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THE VALKYRIE OF DUKE KARSTEN’S LANDS

1

The first order of business in the morning was to address the reflection in the mirror.

“Cute! I am cute. A girlish young woman, a wonderful and cute girl.”

For quite a long time now, this had been the mantra, the words repeated like magic. No, not like magic. They were magic, for all intents and purposes. A magic spell was simply words that contained the power to change things, to affect the way the world worked. A vow to one’s self that brought about change could be called nothing less.

After this incantation, it was time to run a brush through distinctive shoulder-length flaxen hair. Ensuring it was full and neat before biting back a yawn and changing out of pajamas.

While moving over to the closet, cold air hit pale, slender—and at the moment—naked, trembling skin. It was important to pick a shirt that wasn’t too loud and a skirt with a hem short enough to perhaps raise some eyebrows, then check how it all looked in the mirror. Then came the culottes and knee-high socks, along with white ribbons to be tied into the hair. And just as the earlier magical incantation had affirmed, the picture of the ideal young woman was now complete.

Striking a pose in front of the mirror, then checking once more to be sure nothing was out of place. No detail could be overlooked; there could be no mistakes. This girlishness was borrowed, though it ought to have belonged to this person to begin with, so it was important to treat it carefully.

“Okay! Looking good today—again!”

Everything was wrapped up with a satisfied nod and a wink. Perfect, no mistake about it.

Truth be told, a point had long ago come where the regular affirmations were no longer necessary. These words were a part of the person who spoke them now. After all, it had been six years already.

“It won’t do to look meowlancholy.” A pat for each cheek. “Now, let’s attack the day!” And with a tiny yawn, it was time for them to leave the room.

The hallway of the mansion was silent in the early morning, a chill noticeable in the air. This was the hour when one could sense the cold season arriving. Even though this person was used to saving money wherever possible, mornings like this made them consider adding another layer.

In the hallway, morning greetings and easy smiles were exchanged with the servants who had already begun the day’s work. Everyone remarked on the sudden cooldown, and there was even a gentle warning not to catch a cold.

“What are you talking about? You mean that old saying, ‘Illness spares not even doctors’?”

After smiling and waving, they went their separate ways, while a certain person continued to the mansion’s main entry hall. An elderly steward opened the door. Walking through it while unconsciously bracing against the cold wind that came blowing through, a single figure hunched over.

“—You’re here.” Another had arrived at the entrance earlier and now tossed the brief remark over her shoulder. She was beautiful. The woman tugged on the reins of the white land dragon that was her faithful steed, holding her long green hair against the rising wind. Feeling her upturned, amber eyes watching made the newcomer unconsciously attempt to straighten up from their previous stooped position. It wasn’t an attempt to look good for the woman; her eyes simply had the power to provoke that reaction.

“You didn’t wait long for me, did you, Lady Crusch?”

“No, you’re right on time. I just woke up a little early. My father finally decided to permit me to take longer rides again. I’ve been dying to go for one.”

The dragon put its face close to hers, and she stroked its head, her expression relaxing into a smile. She looked very collected, and yet it spoke of something childish within her. Her name was Crusch Karsten.

She smiled even wider as she noticed her companion looking her way. “Go get yourself a land dragon from the stables. Our destination will be the same as always, all right, Ferris?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Ferris responded with a perfect curtsy, appearing every inch the perfect lady.

This was how Ferris—the young man Felix Argyle—began every day.

2

Ferris, now sixteen, was a firm believer in the power of a person’s will and faith. If you kept believing, surprising things could happen.

For example, he should have developed secondary sexual characteristics long ago, but as if in response to his daily wishes and prayers, he showed no sign of becoming more masculine. His voice grew no deeper and his body didn’t thicken. He was quietly thankful to his ancestors that he didn’t grow a beard.

But the things for which he was grateful to his bloodline didn’t stop at his body.

“Have I bored you, Ferris?” A calm voice brought him out of his reverie. He was taking a break, sitting in the grass and leaning against a large tree. Crusch had knelt directly in front of him and was looking intently into his eyes.

“…Sorry, meow. Kinda drifted off.”

“Oh? That’s unusual for you. Are you tired? Did I work you too hard?”

“No, I just let my mind wander a bit… Are you going to punish me? Lady Crusch, are you going to punish Ferri? My heart’s pounding!”

“Punish you? I would hate to be so coldhearted.” Crusch shook her head, oblivious to the significance of Ferris’s reddening cheeks. The cat-boy sighed. Crusch, still peering down at him, continued: “And there’s no need to stand on ceremony here. Let your mind wander if you wish. No matter what happens, I’m here.”

“Aww, Lady Crusch, you always know just what to say…even if you never seem to realize it. Ferri might just be in love…”

“—? Your face is red. It’s chilly today—don’t tell me you’ve caught a cold?”

“No, not at all! That’s not it at all! Oooh, Lady Crusch, you are just too cruel! I can’t stand it!”

Ferris’s mistress was completely oblivious to any feelings of affection deeper than close friendship and took his words completely at face value. “I see,” she said. “I’m sorry.” She looked properly embarrassed. Her very innocence itself was endearing—and completely unfair.

“—”

Satisfied by Ferris’s declaration of good health, Crusch returned to her original position, almost as if she were being pulled over. This grassy field was where the two of them always came when they wanted a longer ride. It was about an hour away from the mansion, a place of pure mana and full of wind. It seemed to border on holy. Ferris was always overjoyed to spend time with just the two of them, in a place where no one could interrupt.

“—Yah!”

The lithe Crusch went through a series of movements with her sword as Ferris watched from his spot beside a tree. Her polished strikes, the aggression she exuded—even Ferris, who was an amateur when it came to swords, could tell how accomplished she was with the weapon.

Crusch was completely taken with the beauty of steel; she had begun learning the sword even before she met Ferris. But still, the fact that her swordsmanship had reached this level was thanks to him. And that knowledge made him prouder and happier than anything.

That was why he would never grow bored of watching Crusch work with her blade. Seeing talent that he had helped cultivate captured his heart like the shimmer of a jewel.

“You’re even more into it than usual this morning, Lady Crusch.”

“True enough. It’s what comes of waiting so long for the sword and an extended ride. Without you to keep me from getting cabin fever, I’m sure I would’ve made some ridiculous complaint to my father out of sheer boredom.”

It was hard to tell from the side, but he almost thought Crusch was smiling pleasantly as she swung her blade.

Her eyes had been shining like a child’s during the ride to this place. For more than a month she had been denied the two things that made her feel most alive, and it must have been killing her.

“But it was just like you, milady, not to try to sneak out and do it on the sly.”

“Of course not. My father was right to reprimand me. I was the one who caused the trouble. If I saw fit to break the rules after that, people would surely say I had no shame.”

What made Crusch wonderful was the way she embodied words like honesty and uprightness. Because she believed it was natural to uphold the rules, she was wont to protest her innocence when it was clear she had done nothing wrong. This had certainly been one of those moments.

“You know, Ferri is not very happy with Lord Meckart’s decision. It was exactly because mew were there that things didn’t get any worse!”

“It’s only natural that my father asked me to act appropriately as the daughter of a duke. Although I do wish he’d accept me one of these days… So which of us is more stubborn—me or my father?”

Ferris puffed out his cheeks, but Crusch just gave a rueful smile.

The event that roused Ferris’s ire had occurred about a month before. On a day much like this one, Crusch and Ferris had taken one of their long rides through the Karsten domain. Along the way, they’d run across a group of pirates, the source of some local unrest, attacking a dragon carriage, and Crusch had gallantly driven them off.

Crusch had never been in any real danger, although she faced nearly ten brigands. But her father—Meckart Karsten, current head of the ducal House of Karsten—had been extremely distraught when the story reached his ears.

Crusch had known he would be and so had left the grateful carriage owner without giving her name, but she was far too famous for that to work. Her penchant for swordsmanship was common knowledge in the Karsten lands. And since the crest with the lion baring its teeth had been perfectly visible on her sword, there was no room to deny anything.

A duke’s daughter who eschewed dresses for men’s clothes and preferred crossing blades to admiring blossoms. The rumors were all too readily substantiated, and as punishment, Crusch was forbidden to take up a sword or travel very far from the palace for one month.

Crusch seemed to accept this, but Ferris had voiced his outrage directly to Meckart more than once. But the man would not relent. A month of waiting had finally led to the current day.

“I definitely ackmeowledge how much I owe Lord Meckart, but that doesn’t mean I have to accept everything he does.”

“I wish you wouldn’t criticize my father so much. He seems thinner every day lately. The responsibility of running a ducal household must weigh on him. I want his time with his family, at least, to be a source of good cheer for him.”

“Do you mean Ferri is a part of the family?”

“—? Of course.”

Ferris’s cheeks flushed at being included so readily in the family. He quickly patted his skirt to distract from his cheeks.

“It’s—it’s fine,” he said. “Lord Meckart practically seems to like it when Ferri puts him on the spot like that. He said he enjoys having people say outrageous things to him…”

“What? My father said that? I didn’t know…and I think I’ll see him a little differently from now on.”

Crusch was completely taken in by this bit of gossip Ferris had strategically deployed to distract her from his embarrassment. Meckart’s daughter wore a look of plain surprise. Ferris tried to fix the expression in his memory, as it was something he saw all too rarely. And silently, he apologized to the duke, albeit mentally sticking his tongue out while he did. He didn’t try to correct Crusch’s misunderstanding, though. Maybe that was a sign of just how displeased he still was.

3

“Felix, may I have a moment?”

“Yes, sir?” Ferris turned at the voice, offering his most girlish look in a fit of pique. The other man seemed dismayed at the openly flirtatious glance. Ferris enjoyed the moment. “Ooh, it’s just too easy to get a rise out of you, Lord Meowckart. It’s too much fun to tease you! You bring out Ferri’s inner trickster!”

“What? And you blame me for this? Er—I mean, I’m sorry.”

All you have to do is look a little bit put out, and he’ll apologize. What a pushover.

Standing before Ferris was a man in his fifties. He had grown a mustache, ostensibly for the gravitas it provided him, but the strange shape of his eyebrows and his gentle face robbed him of any benefit from it. The only thing he shared with Crusch, his blood daughter, was the color of his eyes.

It was all the more surprising, then, that this was Duke Karsten, head of one of the most famous noble houses in Lugunica. And he was also Crusch’s father—Meckart Karsten.

A doleful smile came over Meckart’s friendly face. He tugged at his rather incongruous mustache as he said, “I believe you were off on a ride with Crusch this morning. How is she doing?”

“If you’re concerned about her, sir, please let me humbly suggest that you ask her yourself. This is you we’re talking about, of course, but even so, do you think Lady Crusch would lie to you, Lord Meckart?”

“I’m not quite sure I like the way you put that. But no, I’m not worried that she would lie to me. It’s just… Well, I was the one who imposed that prohibition. I thought it might be hard for her to say how she was really feeling… Um, or rather…hard for me to ask.”

His good heart won out over his desire to deceive himself, and he voiced his true problem. Father and daughter were also alike in their inability to tell a blatant lie.

“I see… Well, put your mind at ease. Lady Crusch isn’t mad at you or anything. She even seems to understand why you did what you did.”

“You say that as if I were the villain… But, ahem, thank you.”

“For the record, though, Ferri is still mad. Nasty, nasty Lord Meckart!”

“What? Um, I mean, I’m sorry… Even I think I went a bit overboard.”

Meckart, looking weak, rubbed his upper abdomen. Thanks to the stresses of his position, combined with his anxious personality, he and stomach pain were close personal friends.

“Shall I use healing magic on you? It might take the edge off.”

“Right. Now that we’ve chatted, perhaps you could heal me. Would you mind coming to my room?”

“Nuh-uh! I’ve no idea what mew might do to me in there, sir…!”

“Nothing! I won’t do anything to you!”

Even though he gave the duke a hard time about it, Ferris eventually followed Meckart to his room. The place was simple: a desk for a secretary, along with a low table and leather couch for receiving visitors.

 

 

 

 

 

Ferris and Meckart sat facing each other on the sofa, and a servant brought tea as readily as if this had all been planned. After setting out the steaming cups, the attendant departed with a dignified bow.

With the servant gone and the door closed, Meckart put his cup to his lips and sipped at it carefully. “…Crusch will have her seventeenth birthday soon.”

Ferris knew that, of course. The joyous day was just two weeks hence; indeed, it would not have been an overstatement to say Ferris was more grateful for this day than for any other day on the calendar.

“I’m thankful for the stars and the sky and the earth…and for Crusch, definitely. I’m so glad she was born.”

Meckart cut into Ferris’s reverie. “Excuse me, Felix, but would you mind letting me make my point? There’s…something I’d like you to ask that girl about her birthday. Something I find…difficult to express.” From his awkward tone and his evasive attitude, Ferris had a fairly good idea what Meckart had in mind. After all, it came up almost every year.

“…You want Lady Crusch to wear a dress, don’t you?”

“Yes, Felix, exactly. It’s her birthday. And this year I have something more extravagant than usual in mind. So I really wish she would wear something appropriate…”

“If it’s at all possible, sir, I really think you should speak to her yourself. You don’t have to go through me…”

“That girl won’t so much as nod her head if you don’t, isn’t that right?” Meckart asked in a low voice. Ferris’s cat ears immediately detected a change in the air. The flaxen animal ears he had inherited from his demi-human ancestors were exceptionally sensitive to subtle shifts in the atmosphere and environment.

“I know about the promise between you and Crusch,” Meckart went on. “And I’m sure you’ve spoken to her in light of it before.”

“You know how I know you two are related? Neither of you ever gives up.”

“Perhaps she does get her obstinacy from me… But we can’t simply run parallel to each other forever. I’m desperate to find some compromise.”

“Compromise, sir?”

It was not a term to be used lightly, especially with Crusch, for whom that word might have been the least congenial thing imaginable.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s only in public, only for show,” Meckart said. “Of course, deep down, I’ve always wished she would comport herself as expected of a duke’s daughter, but my requests on that front have been rebuffed often enough that I know better by now. My hope is that my suggestion this time will allow us to meet in the middle.”

“—”

“I know her promise with you is the reason Crusch continues to play with her swords and dress like a man. Therefore, if I wish to mitigate it at all, it makes sense to go through you. Will you not speak to her?”

“—I understand what you’re trying to say, Lord Meckart. But I…”

Meckart cut him off sharply. “I don’t believe you do understand, Felix.”

Ferris caught his breath. The duke looked grimmer and lonelier than he had ever seen him.

“Crusch is my only child. She has turned out so well as to be wasted on me. I haven’t been a reliable father by any stretch. But the more pathetic I am, the more admirable she becomes… I do want her to follow her own dreams. I pray she grows up to be exactly who she truly is.” Meckart lowered his eyes, affection for his daughter overcoming him. “But I am a duke as well as a father. And she is the daughter of a duke as well as my child. So long as she lives in this house, supported by the people of this domain, she will have certain duties she must perform. And when she is performing them, people will expect dress and decorum befitting her position. Well, Felix? Am I wrong?”

“…No.”

“In fact, I am wrong. I am trying to force my daughter to do something she doesn’t want to do. Doing the right thing can be a mistake, and a mistake can be the right thing to do. Such are the difficulties of this place where I and my daughter must live.”

As the duke laid out his argument, Ferris began to feel ashamed of himself. He had been so superficial. Until this moment, he had simply assumed Meckart was just an oaf. It had never occurred to him that behind the stubborn exterior was a father deeply concerned about his relationship with his daughter. Ferris found himself choking up as he realized he had been saved from this thoughtlessness by Meckart’s compassion, his willingness to try to talk things out instead of simply imposing his will through his ample authority.

“His Highness Fourier will be in attendance at the birthday celebration. I’m sure he’s looking forward to seeing what dress Crusch will wear.”

“…Yes, I suppose he would be.”

“Indeed! So not just for my sake, but for His Highness’s—will you please talk to Crusch?”

The invocation of the young prince’s name relaxed the tone of the conversation. Perhaps that, too, was Meckart’s considerate touch. Ferris put the cup of tea, cold by now, to his lips while attempting to ignore his own meanness of heart.

He recalled a promise he had made, back when he was still young enough to take youth as an excuse. Unconsciously, he touched the white ribbon Crusch had given him that day.

“You know, I’ve always thought that promise wasn’t right.”

“…Mm, perhaps not. You and my daughter are both good children.”

“But I’ve been so happy to do what I promised… It’s made me happier than anything else in my life. And maybe I take her side too much because of that.”

His hand was still at his ribbon. Meckart nodded quietly.

In his own way, the words were Ferris’s answer to Meckart’s request.

4

His little tea party with Meckart over, Ferris furrowed his brow anxiously. There was no room for argument after that conversation. And he had no intention of reneging on their promise.

“But how in the world am I supposed to bring it up now?” he wondered aloud. It would be difficult to find the right timing and a natural opening to talk about it.

Today was especially bad. The month-long prohibition on Crusch wielding a sword or riding a dragon had only just been lifted. Of all the times this could have happened, this was the least opportune time he could choose to appear and ask her to wear a dress.

“Oh, but! But! The birthday celebration is just two weeks away. It might be even worse to put off talking about it…”

The subject could hardly wait until the last moment. This was a birthday celebration for a duke’s daughter. The longer there was to prepare, the better. Even two weeks barely seemed like enough time. Meckart himself had no doubt been hesitating to talk to Ferris.

“Arrgh! Meow will I ever manage this?!”

“What’s going on, Ferris? You’ll scare the rest of the household, standing in the hallway looking so grim.”

“Mrrrrow!” Ferris just about jumped out of his skin when Crusch herself called out to him while he stood there, dancing from one foot to the other with worry. He flew back against the wall. Crusch crossed her arms and stared at him.

“I still think you look tired. If you’re feeling worn down, I could give you some time off…”

“What? No! I’m totally fine! Never better! Hooray for Lady Crusch!”

“—? Ha-ha, you’re a strange one.”

She smiled slightly as he stood there with his arms raised in a cheer. It was obvious he hadn’t really thrown her off the trail, and he hadn’t quite calmed down, either.

“By the way,” Crusch said, “you spoke with my father, didn’t you? What did he want?”

“Oh, uh, I mean, you know, meow…”

He couldn’t have asked for better timing to broach the subject. The only problem was that, mentally, he felt completely unprepared. Then again, the moment was so fortuitous that it seemed like a sign from the heavens. Now was the time to talk.

“Well, um,” he began, “Ferri does, uh, want to talk to you about something, Lady Crusch…”

“I thought so. Your wind is difficult to read, but that was the impression I got. You know you and I don’t have to hold back from each other. Talk to me about anything.”

“I love you, Lady Crusch.”

“And I you.”

He had confessed his feelings in an excess of happiness, but the serious reply quickly doused his enthusiasm. Hadn’t he been reflecting on how moved he was by Meckart’s kindness just moments ago? To immediately return to letting Crusch’s kindness spoil him instead would not say much for his personal growth.

“I love you, Lady Crusch.”

“—? And I you.”

He was repeating himself, but it calmed him down and made him feel better. He was about to embark on a very difficult conversation.

“Well, uh, this is just Lord Meckart’s opinion, and Ferri wouldn’t want mew to meowstake this for agreement, but…”

“This is an awfully roundabout way to start a conversation. Fine, I understand. And what is my father’s opinion?”

“Yes, well, it will be your birthday soon, milady…”

He had laid all the groundwork and was about to come to his point when—

“—Crusch, are you there?! I am in dire distress! Crusch, show your face!”

“—?!”

Ferris stiffened with surprise at the bellow that rang through the hallway. In front of him, Crusch was looking up and cocking her head at the voice.

“I hesitate to believe it, but was that His Highness Fourier just now?”

“I—I don’t care if he is a prince,” Ferris fumed. “How could he spoil my perfect moment…?”

“Crusch! Aren’t you there? I said this is a crisis! Come quickly, or I shall wither for loneliness!”

“That’s him, all right,” Crusch said.

The initial shock had passed, and the second exclamation was more than enough to verify the voice’s owner. Ferris and Crusch exchanged a glance and then trotted to the entryway. At the door, the servants, including a steward, had formed a receiving line, and right in the midst of them was the man himself.

“Ah! Crusch and Ferris!” he said when he spotted them. “Are you both in good health? I’m doing quite well, myself.” Then he smiled with genuine mirth. He was a young man whose eyes appeared guileless despite his years. He had long golden hair and unblemished scarlet eyes, and his canines stuck out ever so slightly. He gave a very likable impression.

Sloughing off his rich fur coat, Fourier Lugunica appeared as energetic as ever.

The fourth prince of the royal family ought not to drop by so casually, but Crusch and Ferris were both used to it, and neither showed any surprise. Crusch made a modest bow to Fourier, who stood imposingly.

“Your Highness,” she said, “it is an honor to see you. But what prompts such a sudden visit? Is something wrong? I haven’t heard anything from my father…”

“What are you talking about? Was it not precisely the two of you who invited me here? For Crusch’s birthday celebrations? I even brought my invitation. Look!” With many a huff and sigh, Fourier went over to Crusch, who had greeted him so respectfully, and held out a letter. She took it, scanned it, and then nodded slowly.

“This is indeed an invitation from our house…but, my lord, you seem to have mistaken the most crucial part—the date. I’m happy you took the trouble to come all the way here, but my birthday is still two weeks away. Your Highness has been a tad too eager.”

“What?! You mean…I am the first person to congratulate you on your birthday! Perfect! Ferris always beats me to it, but for once I’ve got a leg up on him!”

“—”

“You did well to be born, Crusch! I am overjoyed! What a wondrous day!” Fourier laughed suddenly, apparently ignoring his own mistake. Crusch found herself speechless at this audacity, but a gentle smile was soon on her face.

“Thank you very much, Your Highness. Your well wishes mean a great deal to me.”

“Good, very good. But does this mean there are two weeks yet till your birthday celebration? Well, that is a problem. What shall I do until then?”

Fourier tended to act without thinking of the future, rush in without thinking of the future, speak without thinking of the future, and just in general not think about the future at all, but he had enough charm to excuse all of it. As he stood there struggling to figure out his plans, even Ferris couldn’t help a smile. The prince hadn’t changed a bit since they had first met.

“Hmm?” Fourier said. “What is it, Ferris? Why the grin?”

“I just find you amusing, Your Highness.”

“Me?! Ah, yes… I am no ordinary leader. I bring smiles to the faces of my servants without even meaning to. Do you not think so, Crusch?”

“I can only admire what a grand personage you are, Your Highness. Ferris, punishment later.”

“Awww!”

Leave it to Crusch to ensure that he didn’t go without paying the penalty for his lapse in etiquette. But at the same time, the three were so close that such irreverence could go without genuine reprisal. For Ferris, who had so few things he considered precious, this bond was something he cherished. When he thought about what was important to him, he thought of Crusch, Meckart, and Fourier. And the servants in the Karsten household. Not to mention the patients and colleagues he had encountered thanks to his work as a spell caster. It turned out there were quite a few people he valued.

Compared to when he had been shut up in his family’s house, with nothing ever given to him, he was so much happier now.

“…Ferris,” Fourier was saying, “I am aware of my dashing appearance, but please try not to stare too much. All this attention from you might just lead me astray—even knowing your true gender.”

“I was even your fiancé once, and I still couldn’t get my paws on you, Your Highness!”

“That was just…! Ahem, that’s enough. I’m a boy, too, you know! I shan’t make excuses! Aren’t I quite manly, Crusch?”

“Yes, my lord. Although if I may say so, you have yet to defeat me in a sword duel.”

“Lady Crusch! Milady, His Highness is on his knees already, so perhaps we should go easy on him…”

Fourier had slumped to the carpet. Crusch gave him a quizzical look, entirely devoid of malice. With her friends, Crusch tended to state the facts a bit too bluntly. But she delivered even the most stinging remarks with a friendly expression, making it hard to consider this a truly bad habit.

Fourier, for his part, was quick to bounce back from such disappointments.

“—Ngh, well then! In that case, Crusch, bring me a wooden sword! I have some time to kill for the first time in a while, so let today be the day when I outdo you in swordsmanship and prove to you what a man I am!”

Crusch met this bold proclamation with a “yes, my lord,” as though she knew full well what was going on.

Crusch and Fourier’s duels with wooden training swords had been going on for six years, since about the same time Ferris began wearing women’s clothing. It had become a sort of tradition.

Fourier would find any excuse to visit Crusch. His love for her was not at all difficult to see, except for Crusch herself. As for Fourier, he was outgoing in everything except matters of his own heart, so the relationship had never gone beyond that of dear friends. Fourier saw this duel as a simple way to provoke a change in their relationship.

“If you win, I shall force you to dress in women’s clothes! You’ve become evermore obstinate about your manly attire… Not that it doesn’t look good on you! But I wish to see you in a skirt!”

“You’ll have to settle for Ferris, my lord. I assure you, his legs are no less dainty than mine.”

“I am proud of these legs. Have a look, Your Highness!”

“Arrgh! Don’t confuse me, you two!” Fourier turned red and stomped his feet in frustration as Ferris lifted his skirt teasingly. With one hand he pointed at Crusch; with the other, he displayed the birthday invitation, which she had given back to him. “It’s almost your birthday! And I will not permit the birthday girl to dress like a soldier as she did last year! This year I shall see you in a dress! In one of my choosing, at that!”

“Ah…”

Fourier was so fond of these proclamations. And this one just happened to line up perfectly with what Ferris wanted. He caught his breath in surprise, and a certain tender feeling for Fourier welled up within him.

This silly prince…

“He’s the only one besides Lady Crusch who can get at Ferri’s weak point…”

“—”

Ferris’s cheeks flushed, his breath hot with a combination of affection and envy.

Crusch, the only one standing close enough to overhear his murmured words, shot a look at him. But Ferris didn’t notice, and before Crusch could speak…

“All right! To the garden, then! Ready, everyone! This is the day I become a man!” Fourier exclaimed with what appeared to be entirely unwarranted confidence, and Ferris and Crusch had to rush after him as he headed outside.

5

It was six years ago, but he remembered it as if it were yesterday: the day the duels between Crusch and Fourier had started. The day Felix became Ferris.

“I hardly see how Your Highness can interfere with how I choose to live.”

“Hmm…but you say you’ll throw away your femininity so it won’t stand in the way of either your noble family or your swordsmanship? No! I won’t allow it! I simply can’t allow that to happen!”

“In that case, my lord, what do you intend to do?”

“The sword! Use the blade to prove your resolve to me! And I shall show you the error of your ways!”

“A sword fight? Between you and me, Your Highness?”

“Yes, exactly. In the off chance you win, you may take whatever path you choose in life. But if I win, you’ll have to reconsider. I will make a woman of you!”

Such was the promise they made with each other. Fourier had all the enthusiasm, but Crusch had the resolve. And then the duels began…

“You are truly without mercy, Crusch! I’m a prince! A member of the royal family!”

“All right, Your Highness, all right,” Ferris said. “There’s no need to mewl. Here, look! I’ll get rid of that boo-boo for you.”

It crossed his mind that he had healed Fourier just like this on that day six years ago.

Nearly weeping and covered in dust, Fourier clung to Ferris. The cat-boy used his healing magic. A wave of comfort washed over the bruises inflicted by Crusch’s wooden sword. Fourier slowly stood up.

“Ha-ha-ha! Did you see that? How I pretended to snivel and cry in order to win my opponent’s sympathy and buy myself enough time for Ferris to heal me? Just another of my fearsomely clever calculations…!”

“Your knees don’t agree, Your Highness,” Ferris pointed out. Despite the smile Fourier had carefully arranged on his face, his knees were shaking. It only served to highlight how refined and gallant Crusch looked in comparison. She had taken off her jacket, revealing her slender frame. She held her weapon at the ready and stood so straight she could have been mistaken for a sword herself.

“Now, compare that to His Highness…”

“I can hear you, Ferris! Save your praises of me until the battle is over!”

“You know what I love about you, Your Highness? Your irrepressible optimism.”

Fourier turned his back on Ferris’s gentle jibe, closing the distance to Crusch in a rush. In that moment, he seemed to forget that his opponent was also the woman he loved. But she turned aside his blow, and his own momentum sent him tumbling through the grass once again. Pain followed a moment later, causing him to cough violently as he tried to stand up.

There was a tremendous difference in their abilities, but it wasn’t Fourier’s fault. Ferris was somewhat biased in his evaluation, but Fourier was far more skilled then the average noble dilettante of his age. His desire to defeat Crusch, combined with many years of these duels, had turned him from a coddled princeling into a man who could hold his own with a blade. That he still couldn’t best Crusch spoke to her talent and how hard she had worked.

“Do you wish to continue, my lord? I fear my father’s heart might break if I beat you any harder.”

“Of course I shall continue! You take me too lightly, Crusch! And I don’t think Meckart’s heart is as fragile as you suggest, either. Come at me with all you’ve got!”

True to form, his declaration was asking a little much.

This battle was taking place out in the center garden, and servants with nothing else to do were spectating. There was someone else there as well, someone looking rather ill at the sight of the entire spectacle: Meckart himself. He came out every time this happened, even though the stress of it was enough to make his cheeks sunken. Well, he doesn’t have to watch.

“Oh, why are they so much more serious than usual?” Meckart fretted. “But if His Highness were to win…”

Meckart grimaced from the pain in his stomach, torn between what he hoped for as a father and what he wished as a duke. At that moment, Ferris knew all too well what Meckart was feeling.

I don’t even know if I want Crusch to win or lose right now!

“Yaaah! Crusch, wear a dreeeesssss!” It might be too generous to call this a battle cry, but with those words Fourier rushed in again, and again he was beaten. When she saw Fourier rise again after being folded double, Crusch narrowed her eyes.

“Your Highness seems less inclined than usual to concede. What is driving you?”

“You, of course! You make me this way… No, at the heart of the matter, I make me this way! I have foisted this on you, so now I must play my part!”

“…Your Highness?”

Fourier, his handsome face smeared with dirt and sweat, shook his head. “I shall not forget how foolish I was those five years ago, how little I knew my place. Not knowing my strength, I bound you to an impulsive promise. I made you swear that so long as I failed to best you with the sword, you would wear no women’s clothes but dress as a man—I know now what a cruel act that was.”

Making this confession seemed to pain him greatly, but of course he was wrong about the five years. It was six. But Fourier’s words referred to the promise they had made on that day Ferris remembered so well…

“Do you remember your fifteenth birthday, two years ago?” Fourier asked. “You had grown up so beautifully. In full regalia that night, I know you would have been more stunning than any flower. Yet you kept your promise. I shall never forget the sight of a young maiden walking under the moonlight in military dress. You were impossibly handsome…but that was a feeling inspired by the sword at your side. It is not a feeling I want to receive from a young woman who should outdo the blossoms in beauty!”

Crusch was silent.

“That night, I realized what my thoughtlessness had wrought. It was I, and I alone, who stole the joy of being resplendently dressed from a young woman and forced her to hide herself during what should have been her most glorious moment! I must take responsibility for that!”

In all the time they had known each other, Ferris had never seen Fourier like this. The immense emotion that burned in his scarlet eyes touched something in Ferris’s chest, made his throat tight. The audience, too, from Meckart to the servants, was at a loss for words. They knew now why Fourier fought these battles and heard him express what he’d never been able to express before.

But he was wrong. Mistaken. His resolve was tremendous, but it was misplaced.

The promise he and Crusch had made was real enough. When, six years before, Crusch had declared that she would wear only men’s clothing for the rest of her life, Fourier had responded that he would allow her to do so just until he defeated her in a sword duel. The pretext that she was keeping her promise to the prince was the reason Meckart had not been able to object more strongly.

Fourier had been nursing regret about it all this time. Somewhere along the line, he had begun to believe that Crusch didn’t want to wear men’s clothes but was doing so because of the promise they had made. And, with a combination of honesty and foolishness, he felt responsible.

“I’m a fool…”

Watching Fourier from behind as he raised his sword, Ferris unconsciously put a hand to his mouth. He had always taken Fourier’s improvement in combat to be a result of repeated duels and simple tenacity. But there was more. All this time, he had been motivated by regret for his own outburst.

He’s been fighting to let the woman he loves, the woman he bound with a promise, be a woman.

“Crusch! Love flowers! Appreciate poetry! Put on makeup, wear dresses and jewelry, and let me see that innocent smile! You don’t have to repress yourself anymore! I permit it! Here, today, I will make right my foolishness and allow you to be a true woman!”

“Y-Your Highness…?”

It may have been a misunderstanding, but Fourier was ready to make good on it. He charged at Crusch.

The hard sound echoed through the garden, and Crusch was clearly shaken by the impact.

“Your Highness!”

“Prince Fourier!”

“Your Highness, help our lady!”

These were cries from the servants, many of them red-eyed and with a tremble in their voices. They had known Crusch since she was young, and they wanted to encourage the prince in his resolve. Fourier pressed his attack, and Crusch looked more shaken still.

His sword rose and fell in an arc; Crusch was completely occupied with defending. For a battle against her to be so one-sided was unprecedented. That was simply how impassioned Fourier’s blows were. His attack was, in its way, his suit to Crusch’s heart. His clear dedication may have sprung from a misunderstanding, but it touched many people present.

“—I shall entrust this to His Highness,” Meckart murmured. When had he come up beside Ferris?

The cat-boy looked up at him, and Meckart nodded. Ferris knew immediately what it meant. He joined his hands in front of his chest as if in prayer and waited to see how the battle would turn out.

 

 

 

 

 

“A dress! Makeup! And jewelry! Flowers and cooking!”

“—ngh.”

“Crusch! Kneel before meeeee!” The wooden swords groaned with the force of his blow, splinters flying from the blades. Both weapons were at their limits. But the fight would be decided by which of the participants gave out first.

Fourier bellowed as he pushed Crusch back step by step, blow by blow. His lovely face was red. What did Crusch see when she looked at his gallant form bearing down on her? Perhaps she saw herself in his scarlet eyes, a woman being pressed to do her utmost.

“…Ah.”

As she found herself pushed up against a wall, Crusch cast her amber eyes on Ferris. They looked at each other, and it seemed to him like she was asking for something, but he didn’t know what.

“Lady…Crusch…” Fat tears rolled from his round eyes and down his cheeks.

The next moment, there was a crack as the wooden sword finally gave way, and part of the broken blade skittered across the ground. The one blade that remained more or less intact was pointed at the chest of the loser.

“…All that, and still I cannot outdo you.”

Fourier spoke with strained breath, still holding what was left of the hilt of his sword. He looked at the ground, his shoulders trembling. He might have been crying.

A sigh. Disappointed, but not despairing. But everyone’s shoulders slumped as they realized he had not prevailed.

But then—

“No, Your Highness. I’ve lost.”

Crusch shook her head gently. The sword in her hand was broken down the middle as well. She tossed the useless blade to the ground.

“You still hold your blade, Your Highness, while I have cast mine aside. The victor should be clear…indeed, has been clear since your battle cry shook my spirit—I have lost this contest.”

“—”

Fourier was absolutely silent. Crusch knelt down, ignoring the dirt that got on her, and placed her hands on the ground. The gesture was that of offering a sword—it was one of utmost respect and loyalty.

“You have indeed fulfilled your former promise. I, Crusch Karsten, have met Your Highness Fourier Lugunica in combat with the sword and have been bested. I shall put on women’s clothing, then.”

“Er…ahem. Will you, now? I…I see.” Fourier’s response to Crusch’s solemn words was halting and unsteady. He nodded once, and then his tall frame began to lean backward, until finally he fell spread-eagle on the ground.

“Your Highness?! Oh no! Felix, tend to His Highness!”

Ferris was rushing over to Fourier long before the astonished Meckart ordered him to do so. He slid his knees under the head of the collapsed young man, supporting the prince’s body weight as he used his healing magic.

“Your Highness, Your Highness! Stay with me—! Your Highness!”

“Heh-heh! Did you see it, Ferris? Did you see my…great…victory…?”

Healing magic would cure his wounds, but it wouldn’t restore the strength he had lost. Fourier had spent every ounce of his endurance, and now the familiar easygoing smile came over his face just before he slipped into a deep sleep. Ferris was amazed to hear the calm, even rhythm of Fourier’s breathing.

“Ferris.”

“Oh, uh, yes, Lady Crusch. Um, Ferri, I mean—What can Ferri say…?”

“I’m sorry for being so selfish.” Crusch smiled gently as she watched Ferris tend to the unconscious prince. As her words sunk in, the tears started streaming down Ferris’s cheeks again. He looked up, wiping furiously at his eyes.

“I…I’m the one who hasn’t been fair to you…! Lady Crusch, you… You and Prince Fourier are always rescuing me…”

“Are we? Then you’ve amply returned the favor. Your presence is a constant salvation for me. And I am only just now realizing that the prince saved me as well. I suppose it goes to show how ill-bred I really am.”

“Ill-bred…? Lady Crusch, no…! You’re wonderful…!”

“All the more reason I must strive to live up to your and His Highness’s estimation of me.”

Ferris continued sniffling, not quite able to speak. Crusch patted his head lovingly as she stood. Then she went over to Meckart, who watched agape.

What she said to him, Ferris didn’t know. He couldn’t hear over Fourier’s snores and his own weeping.

6

“I did all the work to make this possible—and yet I don’t get to see Crusch in her dress until the party? Most unorthodox!”

“Well, you know. Lady Crusch has a lot to deal with. She has to get ready mentally and physically. Plus, it’s not easy to find the exact perfect dress for Lady Crusch!”

“I know you’ll do everything you can for her, Ferris. Very heartening!”

Ferris gave a dark smile. Across from him, Fourier laughed easily. They were in Ferris’s personal chambers at the Karsten mansion. His Highness had shown up there as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Ferris had personally made tea and was now entertaining the prince. Perhaps he ought to have been a touch more intimidated—but neither Ferris nor the prince seemed to be holding back. They were old friends, if it was not too audacious to consider oneself as an old friend to royalty.

“The two weeks since that battle have been truly vexing. By the time I woke up, I was already in a dragon carriage on the way home. Being sent away before I even got to speak to Crusch? I have never before been subjected to such a ploy.”

“You simply wouldn’t wake up, Your Highness, you were so tired. And besides, you could hardly stay at our meownsion for ten whole days until the party. I know your station isn’t very demanding, but surely even mew have some duties to attend to?”

“Indeed, I am in great demand! But one thing worries me. I recall subduing Crusch with my sword, and then comforting her as she wept, but…”

“…Guess we’ll see where this goes…”

Events seemed to have become rather more dramatic in Fourier’s imagination, but Ferris was not going to correct him. After all, it had probably been Ferris’s own weeping that had inspired this flight of fancy.

“Though thrilled to have accomplished my goal, I collapsed from fatigue, and what happened after that, I know not. What became of Crusch? Did she say anything about me?”

“She lay in bed, her pillow soaked with tears of regret over her loss to you. She might have said something about murdering you in your sleep…”

“Ha-ha-ha! An amusing diversion. But I know you’re joking. Crusch would never say such a thing. She would certainly challenge me face-to-face. A simple matter, to see through your little japes… You are joking, aren’t you?”

“If you’re going to act that confident, at least stay confident until you’re finished. It was a joke, though.” He could never deceive someone who had known Crusch even longer than he had. With a small sigh, Ferris winked at Fourier, who wouldn’t stop glancing at him for confirmation.

“Relax, Your Highness,” he said. “Lady Crusch knows she was beaten. I think she sees you in a new light, the way you overcame her through sheer determination. Although she hasn’t spoken of you once since then.”

“She’s angry—I knew it! What do you think?! Tell me what you think, Ferris!” He leaned over and shook the cat-boy emphatically.

“Eek, don’t pull on me, you’ll stretch my clothes out! I know it’s just the two of us, but—!” Ferris shoved the prince away and hugged himself, his eyes swimming. A shaken Fourier sat back, and an awkward silence descended on the room.

“I’m called here, and what do I find? Ferris, you must not tease His Highness so cruelly.” The door opened, and Crusch peeked in.

“Eeeewhooa!” Fourier let out an unusual cry and spun around. Ferris, who found this rather gratifying, waved at Crusch.

“Right on time, Lady Crusch. We were waiting for you!”

“You told me to come in without announcing myself. Was this your goal? Your Highness, I see Ferris has been most disrespectful to you. But are you so astonished to see my face?”

“No! It has nothing to do with your face! Which is beautiful as always! A picture! You should be more confident; I give you my royal guarantee, you look wonderful!”

“You are too kind, Your Highness. Though I am a touch embarrassed.”

Crusch wore a wry smile; Fourier had red cheeks. Despite their sword fight, despite the two weeks of separation, now things went on as if they had never been apart.

“Looks like Ferri’s done it again… My skill as a strategist is almost scary…”

“What are you muttering about over there, Ferris? And you, Crusch!” Fourier stood and pointed at his friend, who stood just inside the door. “Why do you still wear men’s clothes even now? Where’s your skirt?! Your dress?! What about our promise that you would adorn your hair with precious gems, surround yourself with flowers?”

“Your Highness, Your Highness, that promise is taking on a life of its own!” Ferris protested.

“My apologies, Your Highness. It is very true that the events of two weeks past remain firmly in my heart. But I have spent so long in men’s outfits. I hope you will give me some time to ready myself. And of course, for my birthday celebration tomorrow—I do promise.”

“Hmm… I have your word on that?”

“That depends on whether you believe I’m one to betray my promises to Your Highness.”

Fourier was left with no choice but to back down. Crusch sat easily next to Ferris, across from Fourier, who was adjusting his position on the sofa.

“You’ve very much put your heart into this, haven’t you, Your Highness?” she said. “I don’t just mean our battle. You’re staying overnight here.”

“I was just terrified I might oversleep if I stayed at the castle, so instead I couldn’t get to sleep at all! Here at the mansion, I’ll have plenty of time no matter how late I sleep. How’s that for a bit of princely wisdom?”

“Seems like overkill. Like planning to meet up with someone and then camping out there the day before,” Ferris said lightly, earning a smirk from Crusch. The bond among the three of them was such that not even a turning point like the sword battle would keep them from getting along.

“On that note, what do you plan to do for the birthday celebration, Ferris?” Fourier asked. “Going to wear a dress?”

“Oh my, Your Highness, is Lady Crusch not enough for you? Got your eye on Ferri, too? Anyway, sorry. You can look forward to finding out tomorrow.”

“A dress, yes… A dress… Say, Ferris, my father seemed more than happy with the dress you picked out, but I worry it won’t quite be appropriate for me…”

“Lady Crusch, we need you to have the best dress, and the best jewelry, and just all-around look the best you can! And believe me, it’ll be great!”

“Yes! Crusch! I’ll be savoring the anticipation!”

The combined enthusiasm of the cat-boy and the prince finally overcame Crusch’s objection. Her amber eyes turned to look out the window, presenting her face in a somehow transient-looking profile. Ferris naturally followed her gaze, and looked up at the night sky.

The pale, cold half-moon floated against a field of stars. The next day would be Crusch’s birthday. The moonlight shimmered weirdly, as if presaging a great many changes to come.

7

The next day. Crusch Karsten’s seventeenth birthday was blessed with clear skies.


“Mm! What beautiful weather!” Ferris laughed as he pulled back the shades and opened the window. The breeze caught his shoulder-length hair. He was up earlier than usual, and the morning sky was clear and cool. The night before had been spent talking late into the wee hours with Crusch and Fourier, but he was so excited for today that he barely felt tired. He was completely awake and ready to go, more than he’d been on any other morning.

“Perfect for a birthday party!” he said merrily. “Looks like the weather gods are working overtime.” Quickly, he took off his pajamas and pulled on his feminine clothes, just as always. The white ribbons in his hair made his outfit complete. He gave himself a once-over in the mirror, then veritably danced out into the hallway, where he found the servants already at their work.

“Gooood morning to you!” he chirped.

“Ah, Master Ferris, good morning. You’re up early today.”

“Well, it’s a very important day. Need to put my best foot forward, you know? And you’re still all up even earlier.”

“It is our job, sir. And you aren’t the only one looking forward to today. We want to make sure everything is perfect.” The elderly steward smiled. Ferris had known him for quite a while, and the normally reticent man looked about as happy as Ferris had ever seen him.

The other servants around were the same; although they were at work, not one of them looked unhappy. That was just how much the object of today’s festivities was beloved by all.

“But! But I love Lady Crusch just as much as anyone here! I’ll do anything I can to help—just tell me what needs doing!”

“How enthusiastic. I’m sure there are plenty of little chores you could do…”

No one was so insensitive as to suggest that Ferris should avoid menial labor just because he was a close personal attendant of Crusch’s. They saw how excited he was and were kind enough to let him help. Ferris resolved to repay them by working as hard as he could.

The birthday party was scheduled to start that evening. Guests were expected to arrive in the hours before that, so all the preparations for the party had to be completed before noon. Of course, most of the work had been done in the days prior, but there were some final details to be settled, including the serving order of the food, along with who would do what when.

“I can’t wait to see Lady Crusch’s dress tonight,” one of the servants said.

“I couldn’t agree more. I had begun to doubt I would live to see her in such an outfit.”

The long-standing servants and the old steward laughed together, but Ferris found himself feeling self-reproachful. When he and Crusch had made that promise as children, he had never thought about how many people might quietly be hurt by it.

They weren’t intentionally being critical of him, of course. They were simply overjoyed to see Crusch, whom they had cared for since she was a little girl, in women’s clothing.

“I’m so sorry, everyone.”

It was a very modest form of atonement: Ferris spoke his apology only under his breath and only out of his own feelings of guilt. But it inspired him to redouble his efforts, and when the servants saw him, they knew they couldn’t let themselves be outdone. So they all threw themselves more and more into their own tasks, and the preparations were finished well ahead of schedule. All that remained was to wait for the guests, and nightfall.

Or anyway, so it should have been, if nothing had happened.

Just as Ferris entered the front hall, he heard a voice:

“I must speak to Duke Karsten! I have a message of utmost importance!”

As Ferris went to ask what chore he should tackle next, he found a group of servants circled around someone. He went over to get a better look and saw a young man, out of breath and sweating profusely. He appeared to have come running at breakneck speed from his carriage, and every inch of him screamed trouble was afoot. He wasn’t hurt, but was clearly exhausted, heavily burdened both emotionally and physically.

“I must tell him what brings me here…!”

“Tell us, then. What is going on?”

As the young man fell to his knees, he happened to look up at Ferris. The cat-boy gulped when he saw the ghastly appearance of his face.

Shuddering and fearful, the young man said, “Demon beasts have appeared on Foutour Plain—massive bunnies!”

8

“Giant Rabbits have appeared, have they?” Meckart sighed as he received the news. “What a stroke of bad luck…”

About ten people were squeezed into the duke’s office, looking worriedly at each other. All of them were Meckart’s trusted subordinates, people who had arrived at the mansion early in anticipation of Crusch’s birthday celebration. But no one could have known that the happy meeting would turn into an emergency council.

“Bad luck indeed, but the silver lining is that we were all here already. The first moments of a demon beast attack are the most crucial. We will be able to respond as quickly as possible.”

“As ever, I am saved by a retainer who knows how to look on the bright side,” Meckart said. “To begin with, I want to know how things stand. Any damage or injuries? Can you tell me?”

“Y-yes, sir.” The young man was absolutely petrified to be standing before not only the pillars of the ducal house but also Duke Karsten himself. But he wanted to fulfill his duty, and Meckart and the others nodded along as he explained.

Centuries before, a witch had created a variety of demonic monsters—and Giant Rabbits were reputed to be among the three most powerful of them. The very name portended destruction.

The White Whale. The Black Serpent. The Giant Rabbits. They were sometimes treated like natural disasters, and they were so overwhelmingly destructive that entire nations had dispatched forces to defeat them to no avail. That these creatures had survived such determined efforts to exterminate them hinted at just how dangerous they were.

Today, Giant Rabbits had appeared on Foutour Plain, a wild area on the edge of the Karsten domain.

“The first people to notice the rabbits were a group of trappers in a nearby forest. They were trying to get pelts from an animal that can be found there called the ubzus when the rabbits ambushed them.”

“Poetic justice, one might say. What happened to them?”

“The herd ate most of them, including their leader. The only survivor was a young man who had stayed with the dragon carriage. He worked his way back to the nearest village, and that was when we first heard what had happened.”

Meckart’s face darkened at the young man’s report. “He went to a village…? And what became of that village?”

“Forgive us for not consulting you, my lord, but we packed all the villagers into the local dragon carriages and evacuated them. Including the young survivor, sir. My father, the village chief, sent me here to inform you.”

Meckart nodded at the terrified young man. “I see. A wise decision. I shall remember your father, and you.” Then he turned to his advisers. “I believe the first order of business should be to contain the damage the rabbits are causing. Hopefully only the one village at most will be destroyed. Gentlemen, what do you think?”

One of the men, middle-aged and with a thoughtful look on his face, raised his hand. “This young man’s village made an excellent choice. Perhaps the best move would be to expand the scale of the evacuation to other nearby villages and keep the Giant Rabbits under observation. If the rumors about the ways of demon beasts can be relied on, we need not provoke them and deliberately let them know where there is prey to be found.”

So the first suggestion was to avoid combat. A grim-faced man offered a counterargument. “That would only work if the rabbits remain satisfied with their current situation, which is an awfully optimistic assumption. What if they destroy the woods and the villages and still aren’t sated? What then? If the herd scatters, we’ll never be able to deal with it.”

“What do you propose we do, then?”

“We must take the initiative. I request the Karsten domain muster a unit to exterminate the creatures. We must not cede any part of our lands to some beast, not even the untamed wilderness. Not to mention that if we stay shut up in the heartland while the people are terrorized, it will undermine ducal authority.”

“We have nothing to gain by defeating these creatures.”

“We have nothing to gain, but we do have something to lose. The people’s trust, and our own pride.”

Those for battle and those against it clashed, and neither opinion was wrong, exactly. Both had merit. That was why a decision had to be made.

“—”

Meckart remained silent. His own thoughts were as much in conflict as his advisers’. And at that moment, a hand went up that seemed out of place. It was none other than the person who had brought the young man to the office and then quietly stayed to listen to the proceedings—Ferris.

“Um, Lord Meckart? Sorry. I know it’s not really my place, but…”

“…Ah, Felix. Yes, thank you. What is it? What do you want to ask?”

“It’s about Lady Crusch’s birthday party. I know we have to cancel it, but the guests will be arriving soon. What should we tell them?”

“That… That’s a good question. Another problem to resolve. Terribly unlucky, all of this.” Meckart chewed on his lip. But then he suddenly looked up. “Speaking of Crusch, where is she? You haven’t spoken to her about this, have you?”

“Don’t worry, sir. I brought the messenger straight here… I suspect Lady Crusch is busy entertaining Prince Fourier right now. At least we can thank His Highness for that.”

“I see, that’s good. That gives me all the more esteem for His Highness.”

A palpable relief shot through the room. Meckart was not the only one to relax; everyone there who knew Crusch shared the feeling. If the young woman, with her sense of pride in her noble house and her devotion to chivalry, found out that the people were threatened by demon beasts, it would be hard to stop her from flying out the door to save them. All those who were familiar with her passionate nature could tell it only made sense to ensure she got no wind of this situation.

“—Now then, time is short. We don’t have long to spend fretting and arguing,” Meckart said.

His momentary smile of relief had become a frown again, and he adjusted his position in his chair. This caused everyone else to straighten up as well. They attended silently to his words.

“First, evacuate all towns and villages near Foutour Plain. Send our own dragon carriages to help, as well as those from any other villages who can spare them. Evacuate all the people and as many of their possessions as is feasible. When the rabbits come through, nothing will be left. You must ensure there is absolutely no looting. Bardok, you’re in charge of the evacuation effort.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Further, set up a combat perimeter around the Foutour forest. We can’t have the rabbits destroying an area we haven’t even cultivated yet. However, our objective is not extermination. It is simply damage control. So don’t put too many hot-blooded young soldiers on the front line, hmm?”

“Understood, sir. Who will be in command?”

“The old coward who’s charged with looking after this domain,” Meckart said with a shrug. “Ahh, no rest for the weary, is there?” His advisers smiled at one another. And then, as the room grew increasingly tense, Meckart turned to Ferris. “I have an order for you, too, Felix. Do not let Crusch find out about the rabbits. And make sure her birthday party comes off flawlessly.”

“You’re not going to cancel it, sir?!”

“Whatever happens on Foutour Plain, it’s not likely to affect the mansion. And our guests have gone to all the trouble of coming here.”

“But! But! Without you here, Lord Meckart, it’ll be awfully hard to hide that something’s going on…”

“I’m not telling you to keep the secret with your life. If you can just keep it quiet for this evening, that will be enough. I assume Crusch will find out by tomorrow. I would appreciate if you would be so kind as to bear her wrath for me this time.”

Meckart spoke lightly, but Ferris could see further argument would be futile. He pursed his lips and made his displeasure obvious, glaring at Meckart.

“You’d better promise to bear it with me, sir. Otherwise, I’ll be awfully upset.”

“Gracious, you’re most intimidating, Felix. But in the event I can’t keep that promise…”

“…then it had better be because you underestimated the demon beasts too much and died fighting one or something.”

“My boy, you do say the most inauspicious things!”

As they bantered back and forth, Ferris found himself resigned. In stubbornness if nothing else, father really was like daughter.

“All right, sir. I, Ferris, will stake my very life on making this party a success. I’ll be praying for your good fortune in battle, Lord Meckart.” He offered a curtsy along with his wish for Meckart’s good fortune in battle.

The duke nodded at him, then began to discuss the next steps with his advisers. Ferris slipped quietly out of the office, and hurried to rejoin the deeply disturbed servants. They would have to move quickly now.

—For they were about to try to pull off the biggest lie of their lives.

9

Several hours after Meckart had left the estate, Ferris, outfitted in a resplendent dress, was in the party hall with the biggest smile he could muster.

“Welcome, thank you so much for coming.”

It was evening, and well-appointed dragon carriages arrived at the Karsten mansion one after another. Their riders—nobles and VIPs of every kind—looked every bit as impressive as their carriages. They were the lucky few to be invited to the birthday party of the duke’s daughter, and as such, they displayed a sophistication that would have left the average person breathless. Luckily for Ferris, he lived at the estate of the very duke hosting the party and was close friends with an actual member of the royal family.

Having said that, the woman he knew spent her time looking very grave and generally not being sociable, so whether that experience would help him today was questionable. Regardless, Ferris greeted each of the guests and showed them to their places with exactly the right amount of deference and respect, never obsequious or impudent. As he stood ready to receive visitors in his blue dress, even those who didn’t know him stopped when they saw him, some looking as if they might fall head over heels in love.

At the moment, he was gently rebuffing the advances of some well-heeled young man.

“To think I overlooked one as beautiful as you… I can only castigate myself for this lapse in judgment!”

“Oh, you’re sweet. But you mustn’t be so lavish. The young woman with you is giving me the most terrible glare…” As the young man walked away, Ferris gave the couple a wink. No trouble. It was all so easy. The least he could do was keep a smile on his face for the night.

“Excuse me,” someone was saying to the nattily dressed maid beside him, his fellow receptionist. “Might I inquire as to the whereabouts of Duke Karsten? I should like to ask him to say a few words of introduction before we announce the woman of the hour, Miss Crusch.”

“I’m terribly sorry,” the maid replied, “but Lord Meckart is indisposed at the moment… I think he’ll be about shortly, but I must ask you to wait until then.”

“What a shame, and on such an important day. I understand. Please forgive my impertinent request.”

Since the moment guests started arriving, there had been no end of people asking after Duke Meckart. It was only natural. Only a handful of people had been chosen to attend the party. Not counting the members of the household, most of the people at the estate were probably there to check in on Meckart or otherwise ingratiate themselves to him. They would of course be disappointed to find him absent.

“Well, if mew ask them, they’ll say they’re not upset, though…”

“Master Ferris, be careful. You’re frowning.”

“Oops! I’ll have to be meow careful.” Ferris’s muttering to himself had drawn the maid’s attention. She must have felt the same way he did, because she didn’t chastise him for what he actually said. As much as they were used to it, it still hurt those who simply wished the best for the household.

Still, emotions of every kind could be observed among the guests. It was just as well. When the star of the party showed up in her most beautiful dress, they would all feel nothing but admiration.

“Heh-heh… Heh-heh-heh!”

“Master Ferris, I don’t like the look in your eye…”

“Oops! Have to be meow careful.” He stuck out his tongue in embarrassment, having now been called out twice, albeit for different offenses.

The party was only just starting, and the guests were still arriving. The introduction of the evening’s star, Crusch, would be the main event. Until then, she would have to remain in her rooms. She would no doubt be bored, but Ferris couldn’t help a feeling of relief.

Thanks to her special blessing, it was hard to keep secrets from Crusch for long. Her blessing of wind reading allowed her to interpret the wind—not just the actual breeze but the air in a room or surrounding a person, the aura that communicated their emotions. She was quite good at it, and it made her very difficult to deceive. Although, with Crusch being as upright as she was, she sometimes let herself be misled about minor daily matters.

“You can’t treat Lady Crusch like an ordinary person…although I guess that’s part of why I love her so much…”

“Master Ferris, there’s drool dangling from your mouth…”

“Oops! Have to be meow careful.”

That was three strikes, and the maid was not looking very pleased. Ferris knew it was silly to be so anxious over a little bit of banter, but it also looked likely to be a long night.

Okay. Time to put the smile back on his face and throw himself into receiving guests again…

“Ferris! Ferris, are you here?!”

As if in response to his thoughts, just as he was trying to turn himself into a smiling machine, a voice in the distance called his name. There was no doubt who it was—this particular manner of calling for attention could belong to only one person.

Even as Ferris registered who the owner of the voice must be, the crowd parted. There, raising his hand and calling in that familiar, carrying voice, was Fourier.

He was dressed in lustrous clothing, his golden hair and scarlet eyes both sparkling. As people realized the fourth prince of the nation was standing among them, heads began to bow.

“Hm? Oh, stop that, you’re all much too formal. I am a magnanimous and friendly young man. And I am not the center of attention on this night. Go over to the young lady’s dais and enjoy the party.” Fourier threatened to distract from the point of the evening by provoking the surprise show of reverence. Then again, since he was in fact a prince, the display of respect for him should not have been surprising—but his everyday attitude made it easy to forget that.

“His Highness… Now there’s someone else you can’t handle like an ordinary person…”

“What are you muttering about, Ferris? Um…” Fourier walked through the now-parted crowd, straight up to the maid and the boy. He looked Ferris and his dress up and down, then gave a deep and genuinely appreciative nod. “As beautiful in a dress as always! Be it a birthday party or a matchmaking meeting, I never get tired of seeing you like this! You have my enthusiastic praise!”

“Ha-ha-ha, thank you very much. You look quite dashing yourself, Your Highness.”

“Don’t I, though? I wracked my brain deciding what to wear tonight. I needed something appropriate for Crusch’s birthday party, something in which I could hold my head up high beside her. What do you think, Ferris?”

“An excellent job, my lord. You practically look a man.”

“Heh-heh! Yes, I think so, too.” He put his hands on his hips, puffed out his chest, and generally looked terribly pleased with himself. It was very much like him not to notice the jibe in Ferris’s words; this was part of his charm.

Fourier’s arrival had diffused some of the building anticipation for the star of the party, and Ferris patted himself on the chest, glad for the breather.

“But what have you been doing all this time, Your Highness? I certainly haven’t been able to entertain you. Were you in Lady Crusch’s rooms or something?”

“Ah, if only I could have been. But I could hardly spend all day in the chambers of the most important woman of the evening. Let me be clear, I did not withdraw because of the overpowering stares of the maids who were trying to help the young lady change! Nor did I wander the mansion at loose ends afterward, either!”

“Of course not, Your Highness. I’m glad you were able to find me.”

“Yes, a great relief. Frankly, I was getting rather lonely.”

The honest, almost naïve remark warmed Ferris, and he was surprised to find a genuine smile on his face. It was the first real expression of happiness he had made since the party started. The smiling and greeting had gone on so long, he had begun to think he would never be able to make a real smile again.

Not that he disliked smiling, but it was so much easier when he was calm inside. He just wished he could share his burden with somebody there, even if telling the star herself was out of the question…

“Oh well. That’s why they trusted me to watch things here—because we can’t.”

Despite his best efforts, he found this little bit of self-pity slipping out, and he used a rueful grin to cover it. When he thought of what Meckart was doing—why the duke couldn’t be there to greet the guests—he knew he could hardly feel sorry for himself. And anyway, this was the job he had been entrusted with. The important task the duke had entrusted to Felix Argyle.

“That’s all very well. But is Crusch not to be introduced yet?”

“We’re saving the best for last. Your Highness, you look as excited as a child.”

“Well, what do you want? I am excited! Aren’t you?”

“I accompanied her to the fitting, so I already got to see. Ah! Lady Crusch was so beautiful in her dress, meow! A goddess among us!”

“Grr! That’s not fair, Ferris! In fact, it’s downright cruel! Remember who did all the work so that we could see Crusch in her dress.”

Fourier crossed his arms and gave an angry snort. Ferris desperately held in his laughter.

“It was all thanks to you, of course, Your Highness. Lord Meckart knows that, and all the servants, and of course I do, too. We’re all grateful to you. Thank you very much! Heh-heh.”

“Hm, are you, now? Well, that’s good. A man must be generous of heart. I forgive you! Is my magnanimity not as vast as the sky? What do you think?”

“Oh, it certainly is. Your magnanimity is like a vast blue sky.” This wasn’t flattery; Ferris really did feel that way. In fact, he thought of Fourier as the sun in that sky. And that would make Crusch the wind, the invisible breeze that blew past that sun and through the sky. What did that make him, then? He could wish to be at least a cloud carried through the sky by that wind.

“Your Highness?”

As Ferris stood, lost in these thoughts, he suddenly found a hand in front of his face. It belonged to Fourier. The prince looked into Ferris’s subtly darkened face, then gave his usual bright smile.

“This is no time to be looking unlike yourself, Ferris. This is all because you’ve been forcing yourself to smile, going this way and that like a puppet on a string. Take my hand—we’re going to dance.”

“…I’m no good at smiling, huh?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that. I just thought you looked different from usual. How long have we known each other? Five years already? It’s only natural that I should know my friend’s smile inside and out.”

“Do you consider me a friend, Your Highness?” Ferris replied, raising an eyebrow at the unexpected word. That caused the prince’s handsome face to take on a serious cast. He gave Ferris a questioning look.

“It’s been five years, we don’t hesitate to converse with each other, we even share our little secrets… If this is not friendship, then I have no friends. What have you considered me all this time, Ferris?”

“Well, I… It’s just, I would hate to be presumptuous…”

“Hah! I am giving you permission here and now. There is no presumption. Ferris, you are my friend. Stand proudly beside me and share my joy in all things. Yes? Is it a promise?”

It was classic Fourier: forceful and without much consideration for either the other person’s situation or his own station. But the words were like salvation for Ferris, and he was deeply moved. He looked at the ground, suddenly finding himself on the verge of tears. He took several deep breaths. Only after he had calmed the wave of emotion did he look up. There was a teasing smile on his face.

“Then, Your Highness, perhaps I could ask you for one song before our beloved Lady Crusch arrives?”

“Seeing as how I already asked you—yes, of course. You can dance the woman’s part, can’t you? I certainly don’t know how.”

“Relax. Actually, the woman’s part is the only part I know.”

“Well and good, then—because I only know the man’s part!” Fourier puffed out his chest, and this time Ferris really couldn’t resist a burst of laughter. Then he looked at the maid beside him; she gave him a forceful wink as if to say, Let me handle the guests. He nodded, grateful for her thoughtfulness.

“Let us dance, then! Follow me!”

 

 

 

 

 

“Of course, my lord.”

Fourier was full of enthusiasm, yet when he held out his hand, the gesture was gentle. He escorted Ferris to the dance floor, looking tall and brave. At the sight of him, Ferris put a hand to his chest, his heart just a little bit lighter.

“By the way, Your Highness, you’re wrong about how long we’ve known each other. It hasn’t been five years. It’s been six.”

“Hmm? Is that right? Hmm. Well, it matters not. In light of how long we will know each other, it is but a small thing. Don’t you think so?”

“Gosh… Well, if Your Highness says so.”

At the middle of the dance floor, they faced each other and joined hands. Ferris suppressed a smile, but the edges of it tugged at his lips. Fourier saw it and smiled, too, and then the music began.

They started dancing, tracing the steps in the dazzling orange light of the sinking sun.

Night was falling, and they waited anxiously for the person they were all here to celebrate. The birthday party was just beginning.

10

“Your Highness, I never knew you were so well built. I can feel my pulse racing.”

“Can’t you, though? It’s because I am such a fine young man. But, um, stop blushing and snuggling up to me like that. It gives me a very strange feeling!”

“Aww… Weren’t you telling the truth when you said we were friends, Your Highness?”

“Of course I was! B-but I’m concerned that if things go any further we’re not going to be just friends anymore! Stop teasing me! Who do you take me for?!”

They had finished their dance and left the floor to thunderous applause. They were walking through a corridor of the mansion, heading for Crusch’s rooms, Ferris teasing Fourier along the way.

He had nearly forgotten his assignment, caught up in the dance as he was, but he was supposed to be making sure that the party went smoothly. He was surprised by how much he felt he had been able to contribute to that goal. The next objective was to make sure Crusch was properly dressed. She would soon need to be ready to be presented to the party.

“As a man, Your Highness, you can’t come in the room,” Ferris told Fourier. “You’ll see her dress when everyone else does. Come on, shoo!”

“What? And to think, you were treating me so very kindly up until this moment. Anyway, I had no intention of trying to force my way into Crusch’s rooms. I only thought she might be nervous and wanted to be here to comfort her.”

It sounded like an excuse, but Ferris gave in to the nobility of it and permitted the prince to accompany him. Anyway, it was certainly true that Crusch might be a bit anxious about appearing in front of a crowd in a dress. It was possible that having Fourier along would not be a complete waste.

With this in mind, the two of them arrived at Crusch’s rooms. Ferris knocked on the door.

“Lady Cruuuusch! It’s Ferris. Can I come in?”

“—Ferris. I’ve been waiting for you. Enter.”

The same masculine voice as always greeted him and invited him to come in. He and Fourier entered the room—and then went completely stiff.

“I see you have His Highness with you. That is unexpected.”

Crusch was not in a dress, but in the military uniform they were so used to. No problem. She just needed to take off the men’s clothing and change into her dress. The issue was what was at her feet.

A butler was sitting there, bound and gagged.

“L-Lady Crusch?! What’s going on here?!”

“I understand your surprise, but stay calm. Maloney is unharmed. I only tied him up because I couldn’t have him getting in my way. I’m sure the next maid to come by will set him loose.”

“You tied him up. Why did you tie him up?”

“You know I’m bad at beating around the bush, so let me be direct. Where has my father gone?”

“—”

As Crusch’s amber eyes bored into him, Ferris’s throat constricted with terror. His reaction only made Crusch more certain. She put a hand on the window of her room. They were only on the first floor; she could climb out easily. And she was obviously about to.

“W-wait, milady! Where are you going? And how will you know to go there?”

“My destination is Foutour Plain. My father is headed there because of a disaster… Demon beasts. He left the mansion with Bardok and some other confidantes, intending to arrive there tonight. Am I wrong?”

Terror piled together for Ferris; he could only tremble. He couldn’t imagine anyone had let the secret slip to Crusch. But she had such a clear grasp of the circumstances that a leak seemed the only possibility. How had it happened?

“I knew it would be impossible to get everything from one person. So I went one by one, piecing together the fragments of what each person knew. And you just gave me my proof, Ferris.”

“Oops…”

“I will stand by my father’s side. Perhaps I will not be any help. Perhaps they will mock me, saying I hadn’t needed to come. But I must go. When our most loyal retainers gather to the lion crest, shall I be lolling about in a gown, waiting to hear what becomes of them? I shall not stand for it.”

Of course she would say that. They had known that was how she would react the moment she heard of it, and that was why everyone in the household had worked so hard to keep it from her. But the young woman’s singular genius and exceptional sharpness had undone all their efforts.

“Wait a moment, Crusch! Who said you could do such a thing?” Fourier called out from beside Ferris, who had been cowed into silence.

Of course, Crusch was not able to ignore him. “Your Highness…” she said, her tone more subdued than before. “Please, forgive me. I must do this in order to be who I am. I swear I will make up for being so rude to all my guests. But I am a member of the ducal family. You must let me go.”

“Don’t try to rush the discussion. It isn’t a question of going or not going at the moment. First and foremost—I don’t have the slightest idea what’s going on! Isn’t Meckart in bed with a fever? That’s what I heard. Although, looking at Ferris, I don’t suppose it’s true.” He glanced at the cat-boy, whose shoulders were trembling, out of the corner of his eye. “Well, regardless.” He shook his head. “I don’t know exactly what Ferris and Meckart are planning, but it is you I have trouble forgiving, Crusch. What has led you so astray?”

“Astray, Your Highness…?”

“If you truly have pride in the blood of the servant of the Lion King that flows through you, it is your duty not to make a waste of today’s festivities. It isn’t yours to decide which is more important, the battlefield or the birthday party. Nor is it you who will ultimately determine your reputation—I won’t let you forget your vow to see this through.”

“—”

Crusch’s face tensed slightly at Fourier’s stern words. Ferris, looking on, didn’t fully understand whatever it was that most seemed to strike home with her. A most important thing seemed to have been communicated privately between Fourier and Crusch alone.

“Forget…? No, it is as Your Highness says. But I… I must…”

“Lady Crusch…”

Ferris knew all too well the pain, the wave of emotion that swelled in Crusch’s heart and threatened to swallow her. Her pride as a member of the ducal household now warred with the layers of her identity that she had built up. Both were indispensable parts of her; without either one of them, Crusch could not be Crusch.

“Your Highness, are you telling me to stay here, put a fake smile on my face, and…?”

“—? No, I’m saying no such thing. I think you’re still misunderstanding something.”

“What?”

Fourier’s perplexed expression evoked sounds of surprise from both Crusch and Ferris. Fourier’s eyes sparkled at the unusual reaction of both attendant and mistress, and then he gave one of his toothy smiles.

“Listen. What I am trying to say is not that you must protect your position as a member of the duke’s family. It is that you must protect who and what you are as Crusch Karsten, the duke’s daughter.”

“What do you mean by that, Your Highness?”

“You wish to support your father, and you must go through with this birthday celebration. Both duties are equally demanded of Crusch Karsten, the duke’s daughter. And she must not fail in either but see them both through, just like the you that I know.”

“—?!”

Fourier spoke with all the confidence of someone who was saying something very simple. And while he seemed to think he had given a fine bit of advice, the young woman listening to him looked troubled by this paradoxical opinion.

“Of course it would be ideal to do both,” Crusch said. “But realistically…with my strength, I couldn’t…”

“Wrong again. You have me. You have Ferris. You aren’t alone.”

“Your Highness…”

“Who hasn’t been at a party where things didn’t quite go according to schedule? What with all the celebrating and the drink… If the star of the show is a little late, the master of ceremonies will find some way to buy her time. Perhaps I could do a sword dance,” Fourier said, striking a pose as if dancing with an invisible blade. This caused Crusch, who until that moment had been standing dumbfounded, to blink. Then a soft smile came over her face.

It was natural and beautiful enough to ensnare the hearts of both Ferris and Fourier.

“Your Highness’s concern for me is a greater gift than any other. Let my person and my heart be given utterly in loyalty to you. Thank you very, very much.”

“Oh, stop, stop! I feel most awkward when you speak to me that way. You and I are friends. We mustn’t let the little things worry us. More importantly—Ferris!”

“Er—yes, sir!” He straightened up as the prince abruptly called his name. Fourier gave him a pat on the shoulder.

“Crusch is going to do something foolish. And you are going to protect her. You are her knight, after all.”

“I’m…Lady Crusch’s knight?”

“A true knight must always be at his mistress’s side and constantly act to keep her safe. I can think of no other knight for Crusch but you.”

A thousand emotions overflowed within Ferris at those words.

His physical weakness had long ago caused him to give up hope of wielding the sword to protect Crusch. He had exchanged that dream for a promise with his lady, but today he had looked set to lose that promise. On this day, when it had seemed he had nowhere to turn and no one to look to, he would receive a new vow instead.

“But I can barely hold a sword… Some knight I’d be.”

“It is His Highness’s will. As for the sword, let me wield it. I want you to be by my side, doing what only you can do. That is the only thing I ask of my knight.”

Crusch’s declaration sent a single hot tear rolling down Ferris’s cheek. It felt as though it would sear him, and he quickly wiped it away. Then he turned to Fourier. He knew the prince so well, but now he looked at him with an even greater respect.

“Felix Argyle, acknowledging orders, Your Highness. I will protect Lady Crusch, without fail.”

He made the most elaborate bow possible. Fourier nodded at him, then suddenly handed something to Crusch. He had specifically brought the object with him when he had heard that they were heading for Crusch’s rooms.

“What is this, Your Highness?”

“You said my consideration is gift enough for you—but it isn’t for me. Therefore, I have prepared a gift for you as well. I think it will suit you better than anything else.”

It was a long, thin, but remarkably heavy package. Crusch’s eyes went wide as she unwrapped it. She held a sword in her hands—one that was obviously masterwork quality.

“This is the best of all the blades in the royal armory. I asked Bordeaux to verify as much, so I’m sure it’s true. It is my gift to you.”

“Your Highness…I thought you were against my wielding the sword.”

“What else could I do? All my life I have seen you with the sword in your hand. That is the you that I like best. I’m sure you’ll be stunning in your dress…but in my mind, you will always be the girl who grips the sword.” Fourier had begun to flush red from speaking his mind so directly. “If you won’t give up the blade, then I hope I can at least choose the one you hold. Otherwise, you might never replace that dagger. And I might never get you back from the Lion King.”

“My Lion King has always been… No,” Crusch said, cutting herself off. She shook her head. Then she held the sword aloft and said, “I am grateful for this happiness. I promise I will do deeds with it worthy of your precious consideration for me.”

“Good! …Well, I admit that wasn’t exactly how I expected you to accept it, but just the same!”

Fourier had, in his own way, done his utmost to communicate his feelings, but thanks to Crusch’s obliviousness, they had gone straight over her head. Ferris felt bad about that, but his respect for Fourier grew even more.

Then Crusch said, “Well, let us go, Ferris. We shall help my father and return immediately to the party!”

“Yikes, sounds like a lot of work! And here Ferri’s already been so busy all night…”

But Crusch was already out the window. Ferris hitched up his dress and followed her. He stepped out onto the grass where the night air enveloped him, and heaved a sigh, wondering what they were getting themselves into.

But the desperate feeling of isolation he had felt while trying to deceive his mistress was no more.

After he had seen the two of them safely away, the first thing Fourier did was close the window.

“I’m glad to have seen them off safely…but I never did figure out exactly what was going on. I wonder what it could be? Hmm…”

As he spoke, he knelt down so he was eye to eye with the butler, whom they had simply left there. First he took the gag out of the grateful man’s mouth.

“I need you to explain a few things to me. Then you and I will have to figure out how to get through these rather dire straits. As Crusch’s representatives, we have a grave responsibility!”

And then he laughed merrily, as if this were just another perfectly normal night.

11

—The attendees of the party at the Karsten mansion were slowly growing disgruntled.

It was only natural. The celebration had started hours ago, it was already well into the night, and the mood was quite expectant. Now they were all waiting for the main event, the introduction of Crusch, the duke’s daughter. And yet the crucial person utterly failed to appear. What was more, Meckart Karsten, the host of the party, was also nowhere to be seen, claiming illness. How could the invitees not feel a little put out?

“Inviting us to a party where neither the host nor the celebrant shows up—are they mocking us?” Although no one spoke too loudly, many made such remarks under their breath.

Despite the extreme difficulty of their position, the butlers and servants did their utmost to fulfill their duties for the sake of their master and mistress. This was loyalty of the highest order.

“Erk… Even with me at the helm, it could be difficult to draw things out much longer…”

Fourier alone among the guests knew what was really going on. He used his position and a few well-placed rumors to soothe the rising discontent of the guests, but it was getting more difficult. He could divert them with amateur sword dances and decent lyurilay performances only so many times.

This left him with only one choice, a secret art passed down in the royal line. Fourier would set aside his pride as a member of the royal family and perform the trick—but just as he was about to do so, a commotion ran through the hall. It appeared to originate with the guests near the door. Suddenly the vast portal opened, and someone entered. Her long green hair danced, and she looked startling and refreshing in her military uniform.

“It’s Lady Crusch Karsten,” someone said, proclaiming the beauty’s name.

Crusch turned her amber eyes to the source of the voice. The person who had spoken stiffened, but she placed a hand over her chest and gave a single, elegant bow.

“Esteemed guests. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming all this way. And for the inconveniences we have imposed on you, let me apologize in place of the master of this house, Meckart.”

The hint of surprise that ran through the room might have been due to the powerful resolve that was almost tangible in her gorgeous voice. This girl had only just turned seventeen, but her forthright attitude silenced even those who had been muttering before; they listened closely to her clear, resonant voice.

“If I could beg your further indulgence,” Crusch went on, “I would ask that you be patient just a short while longer. I wish to make my official greeting to you all in clothing more suited to the occasion.”

She stood straight and raised her head, taking in all those in the hall. Her gaze, as sharp as any blade, left the guests no choice but to accede in silence.

“My thanks—Ferris, come.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

A figure in a blue dress had appeared behind Crusch. This person, too, was quite beautiful. The figure’s hair and the hem of the dress were both in rather bad shape, but neither attendant nor mistress seemed to notice. The two of them began to walk, and as if by some silent agreement, everyone made way for them.

Crusch advanced, dressed in her military clothes; all those she passed found themselves unconsciously straightening up. The jeweled sword at her waist seemed to express her very being.

The maids began following her as she went, and then they, Crusch, and her knight exited the party hall. No sooner had they done so than the hint of anxiousness vanished from the air, and everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. All the guests looked at one another.

“I’d heard rumors about Lady Crusch, but…”

“They said she was mad for the sword, that she was a noblewoman who could outdo any man… So that’s what they meant, ha-ha.”

Small and trembling voices tried to make light of Crusch. But it was only a front, a way of pretending they had not just been overawed by a young woman—and those who spoke realized this best of all.

Those who had heard her voice and seen her walk by them were of one mind: the derisive talk of a girl obsessed with swords, of Meckart’s prodigal daughter, was sheer nonsense. She fully deserved the seal of her family as she was every bit the lion. Crusch Karsten was a true heir to the ways of her house.

“—”

Many of the guests, properly astonished, felt that the party had been quite eventful enough. It was safe to say none of them were expecting a further shock. But they got one, when Crusch returned after changing her clothes.

“She’s beautiful…” someone breathed.

No one knew who had spoken, not even the person who had whispered the words, so enraptured was everyone by the sight. Crusch entered the moonlit hall wearing a black dress. She had tied up her long green hair, and precious stones glittered here and there against her white skin. In her military outfit, she had seemed as sharp as her sword, but in an instant she had come to shine as bright as a gem in her dress. It seemed rude even to breathe in the presence of such a polished jewel.

The sound of her high-heeled shoes echoed as she walked, and the first place she went was to Fourier.

“Your Highness Fourier, my apologies for all the trouble I’ve caused you.”

His arms crossed, the fourth prince drank in the sight of Crusch in her dress, then he nodded in satisfaction.

“I knew my judgment was correct. Crusch, you are truly stunning.”

“Your Highness is too kind.”

“I promise, it is no flattery. If I could, I would love to keep you all to myself right now. But I mustn’t—best you show yourself to all those who have been waiting so anxiously for you.”

With a hint of red in his cheeks, Fourier nodded at Crusch. Crusch nodded back and then turned, the hem of her dress flowing behind her. With every eye in the hall on her, she made a refined curtsy.

“Please be so kind as to forgive my rudeness earlier. And for the extra moment of time you granted me, I am most grateful. I offer you all my profound thanks.”

“—”

“Thank you, each of you, for coming here today for me. I am seventeen now, too old to be seeking the indulgence of my father or any of you. Both today and in my life to this moment, I have been supported by a great many people in a great many things. So today, I would like to make a vow.” She looked straight ahead, her voice unabashed, carrying to everyone in the room. “From this day I, Crusch Karsten, shall live as a noble, in a way that shall gratify the expectations of both my family name and all of you here today. You all are my witnesses. Watch me in the future, see if I break this promise or not.”

“—”

“Forgive me once more for bothering you all with this. Please, enjoy chatting with one another. I extend to you again my profound gratitude for joining me here today.”

 

 

 

 

 

So her address ended, but there was no applause. Partly this was because people were overwhelmed. But partly, it was because Crusch’s words and attitude had sought no acclamation.

Despite the mood, Crusch made her way back to Fourier and extended her hand. “Your Highness, may I have this dance?”

“Um…”

Fourier, every bit as taken with Crusch as everyone else around them, took a moment to respond. But soon his usual expression had returned, his eyes sparkling.

“Yes, certainly. But of course. As it was I who made you a woman, it is only fair that I should have the first dance.”

“—?!”

He meant his words to be lighthearted, but they quickly produced misunderstanding and shock among those who heard them. Crusch only smiled gently and didn’t try to rectify the misapprehensions as she and Fourier headed for the dance floor, hand in hand.

“Incidentally, I’ll ask you what I asked Ferris—can you dance the woman’s part? I’m afraid you can’t expect me to do so.”

“No worries, Your Highness. I know both the male and female parts. I would certainly be happy to let Your Highness dance the woman’s steps, if you’d prefer…?”

“That might be interesting in its own way, but I don’t think it would look right for you to be supporting me in your dress.” Fourier offered a wry smile.

“In that case,” Crusch replied, “I shall be the woman.” Then she signaled the orchestra with a look, and they began to play.

A man and a woman dance under the moonlight, the party just as it should be.

—The guests will remember the steps the pair takes as their measured, elegant movements draw the tumultuous day to a gentle close.

12

“Still, I wasn’t sure how things were going to turn out for a while there!” Ferris said.

It was the day after the party, and the main players had all gathered together. Crusch was seated next to Ferris, and he clung to her arm as she patted him on the head.

“I must have made you very anxious, Ferris,” she said. “I’m sorry for that. Without you, who would have treated my father’s battlefield wounds? You’ve done very well as my knight.”

“Aww, you don’t have to thank me. Just keep petting me…”

“Look at you two,” Fourier grumbled. “One night away together and I can’t pry you apart.”

Ferris pursed his lips. “How long do you plan to stay here, anyway, Your Highness? The party’s over. You don’t have any reason to stick around. What about your job?”

“Try to chase me out, will you? Grr, when did my friends get like this?”

“Maybe exactly because you said I was your friend, Your Highness. Meowch!”

“Ferris, that will be enough. Don’t disrespect His Highness,” Crusch said with a firm tug on one of his ears. She nodded at Fourier. He crossed his arms at all this, but soon raised an eyebrow in Crusch’s direction.

“There’s something I want to say to you, too! First of all, why are you back in that outfit? What happened to your women’s clothes? This isn’t what you agreed.”

“Your Highness, my promise to my father was that I would dress appropriately when we were in public and when it was otherwise necessary. He has allowed me to dress this way at home, and so I shall.”

Crusch was back to her all-too-familiar military uniform. It in no way reduced her beauty, but those who had seen her the night before could not help longing for her to wear a dress again.

“Yes, and I’d like to talk to Meckart, too. I heard everything from your butler, Maloney, after you left, and I thought I would die of fright. Giant Rabbits! Were you able to drive them off in the end?”

“We sure were! Lady Crusch charged right in and gave those bunnies what they had coming! When Ferri got there, Lord Meckart was out of action with a battle wound, so I don’t know what would have happened without her…”

“You overstate the matter, Ferris. Even without me, Bardok and the others would have taken care of things. If there is anything to be proud of, it’s that my blade was of some small use, as was your healing.” Crusch attempted to brush off his praise, but Ferris was still very proud of what she had done.

In reality, Meckart had discovered his own powerlessness the hard way. All the demon and non-demon beasts that normally lived on Foutour Plain had lost their homes to the Giant Rabbits and were running rampant. That was when he had received his wound. They had later made contact with Crusch, and her support and careful judgment had been crucial in pulling victory from the jaws of defeat.

Above all, everyone who had been part of that battle would speak of Crusch’s sword technique—the skill that would later be called “One Blow, One Hundred Felled.”

By the time the party had ended the night before, Ferris had already begun to hear the appellation “the Valkyrie of the Karsten Lands” applied to her. He thought it was a very appropriate nickname.

“All the same, it remains that I defied orders. My father shouted at me until his throat was raw. And I’m once again forbidden my sword and my land dragon.”

“Even though Lord Meckart broke his promise, too… Well, that’s a dad for you!” Ferris commented.

“There are a few things I myself would like to say to him once he’s recovered,” Crusch agreed. “Until then, I will get a little taste of my father’s work.”

Meckart had decided to vacate the mansion for a few days while his wounds healed. During that time, it fell to Crusch to administer the ducal domain. Her eyes suggested she rather looked forward to it.

“I like the expression on your face,” Fourier said.

Crusch’s eyes went wide with surprise, then she smiled. “Yes, perhaps it is a good look. Last night I had some experiences that would normally be difficult to gain in a number of ways. I suppose Father wouldn’t be happy to hear me say this, but I feel as though yesterday’s offense finally allowed me to become myself.” Her face was as clear as a fine day as she described her feelings. Her smile was perfect, and Fourier was utterly captivated. As the prince worked his mouth, trying to speak, Ferris got a mischievous gleam in his eye and gave Crusch’s arm an especially tight squeeze.

“And! And, you said wearing a dress wasn’t so bad, didn’t you?!”

“I was somewhat anxious before I put it on, but when I tried it, I found it could have been worse. From now on… Well, I suppose I could use such a thing to sleep in.”

“I think that’s perfect! Ferri is happy to dance with you in your usual clothes, but if we could both be in dresses, that would be ameowzing!”

“That’s something that bothered me! Should a woman in a dress really know both parts? Or…wait, do I have that backward? Should a man in a dress know… Hm? What…? What am I even asking?!”

Fourier had managed to confuse himself with his own outburst. Crusch and Ferris looked at him and sighed in unison, but this only caused him to laugh once more.

“There’s a good deal to be done yet before we can say all’s well that ends well, but the better part of this affair has been settled. And that will do for now!”

“I love how Your Highness is always looking on the bright side. Ferri might fall for you yet!”

“Ha-ha-ha! That is one of my good points. Um, but don’t cuddle up too close. Stop that! Don’t confuse me! Stop making those adorable faces at me!”

As Ferris snuggled up to the prince, Fourier struggled to muster his self-control. Crusch watched them both fondly, then let out a small breath. “I really am blessed beyond measure—I wonder if I’ll ever be able to repay this happiness,” she murmured. She sounded profoundly moved, as if she feared that she had been given too much.

—It was a mere six months after these events that Crusch Karsten took over the position of duke from her father, Meckart.

She became immensely busy, and the three of them had less and less time to sit and laugh together.

Crusch would find herself returning to this day over and over again.

But at that moment, all of this was still in the future.

<END>



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