Ars, the capital of the Kingdom of Asura, was the largest and most
populous city in the world. At its very center, there stood a white-walled
castle—naturally enough, one said to be the world's largest and most
beautiful. It was known as the Silver Palace, and it was the residence of the
royal family.
Within its walls, there raged a vicious, ugly, and perpetual struggle for
power that belied its immaculate appearance. The kingdom's nobles never
tired of plotting, deceiving, and betraying each other. They waged battle day
and night.
The world of this palace was a small and hellish one—a place where it
was said that absolutely no one could be trusted.
As it happens, the "Displacement Incident" that had taken place in the
Fittoa region of the kingdom had a major impact on the course of the wars
waged within this castle.
This is the story of how those events were set in motion…
***
Aside from the residences of the royal family, the Silver Palace
contained a number of splendid gardens.
There was the Rose Garden, full of plants with red flowers; the Peony
Garden, full of plants with black flowers; the Hydrangea Garden, full of
plants with blue flowers; and finally, a place where only white flowers
bloomed—the Lily Garden.
This last was the particular favorite of a certain personage.
Her name was Ariel Anemoi Asura, and she was the second princess of the Kingdom of Asura. From her mother, the queen consort, a famous beauty,
she'd inherited lovely features and shining golden hair; from her father, the
king, she'd inherited a peerlessly beautiful voice. And though she was not yet
of age, her charisma was overpowering. The majority of the capital's
residents already spoke of her as the most beautiful princess to have ever
lived.
Once every three days, this young lady came to the Lily Garden. She
would seat herself at a pure-white table, accompanied only by her guardian
knight and her mage, and quietly take her tea.
In these moments, the sight of her was charming enough to make any
woman sigh longingly, and so enthralling that no man could help but stare.
Her beauty, like that of a fairy from some old folk tale, was such that it
seemed uncouth even to approach her. Thus no one came up to speak with the
princess when she visited the Lily Garden. Not a single soul dared to try and
drink tea with her.
Sitting all alone at her table, she enjoyed her momentary respite alone,
exchanging only a few brief words with her two guardians.
Her guardian knight was a boy of great beauty in his own right. He had
lovely bright chestnut hair and strong facial features; his nose was shapely,
his jawline well-defined.
His name was Luke Notos Greyrat. Second son of the Greyrat family,
one of the kingdom's four great provincial houses, he was a talented young
knight who had already reached the Intermediate rank in the Sword God
style. There wasn't a single girl inside the castle who didn't know of him.
Although still in his early teens, he already possessed a silver tongue, and
never lost the interest of any lady he conversed with. With his dashing looks
and clever mind, he was said to entrance every noble daughter who crossed
his path. At the very least, no other man in the castle was nearly so admired
by the girls his age.
The princess's guardian mage was somewhat older, perhaps sixteen or
seventeen—a young man rather than a boy.
While not as remarkably good-looking as Luke, he was still handsome by any ordinary standards; his somewhat slender face possessed an amiable
attractiveness. His presence added a dash of playful charm that nicely
complemented the beauty of the other two, making it all the more difficult for
anyone to imagine approaching them.
His name was Derrick Redbat, third son of the well-known Redbat
house, and he was a magician of Advanced rank who had graduated from the
illustrious Asura Institute of Magic.
What did these three talk about when they were alone? It was a matter
of the utmost interest to all the young people living in the Silver Palace, but
none of them knew the answer. On this day, as on many others, they were
conversing quietly in the Lily Garden.
"Well then, what color were they?"
Ariel's words echoed faintly through the quiet garden. Her voice truly
was uncommonly beautiful; the sound of it brought to mind the tinkling of
bells.
"A lovely shade of pink… Ah, but with a tinge of orange as well,"
replied the young knight Luke from across the table, where he stood in
attendance. His own voice was somewhat high-pitched, as one might expect
from a boy of his age, but had clarity and fullness.
Derrick, the princess's guardian mage, listened in silence. The somber
expression on his face suggested he was ruminating on their words.
"Personally, I prefer pert cherry-blossom buds on a field of porcelain
white…"
"With all due respect, Lady Ariel, I feel those that turn inward have a
certain appeal as well."
"Goodness! You like the inverted ones?"
Ariel's tone was somewhat shocked, but Luke replied calmly. "Well, I
will admit I'm not especially particular when it comes to such details. In the
end, size is all that truly matters to me."
Ariel sighed and shook her head. "Honestly. You have no taste at all, Luke."
In reply, Luke simply shrugged his shoulders.
What exactly were these two talking about, one might ask?
"In any case, how did you enjoy this new maid? Sarisha, was it?"
"Her body was very sensitive, and her innocence was charming. It
made for quite a pleasant evening."
The answer was quite simple: Luke had been describing the nipples of
the girl he'd bedded just the other day.
"Is that so? Hmm. Now you've made me want to smuggle her into my
bedchamber somehow."
"I would be perfectly happy to assist, milady."
"Oh? You're already prepared to toss her aside, after sleeping with her
only once?"
"I'm afraid Sarisha's breasts weren't quite large enough for my liking."
Ariel and Luke, in stark contrast to their appearances, were in fact a
pair of lecherous young philanderers. For some time now, they'd been
preying indiscriminately on the palace maids and the daughters of mid-rank
nobles.
"Nothing's more exciting than teasing cute girls like that, if you ask
me. I imagine Sarisha would squeal quite nicely…"
Only a limited number of people in the palace were aware of this, but
Princess Ariel was both bisexual and a sadist. Many among the Asuran
nobility possessed extraordinary sexual proclivities, and she was certainly no
exception. Luke wasn't quite as extreme a case, but his love of big-breasted
women knew no bounds.
Hiding in the shadow of their outward appearance and reputation, the
two of them lived carefree lives of pleasure—indifferent to the plotting and
intrigue that defined the royal court of Asura.
In this, they were hardly unusual for those of their rank. The majority
of the nobility indulged in behavior just as scandalous, or even more so.
Asura was a kingdom with a 400-year history that had never known war or
famine. For many of its upper class, a demonstrated taste for decadence was a sort of status symbol. Ariel and Luke were still young, but they were already
immersed in the amusements of their kind.
However…
"Luke. Lady Ariel. I think it would be best for you to behave…
somewhat more discreetly."
Derrick was a man with a more conventional mindset. In no small part,
this was because the Redbats were merely mid-rank provincial nobility. They
lived in an entirely different world from the decadence of the capital.
One might wonder why such a young man had been granted the
prestigious role of guardian mage to the second princess, but the answer was
quite simple: his results in the Institute had been superb. Advanced-tier
magicians of noble birth were a rare commodity.
"Oh, Derrick…you really ought to learn what it means to be an Asuran
noble."
"Milady is quite right, Derrick. You're always like this. If you don't
figure out how to read the room, you'll never be popular with the ladies."
As Ariel and Luke shrugged their shoulders, Derrick heaved a heavy
sigh.
"That's not what I meant, Lady Ariel. You may very well rule this
kingdom someday, so it seems unwise to expose yourself to gossip and
jealousy. You risk making enemies."
This time, it was Princess Ariel's turn to let out a long sigh. "Look,
Derrick. You're always saying things like that, but you do remember that I'm
the second princess, correct?"
"Of course. Which means you're high in the line of succession, and a
potential candidate to succeed the throne."
"I have two older brothers and one older sister. It does appear that
they've found a husband for my sister, but my brothers are wrestling
ruthlessly for the throne. With them around, there isn't the slightest chance
I'll ever become queen."
"That isn't true. You're the daughter of the queen consort. That makes
you the only fully legitimate heir to the throne, and—"
"Stop it, Derrick," Ariel interrupted sharply. "What if those words
reached my brothers' ears? Do you want them to send assassins after me? It's
bad enough that I've got all these nobles swearing fealty to me out of self-
interest…"
"If you chose to fight, Lady Ariel, I'd happily lay down my life to
protect you from anyone they may send."
"Would you please stop saying such alarming things? That's not too
convincing anyway. I know what you really think of Luke and me… You'd
probably like to get me caught up in a power struggle just so you can
abandon me when the fighting starts, wouldn't you?"
"Wha—" Derrick's eyes went wide with shock. After a moment, his
body began quivering, his face grew fierce, and he clenched his hands into
fists.
"Look here, Derrick. I don't care if I never take the throne. I can still
drink tea in a lovely garden and live my life the way I please, and that's
enough for me. I wouldn't stand a chance against my brothers anyway. The
idea of throwing myself voluntarily into that mess is just absurd."
Ariel's pessimism was fully justifiable. No matter how high her place
in the order of succession, she was younger than her rivals and had far fewer
allies. Her chances of victory were slim to none. Surely, then, it was wiser
not to strive for the throne at all and simply live a life of indulgent pleasure.
She was still a princess of the largest country in the world, so that option was
available to her.
"Never mind then…" Derrick's heart was clouded with frustration, but
he could find no other words to say.
As he turned and left the garden, Ariel and Luke shrugged their
shoulders, then resumed their discourse on the nipples of the palace's women.
***
It wasn't that Derrick had abandoned his responsibilities as the
princess's guardian mage. He was just going to the bathroom.
Derrick and Luke were tasked with protecting Ariel at all times, but they were only human, so their bodies had certain needs. When either of them
felt the call of nature, they would usually inform the other and do their
business as quickly as possible. In this world, as in any other, people were
never so vulnerable as when they were relieving themselves.
The sweetly fragrant air of the Lily Garden had never agreed with
Derrick. At first, he'd informed Luke every time he felt the need to leave it
for the nearest facility, but over time, this became so routine that Ariel and
Luke began to expect it. Eventually, the princess ordered him not to bother
announcing his intentions anymore. However extreme her tastes might be in
some respects, she didn't care to be reminded of scatological matters in the
middle of her tea-time.
As he shut himself up inside the lavatory, Derrick let out a long sigh.
He was mentally replaying the conversation he'd just had with Princess Ariel.
Ariel insisted she had no interest whatsoever in becoming queen, but Derrick
so badly wanted her to take the throne.
It wasn't that he thought her brothers, the first prince and second
prince, were unworthy candidates. If either took the throne, they'd no doubt
mature into a respectable, ordinary king comparable to those who'd come
before.
But the way Derrick saw it, that wasn't good enough. With either
prince on the throne, Asura would continue on its current path—rotten to the
core, but expanding nonetheless. The nobility's ugly, meaningless squabbling
would continue unchecked, wasting money and energy that may otherwise go
toward progress. And in time, Asura might grow vulnerable to foreign
influence.
This land had never known hunger. No matter how corrupt the nobility,
no matter how severe their taxes, the people never went hungry. Thus, their
discontent rarely festered into fury; few emerged to challenge the status quo.
There had been no major rebellions or civil wars.
As a result of this, the kingdom had stagnated.
Of course, it was still making steady progress in the fields of magic and
technology. But the King Dragon Realm to the south had overtaken it in
technological development, and the Magic Nations to the north were making
greater strides in arcane research. While Asura still had overwhelming advantages in other respects, at
this rate it was hard to say where things would stand after another century…
or even half a century. The King Dragon Realm in particular was watching
Asura like a hawk for any sign of weakness, eager to claim some part of its
bountiful land.
Asura currently believed that the mountains lining its borders meant it
was safe from foreign invasion, but how would it fare against an even more
technologically advanced King Dragon Realm army fifty years from now?
And what if the Magic Nations seized the chance to invade from the north…?
"Lady Ariel could change everything, and yet…"
Derrick genuinely believed that the second princess was capable of
pushing Asura onto a different path.
He still remembered the first time he'd met her very clearly. It was
only a few years earlier, at a coming-of-age celebration held by the kingdom.
At the time, Derrick had just graduated from the Institute of Magic. While he
hadn't been the top student of his class, he'd placed very highly, and he'd
already secured a post with the Asuran Royal Magicians, who he'd be joining
a few months later.
Derrick knew he was a capable magician, but also an unremarkable
one. He had no high expectations for himself. But that day, he encountered a
certain charming young girl. Although Ariel was not yet of age herself, she'd
been invited to the party as the guest of honor. Despite her youth, she
delivered her congratulatory speech in a clear, confident style; in Derrick's
eyes, her wit and intelligence outshone the top student who'd spoken at his
graduation from the Institute.
Sometime later, after he'd joined the Royal Magicians, his father told
him that the position of guardian mage to the second princess was vacant, and
offered to recommend him for the post—while warning it'd be a long shot.
He had enthusiastically accepted.
Ariel was a competent and dynamic person. At the moment she was
spending her days drinking tea and her nights jumping on the maids, yes…
but by nature, she was diligent, sociable, and willing to work hard to improve
herself. If she were to assume the throne and devote herself to strengthening
her country, Derrick was positive Asura would take great strides forward in a
single generation. It might even be possible for it to conquer the entire Central Continent.
For one thing, she was remarkably charismatic. Both the Institute of
Magic and the Royal Magicians were full of what one might call disaffected
people. There were many who whispered words of criticism toward the
ministers who currently dominated the government, or toward the nobility
and the royal family.
However, in all the years he'd spent in these places, Derrick had never
heard anyone speak badly of Ariel.
He had every confidence that she could become a ruler like Gaunis
Freean Asura, who'd led humankind through the latter stages of the Laplace
War and taken the throne in its aftermath—a ruler beloved by all her people.
There were already quite a few people who would gladly give their lives for
Ariel's sake. Derrick himself was one of them; it had been painful and
infuriating to hear her dismiss that loyalty so casually.
"To be sure, her life's at little risk if she keeps acting in this fashion…
but she's lowering herself to the level of some corrupt nobleman…"
Perhaps she truly didn't want to shoulder the expectations of her
countrymen? Had he been chosen as mage guardian specifically because she
thought he wouldn't push her toward a more difficult path? The princess
never said as much, but perhaps she detested him…
Derrick heaved another sigh.
But just as he was sinking deeper into melancholy, he heard the faint
sound of a human voice.
"Hm?"
Someone was evidently having a conversation out behind the lavatory.
"Princess Ariel…"
"…kill…"
Having picked out a few alarming words, Derrick held his breath and
pressed his ear to the rear wall.
"Sir Grabel views Lady Ariel as a threat then?"
"That's right. Her popularity with the commonfolk is remarkable after
all. He's quite upset that she's better-known than he is, even though she barely ever shows herself in public."
"It is a little strange, come to think of it… Whatever part she's playing
at the moment, she might be laying the groundwork behind the scenes."
"Right. When you can't win a head-on fight, you've got to skulk
around in the shadows instead, I suppose."
Derrick furrowed his brow at this. Ariel's popularity with the citizenry
was partly due to her natural charisma, but she also showed herself to them
far more often than First Prince Grabel. Her brother dutifully attended
internal palace ceremonies, but rarely ventured to events held outside its
walls; in contrast, Ariel spent a good deal of time at various external
functions. For example, she'd recently attended the dedication ceremony for a
new bridge over the Alteir river, becoming one of the first people to cross it.
Not long before, she'd been the guest of honor at the Institute's major
magical combat tournament, handing the winner his prizes with a bouquet of
flowers, and allowing him the honor of kissing her hand. It was precisely
because she invested time in such events, totally unconnected to the power
struggles within the royal court, that she'd grown popular with the
commonfolk.
"If that really is the case though…"
"Indeed. The girl will become an obstacle."
"…I suppose it might be best to take precautions against future
trouble."
"I feel similarly. And so, out of deep concern for the interests of Prince
Grabel and the Kingdom of Asura as a whole, I've already made certain…
arrangements."
"Hahaha. I really ought to have expected as much from you, I
suppose."
Derrick was tempted to burst out of the lavatory and kill the men
outside it, but quickly quashed the thought. These two were almost certainly
nobles of the first prince's faction. They were men who'd spend their
fortunes freely—and resort to the vilest deeds imaginable—for the sake of
shaping events to their liking; when cornered, they would offer every
cowardly excuse they could to save their own skins. There were many of
their ilk inside the palace. Derrick could kill them here and now with his magic, but that would be
a meaningless act. Everyone would assume that Ariel had ordered her
guardian mage to murder two nobles loyal to the first prince. That would be
interpreted as an act of open hostility against Grabel himself, and lead to a
constant stream of attacks from his followers.
For a moment, Derrick wondered if such an outcome might force Ariel
to pursue the throne after all…but if the princess had no actual motivation to
fight, they would be put on the defensive, driven into a corner, and ultimately
butchered like animals.
Abandoning the idea of killing the men, Derrick left the lavatory
without a word. One way or another, he had to take action against this new
threat.
One of the nobles said that "arrangements" had already been made. In
which case, something would likely happen soon—perhaps even within the
next few days. Their objective was likely Ariel herself, but as her most loyal
guards, Derrick and Luke were also potential targets.
Would it be an assassin? Or perhaps some type of poison?
He had to tell Ariel of this immediately…and urge her, once again, to
face this battle head-on.
With these thoughts running through his mind, Derrick strode rapidly
back toward the Lily Garden, clutching his staff under his robe so he could
protect himself against any sudden ambushes.
"…How long has it been since the last time I fought?"
Back at the Institute of Magic, he'd participated in regular mock battles
—sometimes against other young magicians, sometimes against students
from a knight academy. At times these were larger-scale group matches,
pitting off teams of three to five. Several times a year, the students were also
escorted into a local forest by their instructors and hired adventurers, in order
to gain experience fighting against monsters.
It wasn't as if Derrick had never taken a life before. In one mock battle,
he'd accidentally killed his opponent with a spell that happened to strike him
in the head. And during the selection process for the role of guardian mage,
he'd been required to fight and kill a convict previously sentenced to death—
as a test of his willingness to do what was necessary. However, if someone were sending an assassin to face both himself
and Luke, they'd undoubtedly choose an experienced and efficient killer. It'd
be a life-or-death struggle. The thought sent a small shudder down
Derrick's arm.
"Can I protect her…?"
He voiced his anxieties…then shook his head to clear them from his
mind.
This was something Derrick had no way of knowing, but…
The Fittoa Displacement Incident was taking place at this exact instant.
***
"Lady Arie— Wha—?!"
The moment Derrick stepped back into the Lily Garden, his jaw
dropped open in shock.
His eyes were fixed on an area toward the back of the garden—a
section known as the Hibiscus Forest.
An enormous beast that stood on two legs had just trotted out from
among the trees.
It was a Terminator Boar.
By itself, these were D-ranked monsters, but they were often
accompanied by loyal packs of Assault Dogs which could raise their threat
level to C- or even B-class. Normally, they were only found in the depths of
forests, but their numbers were large, and sometimes one would emerge to
attack a nearby town—typically seizing livestock or human children to
consume.
Many years ago, a Terminator Boar accompanied by twenty Assault
Dogs had killed every soul living in a small Asuran village. As a result, they
were one of the most infamous monsters living within the Kingdom's
borders. In settlements near forests, children were often told that a boar
would carry them off and eat them unless they went to bed on time, as others might be threatened with stories of the Superd.
Derrick, like most of his countrymen, was familiar with the name and
appearance of these monsters, and their reputation as a fearsome beast.
"How…?"
Why was there a Terminator Boar here? This was the royal palace,
home to the ruling family of the world's largest nation. It wasn't a safe place
by any means, but it was certainly the last location one would ever expect to
find a wild monster. How could one possibly have appeared here?
Derrick's mind flashed to the conversation he'd just overheard. Had
that noble somehow arranged this? That couldn't be right. No mere nobleman
could possibly have smuggled such a wild, enormous beast into the heart of
the palace. Even the kingdom's most powerful ministers wouldn't be capable
of such a thing.
Although he had no way of knowing this, the Terminator Boar had in
fact been teleported to this location only moments ago as a result of the Fittoa
Displacement Incident.
As Derrick's mind struggled to process the situation, his gaze found
Princess Ariel, and he let out an involuntary gasp.
She was still at her table, chattering happily away with Luke about
some vulgar topic. The two of them hadn't noticed the Terminator Boar—
even though it was staring right at them, its eyes glittering like a hunter sizing
up its prey.
Derrick broke into a run. And as he ran, he began chanting a magic
incantation.
However, the Terminator Boar was also on the move. Perhaps it had
noticed Derrick, or sensed a threat; either way, it charged through the
garden's vegetation, heading straight for Princess Ariel.
I won't make it in time!
Derrick abandoned his incantation halfway through and shouted, "Run,
Lady Ariel!" at the top of his lungs.
With an exclamation of surprise, the princess rose to her feet—just in
time to notice the huge brown blur rushing at her from the side. She jumped
out of its path. As Ariel hit the ground, the Terminator Boar smashed its way through
a number of the garden's delicate trees, then turned back toward its target.
By this point, Derrick had placed himself between Ariel and the
monster. The enormous boar loomed before the magician, drool dribbling
from its mouth. Its glittering, bestial eyes were fixed on him.
What could a magician possibly do in this situation? At this close
range, against this large a monster? There wasn't the slightest chance he
could complete an incantation in time.
So Derrick didn't even bother. He simply spread his arms out wide,
and shouted with all he had. "Luke! I leave the rest to you!"
A split-second later, the Terminator Boar's fist sent him flying.
The punch broke all his ribs and crushed several vital organs. Blood
shot from his mouth as he hurtled through the air. When he finally smashed
into a wall some five meters away, he felt his spine shatter as well.
"Ghaagh!"
He was only fortunate in that he didn't lose consciousness
immediately. But perhaps that wasn't much of a blessing.
Oh… I'm dying.
Derrick's mind was oddly clear. He knew he was done for. He could
smell his own death in the air. The wounds he'd suffered were fatal ones,
without a doubt. I saw someone die from injuries much like these once, didn't
I…?
He felt no fear. Perhaps it had all happened so suddenly that his brain
hadn't quite caught up yet.
Staring across the garden, Derrick watched Luke draw his sword and
charge straight at the Terminator Boar. Don't be a fool, Luke… You can't
possibly beat that thing single-handedly… Oh, right. The door's on that
side… So you can't just run away, can you…?
Derrick tried looking around by moving just his eyes. What about Lady
Ariel? Is she safe?
He found her soon enough. She was rushing toward him—her face full
of shock and confusion, but not terror.
"Derrick! Oh, this can't be happening… We've got to get a healer here
at once!"
As the princess cried out in alarm, Derrick mustered what little strength
remained to him to speak. "Ungh… Leave me… You have to…run away…"
He coughed.
"Don't try to speak, Derrick! Someone, help! Is there no one here?!"
"Khh… This is…pointless, Lady Ariel… I'm well past saving…"
"No…no! Don't be ridiculous! You've got to hang in there, Derrick!"
Derrick looked at the princess, now clearly on the verge of tears, with
some surprise. He'd been convinced Ariel and Luke hated having him
around, but perhaps that wasn't entirely true. Despite everything, he felt a
small roguish impulse rising inside him.
"Well, Princess? I didn't…a-abandon you…now did I?"
Ariel jerked back, seemingly startled by his words. And after a
moment, she began gazing at her deeply loyal guardian in a way she'd never
looked at him before. "Derrick…"
"Lady Ariel, this is…my last request. Please, I beg you…take the
throne…and make Asura into…a better country! Gggh!"
A broken rib pierced Derrick's lung, and he coughed up a large amount
of blood.
Ariel watched in silence for a moment, then nodded and turned around.
An enormous boar stood in front of her.
Luke, knocked aside some time earlier, was looking over at Ariel from
the ground with an expression of pure despair.
Ariel glared fiercely at the creature for a moment, then began shouting.
"I don't know where you came from or why, but you stand before the future
Queen of Asura! I'm not going to die today. Begone!"
Naturally enough, words meant nothing at all to a Terminator Boar.
The beast only snuffled softly, its nostrils trembling in anticipation of a tasty
meal.
It took one step forward, then another. Watching helplessly from the ground, Derrick said a silent prayer. As a
follower of the Millis Church, he turned to the heavens in search of aid.
Please, God…please help us. You can take my life, but help Princess
Ariel. This world still has need of her…
He prayed in vain of course. Derrick knew that better than anyone.
Saint Millis had been a truly great man, and the savior of humanity…but you
couldn't expect him to grant you a convenient miracle every time you needed
one. That was just the way things were. Even so, Derrick couldn't help
beseeching him.
At last, the beast drew within striking distance of Princess Ariel. Its
massive fist rose into the air.
But then—the prayer was answered.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
With an ear-splitting shriek, an angel tumbled from the heavens. It was
a young, white-haired angel—wearing rather shoddy clothes.
"Aah! Aaaaaah!"
With a charming, half-crazed war cry, she stretched both hands toward
the massive boar…and somehow, blew the upper half of its body apart.
Thank you, God… Thank you so much. Witnessing this, Derrick shed
one final tear. Please…watch over Lady Ariel.
And with his heart full of peace, the guardian mage breathed his last…
***
The Fittoa Displacement Incident cost one young magician his life—
and provided Ariel Anemoi Asura with a new and different purpose.
What path did she follow in the aftermath of these events? How did
they change Luke Greyrat?
And what became of the angel that fell from the heavens?
These are tales for another time…
...........
END OF VOLUME 3