After arresting Briedoc on the shore of Calgosi Coast and rescuing the
pirates who had been cast out to sea, Flio and Junia handed off the captives
to the Calgosi Coast office of the guard and were shown to Junia Van Biel's
mansion.
In a sitting room on the first floor, Flio and Rys sat with Junia Van Biel.
"I really didn't expect that thing to be the Beast of Disaster," Flio said,
smiling dryly as he opened a window to confirm the status of the monster
he had sent to his personal storage. He, Rys, and Junia all looked it over to
make sure they had been correct.
◇Whale of Woe (Beast of Disaster)
"In terms of size, it is a bit bigger than the Calamity Wyrms I caught in
Dogorogma," Flio mused. "But the Calamity Wyrm had much more
powerful abilities, I think..."
"Miss Van Biel, have you been under attack by that Beast of Disaster
and those pirates this entire time?" Rys asked.
Junia shook her head. "W-We were able to confirm its presence off the
coastline a month ago..." she said. "B-But this is the first time it's actually
shown itself... A-And I had never heard of a Beast of Disaster
accompanying a pirate fleet..." She seemed to be clearly worried.
"Perhaps it's because of this thing..." Flio proposed, pointing out a
section in the window he had been pouring over. Rys and Junia gathered
around him to get a closer look.
◇Signs of domination from the spell Subjugation
"Oh, so it was under the effects of Subjugation?" Rys said. "I suppose
that means the witch Hiya captured was using her magic to make it follow
her commands?"
"No, wife of the Exalted One," said Hiya, appearing suddenly behind
Flio and Rys. "It seems that is not the case."
"It isn't?" Rys asked.
"From what I learned from my chats with the witch in question, the one
who cast the spell is an individual by the name of Collectableu," Hiya
explained. "That witch was no more than one whom this Collectableu had
authorized to give orders to magic beasts under his domination."
"I see..." remarked Flio. "So he set it up so other people could use his
own dominated creatures..."
"This is nothing more than supposition, but I imagine our Collectableu
must have refined the Subjugation spell himself," said Hiya.
Flio looked somewhat saddened at that remark. "I don't know what kind
of person this Collectableu is, but if he's someone who spends his time
improving spells like that, I have a feeling I wouldn't like him very
much..."
Flio had been originally summoned to Klyrode from the world of
Paluma, a realm where demihumans faced cruel discrimination at the hands
of humanity. Many of them had been enslaved using spells similar to
Subjugation. The only thing Flio had been able to do in such an unequal
world was to try and conduct himself without discrimination in his own
affairs, treating demihumans as he would any other. Living in such a society
had given him a strong dislike towards magic that dominates the will of
thinking beings.
"Your sympathies on this matter are certainly noted, Exalted One," Hiya
ventured. "However, if I may be so bold as to venture my own humble
opinion, there are important reasons why one might seek knowledge of the
magics of domination."
"Oh?" Flio asked. "What might those be?"
"If one lacks knowledge of domination, one will find themself powerless
to stop another from using such magic for evil ends. Indeed, were they to
encounter such a foe, they would likely come under its domination
themself. By devoting oneself to the study of Subjugation, one can lower
the risk of such an eventuality considerably."
"I see..." Flio nodded, apparently convinced. "I suppose that makes
sense. May I ask, by the way, how did you learn all that from the witch you
captured, Hiya?"
"I questioned her most tenderly with the help of Damalynas and
Maglion, and over the course of our questioning, she voluntarily confessed
to us all that she knew. Does the Exalted One wish to know the details of
our method of questioning?" A seductive smile came over Hiya's face.
Oh, Flio thought. This is about her "training," isn't it...? He shook his
head. "No thanks," he said, smiling his usual easygoing smile. "I think I'll
pass for today."
When Flio had first defeated Hiya, they found themself deeply awed by
his strength, and henceforth devoted themself to his service. Living with
Flio and his family, however, Hiya became deeply interested in the nightly
activities Flio and Rys engaged in as husband and wife. Now, with the help
of Damalynas and Maglion, whom they had ensnared into their own
mindscape, Hiya spent their days experiencing all kinds of lovemaking in
the name of "training." After all, as a djinn, Hiya's usual body had female
sexual traits, but they were fully capable of manifesting whichever organs
they should like.
"E-Erm..." At this, Junia Van Biel raised a trembling hand. "M-May I
ask...wh-what are your plans a-after this...?"
"Oh! Yes!" said Flio, hastily turning away from Hiya to engage with
Junia instead. "Since we captured the Beast of Disaster we came here for, I
figured we'd spend the day on the Calgosi Coast as a family, and tomorrow
head back on the regular Enchanted Frigate flight!"
"W-Well..." Junia offered, fidgeting awkwardly as she spoke. "I-If you
like, wh-why not spend the night in my mansion? I-I mean...y-you and all
your companions helped us out a great deal, Mister Flio, sir..."
"Perhaps we should take the countess up on her offer, my lord husband,
since she managed to say so many words," suggested Rys.
"I suppose that's one way of looking at it," Flio agreed, smiling as
calmly as ever. He turned back to Junia and said, "All right, in that case, if
it's not too much inconvenience, we'd be happy to accept. Although I
should tell you, it isn't just our family today, but the children's friends as
well."
"O-Of course...!" said Junia. "Th-That isn't a problem at all... I-In fact,
I-I had a wonderful time last time when everyone was here..."
"That's right!" said Flio, "We stayed at your mansion for the night
before the festival as well, didn't we? Well, thank you for having us."
Junia simply beamed and nodded.
"All right then," said Flio. "We're going to go see how the children are
doing." And with that, he, Rys, and Hiya all exited the room.
"I-I have to hurry and get everything ready for their welcome..." Junia
said, watching as they left. "L-Let's see... They'll need food...and rooms to
stay..." She began counting off tasks to do on her fingers, then suddenly she
looked up, interrupting herself. "E-Erm... H-Hang on. I-I feel like I'm
forgetting something important..." she said. "Hm... But what could it be...?"
◇Meanwhile on the Coastline◇
After finishing up cleaning the detritus of the wrecked pirate fleet off the
beach, Junia Van Biel's retainers, led by Polseidon and Eddsarch, gave word
for the beaches, which had been closed due to the pirate attack, to be
reopened. On one corner of the coastline, you could see the members of
Flio's household enjoying their time.
"Oh, wow..." Rylnàsze gasped as she stared out at the sea, wearing a
swimsuit patterned with a meadow grass motif, and holding Sybe close.
Sybe's family, Shebe, Sube, Sebe, and Sobe, were all gathered around her
feet. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement.
"This is your first time seeing the sea, isn't it, Rylnàsze?" Elinàsze
remarked, stepping up beside her sister with a smile. She was wearing a
white one-piece swimsuit, paired with a wide-brimmed hat to protect her
skin from the sun.
Rylnàsze smiled back. "Yes!" she said, so excited and anxious that she
was practically squeaking. "There was that very large lake from when we
visited Dogorogma, but I've never seen the sea before!" Timidly, she
reached out a leg towards the water as a wave broke on the shore.
"You mustn't go too far out to sea, you know," Elinàsze told her. "Do
your best not to get separated from everyone else."
"I won't! Don't worry, Elinàsze!"
"Elinàsze! Rylnàsze! There you are!" The two heard their brother
Garyl's voice coming from behind. They turned to see him standing there in
his own swimsuit. He smiled as he approached, but he wasn't alone. He was
leading a small pack of his classmates—Salina and Irystiel at the head, and
Snow Little and Leina Raina coming up behind. And worse...
"That man is quite handsome, wouldn't you say?"
"I would! Why, he's just my type!"
Somehow, Garyl had attracted an entire group of female beachgoers.
"Garyl's as popular as ever, I see..." Elinàsze remarked, smirking wryly
at the sight.
Garyl, however, just smiled. "Oh, it's nothing like that! I'm just happy to
have been getting along so well with everyone!" With the easygoing look
on his face, he was the spitting image of his father Flio.
"I-I'm very grateful that you get along so well with me too, Lord
Garyl!" said Salina, sidling up close to Garyl in her frilly bikini and taking
his right arm in her hands.
"And Irystiel's really glad as well, mreowr!" said Irystiel's plushie,
which she manipulated using ventriloquism even as she took Garyl's left
arm. Irystiel's swimsuit was a black one-piece.
"It's no fair!" Snow Little complained. "I want to get along with Garyl
better too!" She ran up behind them, joining the other two.
"Y-Yes, me too, I suppose..." agreed Leina Raina, following suit.
The other girls who had started following Garyl, too, took this as an
invitation to gather closer.
"I-I would like to as well, if I may..." said one.
"A-And me too, please...if it's not too much trouble..." said another.
Garyl, however, seemed more than happy for the company of so many
people. "I'd love to hang out with all of you now that the pirate situation is
under control!"
"Thank you!" the girls all cried as one.
Rislei stood a short distance away wearing a sporty swimsuit designed
for ease of motion, doing some warm-up exercises as she watched the girls
mob Garyl. "Garyl's as popular as ever..." she said, stretching her Achilles
tendon.
"Well, even a guy like me can tell that Garyl's good-looking," Reptor
said, smiling dryly as he did his own warm-ups alongside Rislei. "Plus, he's
honest to a fault and kind to everyone he meets. It would be weird if the
girls didn't like him."
"Well, why don't we leave Garyl to them and go have some fun?" Rislei
proposed. "It's been so long since we've been to the beach. Race you to that
boulder over there!"
"Yeah!" Reptor grinned, his lizardfolk tail swishing happily back and
forth. "But don't think I'm gonna lose!"
Suddenly, a hand grabbed Reptor's shoulder from behind. "A swimming
race, hmm?" said Rislei's father Sleip. "Or were you hoping to get some
time alone with her out on that boulder, so far from the shore... I really can't
let my guard down with you, can I?"
"Wah!" Reptor exclaimed. "M-Mister Sleip..." His tail stopped its
swishing and drooped limply between his legs.
"Hah hah hah!" Sleip laughed heartily, giving Reptor a few good smacks
on the back. "No need to look so unhappy! Come now! Let's all have a
race!"
"O-Oh. Okay..." Under the circumstances, Reptor had no choice but to
agree.
"You don't gotta bully Reptor like that, papa..." Rislei objected, a
knowing smile on her face at her father's behavior. "He's my friend, you
know."
"Hah hah hah! Of course, of course!" Sleip clapped a hand on the lizard
boy's shoulder. "After all, that's why the three of us are going to be
spending time together!"
It was all Reptor could do to feebly smile back at Sleip's overbearing
cheer.
◇ ◇ ◇
On a large rock a short distance away from the sandy beach, Ghozal sat
humming a tune, a hefty fishing rod in his hands and a straw hat on his
head. "Hrm..." He nodded contentedly. "This is the life."
Uliminas, who was busy dealing with the aftermath of the pirate attack,
smirked at the sight of her husband as she watched out of the corner of her
eye. Ghozal's been hooked on fishing ever since meowr visit to the lake in
Dogorogma, hasn't he? she thought. When he was the Dark Meown, he was
always busy worrying about the state of demewnkind from meowrning till
night, with the darkest scowl mew could ever imagine. But ever since he
abdicated the throne and started living with Flio, he meowlways seems like
he's having fun. I was fond of the meowld Ghozal, but I think I like the way
he is now even better... Underneath her smirk, there was a definite kindness
to Uliminas's gaze.
As Uliminas was lost in thought, Ghozal turned to look straight at her.
"Just you wait, Uliminas!" he said, smiling cheerfully. "You're gonna eat
your fill of fresh-caught fish tonight!"
M-Meow! Uliminas startled, her cheeks turning red as Ghozal cast his
rod out far to sea. Suddenly, a loud boom ripped through the air. Ghozal had
cast his rod far too fast, breaking through the sound barrier and splitting the
sea in two before Uliminas's very eyes. H-He's every bit as purrposterous
as ever, I see... she thought, smirking once more.
"By the way," said Ghozal, "Uliminas."
"Meow?" Uliminas asked.
"That swimsuit looks good on you."
"Mrarowww?!" Uliminas leapt in the air as if Ghozal had dealt her a
blow, her blush spreading all the way to the tips of her ears. She was
wearing a new swimsuit she had prepared especially for that day, with a
very revealing cut she suspected might flatter her body line. "Gh-Ghozal!"
she protested. "Meow you're just fighting dirty!"
"Hrm?" Ghozal asked. "What do you mean? I'm just saying what's on
my mind! It's like Mister Flio says—people won't know what you're
thinking if you don't tell 'em."
"M-Mrewr..." Uliminas mumbled, at a loss for words.
◇ ◇ ◇
With the latest pirate incursion over, visitors had started coming back to
the beach in large numbers. Among them were Flio and Rys, who had set
out from Junia Van Biel's mansion wearing their swimsuits, looking
forward to enjoying a nice long day at the beach for the first time in a while.
"It's good to relax like this from time to time, isn't it, my lord husband?"
said Rys, smiling as the two walked through the shallows. She was wearing
a white bikini that showed off her well-proportioned body to excellent
effect. When she was dressed like this, it was clear just how striking her
figure was. She hardly looked anything like a mother of three.
"I-It is..." Flio said, doing the best he could to keep his cool despite the
effect Rys's outfit was having on his heart. "It's just been one thing after
another lately..."
Rys wrapped her arms tight around one of Flio's, pressing her
voluptuous chest right up against his skin. The sensation caused his cheeks
to redden considerably despite his best efforts. But just then, Flio noticed
something. "W-Wait..." he said, coming to a stop and gazing off towards the
beach.
"My lord husband?" Rys asked, cocking her head curiously. "Is
something wrong?"
"Right over there," Flio said, pointing towards a single spot on the
coastline. "It looks like someone's casting Teleportation." A magic circle
appeared as the words left his mouth, right where he had been pointing. It
revolved in the air, glowing with a golden light.
"Who would be teleporting here, I wonder?" Rys mused, getting on
guard just in case.
Flio raised his right arm, summoning a magic circle of his own. It turned
slowly, analyzing the unknown circle. "I don't think it's anything to worry
about," he said. "It looks like it's being cast by a group of mages from
Klyrode Castle."
"Oh, really?" Rys said, relaxing from her combat stance.
"Papa!" Elinàsze came running up, looking all around. "I sensed the
presence of a magic circle over here!"
"Indeed..." Hiya made their appearance, materializing behind Elinàsze.
"And that seems to be the source."
As the group watched, a party led by the Maiden Queen of Klyrode
materialized on the spot. The queen herself was at their head, followed by
some very agitated-looking armored knights and a group of mages with
magic staves. "The coordinates Countess Van Biel gave us in her distress
signal are just ahead," said the Maiden Queen. "Be on your guard,
everyone! This area is under attack by pirates!" She looked around the area
and began briskly giving commands to her party. "Mages, draw back. You'll
be low on magic power after casting such a long-distance Teleportation.
Knights, form a protective perimeter..."
The Maiden Queen of Klyrode had received a distress call from Junia
Van Biel's Transmission spell requesting urgent assistance against the
pirates and immediately set out with the knights under her direct command,
getting the castle mages to send her straight to the Calgosi Coast.
If Flio had been the one casting Teleportation, he could have sent all of
Klyrode Castle straight to the Calgosi Coast itself, but he was the only one
in the entire world of Klyrode capable of such a feat. Very few people, Flio
included, had any idea just how powerful the shopkeeper was.
When the Maiden Queen confirmed that all of her knights had made it
through safely, she continued to survey the area ahead. "Wh-What?" she
said, a puzzled look coming over her face. After all, what greeted her was
not a scene of carnage, but cheerful beachgoers playing in the water with
nary a pirate in sight. The more she looked, the more confused she got.
The Second Princess, who had come along with her sister, and Boralis,
commander of the Queen's personal knights, ran up behind her. "You don't
suppose the battle could already be over, could it...?" the Second Princess
asked, every bit as confused as the Maiden Queen.
"But it's been mere minutes since we received the emergency distress
call..." agreed an equally perplexed Boralis. "How could that be in such a
short time?"
◇Meanwhile—Junia Van Biel's Mansion◇
"...?!" As she busied herself getting the mansion ready for Flio and her
other guests, Junia Van Biel suddenly managed to scream without making a
sound. "Th-That's right..." she said, rushing to the window. "Th-The
Transmission spell I sent to Castle Klyrode... I-I forgot to let them know the
battle was over..."
She watched through the window as the Maiden Queen of Klyrode led
her knights onto Calgosi Coast. Her already pale skin turned even paler, and
she leapt out the window, using her magic to fly quickly to the scene.
◇ ◇ ◇
"I see..." said the Maiden Queen when she caught sight of Flio. "Lord
Flio. It was you who defeated the pirates for us."
"Oh, not at all!" Flio demurred. "All I did was capture the magic beast.
My whole household worked together to defeat the pirates." He explained
the details of the situation to the Maiden Queen, who looked visibly
relieved.
Just then, Junia Van Biel flew hurriedly from her mansion and landed in
front of the Queen. "U-Um!" she stammered, waving her arms frantically as
she tried her best to explain. "Y-Your Majesty! I-I forgot I c-contacted you!
Th-The p-pirates are... Th-The pirates..."
If it had been the Maiden Queen's father, the previous king of Klyrode
here, he would have bellowed something like, "Don't you know how busy I
am?! You wasted my time!" and after thoroughly lambasting her character,
he'd have left her with a heavy penalty to pay in gold for the trouble. The
Maiden Queen, however, showed clemency on her vassal. "Oh, it's quite all
right. You must have been too busy in the aftermath of the battle against the
pirates, I would imagine. Rather, I should apologize to you for failing to
arrive in time to assist you." She bowed her head in apology.
"O-Oh..." said Junia, hastily bowing her own head. "P-Please, there's no
need... I-I'm the one who made a mistake..."
For a little while, the two both stood in a bow towards the other.
After their meeting, Boralis led the way to take the pirates Junia had
arrested into the knights' custody. Flio stepped up to the Maiden Queen,
who was overseeing the proceedings. "We've been holding on to the magic
beast the pirates were using, as well as the witch who was controlling it.
Would you like us to hand them over to you as well?" he volunteered.
"I see..." said the Maiden Queen. "I would ask you to hand over the
witch, if I may. But as long as you file the appropriate paperwork, the
ownership of a magic beast rightfully belongs to the one who captured it.
You may do as you see fit with it, Lord Flio."
"All right," Flio agreed. "In that case, I'll tell Hiya to bring her over to
you. They've been busy learning what they can from her, you see."
At the mention of Hiya's name, the Maiden Queen's face went suddenly
pale. "H-Hiya, you say..." she echoed. "You couldn't mean...the djinn who
commands the origin of light and darkness...?" A memory stirred from the
depths of the Maiden Queen's mind—Hiya, their Collars of Sacrifice
around the necks of every living human in Klyrode Castle, poised to snuff
them out at a moment's notice. The knights, who were standing ready
behind her, seemed to be recalling the same event. Like their queen, their
faces lost their color, and their bodies began shaking noisily in their armor.
Flio had a feeling he knew what was bothering the Maiden Queen and
her knights. "Yes, it is the same Hiya," he said, smiling his usual easygoing
smile. "But there's no need for alarm. Hiya's changed a lot. They won't be
doing anything rash with their magic."
"O-Oh..." the Maiden Queen and her knights all breathed a sigh of relief
at Flio's reassurance. "In that case, I'll try not to worry. I-I suppose, then,
we'll be heading home on the next scheduled Enchanted Frigate line."
Although it had only been a few short days since the Enchanted Frigate
had been launched, there was already a regularly scheduled flight heading
from the Calgosi Coast back to Klyrode Castle Town. The castle mages
would need nearly a full day to recover their magic after casting the
Teleportation spell that brought them here in the first place and would be
unable to cast it again until they recovered. As such, the current plan was to
take the Enchanted Frigate for the trip home.
"In that case..." Flio started, extending his right arm and beginning an
incantation. A magic circle appeared on the ground at his feet, and a black
door materialized in the middle. "You can go home using this, if you like,"
he said, opening the Teleportation portal he had summoned. On the other
side of the unassuming door stood the front gate of Castle Klyrode.
The knights balked in disbelief. "H-Hang on... Was that the
Teleportation spell?"
"But I thought Teleportation just transported the people standing inside
the magic circle!"
"S-So, if we go through that door, we'll be back at Klyrode Castle? I
don't believe it!"
The knights on the other side, who had been on duty guarding the front
gate of the castle, seemed no less flummoxed by the door suddenly
appearing out of nowhere. The Maiden Queen, however, had seen Flio's
portals in action many times before. She just bowed deeply and offered Flio
some words of thanks. "We would be happy to accept your generosity, Lord
Flio. I am sorry for troubling you with this matter."
Before long, the knights set about leading the captured pirates through
the Teleportation portal, where another group of knights was waiting on the
Klyrode Castle side of the door to take them to the castle dungeons.
Suddenly, they could hear a woman's high-pitched screams coming from
somewhere near the portal. "No! I don't want to go!" she shouted. "I-I can't
live without my big sisters Hiya and Damalynas and Maglion anymore!
Please! Please, let me stay by your side forever!" It was none other than the
witch who had been controlling the magic beast, clinging tight to Hiya's
feet and absolutely bawling.
When she had first been captured, the witch had regarded everyone with
a condescending expression and a cold "I have nothing to say to you." But
now she was screaming and crying her eyes out, refusing to be separated
from Hiya and the other denizens of their mindscape.
Hiya patted the witch gently on the head. "You committed a crime," they
said. "First, you must go to Klyrode Castle to atone for what you have done.
When you have finished, I will be happy to take you along once more."
"Big sister Hiya...hic..." she sobbed, looking up at Hiya's face. "A-All
right." She nodded, eyes still full of tears. "I promise I'll atone for my
crimes and come back to you. And when I do..."
"That's right," said Hiya, giving the girl another good pat. "I'll be
waiting."
And then, the witch walked through the portal to Klyrode Castle on her
own two legs.
That witch was really resistant at first, wasn't she? Flio thought,
glancing over with a wry smirk on his face. What in the world did those
three do to question her...?
"Exalted One," said Hiya, noticing Flio's gaze and stepping up to him.
"If you are interested in my methods of interrogation, perhaps I might
explain them as we watch this video recording I created..." As they spoke,
they opened a window.
"No thank you," said Flio, shaking his head and smiling his usual
easygoing smile. "I think I get the gist of it, anyway, and I trust you."
As they were speaking, the Second Princess walked up to the Maiden
Queen, who had been standing by the door watching as the knights did their
work. "Our knights have finished moving the prisoners, my sister the
Queen," she reported.
"Thank you, Second Princess," the Maiden Queen said. Then she turned
to where Flio, Rys, and Junia were all standing. "It seems the time has come
for us to take our leave," she said. "Countess Junia Van Biel, I leave the
Calgosi Coast region in your capable hands once more."
"Y-Yes..." Junia said, giving a very tense bow. "I-I'll do my best..."
The Maiden Queen smiled and bowed once again. "When we were at
war with the Dark Army in the north, we had need of all the forces we could
muster. We had no soldiers left to send south. But now that the war is over, I
intend to establish a garrison on the Calgosi Coast posthaste."
Just then, the Maiden Queen heard a boy's voice calling out to her from
the back of Flio's group. "Miss Ellie!" Startled, she jolted her head up to
see Garyl.
"Now, Garyl," Flio chided his son. "You know you're not supposed to
call the Maiden Queen that when she's working."
"Oh, that's right..." Garyl hastily corrected himself. "I'm sorry, Your
Majesty."
"O-Oh! N-No, that's quite all right!" the Maiden Queen said, her
dignified and elegant voice cracking uncharacteristically as she flailed
awkwardly with her hands. "Th-That is, I was nearly about to return home,
after all, so there's really no need to address me so formally..."
At first, the Second Princess didn't know what to make of her sister's
behavior. Hm...? she thought. What could be making my sister act so
flustered? Then, she turned her gaze from the Maiden Queen to Garyl and
clapped her hands together in understanding. I see! "Why, if it isn't Garyl!"
she said out loud. "The boy my sister is so enamored with!"
"Bfwah?!" The Maiden Queen practically shouted. "Wh-Wh-WhWhatever are you saying, Second Princess?! I...I...I..." Her face turned
bright red as she tried desperately to find the words to explain herself.
The Second Princess smiled with amusement. "Now, now, there's no
need to panic like that. In fact, I have an idea! You've been working
nonstop for nearly half a year with hardly any breaks, haven't you, my
sister the Queen?"
"W-Well, I suppose that's true..." the Maiden Queen said. "B-But I don't
see what that has to do with—"
"Thanks to those Enchanted Frigates, there's been much less need for
me to be out of the castle all the time for my diplomacy work. And the
Third Princess has been handling herself much better with the internal
administration lately. Why don't you take the rest of the day off?"
"T-Take the day off?" the Maiden Queen echoed. "B-But it's so sudden!
There's my official duties in the castle, for one thing, and I'd need to get the
consent of the ministers..."
"The Third Princess and I can take care of your duties for you," the
Second Princess offered. "And I know how to handle the ministers, so don't
worry."
"B-But..." the Maiden Queen protested, a deep frown on her face.
"Hey, Garyl," said the Second Princess, turning to address the boy.
"You'd like to spend some time with my sister the Queen, right?"
"Huh?" Garyl said, startled at being spoken to so suddenly. "W-Well,
yeah! I'd be very happy to enjoy the Calgosi Coast with her!" He smiled
brightly.
"G-Garyl..." The Maiden Queen's face turned red all the way to the tips
of her ears as she stood rooted to the spot.
"Cool!" said the Second Princess, wheeling the Maiden Queen around
and pushing her forcefully back towards Garyl. "She's all yours!"
"Eek!" the Maiden Queen cried in an adorably tiny voice as she was
thrust forward into Garyl's arms.
"Well, have fun, you two!" the Second Princess said, nodding in
approval as Garyl caught the Maiden Queen and held her steady. "And now,
I bid you farewell." She gestured towards Flio, indicating for him to quickly
dispel the Teleportation portal. Flio looked just slightly perturbed, but he
lowered his arms and the portal vanished.
The Maiden Queen watched helplessly, held tight in Garyl's arms. "UUm... I-I, um..."
"E-Erm...Your Majesty...?" Garyl said.
"O-Oh," she mumbled, fidgeting. "Um... P-Perhaps you could call me
Ellie, like you usually do? I-It's my day off, after all, I suppose..." That was
all the Maiden Queen—Elizabeth—could manage.
◇ ◇ ◇
As Garyl held the Maiden Queen close, a number of figures watched on
from the shadows.
"Goodness..." said Salina. "What is happening over there?"
"It's wrong, whatever it is, mreowr!" growled Irystiel's plush cat.
"That woman is being far too familiar with our Garyl!" declared Snow
Little.
The three girls, still in their swimsuits, had lost sight of Garyl and gone
off looking for him, until at last they found him here.
"W-Well, by the looks of things, she's quite a bit older than him, isn't
she?" Salina observed.
"He should be with someone his own age, like Irystiel! Or at least one of
you! Mreowr!" the plushie concurred.
"Y-Yes, exactly! That's exactly right!" agreed Snow Little.
"Um, big sister Elinàsze..." Rylnàsze started to ask her sister as the two
of them observed the three girls from a short distance away. "What are
Salina and the other girls talking about?" She seemed very dubious about
the entire thing.
"Hm..." Elinàsze considered for a moment before answering with a
bright smile. "To put it simply, I suppose they're talking about how much
they all love Garyl."
Rylnàsze's face lit up at her sister's explanation. She nodded her head,
smiling cheerfully. "I love big brother Garyl too!" she said.
"That's right," said Elinàsze, petting her little sister on the head.
"Everyone loves Garyl, after all, big sister Wyne and myself included."
Although... she thought as she continued to pet Rylnàsze's hair, I believe
"love" might have a somewhat different meaning between ourselves and
those three. But perhaps Rylnàsze is still too young to understand things
like that.
◇That Evening—The Van Biel Mansion Courtyard◇
After they had all had their fill of swimming in the ocean, Flio and
company reconvened in the courtyard of Junia Van Biel's mansion.
"My, what an enormous fish!" Rys exclaimed. Indeed, in one corner of
the courtyard lay a truly gargantuan creature of the sea.
Ghozal, who was standing beside the fish still wearing his straw fishing
hat and carrying his hefty fishing rod slung over his shoulder, laughed
heartily. "Hrm!" he agreed. "It doesn't hold a candle to that Beast of
Disaster Mister Flio fished up, but it's not a bad catch, is it?"
Two of Junia Van Biel's retainers, Polseidon and Rolindeim, stared at
the giant fish with bemused expressions.
"Hey, Rolindeim," said Polseidon. "Am I imagining it, or does that fish
look like the old angerweiss they call the King of the Deep...?"
"What a coincidence...right?" said Rolindeim. "I was just thinking the
same thing."
"An angerweiss of that size certainly looks like it might rule over the
deep..." Polseidon observed.
"What a coincidence...right?" Rolindeim repeated. "I was just thinking
the same thing."
"But you know..." Polseidon mused. "It would have taken an incredible
amount of strength to fish that angerweiss out of the ocean depths. Just how
strong is this gentleman?"
After a short pause, Rolindeim repeated herself verbatim for the third
time in a row. "What a coincidence...right? I was just thinking the same
thing."
Meanwhile, all around them, preparations for a barbecue were underway
in the mansion courtyard. "Gah ha ha!" laughed Eddsarch. "I, Eddsarch,
will show you what a former pirate can do in the kitchen! I'll make you a
barbecue so delicious you won't believe your mouths!" He was no longer
wearing the black outfit he had worn during his years of piracy, but a white
tuxedo as he deftly carved the fish with his oversized knife.
"I brought more fresh fish from the market!" Loplanz dove from the sky
in his monstrous rukh form, clutching a box overflowing with fish in his
talons. Eddsarch's men took the box and began the work of sticking
skewers through the fish's mouths and handing them off to Eddsarch.
Wyne came running over as Loplanz touched down on solid ground.
"Lop-Lop!" she said. "Did you bring food-food?"
"We're still getting everything ready right now," Loplanz explained.
"You'll have to wait just a bit longer."
"Aww!" Wyne pouted, stomping her feet. "But I'm hungry-hungry!"
"U-Um..." Loplanz said, casting his eyes all over the area in search of
something he could feed Wyne. "W-Well, I'm sorry to hear that, but it's just
not ready..."
"Gah ha ha!" Eddsarch laughed again. "Ho there, Loplanz! At a loss for
words in front of your girlfriend, I see!"
"Aaah!" Loplanz cried. "W-W-Wyne and I a-aren't in a relationship!"
"Gah ha ha! Well, whatever it is, you go ahead and feed her this!" He
handed Loplanz a skewered squid cooked on the iron grill.
"Like, hang on!" objected Byleri, who had been helping out at the grill.
"I, like, just finished cooking that one!"
"Gah ha ha! Come on! Don't sweat the small stuff!" said Eddsarch.
"U-Um..." Loplanz muttered, doing a quick polite bow as he accepted
the grilled squid. "Thanks..." He turned to face Wyne. "Um, Wyne? How
about—" But that was as far as he got.
"Thanks for the food!" Wyne said, opening her mouth wide and biting
down on the squid, skewer and all. In fact, she was so eager that Loplanz's
hand ended up in her mouth as well.
"W-Wait!" Loplanz cried. "Wyne, hang on! D-Don't eat my hand!"
"Nom nom nom..."
"Owww!" Loplanz cried. "D-Don't bite me! I-I'd really like it if you
didn't bite me!" he waved his hand as he could, but Wyne showed no sign
of letting go. A great laugh arose from all around at the pair's antics.
A short distance away, Ghozal was busy cutting up the enormous
angerweiss fish he himself had caught with precise application of the Sever
spell. "Keep the fire going!" he cried, grinning like a child. "There's lots
more edible bits on this thing!" Next to him, his wives Balirossa and
Uliminas were skewering and grilling the fillets of angerweiss in a stone
hearth.
"Mmm!" Folmina exclaimed with delight as she bit into a chunk of fish
as big as her own head. "This is delicious!" Next to her, Ghoro was stuffing
his own cheeks with angerweiss meat like he was in a trance.
"It looks a little grotesque, perhaps, but this angerweiss fish is simply
delectable, isn't it?" chimed Balirossa, smiling happily at the sight of
Folmina and Ghoro eating the fish.
"But the meowment Ghozal fished that thing out of the water..."
Uliminas rhapsodized. "That one I'll never furget..."
Uliminas thought back to when Ghozal caught the mighty fish. Ghozal
had been casting his rod with preposterous force until finally, the hook
found the giant angerweiss. He pulled with all his strength, and suddenly
the enormous fish came bursting up out of the depths of the sea. It was such
a forceful pull that it sent powerful waves crashing onto the shoreline. An
ordinary fishing rod and line would have been torn apart in a second, but
Ghozal was using his magic along with some special gear from the Fli-o'-
Rys General Store, and the line held strong.
"Even after it was fished up, it started thrashing about all meowver the
shore..." Uliminas recounted. "I can't imeowgine anyone other than Ghozal
knocking it out cold with their fists..."
"S-Sir Ghozal really did all that...?" Balirossa asked in disbelief.
"Hey, now!" said Blossom, laughing cheerfully as she came up from
behind. "That's just Ghozal for you, isn't it? But I'm telling you, this is
some tasty fish!" Like Folmina and Ghoro, she too was busy delightfully
devouring the angerweiss. In fact, all around them, more and more people
gathered to try the delicacy.
Not far off, Flio was checking over the contents of one of his windows.
"What are you looking at, my lord husband?" Rys asked, walking up to
him with a fresh grilled skewer of fish in each hand.
"Oh," said Flio. "I was just learning more about the Beast of Disaster I
caught today."
"About the Beast of Disaster?" Rys echoed.
"That's right," Flio said. "It looks like this one actually has two
enormous magic gems in its body. They're even bigger than the magic gems
from the Beasts of Disaster we captured in Dogorogma."
"Oh, really!"
"This should be enough to enlarge the interior of another one of the
Enchanted Frigates, if I'm not mistaken," Flio said, nodding happily to
himself as he accepted one of the skewered fish from Rys.
"By the way, my lord husband," Rys began. "Is the Beast of Disaster
edible, by any chance?"
"What was that?" Flio blinked.
"Oh," said Rys, taking a bite of fish. "It's just, this monstrosity Ghozal
caught is actually surprisingly delicious, you know. It has me wondering if
perhaps the Beast of Disaster my lord husband caught is this delicious as
well..."
Flio folded his arms and lowered his head in thought. "Hmm... I don't
know," he said. "I can use it as base materials for a recovery potion, but
there's no guarantee that it tastes any good..."
"We should try grilling it!" Rys proposed. "We can't have Ghozal
beating us, can we?" She glanced at Ghozal out of the corner of her eye to
see that he was still merrily chopping away at the angerweiss, her
competitive spirit flaring up inside her. Lupine demons were known to
respect strength even more than other demons, and Rys was no exception.
She could be a real stickler for competition. She had calmed down quite a
bit since she began living with Flio, but sometimes, such as now, something
or other would switch this side of hers back on.
Flio, for his part, understood this about his wife. He nodded, a knowing
smile on his face. "All right," he said, producing a manageable slice of the
beast's meat from storage. "In that case, let's try grilling up a bit of it as a
test." At the very least, it doesn't look like it contains anything that would
harm the human body... he thought to himself. He quickly used his magic to
ensure that the meat was safe before handing it over.
"Leave the cooking to me!" said Rys, racing over to the iron grill with
the meat in hand.
"Thank you, Rys!" said Flio.
Byleri cocked her neck curiously at the sight of the unfamiliar fish.
"Like, what kind of fish is this, Lady Rys?" she asked.
"Hee hee hee!" Rys laughed, grinning triumphantly. "This is the very
magic beast that my lord husband captured!" She sliced a fine strip of meat
and set it on a skewer. "Now, time to see how it grills!" she said, placing it
on the grill.
Moments passed, and gradually, the aroma of seared Beast of Calamity
flesh filled the room.
"Wh-What is that smell?!" exclaimed Ghozal, reflexively plugging up
his nose.
"It stinks!" Folmina cried, tears in her eyes as she held her nose tight as
well. Ghoro, too, was squeezing his nostrils shut as tight as he could.
"W-Well, that's peculiar!" said Rys, plugging her own nose tight even as
she continued grilling the meat.
Junia Van Biel watched Rys cook from across the courtyard, flapping
her arms awkwardly as she tried to summon the nerve to say something.
Wh-What do I do? She thought. I-I'd like to ask her not to cook something
that smells so awful, but I can't say something like that to Lord Flio's wife!
Awawah...
Flio noted Junia's distress and held out his hand to summon a magic
circle, casting the spell Deodorize. Instantly, the offensive odor of searing
Beast of Disaster flesh vanished without a trace.
"Ahhhh..." exclaimed Byleri, who had been standing right next to Rys,
tears streaming down her face despite her best efforts to hold her nose shut.
"Like, I'm saved... I thought I was gonna lose my nose..."
Rys, meanwhile, just cocked her head with mild puzzlement. "How
strange..." she said. "My lord husband is the one who caught this magic
beast, so how could it smell so vile?"
R-Rys... Flio thought privately. Me being the one to catch something is
no guarantee that it's going to smell good... "Well..." he said
noncommittally. "Smell aside, maybe we should try a bite. There's still a
chance it might taste good..."
"Of course!" Rys said, immediately recovering her spirits. "What's
important is the flavor!" She went on cooking, more intently than before,
and in a few moments the morsel was ready to eat. "My lord husband! I've
finished cooking the fish!" Beaming, she presented Flio with a plate of the
seared monster.
Rys, of course, had no ill intentions at all. She was just following her
instinct as a lupine, which told her she should first present the food to the
pack leader. Flio understood Rys's behavior well by this point, so he forced
a smile and accepted the plate. It doesn't smell like anything anymore
thanks to my Deodorize spell... he thought. But...is this really safe?
Flio studied the meat from all angles before steeling his will and, with a
single bite, taking it into his mouth. He chewed and chewed for what felt
like minutes before finally, with a big gulp, swallowing it down.
"How is it, my lord husband?!" Rys asked, her eyes shining as she
nuzzled up against Flio.
Flio looked like he wasn't sure what to say. "Well, how do I put this...?
It has an...unusual texture. Sinewy, maybe. Or maybe just tough. And it has
plenty of juice, but it doesn't really taste like anything..."
Rys's shoulders slumped in disappointment. "I see... So it wasn't as
good as Ghozal's fish after all..."
Frowning, Flio held his hand over the remaining meat. Flavor aside,
there's something else going on here... he thought, summoning a magic
circle to analyze the meat's composition. "Huh?" he said, his eyes blinking
open when he read what the window had to say.
◇Nutritional Supplement (Super)
◇Improved Nervous System Function (Super)
◇Cold Recovery (Instant)
◇Fatigue Recovery (Super)
◇Disease Purification (Super)
◇...
The list went on and on, featuring dozens and dozens of various effects.
Flio couldn't hold back an astonished gasp. "Hang on! This is incredible! If
I use this as a base for making recovery potions, they should have an even
stronger effect than the bones and meats I've been using! We shouldn't be
eating this—we should be using it as raw materials for medicine!"
"My!" Rys's face lit up with joy. "So, the fish my lord husband caught is
far too useful to be used as mere food!"
"W-Well, I suppose that's true..." Flio said, smirking wryly to himself as
he nodded. Rys, for her part, was absolutely preening in victory, her head
held high and a great big, superior grin on her face.
Rys really does act like a child sometimes, Flio thought, smiling his
usual easygoing smile at the sight of his overjoyed wife. But I guess that's
one of the things that's so charming about her.
◇Meanwhile—Calgosi Coast, Inland◇
Inland in the Calgosi Coast region stood an imposing mountain range. In
one corner of the range, a train of wagons stood dead in their tracks. The
wagons were under the effect of a Concealment spell so that none in the
area would detect their presence. At their head, a man stood grumbling and
clicking his tongue in frustration.
"What in the blazes is going on?" the man demanded, taking a puff of
his cigar. "No matter how long we wait, there's no sign of this Briedoc
showing up with Junia Van Biel's retainers!"
Just then, two women ran up to the man's wagon, wearing matching
cheongsam dresses with a slit that ran well up their thighs—one gold and
one silver.
"Shadow King, terrible news!" yipped the woman in the gold
cheongsam.
"Briedoc has been captured, and he and his crew were all taken away to
Klyrode Castle!" added the woman in the silver cheongsam.
"C-Captured?!" the man bellowed, springing to his feet. "W-Well, what
about her? The witch that Collectableu fellow loaned us?"
"Well..." said the woman in gold, "it seems she too was sent to Klyrode
Castle..."
"Wait! Hang on just a moment!" the Shadow King said. "What about the
magic beast the witch was controlling? We were going to sell that one
Collectableu too, weren't we? He even gave us an advance payment!"
"Well..." said the woman in silver. "The beast might have been captured
as well. We can't detect it anywhere. We searched high and low, as hard as
we could, but all our spells only turned up the slightest blips. And when we
followed the one reaction we did find...it took us right to Junia Van Biel's
mansion..."
"Impossible!" the Shadow King clutched his head like he was in pain.
"Then...Junia Van Biel captured them all, including the magic beast?!" I've
heard that Junia Van Biel is a proficient magic user, true, but I had no idea
she was capable of something like that! the Shadow King thought.
The Shadow King had once been king of the Magical Kingdom of
Klyrode itself, but he was always far more interested in lining his own
pocket than governing the kingdom. While he reigned as monarch, he
appropriated the kingdom's budget for his own private use, and with the
money he gained, began to do a thriving business in the black market. His
evil deeds, however, came to light back while the Maiden Queen was still
known as the First Princess, and he was driven from the throne. Thereafter
he began styling himself the Shadow King, throwing himself fully into his
underworld dealings.
"Collectableu pays well, but he's trouble if you can't keep your end of
the bargain," the Shadow King grumbled irritably. "I don't want to imagine
what he'll do to us if he finds out we let one of his rarities get captured. At
the very least, we should do everything we can to recover the beast and
deliver it to him."
Collectableu, of course, no longer existed in the world of Klyrode thanks
to some quick thinking on Hero Gold-Hair's part, but the Shadow King still
had no idea this had happened.
The Shadow King turned to his two accomplices. "Kintsuno the Gold.
Gintsuno the Silver."
"Yip?" said Kintsuno.
"Yip yip?" said Gintsuno.
"You don't happen to know any dependable sorts we could call on by
any chance, do you?"
"Well..." Kintsuno began.
"I suppose we might..." Gintsuno continued.
The fox sisters, Kintsuno and Gintsuno, whispered something in the
Shadow King's ear that made him smirk with wicked delight.
"In that case, summon them immediately!" he said. "We need to come
up with a plan, and quick!"
"Yes, sir!" yipped Kintsuno.
"We'll call her right away!" added Gintsuno.
The pair bowed, and ran off away from the wagon train, transforming
into a gold and silver fox as they ran and darting into the forest at breakneck
speed.
The Shadow King clicked his tongue as he sat alone in the wagon. "I
swear," he muttered darkly, taking another puff of his cigar. "Thinking
back, everything started going wrong when I first appointed that goldenhaired man as Hero. I hear he's a wanted fugitive in the Magical Kingdom
now, at least. They had better hurry up and capture him. The day he faces
public execution will come as some relief, at least..."
◇Meanwhile—A Forest Road Somewhere◇
"A-ker-choooo!" With no warning whatsoever, Hero Gold-Hair
suddenly sneezed loudly in his seat in Aryun Keats's carriage form.
"H-Hero Gooold-Hair!" Tsuya exclaimed, hastily producing a
handkerchief and handing it over. "A-Are you coming down with a
cooold?"
"No, I don't think so," Hero Gold-Hair said as he wiped his nose with
Tsuya's handkerchief. "I expect someone's been talking about me..."
"Ooooh!" said Tsuya. "Do you think it's the Daaark One Mister
Daaawkson?"
"It could be!" Wuha Gappoli nodded. "After all, you did refuse his offer
to reward you for resolving the rare species abduction case."
"Yes, perhaps..." echoed Valentine.
"Sir Hero Gold-Hair, perhaps we could still plot a course for the Dark
Citadel?" came Aryun Keats's voice from the roof of the carriage.
Hero Gold-Hair slowly and deliberately shook his head. "There's no
need," he said. "All I did was follow my own whims for my own reasons."
"Hero Gold-Hair..." The rest of the party seemed deeply moved by Hero
Gold-Hair's words.
"In that case," said Riliangiu, "there is also the cash reward the Dark
One's minion Phufun offered. Shall we turn that down as—"
"No," Hero Gold-Hair declared, cutting Riliangiu off and holding out his
palm in an abjuring gesture. "That, we will gratefully accept."
"What?" Riliangiu asked. "W-We shall?"
"Yes, because I say so!" Hero Gold-Hair. "Am I understood?"
"Y-Yes, sir!" said Riliangiu. "In that case, I shall go to receive it
posthaste!" She leapt out of the carriage and ran off, out of sight.
Hero Gold-Hair watched as Riliangiu left. "Well, you know..." he said.
"It's just that you can't eat ideals..."
"Hee hee!" Tsuya chuckled. "And that's what I liiike about you, Hero
Gooold-Hair!"
They carried on their merry way, Aryun Keats's carriage form rolling
along the tree-lined path in no particular hurry.
◇That Night—Calgosi Coast, Van Biel Mansion◇
"Simply peculiar..." Salina, who was staying the night at Junia Van
Biel's mansion with the rest of Flio's party, made her way down the hallway
looking every which way. Irystiel and Snow Little approached from the
opposite side, looking from left to right as she walked much like Salina.
"Salina," said Snow Little, cocking her head to the side as they
approached. "Have you seen Lord Garyl anywhere on your side?"
"I haven't," Salina admitted. "I was certain he would be with Lady
Elinàsze and the others, but when I went to check, there was no sign of
him."
"He wasn't with the rest of the College of Magic students either,
mreowr!" said Irystiel's plush cat, given voice by Irystiel's ventriloquism as
she held it tight in her arms.
Salina crossed her arms and tilted her head. "I was so looking forward to
the opportunity to take a nice long nighttime walk along the Calgosi Coast
together with Lord Garyl..." she said. "But if he has gone off somewhere,
what are we to do?"
Irystiel and Snow Little folded their arms as well, lowering their heads
in thought.
◇Meanwhile...◇
"The stars are so beautiful tonight..." Ellie, the so-called Maiden Queen,
smiled as she gazed up at the night sky. She was sitting on the roof of the
Van Biel mansion, with the elusive Garyl beside her.
"I'm glad I got to see this night sky with you, Miss Ellie," agreed Garyl,
a laid-back smile on his face.
"You know," said Ellie, glancing at the cheerful boy beside her, "I'd
never been to a barbecue like that before tonight. It was quite exhilarating."
"Oh, really?" Garyl asked. "My family does stuff like that all the time!"
"Yes, now that you mention it, you've told me such tales before," Ellie
reflected. I've spoken to Garyl many times using the pair of transmission
gems that Lord Flio made for us, she thought. But to be able to see him
face-to-face and speak to one another directly... Nothing could make me
happier.
They continued chatting on for some time about this and that, until they
reached a lull in the conversation. Ellie cleared her throat. "Um..." she
started, turning to face Garyl directly. "Garyl?"
"Yes? What is it?" Garyl asked.
"You're going to be graduating from the Houghtow College of Magic's
elementary-level courses soon, are you not? Have you given any thought as
to what you intend to do next?"
"What to do next...?" Garyl repeated. "Isn't it obvious? I'm going to be
moving on to study at the Institute for Chivalric Education! After all, I have
to protect you, Miss Ellie."
Garyl's remark made Ellie's cheeks turn distinctly red. When I first met
him, Garyl was a cheerful, energetic boy... she thought. But even back then,
he always said he wanted to protect me. Garyl had grown up quickly thanks
to his demon ancestry, and by now he had matured into a splendid young
man no shorter than Ellie when they sat. He's become a lot calmer now too,
Ellie observed, and he's taken to speaking like an adult as well...
Suddenly, Ellie realized that she had been staring at Garyl's face. She
snapped suddenly back to her senses. Oh, she thought, but... even as grownup as Garyl seems, perhaps a girl of his own age might suit him better. He
even has all those classmates, like Miss Salina and Miss Irystiel, who he
brought on this trip... And I know I'm not the prettiest girl in the world.
Plus, between all of my official duties governing the kingdom, we've never
found time to go on a proper date. I can't imagine it would be very fun for
Garyl, being with me...
Ellie had a bad habit of immediately turning to negativity when it came
to herself. Perhaps it was only to be expected—after all, she had gone until
her early thirties without ever once engaging in a romantic affair with the
opposite sex.
"Um..." the Maiden Queen began, her voice choked with painful
emotions, before forcing herself to speak. "Garyl? P-Perhaps it would be
better for you to do this with one of the girls your own age..."
Garyl put a hand on Ellie's shoulder. "Salina, Irystiel, Snow Little, and
the rest are all my precious friends...but you're the girl I love, Miss Ellie.
I've loved you since the day we first met..." He leaned in gently, bringing
his face close to hers.
"Huh?" the Maiden Queen squeaked out, her own face turning redder
and redder as Garyl's got larger in her field of vision. "U-Um...Garyl?"
"It's all right if you'd rather not..." Garyl said, beginning to blush
himself. "But...may I kiss you, Miss Ellie?"
"Huh?" Ellie's eyes went wide in panic. "U-Um...I, u-uh... What?!"
"Ah ha ha!" Garyl laughed awkwardly, pulling away. "Sorry! I guess
that was a weird thing to say out of the blue..." He scratched the back of his
head, embarrassed.
Ellie just stared, completely immobile. "Huh?" She repeated. "I...I,
er...huh?" H-He stopped... she thought. Even though he finally worked up
the courage to ask...even though he would have been more than welcome to
simply push past my resistance... She shook her head. N-No... It's because
I've been panicking altogether far too much. Oh...why is it that at times like
these, I always make a fool of myself? She took a deep breath.
"G-Garyl?" Ellie said, grabbing his cheeks with both her hands.
"Wha?" Garyl said, startled by Ellie's sudden movement.
This time, Ellie was the one who brought her face close to his. Their lips
met under the moonlight. Ellie closed her eyes and kissed him. After a
second, Garyl, who had been confused at first, closed his eyes as well and
pulled Ellie into a gentle, lingering embrace.
◇The Following Morning—Calgosi Coast◇
After having breakfast at Junia Van Biel's mansion, Flio and company
headed back to the beach while it was still early.
"Lord Garyl!" Salina scolded, wearing a bikini and folding her arms in
indignation. Her outfit today was even more revealing than the one she had
worn yesterday. "Where did you wander off to last night? We looked
everywhere for you, you know!"
"Sorry, my bad," said Garyl, smiling even as he bowed his head in
apology. "I had something I needed to take care of." His cheeks, however,
were a little flushed even now. It was obvious to everyone that something
out of the ordinary must have happened.
"Well, if you had business, I suppose it can't be helped," said Salina.
"You will simply have to make up for last night by playing with me today!"
"No fair, mreowr!" Irystiel objected, using ventriloquism to speak
through her plushie like always. "Irystiel wants to play too!"
"Excuse me..." Snow Little leaned in from behind Irystiel. "I should like
to join you as well, if I may."
"Sure, okay!" said Garyl, smiling at the three girls. "Let's all play
together!" Then he ran over to where Ellie was sitting by the beachside and
took hold of her hand. "C'mon, Ellie! You should join us!"
"Huh?!" Ellie squeaked, extremely flustered. "U-Um, I...er..." In her
mind, she was flashing back to the events of the previous night. The
sensation of Garyl's lips on her own came back to her, as clear as when it
had been happening. Garyl was so brave last night... she thought, squeezing
her fist tight. He did something frightening, all for my sake... She raised her
head. "I-If it's no trouble, I would be delighted to join you."
Garyl took Ellie by the hand and set off towards the shore. Ellie smiled
ear to ear as she walked alongside him, her face bright red.
Flio watched Garyl and Ellie from a short distance away, sitting on a
cloth under the shade of a parasol set in the sandy beach. I'm glad to see
Garyl and the Maiden Queen's relationship coming along so well, he
thought, smiling his usual easygoing smile. But I have to admit I'm a little
worried...
"Indeed," said Hiya, appearing next to Flio. "Lord Garyl is the son of
the Exalted One. It would befit him to be at least a little more forceful in his
affairs. I, for one, find it simply unaccountable that last night concluded
with nothing more than a simple kiss." They sighed and folded their arms in
exasperation.
"Um..." Flio ventured. "Hiya, you weren't watching Garyl and Ellie last
night, by any chance..."
"Yes, I was observing them," Hiya answered quite casually. "I trust that
won't be a problem?"
Flio shook his head. I suppose not... he thought. I told them not to peep
at the house, but if something were to happen to the Maiden Queen, it
would be a problem for the entire Magical Kingdom of Klyrode. I can't say
Hiya is completely in the wrong this time... "In any event, let's not tell
anyone about what happened last night, okay?" he said after giving the
matter some thought.
"If that is your will, Exalted One, I can only obey," said Hiya, placing
their hand over their heart and bowing deeply.
At that point, Rys came running up. "My lord husband, what are you
discussing with Hiya?" she asked.
"O-Oh, n-nothing, really..." Flio said. "We're finished, anyway."
"I see..." said Rys. "In that case, would you like to go swimming
together?" She was wearing a white bikini, and between her voluptuous
bosom, dignified posture, and beautiful features, she stood out among the
beachgoers. She was getting stares not only from the men but the women as
well.
Flio just smiled like always. "I'd love to. Shall we, then?" He stood up
and walked over to Rys, and then suddenly stopped, turning to look in the
direction of the coastline. "Hm?"
"My lord husband?" Rys regarded him with a curious expression. "Is
something the matter?"
"Nothing serious..." Flio said, shielding his eyes with his hand as he
gazed out to see. "Just something I— Huh?"
"Wh-What's wrong?" Rys asked again, furrowing her brow as she
followed her husband's gaze.
"So you've noticed too, Mister Flio?" said Ghozal. He walked up beside
them, carrying an enormous three-meter-long fish he must have caught only
moments ago. "Well, I wouldn't say it's anything to worry about, but—
Huh?" Like Flio, he seemed to have noticed something on the ocean's
surface. He scrunched up his eyes, watching closely.
◇Meanwhile—Out at Sea◇
"Ohhh, this pisses me off!" As Flio and the others watched, a girl out at
sea, covered head to toe in a black skintight outfit, raised her voice in anger.
She was standing astride the head of a giant serpentine magic beast, her
arms crossed as the snake made its way for the Calgosi Coast with alarming
speed. Behind them followed more snakes, each nearly as big as the one she
was riding.
"I came to attack the Calgosi Coast as a favor to my childhood friends,
the demon fox sisters..." she grumbled. "But then they tell me my snakes
and I are just supposed to draw Junia Van Biel's attention by rampaging
along the coast so that they can get back some Beast of Calamity she
captured! I am so pissed off right now! I am Una the Great, the beast tamer
who controls the waves themselves, and they're playing me for a fool!"
The girl—Una—glanced behind her as she raged. "Well, whatever!" she
exclaimed. "Come, my minions, let's tear up the Calgosi Coast and show
the demon fox sisters what we can do! Got it?!" She raised her right fist
high, and the magic beasts let out a mighty shout in reply.
Una turned back to look towards Calgosi Coast and furrowed her brow.
Huh...? There was a boat on the water, right in front of her. As she watched,
someone in the boat stood up. "What's that?" Una asked. "A child?" Indeed,
just as Una said, the boat's passenger seemed to be a little girl.
Inside the boat, Elinàsze noticed the swarm of magic beasts drawing
close. "R-Rylnàsze!" she cried. "Sit down, would you? I'll send us back to
shore with my magic!"
Earlier that day, Rylnàsze had come to her big sister saying, "Big sister
Elinàsze, could we please go on the water?" Obliging her request, Elinàsze
had rented a boat to take them out to sea. And now here they were, face-toface with Una and her monstrous serpents.
As Elinàsze watched, Rylnàsze stood up in the boat, peering over the
edge with a great big smile on her face. "Wow!" she marveled, catching
sight of the magic beasts coming towards them. "Look at all those
animals!"
"Rylnàsze!" shouted her sister. "What are you doing?!"
Despite Elinàsze's panic, however, Rylnàsze seemed perfectly relaxed.
"Don't worry, big sister Elinàsze! They're friendly!" Smiling, she turned
back towards the swarm.
"Hmph..." Una grumbled. "Just some child with the bad luck to be in the
way of my magic beasts. Never mind, everyone! We charge on through!"
She pointed her arm dramatically in the direction of the coast.
Before Una's very eyes, however, Rylnàsze held out her hand towards
oncoming magic beasts, her smile unfaltering. "Stop, please!" she called
out. Immediately, the entire swarm came to a sudden halt.
"Huh? Wha?!" Una cried. She hadn't been the one to tell the magic
beasts to stop, and she found herself tossed forward by the sudden change
in direction, tumbling off the head of the giant snake she had been riding.
"Wh-What is the meaning of this?!" she demanded, complaining even as
she flew through the air.
Without their master, the magic beasts gathered before Rylnàsze, now
moving at a relaxed pace. "Good job!" said Rylnàsze, smiling down at
them. "You're all such good little darlings!" The serpents brought their
heads up to her like fawning children, and Rylnàsze pet each gently on the
head. "They're very good, aren't they, big sis Elinàsze?" she asked,
beaming at her sister.
Elinàsze smirked as she watched her sister cheerfully pet the ferocious
magic beasts. If I'm not mistaken, I believe that woman who got sent flying
was in control of these magic beasts, she thought, half not believing her
eyes. But I suppose Rylnàsze's abilities as a beast tamer are simply greater
than hers. After all, the magic beasts are all doing what Rylnàsze tells
them...
"Perhaps my little sister is actually somewhat terrifying?" Elinàsze
mused to herself, accidentally speaking the words out loud.
◇ ◇ ◇
As Rylnàsze stood up in her boat, patting the serpents on the head, Wyne
and Tanya watched from the skies. Wyne had her dragon wings fully
manifested on her back, while Tanya's angel wings were likewise on
display. The two were flapping their wings to keep themselves airborne, not
moving from their position in the sky.
"Hey, Tan-Tan?" asked Wyne. "Does Ryl-Ryl not need our help after
all?"
"I believe I have mentioned this to you before," Tanya said, "but my
name is not 'Tan-Tan.' It is Tanya. That being said, it seems they are in no
need of assistance."
"Huh!" said Wyne, grinning and folding her hands behind her head. "I
was gonna hit 'em like 'ka-pow!' but if Ryl-Ryl and Eli-Eli are safe, it's all
good-good!"
"Yes," Tanya agreed, bowing courteously. "As long as everyone in
Master Flio's family is safe, then all is well."
As Wyne and Tanya spoke, Damalynas and Maglion caught up from
behind. All four of them had come running to save Elinàsze and Rylnàsze
when they noticed the magic beasts headed their way.
◇Calgosi Coast◇
"Pwah?!" Una, who had been sent flying with such velocity that her
head had ended up buried in the beach sand, finally regained her senses and
pulled herself to her feet. "What the heck was that?!" she complained
between spitting out bits of sand that had gotten stuck in her mouth. "This is
seriously pissing me off!"
"Excuse me," said someone behind her. "Perhaps we can have some
words, if you've calmed down a little?"
"What?" Una spat angrily, wheeling around to face the stranger. "How
clueless do you get?! I'll show you what...I..." But the words gradually died
on her tongue. Her face went pale. Before her, in addition to Flio—the man
who had spoken to her—she could see Rys with her lupine fangs and tail on
full display, the immense Ghozal cracking his knuckles, Hiya conjuring a
separate magic circle with each of their hands, Balirossa with her sword,
Blossom with her hoe made from the scales of a slain dragon, and Tia with
a pot full of hot tea. Everyone from Flio's house was there, except for the
ones who had flown off to rescue Rylnàsze.
Una fell to her knees, trembling in the face of the unimaginably vast
magic power arrayed before her. Wh-Who are these people...? she thought.
This is just unreasonable! Nobody told me there'd be people this
outrageous involved!
"Can you hear me?" Flio asked. "If you've calmed down a little, I would
like to have some words." He was smiling, but somehow it didn't seem to
quite reach his eyes.
◇Meanwhile—Behind the Van Biel Mansion◇
In the grassy field behind Junia Van Biel's mansion, the Shadow King
and the demon fox sisters lay in wait.
"Kintsuno..." the Shadow King started. "When is this Una friend of
yours planning on beginning her rampage? We need her for our plan to
sneak into the Van Biel mansion during the chaos and recover the Beast of
Disaster."
"I-It's strange..." agreed Kintsuno the Gold, a bead of nervous sweat
running down her brow. "I fully expected her to be raising hell by the time
we got here..."
Gintsuno the Silver stood next to her, panic written on her face. Behind
them stood a force of rogues from the Shadow Conglomerate, standing by
alongside the Shadow King to attack the mansion when the time was right.
But no matter how long they waited, there was no sign of any chaos at all
taking place on the beach. All they could do was hide themselves in the tall
grass and try to move as little as possible.
◇The Calgosi Coast◇
"I-I offer my most sincere and genuine apologies for my wrongdoing..."
said Una, prostrating herself in the sand and pressing her head to the ground
again and again.
Rylnàsze stood before her on the water's edge, surrounded by the magic
beasts she had won over from Una. "Um..." Rylnàsze said. "These magic
beasts are all very kind and friendly," she said. "You really shouldn't order
good magic beasts like them to go on a rampage, no matter what."
"I-I understand!" Una said, bowing and bowing. "I promise—I'll never
do it again, no matter what!"
Flio and company had tied Una up tight and subjected her to one lecture
after another before finally agreeing to release her back to the sea. She had
been prepared to die from the moment she set eyes on Flio and his
companions, and couldn't believe her luck at being let go with nothing
more than a talking-to. They were even going to return her magic beasts.
And so, Una found herself apologizing over and over again from the depths
of her heart.
Flio placed a hand on Una's shoulder as she abased herself on the
ground in front of Rylnàsze. "You won't go pulling mischief like that
again?" he confirmed.
"I-I won't! I promise forever!" Una begged, bowing to Flio this time.
Junia Van Biel watched the exchange from behind, her smile looking a
bit stiff. I-I suppose to Lord Flio, even the combined power of all those
magic beasts is just a bit of mischief... After all, Miss Rylnàsze had no
trouble stopping the magic beasts on her own... Her smile twitched
involuntarily as she looked over at the host of magic beasts who had
gathered at the water's edge. Each one of them was a creature of
considerable power. It was easy to imagine that if all of them had attacked
at once, it would have meant trouble for the Calgosi Coast. A bit of
mischief... she thought, regarding Flio and his friends with the same dry
smile as before.
There was yet another person standing by, watching from behind—the
Maiden Queen of Klyrode. She was in disguise, wearing a pair of glasses
and a straw hat low over her eyes as she watched Flio speak to Una. "Lord
Flio is incredible, of course, but so is Miss Rylnàsze..."
"Yeah," said Garyl. He was nuzzled right by her side—all the better to
protect her—and was smiling cheerfully. "Rylnàsze's something else..."
The Maiden Queen turned to look at Garyl. When he had first detected
magic beasts closing in on the Calgosi Coast not long ago, he had swept up
the Maiden Queen, still dressed in her bikini, with a bold, "Here, Miss Ellie.
I'll take you to safety," before setting off at a run, holding her bridal style in
his arms.
Garyl had told Salina and the others to come with them as well, of
course, but just thinking about the incident made the Maiden Queen turn red
all the way to the tips of her ears. H-He carried me like a bride... she
thought. In front of so many people too... Embarrassed, she lowered her
head.
"Huh?" said Garyl. "Is something wrong, Miss Ellie? Are you not
feeling well?" Frowning with concern, he began to massage the Maiden
Queen's back.
"U-Um..." the Maiden Queen protested, lowering her head further and
turning redder still. "Th-That's quite all right, thank you..." W-Wait! she
thought to herself. R-Right now...Garyl's hands are rubbing my back? I-Is
this... Is this real...?
◇That Evening—Aboard the Enchanted Frigate◇
Flio and company boarded the regularly scheduled flight departing from
the Calgosi Coast station tower.
"We're going home, everyone!" said Rylnàsze, hugging Sube, Sebe, and
Sobe in her arms as she sat in a chair by the window. Sybe and Shebe came
running up to her feet, and Rylnàsze gave them pets as she looked out the
window. Outside, she could see Una and her score of magic beasts on the
coastline. The serpents were looking up at the Enchanted Frigate as if they
were sad to see Rylnàsze go. "I'll be back to visit, everyone!" she said,
waving out the window with a bright smile. "Let's play more then!"
"It really isn't just Sybe's family, is it?" Elinàsze observed from behind.
"Magic beasts are fond of her, just like animals."
"It's nothing like that, big sister Elinàsze!" Rylnàsze objected, smiling
shyly. "We're all just good friends!" All of Sybe's family nuzzled up
happily against her as if to accentuate the statement.
Outside, Wyne flew alongside the vessel on her draconic wings. "Ah ha
ha!" she laughed, grinning broadly as she flew circles around the Enchanted
Frigate. "This is fun-fun!"
"W-Wyne!" Loplanz exclaimed, chasing after the dragonewt in midair.
"You need to board the ship! It's going to leave soon!"
"No problem, no problem!" said Wyne, flying up alongside Loplanz.
"I'm gonna fly home with the Enchanted Frigate-Frigate! You wanna come
too, Lop-Lop?" She grabbed him by the hand and flew with him around the
Enchanted Frigate.
"W-Wyne, wait!" Loplanz protested, blushing bright red to the tips of
his ears. "You can't just say something like that!" Wyne, however, just
continued to lead him on her merry flight.
Tanya stared out at Wyne as she made her circuits around the outside of
the ship. "The Young Mistress is wearing her undergarments today, I see..."
she muttered to herself, nodding in satisfaction.
Another woman appeared behind Tanya and stepped up beside her, the
wings that marked her as a disciple of the Celestial Plane on full display.
"Hello, Tanyalina," she said. "Long time no see."
"Excuse me," Tanya replied. "Who were you, again?"
"Zofina, your former colleague..." the angel, Zofina, said with a frown.
"You still don't remember me, then? Or are you only pretending to have
forgotten?"
Tanya was once sent to Flio's house on a mission by the goddess she
worked for at the time, but on her way suffered a freak midair collision with
Wyne and lost a good portion of her memories. Flio nursed her back to
health in her amnesiac condition, and she made the choice to live as Flio's
maid Tanya.
"Well," Tanya said, "what business does Madame Zofina, disciple of the
celestial plane, have with Master Flio's humble maid?"
A sad, lonely smile came over Zofina's face at Tanya's words. It seems
that nothing will get her to speak as Tanyalina... she thought. "It isn't
anything too serious," she said. "We've just been having a great number of
cases lately of lowlifes violating a Blood Oath Contract and not enough
angels to administer their punishment. Just the other day, I had to go carry
out the sentence of a demon by the name of Collectableu—my eighth case
in the past week. It would lighten my burden considerably if you could
perhaps take the role of Contract Executor once again. I would very much
appreciate the help."
"I see," said Tanya, lifting up the hem of her skirt in an elegant curtsy.
"However, as I have no knowledge of this Contract Executor you speak of, I
am afraid I will be of little help."
"Very well..." Zofina said. "If you don't remember, I suppose you don't
remember." With a beat of her wings she flew high up into the sky and cut a
rift in the cosmos with her scythe, vanishing from sight.
Tanya gazed up at the spot where Zofina had been and curtsied once
more.
Flio glanced over the inside of the ship, smiling his usual easygoing
smile.
"My lord husband!" Rys said, running up to him with a smile on her
face. "I had a lovely time today!"
"Me too," said Flio. "I had a great time swimming and eating barbecue.
Although there was just a little bit of trouble, wasn't there...?" Flio pursed
up his lips as he opened a window displaying the current appearance of the
Beast of Disaster.
"What are you going to do with that magic beast when we get home?"
Rys asked.
"Well, let's see..." Flio said. "We learned that the magic beast's flesh has
all kinds of useful properties, so I figure the first order of business is to start
experimenting to see if I can't figure out a way to synthesize medicine from
it. After that, I'll look into powering up one of the Enchanted Frigates using
the magic gems inside its body..." He began poking and prodding at the
window, launching into a spirited explanation of everything he had in mind
as Rys listened with rapt interest. "Oh, sorry," Flio said after some time. "I
got a little carried away, didn't I? That must have been boring to listen to."
"Not at all!" Rys insisted, smiling up at him. "I always enjoy listening to
anything my lord husband has to say!"
Flio smiled back with one of his usual easygoing smiles.
Before long, the Enchanted Frigate separated from the boarding tower
and ascended into the air until it was flying high above the clouds. Soon, it
was out of sight.
◇That Night—Klyrode Castle, Maiden Queen's Chambers◇
"Excuse me?!" Second Princess Leusoc said, gaping in disbelief.
"E-Erm..." The Maiden Queen blinked in confusion at her sister's
reaction. "Did I perhaps say something strange?"
"So..." the Second Princess slumped her shoulders in disappointment.
"Are you for real? He seriously kissed you and didn't do anything else?"
"O-Of course not!" the Maiden Queen insisted. "Garyl is a proper
gentleman!"
"Gentleman or not, a real man wouldn't just leave it there!"
"A-A real man...?" the Maiden Queen repeated, her face turning bright
red at her sister's words. "Leusoc...what in the world are you saying?!"
Leusoc sighed deeply. "It's hopeless," she said. "My sister the Queen
will go unmarried as long as she lives. A lifelong v-card holder."
"V-card?" the Maiden Queen shook her head. "I really don't understand
what you're talking about. But I have quite a lot to consider, you know!
Next I must speak with Garyl's parents about various matters and work to
slowly reduce the distance between—"
"Ahhh!" Leusoc cried out, interrupting her sister. "This is taking far too
long!" She placed a hand on the Maiden Queen's shoulder and squeezed
tight. "Nothing for it, then," she said, a fiendish smile playing on her face.
"I will simply have to be your wingwoman!"
"W-Wingwoman, you say...?" the Maiden Queen said. There was
something in her sister's leering smile that sent a shiver running down her
spine. "Really...what on earth are you thinking?"