A half hour after the modest banquet commenced, a pair of mages
appeared at the entrance to the hall. One was the next queen of Tuldarr, and
the other was her attendant.
As Tinasha brushed her long black hair back, she surveyed the guests
and then waved to the king.
"Pardon the intrusion, but I'll be going back to Tuldarr for a while."
"Got it. Is it urgent?" Oscar inquired.
"Not particularly," she answered, smiling faintly.
Sylvia grinned. "Princess Tinasha, won't you have a drink before you
go?"
"I'll get yelled at if I drink in Farsas."
"That's right. Oh, then sing us a song, if your matter is nothing pressing.
You're here and everything," said Oscar.
"A song?" Tinasha repeated, acting a little hesitant, but ultimately, she
acquiesced to his request.
She sat down between Sylvia and Doan and summoned a small lyre into
her hands. After strumming it once to check all the strings, she began to
sing in a clear voice.
"You wish for the unseen, and the unseen is a different thing.
No matter how brightly the sun's rays shine on the earth, some things
will never come to light.
Her face is forgotten, but her song goes on and on.
Fragmented memories wander about like traces of a dream long
past."
Her resonant voice had the power to sink deep beneath the skin.
The guests' eyes fluttered closed naturally as they listened in ecstasy.
The lyrics brought to mind scenes from ancient history.
Tinasha's song melted into the evening air as she sang the verses once
more, languidly, before drawing to a close. Her listeners remained
enraptured, however, as if they had come to the end of a long story and
could not break free from it right away. Save lingering reverberations of the
song, silence fell upon the hall.
Tinasha stood and returned to the doorway, where Renart was waiting.
She smiled. "I will be on my way, then."
"Okay. Be careful getting back," Oscar replied.
"Princess Nephelli, please take good care of yourself, too," Tinasha
appended.
"All right…," Nephelli muttered.
Tinasha spread her arms wide and said the incantation for a
transportation array. She opened a portal large enough to encompass Renart,
too. As she watched them wink out of sight, Nephelli let out another deep
sigh.
Aware that Nephelli remained in low spirits, Oscar took the opportunity at
the end of the banquet to invite her to go outside the castle with him the
following day. There was a small lake a little south of the city, and they
could do some hunting while they were out.
Nephelli was reluctant to accept, but as it was a special invitation from
him, and security would be heavily tightened up, she agreed.
The following morning, she woke up early and began selecting her outfit
for the day. There was still plenty of time before they were to meet. After a
great deal of indecision, she chose a white dress, as Oscar seemed to favor
them.
It had been an exceedingly long time since she had enjoyed something
to look forward to like this. She borrowed a horse and rode out to the castle
gate, where he was waiting for her. Once close enough, she beamed at him.
After staring at Nephelli, Oscar gave some order to the lady-in-waiting
behind her. She ran off, returning quickly with a short veil.
"You might get sunburned," Oscar explained.
"Th-thank you…," Nephelli mumbled, unaware how her cheeks were
flushing as she put on the veil.
Such keen thoughtfulness was welcome. It made her feel warm and
cherished.
Oscar and Nephelli passed through a transportation array along with a
party of twenty guards. It took them to a clearing just before a small forest.
On closer inspection, a path led deep into the middle of the woods. It
appeared to branch off along the way.
"The woods aren't dense enough for one to lose their way—but don't
leave my side. The lake is on the other side of these woods," Oscar said,
and Nephelli nodded and carefully urged her horse to follow after his. Right
behind her were Gait and Valt, as well as Nino and Lucanos, the Yardan
officers. Farsasian soldiers rode at the front and rear of the party, while
mages were interspersed throughout. It was more than enough to defend
against an attack.
As he led his horse with one hand on the reins, Oscar turned to Nephelli.
"It's best you get some fresh air outside every so often."
"Thank you for thinking of me," she responded, smiling at him.
While the princess knew there was still an emotional distance between
the two, this gave her hope for closing it.
As the party meandered through the forest, they passed many forks in
the road.
Suddenly, the light grew dim. Looking up, Nephelli saw that clouds had
formed overhead. They were flowing quickly, suggesting swift winds in the
sky.
Oscar turned back to gaze at Nephelli. She inhaled sharply, sensing a
sharp glint in his dusk-colored eyes. She opened her mouth to say
something.
However, Nephelli was quickly silenced as a curious fog rolled in. It
grew denser at an unnatural speed until she couldn't see a thing.
"Wha…?" she gasped, about to break into an instinctive cry of fear, but
a man's hand reached out from the mist to steady her.
When he suddenly couldn't see in front of him, Gait frantically urged his
horse ahead toward his lady.
"Princess Nephelli!"
The vapor was so thick that he couldn't see his own hands. Desperately,
he felt around in the air.
His hand landed on a soft body.
"Gait?" asked a clear and familiar voice. It was his lady. Just as relief
swept over the man, the mist thinned as abruptly as it had appeared.
Surroundings became visible once more, and light poured in from above.
Now that Gait could see, he was aghast as he realized there was
something very wrong. Glancing behind him, he saw Valt and the two
officers staring around, just as stunned.
At some point, every single person from Farsas—including the king—
had vanished.
"Wh-what in the world…?"
The three men exchanged glances and stayed on guard, but there were
no signs of any suspicious presences. Unfortunately, there was nothing to
suggest the people from Farsas were around, either.
Gait turned back around and said to a shaken-looking Nephelli,
"Princess, let's go back to the castle for now. I'll open a transportation
array."
"But…"
"You are our top priority. Once we've gotten you to a safe place, we can
worry about the others."
Nephelli hesitated for quite a while before finally giving a little nod.
With his lady's permission, Gait began an incantation. However, he couldn't
transport them directly inside another country's castle; he could only take
them outside its front gate.
Just as the portal was opening, something whizzed toward the group
from the trees.
It was an arrow headed straight for Nephelli. Fortunately, it struck a
barrier Valt had erected, and then it fell. The party was startled for only a
moment before a hail of projectiles rained down from all around.
"Assassins!"
The two officers drew their swords. Arrows were coming from the lefthand side, deep in the foliage. Lucanos shouted, "That way—and hurry!"
In the direction he indicted, something glittered in a gap through the
trees—the lake. Everyone made for it, with Nino riding in the lead.
Just before arriving at the lake's shore, Nino jerked hard on his horse's
reins. Roughly thirty mounted men were barring the way. One glance at
their motley attire revealed that they were not soldiers, but some sort of
bandit crew. Their weapons already drawn, they smirked at the woman in
the center of their group of five.
"That's the girl. Don't let her get away."
When Gait heard that, he sprang into action. If this was all part of a plot,
then he had to ensure Nephelli's escape, at the very least.
He wove a teleportation spell and reached out to the woman in front of
him.
As he did, however, the unthinkable happened.
Behind Nephelli, Lucanos slowly lifted his sword to bring it down on his
princess.
Gait was momentarily stunned by the cold gaze the other man fixed on
Nephelli.
"Princess Nephelli!" he cried, too late.
While Gait shook with dread that he had lost his one chance, Lucanos
grinned, confident he would carry out his task.
Astonishingly, both of their expectations were dashed.
Nephelli pulled her own sword out of nowhere and parried Lucanos's
slash away.
The would-be killer stared dumbly at her blade, which was glowing a
faint purple.
Amused, she let out a laugh. "It was you?"
She tore off her veil.
Underneath was the face of the frighteningly beautiful mage of Tuldarr.
"Ridiculous! When did you change places?!"
"Before, obviously. You're so slow," Tinasha taunted, keeping her eyes
on Lucanos as she turned her horse around. A cruel smile split her red lips.
Next to her, Gait was in shock. "That can't be… How could I mistake
the princess…? Where is she…?"
"She's with Oscar. They're fine. My curse song made you mix us up.
Last night, I altered your awareness, although it evidently didn't work on
everyone," she admitted, shooting a look at Valt. He gave a guilty smile.
Gait, on the other hand, hadn't picked up on it in the slightest; his jaw
dropped open. He knew of curse songs but would have never expected there
to be anyone who could use one.
Lucanos, having revealed himself as the assassin, looked flustered as he
backed his horse up. Tinasha directed a mesmeric smile at him. "Did you
kill the missing officer? He was close to the lady-in-waiting, so he knew
about the poison tasting. I surmised that the real assailant killed him to buy
time. So all that was left was to bring whoever remained into the open."
Tinasha readied her sword, a provocative grin on her face. "You can't
fall back now. You attacked me; that's undeniable. Now it's Tuldarr who
will deal with you."
"Damn you…," Lucanos growled, resentful over his failure. Tinasha
kicked at her horse and rode toward the man, thrusting her slender sword at
him. He defended with his own blade and struck back at her.
As she dodged his blow, Tinasha cried to the last three men, "Valt, hold
the barrier! You two, watch the rear!"
"Yes," Valt replied immediately. Gait and Nino obeyed in kind.
The bandits were galloping toward them on the thin passage through the
forest. Despite his nerves, Gait drew up a spell aimed at them. Seven light
blades burst forth and struck the center of the oncoming group.
The conjured things flew through the air and cut down the first ten
riders, who fell limp from their horses, spurting blood.
Yet the enemy was only confused for a moment; the other bandits let out
a war cry and continued the charge. The awful sound of their horses' hooves
trampling over their fallen comrades filled the woods.
Nino rode out in front of Gait and slashed at the brigands. He inhaled
sharply, and his next sword strike brought death upon one ruffian.
The difference in swordplay between a court officer and a bandit was
stark, but the enemy had ever more men.
Fortunately, just as the Yardans were losing hope, Farsasian soldiers
appeared behind the brigand party.
Als was leading them from the vanguard. "You can kill them all. Don't
let them get away!"
Cries rang out. In an instant, the forest turned into a battlefield.
Tinasha kept her hands on the reins of her steed even as she parried away
Lucanos's fierce slashes.
This was her first time using a sword in a duel to the death. She had
guessed that Lucanos might run away once she revealed who she really
was, but he seemed intent on slaying her. Perhaps he was too focused to
realize the rational decision. Tinasha met his strikes, though her nerves bled
into her movements.
Lucanos grinned. "Not used to real combat, huh? If only you hadn't
stuck your nose in another country's affairs. You could have lived a
comfortable life."
"I'm used to battle. I'm just not accustomed to a sword," Tinasha
asserted. Even so, she had to overcome this. That's what being a ruler
meant.
Lucanos drove his heavy blade at her from head-on, taking advantage of
the difference in height between them.
Tinasha flicked it away with a snap of her wrist, which twinged with
pain. Tightening her fingers around the hilt of her weapon, she slashed at
Lucanos's neck. She could see him drawing his sword back lightly and
moving to drive it toward her left side.
But she didn't waver. She absolutely had to stand her ground.
Tinasha held her breath.
For a moment, she heard someone scolding her from the back of her
mind: Use magic!
However, Tinasha refused with a daring smile.
She wouldn't cast a spell. Instead, she raised her left elbow to stop her
opponent's blow.
I am faster.
Convinced of that, Tinasha thrust her blade into his neck.
Her hand tingled with a dull, heavy feel. A spray of blood bloomed, and
Lucanos's face twisted.
At the same time, the edge of his sword bit into her elbow.
"Ugh… Ah!"
Tinasha's mind went blank with the pain, but she pushed through it via
force of will. She pulled out her blade. Lucanos's dropped, his arm hanging
slack. He was swaying unsteadily on his horse, and Tinasha eyed him,
breathing heavily herself.
"…Tell me the name of the one who sent you."
His head was bowed, his windpipe pierced through, yet he was still on
his horse. As planned, Tinasha hadn't killed him. She would heal Lucanos
and get him to tell her everything he knew. After that, the nations involved
could decide his fate.
Unfortunately, the moment Tinasha spoke and lowered her weapon, a
blow came rushing toward her at a terrifying speed.
"Wha—?"
The attack came at an unguarded moment. Lucanos should have been on
the verge of death, but he still possessed the strength to brandish his sword.
Tinasha drew up a defensive spell. Her hastily cast barrier repelled the
strike on its downswing…but it smashed the skull of the horse she was
riding. The force of impact threw Tinasha from the saddle, and she collided
hard with the ground.
"Guh…"
The impact knocked the breath out of the young woman. The pain left
her consciousness hazy. A black figure suddenly appeared above her. With
blurred vision, she saw his sword bear down upon her again.
For a short moment, Tinasha recalled the dagger that had almost stabbed
into her when she was a girl, a very long time ago now.
Like it, this blade did not reach her. Another sword entered the fray to
repel Lucanos's thrust.
"Why aren't you using magic? Are you stupid?!" someone chided
loudly.
Tinasha gasped. Unintentionally, his name slipped from her mouth.
"Oscar…"
The double-edged royal sword sparkled like a mirror. As she gazed up at
the man who wielded it…Tinasha felt something hot in her throat.
It was clear from one look that Tinasha was seriously wounded. Her left
arm was almost cut off, and the fall from her horse had left her legs
unnaturally twisted. Fierce anger rose up in Oscar for a moment when he
saw her like that, but he quickly tamped down those emotions that could
cloud his judgment.
To Valt behind him, he said, "I've embroiled you in some trouble.
Thanks for the help."
"Not at all. I can't have her dying on me," he replied with a wincing
smile. He had used teleportation to summon Oscar, who was waiting on
standby in a separate location. While the unplanned summons came as a
shock, the king was nonetheless grateful to Valt. He only felt pure
exasperation over how Tinasha could have gotten herself so roughed up in
such a short period of time.
Oscar stared up at the assassin, still on his horse. He asked Valt, "Why is
he moving? The man looks too wounded to even ride."
"He's probably swallowed a seed from a forbidden curse. It activates
when the user receives a life-threatening injury, giving them superhuman
strength. In exchange, they lose all reason and consciousness… The Yardan
prime minister doesn't have those kinds of connections, so Lucanos must
have obtained it elsewhere."
"Understood. Guess that explains that," Oscar said, keeping one eye on
Lucanos. New skin had stitched together over his blood-smeared throat, and
spots pulsed all over his body as it gradually swelled.
Tinasha stood, having used a basic treatment to mend her wounds. "The
best method would be to blow him up, since that type of forbidden curse
means his injuries will just keep healing forever… But then we can't get
any information out of him."
"We have to capture him alive, otherwise what we did won't look
justified," Oscar declared.
"After I went through the effort of fighting only with a sword so I
wouldn't kill him by accident."
"How about don't get yourself injured in the first place? If it's going to
get you hurt, blow him up."
All throughout their matter-of-fact exchange, Oscar and Tinasha kept
their eyes fixed on Lucanos. From atop his mount, the man's eyes had
already clouded over with white. His horse whinnied, perhaps aware of its
rider's odd state.
Valt asked Tinasha, "If you don't know how to deal with this, should I
help you?"
"No, it's all right. I have him," she replied, looking to the wielder of
Akashia next to her with eyes full of pure trust. "Oscar, can you see the
magic that's settled inside him?"
"More or less. I can almost make out some white lines all over his body,
like veins of a leaf."
"There's a place below the pit of his stomach where magic has
conspicuously accumulated. Smash through that with Akashia. That's the
core of the spell."
The king narrowed his eyes. Sure enough, there was a part of Lucanos's
belly glowing brighter than anywhere else. "I see it, but any normal person
would die from a stab wound there."
"Leave that to me. I'll keep him alive enough to get testimony out of
him," Tinasha assured.
"Got it. You take care of that… Don't rack up any more injuries," Oscar
remarked. With his warning given, he directed his attention to Lucanos. The
assassin's gaze remained unfocused—head wobbling unsteadily. Blood
dripped onto the horse, which practically shrieked.
Tinasha added with a calm voice, "Don't touch his blood if at all
possible. You'll get contaminated by the curse. If you do touch it, I will
have to give you the most thorough purifying bath of your life, so don't
complain later."
"Not sure how to respond to that. I can't decide which option sounds
better."
"Don't! Touch me! Joke around like that, and I'll blow you away along
with him!"
Before Tinasha finished speaking, Oscar was already dashing forward.
He dodged Lucanos's sword bearing down on him from overhead by a hair,
then drove Akashia into the wildly bucking horse's neck.
The animal collapsed in a huge spray of blood, Lucanos tumbling from
its back with a thunk. With oddly distorted limbs, he charged.
His sword came rushing at Oscar, so fast it was invisible to the naked
eye.
Fortunately, Oscar parried the weapon away. The impact made his entire
arm numb down to his hand.
"That thing's heavy. Guess that's his inhuman strength," Oscar spat
wryly, dodging to the right to evade Lucanos's second strike. He cut in on
the man's left side, but before he could take advantage of that opening, the
greatsword swept in sideways toward him.
The movement was so swift it seemed impossible for something so
battered and monstrous. Astounded by this wholly unexpected move, Oscar
leaped out of the way. Lucanos kicked the dead horse toward him.
With a muffled thump, the beast's huge frame exploded. Flesh and blood
flew at Oscar, but an invisible wall erected by Tinasha prevented it from
making contact. However, the crimson plastered on that transparent wall
covered up everything else. By the time Oscar thought Shit, he was already
jumping to the left.
Lucanos's broadsword tore through the air and plunged into the ground.
Tremors shook the earth, sending up pebbles to pelt Oscar's body.
Heedless of the light pain, Oscar made his way forward. He swung
Akashia at Lucanos's sword hand, but once again, his opponent's
broadsword barred the way. The clang of metal echoed through the woods.
"This is never-ending," Oscar muttered.
So long as the king kept his distance to avoid Lucanos's blood, his only
option was to win in a single blow.
Oscar prepared another attack, and the monstrous Lucanos raised his
weapon in kind.
And then—he threw it.
"What?"
It was a completely nonstandard move. Shocked, Oscar evaded the
flying sword reflexively.
Unfortunately, Lucanos had seemingly anticipated as much, for he
reached out and grabbed ahold of the king's right shoulder—and crushed it
from the armor down to the bone with a dull snap. Sharp pain lanced
through Oscar's entire body.
"OSCAR!" Tinasha screamed.
Had the king not been staring down a monster, he might have turned to
look at her.
Lucanos's neck was broken in half. His cloudy-white eyes stared at him.
Despite the severe pain from his crushed shoulder…Oscar laughed.
"You think that's going to keep you from talking?"
A forbidden curse that ate into the flesh and stole all reason. That was
nothing to fear. It wouldn't stop Oscar. Killing Lucanos would be easy, but
if he did, so much would be left in the dark, unknown.
Oscar transferred Akashia to his left hand. "You've wronged many
women while in my country." He set his sights on Lucanos's faintly
glowing stomach. "But it ends here."
Lucanos drove a fist toward Oscar.
Akashia's blade glinted.
The tip of the royal sword pierced through the core of the forbidden
curse.
The misshapen man's body jerked—and a black-haired mage came
floating down behind him.
Still floating, Tinasha placed a hand on Lucanos's spine and smiled.
"Now you're mine."
New magic poured into the broken core—an overwhelming power.
Light spilled forth, dispelling the stench of blood. It was the color of
beginnings, signifying the end of this battle.
The lack of contact was driving Zisis to the limits of his patience.
If no word had come indicating success or defeat, that meant Lucanos
had been captured.
And in that case, Zisis needed to make a swift attack before Savas took
action. Most of the magistrates, aside from the nobles Savas appointed,
more or less agreed with Zisis's opinions. A third of the military also
viewed him favorably, and he had the advantage when it came to
connections in court.
Thus, it was now or never. He would reform his country.
The preparations were already in place. Whether people would speak of
him after his death as a traitor who failed or an instigator of reform all
depended on this moment.
His mind made up, Zisis opened his door only to find two baffled
Yardan magistrates and two men he didn't recognize right outside. He eyed
the pair of strangers suspiciously, and one stepped up to him. "My name is
Doan, and I'm a messenger from Farsas. We've had an attack within our
borders, and we'd like to ask you some questions. Please come with us back
to Farsas."
Zisis sucked in a breath at the unexpected development but remained
levelheaded. He replied coldly, "I'm afraid I have no idea what this is about.
Also, why should I have to go to Farsas? If this has something to do with
the princess you're hosting, that's a domestic matter, and we'll handle it
here in Yarda."
The men exchanged glances. A confident smile bloomed on Zisis's face.
In the end, these Farsasians held no authority to arrest him concerning
the attack on Nephelli. If they pressed the issue, he could object to it on the
grounds of interference in another country's domestic affairs.
Wincing at Zisis's attitude, Doan took a step back. The other man moved
to take his place, however. "What we'd like to ask you about is not related
to the princess of Yarda. One of your subordinates has grievously wounded
the princess of Tuldarr. Prince Legis is eager to question you on this
matter."
"…What?" Zisis said, briefly paling. He took a moment to digest that.
I don't know why it would have come to that.
He knew that the princess of Tuldarr was in Farsas, but she should have
been entirely unrelated. He had reminded Lucanos that he was not to lay a
hand on anyone from Farsas, to the best of his ability.
The other messenger from Tuldarr, a man named Renart, asserted that
because this transgression took place on Farsasian soil, Zisis would have to
come to Farsas. Zisis caught a flash of murderous intent in his eyes.
"I trust you will come with us?"
The prime minister could not refuse. Recognizing that he was about to
tumble from the hill he had painfully clawed his way up, Zisis shuddered.
After Zisis was taken to Farsas via transportation array, he was escorted to a
reception room.
The king of Farsas, the prince of Tuldarr, and Nephelli were all waiting
there already.
Unlike Nephelli, who looked terribly uneasy, the other two regarded him
coldly.
Renart pushed Zisis forward. Prince Legis of Tuldarr got the
conversation started. In a sharp tone of voice that belied his gentle
appearance, he said, "Now then, I believe you've heard what transpired. A
military officer assigned to Princess Nephelli attacked Princess Tinasha. He
utilized a forbidden curse of his own volition and lost his senses, but we
have already healed him. Once we did, he confessed that he was acting on
your instructions. Do you have anything you'd like to say?"
"I have done nothing…"
"We have many witnesses. Do you know that Princess Tinasha's
coronation is set for less than ten days from now? We could interpret this as
a declaration of war from Yarda to Tuldarr."
Blood drained from Nephelli's face. As Zisis saw that out of the corner
of his eye, he desperately racked his mind.
Being confronted with the facts of the situation felt like cold water
thrown in his face.
Tuldarr was a nation of magic that took no sides. It had never invaded
another nation, and except for the war with Tayiri four hundred years ago, it
had never been attacked. Everyone understood that engaging in a magical
conflict with Tuldarr was foolish. For the past four centuries, Tuldarr had
dispatched mages all over the land to handle cases involving forbidden
magic and large-scale magical elements. Their power was unquestionable
and overwhelming.
No one could wage a war against Tuldarr in any capacity, least of all
Yarda. It had only finally stabilized after receiving aid from Farsas. One
glance at the stony look on Oscar's face, and it was obvious that Yarda
would be fighting alone and unassisted. Should things come to battle, the
Magic Empire would lay them to waste.
That was the one thing the prime minister had to avoid at all costs.
Zisis's thoughts whirled. He wondered if he could get away by denying
culpability.
However, he rejected that notion. The fact that he had been summoned
in front of all these people meant they could convict him even without
proof.
There was no escape. The conspiratorial ring had closed in around him.
Zisis licked his lips.
It took no time for him to come to a decision. Falling to his knees, he
bowed his head low.
"Everything was my decision alone. It has nothing to do with Yarda.
Please let my life atone for this crime; I beg you."
Once Renart arrested Zisis, the door into the reception chamber opened
with impeccable timing. A man and woman entered. Zisis turned to look,
his mouth agape.
The man was Prince Savas of Yarda, while the woman was someone he
had never seen before. She was a peerless beauty, with striking long black
hair and eyes the color of darkness.
She looked at Zisis and smiled. "It's nice to meet you. I am Tinasha."
"You're—!" he cried, stunned. "A-are your injuries…?"
"They're healed. I had broken bones here and there; they hurt…," she
stated carelessly, then took a step to the side.
Savas stepped forward. He wore a pensive look Zisis had never seen on
him before, staring down at the kneeling prime minister.
Zisis met the prince's gaze, faint surprise in his eyes. This fainthearted
prince had always given nobles whatever they'd asked, and his dependent
nature led him to fob off his responsibilities on others. Zisis found it
unexpected that he would regard him not with reproach, but with remorse.
Savas spoke shakily. "Let us hear the full story in Yarda."
"…Yes, Your Highness."
The soldiers waiting behind Savas marched Zisis away. As he was led
from the room, arms bound, Tinasha said to him, "You're an interesting
one. If you aren't executed, you'd be welcome to come to my court. You're
the type of person we want."
Such an astounding remark made Zisis's eyes widen. In the background,
Oscar scowled while Legis gave a pained smile. Nephelli and Savas were
astonished.
Overcoming his surprise, Zisis bowed to Tinasha with a self-deprecating
smile. "I am honored and grateful to hear that. However…Yarda is my
homeland. If I can, I want to die in my own country."
"I see. That's too bad," Tinasha replied with a smile and a wave. Once
Zisis vanished outside the room, she sighed. "I got rejected."
Her indifferent, somewhat cutesy pout drew the exasperated gaze of the
others in the room.
After Zisis was sent home to Yarda, the royals and advisers of all three
countries discussed how to handle the aftermath.
Everything had gone according to a secret plan arranged after Oscar
decided to intervene. It was Tinasha who suggested bringing it to an end by
provoking an attack after she and Nephelli changed places.
Oscar exhaled quietly. "I agreed to your scheme because I wanted this
wrapped up quick, but it was interesting using the curse song."
"We didn't know who the culprit was, so I brought everyone under the
curse song's spell, although I did cast a resistance charm on those from
Farsas ahead of time. It's all undone now, and there should be no lingering
effects," Tinasha explained.
Curious, Legis mused, "You could manipulate their perception to such a
degree, even though you and Princess Nephelli look nothing alike."
"All I did was enhance their subjective impressions. I wore the same
clothes she did and had a veil on," she replied.
Tinasha had caused the fog in the forest. She took advantage of that to
switch places with Nephelli, teleporting the princess and the Farsasian
troops to a location a short distance away.
Oscar looked down at his cup of tea, brewed by Tinasha. "It took more
time than expected at the end because he had a forbidden curse seed. That
wasn't in the plan."
"Yes, it wasn't good at all how gruesome the whole scene became once
that got thrown into the mix. Purifying it was a pain, too," Tinasha agreed.
They discussed it so calmly, apparently thinking nothing of how they
both had been grievously wounded. Those who happened to be in the room
with them were the ones spooked.
Tinasha passed the tea things to a lady-in-waiting and went over to
Sylvia's spot by the window to chat.
Ignoring her capricious action, Oscar, Legis, and Savas all agreed to
keep this matter quiet and let Yarda handle the aftermath.
Savas bowed his head to the other two, stammering out his thanks.
"Thank you very much for your assistance. Both Nephelli and I are
endlessly grateful."
Oscar and Legis gave him faint smiles in response. Savas got to his feet
and headed for the door with his subordinates in tow. As he did, he nodded
to Tinasha as well. "I've taken your words to heart. Thank you."
"They were merely the irresponsible words of a foreigner. How you
interpret what I said is up to you, and it's nothing you need thank me for,"
she replied, flashing him a roguish grin. Judging by this interaction, she had
given him some sort of frank advice when in Yarda. Oscar stifled laughter
over how meddlesome she could be, no matter what she said to the contrary.
"I promise to be there at your coronation. And er…" Savas broke off
there, faltering. His gaze on Tinasha was heated.
She cocked her head curiously, awaiting what else he had to say, but
nothing was forthcoming.
"Tinasha."
She broke their eye contact upon hearing her name called from the table.
With a smile, Legis beckoned her over. She bobbed her head at Savas and
trotted back over to Legis.
"I'll be leaving now," Legis said.
"Sorry to make you come over even though you're so busy. I'll send you
off," she offered.
"As you wish," he agreed. Over Tinasha's shoulder, a warning glint
flashed in Legis's eyes. Savas froze, pierced by that gaze. The two of them
said their good-byes to Oscar and the others in the room before teleporting
away.
The mood in the chamber relaxed now that the people partly responsible
for the previous tense atmosphere were gone, and Oscar smiled. "Well, you
can't blame him."
Tinasha's coronation was days away. Legis wouldn't want any
undesirable pests buzzing around, whether in her public life or her personal
one. Aware that he was the one Legis should be wariest of, Oscar let out a
long exhale and stood.
Nephelli was sitting across from him, and he said to her, "You can
finally go back home. I imagine you'll want to after everything that's
happened."
"I-it hasn't been all bad. Thank you," she answered, leaping to her feet
and falling into step next to Oscar. They left the room and set off down the
corridor.
Facing forward, Nephelli asked in a low voice, "Do you remember our
proposal from ten years ago?"
"The one from the truce talks? I do, more or less."
Nephelli took a deep breath and looked to the man next to her.
Fine features. Blue eyes that stared ahead.
Overcoming her momentary hesitation, Nephelli took the leap. "If I said
that I wished to marry you now, would you accept?"
Oscar's expression stiffened, and his gaze fell upon her.
A silence settled for a few moments, and Oscar seemed to be
deliberating over how to respond.
"Hmm… Should that become advantageous for both of us, I will be the
one to suggest it."
Indirect phrasing.
What he meant by that was that he had no personal interest in her—and
that they would only marry if it became politically necessary.
Nephelli had expected this bittersweet reply.
She was a royal, too, of course. Falling in love freely was not a luxury
she'd ever possessed. Still, she couldn't deny that a part of her had dared to
dream.
Even now that those hopes were dashed, she didn't feel resentful. This
was only natural.
Nephelli blinked slowly, then looked forward again. She walked forth
with pride. Even if nothing came of it, her feelings were real. That alone
was somewhat satisfying.
The bitter part of her would change in time. Thus, she moved ahead.
She carried more than her own responsibilities on her shoulders.
After Zisis returned to Yarda and his crimes were made public, he received
a life sentence in prison.
Following that, Prince Savas gradually grew into a better leader, one not
so easily swayed by the opinions of nobles, and garnered the respect of his
people.
Often, he visited Zisis in prison, seeking his council and trying to
fumble his way to growing into a good ruler. When Tinasha later heard of
this, she only gave a little, silent smile.
That was a story that ran separately from hers, on a separate path.
"Still, I ended up troubling you much more than I thought I would this
time…," grumbled Tinasha. She was brewing tea in the king's study after
Nephelli had returned to Yarda.
"You mean what happened with Lucanos? Let me handle situations like
that. You taking it on just means I have to come in to clean up your
messes."
"But wasn't keeping the princess safe your top priority?! She would
have been in danger if more enemies had appeared!"
That was why it had been decided, after much deliberation, that Oscar
would keep Nephelli safe while Tinasha faced the assassin. The plan had
only veered somewhat off course due to the unanticipated curse seed.
Tinasha sighed deeply. "I thought I had gotten a little better with a
sword, but I suppose you can't tell that until you experience real combat…"
"If you want real combat, come down to the training grounds. I'll get
you nice and bruised up."
"That's not what I meant! I'm going to repay you for saving me!"
"It suits Farsas perfectly well to have the queen of Tuldarr owe us a
favor."
"This is a personal favor and has nothing to do with politics!" Tinasha
huffed, sticking out her tongue before sinking onto the couch.
As he eyed her slender legs, the gears in Oscar's mind started to turn. "A
personal favor, huh…? I can think of lots of ways to get you to pay it back,
but they'll turn into problems later for a queen."
"What sort of harassment are you thinking of doing?!" she cried very
earnestly. In truth, Oscar was in her debt as well.
Oscar laughed loudly. "I'm not thinking of making you do anything.
Just… Hmm, yeah."
He stared straight at her.
Hair and eyes the color of a moonless night. Skin whiter than snow. Her
entire existence as brilliant as a fully blossomed flower.
A miraculously beautiful woman from four hundred years ago. Inside,
she was a proud queen…and just a lonely little girl.
Oscar cast her a faint smile. "I'll make you more outfits, so wear them
and come visit Farsas. Once a year is enough."
On their divergent paths, they could only be together for a short time. If
he could dress her up however he liked for that brief time, he knew he could
feel happy even if he had to let go of her.
Tinasha blinked her dark eyes slowly at his request. "That's enough?"
"Yeah."
"I don't understand you."
"Just let it go. It's what I'm into, and it'll be a nice distraction," Oscar
stated dismissively, holding back from adding more. He started signing
documents.
She watched him intently. After some hesitation, she said cautiously,
"Oh, right, Oscar. Are you all right with Princess Nephelli leaving?"
"Why do you ask? There's no point in keeping her here any longer, and
she wanted to go home, too."
"But you and she—" Tinasha broke off there, her shapely eyebrows
drawing together. At her pause, Oscar looked up.
As their gazes met, emotions they couldn't speak swirled between them.
Feelings they wouldn't admit and love they were unaware of.
With heat flooding her slender body, the queen's eyelashes trembled as
she asked, "So does that mean…I can stay here just a little while longer?"
Tinasha's heart was in her throat. Her clear voice gave the impression of
a finely yet tightly wound thread.
Conscious of the ripples that voice sent through him, Oscar replied
calmly, "Do what you want. So long as you're not queen yet."
With an end in sight, reality was easy enough to accept.
Visible relief washed over Tinasha's face when she heard that.
Just then, there was a knock at the door, and Doan came in. He looked
so concerned that the king asked, "What is it? Did something happen?"
"Ah, it's just that something is bothering me a little about Yarda's
handling of the aftermath. You know the other mage who came with
Princess Nephelli?"
"Ah, Valt. I invited him to come to Tuldarr, too," remarked Tinasha.
"I told you to stop trying to just poach people from other countries! No
more doing that while you're in Farsas!" Oscar objected.
"That's all up to the person, isn't it? I'm just opening up a
conversation," she countered.
Unchecked, these two would go off topic right away, so Doan
interjected, a very serious look on his face. "About him… His name isn't in
the Yardan royal court records."
"What?" replied Oscar, and Tinasha's eyes widened.
Doan continued, consulting the papers he was carrying. "By all
accounts, he doesn't exist. The princess and Gait seem to think he's been
working for the court for five years, but that's a memory he planted in them
temporarily. Over the course of our correspondence, I realized that Gait was
missing memories he should have ordinarily possessed."
"So you're saying…"
Valt was a spirit sorcerer. That he had altered Nephelli's memories, to
say nothing of those of a court mage like Gait, was no small feat.
Tinasha was at a loss. Oscar asked, "Did something happen with this
Valt guy?"
"He's gone missing. At some point, he just disappeared. I looked into
him because the mage who Delilah described in her testimony sounded a lot
like him," answered Doan.
"The mage who had dealings with that religious cult?!"
If Valt and that mage were one and the same, that would mean he was
the one who had poisoned Tinasha. Were that the case, why had he saved
her during the most recent incident?
Tinasha clapped a hand to her mouth; evidently the same thought had
occurred to her. "What…? But why…?"
Her face paled with fear of the inexplicable. Oscar took notice of it and
said to Doan, "Launch an investigation. He can't be allowed to further
whatever agenda he's laboring for."
Tinasha would be departing Farsas soon. Once she did, Oscar wouldn't
be able to come to her rescue.
The king's tone of voice was harsh, and Doan bowed his head in silence.
Once he left the study, Oscar said decisively, "Don't let it bother you. Stick
to your duties."
Tinasha had crossed a span of four hundred years, and he wanted her to
make her own intrepid way forth in this era.
Oscar hoped there would be no sadness along her path. Even if he was
only fooling himself, he still felt that way.
An expression of surprise spread across Tinasha's face, but it quickly
softened into a smile. "I came here to be of use to you, after all."
The way she spoke sounded as though she were tightly clutching
something precious.
Oscar's eyes narrowed fondly at Tinasha's proud smile.
Thus, a new story of two rulers unfolds—a tale of the year before their fates
changed forever.