Chapter X: Inglis, Age 15—Dual Starlets (10)
The Royal Theater had suddenly collapsed as if a bomb had gone off inside. The people walking the street stared in shock. Inside, Inglis also stood in stunned silence. She checked the surroundings—there was no mistaking it. From every angle, the place was destroyed.
“This...” she started to say. “This will probably pose a bit of a problem, huh? Ha ha ha.”
She hadn’t expected an overabundance of mana absorption to force Diego to explode. Not only did she miss out on a fight with him, but the damage here was tremendous. She had felt so much joy she’d been ready to burst, but now she had deflated. There wasn’t a single good thing about what had happened.
Yoink!
Rafinha’s fingers tugged at Inglis’s ears. “‘Ha ha ha’?! What are you laughing about?! This is because you got carried away! You should have stopped him long before we reached this point!”
“But I won’t improve if I don’t push my limits. He was enjoying it anyway. It’s not like he told me he was going to explode.”
“Enough excuses! What are we gonna do about this?!” Rafinha was livid. Not a single part of the Royal Theater’s previous splendor remained.
Inglis wondered how expensive the repairs would be. It had been a large and ornate building, so they would probably cost several times those of the knights’ academy.
“What if they want us to pay for it? And what if they cut off our all-you-can-eat privileges at the cafeteria as punishment?! We’ll starve again! And this time we won’t be able to turn to Count Weismar!” Rafinha yelled in a panic.
“Ugh... Yeah, this is bad. I think our only choice is to attribute this to the assassins who targeted His Majesty. We can say that they blew themselves up in desperation when we cornered them. It should be fine.”
They could have easily concealed that there was a plot at all if the theater wasn’t a total wreck. Principal Miriela had whisked the audience away to another dimension for their safety, but that could have been called simply a precaution or even part of the show. With the show over, the curtain could be dropped on the whole affair.
News of an attempted assassination of King Carlias from Karelia’s northern neighbor would definitely be an international incident. If things had gone differently, the whole affair could have been swept under the rug, but that seemed impossible now.
“Let me get this straight,” Rafinha said. “You played around and let the assassin take your power because you were having so much fun, but once he absorbed too much, he exploded.”
“That’s not true. I wasn’t playing around. I was serious about fighting a strong foe.”
“Is that the only part you’re concerned with?! Seriously, Chris, you’re really just too much. Ugh, this is giving me a headache.” Rafinha let out a deep, deep sigh.
“At times like this, it’s important to trust your friends.”
“Maybe if you hadn’t blown up the theater! But yeah, you’re right. At this point, let’s go with your plan.”
“Yeah. I’ll do the explaining, so—”
Space twisted from a distance. Leone and Liselotte had returned from getting the kids out of danger, and now that things were settled, they were all back, as were Lahti and Pullum.
“Wow... There isn’t a trace left,” Leone said, wincing.
“This is simply terrible,” Liselotte said.
“Chris has an excuse planned for blaming this on the assassins, so I say we back her up,” Rafinha said.
“O-Okay... Well, if she hadn’t done something, we would have been in trouble,” Leone reasoned.
“And yet, no matter how we got here, what I initially feared has come to pass.” Liselotte had always suspected Inglis would destroy the theater.
“It sure did...” Rafinha turned her eyes to the kids. “Ah, Alina, are you okay? You’re not hurt or anything, right?”
“N-No, I’m not... Thanks for saving us...” Alina answered. None of the children appeared to be seriously injured.
“Sorry, that must have been scary. But it’s okay now.” Rafinha gave Alina a big hug.
“B-But... Mister... He...”
The merchant who had taken in the children was no longer anything but a corpse. Alina and the others called his name and tried to shake him awake, but his eyes would never open again.
“I’m sorry we couldn’t save him,” Rafinha said. “Everything will be okay, though. I’ll ask my mom and dad to let you live in Ymir, where Chris and I grew up. Do you think that’s okay, Chris?”
“Yes. I think that’s a fine idea.”
It wasn’t a bad thing to have something to protect. If Rafinha had something to protect in a place she called home, that would serve as motivation for her both personally and as a knight. Sheltering these children wouldn’t change the wider circumstances of the world that exacerbated their struggles—but it was for the better.
“Plus, the duke and our mothers are already here, so they can set off together,” Inglis noted.
“Good idea. We’ll ask them later. Did you hear that, everyone? There’s nothing to worry about.” Rafinha gave each of the children a kind hug.
Inglis followed suit with the others—but as she did, she warned Lahti, “You should probably find somewhere to hide while you can.”
“Y-Yeah! Inglis is right!” Pullum chimed in from beside Lahti.
As the prince of the nation that had sent the assassins, he more than ever needed to hide his identity. Otherwise, he’d be taken as a prisoner of war, and—if things went poorly—he could even be executed. That or he could be used as a hostage in negotiations.
“Lahti, are you really the prince of Alcard?” Rafinha asked.
He answered with a nod. “Yeah. This should prove it.” From under his clothes, he produced a pendant engraved with Alcard’s coat of arms.
“I guess you really are... You didn’t seem the type, but...” Leone said.
“Indeed, you’re not at all refin— I mean, you fit in with us so well,” Liselotte said.
Lahti didn’t take that as a jab at him at all. “Sorry, I’m not much of a prince. I’m Runeless, so I kind of fell out of the royal family. That’s why I’m such a mess. And because I’m Runeless, because I’m nothing to them, I hid my identity to study at the knights’ academy, trying to find a place for myself. But now that things are like this... Maybe I never should have left... If I’d stayed, maybe I could have stopped this...”
“N-None of that is your fault, Lahti!” Pullum insisted. “Don’t blame yourself. Let’s leave this to Inglis and the others.”
“I can’t. No matter what she says, they probably won’t believe her without proof. I’ll tell them who I really am and give my own testimony. Then maybe—”
“No, Lahti! That’s for me to do!” a soothing, masculine voice interrupted.
“Wh—?! Ian?! Ian, you’re okay?! I thought he got every last one of you... Where are you?! Are you hiding?” Lahti shouted.
Ian’s voice was clear, but Ian himself was nowhere to be seen. “O-Over here! By the pillar in back to the right!”
Yua was there, carrying Ian under her arm, and ready to make her departure.
“Yua?! What are you doing?!” Pullum asked.
“Well, it’s okay to take one home, right? And we’re done here, right?” Yua replied.
“Y-Yeah, I guess... So one Ian escaped thanks to Yua?” Lahti asked.
“I guess. I don’t really know what happened, but...” Ian said.
“It’s simple. I just smacked the part with the creepy pattern,” Yua said. She must have meant the Sending Mark. In that dangerous moment, Yua had sensed the danger and deftly destroyed only that spot on his body. Appearances were deceiving. Yua’s ability to sense and control mana was superhuman. She’d even saved someone, although it was just to take a cute boy home.
“So...” Yua trailed off, walking away.
“W-Wait, Yua! There’s something I have to do!” Ian insisted.
“Nah, he’s all yours, Yua. Sorry, Ian, but after what you’ve done, we can’t have you showing up in front of His Majesty,” Lahti said.
That was reasonable. Ian had been plotting to kill King Carlias. Put them together, and there was no telling what would happen.
“B-But, Lahti... Wait, are you going to try to cover for me?!”
“That’s the least a failure of a prince can do,” Lahti said.
“Y-You can’t, Lahti!” Pullum stammered. “That’s going too far! This wasn’t your fault! Right, Inglis?” She looked to Inglis for agreement.
“Yeah. And even if he does claim responsibility, it probably won’t mean anything.”
“Huh? What do you mean, Inglis?” Lahti asked.
“This isn’t over yet. There has to be more...”
“Wh-What do you mean?”
“Well—”
A high-pitched shriek rang out, cutting Inglis off. The students turned to see Principal Miriela, back from the alternate dimension.
“This... This is dreadful!” Captain Reddas of the Royal Guard was back too.
“Hmm... So we were right to evacuate?! But this is terrible!” As was King Carlias.
When Rafinha saw her parents and Inglis’s mother return as well, she prompted, “Y-You’re on, Chris!”
“Okay...” Time to get myself fired up and make some excuses! Inglis thought. Not just to cover up her own mistakes, but to ensure a better future for them all.
◆◇◆
Inglis’s explanation left King Carlias in dismay. “What?! So you’re saying assassins from Alcard were trying to kill me?”
“How brazen! This is unforgivable! Maybe I’d have expected it from Venefic, but we’ve been on friendly terms with Alcard for years! For them to betray us like this...!” Reddas was red-faced with anger.
“But if they could do this, why wait? Giving us a chance to evacuate doesn’t make sense...” King Carlias said.
Inglis gulped. It seemed like King Carlias was catching on to what had actually happened. The correct answer was that the assassin himself wasn’t expecting the explosion, but she couldn’t let him know that. She had to hide the real turn of events—needed to cover them up.
The best way was to change the subject.
“More importantly, Your Majesty, we must consider our response!” she said.
“That much is true... We should immediately review how we guard His Majesty!” Reddas said.
Inglis shook her head. “No, that’s not what I meant.”
“What do you propose, then, Lady Inglis?”
“We should consider strengthening our presence on the northern border with Alcard. They may invade at any moment.”
“What?! Not just assassins, but—!”
“The other way around. The assassins were likely sent because the decision to attack had already been made. By eliminating His Majesty, they’d be able to take advantage of the subsequent unrest to gain the upper hand in the war.”
“Wh-What?!”
“Without that level of commitment already decided, they wouldn’t send assassins to a country that was not only friendly but also overwhelmingly more powerful. A patchwork approach would only end in their own destruction.”
King Carlias’s expression became stern. “If that’s true, then this is an emergency. The Paladins are already deployed to the eastern border with Venefic!” He already seemed to be focused on the diplomatic relationships between the countries, which were much more significant than the matter at hand.
“It’s true! Alcard has already crossed the border!” Ian spoke up.
Inglis quickly signaled with her eyes to Yua.
“Boop.” Yua strengthened her grip on Ian’s head, forcing his mouth shut. It seemed like she was doing it lightly, but she was extremely strong. He was easily silenced.
“The assassins we saw were enhanced with a different Highland technology than Artifacts—it seemed to have been given to them by Archlord Evel, who was here recently,” Inglis continued.
“What?! Lady Inglis, you’re saying he’s still alive?” Reddas asked.
“No, I don’t believe so. He died at the hands of the Steelblood Front. Inglis wouldn’t have lied about that,” King Carlias said.
Rafinha whispered so only Inglis could hear. “I kind of feel bad taking advantage of him like this...”
I’m just trying to give a plausible excuse for why the theater was destroyed! Inglis thought. “It’s okay. I’m not lying to him,” she whispered back.
It was true that the assassin Diego had exploded and destroyed the theater. Inglis was only omitting certain details about the precise cause of the explosion. She wasn’t outright lying. She was simply not giving a full explanation.
“So you’re saying he had already contacted Alcard before coming here. In that case, his unreasonable attitude makes sense...” King Carlias said.
“Indeed, Your Majesty,” Inglis said. “I believe he had already won over Alcard and ordered them to attack Karelia. It seems Alcard was recently ravaged by a Prismer, so they asked for his aid in building up their defenses.”
“And in return, he demanded that they attack us... Alcard is not a rich country. They can’t afford a hieral menace or sufficient quantities of Artifacts.”
“Correct.”
“But then, why didn’t Evel attempt to kill His Majesty when he was here?” Reddas asked.
“That’s surface thinking, Reddas,” Inglis replied.
“Meaning?” King Carlias asked.
“Your Majesty, if I may speak frankly...”
“Of course. Speak, Inglis.”
“Very well. The Highlanders think little of surface royalty. They care so little for the surface that taking the life of royalty here isn’t worth the bother in their minds. They may trample on people here for fun, but that is the extent to which they go.”
King Carlias grunted. “How rude!”
“In addition, I believe that Evel gained insight into His Majesty’s thinking during the summit and sensed his absolute reverence and obedience. So even if Alcard’s invasion failed, Highland could plan to improve its relationship with Karelia upon Alcard’s defeat—there was no reason to take his life. From Highland’s perspective, it matters not who rules this land, only that the offerings they desire continue to flow.”
Highland had two major political factions: the Triumvirate and the Papal League. The current ambassador, Theodore, and the previous ambassador, Muenthe, both aligned with the Triumvirate. With their blessing, Karelia acquired both Flygears and the Flygear Ports, Highland-made weapons that had not been granted to them before. However, the Papal League had a hard time accepting that, and so they intensified their conflict with the Triumvirate.
As a result, given Karelia’s ties with the Triumvirate, Venefic—which was backed by the Papal League—had mobilized at the border. And now, Alcard was joining the fray.
The major factions have created a conflict between surface countries; this is a proxy war, Inglis thought. With that in mind, Evel’s choice not to kill King Carlias reveals his own contempt for us. Even if he were to launch a plot to destroy our country, if he reached out his hand after that failed, he believed our king would take it. He believed Karelia wouldn’t have been able to fight back at that point.
“I see. You appear to be correct.”
The fact that he nodded in agreement rather than reacting with rage showed King Carlias’s magnanimity. He understood that Highland looked down on him, and he accepted that for what it was because he felt it was the best course for his country. If he believed that so strongly, Inglis couldn’t argue—as long as he called on her when a strong foe appeared.
“So why assassins? Why now? I don’t see what they have to gain,” the king said.
“It’s a matter of differing perspectives. To the ruling class of Alcard, Your Majesty is our supreme commander. Striking you down would spread chaos and facilitate an invasion. Thus, they could limit their own casualties while fulfilling the orders from Highland—in other words, it’s proof that they’ve decided to invade. They’re already making moves. I expect that we’ll see signs of it very soon. Venefic may also take advantage of this and strike.”
“Gah! A pincer attack on us!” Just as Reddas began to growl, a single Flygear arrived overhead at high speed. A knight who appeared to be a palace guard was on board.
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Where are you?! I bring urgent news!”
“I am down here. What’s happened?”
“Ah, Your Majesty!” The knight hurriedly set his Flygear down and kneeled before King Carlias. “It’s an emergency! Alcard has mobilized along our northern border!”
Inglis’s predictions had been dead-on, and everyone around gasped in surprise.
“And here it is,” she remarked.
“So Inglis was right...” King Carlias nodded.
“A-As expected of Lady Inglis. I’m sorry for doubting your insight,” Reddas said, still in shock.
Good. This will make my next words more convincing, meaning the proposal I’m about to make will be more likely to be accepted, Inglis thought.
“Why... Why would Alcard want war with Karelia?” Lahti asked.
“Ugh...! It’s absurd!” Pullum cried. They couldn’t believe what they were hearing about their home.
“If it’s come to this...” Lahti made up his mind and stepped forward in front of King Carlias. “Your Majesty! If it’s gonna be—er, if it has come to this, take me as a hostage! And push back against—”
“Thwop.” Inglis quickly spun around behind Lahti and karate-chopped his neck.
“Aghhh...!” Lahti collapsed in a heap.
I can’t let you say any more. Sorry, but I’ve got to stop you by force.
“Lahti!” Pullum gasped.
I’ll leave him to Pullum, Inglis thought.
“Who is this boy?” King Carlias asked.
“He hails from Alcard. He wants to stop the war, even if it means using himself as a shield,” Inglis answered.
“I see...but we can’t do such a thing. It may provoke the enemy, and it could cost us the confidence of our own forces.”
If he were thought of as an ordinary burgher or a noble scion, that would be as far as the king would value him as a hostage. Someone unlikely to affect many people. If it were known that he was a prince, the story would change. He could then be a bargaining chip. Inglis wasn’t going to let that happen; she had other plans for Lahti.
“Yes, I agree. Anyway, let us form a plan for dealing with Alcard at the earliest opportunity,” she said.
“Indeed. I will immediately hold a war conference at the palace. Reddas, come with me.”
Duke Bilford, who had been watching the proceedings so far, spoke up suddenly. “Wait, Your Majesty!”
“What is it, Duke Bilford?”
“In our kingdom’s time of need, the knights of Ymir will be there. We await your order!”
“Excellent. I am grateful for your loyalty. Then, you too shall join the conference.”
“Understood!”
The royal army was made up of two grand orders: the Paladins and the Royal Guard. However, the lords of each fiefdom, such as Ymir, maintained their own orders of knights. With the Paladins busy dealing with Venefic in the east, the Royal Guard would have to form the backbone of any response to Alcard in the north, which would weaken the defense of the capital and the royal demesne.
So one way or another, whether to reinforce local defenses or to fight on the northern front, feudal levies would be necessary to relieve the burden on the Royal Guard. However, the first priority for each lord was to protect their own holdings. It was only natural that they’d want to preserve their own forces rather than losing them protecting another’s territory. From their perspective, it would be best to leave it to someone else to handle.
Additionally, Inglis was aware of tensions King Carlias’s loyal followers had with a faction that looked to Prince Wayne. Those who followed the prince wouldn’t want to make a move until they were the ones under fire. Any loss of authority by King Carlias would simply improve the prince’s position.
And digging deeper into that line of thought, Duke Bilford likely looked to Prince Wayne. If nothing else, his son Rafael was a holy knight in the Paladins and widely recognized as the prince’s right-hand man. A rural fiefdom like Ymir was removed from palace politics, but many still saw him as tied to Prince Wayne.
A perceived member of the prince’s faction being the first to offer his aid must have been gratifying to King Carlias. It showed a way forward for cooperation between the two factions.
This is good. This leads quite naturally into what I’m about to say next. “Your Majesty, I have one other proposal,” she said to King Carlias.
“Speak. Your words have value.”
“Thank you. I’d like you to send me and Rafinha to Alcard.”
“For what purpose? To negotiate a ceasefire? Given Alcard’s situation, would that not be difficult?”
Alcard had its own reasons for not backing down easily. The country was fighting for a hieral menace and Artifacts to protect their own people.
“No... We infiltrate and create a situation where Alcard will withdraw on its own.”
“Hmm? If that’s possible, it would be more than I could ever have hoped for. But how? Didn’t you just say they have their own reasons not to back down?”
“We’ll deal with those reasons. As an example, if we can defeat the magicite beast—apparently a Prismer—that’s appeared, they’d have no pressing need for a hieral menace. If this leads to a political change, perhaps a coup, the new leadership may decide to revert to their existing relationship with Highland and stop the war. And if that doesn’t occur—in a worst-case scenario, we’d still be able to attack their army from the rear and disrupt its operations.”
“I follow you, but...” King Carlias trailed off, concerned.
Inglis had an idea of what was worrying him. “There are factions within Alcard opposed to the current policy. I’d like to cooperate with them. With this approach, I’ll be able to avoid inflaming public opinion in Alcard.”
“It’s vital that you avoid arousing hostility. If that’s possible...do you have a plan for how you’ll make contact with their resistance?
“I do. Fortunately, I have personal contacts among them.”
“I see. If that’s the case, then...”
King Carlias likely had no idea that this personal contact was knocked out on the floor in front of him, but that’s precisely why Inglis had needed to keep Lahti from saying anything inconvenient. If he had revealed his identity, King Carlias probably wouldn’t have accepted Inglis’s proposal, which involved returning him to Alcard. Or even worse, he’d have accepted the proposal but not Lahti’s return. That state of affairs would have been quite inconvenient; his imprisonment would have made it impossible for her plan to succeed.
Besides, lying that she had contacts when she had none would have presented its own problem. She preferred to do things without lying. She didn’t want to lead Rafinha astray.
In addition to Lahti, she also needed Ian. He was the one most familiar with Alcard’s current situation. He could be their guide. He’d probably cooperate if Lahti asked for his help. And most of all, there was the matter of Evel’s technology.
That replication technology fascinated her. If there were any research facilities left, she’d like to visit them. And if she could, she would acquire her own duplicate to use as a training partner.
The likely Prismer which ravaged Alcard... Warriors like Ian or Diego, empowered by body modification... Alcard’s forces pouring across the border... And just maybe, research facilities left behind by Evel...
The northern frontier is filled with dreams, Inglis thought. Today’s events had left her feeling dissatisfied, deflated—so she wanted to go north and chase those dreams. She was sure good fights awaited her there.
Behind her, she could hear Rafinha and the others whispering to one another.
“Sheesh, Chris wants to go all the way north and fight a Prismer just because Diego blew up and she couldn’t fight him!”
“And even if she doesn’t find that Prismer, if she’s trying to spark a revolution, we’ll probably end up fighting their knights,” Leone added.
“In the worst case, Alcard’s army could surprise us and attack us,” Liselotte agreed.
“Chris just wants to fight something no matter what!”
“B-But...it would be nice to have everyone along. I don’t think I could handle going back if it were only me and Lahti,” Pullum said.
“Oh, right,” Rafinha said. “If Ymir’s knights go north, that’ll mean I’m helping dad... Chris is really good at pretending to make sense.”
“No, I think this actually does make sense,” Leone countered.
“Indeed. If this goes well, both Karelia and Alcard will come out of this as well as possible,” Liselotte said.
“The problem’s her motivation! She just wants to fight!” Rafinha insisted.
Inglis cleared her throat to quiet Rafinha and the others down. Then, looking King Carlias straight in the eyes with utmost sincerity, she knelt before him. “I beg of you, Your Majesty! As a daughter of Ymir, now that Duke Bilford has stood forth for the country, I too would like to do all I can!”
“I understand...but whether or not you succeed, it must be seen as the work of Alcard’s resistance. Your own deeds must never come to light. Would you still go?”
“Yes. That would satisfy me.” For Inglis, the chance to fight strong foes without entering the public eye was the best possible result. She was being completely honest—though whether she’d be taken as such was another story.
“I see—splendid, as usual. Such spirit is admirable.” King Carlias was deeply impressed.
So was Reddas. “Your heart is as beautiful as you are, Lady Inglis!”
It was a misunderstanding on their part, but she didn’t mind that they were taking it in a good way. She had one other request, and at this point, they’d likely grant it.
“I accept your proposal. We’ll stand our ground and wait for your success. Go forth, Inglis!” King Carlias pronounced.
“I shall! Then, in addition, I’d like you to issue special orders to the knights’ academy. I won’t be able to attend class for some time, and I don’t want this to interfere with my advancement.”
“Very well. I see. I will do so.”
“And in order to carry out this operation, I’d like military funding—it’s important to secure provisions.”
This was very important. Away from the academy, she’d lose access to the all-she-could-eat food from its cafeteria. She wanted to go to Alcard—but not on an empty stomach. Proper funding was important. To be honest, if she wanted to leave for Alcard with Lahti, she could do so at any time. However, if she didn’t want to go hungry, she needed King Carlias’s permission.
“Yes! That is very important, Your Majesty!” Rafinha agreed. She knew precisely what Inglis was up to. Inglis could see the sparkle in Rafinha’s eyes as the girl imagined the delicacies Alcard had to offer, even though Rafinha had been careful not to say so.
“Of course. I’ll send a messenger to the knights’ academy later. Principal Miriela, I put my trust in you to support these young ladies,” King Carlias said.
“Y-Yes! With the situation as it is, our academy will do everything it can!” she replied.
“Thank you. Then, Reddas, Duke Bilford. Shall we be off?”
“Yes, my liege!” Reddas and Duke Bilford followed the king as he departed, but the duke stopped for a moment and looked back at Inglis and Rafinha.
“Rafinha, Inglis...”
“Yes, dad?”
“Yes, Your Grace?”
“I’m a bit surprised that His Majesty has taken you into his inner circles, but... This is an emergency that impacts us all. I can’t object to a dangerous mission simply out of love for my daughter. But don’t push yourselves too hard, and make sure you come home safe.”
“Of course.” Inglis and Rafinha nodded in unison.
Then Rafinha added, “And, er, mom, dad... These children lost their foster father today. They have nowhere to go. I’d like you to take them back to Ymir and find them a place to live.”
“If you could ensure their safety, that would give us peace of mind while we carry out our duty,” Inglis said.
“Why, that’s...” Inglis’s mother frowned.
“That’s terrible... They’re still so young...” So did her Aunt Irina.
“Those poor children... Understood. Leave it to us.” The duke laughed warmly. “Rafael asked the same of us many times. It seems you are walking the path of a proper knight... Very well. Irina, Serena. I must attend the conference. I leave the rest to you two.”
“Y-Yes, dear...but what of the girls’ mission...?” Irina responded.
“Will they really be okay?” Serena asked. Both of them were tense. They were less anxious about Alina and the other children than they were about their daughters going to Alcard. They couldn’t hide their concern that their daughters would be placing themselves in danger.
Inglis felt a bit bad about that. She’d proposed the idea in the natural flow of a conversation, but it may have been better to have had the discussion when her mother wasn’t around.
She gently held her mother’s hand. “Don’t worry, mother. I’ll come back safe and sound.”
“My sweet, sweet Chris...”
Catching sight of the touching display out of the corner of his eye, King Carlias stopped. “I see, so you’re Inglis’s mother... You’re still so young.”
“Wh—?! Y-Yes, Your Majesty?!” Serena stuttered in shock. Being directly addressed by the king would surprise any person of her status. She never expected to converse with the king himself.
Her reaction didn’t surprise Inglis. “Mother, don’t be nervous. His Majesty is a kind man.”
“Y-Yes... I’m sorry. I must be embarrassing you...”
“Not at all.” Inglis softly placed a hand on her back.
“You’ve raised an excellent daughter. Please lend our country the strength you’ve cultivated in her,” King Carlias continued.
“I-It would be my honor! I have faith that she’ll come home safe!” Serena replied.
“Yes. Now, if I may...” This time, King Carlias took his leave for the palace.
After seeing him off, Inglis asked her mother with a smile, “Mother, what would you like as a souvenir from Alcard?”
“Chris, silly, we’re not going there on vacation,” Rafinha interjected.
“But I do plan on coming back safe. And this would make it a promise.” It was the best way to offer Serena some peace.
“Well, I guess that’s true... Then, what would you like, mom?” Rafinha asked Irina.
“Hmm... Well, if you promise me you’ll return safe and sound, I guess you could get me something,” Serena said.
“In that case, of course, it’s—” Irina began.
“Whatever looks good, as long as it’s food!” the mothers answered as one.
“Of course!” the daughters replied together.
“Aha ha, such a happy family... Like mothers, like daughters.” Principal Miriela grimaced.
From a distance, Leone murmured, “I can’t help being jealous watching them have such sweet mothers who worry about them.”
“Indeed. And they’re so beautiful... It makes me remember my own mother,” Liselotte replied.
“Right... Anyway, let’s come back safe. I don’t want to make mothers like that sad.”
“Oh my. So you’ve decided to join them, Leone?”
“Yes. Haven’t you, Liselotte?”
“Of course I shall. For the sake of my country, and that of my friends. Right, Pullum?”
“Thank you so much! I’m sure Lahti will be grateful too! Though he’s still out cold...” Pullum said.
“Uh, I feel a little bit sorry for him,” Leone said.
“Indeed. We should probably wake him up,” Liselotte suggested.
The trio shook Lahti awake.
“Speaking of which, where’s Yua?” Leone asked.
“Ah! Sh-She’s vanished!” Liselotte replied.
Yua was long gone, having already taken Ian off somewhere...
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