyouwereingoodhealth.”Itwasstrangethat
Fourier“justhappened”toshowupprimarilyondayswhenCruschwouldnot
betoobusytoseehim.Theseoddcoincidenceshadgoneonforthebetterpartof
tenyearsnow,butCruschhadchosennottoquestionthem.
“Justhappened, youunderstand! Sheerchance! Don’t go getting the wrong
idea!”
“Certainlynot,YourHighness.”
“Yes,afineanswer!Afineanswerindeed,but…youcouldaffordtogetjust
slightlythewrongidea…”
CruschKarstenpossessedadivineblessing,theabilitytoseethewind.This
blessingofwindreadingallowedhertoseetheinvisibleandreaditsflow.With
it,she couldeventellthe truestateof people’shearts.Itwasaminorpointof
prideforherthatshewasrarelydeceived.
Forallthisblessingandpower,though,thereweretwopeoplewhocouldlie
toherandgetawaywithit.OnewasFerris,whoknewCrusch’sheartbetterthan
any other and therefore knew how to keep things from her. The other was
Fourier,whosebald-facedliesCruschhadnodesiretocallout.
“Andalthoughit’schancethatIcameby,itseemsitwasagoodone,yes?”
AwindofuntruthbleweverytimeFourierspokethewordchance.Itwasnot
chancebutcertainty;Fourierhadcomedeliberatelytovisit.Cruschwashonestly
veryhappythathefeltsuchfriendshiptowardherandFerris.Thatwaswhyshe
felt noneed to revealhis lie.And now, she had been letting him hide his true
intentionsfortenyears.
“Atanyrate,Crusch,Iknowallaboutit,ofcourse.Of course Iknow. But
justtobesurewe’reonthesamepage,letmeaskyou—whereistheHouseof
Argyle,exactly?”
Crusch had put a great deal of thought into this, but the first thing Fourier
saidturnedtheconversationonitshead.Hetriedtofindoutwhatwasgoingon
whilesimultaneously pretending to already know. Crusch madea halfsmileat
this very Fourier-esque attitude, and said, “Pardon me.” She bowed her head.
“Sometimes the magnitude of my friendship with you causes me to forget
myself.Myapologies.”
“Not at all, there’s no need for you to say you’re sorry! I assure you, I
remembereverythingingreatdetail.Isimply…wanttomakesureweremember
thesamething!Don’thesitatetospeak.”
“Yes,YourHighness.TheHouseofArgyleisFerris’sfamily.Hisrealname,
asyou’llrecall,isFelixArgyle,andhewasthefamily’seldestson.”
“Ahh, Ferris’s family, are they? And you say he used to be called Felix
Argyle?Whataninterestingfact—that,uh,Iofcourseknewalready!”
The wind of untruth gusted again, but Crusch said nothing. FromFourier’s
flusteredreaction,however,itappearedthathehadbeentotallyignorantofthe
connection between Ferris and the Argyles. She’d expected Ferris might have
sharedhispersonalhistorywiththeprince,butapparentlynot.IfFerriswanted
tokeepthisquiet,thenitwasn’tforCruschtotalkabout,andyet…
“Youlookunhappy,Crusch.Whateveryouwantedtotalkabout,isitreally
suchawfulbusinessastodarkenyourfaceso?AndonFerris’sbehalf,noless.”
“YourHighness…”
“You’rewonderinghowIknow?Surelyyouneedn’task.I’veseenyourface
all these years, just as I promised I would in the flower garden. Clarity and
calmnesssuityoubest.Thisanxiousnessismostunusualinyou.Tellmewhat’s
happened.”
WhenFourierspokelikethis,itshookCruschtoherveryheart.Shethought
backtotheirfirstmeeting.Ever since then, even tothis very moment, Fourier
hadsometimesappearedtosee moreclearlythanCrusch,whosupposedlyhad
thegiftofwindreading.AndCruschknewfromexperiencehowthewordshe
spokecouldhavethepowertobreakanimpasse.
“IfhefindsoutthatItoldyou,Ferriswillbeangryatme.”
“Oh,justtellhimIforceditoutofyou.Iheldyoudown,saidIwouldnever
forgiveyouifyoudidn’ttellme.Yes!That’swhatyoushouldsay.”
“Youjest.Youcouldneverholdmedown,YourHighness…YourHighness?
Areyouallright?Youfelltoyourkneesverysuddenly…”
“Y-yes,I’mfine…I’mperfectlyfine.Please,continue.”
Fourier had these moments sometimes, some kind of attack or reaction.
Crusch frowned, but she told the prince about Ferris’s history and the dark
dealingsgoingonattheHouseofArgyle.
—CruschandFerrishadmetnineyearsearlier.Thereasonforthatmeeting
hadbeenthesameasforthisone:Cruschhadaccompaniedherfather,Meckart,
who was investigating rumors of inharmonious goings-on at the House of
Argyle.
Ferris’sparentshadbothbeenperfectlyhuman,yethehadbeenbornwithcat
ears. He and his ears might raise suspicions that the House of Argyle carried
impureblood,sofornearlytenyearsafterhewasborn,Ferriswaslockedinthe
basementof the house day and night. Later,theHouse of Karsten took him in
underthepretenseofadoption,andthatwashowFerrisandCruschmet.Thus,
theyhadspenttheirdaysasattendantandmistress.
“—”
As Crusch related all this to Fourier, she left out the unnecessary parts,
deliberately made her telling ambiguous where she could, but ultimately told
himmostofthefacts.Fourier listened to everythingwith an almostunsettling
quietandfocus.
“…Unforgivable.”
Thewordslippedout,carryingwithitanangerthatcouldnotbeconcealed.
Fourierhadclosedhiseyes,butnowheopenedthem,theirscarletcolorshining
likeaflame.
“Suchbehavioris unforgivable!To thinkthatmy own friend Ferriswasso
inhumanly treated by his motherand father! And still they scheme and plot! I
shallcertainlyshowthemnomercy.EvenwithoutFerris’sknowledge,IswearI
will—hrk!Cough!C-cough!”TherushofangersentFourierintoacoughingfit.
“YourHighness,don’tgetsoagitated.Here,drinksometea.”Sheheldouta
cuptohim,andFourierdowneditscontentsinasinglegulpandslammeditback
ontothetable.
“—notforhibhem!”Thehotteaturnedhisfaceredandmangledthewords
hetriedtospeak.Buttheemotiontheycontained,thefeelingsoffriendshipfor
Ferris,wereunmistakable.“Crusch,youmustapprehendthesescoundrels,and
youmustdoitimmediately.Luckily,Ferrisisatthecapitalforhistrainingatthe
moment.Wemaynotbeabletokeepeverythingfromhim,butatleastwecan
shieldhimfromhavingtoseetheugliestpartsofit.”
“Iunderstand,mylord.Butwe’redealingwithaslavetraderoperatingwithin
ourownborders.Ifwewant tofind outwhere he’scoming from,we can’tact
tooimpulsively.Ibegyourunderstandingonthismatter.”
“Hrr… Grr… In that case, why did you tell me about this? If you’re not
goingtoactrightaway,thenthingsareatastandstill.Andifyou’vethoughtso
farahead,whatdoyouneedfromme?”
“IwishtorequestYourHighness’shelpwithFerris,”Cruschsaid.Judgingby
hisoutburst,itseemedFourierdidn’tunderstandwhatshewasreallydrivingat.
HiseyeswentwideasCruschplacedahandtoherchestandcontinued:“Your
Highness, Ferris will spend the next year at the royal castle, as one of the
KnightsoftheRoyalGuard.Thisyearcouldallbutdeterminehisfuture—such
istheimportanceofknighthoodtoFerris.Therefore,Iwishtoseeitpasswithout
incident.”
“And you’re asking me to see that it does? Just so you know, Marcus, the
manwhooverseestheroyalguard,isstubbornbutfair.He’snotthetypetodole
out undue favors. I could ask him to give Ferris special treatment, but I
guaranteeitwouldfallondeafears.AndIhavenointentionofgivingFerristhat
kindofhelp,anyway.Itcouldonlyhurthim—hemaydresslikeawoman,buthe
hastheprideofaman!”
Not once in the ten years they’d known each other had Crusch ever seen
Fourier take advantage of his position or otherwise make any unwarranted
demands.Of course, people often deferred to him because of his rank, but he
wasnotthekindtoaskforsuchconsiderationhimself.
“If you expect such things of me,” he went on, “you’re making a mistake.
Crusch,IknowhowmuchyoucareforFerris,butinthiscaseit’sledyouastray.
Heisn’tasweakasyoufear,norsosoftastowantprotectionfromyouandme.”
“—”
ThenFouriercrossedhisarmsandcoughedagainbriefly.Hisfacewasred.
Crusch was silently thankful for his words. There were some who might see
Ferris’sabilitiesandvaluehimforthem.ButtherewasnooneotherthanFourier
whowouldsothoroughlytrustanddefendFerris’sheart.
“Your Highness, I must apologize. I seem to have given you the wrong
impression.WhatIwishtoaskfromyouisnotthatyougetanybreaksforFerris
inhisunit.”
“Oh?It isn’t?”Fourier was startled to find that his passionate outburst had
been misdirected. Crusch didn’t press the point but assumed an attitude of
imploringrespect.
“YourHighness,IunderstandI’maskingagreatdeal,andI’mpreparedfor
you to reprimand me. But if it is possible, should you see Ferris at the royal
castle,Iaskthatyouwouldspeakwithhim.”
“…ThatIspeakwithhim?That’sall?”
“Yes.YouunderstandFerris’sposition.Heisn’tlikelytobewelcomed.”
Ferris’s cat ears, which made people suspect him of being a demi-human,
madehisadmissiontotheroyalguardexceptional.Hispreferenceforwomen’s
dressandinexperiencewiththeswordwouldbenomorelikelytowinhimany
friends.ButFerriswasapttoactperfectlyaccordingtohisnature,nomatterhow
hostilepeopleweretohim.Nomatterhowmuchithurt.
“Idon’tdoubt his strength of spirit.Buteveryone has their limits. Evenhe
maynotrealizehowemotionallyfatiguedhe’sbecome.Ifhecouldhaveakind
wordfromyoubeforethathappens…”
“Youthinkafamiliarfacewilleasehismind…?Isthatit?”
“Yes.”Cruschletoutabreath,gladthatshehadgottenherpointacross.Then
shesmiledandstretchedherneckgently.“HowevermuchImaycareforFerris,
Iamnotquitesooverprotectiveastorelyonyourrankforfavors.”
Ferriswouldnotappreciateitiftheywereconstantlyholdingoutahandso
he would not fall, or giving him a push on the back so he would not stop, or
shieldinghimsohewouldnotgethurt.Butamoment’srespitetheycouldoffer.
ThatwaswhatsheaskedofFourier.
NowthatFourierunderstoodwhatshereallywanted,hefrownedandlooked
askanceather.“Butevenso,Crusch—”
“Whatisit,mylord?”
“I think you’re quite overprotective just the same. Better you admit it to
yourself.”
ShehadbynomeansexpectedFouriertomakesuchanallegation,anditleft
her dumbfounded.Her reaction caused Fourier to burst out laughing, slapping
hiskneesinamusement.
“Excellent! I shall let your most unusual reaction just now persuade me.
Anyway,theroyalguardhasquiteabitoffreetimewhenthey’renotonduty.
Andthenewcomerisn’tlikelytobeassignedtoaccompanymyfatherorelder
brothersononeoftheirtrips.Theywon’tmindifIaskforFerris’scompany.”
Fourierseemedtobequiteenjoyinghimselfasheannouncedthathewould
accede to Crusch’s request. “But,” he added, winking uncharacteristically, “if
thatwasallyouweregoingtoask,whytellmeaboutthegoings-onattheHouse
ofArgyle?”
“It’ssimplythatifmatterswiththefamilybecomepublic,Ferrisisboundto
hearofthem.Ifthathappens,Iwantsomeoneclosetohimwhoknowswhat’s
goingon.Icouldn’trelyonanyonebutyou,YourHighness.”
“Um!Indeed!BecauseIamamostreliableman!Ishouldlikeyoutorepeat
yourself.”
“—?Icouldn’trelyonanyonebutyou,YourHighness.”
“Isee,Isee.Attheendofyourrope,areyou?ThenIhavenochoice—you
cancountonme!Cough!Cough!Hrrk!”Fourierpoundedhischest—abittoo
hard,resultinginanothercoughingfit.Itjustseemedtobethewaythingswere
goingthatday.Itwasenoughtoraiseconcernsabouttheprince’shealth.
“Nottoworry.I’vebeensufferingabitofheartburnlately.Myolderbrother
hasbeencoughing,too.Perhapshe’scaughtacold.”
“It’snotmyplacetomakeyetanotherrequestofyou,YourHighness,butI
dohopeyou’lllookafteryourself.Yourhealthmatterstomorepeoplethanjust
you.Ifyou’refeelingunwell,youneedn’tcomeallthewayhere…”
“Ah,butit’swhenI’mfeelingmyweakestthatImostwanttoseey—Um,
nevermind!Moreimportantly,haveyouanyplanforhowyou’lldealwiththe
Argyles?”Fourierchangedthesubject,blushingatCrusch’swords.
“OnceweconfirmthattheslaverreallyisgoingtotheHouseofArgyle,I’ll
goandconfrontthemmyself.Thenwe’llfindoutthetruthofthematter.”
Fourierwaitedamomentbeforeresponding.Thenheasked:“Doyoureally
needtoconfrontthemyourself?Ishouldthinkitwouldbedangerous.”
“I’d like to handle things internally, without matters getting out of hand…
Andthere’sFerristothinkabout.”
Ifitweresimplyamatterofarrestingthem,shecouldsendthearmy.Butif
theHouseofArgylehadcommittedamajorcrime,Ferriscouldbeinadvertently
placedinaquestionablesituationaswell.Intheworst-casescenario,theHouse
of Karsten might be forced to formally adopt Ferris before dealing with the
Argyles.
“YourHighness,IhumblyaskthatyoukeepthisfromFerris.I’llmakeevery
efforttodealwiththispersonally,asalocalmatter.”
“WhileIkeepaneyeonhiminthecapital—verywell.Thisisbetweenyou
andme.I’llkeepittomyself.Butshouldthewindchangeandthingsturnsour,I
can’t promise I’ll stay quiet about it. All right?” Fourier nodded, despite his
continuedmisgivingsaboutCrusch’splan.
He had deliberately used the metaphor of changing winds to the young
womanblessedwiththeabilitytoreadtheairitself.Cruschsawherselfreflected
inhisscarleteyes.Aslightchillpasseddownherspine.
“Iunderstand,YourHighness.Ifthatmomentcomes,Itrustyourjudgment.”
She glanced toward the door—specifically, toward the crest of the House of
Karsten emblazoned over it. For an instant, she saw Fourier’s image overlap
withthecrestofthelionbaringitsfangs.
—A week later, it was determined that the slaver was indeed going to the
HouseofArgyle.
5
Bean Argyle proved surprisingly willing to invite Crusch to his home. His
eagernessmadehersuspectatrapatfirst,butwhenshearrived,heshowedher
inside,andherconcerngraduallyeased.
The house was still; there was no sense that an armed party was hiding
anywherewithin.Infact,therewashardlyanysignanyoneelsewasaroundat
all.
“I heard rumors you had to release your servants,” Crusch said. “It seems
theyweretrue.”
“Yes,theywere.I’msimplynotinapositiontoindulgeinanykindofexcess
anymore. The only people here now are myself, my wife, and one maid who
stayedwithusoutofpersonalaffection.”Heledherdownthehall.BeanArgyle
wasFerris’sfather,andthemanatthecenterofthedoubtsabouttheHouseof
Argyle.ThefactthatBeanhimself,andnotthemaid,hadgreetedCruschatthe
doorlentcredibilitytohisclaimsofbeingshorthanded.
“I’m sorry that my wife is unable to greet you. She’s sick inbed. And my
maid is attending to another visitor, so I’m left to compound my rudeness by
welcomingyoubymyself.”
“Idon’tmind.It’smyfaultforshowingupsosuddenly.Butthisvisithadto
beabrupt,andforthat,Ihavenointentionofapologizing.”
“Oh-ho…”
Bean stopped and looked back at this spontaneous remark. Crusch was tall
forawoman,buthewasaheadtallerthanher.Themostdistinctivefeatureof
hisfacewasthelinesthatcreasedit,nothinglikeFerris’ssweetness.Perhapsthe
son had inherited his girlish face from his mother. Crusch only dimly recalled
whatBean’swifelookedlike,butitseemedlogicaltoher.
“BeanArgyle…You’vegrownthin.YoulooksmallerthanwhenIsawyou
last.”
“WhenamanhasasmanytroublesasIdo…”
Itwas only when she went back to her memories thatCruschrealizedhow
muchthemaninfrontofherhadchanged.Beanhadoncehadafinebeardand
had seemed a good man, but now there was no trace of resemblance to his
formerbearing.Hisexpressionwasdark,andpatchesofwhitehairstoodouton
hisheadandchin.Thelastnineyearshadnotbeenkindtohim.
“HowisFelix?Ishewell?”
“—”
Crusch was quietly taken aback to hear him bring up Ferris. Bean had
consideredthechildasevidenceofhiswife’sinfidelity,andthathadultimately
ledtothedownfalloftheHouseofArgyle.Hemightwellbeexpectedtoresent
theboyforthatevennow.
BeansmirkedatthedumbfoundedCrusch.
“Soevenyoucanbecaughtoffguard,Duchess…”
“I admit, I wasn’t expecting it. I was sure you wouldn’t think much of
Ferris…Imean,Felix.”
“What parent does not treasure his child? Or if not treasure, what parent
wishestoleavehischildtodiesomewhere?Especiallywhenheknowstheboy
ishisownblood.”
Bean’svoicewassubdued,withscantinflection.Itwashardtotellwhathe
wasreallythinking.ButCruschwasn’tlisteningtohisvoice.Shewasfocused
on the wind, and there she found unmistakable regret and grief. Bean at least
seemedtobeupsetbytheinhumanactshehadperpetratedagainstFerris,whom
henowacknowledgedashisrealson.IfhehadtakenFerrisashisownfromthe
startandlovedhimlikeanyotherfather,thingswouldhavebeenverydifferent.
Wouldtheyhavebeenbetter?ItwasnotaquestionCruschcouldeasilyanswer.
“I’msorry,Ididn’tmeantostop.Asourreceivingroomisoccupied,perhaps
ourparlor…Butyouhavecomeforsomethingelsetoday,Ipresume.”
Bean resumed walking just as Crusch began to think she couldn’t take any
more.Crusch blinked once, dispelling her own grief, and replied, “Yes. And I
have business with your other visitor. I know I’m imposing myself, but things
willgoquickestifyousimplytakemetoyourreceptionroom.Forbothofus.”
“Isee.Thisway,then,please.”
Beanmadenoefforttoresist,butledhertothereceptionroomasthoughhe
had been expecting this. They walked through a dim hallway—it seemed the
lightwasdeliberatelykeptlow—andupanarrowstaircasetothereceivingroom
onthesecondfloor.
Beanknocked.Awoman’svoiceanswered,andthedooropened.Awoman
ofmiddleageappeared.Tojudgebyherclothing,thiswasthehousehold’slast
maid.
Thewoman’sfacestiffenedwhenshesawCrusch.Theduchessonlygaveher
asilentnod.
“Master?Whyisthehonoredduchess…?”
“Don’tyouremember?ItoldyouIwasgoingtohaveherjoinushere.Make
tea for her.” At Bean’s clipped instruction, the maid bowed to Crusch and
squeezedoutthroughthedoor. Crusch,inturn,walkedintothe room. Avoice
greetedherasshecamein.
“Well, well, quite a lovely young thing we have here.” The owner of the
voicewasanunpleasant-lookingman.Hiswholebodywaswrappedinawhite
robe;hehadshortgrayhairandaratlikeface.Cruschwasnotsuperficialenough
tojudgepeoplebytheirappearance,but anaffinityforviolenceseemedtolay
thickabouthim.
“I must ask your indulgence; her visit was quite sudden. Allow me to
introduceDuchessCruschofKarsten,therulerofthisarea.Milady,ifImay…?”
StandingbesideCrusch,Beanannouncedher,thenattemptedtomoveontothe
subjectoftheothervisitor.Cruschgavetheslightestofnods,andBeangestured
attheratlikeman.“ThisisMiles.HedealsintheantiquesIsofavor.He goes
fromcountry tocountry,tradinginthe mostunusualthings…Perhaps nothing
quitesostrangeasametia,butmanyinterestingobjectsjustthesame.”
“Miles, milady. And must I say, you’re the most beautiful duchess I’ve
encounteredinallmytravels.Icertainlydidn’texpecttomeetyouhere.Whata
great pleasure,” the rat-faced man said, picking up smoothly from Bean. His
wordswereperfectlypolite,buttherewasahintoftoadyingaboutthem.
Crusch ignored most of what he said. She only murmured, “An antiques
dealer…?”
“Doesmiladyhaveatastefortheoldandintriguing?I’llhavetovisityour
honoredresidenceatanothertime…”
“I appreciate it, butthat won’t be necessary. I’m still too young to feel the
weightofhistoryverykeenly.There’ssomethingIwanttotalktoyouabout.”
She shook her head at Miles’s invitation and tried to draw Bean into the
conversation.Hersuspicionsabouthimhadlessenedsomewhatduringtheirtalk
in the hallway, but since meeting Miles, she had begun to doubt again.
Unfortunately, it was very hard to believe the man’s claim to be an antiques
dealer.Therewasaneightornineoutoftenchancethathewastheslavetrader
shewaslookingfor.
Bean gestured for her to sit on the sofa. He and Miles sat across from her.
Cruschrestedherhandsonherknees,neverlettingherguarddown.Becauseshe
hadonlycometotalk,Cruschwasn’tcarryingasword.However,shewasquite
capableofdealingwithanenemyinhand-to-handcombatifitcametothat.But
shewouldn’tdoanythingreckless.
“Nowthen,LadyCrusch,whatisityouwishtotalkabout?”
“Ahem.Truthbetold,myvisittodaywasmotivatedbyareportreceivedby
oneofmysubordinates.Wordisthatanunsavorycharacterhasbeenvisitingthe
HouseofArgylerecently.”
“Could you be speaking of me?” Miles said, chiming in. “If so, I must
sincerelyapologizeforgivingtheduchessherselfcausetocomeallthewayout
here.”Hehadthesameserviletoneasbefore,buthiseyestookCruschinquite
openly. Hisgaze was franklyunsettling. No one wants to be looked at like an
objectbeingappraised.
“Settingasidethequestionofexactlywhoitis,mysubordinatewastoldthat
thispersonisaslavetrader.I’vecometohearBeanArgyle’ssideofthestory.”
MilesfrownedatthisopenstatementofCrusch’ssuspicions,buttherewasno
changeinBean’sattitude.Hedrummedonthetablewithhisfingers,lookingas
dourasever.
“Iunderstand you have your concerns,”Bean said. “But we havevery few
callers at thishouse anymore. The only person who comes and goes with any
frequencywouldbeMileshere.”
“Soyou’resayingtherumorsofslavetradearejustthat?”
Beannoddedfirmly.Shesensednowindindicatinghewastryingtodeceive
her.Infact,the eddiesofhisemotionswereexceptionallyweak, asifhe were
disengaged.FarfromreassuringCrusch,thisleftherwithanindistinctmistrust
ofBean.
Herthoughtswereinterruptedbythemaid,whoreturnedtotheroom.
“—The tea is ready,” she said, and placed a silver tea set on the table and
quietly poured the drink. A sweet aroma rose from the warm liquid. Crusch
caughtahintofanxiousnessanduncertaintyfromthemaid.
“Please,LadyCrusch,”Milessaid.“Itwillbeeasiertotalkifyouwetyour
lips…”
“It’sallright…”
Themaidhadretreated,butCruschrememberedhernervousness.Combined
withMiles’sinquisitiveeyes,Cruschhesitatedtotakethecup.BeanandMiles
paidhernomind,sippingfromtheirowncups.
Crusch’sperceptionsweresoundinganoisywarningbell.Eventheteashe’d
beenofferedputheronedge.
“Ifyou wish to dispel anysuspicions,thefirststep will be to show methe
goodsMileshasallegedlybrought withhim.Thenyou willallowpeopleinto
inspectthishouse.Iftheyfindtherumorsarebaseless,thenIwillapologizefor
doubtingyouandoffersomeformofcompensation.But—”
“—Compensation,yousay?”
It was hard to believe the whispered voice belonged to the same man who
hadseemedsodetachedjustsecondsbefore.Thesefewwordswererifewitha
tumultofemotions.Dry,andyetsaturated,anunfocusedemotionaltorrent.The
onlythingshecould understand, if anything at all, was thathewas fixated on
something…
“Compensation,”Beansaidsoftly.“Yes,verywell.Ifyou’repreparedtodo
that,thingswillindeedgoquicklybetweenus.”Nowshefeltsomethingfearful
rollingoffhim,butitwastoolate.
“—ngh.Whad’reyoutalgingab…?”Cruschfoundherlipscouldn’tformthe
wordstoherreply,andthenawaveofdizzinessstruckher.Herhandslippedoff
thearmrestofthesofaandshefelltothefloor.Hereyesspun;herconsciousness
wavered.
Bythetimesherealizedshehadbeendrugged,itwastoolate.Butshehadn’t
putanythinginhermouth…
“Ha-ha!”Milescackled.“Thebiggertheythinktheyare,thebettertheyfall
for this trick! Don’t even want a drink? You should accept your host’s
hospitality,milady.Ithelpswashoutthebadairthatgetsinside…”Heclapped
tauntingly,andalldecorumhadvanishedfromhistone.Hisfacecontortedintoa
vileexpression,andheranahandalongCrusch’scheek.“Ahh,Idolovetoseea
strongwomancrawl.Ha-ha!You’llmakeafinegiftformetotakehome.”
Thewordscertainlysoundedlikethoseofaslaver,butwhathewassaying
wasmad.Cruschwasaduchessofthe Kingdomof Lugunica.Anyone intheir
rightmindwouldknowthattotakeherasaslavewassuicide.Whichcouldonly
meanhehadsomethingbesidesenslavementinmind.
Bean knelt down and looked into Crusch’s eyes. “I thank you for your
cooperation,Duchess.Withoutyou,Icouldneverhaveachievedmygoal.”
“…”
Hisfacewasexpressionless,likeamask,buthiseyeswerepassionate.Anger
ragedinthem,andaterriblepity.
“Wh…a…t…go…al…?”
“You can still talk? I’m surprised. It was supposed to put you out
immediately.”Beansoundedimpressed.Cruschwasbitinghertongue,clinging
desperatelytoconsciousness.
Beangrabbedherbythehair,pulledherheadup,andsaid,“Isn’titobvious?
—Iwantbackthechildyoustolefromme.Ineedthatboy.”
6
“YouletLadyCruschgoalone?!Howcouldyouever—?Howdoyouplanto
takeresponsibilityifanything’shappenedtoher?”
Thevoice,almostascream,echoedaroundtheKarstenoffice.Theownerof
the shouting voice and the hand that slammed down on the black desk was
Ferris. He wore the uniform of the royal guard, and he had returned to the
mansionmuchsoonerthanexpected.Theplacewasinanuproar.
—Hadhereallygivenuponbeingaknightafterjusttendays?
No one dared to venture to make such a joke as Ferris stalked down the
hallwaywithanexpressionofangertheyhadneverseenbeforeclearonhisface.
Everyonegotoutofhiswayuntilhearrivedatthesecretarialoffice,wherehe
laidintotheheadofficial.
“H-holdonamoment,Ferris.Iknowyou’reupset.AndIunderstand,butthis
wasLadyCrusch’sdecision.Therewerecircumstancestoconsider…”
“Circumstances?!Youmeanwhatmighthappentome?Iknowwhatmight
happen! And I don’t care! If it meant keeping Lady Crusch out of danger, I
wouldgladlyhavegivenmyheartandmybodyandmyname!”Hisvoicehad
risenanoctave.Forallhisanger,histhinkingwasrationalenough.Atthecastle,
FourierhadexplainedwhatCruschwasupto.AndwhileFerrisunderstoodthat
shewasdoingitforhim,Cruschputtingherselfindangerforhissakedefeated
thepurposeofhisserviceasherknight.
TheHouseofArgylewassosteepedinvillainythatthepeopletheredidn’t
thinkofotherpeopleashumanbeings.
“AndyetnoneofyouputLadyCruschfirst…!”
“You must calm yourself, Ferris. You’ll only terrify everyone around you,
andthenwewon’tbeabletotalktothem.”
“But…!” Ferris’s eyes began to fill with tears. Someone wrapped an arm
aroundhisshoulder,thesamesomeonewhohadjustspokeninsuchapowerful
voice.A young man with golden hair. The official Ferris had been upbraiding
caughthisbreathatthesightoftheman.
“YourHighnessFourier!Ididn’tknowyouwouldbewithFerris…”
“Yes,becauseitwasIwhorevealedthemattertohim,eventhoughI’dbeen
askednottospeakofit.AndCruschdidtellmebeforehandthatifthingswent
badly,Iwastousemyjudgment.Ihavenoproof,but…Idohaveabadfeeling
thatwon’tgoaway.Itswirlswithinme.”Fourierplacedahandtohischest.If
theprince had willed all this, then theofficialcertainlycouldn’t be upset with
Ferrisforit.
“Whateverishappening,theroyalcastleistoofarawayformetodealwithit
effectively.SoitonlymakessensethatIwouldmoveclosertothecenterofthe
action.Anditonlymakesfurthersensethatamemberoftheroyalguardwould
accompanyme.”
“Doesitmakesense,YourHighness?Ishuddertothinkwhatthecaptainwill
say when we get back…” Fourier was happily playing out his little trick, but
Julius,whohadgottencaughtupinthewholeaffair,slumpedhisshoulders.He
didn’t seem specifically upset to have been dragged along, however. “If Your
Highnesswouldbesomagnanimousastospeakonourbehalf…”headded.
“Sincethiswasallmyowndoing,youcanleavethattome!Um,well…not
that I’m sure my excuses will have much sway with Marcus, but at the very
least,youtwowillnotbealonewhenhereprimandsyou.Ifyoumustgetapiece
ofhismind,Iwill,too.”
“Reassuring words, Your Highness—Now then, what about the Duchess of
Karsten…?”
Asasemblanceofcalmreturnedtotheroom,Juliusguidedthembacktothe
questionathand.Thisledtheofficial,nowoutofwaystodistracthisvisitors,to
slumpabitandlookuncomfortablyatFerris.“It’strueLadyCruschwentalone
to inspect the House of Argyle,” he said. “But Bardok has the area of the
mansionsurroundedwithnearlyfiftysoldiers.TheArgyleslacktheresourcesto
hiremercenariesatthistime.Eveniftheyarmedtheirslavesandsentthemout,
itwouldbeeasytosubduethem.”
“ButwhatiftheytookLadyCruschhostage…?”
“Iadmittheymightfeelsocorneredastoresorttoviolence,buttheywould
befacingLadyCrusch.SheoncecutdownaGiantRabbitwithasingleswipeof
hersword.Idoubttheycouldbesther.Andshehasdoneallshecantopreparein
advance.”
The official offered all the reasons he could for peace of mind, hoping to
placate Ferris. True, objectively speaking, it didn’t seem there was any way
Cruschcouldbeatadisadvantage.Ferriswouldhavetrustedherdiligencehad
theinvolvementoftheHouseofArgylenotthrownhisemotionsintoconfusion.
Yetanuneaseremainedwithinhim. Wasitsimplyanillusionbornofhisown
difficultieswithhisbloodfamily?
“…Wait,Ferris.Noneofthatwouldlaymylingeringanxietytorest.”
“Your Highness?”Fourier had spoken just as Ferris was beginning to calm
downandresolvetotrustCrusch.
Fourierlookedlikeadifferentperson.Ferris,lookinginto hiseyes, hadthe
sensethathecouldseetheprince’sverysoul.Everyoneintheroomcaughtthe
changeinFourier.
Fourierlooked aroundtheroom,whichwas holding their collective breath,
andputahandonhischestbeforecontinuing.“Aworry,Icannotexplainwhat,
churns within me. It isn’t good for you and Crusch to continue to be apart.
Indeed,wemustgoassoonaspossible—cough,c-cough!”
“YourHighness?!”
Fourier’swordsdissolvedintoaspateofred-facedcoughing.Ferrisrushedto
take his shoulders, focusing his attention on the flow of mana throughout the
prince’sbody.TheRoyalAcademyofHealinghadrecognizedFerrisasitsmost
accomplished pupil. If he wanted to, he could bring someone back from the
brinkofdeathtoperfecthealth.Sowhensomeonecomplainedtohimoffeeling
poorly,hehadahabitofassessingthemassoonashelaidhandsonthem.
“What…?”
FourierimmediatelymovedawayfromFerris’shands.Beforehisfingersand
the mana flowing through them could do their work, the prince stood up, still
sweatingandbreathinghard.
“Areyouallright,YourHighness?!”Juliusasked.
Fourier tried to act as if nothing had happened. “It’s nothing major. My
apologiesforstartlingyou.I’mfeelingmuchbetternow,thankstoFerris.”This
seemedtosatisfyeveryoneelse,butFerriscouldn’tletgoofhisshock.
“Um,YourHighness,Ferri—Imean,Ididn’t…”
WorrypiercedhimashewatchedFourierwipeawaysweatevenashetried
to claim everything was fine. But Ferris’s small, hesitant voice was suddenly
overwhelmedbyashoutfromoutsidetheoffice.
“It’s terrible! Lady Crusch hasn’t come out of the Argyle manor, and a
battle’s started around the mansion! The soldiers—they claim they’re fighting
livingcorpses!”
7
ThefirstthingCruschnoticedwhenshecametowasaterribleodor.
“Nnhn…”shegroaned.Herthroatwasdry.Sheleanedupoffthefloor.And
then the smell filled her nose, a stench so awful that it was almost physically
painful.Itwaslikeanimalwastemixedwithsomethingrotting;themomentshe
caughtawhiffofit,Cruschknewshewasinnoplacegood.
Shewassomehowabletositup,butherhandsweremanacled.Sowereher
feet,andontopofthat,shewasblindfolded.Itwasasmallblessingthathereyes
hadsimplybeencoveredratherthanputout,butCruschwasn’tthinkingofsuch
thingsatthatmoment.
“Idon’tseemtohaveanymajorinjuries.Isthatsotheyhaveroomtobargain
withme…?”
Sheremembered themomentsjust before shehadlostconsciousness. Bean
andMileshadusedsomekindofconcoctiontoputhertosleep.Therehadbeen
somethinginthetea—butitwasantidote,nottoxin.Thedrugwasintheroom
itself,andonlyCrusch,whohadbeentoosuspicioustodrink,hadsuccumbed.
Butitbotheredherthatthereseemedtobesomanypotentialholesintheplan.
“IfIhadbeencarelessanddrunkthetea,itwouldn’thaveworked.”
“…Ifyou’ddonethat,wewould’vedonesomethingmuchmoreterrifying.”
Shehadn’tbeenexpectingananswer,butonecame.Theunforgettablevoice
belongedtononeotherthanBean.She’dsensedsomeonenearby,butshenever
wouldhaveguesseditwastheperpetratorhimself.Cruschdidn’tlethershock
showonherface.Instead,sheletoutanincongruouslaugh.
“Youneverceasetosurpriseme.That,atleast,makesmethinkyou’rerelated
toFelix.”
“Youdon’tknowhowgratefulIamtohearthatfromsomeonewho’scloser
tothatboythananyother.ItgivesmeconfidencethatheandIreallydosharea
bloodconnection.”
“Youseemawfullyinterestedinthesonyougaveupnearlytenyearsago.”
Shecouldn’tseeBean,buthistonewascalm—yetthisonlyspoketothedepth
of his madness. Crusch considered it more dangerous than if he had been
hysterical.
“Itoldyou.Ineedhim.Andyouaregoingtobringhimtome.”
“You’rerightthatwhenFelixfindsoutwhat’shappenedtome,he’slikelyto
come running. But you’ll have another problem to deal with first. My
subordinatesknowI’m here, and it won’tbelong before they notice I haven’t
returnedandcomedownonthisplacelikeanavalanche.”
The contest would be between a duchess and a subsidiary noble with no
station. The difference in military strength was unquestionable. The outcome
wasaforegoneconclusion.
Flightwouldbesimilarlyfutile.Iftheywantedto,BeanandMilescouldtake
Crusch’shead,butthiswouldonlydoublysigntheirdeathwarrants.
“Iwon’ttrytoconvinceyoutosurrender.Butwhatareyouplanning?Ican’t
understandwhatyouhavetogainbyputtingmeinthisposition.”
“I see being blindfolded and chained hasn’t made you any more meek. I
guesstheducalfamilyreallyismadeof sternerstuffthan therestof us.Well,
thatonlymakesthingseasierforme.”
“Itakeityoudon’tintendtoanswerme?”
To this question Bean did not spare any reply at all; Crusch heard his
footstepsgrowing distant.There was the sound of some wet glop dirtying the
solesofhisshoes.Apparentlytherewassomethingunsanitaryherebesidesjust
thebadsmell.
“Oh, yes,” Bean called back to Crusch, as though he had just remembered
something.“ThisiswhereFelixusedtospendhisdays,thosemanyyearsago.
Theroomthatmovedyoutotakehimawayfromus.Perhapsyou’llunderstand
himevenmoreintimatelynow.”
“…Is that so? How thoughtful of you,” she answered, her voice thick with
sarcasm.“I’llmakesuretoputthisexperiencetogooduse.”Beanonlygavean
angrysnort.Thistimethefootstepsrecededuntilshecouldnolongerhearthem,
andtheblindfoldedCruschwasleftalone.
“SothiswasFerris’sroom…”shemurmuredtoherself.
Crusch thought back to when she had met Ferris. If Bean was telling the
truth,thenshewasunderground.Theroomwherethecat-boyhadbeenconfined
asachildwasbeneaththehouse.
Themanaclesonherhandsandlegsweremadeofmetal,noteasilyremoved.
Bean’s attitude suggested he had a plan in mind for dealing with the guards
accompanying Crusch. She saw now: She was in a desperate situation. But
nothingmore.
“Thisisn’tquitewhatIwasexpecting,butit’sabittooearlytojustgiveup.”
Beingdruggedandkidnappedhadcertainlynotbeenpartofherplan.Butifit
gave her a way to uncover the secrets of the house, then it might have been
worthit.Shehadonlyonerealconcern…
“IguessitwasaskingtoomuchtothinkIcouldfinishthisbeforeFerrisor
HisHighnessgotworried.”
Bothofthemwouldnodoubtbetremendouslyanxiouswhentheyheardwhat
hadhappenedtoher.Thatthoughttormentedherfarmorethananyquestionof
herownsafety.
8
TherewasasecretspellcalledtheSacramentoftheImmortalKing.
Itwasoneoftheexceptionalmagics,supposedlycreatedbyawitchwhoheld
theworldinthrallbeforetheknowledgewaslost.Putbriefly,itallowedtheuser
tocontrolcorpsesaccordingtotheirwill.Thewitchwhoinventedthespellhad
beensaidtobeabletobringthedeadbacklookingexactlyastheyhadinlife,
butthatpartofthespellhadnotbeenpasseddown.
Most of the ritual had faded from living memory; it was impossible to
replicateanyofthespell’seffectsexceptanimatingcorpses.Andeventhatmost
basicmanifestationwasallbutimpossibletoachievewithoutacasterwhohada
naturalaffinityforthespell.
Itwasaveryrareaffinity—noonehadbeenknowntopossessitinmorethan
ahundredyears.
“I’mimpressedwewereabletocomesofarinreplicatingtheeffects.”Miles
gaveahappyshrugashewatchedthecorpsewanderaround,arevoltingscent
driftingfromit.
Adarksmilecameoverhisface.Hefeltnodistasteforthewalkingbody.The
dead were a familiar sight to him. It was simply that those who were usually
asleephadnowawoken.
“Awfullyintimidatingnameforsuchausefulpower,”hewenton.“Suchfine
workersthedeadmake.Ican’tbelievewe’veforgottenthisability.”
“Normalpeoplewouldn’tthinktoputthedeadtomanuallabor.”
“Ah,master,welcomeback.”
From amid the dead came a man who was living, yet whose face was no
different from the zombies’. A living dead man who controlled the deceased
throughsecretmagic,whileMileswasthevillainwhoworkedwithhim.Itwasa
placeawashinanever-endingtideofsin.
“Ilongagolostthegoodsensetobeconcernedaboutsuchthings,anyway.
Andhowisourlittleprincessdoinginherundergroundroom?”
“Stilldefiant.Theoneswhoareborntonobilityreallyareadifferentbreed.”
“Fine. That makes it all the better when I finally break her. You
haven’t…doneanythingtoher,haveyou?”
“Ihavenointerestinsuchthings.She’sonlybait,tobringmysonhere.”The
questionhadn’treallybeennecessary,butBeananswereditdispassionatelyjust
thesame.“Howdothingslookoutside?”
“Oh, very busy. Her Ladyship’s vaunted soldiers seem to be quite beside
themselvesatthesightofourundeadfighters.Isupposeitwouldbelesshuman
nottobescaredbythoserottingfaces.”
From the second floor of the mansion, it was possible to view the tumult
outside.ThesoldiersCruschhadbroughtalongwithherwereinapitchedbattle
withthecrazedundead.Nosoonerwerethezombieskilledthantheywouldrise
backup,againandagain.Itwasenoughtogivethebravestheropause.
“We gave them our demands. What is their response? Have you seen my
son?”
“I’mafraidIcan’ttellyou.Idon’tevenknowwhathelookslike.Isawsome
land dragons leaving, so I assume their headquarters has been informed, but I
don’tseeanydemi-humans.”
“…Don’tspeakofthatboyasthoughheweresomeanimal.That’smyson,
whosharesmyblood.”
Miles had spoken the forbidden word; Bean gave him a sharp look. He
seemednotentirelysane,soMilesraisedhishandsandscuttledbackward.
ThewordsonwassooftenonBean’slips.Heseemedfixatedonit.Perhapsit
onlymadesense,since he was hardly calling the childbackoutof love. Even
Milesfeltacertainsympathyfortheboy.Tohaveone’slifewastedbecauseof
theferventbutmistakenconvictionsofone’sfatherwasthestuffofnightmares.
“Well,notthatitmeansI’llholdbackorshowanymercy.”
Beanlookeddownoverthebattlefieldwithglitteringeyes,awaitinghisson’s
homecoming.Behind him, Miles sat on a sofa that hadn’t been dirtied by the
corpsesandwaitedfortherightmoment.The house overflowed with ill intent
andthefetorofrottingflesh.Butheonlyhadtowaituntilthetimewasripe.
9
FerrisandtheothersarrivedattheArgyleestatetofindtheplacehadbecomea
battleground.Theyhadruntheirdragoncarriageashardaspossible,andithad
stilltakenseveralhours.Theplacewashellonearthbythetimetheygotthere.
“Sothisiswhattheymeantbyundeadwarriors…”Ferrismurmured.Aman
totteredforwardwiththepointofaspearlodgedinhishead.Whatflowedfrom
the wound was not vital red blood but yellow pus. The man collapsed on the
ground.Yet, despite what was obviously a mortal wound, he flailed his body,
working the spear out, and then, apparently unbothered by his shattered skull,
stretchedouthisarmsandattemptedtoattachhimselftothenextsoldierhesaw.
“A dark spell that makes the dead live. So this is the Sacrament of the
Immortal King.” Julius had been watching, too, and now he spoke in a voice
heavy with fury at the awful scene. Julius was typically quiet, but given to
intenseemotion.Hewasfullofrighteousindignationonbehalfofthosewhose
liveshadbeenblasphemedbythismagic.Hishandwasonthehiltofhissword,
andhelookedasifhemightrushinatanymoment.
“—Don’tdoit,Julius.Ishan’tletyougoaheadofme.”Thevoicethatheld
Julius back was that of Fourier, who observed the situation from inside the
carriage. The prince’s stern words caused the tension to go out of Julius’s
shoulders,asifhewereembarrassedathisownimpetuousness.
“Myapologies.Thesightissimplytooterrible,anditraisedmyire.”
“Iunderstandyourfeelings.Thisisn’tasituationwecanoverlook.Butifwe
make the wrong choice, it could result in needless sacrifices. We must avoid
that.”
NextFourierturnedtoFerris,whofoundhimselfquailingslightlyunderthe
intensity of his friend’s gaze. Fourier was in the grip of the sharp-edged,
commanding air he had shown at the castle and the manor. It had happened
before,butthiswasofadifferentmagnitude.NormallyFourierdidn’tseemlike
royalty—inthebestsense—butnowhisheritagewasabundantlyevident.
“Accordingto Bardok, it will take three hours to gather enough strength to
ensurewecandestroytheenemy.Wehavetobuythemtimeso thatthe worst
doesn’thappenbeforethen.”Fouriertookinthebattlefield.“Ofcourse,wewant
toprotectanyinnocentsfromgettinghurt.Bothofyouunderstand?”Ferrisand
Juliusnodded.
TheundeadwarriorswererangedagainstCrusch’ssoldiers,whosurrounded
theArgylehouse.Thereappearedtobeatleasttwohundredofthem,fourtimes
thefriendlystrength.
But while the undead had the advantage of being difficult to destroy, their
ability to think and strategize was gone. The fact that the cordon hadn’t been
brokendespitebeingvastlyoutnumberedwasproofofthis.
Atthemoment,Bardok,therankingmilitaryofficialCruschhadbroughtwith
her, was trying to gather the military strength to overcome the disparity in
numbers.Oncetheyhadtheforces,itwouldbeasimplemattertooverpowerthe
undeadwarriors.
“ButthatmeansLadyCruschmight…”
“Ifwedon’trescueCrusch,thenwecouldhaveamillionmenanditwould
meannothing.What’smore,itlookslikethemastermind,BeanArgyle,isasking
afteraFelixArgyle.”
Nosoonerhadtheyfinishedwiththeurgentmessageabouttheappearanceof
theundeadwarriorsthantheyreceivedwordthatCruschhadbeentakenhostage
at the Argyle house. A letter signed by Bean himself had demanded that they
handoverFerrisinexchangeforCrusch’ssafety.
Ofcourse,theyweren’tstupidenoughtofallforit.
“Butwecan’tsimplydismisshisdemand,either,”Fouriersaid.“Untilwesee
the Duchess, we have to prioritize her safety, and that may mean going to the
negotiatingtable.”
“Yeah, a table they built. It’s about the worst possible way to negotiate…”
Ferris said, not trying to hide his frustration. He glared down at the Argyle
mansion.
Normally,itmightbenostalgictoseeone’sbirthplaceagain,butFerrisfelt
nothingsopleasantforthishouse.Hehadneverseentheplacefromoutsidelike
this.Inhismemory,itexistedonlyasthedarknessofthatbasementroom.
“Whatareyougoingtodo?”Fourierasked.“Bean’slettersaidthatyouand
youalonewouldbeallowedpasttheundead.Doyouthinkwecantrusthim?”
Thewarriorsleapedwithoutmercyatanythingnearby.Theynevercameto
attackingone another, but they didn’tseem like theyhad the abilityto do any
morethandistinguishbetweenthelivingandthedead.Butthatwasnoreasonto
hesitate.
“I’llgo.LadyCruschwillbeindangerifIdon’t.”
ToFerris,Crusch’slifewasmoreimportantthanhisown,worthmorethan
the whole world. He would give anything at all to get her back. Certainly
includinghimself.
“Ferris…”
“Youcan’tstopme,YourHighness.Youweretheonewhobroughtmehere.”
“Iwon’ttrytostopyou.IknowyouwouldgoevenifIdid.Becauseyouare
Crusch’sknight.Ihavenodoubtyou’llprotecther.”
Ferriswasalreadyonhisway,andFourieransweredhimwithouthesitation.
Withthosewords,Ferrisfeltasifhehadathousandarmiesbehindhim.After
all,Fourier’swordswerepartofwhathadfiredFerris’sambitionstoknighthood,
part of the reason he was who he was. The pride buoyed him up. But Fourier
wenton.
“Butyoushouldnotdoitatthecostofyourlife.IwantyouandCruschboth
backsafely.Becauseyouaremylife.Ifyou’reatruememberoftheroyalguard,
you’llfollowmyorders.”
“—”
“Youmustcomeback.Iwon’tloseafriendtosomethinglikethis.”
Ferrisdidn’teven have a namefortheemotionthatwelled up in his heart.
Fourier had called Ferris his friend many times before, and each time he did,
Ferris was just as shocked as the first time it had happened, just as lost for
words.
“Yes,YourHighness!”
And then he set out, his friend watching him go with a familiar, audacious
lookonhisface.
AheadofFerriswastheawfulplaceofhisbirth,themistresshe cherished,
andthefamilyhehadleftbehind.
“Youlookupset,Julius.”
FourierspoketoJuliusastheywatchedFerrisgrowsmallerinthedistance.
Juliuswasclenchinghisfists.
ApparentlyBeanhadbeentellingthetruthinhisletter,becausetheundead
warriors completely overlooked Ferris as he approached the house. The same
could not be said for the other human soldiers, at whom the zombies threw
themselveswithoutmercy.
Julius was at least relieved to see Ferris go safely through, but he couldn’t
helpbeingfrustratedbyhisownpowerlessness.
“Ifeelpathetic—toaccompanyhimhereandyetbeunabletodoanything!
WhybeaknightatallifIcannothelpmyfriendinhishourofneed?”
“Don’t get so worked up,” Fourier replied. “There will be many times to
comewhenyourstrengthwillbeneeded.Thevexationofthismomentisnota
signofyourimpotence.”
“Er—thankyou.”Julius had not expectedsuchwordsfrom Fourier,buthis
surprisewasoverwhelmedbyrespect.Thefourthprince,FourierLugunica,was
notknowntohaveagiftforflattery.Indeed,thewholeroyalfamilywasquite
convivial;inthisway,theywereunsuitedtostatesmanship.The administration
ofLugunicawasthuslefttothehighernoblesandtheCouncilofElders.
Orsoeveryoneinthenationbelieved,andJuliushimselfcouldnotdenythat
hehadassumedasmuchuntilthismoment.But whenhe sawFouriernow,he
had to wonder if the prince was really just personable. He gradually found
himself unable to believe the gossip that ran like wildfire through the royal
castle.
“You’rethinkingIseemverylittlelikewhatyou’veheard.”
“—!”
“Take it easy, no need forshock. I could hardly be ignorant of the rumors
aboutmeintheroyalcastle.NotthatInormallypaymuchattentiontothem.But
I’mfeelingunusuallyclearheadedtoday.Atleastenoughtoplumbtheheartofa
retainersincerelyconcernedforournation.”
AfreshburstofawecameoverJulius,whofeltthatFourierhadseenthrough
hisindiscretion.Thesagewhosighedmournfullybesidehiminthecarriagewas
notamanwhocouldbemeasuredbyrumors.Still,thoughthatwiseman’seyes
sawall,healsoexudedcongeniality.
“Ferrisisgoingtochallengehisbirthfamily.Itishisfriends’dutytosupport
whatislacking.”
“IsFerris…?DoesYourHighnessconsiderhimafriend?”
“Ofcourse.Andifyoudoaswell,thenweareinthesameposition.”Julius
found it a dizzying position to be in. Fourier looked thoughtfully toward the
mansion.Hisscarleteyesplayedoverthehouseandtheundeadsoldiersfighting
outside.
“If Crusch is on the upper floor, then Ferris might be able to manage
something…Butifnot,we’llhavetorelyonyou,Julius.Takethattoheartand
waitforyourmoment.”JuliusrespectfullyacceptedFourier’swords.Theknight
found himself painfully aware of his own pride. Lately there had been many
chances for him to correct his unconscious assumptions, regarding both Ferris
and other things. He had no right to take others lightly in anything, nor any
reasontobetakenlightlybyothers.
“IseeIstillhavemuchtoreflecton.”
Juliussethishandonthehiltofhisswordandwaitedforthemomentwhen
hewouldbecalledupontodrawit.Itwashe,asaKnightoftheRoyalGuard,
whohadbeenentrustedwithFourier.Histrueworthasamemberoftheguard
wouldbetestedonthebattlefieldtoday.
10
“Welcomehome,MasterFelix.”
Ferrisfeltoutofplaceasthemaidcameouttogreethim.Hecouldn’tquite
tell if he remembered the middle-aged woman or not. But she seemed to
recognizehim.Hewasespeciallystruckbythewayshesquintedhereyesasif
sheweretryingtoremembersomething.
Noneofthisgavehimanyaffectionforapersonwhoalignedherselfwiththe
Argyles.
“Sparemethesmalltalk.Where’sLadyCrusch?”
“—Themasteriswaiting.Ifyou’llfollowme…”
Foraninstant,themaidlookedasifshewereholdingsomethingbackbefore
she answered. She hadn’t answered his question, but when she turned and
enteredthehouse,hefollowedher,knowinghehadnootherchoice.
A rotten stench drifted through the dim hallway. Undead warriors were
postedinsidethemansionaswell;theyproducedavarietyofscratchingsounds.
Withno one to attack—Ferris and the maidwere not their targets—theystood
stupidlyorslumpeddownagainstthewall,givingnorealsenseofbeingalive.
Ferris’seyesrovedhereandthereastheymovedthroughthehouse.
“Feelingnostalgic?”themaidaskedhim.Sheseemedtohavemisunderstood
whathewaslookingfor.
With no small irony he replied, “Not especially,” and shrugged. “I don’t
rememberthisplacewellenoughtofeelnostalgicforit.AndevenifIdid,there
weren’tanycorpseswalkingaroundthelasttimeIwashere.”
Ashespoke,Ferrisgaveanexperimentalpoketotheshoulderofoneofthe
zombies that stood motionless in the hallway. He half expected it wouldn’t
respondnomatterwhathedid,butwhenitrealizedhehadtouchedit,itseyes
turnedtowardhim.
“I’mamazedyoucanbringyourselftotouchthem,”themaidsaid.
“Dead bodies are nothing new to me. I’ve seen plenty of the heavily
wounded,too.ButIdidn’tcomeheretochat.”
“—”
Themaidgavenoresponse.Ferrishadrepliedtoherbecausehedidn’twant
tosimplyignorethewoman,buthewasnotinthemoodtotalk.Hehadfelta
twisting in the top of his stomach from the moment he entered this house. He
recognized it for the psychological phenomenon it was, a testament to how
deeplyhedespisedthisplace.
After Ferris pointedly broke off their conversation, the maid led him in
silence to the second floor. She knocked on the door of the reception room,
callingout,“Sir,I’vebroughthim.”
Amanrepliedquietlyfromwithin.Ferrisdidn’trememberthevoice,butit
sentchillsdownhisspine.Neitherhismindnorhisbodyrecognizedit,buthis
souldid.
“—Youmadeitback,Felix.”
WhenFerrisenteredtheroom,hewasconfrontedwithalarge,beardedman.
Ferris looked up at the man’s face, and finally something flickered in his
memory.Themanhadthesamechestnut-coloredhairandyelloweyesasFerris
—thosewerealmosttheonlythingsthatmarkedthemoutasparentandchild,
buthegrewmoreandmoresurethatitwasthesamefacethathadloomedeven
higherabovehimnineyearsbefore.
“Yeah…I guess thatis what he looked like,”Ferriswhispered as he finally
managed to line up his memories with the face of his father, Bean Argyle.
Emotionless words for a reunion with his own father. The maid, overhearing
them,furrowed her brow,but her reactionwas overshadowed by Bean’s much
moregrandioseone.
HetookFerrisbytheshoulderswithhislargehandsandsaid,“I’dliketoask
how you’ve been…but first I have to ask what in the world you’re wearing.
You’resothin—andyou’reinwomen’sclothes?IhopetheDuchessofKarsten’s
perverseviewsongenderhaven’trubbedoffonyou.”
“—”
“Your complexion is good enough, but your arms and legs are so slim…
Whataterriblycruelsight!”Beancontortedhisfaceingrief,raisingacryover
hisgrownson.Ferriswatchedhimexpressionlessly,thoughwithatremendous
chillinhiseye.
ThisoutfitisasignofmybondwithCrusch,andI’mthinbecauseofalmost
tenyearsofabuseinthishouse.It’scruel,allright,butwhosecrueltyisit?
“Butverywell!Letussetthisaside!You’vecomehome.Asyourfather,that
brings me joy.” Seemingly oblivious to Ferris’s chilly expression, Bean broke
intoasmileandtriedtogivehissonahug.Ferrisnimblyavoidedhisembrace,
slidingtoonesideasBeanstumbledforward.
Ferrisquicklyscannedtheroom,butheletoutabreathwhenhecouldfind
nosignofCrusch.
“Enoughtalk,”hesaid.“GivebackLadyCrusch.ThenIhopeyou andthis
housejustdisappear.”
“What a way to greet your father! Don’t mistake me, Felix. I’m overjoyed
thatyou’resafe,butI’mnotsogenerousastoindulgeyourimpertinence.Ifyou
think you’re on equal footing with me because of what happened in the past,
you’rewrong.”
“—!AsifIwouldthinkthat!”HemetBean’sangryoutburstwithoneofhis
own.What had been done to Ferris in this household, he would never take so
lightlyastouseitforleverage.
Ferrishadpossessedhisanimalearsfrombirth,andalmostimmediatelyafter
hecameintotheworld,hewaslockedinthatbasementroom.Hismotherand
father had been regular humans, so the presence of his cat ears was taken to
implyinfidelityonthepartofhismother.
Although confined in the dark underground chamber, Ferris had been
affordedaminimaleducation.Butonceoutofinfancy,histreatmentgrewworse
andworse.Aftertheageoffive,hewasforcedintoanotherundergroundroom
even smaller than the first, and he spent five years there doing nothing but
wakingandsleeping.Hespenthislifeindarknesswithnoreasontobealivenor
anymeaningtothelifehehad.
ItwasCruschwhohadbroughthimoutfromthatplace—Crusch,whohad
been gallant since childhood. She led Ferris out into the sun, and he became
human.
ItwasthankstoCruschthatFerrisgainedhumanityforthefirsttime.
“WithoutLadyCrusch,Iwouldn’tbewhoIam!Sogiveherbacktome—
now!Idon’tcareaboutmistakingyou!Idon’tcareaboutfathers!I’mnotjoking
around!”
Ferris’ssweetfacewastwistedwithrage;hebaredhisteethandstampedthe
floor.HebrandishedhisownarmsatBean.
“Lookattheseskinnyarms!Ican’twieldasword!Can’tholdashield!I’m
herknight,andtheseworthlessarmscan’tevenfightforher!Andmylegsareno
better! I can’t run fast or jump high… I can’t do anything! All I want is to
protecther,andIcan’tevendothat!”
OnceCruschhadtakenhimoutofthishouse,andhehadbeengivenhisrole
asherattendant,Ferrishad doneeverything hecould tobe anassettoher. He
hadtriedtotakeuptheswordandbeaknight.Buthehadbeenleftwithoutthe
bodytomakegoodonthatduty.
“You stole it from me! You stole it from me and left me empty… Lady
Cruschgavememywayoflife,mywayofbeing!”
He had been left with nothing, but Crusch had encouraged him to live the
wayhe did now.He had been derided as a hopeless case, ridiculedforhaving
“strangeproclivities,”buttheonlythingthatmeantanythingtoFerriswaswhat
Cruschhadaskedofhim.And,hereofallplaces,wouldheturnawayfromthat?
“Andafterallyou’vedone,youstillwanttokeeptakingfromme!Willyou
steal from me again, something I value more than my own life?! You won’t,
damnyou…!Damnyou!!”
Ifhecouldhave,Ferriswouldhavecutdownthedevilthatcalleditselfhis
fatherthenandthere.Ifhecouldhave,hewouldhaveburnedhimupwithmagic
andthrowntheashesinariver.
ButFerriscouldn’tdoeitherofthesethings.Hedidn’thavethepower.
“—”
BeanstoodsilentlyasFerrislambastedhim.Theboy’semotionswashedover
him, and he regarded his child with a masklike, emotionless face. His eyes
weren’tquitehuman;theydidn’tseemtobefocusedanywhere.
“…Haveyousaidallyouhavetosay?”heaskedfinally.
“H-huh?”
“Ifyouhavesomethingtosay,thenletitout.I’myourfather.Icanoverlook
achildishtantrum.Theremustbeagooddealtogetoffyourchestafterallthese
yearsapart.”
“—”
Ferriswasshockedintosilence.
Hehadbaredhisheartandsoul—andBeanconsidereditnothingmorethana
fitoftemper?
Butatthesametime,heunderstood.Itmadealltoomuchsensetohim.
There was nothing to be gained by seeking a dialogue with this man. He
shouldhaveknownthatfromthestart.
—Shouldhaveknownthathehadleftnothingatthishouse.
Heletoutabreath.Itwasn’tdespairorevendisappointmenthefelt.Hehad
simplyrealizedhowthingswere.
“Couldyoustopcallingyourselfmyfather?It’smakingmesick.”
“I’ll even forgive your defiant attitude. A father andson need not stand on
ceremonyattheirreunion.”
Ferris saw that Bean had no intention of actually listening to him. He
couldn’trecalleverhavingconversedwithhisfatherbefore—anditnearlymade
himlaughtorealizethiswasthemanBeanwas.Hisownfatherwasmoredeeply
flawedthanhecouldeverhaveimagined.
“Oristhisrebelliousnessasignthatyouwanttobetreatedasaman?Icould
bemovedtoentertaintheidea.Ifwe’rebothequaladults,thenthere’sanother
waytohandlethisdiscussion.”
“…Andwhat’sthat?”
“Workingoutourrespectiveviewsinordertogetwhatwewant.”
Beanranahandalonghisbeardimportantlyashecircledaroundtothefar
sideofthesofa.Hesethishandsonthebackrest,leanedforward,andlookedat
Ferris.
“I’vecalledyouherebecauseIhavebusinesswithyou.”
“Youcouldhavejustsentaletter.AlthoughIwould’vetornitup.”
“I’lladmitthiswasaroundaboutwayofdoingthings.Butitwasnecessary.I
had to test the Sacrament of the Immortal King—and your powers!” He was
practicallyspittingbythetimehefinished.
“So that’s it…” Ferris finally grasped why he had been summoned. Bean
wasn’tinterestedinFerris’sphysicalcapabilities.“Youneededmymagic…”
“Exactly.But don’t be disappointed. The aptitude for water magic that lies
dormant within you—it is the greatest proof that you and I are connected by
blood. A proficiency with water magic has been passed down through
generationsofArgyles.Noillegitimatechildcouldpossessit!”
“Well. Aren’t you lucky. Congratulations.” Ferris gave a slow clap. Bean
couldproveallthefamilialconnectionshewanted.Ferriswasfartooalienated
tocare.
ButBeandrewclosertoFerris,asifthiswerethemostimportantthingofall.
“Here’s where our conversation as equal adults starts. If you want something
from someone, you must be prepared to offer something of similar value in
return.Yes?”
“—”
“Butwhatdoyouknowofthat?Nothing.SoI’vetakenthelibertyoffiguring
out the price for you. If you give me what I want, I’ll return your precious
duchesstoyou.That’sthedeal.”
“Youdon’tthinkthat’sallkindofillogical?”
“Thelogicisflawless.There’snothingstrangeaboutit.”
SoBeanhadgonetotheseridiculouslengthsjusttoplaythetyrant.Hehad
takenCruschhostagenottogetFerristolistentohimbutmerelytobargainwith
him.
“It’ssostupidthatitbreaksthroughtheothersideandbecomeslogicalagain,
Iguess…So,whatisityouwantmetodo?WantmetocallyouDaddy?”
“What I want is simple. And with your abilities, it should be quite easy—
You!”Beanignoredthejabwithatriumphantlookandshoutedatthemaid,who
hadbeenstandingquietlyinthecorner.
Shenoddedathim.“ShallItakehim?Orwouldyouliketoaccompanyus?”
“Hmm… Very well. Show us both there. It’s been so long since Felix last
tookalittlewalkwithhisfather.I’msurehewouldlikeit.Wouldn’tyou?”
“Ha-ha-ha.You’refunny.”Itwasafinejoke.Ferrisandhisfatherhadnever
takenawalktogether.
Atthispoint,FerrisrecognizedthatBeanwasmentallyunstable.Itwasonly
naturalthat hisconversationdidn’tquiteseemtomakesense. IfFerrispushed
back,Beanwouldprobablyjustdestroyhim. Bettertoplayalongandwaitfor
hischance.
Buthe was stillworriedaboutCrusch’s safety.WithBean the way hewas,
therewerenoguaranteesCruschwasallright,evenifheclaimedshewas.
“…Attheveryleast,yourfriendhasn’tbeenharmed.”
“Huh?”
The whispercame likean answerto hisvery thoughts.The maid, who had
spoken the words, made no further reply but headed out of the room to show
themtheway.Beanhurriedheralongfrombehind,andFerris,thelasttoexitthe
receptionroom,wasleftpuzzled.
HewassurethatmaidwasinleaguewithBean.Shehadnoreasontospare
himanyhelporhope.Butneitherdidsheappeartobeinsane.
—Strangestofall,herwordsgavehimagenuinesenseofrelief.
“…Weird.” Ferris set the disturbing feeling aside, thinking it odd. Beside
him,Beancontinuedinanupbeattone.Ferrisnoddedandgruntedbutotherwise
ignoredeverythingthemansaid.
Atlast,themismatchedtrioarrivedattheinnermostroomonthethirdfloor.
Beanstoodatthedoor.“Doyouknowwhereweare?”Obviously,Ferrishad
no actual memory of the place, but this was the innermost room on the
uppermostfloorofanoble’smansion.Hehadaprettygoodidea.
“Themasterbedroom?”
“A precocious child. You happen to be correct.” Bean offered emotionless
words of praise and then pushed open the door. An overwhelming stench of
deathrushedout.Itwassimilartothesmellthatpervadedtheentirehouse,but
hereitwasanorderofmagnitudeworse.Thiswasnofreshcorpse.
Thesourceofthesmellwasjustinsidetheroom.
“—Mywife,”Beansaid.“Doyouunderstand,Felix?”
Lying onthebed was thecorpseof awoman,sufferingstillevidentonher
face.Shehadflaxenhair,andherfacehadbeenmadeupindeath.Forhergrave
clothessheworeabeautifuldress.Shelookedasifshehadfallenasleep,never
towake.
Beanhadintroducedherashiswife.MeaningthattoFerris,shewas…
“My…mymother…?”
Hecouldn’tignoretheachehefeltinhisheartasherealizedwhothecorpse
mustbe.
11
“Withmymagicalabilities,IcanonlyincompletelyinvoketheSacramentofthe
ImmortalKing.MovingcorpsesarethebestIcanmanage.Butyou,Felix,are
different!”FerrisstoodstaringatthecorpseofhismotherasBeanpleaded.The
mancameuptothebedandstrokedthesleepingfaceofhiswife.“Youhavea
specialtalent.Powerenoughtobringagirlbackfromthebrinkofdeathwithout
so much as intoning a chant! With such powers, surely you can complete the
sacrament!Youcanbringyourmotherbacktolife!”
Ferris looked at Bean’s bloodshot eyes and realized what the man really
wanted.HesoughttobringhiswifebackfromthedeadthroughtheSacrament
of the Immortal King. He had been gathering dead bodies to experiment and
practiceonthemwithhisdarkmagic.Hehadprobablybeenrelyingontheslave
tradertohelphimcollectthebodies.Andtheresultofhisworkseemedtobethe
undeadwarriorswhoswarmedoutside—howmanycorpseshadhedesecrated?
Andforallthat,Beanstillhadnotachievedwhathereallywantedandhad
beenforcedtorecognizethathelackedthepower.Thenhe’dremembered—he’d
remembered the existence of a spell caster who shared his blood and was far
morepowerfulthanhe.
“Youhavetruepower!Youarecapableofthis.Youcanrestoremywifeto
me. I… I alone know! I am your father, and I grasp the brilliance of your
abilitiesbetterthananyone!”
Beanscratchedhisowncheekssohardthatbloodrandownthemliketears.
Immediately, a faint light emanated from the wounds, which disappeared. He
hadharmedhimselfandthen healedhimself.Itwasthemostunsettlinguseof
healingmagicFerrishadeverseen.
“Thisisbeyondme,”Beansaid.“Butit’snotbeyondyou.Youareagenius!
Thereisnoparentwhodoesn’ttakejoyintheabilitiesofhischild!Youarethe
bestson!”
Bean was transported with joy, with wholehearted praise, and with
expectationfortheabilitiesofhisboy.Ferrisfeltawaveofvertigo,followedby
nausea.
Wasthis—wasthishowprofoundlytwistedhisfamilyhadbecome?
“Lookatthis!ThisisatextdescribingtheSacramentoftheImmortalKing
thathasbeenpasseddowninourhouse.Thedescriptionisincomplete,butIwas
able to use it. You, I’m sure, can discover what I’ve missed and perform the
entireritual!”Beanduginhisbagandpulledoutawornbook.
Thebookhadbeenreadsomanytimesthatitappearedtobecoverednotjust
infingerprintsbuteveninblood.Ithadbeensothoroughlyusedthatitseemed
theslightesttouchmightcauseittocrumbletodust.
“Now,bringbackmywife—bringbackyourmother!Ifyoucandothat,I’ll
give you back your mistress. This is the deal I offer you as your equal, as a
man!”
Bean thrust the book into Ferris’s chest. The cat-boy took hold of it
unsteadily.Thecoverwasblottedwithdriedblood,anditfeltheavy,asthoughit
hadabsorbedthesoulsofthedead.
TheSacramentoftheImmortalKing,aritualwiththepowertoresurrectthe
dead.Healerthathewas,itwouldbeuntruetosayFerrishadnointerestinsuch
things.Butwhateverhemayhavefeltasahealer,hissanityandbasichumanity
revoltedagainsttheidea.
Butifhedidn’tlookatthebookandperformthespell,Crusch’slifemightbe
in danger. And the woman lying in front of him—he had no more familial
feelingforherthanhedidforBean,butitwasstillthecorpseofhismother,and
thatwasnotentirelylostonhim.Atleast,iftherereallywasaspellthatcould
bringherback,hewantedtodoit.
“—”
Ferrisswallowed.Hedecidedtoputoffthedecision;instead,heturnedthe
pages of the spell book. Some passages were obscure, and several pages were
covered with fingerprints. Handling everything as carefully as he could, Ferris
poredoverhisfamilyheirloom,tryingtogetthespellintohishead.
Andthen…
“…Should I go ahead and use the sacrament on this woman as soon as I
can?” He deliberately avoided using the word mother, talking about her as
thoughshewereastrangerinordertomaintainhisequilibrium.
Bean’s face lit up. “Yes, yes!”He nodded enthusiastically. “That’s right, as
soon as you can. Bring back my wife. And then the three of us can share a
joyousreunionasafamily!”
Ferris didn’t respond to this but walked closer to the body on the bed. He
reachedouttothewoman,wholookedjustasifsheweresleeping,andletmana
runintothelifelessbody.
“Whendidshedie?Itlookslikeshe’sbeenhereawhile.”
“Morethantwoyearsago.I’vebeenperiodicallyusingmagictopreventthe
body’sdecay…ThesmellistheonlythingIhaven’tbeen ableto doanything
about.Butifyoucanbringherback,thenthere’snoproblem.She’snotlikethe
othercorpsesaroundherewiththeirrottingflesh.Thebodyitselfisexactlyasit
waswhenshedied.”
Twoyearsago.Thatwouldhavebeentheyearofthebirthdaycelebrationfor
CruschthatFerrisrememberedsovividly.Thatyearhadbeenaturningpointfor
him,andapparentlyithadbeenforhisparents,aswell.
Helethismanarunthrougheveryinchofthebody,andfoundthatBeanhad
been telling the truth. Other than the lack of functions necessary for life, his
motherwassowellpreservedonewouldneverhavethoughtshewasdead.
Shetrulywasjustasshehadbeenatthemomentofherpassing…
“Felix.ThereismuchIwanttotalkabout,butIwillrestrainmyself.Fornow,
concentrate everything on what’s before you. Is your mistress not precious to
you?Don’tfailhernow.Orelse—”
“CanIaskjustonemorething?”Ferrisbrokein,touchinghisdeadmother’s
forehead.HelookedbackatBean,whohadswallowedtherestofwhathehad
beenabouttosay.Ferrisfixedhimwithakeengaze.
“—Whowasitwhostabbedmymothertodeath?”
12
Crusch focused her attention as scratching footsteps came down into the
basement.Hergazefoundthecruel-facedslaver,elicitingaraspfromhim.
“Thepoisonshould’vewornoffbynow,hmm?Let’shaveachat,mylittle
princess.”MilessmirkedatCruschwhereshewaschainedtothewall.
Shesighedathislasciviousstare.“Notaverypolitelookyouhave.”
“Ican’tstand arrogance. Many men enjoy seeing aprideful woman slowly
broughttoheel—myselfamongthem.”
“Not a very polite hobby you have, either.” Her words gave no sign of
weakness,butMilesseemeddownrightpleased.
It had been hours since Bean had left her in the underground room. By
Crusch’s estimation, Bardok, her military adviser, should already have the
mansion surrounded. But she couldn’t sense any such thing happening.
Somethingseemedtohavegonewrong.
“The Sacrament of the Immortal King—unbelievable. What better way to
floutthekingdom’slaws?”
“Heh!That’stheduchessforyou.Notmanyknowaboutthesacrament.”
“It’sasecretspellthat’slargelykeptoutofpublicview,buttherearerecords
ofitsuseduringthedemi-humanwar…Idoubtyou’retheonewhousedit.It
musthavebeenBeanArgyle.”
“Goodness gracious me. How do you think so keenly in this reeking
chamber?”Hescruncheduphisfaceatthestenchthatdriftedthroughtheroom,
butnonetheless,thisconfirmedhersuspicions.Crusch,ofcourse,hadonlythe
awful smell in the underground room to go on; she had no idea whether the
sacrament had actually been used. The hint came with Miles: He had brought
undeadwarriorswithhim,asiftodisplaythemtoher.
“Ifyou’retryingtointimidateme,thenI’msorrytodisappointyou,”Crusch
said.
“Shouldn’tagirlwhoseesawalkingcorpsejustgiveasweetlittlescream?
Frankly,evenIfeelmybloodruncoldwhenIlookatthem.”
“I’m afraid I left my girlishness behind long ago,” Crusch said with the
suggestionofasmile.Miles,accompaniedbyseveralofthezombies,lookedat
her in exasperation. But his expression soon changed, and he pointed to the
ceilingabovetheboundCrusch.
“Well,mylittleprincess,sinceyou’reignorantofwhat’sgoingonoutside,let
me bring you the news. A knight has arrived to save the captured princess.
Thoughhehardlylookedlikeone.”
“—”
MileswasprobablytalkingaboutFerris.Hewassupposedtobeinthecapital
—butforhersake,hehadcomebacktotheKarstenlandsafterjustashorttime.
And Fourier was involved in it, she was almost certain. She pictured herself
tellinghimthathecouldusehisjudgmentifthingswentbadly.
“I just can’t outdo His Highness…” Her own ineptness had produced this
situation.Shehatedherfoolishness,butshewasalsooverjoyedthatthetwoof
themwouldgotosuchlengthstoensurehersafety.Sheheavedasigh.
Milescontinuedhisgloating.“Beanhadsomedemandforthatknight.Idon’t
knowwhathemightdoiftheboyactuallygiveshimwhathewants,butIknow
it’snothingIagreedto.”
“Oh,isn’tit?”
“Thinkaboutit.Onlypeopleofaveryspecificbloodlinecanusethisspellto
raisethedead.DoyouthinkIwouldletitslipthroughmyfingerssoeasily?The
momentpeopledie,theybecomelaborerswithunlimitedendurance.”
“I see now. You were never in league with Bean philosophically. It was
always about the slave trade for you. In fact…it’s not even slave trading
anymore,isit?You’vestoopedtosimplegraverobbing.”
Milesonlylaughed,appearingunmovedbyCrusch’sbarb.
So they had been wrong to suspect the House of Argyle of slaving. What
Mileshadbeenbringingthemoverthemonthswerenotslavesbutavastnumber
ofcorpses.Hisrolehadbeentoprocurethebodiesthatwouldbeusedtotestthe
SacramentoftheImmortalKing.
“Incidentally,thekingdomhasnolawsagainstthesellingofdeadbodies.It
maynotbethemost reputablebusinessin theworld,but it’snota crime.You
understand?”Milessaidmockingly.
Atfirstblush,itseemedlikeagoodexcuse.Butforittowork,thecountry
wouldhavetocloseitseyestoonecrucialthing.
“You’re right,” Crusch said,“we can’tget you on chargesof slave trading.
Buthowdoyouexpecttoexplainawaywhatyou’vedonetome?Kidnapping
andimprisoningaduchess,nottomentiontheuseofforbiddenmagic.Thoseare
crimes.Farmoreseriousonesthanslaving.”
“Yes,wedohaveaproblemthere.IfIweretobearrested,IdoubtI’davoid
themostterriblepunishmenttheycouldpassdownonme.SoIhavearequestof
you, my princess. I thought perhaps you and your knight could help see me
safelybacktomyhomecountry.”
Mileslookedlikehemightlickhischopsashemadethissuggestion.Crusch
couldsenseconfidenceinhiswords,astrongwindthatsaidthiswasnotabluff.
Thatmeanthebelievedhehadsomewayoutofthisnet.
“Frankly,it’snoteasytotakeyourword.YouthinkyoucangetFerrisandme
outthroughthatbattlefield?”
“Noteasily,ifyoudon’tagreetocooperate.Iwon’tdoanythingbadtoyou.
OnceI’m safelybackin Volakia,youandyour attendantcanspend therestof
yourdaystogether.I’llnegotiateit,don’tyouworry.IconfessIfellforyouat
firstsight,Princess.”
“Ahobbythat’sinverypoortaste.”Shedidn’tbelievehisprofessionoflove,
buthewascertainlylookingatherwithplentyoflust.Shethoughtshecouldjust
glimpseashadowyfigurebehindMiles’sforcefulactions.Ifshecouldonlyget
himtotellherwhowaspullinghisstrings…
“Ifyouwon’tdoasIask,I’llhavetoresorttolesspleasantmethodstoget
you to come along. But I don’t enjoy hurting women, so I’ll have to find
someoneelse…Yes,Ithinkyourlittlefriendwilldonicely.”
“—”
“Thatalwaysworksbestwithyourtype.Ratherthanhurtingyou,it’sbestto
hurtsomeoneyoucareabout.WhenIgetagood,clearscreamoutofhim,I’m
sureyou’ll—”
“Fool.”
“Hah?”
Miles had brought Ferris up as his last resort, but now Crusch spoke over
him.MilesfrownedasCruschstoodup.Helookedatherfeet,wheresheshould
havebeenchainedtotheground.
“Wait!Howcanyoustand?You’resupposedtobeboundhandandfoot—”
“Looks like you got distracted. Are you surprised? You should have been
suspiciousthemomentyounoticedmyclearvision!”
“Feh!Damn.Soit’sstraighttoplanB,isit,Princess?”AsCruschshookher
head,hesuckedhisteethandsetoneofhisundeadwarriorsonher.
Cruschdodged the arms of theadvancing creature. The last vestigesof the
poisonmadeherslightlyunsteady,butherburgeoningangermadeherforgether
infirmity.
“There are still some questions I want to ask you, but my patience has its
limits. I will overlook your incivility to me and even your violence. But
threateningFerris—myknight—thatIwillnotforgive.”
“Oh,won’tyou?Andwhatexactlywillyoudowithyourthin,womanlyarms
andyourhandschained?”MilesglaredatCrusch,whohehadbackedupagainst
thewall,andgaveahideoussmile,seeingthatheonceagainhadtheupperhand.
Butashespoke,Cruschraisedherhands.Thecuffsfellawaywithaclick.
“Wha?!”
“Itwouldhavebeennomoreofaproblemformeiftheyhadremainedbound
—Butregardless,letmeshowyouwhatIwilldo.”
Although her hands and feet were free, Crusch had no weapons—but she
took up a fighting stance anyway. The underground room was dark and thick
withstench.ButtoCrusch’seyes,everythingshoneclearlythroughthatfetidair.
Shedidn’tmisstheslightestgustofwind.Sheentrustedherswordsman’sspirit
—hermana—tothatbreeze,andshelashedoutwithhervision.
“—”
Shespoke no words, butthebody of the undeadwarrior advancing toward
her suddenly buckled. And not only the one approaching her; the same thing
happened to all the zombies in the room. The same wound appeared on all of
them, as though a massive sword had sliced across them, and their briefly
resumedlivessuccumbedoncemoretodeath.
ThiswaswhathadallowedhertodealsoeasilywiththeGiantRabbits,the
techniquethathadearnedDuchessCruschKarstenthenickname“theValkyrie.”
The technique One Blow, One Hundred Felled. After her exceptionally high-
level attack, Crusch clenched her hand to dissipate the blade of wind she held
andlookedaroundthebasement.
“That’s…theendforMiles,Ibelieve.”Mostofthecorpseshadalreadybeen
deadwhensheusedthetechnique,butshespottedMilesamongthem.Hewas
soakedinbloodandnotsomuchastwitching.Inanundefendedmoment,hehad
takenCrusch’sblowandsharedthesamefateashiszombies.Cruschclosedher
eyes,acknowledgingherowninexperienceandherfailuretotakehimalive.
“When he mentioned Ferris, I lost my cool…” Remembering what had
broughtthison,sheshookherhead.Butsoonsherecenteredherself.Shehadto
findFerris;nodoubthewasonlyashortdistanceawayupstairs.
“—DuchessofKarsten,areyouhere?!”
She heard footsteps on the stairs, and a long shadow stretched into the
basementroom.Itwasfollowedbyamanintheuniformoftheroyalguard,who
blinkedwithastonishmentandreliefwhenhesawher.Themomentshelooked
athim,sheknewwhoseordershemusthavecomeon.
“I’mfine.You’reaservantofHisHighnessFourier,aren’tyou?Goodwork
findingthisundergroundroom.”
“Thank goodness you’re safe. I’m Julius Juukulius of the royal guard. His
Highnesstoldmeofthisroom…Hethoughtyoumightbeconfineddownhere.”
“I see. I shouldn’t have worried him so.” It was relief, more than surprise,
thatCruschfeltatJulius’swords.Shesmiledgently,andalookofempathycame
overJulius’sface,buthequicklyshookhishead.
“Idon’tmeantorushyouwhenyoumustbeexhausted,butgettingyouout
ofthismansionismypriority.Wemusthurry.”
“You seem impatient. Is there trouble above us?” She detected a whiff of
fretfulnessfromhim,anditsuggestedthatallwasnotwell.Inresponse,Julius
lookedattheceiling.
“—Thebuildingisonfire.Wehavetogetoutbeforeitcomesdownonour
heads.”
13
“—Whowasitwhostabbedmymothertodeath?”
BeanwasvisiblyshakenbyFerris’squestion.Hehadheldhimselfincheck
as hedescended intohis worldof madness.Nothing Ferris had said had made
anyimpressiononhim,butthisquestiondrewoutanobviousreaction.
“S-stabbedher?Whatareyou…?”
“There’snopointtryingtohideit.You’reactuallyprettygoodatpreserving
deadbodies.Everythinglooksjustlikeitdidthedayshepassed…includingthe
causeofdeath.”
Itwasimpossibletodefy thelaws ofhealingmagic.The basicprincipleof
Ferris’sdisciplinewastoencouragethebody’snaturalhealingabilities,helping
thebodytobecomemorecapableofhelpingitself.Butofcourse,adeadbody
hadnonaturalhealingcapacity,whichwaswhyitwastechnicallynotpossibleto
healthewoundsofacorpse—althoughtherewereexceptions.
“Mymotherwasstabbed—repeatedly.Overandover,somanytimes.This…
EvenIfeelbadforher.”
His heart hurt. Although Ferris felt nothing for her as his mother, no one
deservedtodieinsuchacruelway.Butanotherthoughtaccompaniedthisone:
Suchahomicidalragewasunlikelytobetheworkofapasserby,astranger.If
therewasanyoneinthepastseveralyearswhohadhatedhismotherenoughto
killher,itwas…
“What’sthatexpression?…Whatawaytolookatyourfather.What—what
areyousayingIdid?!”
“I’mnotsayinganythingatall.”
“Youare!Youreyessayit!Doyouthinkitwaswrongofme?Doyou,too,
thinkIwasmistaken?Lookingatmewiththosecriticaleyeseveryday—!Who
couldblameme,knowingI’dbeenbetrayedbytheoneIloved?!Iswearitwas
notmyfault!”
Ferrisdidn’thavetotrytoprythetruthoutofhisfather.Beanconfessedit
practicallyofhisownfreewill.
Ferris didn’t know what had happened in the Argyle household since the
Karstens had taken him away. But clearly, his parents had had some kind of
falling out. And things had been done which could never be undone. His
mother’scorpsewasproofofthat.
“Is it guilt that makes you want to bring her back? Because you want to
apologize?”
“Doyoumockme?!IwanttheoneIlovetolive,toliveandlive!Doesn’t
everyone?!” Bean was frothing at the mouth. He tore at his head, ruining his
carefully styled hair. “When you lose something precious to you, you’ll
understand!No,yourmotherisdead!Doyoufeelnothing?!Youmustwanther
back…! Don’t you want her back? Can any child abandon the love of his
parents?Quickly,now!Returnhertolife!Or—ordon’tyoucarewhathappens
to your beloved mistress? Do you need her to die before you understand—
understandhowIfeel?!”
“—”
InthefaceofBean’sonslaught,Ferrisrealizedtalkwoulddonogood.Afaint
blue light shimmered around his hands, and he quietly transferred it to his
mother’s corpse. Somehow, the moment looked almost sacred. And then the
corpse’seyesdriftedopen.
“H—Hannah!Oh!Hannah!”Beanwasecstaticasthebodyshifted,satitself
up.HenearlyshovedFerrisoutofthewayashetookupaplaceatthebedside.
Ferris watched as his parents shared a reunion, even though one of them had
beendeadonlymomentsbefore.
“Hannah!I’vebeenwaitingforthismoment!Forustobelikethisagain—”
“—”
With tears in his eyes, Bean supported his wife as she sat up, but she said
nothing.Shestaredintothefaceofherhusband.Shegentlyraisedherhandsand
placed themon Bean’s cheeks. He smiled at the feeling of them, and Hannah,
too,smiledfaintly.Itwasareactionthatwouldnothavebeenpossibleforamere
movingcorpse,likeoneoftheundeadwarriors.
Andthen…
“H-Han…nah…?”
SuddenlyshewaswringingthesurprisedraspoutofBean.Herhands were
around his neck, which creaked under a strength that the dead woman’s thin
armsshouldnothavehad.
“Whh—at is-s…? Feeli—x…!”He looked to his son, his eyes begging for
help.
“Goseethepersonyoulove,whereversheis.That’swhatI’mgoingtodo,”
Ferrisrespondedquietly.Bean’sfacewentrigidwithshock,butFerrisshowed
not a hint of a reaction. “I won’t let anyone take her from me. Especially the
peoplewhostoleeverythingfromme.Shegavemesomething,andyou’llnever
have it from me. I’ll never give you any of the things I got when I became a
person.”
“Hrk…Hrrk…”
“LayingafingeronLadyCruschwasyourfirstmistake—Ifyouhadn’t,I…”
He had his hand to his chest, but he couldn’t bring himself to finish his
sentence.Heclosedhismouth.
Evenifhecouldhavesaidthewords,Beanwouldn’thaveheardthem.The
strengthhadalreadylefthisarmsandlegs,thelightwasgonefromhiseyesand
thesoulfromhisbody.Thiswasdeath,theabsoluteseparationaboutwhicheven
Ferriscoulddonothing.
“…Youshould’vejustsentaletter.”
Ferrisspokeintothelimitlessemptiness,anditwasthetruestthinghesaid.
Maybehewouldhavetornitup.Maybeheneverwouldhaveacceptedit.But
just maybe, he wouldn’t have done either. Just maybe, they would have had a
chancetotalktoeachother.
With a gentle sigh, Ferris looked at Hannah. She looked back at him, still
holdingthelimpformofthehusbandshehadstrangled,andsmiledagain.
Thenhersmilefell—literally—asshecrumbledintoapileofpowderydust.
Amomentlater,allthatremainedwasamoundofhismother’sashes,thecorpse
ofhisfatherburiedamongthem.
AsFerrislookedathisfather,dead,andhismother,vanished,avoicedevoid
ofemotionspoketohim.
“—MasterFelix.Isthiswhatyouwantedforthemboth?”
Itwasthemaid,whohadremainedwiththemthroughouteverythingandkept
silentuntiltheveryend.
Ferrisshookhishead.“…It’snotjustthatthespellbookisincomplete.Itwas
never a question of power as a spell caster. Using an awful spell like that—
forcing a body that’s stopped to start again—of course it was going to break
downrightaway.”
SurelyBeanhadknownthat.Hewasperfectlyawareoftheproblemwiththe
spellitself;thatwaswhyhehadn’tbroughthiswifebackonhisown.Whyhad
hewantedFerristodoit?Hadhereallyhopedforsomethingmore?Ordidhe
just want to pass off responsibility for what would come of it? Now, Ferris
wouldneverknow.
“SowhatcausedtheLadyto…stranglethemaster?”
“Ican’tsay.AllIdidwasbringherbacktolifeusingaflawedspell.Maybeit
waslingeringhatredfrombeforeherdeaththatmadethecorpsedowhatitdid.”
Shehadbeenstabbedtodeath,afterall.Thesouldidn’tactuallyresideinthe
resurrected corpse, but perhaps the pain of it remained. Another thing Ferris
didn’tunderstand.
“…Maybetheladysimplycouldn’tbeartoseethemasterliveonindisgrace.
She really did love him, you know.” Against Ferris’s gloomy assessment, the
maid had another interpretation. It was perhaps too pretty an explanation for
whathadjusthappened.
“Cometothinkofit,whataboutyou?Whoareyou,exactly?”Therewasone
morethingFerrisdidn’tknow,butitwasananswerhemightbeabletoget.
Hehadnoideawhatpositionthemaidwasin.Hadshebeeninleaguewith
Bean? But she hadn’t done anything to stop his death. And she didn’t seem
hostiletoFerrisnow.
AsFerrisstoodfrowning,themaidsmiledathimforthefirsttime.Itwasa
terriblylonelysmile.
“I’mjustaservant.Iowemuchtothemasterandhislady…Ievenheldyou
inmyarmsmanytimes,MasterFelix.”
“…Huh…”
The story didn’t quite click with him. He couldn’t imagine such a familial
scenehadevertakenplaceinthishouse.
“Butnevermind.IhavetohelpLadyCrusch.Isshereallyallright?”
“You’ve no need to worry about that. I unlocked her chains. I think she’s
quite capable of getting away on her own.” Then the maid gestured down the
stairs,andFerrisimmediatelyunderstoodwhereCruschhadbeenheld.Shehad
beenshutupinthathideousbasementroom.
“Thatplaceagain…!”
“Indeed.Themasterwasrathersetinhisways.”
Ferrisburnedwithanger,butthemaid,forherpart,continuedtosmile,still
as lonesome as before. The expression didn’t leave her face as she slowly
approachedthebedandthetwocorpses.
“I’mgoingdownthere,”Ferrissaid.“Youwon’ttrytostopme?”
“Please,doexactlyasyouwish.Ishallseethemasterandhisladyontheir
way.”
Afterallthis,Ferrisfoundhedidn’thavetheslightestideawhatthemaidwas
thinking.But when it came togivingfuneral rites to his mother andfather,he
thoughtitwasmoreappropriatethatthisservantdoit,ratherthanaboywhofelt
nothingforthepeoplewhocalledthemselveshisparents.
“I’llletyouhandleit,then.AndI’llspeaktoLadyCruschaboutyou.”There
was no chance the maid would go unpunished, but perhaps he could gain her
someclemency.Withthatthoughtinmind,hehurriedoutofthebedroom.Ashe
rusheddownthehallway,heheardsomethingbehindhim.
“—Good-bye,mydearFelix.”
“Huh?”
Thenthere was the soundof a door closingand a clickas it locked. Ferris
stoppedinhistracks;thatclickgavehimabadfeeling.Hehadnogoodreason
forit,buthisintuitionsaidthesoundmarkedsomethingfromwhichtherewas
noturningback.
“Wait!Why’dyoulockthedoor?Whatareyougoingtodo?!”Hewentback
and pounded desperately on the door, but there was no answer. Eventually,
though,aresponsecamefromthefarsidethatwasmorematter-of-factthanany
replycouldbe.
“—That’shot!”Theburningsensationmadehishandjumpoffthedoorknob.
Atthesamemoment,hecaughtanothersmellminglingwiththestenchofrotin
thehouse:somethingburning.Fire.Afirehadbeensetintheroomhehadjust
left,bythemaidwhohadlockedherselfinside.
“Whatdoyouthinkyou’redoing?!”
But still there was no answer. Only immense heat told him what the maid
intended.
Hewasaghastathowquicklythefirespread.Itdawnedonhimthattheplan
allalonghadbeenfortheentirehouseholdtodietogether.Hekickedthedoor
viciously.
“Ihatethisplace!Andeveryoneinit!Allofit,allofit!Ihateyou—!!”
Heshouldneverhavecomeback.Hewishedhehadneverseenhisfatheror
hismother,orthatmaid.
He dashed through the hallway, shoving aside undead warriors who stood
dumbly, making for the stairs. The fire would take the whole house, and the
remaining undead warriors would be cremated along with it. But so would
Crusch,inthebasementroom.
Ferriswentdownthestairs,headingforthatvileroomunderground.Hewas
on thefirst floor. Where should he go to get to the room? He was in his own
house,buthedidn’tknow.Heknewnothing.Itwasinfuriating,soinfuriating.
“Whydoesthisplacekeeptormentingme…!”
Hehatedhislegsfornotbeingabletorunanyfaster.Hehatedhismemory
foritsfailuretohelphimfindthebasementroom.Hehatedhisparents,whohad
never spared him a second thought. He hated the maid who had chosen to
accompany his parents into death. It was as if everything here, all of it, every
inchofthishouse,existedonlytocausehimsuffering.
“Ferris!”
Butjustashewasabouttoburstintotears,heheardavoicefromdownstairs.
Hissoulresonatedwiththesharp,resoundingtimbreinstantly.
“LadyCrusch—!”
Evenframedbyleapingcrimsonflames,eveninaplacethickwiththesmell
ofrot,Cruschwasbeautiful.Ferrisfoundherinthegreatroom,rushedtoher,
andclungtoherwithoutasecond’shesitation.Sheheldhimtightinherarms.
“Thankgoodnessyou’resafe,”shesaid.
“Th-that’smyl-line…”hesaid.
“I guessit is. I’m sorry for worrying you. But I’m all right, thanks to His
Highness’splan.”
FerrislookedandsawJulius,presumablythereatFourier’sbehest,standing
besideCrusch.Sohewastheonewhohadsavedher.Buttherewasnotimefor
Ferristoexpresshisgratitudenow.
Cruschlookedup,narrowinghereyesassheconfirmedthatthesourceofthe
firewasabovethem.
“Ferris,areyourparents…?”
“Get—!Getmeout…now…!”
“Ferris?”
“Getmeoutofhere!Takemeaway,justlikebefore…!There’snothinghere!
IfIstayhere,Iwon’tbemeanymore…!Makeme…human…Keepmebyyour
side.With you, Lady Crusch, and His Highness…!” he beggedher, stumbling
overhiswords.
Emotions ran through Ferris that seemed alien even to him. Julius’s face
cloudedwithconfusion,andhelookedtoCruschasifforguidance.
She,inturn,answered,“—Allright.Let’sputanendtothistimeofinjustice
you’ve endured.” She held him close, patting him comfortingly on the back.
Ferris was surprised how relieved the gesture made him feel. “Julius, take the
lead.I’llbringFerris.”
Juliusnoddedandsetoffinfrontofthem.Heeasilypushedasidetheundead
warriorswhostoodmindlesslyintheirway,whileotherswereswallowedbythe
flames. In the burning corpses, Ferris saw himself in this house. Burning,
burningtotheground.
The terrible memories were swathed in fire, the origin he had so long
suppressedturningtoashinamantleofred.
“LadyCrusch,you’reallright—!”
Almostbeforeheknewwhathadhappened,theywereoutofthemansion.A
military official was rushing up to Crusch, who still held fast to Ferris’s
shoulders.Theysaidsomethingtoeachother,andCruschkeptFerris’shandin
hersthewholetime.
“Look,theundeadwarriors—!”someonecalledout.
Allthezombieshadbeguntomoveatonce.Momentsearlier,theyhadbeen
attacking anything that got close. Now they all shuffled toward the mansion.
Theyfiledintotheburninghouse,andonebyonewerereducedtomotesofsoot
anddust.
Only the spell caster, or someone given authority by the spell caster, could
control the zombies.With Bean dead, the warriors were merely awaiting their
end.
“Perhaps even corpses don’t wish to defile themselves after death,” Julius
said. His uniform was soiled with pus, and he watched the undead warriors
marchtotheirowndestruction.Therewasnoreply.Alltheycoulddowaswatch
untiltheunstoppableconflagrationconsumedthehouseandalltheundeadhad
returnedtoash.
14
“Damnher!Damnthatwoman…!Thisisserious.She’llpayforthis!”
Miles spat and cursed as he tried to staunch the blood flowing out of him.
Thewound ran from his rightshouldertohisback, and he couldn’ttreatitby
himself.He had crudely wound some clothes around it, managing to stop the
bleedingenoughtoclingtoconsciousness.
—Mileshadsurvivedtheblowthatcutdownthezombies.
He’dalwayshadasixthsenseforwhenhislifewasindanger.Ithadsaved
himtoday,butthingscouldn’tgetanyworse.NotonlyhadCruschescaped,but
Miles hadn’t even been able to spirit away the spell caster who had used the
SacramentoftheImmortalKing.
In the distance, he could see the Argyle mansion wreathed in flame. The
remaining undead warriors were incinerating themselves. Their suicide was a
littledistractionMileshadcookeduptobuyhimselftimetoescape.Beanwas
supposed to have overall command of the zombies, but since nothing was
stopping them from carrying out Miles’s orders to destroy themselves, he
surmisedthatBeanmustbedead.Puppetsandpuppeteeralikewerecompletely
useless.
“Allthatwork,and my only reward is a copyofhis spell book… Blasted!
Thesearemyjustdesserts?WhatamIevengoingtotellthembackinVolakia,
returninglikethis…?”
“—Oh,youwon’thavetoworryaboutthat.Ifyoulandquietly.”
NosoonerhadheletouthisangrymutterthanMileswasstartledbyareply.
It was only natural, considering where he was: up in the sky, far above the
ground.Sohighuphecouldlookdownontheclouds.Nooneshouldhavebeen
abletospeaktohimthere.Andyettheownerofthevoicecontinuedcalmly.
“I never expected a dragon rider. I nearly missed you. You’re quite the
capablespy—whichiswhyIrecommendyoulandquietly.”
Thered-hairedyouthwhocasuallyrodeuponthewingeddragonseemedto
be doing his best to press Miles’s buttons. The boy had the sun at his back,
makingitimpossibletoseehisface,andthatleftMilestoimaginetheworst.
The flying dragon was something Miles had brought from Volakia to give
himameansofescapeifnecessary.Hehadatunnelfromthebasementroomin
the mansion to the outside, and he had intended to bring Crusch and the spell
caster with him, using the dragon to escape the net of undead around them. It
washumiliatingtofleehomealone,hisplanintatters.
“Therearen’tsupposedtobeanydragonridersinLugunica!”Milesyelped.
Unlike water and land dragons, flying dragons were proud and would not
readilysubmittohumancontrol.EvenintheVolakiaEmpiretheknowledgewas
hardtocomeby;beyondtheEmpire’sborders,itshouldn’thavebeenknownat
all. And that Lugunica, a nation that called itself the Dragonfriend Kingdom,
shouldtrytotameandtrainthem—itwouldbeaterrifyingtask.Theskieswere
supposedtobelongtotheVolakiaEmpirealone.
“Surelytheyhaven’tbrokenthatunwrittenlaw—?”
“No,you’requiteright.Lugunicahasnodragonriders.Ijuststowedaway.”
Milesgasped.“Im—impossible!” His anger at finding someone trespassing
on his domain so high up in the sky was intensified by the young man’s
nonchalantanswer.
The slaver, his eyes bloodshot, ordered the dragon to make a quick about-
face.They were flying almost level with the clouds; who could simply “stow
away” atthat altitude? In this world of fearsome winds, Miles and the dragon
wereone.Itwashisprideasadragonrider,aswellasthebondoftrustforged
withthecreaturesincetheyhadbothbeenyoung,thatmadesuchflightpossible.
Iftheycouldthrowtheboyoffinanunguardedmoment,itwouldbeover.
“I’ll warn you again,” the young man said. “Just bring the dragon to the
ground.Ican’tpermityoutoleavethecountry.”
“That’senoughoutofyou!You’lldiebeforeIlandthisdragon!”
“…Ashame.”
Miles, on the ragged edge of consciousness from blood loss, caused the
dragon to slow down very suddenly. He gritted his teeth against the ensuing
force,whichslammedintoallhiswoundsatonceandmadehisbonescreak.
The boy, however, had no chance. With nothing to hold on to, he went
tumblingfromthedragon’sbackandfellevenasMileswatched.
Thatwasit.Hewouldbereducedtobitsofquiveringfleshwhenhehitthe
ground,andgoodriddancetohim.
“Wh-whatthehell wasthat boy,anyway…?Itdoesn’tmatter.Rightnow,I
haveto…”
Mileswas luckynottobe spittingbloodatthis point.Hegrippedthereins
tightly.Hisinjurieshadbeguntobleedagain.Ifhedidn’trestsoon,hecouldn’t
besurehewouldsurvive.
“—!”
Nosoonerhadhehadthisthoughtthanhefelthisintuitionprickle.Itwasthe
same feeling he’d gotten before Crusch attacked, the one that said he was in
mortaldanger.
Itwasbornofaninstinctdeeperthanthought,onethatsoughttopreservelife
andlimbaboveallelse.Ithadsavedhimmorethanonce.Butthistime,inthis
instant,Milesfoundhisarmsandlegsunwillingtomove.Andwhynot?After
all, there was no point in trying to run from the overwhelming sense of death
risingupfrombeneathhim.
“…Ah.”
Mileshardlyhadtimetospeakbeforehewasengulfedinlight.Thedragon
anditsridervanishedintothesky,leavingnotrace.
Andthentherewasnothing.
15
“Wehadsomeoneontheinside.Wemadecontactwiththatmaidduringthetwo
monthswewerewatchingfortheslaver.Ibelievedwehadtodomorethanjust
watchifwewantedthingstoworkoutinourfavor.”
As they stared at the smoldering remains of the Argyle mansion, Crusch
explainedtoFerriswhathadhappenedinhisabsence.
She gazedat thedebris. “When I was poisoned, I started to worry that her
cooperationwithusmighthavebeenasham.Butshedidawaywithanydoubts
when she snuck away from our two criminals to unlock my manacles in the
basement.”
“Whywouldshegooutofherwaytogetinvolved?”Ferrissaid.“Itseemsso
dangerous…”
“Duringourinvestigation,Istartedtohavequestionsabouttheslavetrader
who was visiting the house. I would have liked to take him alive—that’s my
fault.Personally,IthinkhemayhavebeenanagentoftheVolakiaEmpire…But
I’msureifweaskedthemaboutit,theywouldplayinnocent.”
Cruschseemedtohaveagoodgraspoftheplayersinvolvedinthisplot.The
only thing she didn’t appear to have figured out was what Bean had hoped to
achievewiththeSacramentoftheImmortalKingandwhyhehadneededFerris.
Really,onlyapeekintoBean’smindcouldhaveansweredthosequestions.
“I…Ijustgotintheway,didn’tI?Ioversteppedmyself,inalotofways…”
EvenifFerrishadn’tcomeback,Cruschwouldhavegottenherselfoutofher
prisonandstoppedBean’splan.Perhapsthehousewouldn’thaveburneddown,
leavingeverythingapileofash.
“…If we focus on the hypothetical, our lives will be nothing but regrets.
Perhaps without you, I would be dead underground by now. If you and His
Highnesshadn’tcome,Imightnotbestandingheresafe.”
“You’rejustsayingthattomakemefeelbetter.”
“It’strue,Iam.Butregrettingyouractionsonthebasisofwhatmighthave
beenisworse.Itcanonlyexhaustyou.”WhileFerrisstareddisconsolatelyatthe
ashes,Cruschcrossedherarmsandspokefirmly.“Youwereworriedaboutme,
andwithnoconcernforyourownsafetyyoucamebacktoaplaceyouhadtried
toavoidyourentirelife.WhenIheardthat,lockedupinthatundergroundroom,
Icursedmyownincompetence.ButIwasalso…happy.”
“Happy,LadyCrusch?”
“Itmusthavebeenextremelypainfulforyoutocomebackhere.Whatwas
done to you in your youth hardly bears speaking of. I couldn’t blame you for
being unable to think about it or unwilling to approach. Anddespite that, you
cameheretorescueme—Youmustforgiveme,butIwasoverjoyed.”
CruschkneltsothatshecouldlookFerrisinthefacewherehewascrouched
down,hugginghisknees.Herambereyespiercedhim,cuttingthroughthedark
cloudsthatclungtohisheart.
Why,how,didthispersonalwaysmakesuchwarmthwellupinhischest?
“WasI…abletohelpyou,LadyCrusch?Willyouallowme,evenasIam…
tostaybyyourside,anddedicatemylifetoyou?”
“Istandbymyanswer.”
“…Tellmeagain.Withthewordsyouused…backthen.”
She felt his emotions roiling—tremendous regret, and at the same time a
yearningforhappiness.Ifonlyhecouldbreakthroughallthosethings,ifonlyhe
couldfindthestrengthtostand.
“—Raiseyourheadandlookforward.Don’tletthosedarkcloudsgatherin
youreyes.Itmaybedifficultatfirst,butI’llhelpyou.Fornow,justtrustme.”
Hewantedhertosavehim,withthewordsshehadusedtoleadhimoutof
thedarknessandshowhimtheworldforthefirsttime.
“—”
Wordlessly,FerrislookedatCrusch,andthenhelookedagainattheburned
remainsofthemansion.Forsomereason,hefelttearsonhischeeks.Andthen
hefoundhecouldn’tstopthem.
Embracedbyapairofstrong,slimarms,Ferrisweptlikeachild.
16
—AssheheldthecryingFerris,Cruschthoughtbacktowhathadhappenedin
thebasementroom.
ThemaidhadslippedawayfromBeanandMilesandcomedowntoCrusch.
She unfastened the restraints and manacles and removed Crusch’s blindfold.
Beforethemaidleft,however,Cruschcalledoutandquestionedher.
“Whosesideareyouon?Youpoisonedme—butnowyou’reabidingbyour
agreementandhelpingmeescape.Youractionsdon’tmakesense.”
“Iapologizeifyoufindmeconfusing.ButIhavemyowngoalsinmind.”
“Oh,doyou?IsthatthereasonyoucontinuetoservetheHouseofArgyle?”
OneofthereportstoCruschhadstatedthatBeanandthismaidhadknown
eachotherformuchoftheirlives.Therelationshiphadapparentlybeenlongand
quiteclose,muchlikethatbetweenCruschandFerris.AndCruschknewthatif
she were to go mad, Ferris would almost certainly stay with her rather than
abandonher.
“LadyCrusch,”themaidbegan,“haveyoueverbeeninlove?”
The question caught her off guard. Crusch looked at the maid wide-eyed,
unsure what she meant. The maid closed her eyes and shook her head, taking
Crusch’ssilenceforananswer.
“Then I don’t think any amount of explaining would help you understand
whatIwant.”
“…The flow of this conversation makes it clear who your feelings are for.
But there are too many things that it doesn’t explain. Were you Felix’s wet
nurse?”
“—”
The moment Crusch said that, the maid’s formerly expressionless face
stiffened, and the wind picked up. No—it only looked that way to Crusch. In
reality,itwasaswellofpowerfulemotion.Itwassomethinglikedelusion.The
same tumultuous feelings she had sensed in Bean resided in this woman, too.
Butthatsuggested…
“…Wait.Yourhair.Youreyes…”
Looking at the maid’s taut face, a spark caught in Crusch’s mind. The
remarkableflaxenhair.Theclearyelloweyesandgentleexpression.Ifshewere
tosmilekindly,Cruschsuspectedherfacewouldbearastrongresemblanceto
onesheknewverywell.
—She reflected that Ferris had met his fate because of the suspicion of
infidelity.
“IfyouhavethefirstthoughtofharmingFelix…”
“I’m not going to do anything to Felix. You’re the one who distanced
yourselffromhim,aren’tyou?WhatIwanthasnothingtodowithFelix…with
thatboy.”
ThatwasthelastthingthemaidsaidassheturnedawayfromCrusch.With
thechainsunlocked,itwouldhavebeenpossibletostopher.Butthecommotion
wouldhavemeanttheendofeverythingCruschhadworkedfor.Foramoment,
the duchess found herself caught between her personal and official priorities.
Then,stillunabletochoose,shecalledouttothedepartingmaid.
“Hannah!HannahRigret!”
“If you’re too loud, you’ll attract Miles’s attention. Now is the time to be
loyaltoyourduty.”
Cruschhadnochoicebuttowatchasthemaiddisappearedfromview.
Thetasteofdefeatbitterinhermouth,Cruschhopedshewouldhaveanother
chance to talk with the maid. Then she would discover the true connection
betweenthatwomanandherknight.
Butshewouldnevergetthechance.TheflamesconsumedArgylemanor:the
bodiesofFerris’smotherandfather,alongwiththemaid,andwhatevertruthshe
waskeeping.
Crusch was left with only her doubts and a secret, the only one she could
nevertellFerris.
17
Overhead,thecloudsthathadcrowdedtheskywerebroken.Fourierquietlylet
out a breath. Before they’d left the castle, he’d ordered Marcus to put some
insuranceinplace,andwhathappenedintheskywasproofthatithadworked.
Althoughtheremightbesomequestionslaterabouttheuseofatacticthatwas
normallyforbiddensoclosetothecountry’sborders.
“ButIdon’tthinkwe’llhavetomeetVolakiainforcetoday.Theydon’twant
tocontendwithusanymorethanwewiththem.”
Some outside agency had clearly been involved in the recent events
surroundingtheHouseofArgyle.FourierhadnevermetBeanArgylepersonally,
but the family’s status and history convinced him that Bean didn’t have the
abilitytodosomethinglikethisonhisown.
Hethoughtaboutwhomighthaveplayedapartinthis.Perhapsthosewithin
Lugunica who wanted to see Crusch fall from grace. Or perhapsan interloper
fromoutsidethecountry,someonewithbiggergoalsinmind.Heforcedhimself
tocontemplatetheworstpossiblescenario.ItwaslikelythatwhattheVolakians
had wanted from all this was to obtain the House of Argyle’s secret spell that
allowedthemtocontrolundeadwarriors.ThecurrentVolakianemperorwassaid
tobeacruelman.GiventhefrictionbetweenVolakiaandLugunica,ithadbeen
necessarytopreventanyoneelselearningtheforbiddenspell.
“ImanagedtodoeverythingIwantedto.SometimesIimpressevenmyself.”
Fourier’s reading of the situation had been so perfect that he found himself
burstingintospontaneousself-congratulation.
Fourier’sintuitionsometimesprovedconsiderablysharperthanaverage,but
thistimeithadbeen especiallybrilliant.Thenagain,hehadbeenfocusinghis
fullconcentrationoniteversinceCruschhadspokenwithhim.
Granted,thissometimeslefthimwithapaininhisheadandaheavinessin
hischest…
“Butit’saverysmallpricetosaveCruschandFerris.”
Those two were now talking together near the burned ruins of the Argyle
mansion.Hedearlywishedtojointhem,butitwouldhavebeenamostimpolitic
timetobreakin.FerrisandCruschsharedabondthatwasforthemalone.True,
Fourierhadhisownbondwitheachofthem,butheknewthatatthismomentit
wasnecessarytokeephisdistanceforreasonshecouldn’tfullyarticulate.
“Ofcourse,it’shardformetoletFerrishaveCruschalltohimselfrightnow,
givenhowworriedIwasabouther…”
“On behalf of your friends, Your Highness, let me thank you for your
considerateness.”ThespeakerwasJulius,whorodewithFourierinthedragon
carriage.Heseemedtofindrecenteventsthoughtprovokinginhisownway.His
expressionlookeddifferent,somehow,fromthewayithadbeforetheyleftthe
castle.
“Igaveyouyourfairshareoftrouble,too,didn’tI,Julius?Welldonegetting
thembothoutattheveryendthere.”
“You needn’tthank me, YourHighness. Truth betold, today’seventsmade
mefeelacutelyhowpowerlessIreallyam.IthinkImayhaveletbeingchosen
fortheroyalguardmakemeforgetwhatittrulymeanstobeaknight.”
“Another serious one! Knights should be more—well—gallant! Do some
bravedeeds,andyou’llbeknightenough.Yes,I’msureofit.”
Julius looked entirely taken aback by Fourier’s pronouncement. But he
composedhimselfquicklyandsmiled,thennodded.“You’vesurprisedmemore
thanoncetoday,YourHighness.I,Julius,swearanewmyfealtytoyou.”
“I’mnotquitesurehowIfeelaboutthat,butIacceptyourloyalty.Devotion
tothekingdomistrulyvaluable.Letyourheartbeboundnottome,butseekthe
prosperityofourwholeland.Now…youthinkit’sabouttime?”
FourierleanedovertogetalookatCruschandFerris.Ferris,whohadbeen
crying in Crusch’s arms earlier, was now turned away, blowing his nose. It
lookedlikethingshadcalmeddownsome.Hecouldcallouttothemsoon.
“Maybe I’ll go and join them, then.” Now eager, Fourier stepped proudly
fromthedragoncarriageand downontothe grass, readytogo overtoCrusch
andFerris.Butashedidso,hisvisionwavered.
“—Your Highness?” Julius’s voice sounded strikingly far away. The next
thingheknew,hefeltanimpact,andeverythingwassideways.
Fourier himself didn’t know what had happened. Until so recently he had
beenfilledwiththesensethathecouldseeeverythingthatwashappeninginthe
world,yetnowthatfeelinghadutterlyabandonedhim.
“Ferris!Ferris,comequickly!HisHighnessFourierneedsyou!”
Julius’spanickedshoutwasthelastthingFourierheardashisconsciousness
slippedaway. Everything went dark, the world grew distant. Butjust before it
left him, he heard two beloved voices calling his name. Fourier clung to that
soundasthedarknessovercamehim.
<END>
THEDREAMOFTHELIONKING
1
Fourier Lugunica’s collapse was paid comparatively scant attention in the
KingdomofLugunica.
A member of the royal family had fallen ill, and it was treated lightly.
Normally,suchathingcouldnothavebeenimagined,butatthatmomentitwas
excusedbyapeculiarcircumstanceinthekingdom.
—Fourier was not the only member of the royal family who had been
broughtdownbydisease.
Rather,everysinglemember oftheroyalfamily ofLugunicahad fallen ill.
Fourier’s father, the current king, Randohal Lugunica, was of course among
them.Therewereindividualdifferencesinthesymptomsofillness,butsimple
guessworkcouldnotbeallowedwithadiseasewhosenameandoriginnoone
knew.Initswholehistory,thekingdomhadneverfacedsomethinglikethis,and
itshudderedwiththeencroachingcrisis.
“SomyprobationaryperiodisfiiiinallyoverandIgettobearegularmember
oftheguard,butthecaptainisjusttheworst!He’sactingtotallydifferentfrom
before!Whatabully!”
“Mm, I thought as much. Just when you think Marcus is as serious as he
looks, he turns out to have a mischievous side. I figured you two would get
along.”
“YourHighness,areyoulisteningtome?Ferriisgettingbulliedbyamean
ol’ superior in the royal guard. I’m looking for some comfort here!” His eyes
wateredandhisvoiceshook,butthisonlycausedFouriertosmile.
Ferris shook his head helplessly at Fourier’s amusement. Then he brought
somewatertotheprince’ssickbedandheldittoFourier’slips.Theyoungman
sat up with some difficulty, and Ferris could hear the water from the pitcher
runningdownhisthroat.
“I’msorryforalwaysputtingyoutosuchtrouble.It’salmostlikeyou’remy
personalattendantthesedays.”
“Don’tworry,don’tworry!Thesedaysit’smeowthingbutlowlifestryingto
getFerritohealtheirtrainingwoundsjust’causetheythinkI’mcute.Iwould
muchratherbe withyou,YourHighness.AndLadyCruschhasn’tbeenacting
veryfriendlylately…”
“Yes, she must be quite busy. I haven’t seen her for days, and I’m getting
lonely. Perhaps it has to do with my frustration at being unable to move. This
accursedillness.”
“—”
Fourierwiped his moistened lips on his sleeve, then nestled into his pillow
andsmiledweakly.Hissmileshowedhisdistinctivecanines,asalways,butthere
was no energy to it. It was a forced smile to hide from Ferris the sharp pain
runningthroughhischest.
Fourier was emaciated. His shining golden hair had lost its luster, and his
eyes,redlikethetwilightsun,seemedsomehowfaint.Hespokewithoutvigor
andoftensuccumbedtofitsofcoughing.Aboveall,henolongerhadeventhe
strengthtowalkaround.Forthelastmonth,hehadbeencompletelybedridden.
—IthadallstartedonthedayofthetroubleattheHouseofArgyle.Afterthe
mansion burned to the ground, Fourier had stepped from his dragon carriage,
onlytocollapse.The sight had caused Ferris to put aside all his emotions and
focuseverythingonhealingtheprince.
Fourierseemedtobeinpain.Ferrishadtransferredlifeforcetohim,puthim
in the carriage, and returned to the castle with all haste. That was where they
firstlearnedthegrimtruththattheentireroyalfamilywasill.
Afterthat,allthepatients,includingFourier,wereconfinedtobedrestinthe
royal chambers. The illness went on without significant change, but its
pathology remained mysterious—even Ferris couldn’t figure out what was
causingit.EvenFerris,whowassecondtononeintheartofusingmanatocure
sickness.
There had been signs. Ferris himself had seen Fourier’s coughing fits and
occasionalboutsofillhealth.AttheKarstenmansion,hehadgroanedinpain—
buthehadrefusedtoletFerrisexaminehim.
Atthetime,FerrishadbeensobusythinkingabouthimselfandCruschthat
he had overlooked these things. And only now was he keeping close to the
prince, trying to make things better now that it was more convenient for him.
Ferrishatedhimselfsomuch,hewantedtodisappearfromexistence.
“Ferris,shouldn’tyou—?Aren’tyousupposedtobewithmyfather,notwith
me?You’retheheirtothekingdom’sgreatesthealer.It’syourduty.”
“It’s all right. I make sure I’ve done everything I’m supposed to before I
come to Your Highness. Don’t make the mistake of thinking I’m putting you
aheadoftheking.”
“Isee,itwassimplymymisunderstanding.Howembarrassing—!Cruschis
goingtolaughatme.”
Fourier’ssmileashespokeCrusch’snamewaslonesome.Peoplegrowmore
pronetolonelinessas their bodies weaken with illness.EvenFourier,thevery
epitomeofenthusiasm.
“Lady Crusch…” Ferris took Fourier’s hand in his, patting it gently, and
whisperedthenamelikeaprayer.
He knew Crusch was immensely busy. She was one ofthe highest-ranking
nobles, and with the entire royal family incapacitated, there wasn’t a moment
whenherhandsweren’tfull.Andyet,evenso,Ferriscouldn’thelpthinking…
Iwishshewouldcomecomfortthissweet,lonely,preciousperson.
He couldn’t do it by himself. He was no substitute for Crusch. Ferris
treasuredFouriersomuch,andyetonceagain,hewasunabletogivetheprince
thestrengthheneeded.PowerlessnesstorealwaysatFerris’s heart,threatening
tobreakit.
“…Theheartsicklookdoesn’tsuityou.”Fourier’svoicefoundFerrisunder
hisself-torment,andthenself-reproachstruckhimlikeathunderbolt.Mentally
grittinghisteeth,hemusteredasmileforFourier.
“Aw,I’mnotheartsick.Ferriisfeelingfine—justfine!”
Farbeitfromhimtostartcrying.Nothere,notnow.Hemightbepowerless,
buthehadhispride.Hecouldn’thealFourier’sillness,buthecouldmanagea
smile.
Ifthatwasallhecoulddo,thenhewoulddoitcomehellorhighwater.
“Gosh,YourHighness!Ifyoujusteatanddrinkandthen goright tosleep,
you’llgetfat…!”
“Andthen…Cruschwon’t…likemeanymore…”
All he could do was remind the prince of the everyday things, so maybe
Fouriercouldrevisittheminhisdreams.
2
In the royal assembly hall, Crusch Karsten had found herself unable to think
anythingforavery,verylongtime.Forseveraldaysnowthepowerfulandnoble
oftherealm,alongwiththeCouncilofElders,theorganizationthatessentially
actedasthekingdom’sbrain,hadbeendiscussingwhattodoabouttheturmoil
thatfacedtheirnation.
Cruschwasgettingawfullysickofthemeetingsshewasobligedtoattendas
duchess. They had been talking for so long that she knew even the smallest
detailsofeveryattendingnoble’sface.
Theyhadtodealwithritualswheretheking’spresencewasexpected,while
trying to prevent any word of the current situation reaching the world’s three
majorpowers.Theyhadtotakecareofallthedutieseachmemberoftheroyal
familywouldnormallyhaveattendedto,allwhiletryingtofigureoutwhattodo
aboutadiseasewhoseoriginsremainedobscure.Andontopofallthat,eachof
the nobleshad the usualbusiness of theirdomains to contendwith. It led to a
level of confusion and exhaustion that few of them could remember
experiencingbefore.
Butnow,amonthafterallthishadstarted,theroyalfamily’sconditionfinally
seemed not to be getting any worse. This was what they had just begun to
discusswhen—
“FirstPrinceZabinelisdead,yousay…?”
The tearful report brought by the spell caster from the Royal Academy of
Healing was more than enough to throw the room back into near panic. First
PrinceZabinelLugunicahadbeenthefirstoftheconfirmedcasesofillnessin
theroyalcastle.Hencetheconditionafflictinghimmighthavebeenthequickest
toact…
“Thisisalltoosudden!Howcanthisbe?HowcanHisHighnesshavegotten
soill?”
“It’simpossible!Imetwithhimonlyyesterday,andhe…Hegavenosignof
beingsoclosetotheend…”
ThosewhohadbeenespeciallyclosetoZabinelmournedthesuddennewsof
hispassing.Buttheyweren’ttheonlyonesleftagapeatthereport.Everyonein
theroomwasshocked.
One person had now died from the disease that afflicted the entire royal
family.Andstillnooneknewthecauseorhowtotreatit.
“Highness…”Crusch,too,feltapangatthenews.Shewasusuallysocareful
to stand up straight, but now she felt she might break in half with the anxiety
tearingatherinnards.ShecouldonlythinkofFourier,lyinginhissickbedand
offeringhisweaksmilewhenshecametoseehim.
“WemustconsiderthepossibilitythatHisMajesty,too,willleaveus.”Even
as she chewedher lip, Crusch heard araspy voice. She looked up to find that
everyonewhohadheardhadfocusedonthecenteroftheroom,whereMiklotov,
therepresentativeoftheCouncilofElders,stood.
“SirMiklotov,apoorjest!HisMajesty?Leaveus?”
“Mm.The inevitable cannot be avoided, no matter how diligently we look
awayfromreality.Wecannotaffordtobeoptimistsrightnow.Or elsewe will
not be able to fulfill the duties of the most precious seat in our nation. Am I
wrong?”
“Ngh…”
“Weseenowhowquicklytheconditionmayturn—andthatmeansthateven
tomorrow, we could find ourselves facing the worst. When it happens, it will
shake the kingdom, and our role is to support the nation during that time. We
mustnotturnourbacksonthepeople.”
Miklotov’s pointed pronouncement put to rest those who thought he was
beingdisrespectful.Hiswordsmayhavebeenunsparingtowardthekingdom’s
leader,butthisonlymadethemallthemorenecessary.
Thus,Cruschwasthefirsttoputasideherpersonalfeelingsandspeakonthe
sage’sbehalf.“SirMiklotovisright.IfanythingshouldhappentoHisMajesty,
thekingdomwon’tdisappear.Itwillfalltoustodosomethingaboutit.”
Cruschwas one of only a few present ofducalrank,butshehadrelatively
littleexperienceandhadn’testablishedherselfyet.Still,herspeakinguphelped
therestofthenoblesstarttofeelthesameway.
“I’mgrateful for your endorsement,”Miklotovsaid.“Naturally,I stillhope
andpraythatHisHighnessandHisHighness’sfamilywillcomesafelythrough
thistrial.Pleasedon’tmisunderstandmeonthatpoint.”
Hemovedthattheassemblybegindiscussingwhattodowiththekingdomin
theeventthattheyhadnoking—andlastofall,heshotameaningfulglanceat
Crusch.Perhapshewasexpressinghisgratitudeforherbeingthefirsttosupport
him.Butshedidn’tseeit;shehadalreadycollapsedintoherseat.
Withthingsthewaytheywere,shewouldn’tbeabletodropinonFourier.
She had become so constrained by her noble duties that she didn’t even have
time tosee him.She couldn’t let this precious, limited time go to waste. That
was what she told herself even as her duty compelled her to remain at the
meeting.
3
“…Crusch,isthatyou?”
CruschwassomewhatsurprisedtoseeFourieropenhiseyesashesensedher
entering his room. She had tried to walk as quietly as possible so as not to
disturb his sleep. Not only could he tell someone was there, but he had even
knownwhoitwas.
“Yousurpriseme,YourHighness.Ihavethesensethere’snothingIcanhide
fromyou.”
“And…perhaps there isn’t. That’s simply how well we know each other.
Even with my eyes closed, even in the depths of sleep, I know it’s you… It’s
beensometime.Haveyoubeenwell?”
“I’vebeenterriblybusy,butmyhealthisfine.Yourcolorlooksgoodtoday,
Your Highness. That’s a relief.” Crusch sat in a chair by the bed and studied
Fourier’sface.
Herlast visit had been only afewdaysearlier,yet he seemed even thinner
now.And Fourier had never been the beefiest person around. He was through
burning fat; now his body was consuming itself. His cheekbones stood out
slightly.Itwasimpossiblenottoseehowthediseasewasravaginghim.
“Crusch…Iwantto…feelyourtouch.”
“Yes, Your Highness.Withyourpermission.” She gently reached under the
sheetsandtookFourier’stremblinghand.Hisfingershadalwaysbeenslim,but
nowtheyweredespairinglyfrail.Sherubbedthepalmofhishandandinterlaced
herfingerswithhis.
“Ah.Thetouchofyourfingersispleasant,”hesaid.“Awoman’shand.”
“Your Highness’shand feels rather thin,for a man. One would never think
youhadpracticedsolongwiththesword.”
“The sword… Yes, the sword… I suppose I’m the only one who could
possiblybestyou.ThoughI’veneglectedmytrainingformanydaysnow.”
“Your Highness would surely recover from a few days of rest before long.
Thoughtheydosaythatittakesthreedaysofworktomakeupforonemissed.”
“AreyoutellingmetoworkthreetimesaslongasI’verested…?Merciless!”
Andthen,like so often before, hefellintoa fit of coughing. Crusch hurriedly
turnedhimonhissideandrubbedhisbackgentlyuntilitpassed.Hisbreathing
wassoharsh,andhisbackseemedsosmall.
“Ah,yes,whatabout…?WhatabouttheArgyles?AndFerris?Iseverything
goingwell?”WhenCruschsaidnothing,Fourierspokeasifathoughthadjust
occurredtohim.
Feeling saved by the change of subject, Crusch nodded and said, “Yes.
Thanks to Your Highness’s good offices. I’m glad to say what occurred at the
Argyleestate hasn’tgonebeyondthefew of us. The deaths of Ferris’s mother
andfatherarebeingcalledanaccident.SoFerris—”
“Can safely inherit the Argyle name. Good. That’s good. He may say he
doesn’twantit,buthecan’tthrowawayeverythinghewasbornto.Hemustn’t.”
“Doyouthinkhe’llbeabletoacceptit?”
“Ofcourse—heismyfriend,andyourknight,afterall!”Fourierhalfturned
toherandsmiled,showinghisteeth.Healmostcoughedagain,butheforcedit
downintohisthroat.Itcausedhiseyestowater,buthekeptsmiling.Seeingit,
Crusch found herself unable to form any words. But she mustered all the
strengthshehadtosmileback.
Thishadneverbeena particulartalentof hers, butFourieroften wantedto
seehersmile.
“Mm…Iknew…yoursmilewas…beautiful.”
Sheshouldn’thaveleftallthegoodcheertoFerris.Sheshouldhaveatleast
learnedhowtomakeherselfsmile.Cruschtriedtolivelifewithoutregrets,but
thisonethingshedearlywishedweredifferent.
4
Over the past several months, Ferris had found it increasingly hard to believe
that he wasone of the Knightsof the Royal Guard.He had been going to the
healers’ academy to check on the royal family members, and to nurse Fourier.
Howwasanyofthistheworkofaknight?Itseemedalotmorelikewhataspell
casteroftheRoyalAcademyofHealingwoulddo.
“Thethirdprincepassedawaylastnight.That’stheseventhperson…”
Another one hadgone, all thehealers’ efforts in vain. Ferris didn’t want to
hearthenameofanotherdeadroyal,butattheacademythenewswasgoingto
reachhimwhetherhewantedittoornot.
Sevenvictims,andstillthey didn’tknowthe cause ofthedisease. Allthey
hadlearnedwasthatoncethepatientdevelopedafeverandbecamecomatose,
theywerebeyondhelp.Allthis,andjustoneworthlessgrainofknowledge.
“—”
Grieved, Ferris left the king’s sickroom after another day of trying various
curative magics to no effect. He had always regarded this place with awe, but
afterspendingsomuchtimethere,henolongerfeltanxiousaboutit.Hisinitial
emotion, something like a holy terror, had long ago given way to a sense of
powerlessness.
Ferriscarriedablackbookashewalkedthroughthehallsoftheroyalcastle.
It was covered in blood and fingerprints. It could have been called, in some
sense,agiftfromhisfather.
TheSacramentoftheImmortalKing…
A secret spell developed by a witch that could resurrect the dead, granting
corpses thepower to walk again.His father had not been able to replicate the
spellsuccessfully, butifitcould bedone,even thosewhoweregone couldbe
saved…
“HisHighness…IfanythinghappenstoHisHighness…”
FerristhoughtofFourier,whogrewthinnerandmoreinfirmbythedayand,
notforthefirsttime,picturedhimselfgettingthesacramenttowork.Fourier’s
death,amongallothers,wasnotonehecouldsimplyturnawayfrom.
Hewouldneedamiracletosavethefourthprince.Andheneverseemedto
get a miracle when he asked for one. The sacrament was the only other thing
Ferriscouldthinkof.
When he entered Fourier’s sickroom, the bedridden prince laughed weakly
andsaid,“Ferris,themakeupworkedbeautifully.Cruschthoughtmycolorwas
good…Ha-ha,wesurepulledthewooloverhereyes.She’ssotrusting.”
ThemakeupwassomethingFerrishadappliedsoFourier’spallorwouldlook
healthier.Fourierhad beggedFerrisnotto lethimlook bad infrontof Crusch
whenshecametovisit.Ferriswaspainfully aware thatthishadnothing to do
withFourier’spridebutinsteadhisconsiderationforCrusch.
Ferris said nothing. Fourier spoke as if he could read the boy’s mind.
“Nothing…troublingyouwiththeknights,Ferris?Don’tforgettoleanonyour
friend…Yes,onJulius.Youtrytotakeontoomuchbyyourselfsometimes.”
There were times these days when Ferris wasn’t sure who was comforting
whomonthesevisits.
“My… My friends. You, Your Highness… You’re my only friend. Aren’t
you?Sowhenyouaren’tfeelingstrong,Iendup…bymyself.”
“Certainly…not. Don’t worry, Ferris. You’re kind, and at heart you are
strong.Everyonelovesyou…andwillbefriendyou,asIhave.Imayhavebeen
yourfirstfriend,butyouneedn’tletmebeyourlast.Rememberthis:Don’tforce
yourselftobealone.”
“YourHighness…”
Whywashetalkinglikethis,likethiswastheend?Itwasn’ttheend.And
howcouldheseemsoattunedtowhatFerriswasfeeling?Fourier’swordshad
held real power lately. Not worldly power, but the piercing power of truth. It
madeFerrisafraid.
“YourHighness…!YourHighness,ifanythinghappenstoyou…I’ll…”
“Bringmebacktolife?Please,don’tsaysuchthings.”
“—”
Fourierhadreadhimlikeabook.Hewaslyingonhisbedandcouldn’thave
seen the tome in Ferris’s hand. Yet he had guessed exactly what Ferris had in
mindandrefusedit.
“I am me, you understand. My life began when I began, and it should end
whenIend.ForittogoonafterIend—thatisn’tright.”
“But…butwhy?IsitsostrangethatIwantyoutolive?ThatIwantsomeone
who’ssoimportanttometobealive?”
OnlyasFerrisvoicedthewordsdidherealizetheywereexactlythesameas
those his father had babbled beside the corpse of his mother. If not word for
word,thenattheveryleastthespiritwasidentical.
“Don’t lament, Ferris. Your heart is precious. Be proud of your abilities…
Youhavethekindestpowerinalltheworld.Countnotthewoundsyoucouldn’t
heal, but the things you were able to save. Don’t try to look back all the time
whileyou’rewalkingforward…Iwon’tallowit.”
“YourHighness…”
Slowly,so slowly, Fourier satupin his bed. He had wastedawaysomuch
thathecouldnolongerstandunderhisownpower,buthewantedFerristosee
the spark of life burn within him. The scarlet eyes regained some measure of
theirformerstrength.
“Andanyway,”hewenton,“Imayyetbestthisthing.I’m…Yes.I’myour
friend, and the fourth prince of the Kingdom of Lugunica. I even defeated
Cruschinaswordbattle.Alittleillnessshouldbea…walkinthepark.”
Fourier raised his hand and gave Ferris a gentle tap on the forehead. His
touchwassolight,buthisfingerwaswarm.
“Don’tabandonyourdutyasamemberoftheroyalguard…ItwasIwhohad
youassignedasCrusch’sknight.Don’tbetraythevowwemadetoeachother.
Thepromisewemade…asfriends.”Drawinglongbreaths,Fouriersmiledagain
andlaybackdownonhisbed.“I’vegrowntiredwithallthistalking.ButIwas
abletosmilewithyouforthefirsttimeinalongtime.That’sgood.”
Ferrishadn’tsmiled.AllhehaddoneinfrontofFourierthatdaywasweep.
ButFourierneverspokewrong.Whathesaidsometimessoundedmistaken,but
alwaysturnedouttobetrue.
“Itwasfun,Ferris.”
SoFerrisdideverythinghecouldtoworkhisfrozencheeksintoasmile.
“Right.Thiswasfun,wasn’tit,YourHighness?”
5
—Thedaywasclear,butabreezeputachillintheair.
“Crusch…I’dliketogooutsideforawhile.Couldyoulendmeyourhand?”
“Ofcourse,YourHighness.Ifyou’llexcuseme…”
“Oh! Carrying me yourself? Ha-ha! You are indeed a strong woman. I’m
surprisedagain.”
In the courtyard garden of Lugunica’s royal castle, a profusion of seasonal
flowersbloomed.But in thebustleand anxiety ofthepastseveral months,the
colorfulflorahadfoundthemselvesratherlonely.
“Well,it’snicewithoutacrowd.Allthebettertoappreciatetheblossoms—
youcanseethemsomuchmoreclearly.Don’tyouthink?”
“Soyoucan.YourHighnessisalwayssogoodatfindingthebrightsideof
things.”
“Iam,aren’tI?IknowquiteafewgoodsidesofyouandFerris,aswell.In
that,atleast,Iwon’tbebestedbyMeckart.”
Cruschkneltinonecornerofthegarden,lettingFourierresthisheadonher
kneesasthebreezedriftedoverthemboth.Fourierhalfclosedhiseyessleepily,
thegardenfloatinginhisfuzzyvision.
“YouandIusedtocomeherewhenwewereyoungtoviewtheflowers.Do
youremember,Crusch?”
“I remember. I would accompany my father to the castle, and when I got
bored, I would always come here…and you would always meet me. It was
comfortingtomychildishheart.”
“ThefirsttimeIsawyou…”
“I’llneverforgetit.Youcametumblingoutofthesky!Iwasshocked.”
Theirconversationaboutthepastbegantoblossom.
Cruschsmiledassheremembered,butFouriershookhisheadgently.
“You’re mistaken, actually. The first time I saw you was before that… I
caughtsightofyouinthisgarden,fromadistance.Youwereexaminingayoung
bud.”
“…Ididn’tknow.Howembarrassing.”
“Hardly.Iwastakenwithyouimmediately.Myheartbeatfaster,mycheeks
gothot,andallIcoulddowasstandthereandlookatyou.Afterthat,Iwould
alwayslookforyou…Truthbetold,ourmeetingwasnomerechance.Heh-heh.
I’llbetyouweresurprised.”
“Yes,verymuchso.”
Fourier’seyescrinkled,andhisteethshowedashelaughed.
Crusch ran her fingers gently through the golden hair that rested on her
knees,pattedthepalecheekstenderly.
“Onthesubjectofsurprisingyou,allowmetoconfesstheawesomeplansI
haveforthefuture…”
“Yes,YourHighness.Please,surprisemeagain.Pleasetellme.”
“Verywell.Listenclosely.I…Iintendedtomakeyoumyqueen.”
“—”
“Iwouldmakeyoumyqueen,andFerriswouldbeourknight.Andthen—
thenthreeofuscouldalwaysbetogether.Itwouldbecauseforcontentmentlike
noother.Whatdoyouthinkofthat?”
“You…Youcertainlydoknowhowtosurpriseme…”
Cruschfoundhervoicecatching,discoveredshecouldn’tlookathim.
Fourier,thegentlesmilestillonhisface,listenedcloselytothenoteofjoyin
hervoice.
“We’ve…beenthroughquitealot,haven’twe?Isodesperatelywantedyour
attention…Heh!ItledmetoputyouandFerristoagreatdealoftrouble.”
“…YourHighness.Itwasneveraburdentodowhatyou…”
“Tellme,Crusch…HowdidIdo?”
“YourHighness?”
“WasIable…tobeaLionKingworthyofyourdevotion…?”
“—”
They’dmadeapromise,once.They’dswornbythepiecesofthedaysthey’d
filledwithlaughter.
Crusch’sbreathinggrewstrainedatFourier’squestion.
“Your devotion was…precious,” he said. “Something I cherished. Don’t…
Don’teverforgetthat.”
Fouriersmiledasifheweresomehowproudofhimselfandraisedhishand.
He brushed Crusch’s cheek, touching the hot tears that flowed down it, and
tracedhisfingersalongthelineofherlips.
“Crusch.”
“Yes,YourHighness.”
“I…lo…”
“—”
Therecameagust,acoldwindthattuggedatFourier’sandCrusch’shair.
“YourHighness?”
“—”
“YourHighness,areyoutired?”
“—”
“Your Highness, I know how you’ve worked and struggled. Please, rest
peacefully.”
“—”
“Onelastthing…”
Thebreezecontinuedtoblow.Butwithherblurringvision,Cruschdidn’tsee
it, not even with her blessing. There, in the garden, Crusch held Fourier close
andwhispered.
“IwishIcouldhaveseenthefutureyoudreamedof…”
6
ThecrueltyofitwasthatthedeathofFourierLugunicawastreatedalmostasan
incidentaldetailinthefaceofKingRandohalLugunica’spassing.
Theassemblywasallthatwasleftnow,shroudedindepressionnowthatits
worstfearshadbeenrealized.Crusch,forherpart,wasplungedintoasenseof
lossandapathy.Fourierhadbeensuchacrucialpresencetoherthatlosinghim
wasasmuchashockandasmuchatormentaslosinghalfherbody.
Evennow,whensheclosedhereyes,shecouldseehislastsmile.Theimage
ofhimtakinghisfinalbreathswasburnedintohermemory.
And at the last, the feelings he had been unable to finish confessing had
vanishedintothinair.
“—Butwecannotsitaroundlookingsadforever.”
Miklotov was the first to cut through the thick atmosphere. The old sage
lookedeachofthedowncastnoblesintheface,tryingtorousethem.
“…That’s right,” someonesaid. “This isn’t the time. His Departed Majesty
wouldbesorrytoseeusthisway.”
There wasa chorusof agreement. The sentiment spread, and Crusch found
shehadnochoicebuttolookupandforceherselftosmile.Toremaintherewith
herheaddownwouldbetheultimatebetrayalofwhatFourierhadwanted.
—Shepicturedhissmilingface,rememberedhowhehadalwaystriedtolook
onthebrightside.
“Theroyalbloodlinehasended.Wehavelostourpactwiththedragon.There
canbenogreatertragedyfortheDragonfriendKingdomofLugunica.”
Withthosewords,theimageinhermindshattered.
Crusch looked up, doubting her own ears, while someone in front of her
clutchedhishead.
“Howcantheentireroyalfamilybegone?Whatwillthedragondo?Ifwe
loseourpact,itwillbeacatastropheforournation.Whatwithourrelationswith
theEmpireandtheHolyKingdombeingaspoorastheyarerightnow…!”
Whatishetalkingabout…?
“There’salsotheissueofthepreserveddragon’sblood.Thereisalwaysthe
possibilitythatitsreturnwillbesought.Toguardagainstthis,wemayseefitto
goaheadanduseit…”
Whatareanyofyoutalkingabout…?
Cruschstaredblanklyasshelistenedtothegrim-facedattendeesdeliberate.
Everything they were talking about came back to the question of what the
dragonwoulddonowthattheroyalfamilyhadbeenextinguished.TheKingdom
ofLugunicahadbeenunderthedragon’sblessing,savedfromcrisismorethan
oncebythecreature.Theirfearwasvalid;Cruschwasasawareasanyofthem
that they were reliant on the dragon. But was that really the first thing they
shouldbelamenting?
Iftheyhadwantedtodebatethefutureofthekingdom,thatwouldhavebeen
fine.If they had been worried about negotiating with other countries now that
the king was gone, she could have forgiven them. But discussing how to
manipulatethedragon—wasthatreallythefirstthingontheirminds?
With mounting disgust, it dawned on Crusch: None of these people were
reallyunhappythattheroyallinehadended.Whattheywereworriedaboutwas
the implications of it—whether the dragon would abandon them. They were
terrifiedofbeingturnedoutfromthecradleofthedragon’sblessings.Thedeath
oftheking,theendoftheroyalfamily—theseweresecondaryconsiderations.
Tothem,Fourier’sdeathishardlyafootnote.
The terrible thing was that if Crusch had not been so close to Fourier, she
wouldnodoubtbeembracingthesamefearsastherestofthem.Hersoulwould
bejustaslukewarmastheirs.
Thatwayofliving,aboveallothers,repulsedCrusch.Shecouldhardlybear
itasitcastadarkshadowoverherheart.
“ThereisamatterImustsharewithyouall.”
Thewordscutthroughthefuroroftheassembly,andalleyesturnedtothe
speaker.
It was Baron Lyp Bariel. He was not of high noble rank, but had been a
favoriteofHisMajestyRandohalandmuchvaluedbythedepartedking.When
Lyp had sufficient attention from the crowd, he made his announcement in a
shakingvoice.
“—ThereisanewinscriptionontheDragonTablet.Thedragonhasalready
revealedthefateofthekingdom.”
This caused a fresh uproar in the assembly hall. The Dragon Tablet was a
stone,agiftfromthedragonandoneofthekingdom’streasures.Itrecordedthe
future ofthe nation. A number of times in the past, the stone had warned the
kingdom of threats to come, and they had been able to make preparations in
advance.
No sooner had they been reflecting on how much they needed the dragon
thantheyhadbeenremindedinthemostpainfulwayofitspower.Ignoringthe
feelingsofCruschandtheothers,Lypbegantoreadtheinscriptioninahurried
tone.
“Itsays:‘Uponthis,theendoftheroyalhouse,thekingdomshallfindfive
candidateschosenbytheDragonJewels,andwithanewshrinemaiden,thepact
shallbemadeanew.’”
“TheDragonTabletistellingustochooseanewking…?Buthowareweto
findthesefivecandidates?!”
“There are insignias,” Lyp replied hotly, “jewels passed down by the royal
houseofLugunica,whichpointtotheirpactwiththedragon.Theinsigniasbear
those jewels, which will shine when held by one who is qualified as a
candidate!”
AtagesturefromLyp,acartwaswheeledintothecircularassemblyroom.
Atop the cart were shimmering gemstones, the insignias of the Kingdom of
LugunicathatboretheDragonJewels.
“Ifitrecognizesyouasaloyalretainerwhocantrulyleadthekingdom,the
insigniashallchooseyou.DoestheDragonTabletspeakfalse?Leteachofyou
betestedinturn.”
OneofLyp’sassistantswentamongthepeopleseatedinthehall,puttingthe
insignia before each of them. Some broke out in a cold sweat as they looked
down upon it. Othersgulped. If it were to glow in their hand, the path to the
kingshipwouldopen.
TheinsigniawassetinfrontofCrusch,aswell.Theysaidthedragonsought
thosewhowereloyaltothekingdom.Ifthatwereso,thensurelyshe,asshewas
now,wouldnotbechosen.Butif…
“Thenletusbeginthetest,”Miklotovsaid.TheCouncilofElderswentfirst,
takingtheinsigniainhand.Buttherewasnochangeinthedarkenedgem.There
weresomequietbreaths,andtheslightestsoundsofdisappointment.Sothetest
of the insignia began, working its way outward from the council.
Disappointmentafterdisappointment,andthencameCrusch’sturn.
The insignia was a triangular obsidian stone carved with a dragon design
workedingold.IntheverycenterwastheredgemcalledtheDragonJewel,the
stonethatmockedthevainambitionsofthosewhowerenotfittorule.
“Thedragon?Whocaresabout…?”Cruschwhispered,notlettingthewords
outofhermouthasshegraspedtheinsignia.Shehelditoutinherpalmforallto
see.Andthen…
“—Oh,my…”
ThiscamefromMiklotov,whosenormallyplacidfaceboreanunusuallook
ofsurprise.Everyoneelseintheroomclearlyfeltthesameway.
TheinsigniainCrusch’shandwasglowingbrightly.
“—SoitseemsevenI,ineptasIam,candosomethingforourkingdom.”
Shefeltnoshock.Herheartwastoocalmforthat.Asthisregisteredwithher,
Cruschraisedherheadandclosedhereyes.
—Andinthedarkness,shethoughtshesawFourier’slastsmile.
7
WhenFerrisfoundoutabouttheroyalelection,andthatCruschwasoneofthose
who had been chosen to stand, he combed the castle looking for her, until he
arrivedinthegarden.
“—LadyCrusch.”
Standingbeforetheflowers,shelookedsofragilethathehadhesitatedtocall
out. And no wonder. This was where she had spent those last moments with
Fourier.ItwasthemostholyplaceinCrusch’sheart,theoneplaceevenFerris
couldnotenter.
He felt the pain of his own powerlessness as keenly as if a blade were
diggingintohis chest.If onlyhecouldrunto her,embraceher shoulders, and
castsomemagicspellthatwouldhealherheart.
“Ferris,isthatyou?Welldone,findingmehere.”
Shespoke without looking back at Ferris, who bit his lipat his feelings of
helplessness.
Now and again the wind gusted, picking up Crusch’s long hair. Ferris
watchedherhairblowashesaid,“IheardabouttheDragonTablet.Theysaid
you’reoneofthecandidatestobecomethenextking,LadyCrusch.”
“Yes,soitseems.Thedragonappearstohavelookedfavorablyonme.”
Ferriscouldhardlyhaveremainedcalmatthisbuffetingfromthecurrentsof
fate.Hehadjoinedtheroyalguard,hismotherandfatherhaddied,andhehad
lostFourier,hisbondwithwhomhadmeantsomuch.NowCrusch,hisharborin
every storm, was caught up in some kind of royal election. Was there nothing
safeorstableforhim?
“WhatcanIdoforyou,LadyCrusch?Idon’tknowwhattodo…”
He didn’t want to cause her any additional trouble, but he couldn’t keep a
quaveroutofhisvoice.Ferriswastoosmallavesseltoholdtheemotionsthat
roiled within him. Tears blurred his vision, and he wanted to run from the
garden.
“Ferris,lookatme.”Crusch’svoicemadehimjump.
Heheardfootsteps,andthentwofeetenteredhisdowncastview.He raised
hisheadandfoundhimselflookingstraightatCrusch.Themagicinheramber
eyescaptivatedhim.
“Ferris,letmevowtoyoubeforeanyoneelse—Idowishtobecomeking.”
“Lady…Crusch…”Ferriscaughthisbreathatherunhesitatingdeclaration.
Shewastellinghimsheaspiredtoprevailattheroyalelectionandultimately
takethethrone.Ferriscouldnotsayanythingfurther,butCruschglancedaround
them and said, “The first time I met His Highness, it was in this garden. We
oftentalkedhereandlookedattheflowerstogether.”Shespokegently;hereyes
showedthatshewasrememberingsomethinglongpast.
Ferrisdidn’tneedtoaskwhoitwasshewasremembering.
“Intime,HisHighnessbegantocallatourmansion.Inevertoldyou,didI?
UntilImetHisHighness,Ialwaystiedmyhairback.NowImerelyusearibbon
tokeepitneat.”
“Ineverknew.Whydidyoustoptyingitup?”
“His Highness told me to be faithful to myself. So that was what I did. I
chosetheribbonIgavetoyou,but…itbeganwithHisHighness.”
FerrisunconsciouslytouchedthewhiteribbonCruschhadgivenhim,which
hestillworeinhishair.
Shesharedonememoryafteranotherwithhim,thingshehadn’tknown—but
onebyone,theybecamememoriesheandCruschshared.Abond sobeautiful
andsolivelythathecouldn’tstopthefloodoftears,ortheoceanofsmiles.
“Ferris,thetimethatwe…thatHisHighnessandyouandIsharedtogether…
issomethingIcherish.”
FromthedayCruschhadledFerrisfromtheArgylemansionandfirstmade
him human, he had always been with her, and his circle soon expanded to
includeFourieraswell.Agreatdealofhislifewasmadeupofthetwoofthem.
“Buttheexistenceofthedragonunderminesthatprecioustimeofours,”she
wenton.“Formany,HisHighnessexistedonlyasawayofcontinuingthepact.
Theydon’tmournhisdeath,notreally.”Ferrisstiffened;firedancedinCrusch’s
eyes.
What had she seen? What had happened during that time when Ferris
couldn’tbewithher?
“Buthedidexist,enoughtocarvehimselfintomyheartandyours.Fourier
Lugunicawellandtrulylived.”
Withherrighthandshetouchedherchest,andwithherlefthand,his.Itwas
just a brush of her fingers, but Ferris thought the heat in them might burn his
wholebody.Thefireofherresolvewouldswallowupeveryextraneousthought.
“ThemanwhowasmyLionKingdidlive.Ishallneverallowanyonetosay
hedidn’t.”
The pact with the dragon embracing the kingdom had protected the people
for avery longtime. But it had made their hearts weak, so much so that they
were willing to ignore the death of this kind boy who had been loved by
everyonehemet.People’sheartshadgrownsofrailthatFourier’sdeathwasall
butforgotteninthefaceofthepactwiththedragon.
“His death belongs to him. My Lion King is within me even now. I still
dreamthedreammykinghad—Ialonecanachieveit.”
Nooneelsesawhowtwistedthelifeofthekingdomhadbecome.Everyone
toadiedtothedragon,beggedfavorsfromit,reliedonitshelp,andintheprocess
theyhadallforgottenhowtowalkontheirown.
“No ruler but me will try to correct this, for nobody remembers those who
soughttobetruekings.Soitfallstoustodoit.”
“LadyCrusch,”Ferriswhispered.
Crusch held out to him a dagger she’d taken from her belt. Hetook it and
found that it was inscribed with the symbol of the Lion King. This was a
preciousheirloomoftheHouseofKarsten.
“His Highness had a dream—of you, and me, and him, the three of us,
buildingthefuturetogether.”
“Thethreeofus…Me,withHisHighness,andyou,LadyCrusch…?”
Faced with the striking weight of the dagger in his hand, Ferris finally
realizedwhathehadtodoalongsideCruschandHisHighness,tohelpintheir
resolution.Now,hehadonlyCrusch.Shewaseverything.
“His Highness loved this place,” Crusch said somberly, “and it’s where he
spenthislastmoments.SoIsweartohimhere:Iwillmakeyoumyknight.”
Atthat,Ferriskneltwordlesslyandofferedupthedagger.Cruschtookitand
drewit,touchingFerrisfirstontheleftshoulder,thenontheright,withtheflat
of the blade. Then she gave the knife back to him, completing the ritual of
vassalage.
Nooneknewaknighthoodhadbeenbestowedtherethatday—exceptone,or
perhapstwo,LionKingswhowerepresent.Anditwasabeginning,andforthe
twoofthem,itwasalsothecontinuationofthedreamoftheirLionKing.
Cruschglancedbackoverhershoulder.“We’regoing,Ferris.Toreclaimour
kingdomfromthedragonandmakeHisHighness’sdreamcometrue.”
“Yes, Lady Crusch. Lead me, and I’ll follow. We’ll find where His
Highness’sdreamtakesus.”Therewasnohesitationashejoinedher.Thefirst
ofthecandidatesforking,theonemoststronglyboundtoherattendant,walked
proudly away. The only ones watching were the flowers in that garden where
everythinghadbegun.
Bobbing gently in the breeze, a single bud waited tranquilly for the right
momenttobloom.
<END>
AFTERWORD
Hello!Alwayssogoodtohaveyouhere.Thisis Tappei Nagatsuki. Or,ifyou
finditeasiertoimagine,agraycatwhogoesbythatname.
Er,ifthatreferencewentoveryourhead,justignoreit.Sorry.
This volume of Re:ZERO is a side story to the main plot. In the past, I’ve
doneshort-storycollectionsthatgetawayfromtheeventsofthemainseries,but
thistime,ratherthandoanotherbatchofvignettes,IdecidedtocallthisEx.
Ihadactuallyintendedtodothisvolumemoreorlessintheveinoftheother
short-story collections, but during the planning stage, I found I had a lot of
storiesabouthow Crusch got her start,and then the suggestion was madethat
thewholevolumecouldbedevotedtothattopic.Sowefoundourselveswiththe
bookyou’recurrentlyholding.
None of the main characters from the regular series appear here; we’re
diggingintothebackgroundofsomeoftherestofthecast.Someofthematerial
is rather challenging, but I hope those of you who have read this far will see
what Crusch and her friends have gone through and understand where her
resolvecomesfrom.Ihopeyou’vecometolikethemevenjustalittlebitmore,
andthatitwillgiveyouevengreaterpleasureinfindingoutwhattheygetupto
inthemainstory.
Having read the book, maybe you’re wondering what’s going on with the
author.Well,I’mprettyobsessedwithtabletopRPGs(IknowI’malittlelateto
theparty).
IknewTRPGsexisted,butitseemedliketherewasaprettyhighbarofentry
forcompletenoviceslikeme,andIcouldneverquitebringmyselftotrythem.
Butwithsomehelpfromthepeoplearoundme,Ifinallygaveoneashot…and
it’sreallysomething.Theyaresuper,superinteresting.
PeoplehadtoldmethatcreativetypestendtogetcaughtupinTRPGs,and
nowIseewhattheymean:Thisisakindofexperienceyoudon’treallygetwith
othergames.Yougettoletyourimaginationrunwildinsomebodyelse’sworld.
Whatauthorwouldn’tlovethat?
Thereareallsortsoffuntobehadhere.Igettosolveproblemsusingonly
mywits,plumbmysterieswiththeguidanceofmyGM,drivemycharacternuts
withmylittlemistakes,andlotsmore.
Publishing books like this has helped me make new friends and given me
glimpses into worlds I had never known about before, where I’ve discovered
other ideas and ways of thinking. Those are important experiences to have in
life.Ihopeallmyreaderswillchallengethemselves—notjusttotryTRPGsbut
todoallkindsofnewthings.
For starters, you could recommend this series to people who don’t know
aboutit.Broadenyourfriends’horizons!I,personally,wouldcertainlybehappy
ifyoudidthat.It’sawayofbringingmorehappinessintotheworld,oneperson
atatime.Tryit!
I’mgoingtorunupagainstmypagecountprettysoonhere,soit’stimefor
theacknowledgments.
I’mindebtedasevertomyeditor,I-sama.I’mgratefulforyoursuggestionto
delve into the backgrounds of some of these characters, including some who
haven’t shown up in the main series yet. Sorry for always making such
ridiculousdemandsofyou!
Tomyillustrator,Otsuka-sensei,asalways,thankyousomuchforproducing
suchwonderfulillustrationsinsuchashorttime.IknowIalwaysaskforoodles
of character designs, and I’m always impressed by how quickly you come up
with them. For this volume, I think you especially captured Fourier’s slightly
ridiculousside.Fantasticwork.
ToKusano-sensei,mydesigner,thankyousomuchfor allyour work.This
timethetitlewasevenlongerthanusual—inmyhead,Isortofthoughtofitasa
challenge.Even Kusano-sensei won’t be able to fit all this in! But it’s a bet I
wouldhavelost.AndIhopeI’llkeeplosingthosebets.
Toeveryoneelseintheeditingandsalesdivisions,toalltheproofreadersand
theownersofallthebookstores,thisbookcouldn’thavetakenshapewithoutthe
cooperationofsomanypeople.Thankyouall.
Andmorethananything,mythanksgoouttomyreaders,whopickedupthis
bookand came alongwithmeon this story. I hope you’ll stick around for the
nextone,too.
Okay,then.I’llseeyouforVolume7ofthemainseries.Later!
May2015
TappeiNagatsuki
(Feelingdeathlyafraidofsummerthisyear,iftheMayheatisany
indication.)
“Right, right, riiight! It’s Ferri and Crusch, handling today’s Message Corner!
NowwecanleteveryoneknowjusthowgreatLadyCruschis!”
“Don’tgettooexcited,Ferris.Iappreciateyourthoughtfulness,butfirstwe
mustfulfillthedutywe’vebeenassigned.Youcanonlyholdyourheaduphigh
onceyou’vemettheobligationsofyouroffice.Youunderstand?”
“Aww, Lady Crusch, you’re starting out so cool, Ferri can barely handle
it…!”
“What’swrong?Yourfaceisred.Doyouhaveacold?Ifyou’refeelingill,I
canhandlethis…”
“Nope!Uh-uh!Notatall!Gosh,LadyCrusch,howcruelofyou!Okaythen,
nowFerri’sgonnadispelanyconcernsaboutmyhealthbydeliveringthenews
with unbridled enthusiasm! First up, they’re at it again! The beloved
collaboration between Ministop and Re:ZERO is back! We’ve got some really
lovelystuffinstoreforyouthistime.”
“In light of summer bearing down on us, I gather there will be some wall
scrolls showing Emilia and her friends in bathrobes, as well as key chains
packagedwithyourfavoriteMinistopsweets.Theyarequitecute.Youcanuse
theLoppiterminalatanyMinistoptopreorder.It’saratherconvenientdevice.”
“Itsureis.Oh,and,and!WehaveanannouncementabouttheMFBunkoJ
SummerSchoolFestival!Theschoolfestivalispackedeveryyear,andthisyear
theeventswillincludeanautographsessionwithTappeiNagatsuki,theauthorof
Re:ZERO!Yahoooo,that’sawesome!Butisitgoingtogoallright?”
“I’msuretheplansweremadeafterdueconsideration.Ihavehighhopesfor
that autograph session. Apparently there will also be announcements about
merchandising and more at the summer festival. Details about the festival and
the Ministop collaboration can be found on the Re:ZERO home page or MF
BunkoJ’shomepage.”
“You’re so thoughtful, Lady Crusch! You’re wonderful! And on that note!
Onethingwedefinitelyshouldn’tforgetisRe:ZERO,Volume7!Itshouldgoon
saleinSeptember.Ta-da!”
“SubaruNatsukihashadhisheartbroken,buthestartsoffonceagain.With
Rem’shelp,heopensnegotiationswithus—andthenthebiggestbattlehisnew
worldhaseverseenbegins.”
“If ol’ Subaru’s willing to help you achieve the kingship, Lady Crusch, I
mightactuallyhavetoadmithe’sgotsomegoodpoints.Whatatragedy!”
“We can’t be sure that’s what’s really going on. If we make the wrong
judgment,wecouldfindthecarpetpulledoutfromunderus.We’llhavetobe
careful.”
“Atoe-to-toefightwiththatdumb-dumb?…Ooh,Ferrijustfallsharderand
harderforyou!”
