「In the end, Sakura is the same person as the one called Farnese Forneus, right?」(Touya)
「There's no mistake. This person is Farne-sama. There's no way for me who has guarded her since she was small to be wrong」(Spica)
On the chairs in the castle hall, I and Spica-san are sitting oppositely as she asserts her claim clearly. She, having said that there was no way she would be mistaken, completely didn't know about it until now.
「It's the result of this [Transformation eye]. It distorts the recognition of a certain group of people. It's an artifact that falsifies one's existence, and it seems demonkins have been set as its target. Perhaps, the demon folks are probably seeing Farne-sama's hair as black too」(Spica)
She says so as she looks at the medal on the table that Sakura was wearing.
I see. So it's because of this medal that demonkins have seen a different face and different hair color, right? We could see it normally though.
「Sakura, what about you? Does the name "Farnese" sound familiar?」(Touya)
Sakura, who's sitting next to me, strongly shakes her head.
「Nothing. I don't remember anything before coming to this country. Not even about Spica. I'm sure of it」(Sakura)
「No way… No, I guess I need to think it had been a good fortune just for you to be alive」(Spica)
Spica-san is depressed. Yep, it's naturally she would be like that.
Come to think of it, Spica-san said a while ago that she was Farne's guard for a majority of her life, but… Huh?
「Wait a minute. If I am not mistaken, Spica-san's Frenel family is a family who has been acting as the guards of the Zenoasu royal family for generations, isn't it? Then in other words, does that mean that Sakura is the princess of Zenoasu?」(Touya)
Spica-san avoids meeting eye-to-eye with a face that screams "Damn it". In the end, was it bad to ask about it? Is it something you should've kept hidden?
She takes a deep breath before long and starts to talk.
「…That's so. I'm not longer a person from Zenoasu, and because with how things are, I don't think it would be a problem even I talk about it. Certainly, Farne-sama is Demon King Zelgadi Fon Zenoasu-sama's illegitimate child」(Spica)
Sakura, as usual, looks to me and tilts her head. Can she not grasp a single thing being told about herself?
「When you say "illegitimate child", do you mean that she's not the child of the legal wife? But is it something that needs to be concealed?」(Touya)
Though I've thought it would have nothing to do with her being a concubine's child. Well, if it's child you've secretly made with another woman who's not even a concubine, would you really hide it from your legal wife? Guess it's possible if the wife is an insanely scary person, right?
「Only a small amount of people knows about Farne-sama's existence. That's because Farne-sama didn't have the king horns that's the proof of being from the demon king's family. As such, her existence was erased」(Spica)
「King's horns?」(Touya)
「Those who are the descendants of the demon king are essentially born with horns regardless of their gender. However, Farne-sama didn't have them. Despite her certainly being the demon king's child based on the quantity of magic power, she was a detested child who didn't possess the proof of being from the demon royalty. The existence of Farne-sama has been erased from the royal family's records, making it look like she doesn't exist」(Spica)
What's that!? Isn't she is your child whether she has horns or not. Isn't it cruel to erase her existence?
When I frowned, Spica-san followed-up. Did she guess what I was thinking?
「The demon king-sama thought that it would be good for both Farne-sama and her mother Fiana-sama because someone from the demon royalty who doesn't have horns will only be an object of contempt…. Rather than being looked at with strange eyes, he probably thought she would be happier living as a normal human rather than a royalty」(Spica)
「Human? Is Sakura's… Farne's mother a human?」(Touya)
「Yes. Normally, a child who is born between a demon royalty and a spouse from any tribe will be a demonkin no matter what. Therefore, it has been judged that Farne-sama is a human same as her mother due to her lacking the horns. Her mother's blood came out strongly perhaps due to some mutation. However…」(Spica)
Spica-san glances at Sakura and hesitates to talk. Something must've happened after that.
According to Spica-san, Sakura's mother has apparently refused to become a concubine by any possible means. It seems she would've been separated from Sakura if she became a concubine.
From that time, Spica-san lived together with the daughter and her mother for several years. Publicly, they were guests of the Frenel family. I've been told that they lived a peaceful life without anything happening.
However, a change happened when Sakura was 10 years old. The king's horns that shouldn't be there have grown. This surprised and puzzled both the Frenel family and the demon king. They don't know why it has happened, but as Sakura's king horns lengthened, her magic power also increased.
Among the royal family of Zenoasu, the one with the highest magic power is to be the next demon king regardless of gender. And then, Sakura ended up having a much higher magic power than even the royal princes.
Sakura mother didn't want Sakura to become the demon king's successor, but the nobles didn't stop thinking of that. Especially the people from houses of mothers of royal princes had eyes of doubt.
There were asking "Aren't you going to disregard our princes and sit down on the demon king's seat?"
Both the first and second princes lost their mothers due to illnesses, so the families of their mothers made their influence known by showing support to the princes.
The existence of Sakura was only a nuisance to such people.
In order for Sakura to protect herself, the demon king handed her the aforementioned [Transformation eye]. It's an artifact that absorbs magic power and shows a fake appearance for those around the user. It seems that would've been the counter-measure until Sakura grew to the point where she could make the king horns shrink by her own will.
However on a certain day, Sakura and Spica-san — these two people went shopping — were suddenly attacked by assailants who covered their faces with masks.
The enemies were the people skilled with weapons, and Spica-san didn't have her shield even though she had the sword. It's said that she had somehow managed making herself a shield, and was able to let Sakura run away. However, she was then dragged into the suicidal explosions by the masked assailants, losing her consciousness.
「Say, those masked assailants…」(Touya)
���I've gotten to know it later. They were assassins from Yuuron. I don't know whether it was an order from Yuuron, or it was a deal with someone」(Spica)
As expected. Come to think of it, Sakura did help me when I was being attacked by the same assassins. I wonder if that had something to do with her having a memory lapse about the time when she herself was being attacked. In that case, all of Sakura memories may be restored one day.
「After that, I was informed of Farne-sama's death by my father when I'd woken up on the bed of our residence. Parts of Farne-sama's body were thrown into the yard of the mansion. I can't forget my despair at that time when I've seen that right leg and right arm even now」(Spica)
Spica-san left her house, shouldering the regret of not being able to protect the person she should've protected after that incident. The official stand is that this situation isn't a mistake of the Frenel family. From the start, there's no reason to disgrace a family name with that incident even if a princess of the demon kingdom, who didn't exist, had died.
However, Spica-san was unable to forgive that, and she probably was unable to forgive herself above all. Therefore, she left the house.
Of course, Spica-san chased the steps of the guys who had murdered her lord. She said it didn't take her much time to figure that the guys who had used those masks were assassins from Yuuron. Then, when she was trying to approach their central location, that grand invasion of the Frazes happened.
As result, Yuuron completely perished, and the mastermind died without her knowing who that person was. She then was wandering, asking herself what she should do from now on when she became sick with demon stiffness illness which she regarded to be the final blow to herself. She apparently arrived to this country when she was looking for a place to die.
「Umm, having briefly heard this far, I have several issues」(Touya)
「What… do you mean?」(Spica)
「First of all, the place where I've picked up Sakura who was dying without her limbs, wasn't Zenoasu but Ishen. Assuming the assassins had been from Yuuron, is there any reason for Yuuron to kill Sakura? Moreover, Sakura didn't have something like horns when I've found her…」(Touya)
「Umm, King-sama, you see… I… can bring out my horns」(Sakura)
「Ha?」(Touya)
Sakura, who's sitting next to me, hesitantly starts to talk while fidgeting.
She closes her eyes and silver horns start to grow a little above her ears. Are those the so-called "King horns"?
「As expected. Have you hidden your horns?」(Spica)
It seems it's something Spica-san, who has concluded that Sakura is Farne, knows.
「Why didn't you say anything?」(Touya)
「At first… I was scared that I was different from other people. Later, I learned that this country doesn't discriminate even against demonkins, but there was no opportunity to bring the issue up…」(Sakura)
「Did you also help the dying Spica-san because she's a demonkin too?」(Touya)
Sakura nods. With the chance of herself also being infected by a patient with demon stiffness illness, it was good that… wait, Sakura probably didn't come into contact with her at that time. It seems it was an employee from [Silver Moon] who carried her.
There's no longer any doubt after coming to this conclusion. As Spica-san has said. I guess Sakura is Farnese Forneus from the Demon Kingdom of Zenoasu.
「Having arrived to this conclusion, Sakura…rather, Farne, I guess? What does Farne want to do from now on?」(Touya)
「Sakura is fine. It's the name that King-sama has given me. I like it」(Sakura)
If she says so. The name "Sakura" is fine with her, I guess? That name may be better when she's in our country.
「My memories didn't come back, so I don't feel much from my other name. I don't think I want to return to Zenoasu, and I don't intend to have revenge on the people who have tried to kill me as well. However…」(Sakura)
「However?」(Touya)
「My mother… I wish to meet her」(Sakura)
Sakura announced, motionlessly looking at me.
「What about your father, the demon king?」(Touya)
「I don't really know him, he doesn't matter」(Sakura)
That's drastic. Umm, well, I've understood from the story that they didn't seem to have a lot of contact. It seems Sakura feels that way even if she doesn't have her memories I don't think he's a bad person to that extent though…
「Where's Sakura's mother right now?」(Touya)
「I think she's probably still staying at our house. The shock was too much for her to carry after Farne-sama died, and she had become bedridden…」(Spica)
Understandable, isn't it? Then, Sakura has to appear before her, showing that she's healthy. Though she lost her memories…
「If only there's a magic that restores memories. Even [Recovery] was no good. I suppose you may remember the old days if you go to Zenoasu」(Touya)
Her walking through the capital where she was born and raised or meeting her mother may be a chance to recover her memories.
Hm then, I will ask to peep at Spica-san's memories with [Recall] and, we will directly go to the Frenel house… with [Gate]… .ee… ha…..
「Aah?!」(Touya)
「K-King-sama…?!」(Sakura)
「W-what happened?!」(Spica)
The two are surprised because of my voice. They look anxiously at me, but it isn't really the case for me. What the hell....?
「How… say, What a fool I am…! There IS a magic that restores memories! Haven't I been using it all this time? Am I an idiot!!?」(Touya)
I bang my head at the table with a "BAN!". I want to die. I want to die due to how stupid I am. I'm a really really big fool for a guy
Memory retrieval magic [Recall]. It's magic that brings up the other party's memories in order to read them. I can open [Gate] with it even to places where I have not been to yet with the memories I've received.
Also at the same time, this magic can bring back the memories the other party may have forgotten, however trivial they may be.
For example, I wouldn't be able to tell the menu of the meal from one week ago even if I've been asked to tell it.. Using this magic in this dilemma, peeping at the other party's memoires will make the other party remember those as well.
In the first place, [Recall] also means [bring back] besides [retrieval]. I'm already too foolish that words can describe. Please hit me, to the point where my teeth break.
「…Sorry. Sakra, I'm really sorry」(Touya)
「I don't really mind. Don't worry about it」(Sakura)
No, even if she doesn't mind it… I am filled with the feeling of regrets. Haaa~…
I wish I could just disappear….