Chapter III: Inglis, Age 15—Dual Starlets (3)
Life was busy several days later at the Royal Theater.
The knights’ academy had decided to fully cooperate with the Weismar Troupe for their production. The academy had already arranged the delivery of Flygears and other supplies for the play. All over the theater, everything from people to props were moving around at a frantic pace. Count Weismar had rapidly finished the adjustments to the script, made necessary by Inglis’s proposal for the cast. And today, they were being fitted for costumes.
“Wow! You look great, Chris! You really do look good in anything!” Rafinha squealed, her eyes sparkling.
Inglis was playing the character Maribelle, a well-known dancer in the setting’s locale. The character’s name hadn’t changed from when she had been originally cast as the sole heroine in the plot, but her background had changed from a young noblewoman to a dancer because Count Weismar wanted to have Inglis dance for the audience by replicating a scene the troupe had done in Ymir.
“Thanks, Rani. I can feel the air on my stomach, though...” Inglis replied.
The dance-inspired costume showed some of her midriff, and her belly button was peeking out. She wasn’t used to clothing like this. She felt a little out of place, a little embarrassed. However, she did like the fluttering bands of fabric and the shimmering embellishments. The outfit was pretty.
“It’s fine! Don’t be embarrassed. You’ve got a cute belly button. Look in the mirror and see!”
“Oh!” Inglis exclaimed. Then she paused, taking in her reflection. “I suppose I do look quite nice.”
The costume made her look more mature. It drew out her glamor. Inglis was already a stunning beauty, and to wear an outfit like this—she was absolutely fabulous, if she did say so herself. She enjoyed staring at herself in the mirror after a bath, but particular outfits brought out a certain appeal.
“Now turn around. Spin, spin! Gimme a smile!” Rafinha cheered.
Inglis smiled and let out a giggle.
“Yep! You’re, like, the perfect dress-up doll. You look so good in anything.”
“But I’m not a doll. I’m a person.”
“Right, right. So you only mind being a ‘doll’, not the dress-up? Then how about this?” Rafinha said before poking Inglis’s exposed belly button.
“Eeek! Stop it, Rani!” Inglis contemplated returning the favor.
“Heh heh. Go ahead and try, but my belly button is safe,” Rafinha teased. She was also wearing a dance-inspired costume, but hers was more reserved, less flashy than Inglis’s.
“No fair...” Inglis pouted.
“It’s fine. I’m here to be the perfect complement to you.”
Rafinha’s character was a backup dancer for Maribelle. Count Weismar had explained that a group of beautiful people dancing behind Maribelle would make the lead stand out even more, especially because Inglis was gorgeous even among the attractive cast.
“That’s not true. You look adorable! I wish I could be in the audience to watch you.” For Inglis, it would have been like watching her dear granddaughter perform under the spotlight. She would have liked nothing more than to applaud Rafinha while watching, but her own presence was required on stage.
“What are you talking about, Chris? You’re the star here. You’re the one dancing in front.”
“Don’t be too far behind me. I don’t mind if you’re lined up by my side.” That way, Inglis could watch Rafinha while performing.
“Okay. Anyway, it’s time to do your hair! Sit down, sit down!”
“Yeah. Thanks.”
“Hmm. There are so many styles we could do! I can barely decide!” Rafinha squealed.
As a full-fledged theater company, the Weismar Troupe had plenty of costume jewelry; Inglis and Rafinha were permitted to use them as they wished. For Rafinha, who made a hobby of dressing Inglis up, it was like being offered a treasure horde. “Hmm, what should we do? A big ribbon that’s easy for the audience to see? A long side braid that sways with your movements?”
“Whatever you think is best.”
“Okay! ♪”
A few minutes passed as Rafinha came to a decision and styled Inglis’s hair.
“All right, I’m done! How does it look? Did I get it right?”
“Yeah. It’s great. Really cute.”
Leone poked her head in suddenly. “Inglis, Rafinha, are you ready yet?”
Liselotte followed. Both she and Leone were wearing the same outfit as Rafinha. “It took the rest of us some time to get prepared, but we’ve finished.”
“Looking good, you two. Nice and cute,” Inglis said.
“Thanks, but we don’t measure up to you, Inglis,” Leone insisted.
“You’re like something out of a painting. Even though we’re both women, I can’t help but admire you,” Liselotte said.
Inglis chuckled. “Thanks.”
“So, what took you so long?” Rafinha asked.
“Leone’s costume was a tad tight up here—” Liselotte motioned at her chest. “We had to tailor it.”
Leone was, if anything, even more well-endowed than Inglis. Even now, the fabric around Leone was stretched taut.
“Life would be easier if I could lose a little bit of weight there too...” Leone complained.
Rafinha glared, the envy clear on her face. “Must be a nice worry to have. Rin, I’m jealous! Give her a good squirming!”
Perched on Rafinha’s head, Rin leaped at Leone.
“Ah...! Stop it, Rin!” Leone braced herself, but before Rin could burrow under her clothes, a hand reached out and tightly grabbed Rin, which was no small feat considering how quick the small magicite beast was.
“I can do that,” Yua said as her other hand grabbed Leone’s chest. “Mmm, big.” Her voice was as expressionless as ever, though.
Yua was wearing a knight costume with a breastplate for the play. Before the script changes, two leads would have been competing for Maribelle, played by Inglis. Now Maribelle and Euthylis, a lady knight played by Yua, would be competing for Malik, the prince of a minor country. In the final version, Inglis and Yua would have a real bout on stage without a scripted outcome, and the winner would appear in the kiss scene.
“Eeek?! Yua?!” Leone jumped back in surprise.
“You’ve got plenty. I wish you’d share...”
“Umm...”
“Right? I know how you feel,” Rafinha sympathized. “Because we’re the have-nots!”
“Looks that way.” The less-endowed shared a firm handshake. “I feel like I’m going to be judged as inferior playing alongside Booglis.”
“Could you please stop calling me that?!” Inglis protested.
“Would you prefer Inbies?” Yua asked.
“Not that either! Anyway, I don’t think you’ll come off as inferior.”
“Liar.”
“Yeah, you tell them, Yua! Chris and Leone can’t understand the feelings of the have-nots!” Rafinha agreed.
Inglis and Leone had no response to that.
Well, Rafinha’s right. Mine definitely grew, so I don’t know how it feels for them.
“Ah, Yua. If you’re worried about that, why not grow some?” Inglis suggested.
“Huh?” Yua had no idea what she meant by that.
“I mean, if you pad them with something, it will give the illusion of you having larger breasts. That way, on stage, we’ll look about the same.”
“Oh, really?”
Now she had Yua’s attention. “Maybe give it a try?”
“Okay. Like this?” Yua plunged Rin, who she’d been tightly holding on to the whole time, down her neckline.
Squeak! Squeak, squeak!
“Rin...?!” Inglis gasped.
“She’s talking?!” Rafinha exclaimed.
That was the first time they’d heard a peep out of Rin. She was desperate to escape Yua’s hand and scurried away.
“Hmm. She ran away,” Yua muttered.
Rin clung to Rafinha, trembling. At least Yua didn’t seem to take it personally. For whatever reason, Rin was terrified of Yua. That was unusual; she usually avoided men but stayed near girls.
“What’s wrong, Rin? Chris, could you keep an eye on her?”
“No problem, Rani.”
“Now, Yua, could you sit over there?”
“’Kay.”
“By the way, Yua, did you come here for something in particular?” While Inglis and the others were being fitted for their costumes, Yua was supposed to have been rehearsing with Count Weismar.
“Mm... I was supposed to come get you, Booglis. We’re choosing now.”
“Choosing what?”
“The cute guy that’s our prize.”
Meaning, the casting of Prince Malik, who Maribelle and Euthylis would compete for.
◆◇◆
In Yua’s mind, they were finding the best catch to play Prince Malik. Inglis didn’t particularly care who was chosen. She was fine with whoever Yua preferred. However, Count Weismar—and especially Rafinha and Leone—were curious what Inglis’s tastes were, so she decided to play along.
Ten candidates had been introduced so far and had shown off their singing, dancing, and other talents. Most were members of the Weismar Troupe. There were others who Count Weismar had selected in the same manner that he had Silva, but Inglis wasn’t familiar with them.
“Was that the last one?” Yua asked Count Weismar as she made notes on a sheet of paper: #10: N.
A quick peek at her notes suggested that he wasn’t what she was looking for. Marked with a Y were the second, sixth, and eighth candidates. Yua seemed to prefer boys with delicate features who were a bit androgynous or cute. If that was the case, Silva would definitely be out of the running. He was slender and good looking, but with a sharp, mature presentation.
“There’s one more left. You may come in now!” Count Weismar called out to the candidate.
“I look forward to working with you! I’d love to perform alongside her!”
It was Reddas.
What’s the captain of the Royal Guard doing here? He must have begged Count Weismar to include him, Inglis thought.
“My talents are swordsmanship and combat leadership! I’m proud of my ability to sing marches at the top of my lungs! Like this!” He took a deep breath.
“Nope. Failed,” Yua remarked.
“Yes, I agree,” Inglis said after an awkward pause.
“What?! Why?!” Reddas protested.
“Because you’re not cute.”
“Agreed.”
Thankfully for Inglis, Yua was just as quick to dismiss him. Reddas was even further removed from her tastes than his younger brother, Silva, was. Reddas had a sturdy build and a rugged air about him, even though his behavior here didn’t really reflect the “rugged” part at all.
“Ugh... Very well! I shall cheer you on from the shadows!”
Exit Reddas, slumping with dejection.
“Well, that’s all of them. What do you two think? Is there anyone you both agree on?” Count Weismar asked.
“Hmm. I’m not quite sure... What do you think?” Yua said.
“I agree with Yua. Numbers two, six, and eight, right?” Inglis replied.
“None of them really stood out above the others, though.”
Well, that doesn’t really help, Inglis thought.
Sitting behind them, Rafinha and the others joined in on the discussion.
“Hey, Leone, who did you like?”
“Huh? M-Me? Hmm, maybe the first or fifth guy...”
“Ahh, I see. Yeah, I thought they’d be your type.”
They were the serious, calm, stern ones—men like Silva or Prince Wayne. Really, they were men decidedly not like Leon. Considering Leone’s background, that made a lot of sense.
“How about you, Rafinha?” Leone asked.
“I liked three, seven, and ten...”
“Ah, that’s not surprising. They reminded me of Rafael.”
“Or like Ambassador Theodore, I suppose?” Rafinha giggled.
What’s with that smile?! I can’t let this go! Inglis thought. “C’mon, Rani! Remember when you were little? You said you would marry Rafael when you grew up. That was sweet!”
Rafinha was much better about boys when she was young. No vermin needed. She’s still too young for romance.
“Ugh, why do you keep saying that? People are gonna think I’m a weirdo!” Rafinha complained.
“Aha ha... How about you, Liselotte? Who did you like?” Leone asked.
“For me, it was the fourth and the ninth.”
“What?!” Liselotte’s unexpected taste produced gasps of awe.
“Those beefy guys?” Rafinha asked.
“I didn’t know you liked them that sweaty,” Leone agreed.
“Yes. I prefer men with prominent muscles,” Liselotte answered.
“Wait, like, even including Reddas?” Rafinha asked.
“I wouldn’t mind him. Wasn’t he wonderful before?”
The other girls fell silent.
Well, everyone has their own opinion, Inglis thought.
“Hmm...” As Yua listened, she scribbled quickly: Spike has bad taste in men.
What was the point of writing that? Inglis thought. “Er, anyway, Yua. Have you decided on someone?”
“Hmm. Like I said, there’s not really anything that makes any of them stand out...”
“Then, why don’t we have another audition tomorrow with the three you mentioned?” Count Weismar suggested.
Yua nodded. “Yeah. Sure.”
“Very well, very well. Then, for the rest of the day, let us continue with rehearsals—”
A moment later, another boy arrived.
“Heeey! I’m here with that Flygear you wanted! Where do you want me to park it?” Lahti said. He was Inglis’s classmate, a fellow squire-in-training.
“Oh my! Well done, well done! Now that the auditions are over, I’d like you two to try out the choreography for the Flygear fight. Do you mind?” Count Weismar requested.
“That’s a fine idea. I’d never pass up a fight,” Inglis replied.
“I’d rather save the real fight for last. It’ll wear me out,” Yua said.
“This is a scripted scene, so it shouldn’t wear you out too much,” the count said. “The only thing that doesn’t have a fixed conclusion is the final battle on stage.”
That was a little disappointing for Inglis, but she could always just consider it a warm-up.
“Fine, then.” Yua nimbly leaped into the air, springing off the backdrop into the Flygear that Lahti was piloting near the ceiling. To be precise, her figure suddenly disappeared before reappearing next to Lahti.
“What?! When did you—?! It’s like you were totally gone for a second!” Lahti gasped.
“Mm. Thanks for bringing it. You can get out now.”
“But it’s high up here! I can’t just jump down from this high!”
“Huh? Are you frail?” Yua asked, confused.
“Listen, I’m just a squire-in-training! I don’t have an Artifact or anything!”
“Huh? So am I.”
Lahti had no reply to that.
“No, that’s fine. I think I’ll add pilots for the show, and a bit where you leap into each other’s Flygears! Like this, hop-hop!” Count Weismar made an exaggerated motion. “So, you there! Would you be Yua’s pilot?”
“Sure thing! Leave it to me!” Lahti was one of the most talented Flygear pilots at the knights’ academy. He was the right choice.
“Well... Then, Inglis, you can ride this one. I can’t keep up with Lahti as a pilot, though,” Pullum offered. Like Lahti, she was a classmate, but she was training to be a knight. She had arrived with a Flygear alongside Lahti.
It was mostly the first- and second-years who would help the Weismar Troupe, while Silva and the other third-years focused on rebuilding the academy.
“It’s okay, Pullum! Chris will ride this one!” Rafinha’s voice echoed down from overhead. She had, without being noticed, gotten aboard the Star Princess.
She’s fast! Inglis thought. She stared at the ostentatious Flygear. “Are we really going to use that?” A normal one would be better. Definitely.
“Yes, we are! Definitely!”
“Oho! Of course! I think it’s cute and girly!” Count Weismar announced.
“But— Count Weismar, I think it will stand out more than Yua’s Flygear,” Inglis argued.
“It’s okay. That won’t be a problem,” Yua said.
“Why’s that, Yua?” Inglis asked.
“We can paint this one and make it cute too.”
“Agreed! We’ll help out! Right, Pullum?” Rafinha excitedly announced.
“Yes! It’ll be nice to paint another one!” Pullum agreed. She and Rafinha were the duo responsible for the Star Princess’s custom look, and now their eyes were gleaming at the thought of doing another.
“The principal might get mad...” Inglis said, still trying to push against using the flashy Flygear. Then she leaped high, somersaulting into the Star Princess. Her dancer’s costume, along with the hairstyle and ribbon Rafinha had chosen for her, fluttered beautifully as she did.
“Oh my! Inglis, you’re like a work of art. The way you just moved already has me in awe.” Count Weismar nodded in satisfaction.
“Thank you.” As eccentric as he looked, there was no ill intent in his words or actions. She could take him at face value.
“Indeed! Inglis, you’re so cute! You’re perfect for the Star Princess!”
“Sure is! I know Chris best, and I designed it, so it only makes sense!” Rafinha boasted.
“Well, I think there are still some things we don’t understand about each other...” Inglis responded. Especially in regard to the Star Princess’s design.
“Very well, then! Now can you circle over the audience as if you’re trying to gain the advantage in a dogfight?” Count Weismar requested.
“Sure. Ready? You all set, Yua?” Inglis asked.
“Yeah. Leave this to me.”
“Very well, then! One, two...!”
The two Flygears sprang into motion at once, drawing a circular arc as they faced off at a steady distance.
“This is too simple, not impressive at all. Let’s make it fancier! Follow me!” Lahti said.
The motions of the Flygear he piloted became more complex. Even in a limited space, it made large vertical loops, and drew a complex, wavelike trajectory. The fact that it was indoors made it even more impressive.
“Guh... Not bad! The Star Princess is still better on the whole, though...!” Rafinha grumbled. She was astonished by Lahti’s amazing piloting skills.
The scene only had acrobatics. It was missing something—it needed to have more of an impact by mixing in hand-to-hand combat.
“Yua! Let’s jump out of our Flygears and try some aerial combat!” Inglis prompted.
“Okay... Go!” Yua danced through the air as if she was hopping down from a chair or a bed. She made the motions look so natural.
“Haaah!” Inglis followed her, and they drew close in the air. “Yua, give me a punch! It’s fine if it’s just acting!”
“’Kay.”
Bam! Baaam! Boooom!
Their fists met, and the sound of the blows echoed from the walls and ceiling.
“Now let’s swap Flygears with the recoil from our kicks!” Inglis said.
“Mm.”
Clang!
Inglis and Yua traded kicks with another audible clash. Using the momentum from their attacks, they safely landed on each other’s Flygears.
“Oh my! So intense! This is amazing!” Count Weismar praised.
Both Count Weismar and the other members of his troupe were satisfied. A wave of applause suddenly rang out.
“They truly are a sight to behold! This will be a great show!”
“We could never have pulled that off ourselves! Thank goodness for the knights’ academy!”
Lahti chuckled. “Ha ha ha... Man, that blew me away.”
“C’mon, Lahti, you’re a fantastic pilot yourself,” Inglis said. Then she turned her eyes to the Star Princess, which Yua was now using—only to see a burst of magical light coalesce around the small gunport at its prow. Inglis gasped. “Wh—?!”
Yua was gripping the controls, and that’s where the strange light was coming from.
“Huh?! What’s going on?! Yua, are you doing that?!”
“No! I dunno what it is!”
“Lahti, get out of there!”
Fwoosh!
The magical light from the Star Princess flashed toward Lahti.
“Aaagh!” Lahti barely managed to steer out of the way in time. He and Inglis were safe—but they were practicing for a show. They could afford to keep the action going.
“Haaah!” Inglis jumped toward a nearby wall and kicked off of it. Her momentum propelled her into the light’s trajectory, where she caught the magical blast in the palm of her hand.
Fzzzt!
A chorus of astonished voices yelled, “Wha—?! Did she just—?!”
“Wait! Chris, are you okay?! There’s smoke coming from your hand!” Rafinha exclaimed. Even she hadn’t predicted Inglis would do that.
“Not to worry. It was a little warm, that’s all,” Inglis replied.
“Are you trying to burn yourself?! You’d already avoided the blast!”
“It’s better to take an attack head-on than to avoid it.”
Even assuming that magical light had been unintentional, it definitely had something to do with Yua. Inglis was intrigued.
“That makes no sense,” Rafinha shot back.
“Think of it this way: we’d be in trouble if that attack broke the wall, right?”
Rafinha paused. She had to agree with that. “Okay, I guess you have a point.”
“Sorry. It wasn’t on purpose...” Yua shook her head in confusion.
“I know,” Inglis said. “The Star Princess must have gone haywire.”
That Flygear unit had belonged to the Highlanders before Inglis and Rafinha captured it and set it up purely for their own use. When Inglis and Lahti had investigated it further, they came across a feature they’d never seen on the academy’s Flygears: a weapon that amplified magic and fired it from the prow. Unlike with Artifacts, this tool did not automatically control the flow of mana, which meant a person needed to be able to use magic—or something very close to it—to fire it. It was a weapon for Highlanders alone.
Somehow, Yua was an exception.
After all, Inglis had seen her chop a magicite beast in half with her bare hands. She wondered whether it was possible to embody magical power by shrouding oneself in it, similar to how she used Aether Shell. However, in Yua’s case, it certainly wasn’t normal mana. Inglis had struggled to detect it, but nonetheless it was quite powerful. The blast had been more powerful than she had expected at first glance; her palm was still tingling.
From Yua’s demeanor, it was obvious she hadn’t fired the weapon deliberately. If she used some kind of magical enhancement, then such a power could have involuntarily flowed into the cannon.
“This one’s dangerous. I probably shouldn’t ride it.” Yua hopped down from the Star Princess with a light touch, despite the aircraft hovering up by the ceiling, but even though she came from near-ceiling height, she landed lightly.
“That’s right! A normal Flygear really would be better,” Inglis agreed emphatically. That way I won’t have to show myself in public aboard something that tooth-rottingly saccharine.
“Nope! No matter which one you use, we’re painting it!” Rafinha insisted.
Talking louder doesn’t necessarily mean you’re right... Inglis thought.
Then the hull of the Star Princess suddenly lurched.
“Huh?! No way! It froze up?!” Pullum gasped.
The sudden activation of its weapons system may have been too much for the Star Princess. It began to fall.
Yua was underneath it and preoccupied. “Oh no, it slipped.” She was referring to, of all things, the padded inserts Rafinha had slipped into her clothes.
“Ah, look out!”
Inglis watched as a boy around their age dashed toward Yua to push her out of the way.
He looks like a member of Weismar’s troupe. He’s a brave kid, but—
Thud!
Yua didn’t flinch as he smashed into her. Instead, he simply ended up embracing her.
“H-Huh?! Why are you stuck in place?!”
“Mm?” Yua tilted her head in confusion as the boy’s eyes opened wide in shock.
“Yua, it’s dangerous! Move!” Rafinha cried out.
“Ah?”
Smack!
Yua absentmindedly caught the falling Star Princess in one hand. She had a lot of strength for someone with such a small and slender form.
But that’s Yua for you. Inglis had moved, ready to catch it, but that hadn’t been necessary.
“Th-Thanks, Yua. That was helpful! If it had crashed, that would’ve been awful!” Rafinha exclaimed.
“Yeah. Guess I’ve paid you back for the pads.”
“Rani, are you okay?” Inglis asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“So... What are you doing?” Yua turned to face the boy whose arms were still wrapped around her waist.
“Oh, ha ha... I was passing by and saw something falling, so I tried to help out... Aha ha ha...” He hadn’t expected such a slim girl would remain unflinching.
Then Lahti spoke up. “Huh...? H-Hey! Ian?! Is that you, Ian?!”
“Ah, it really is Ian! It’s been so long!” Pullum exclaimed. He appeared to be an acquaintance of theirs.
“Oh...?! Ah... Prince—?!”
“Wh—?! Hey!” Lahti stammered.
“Prince?!” Latching on to the word, everyone stared at Ian, waiting for him to say more.
“Ah, no, never mind! Anyway, it’s been so long, you two!” Ian continued.
Rafinha turned to Inglis. “He just said something about a prince, didn’t he, Chris?”
“He did, yeah.”
“Wha—?! It was nothing! Sorry! Really, it was nothing!” Ian insisted.
“Wait, did you mean you want to play the prince?” Yua asked Ian.
“Ah, right, that’s it! I joined the troupe to work on the set, but I’d like to try standing on stage as well!”
“Sure, that works. You’re hired.” Yua responded without missing a bit. She clapped a hand on Ian’s shoulder. Her blank expression held the hint of a sparkle.
Taking a closer look at Ian, Inglis noticed that he had an exceptionally pretty, almost girlish face. This boy is exactly her type, she thought.
“Old man, I want him to play the prince,” Yua announced.
Count Weismar nodded casually at Yua’s request. “My, my! In that case, the role of Prince Malik is yours, Ian!”
Ian rambled off in surprise. “What?! Getting the lead is that easy?! I’m still just an amateur at performing, though. I’m a newbie compared to the others who’ve been with the troupe longer—”
“It’s a request from a leading lady,” Count Weismar said. “You’ll be fine. After all, this play’s really riding on Inglis and Yua, and they’re students from the knights’ academy—they aren’t actors. This will be a special, unique performance. Your inexperience won’t cause any further issues. Inglis, do you find that amenable?”
“I don’t mind.” The important part was that Yua picked him. That worked for Inglis.
“B-But—!”
“Ian, you have potential as an actor. With experience, you’ll blossom into a star. Yua must also have picked up on that and suggested you,” the count said. “Right, Yua?”
“Huh? I’m not really sure what you mean, but I think his face is cute.”
Well, it’s not like we should have expected Yua to have opinions on acting ability, Inglis thought.
“Meaning, you’re fabulous! Take on the challenge with confidence, Ian!” the count continued.
“O...kay...”
“It’ll be fine. Give it a try,” Lahti encouraged. “I have no clue why you’re in a theater troupe, but it’s always good to pick up new skills, and it’s nice to have people relying on you.”
“Pr— Uh, Lahti... Understood. I’ll do it!”
“Then it’s decided! Let’s get started with rehearsals! First, a reading of the script!” Count Weismar declared.
The rehearsal began in earnest. Once the day came to an end, the group talked among themselves.
“Anyway, what’re you doing here, Ian?” Lahti asked. He turned to his classmates and added, “Ah, he’s a friend of mine and Pullum’s from back home.”
“So he’s from Alcard?” Inglis confirmed.
Lahti and Pullum were exchange students from Alcard, a country to the north that bordered Karelia. If Ian was a friend of theirs from back home, he was probably originally from there too.
“Yeah. Unlike us, he’s a well-behaved noble,” Lahti said. “So what are you doing with a theatrical troupe?”
“Leave me out of this, please. I think I’m quite well behaved,” Pullum interjected.
“Sheesh, find a better time to defend yourself. You’re interrupting.”
“And just who am I supposed to have good manners for?”
“Like I’m supposed to know! I’m trying to talk to Ian!”
Ian chuckled. “You two seem to be getting along as well as ever.”
“Whatever. Anyway, what happened?” Lahti asked.
“Honestly... I didn’t have anywhere else to go...” Ian looked down and shivered as he spoke. Lahti’s and Pullum’s faces went pale.
“Huh?! What happened?!”
“Is everyone okay, Ian?!”
“It was magicite beasts! A gigantic magicite beast destroyed my family’s mansion, our lands, even my family and the townspeople. And not just that—it did a lot of damage to the capital! Thankfully, the royal family is safe, but...”
“What?! There have been more magicite beasts lately, but—” Lahti started.
“I can’t believe such a strong magicite beast appeared!” Pullum gasped.
“Chris, could that be...?” Rafinha trailed off.
“Yeah. I wonder if it’s a Prismer.”
Alcard was a snowy land, its barren soil and harsh landscape made up for by a comparatively low presence of the Prism Flow. While the threat of magicite beasts was, of course, not completely absent, the damage from them was also comparatively low, which meant they didn’t have a strong dependence on Highland. Alcard didn’t even have a hieral menace. Highland also did not intervene in their affairs, perhaps uninterested in barren taiga.
Of the surrounding area, the richest farmlands were clearly in Inglis’s homeland of Karelia. That was why the two great factions of Highland placed such importance in affairs there and vied for influence in them.
“I don’t know for sure whether it was one of the legendary Prismers, but I saw it shining like a rainbow...” Ian said.
“Ugh... And without a hieral menace, Alcard can’t protect itself. Something like a Prismer won’t leave a trace of anything standing!” Lahti bemoaned.
“But...at least you’re okay, Ian... That alone means a lot...” Pullum, tears in her eyes, tightly gripped his hand.
“Yeah. I’m glad you’re okay,” Lahti agreed.
“Thanks, Lahti. Thanks, Pullum... Anyway, when I was lost, Count Weismar found me. I’ve always loved art, so being exposed to the troupe has been a good distraction.”
“I... I’m sorry... I just opened my mouth without having any idea of what had happened...” Lahti said, distraught.
“No, don’t worry about it. Seeing you again and having you give me that little push forward has cheered me up.”
Rafinha bit her lip as she watched them. Too quiet for Lahti and the others to hear, she whispered to Inglis. “I feel so bad we couldn’t be there for them...”
“You’re a kind person, Rani. But there’s nothing we could have done.”
It had already happened in a faraway country.
At this moment, someone out there’s probably losing their life to a magicite beast. That’s what it means to live on the surface, to live under the Prism Flow. To be uncomfortable with that happening even in a foreign land, to share their pain... Rafinha’s heart is admirable. She’s noble. Compassionate. Strong. She empathizes with those who have no bearing on her own life. It would be easy to call such feelings childish innocence, but in the end, it’s the people who keep that innocence alive within themselves who can move others’ hearts. Those people can change the world.
Inglis knew this from experience. That’s why, from the perspective of a guardian, she would continue to keep watch over Rafinha.
But I’m afraid she’ll say something like, “I’m going to stop the Prism Flow so everyone can live in peace!” The Prism Flow is convenient—what would I do without the power of nature creating powerful foes? If Rafinha wanted that, of course I’d help. I only wonder if it would be possible to leave just enough for me while making sure they didn’t bother anyone else.
“There, there.” Yua pitter-pattered toward Ian and patted him on the head.
“Er...? Yua? What are—”
“I’m soothing you. Is it working?”
“Yua, he’s not a little kid...” Lahti seemed dumbfounded.
“Then how about we cheer you up by moving the kiss ahead of schedule?” Yua offered.
“Huuuh?! Wh-What are you saying, Yua?! That’s so forward!” Ian’s face turned bright red. He was rather shy.
That might not be much consolation, but it would at least probably be a distraction for him, Inglis thought.
“Why wait on it if we’re gonna kiss eventually? There’s one at the end of the play.”
“Whaaat?! Agh! There really is! Am... Am I—” Ian shrieked as he flipped to the end of the script. Their read-through hadn’t reached the end, and he hadn’t checked ahead yet.
“See? Why wait?”
“No!” Inglis sharply warned Yua.
“Mm?”
“That’s something for on stage—not now!”
If Yua was allowed to satisfy herself here and now, there was the danger that she might say she didn’t want to fight or not give it her all during the show. Everything was working out so well—it would be a tragedy for things to fall apart now. Inglis had to nip this in the bud.
“Anyway, try not to play around with him too much. He’s in a rough place,” Yua said, oddly earnest.
“That’s right.” Lahti placed a hand on Inglis’s shoulder.
“Huh?! Is it just me, or...?” Inglis trailed off, confused.
“I was being serious,” Yua insisted.
“Okay, but I was too.”
“Oh, whatever! Anyway, please. He’s a dear friend of mine.”
“Lahti, you don’t have to be so mad.” Ian smiled, slightly bemused.
“Ian?”
“I need to find a new way of life, and live it... If I don’t, my family and those close to us won’t be able to rest. You all seem enthusiastic. If I can spend some time with you, I think I’ll find some kind of purpose. So don’t worry about it. Let’s get along.”
“It’s our pleasure! Anyway, brightening things up is my specialty!” Rafinha smiled. The look on her face said that she wanted to support him as he tried to be positive. There was no reason to stop her as long as he didn’t find it to be a bother. “I’m a backup dancer for Chris, but if she does anything reckless, I’ll scold her. If she causes trouble, don’t hesitate to tell me!”
“Uhhh... Got it. Thank you,” Ian replied.
Yua faced Inglis and pointed at Rafinha. “Guardian?”
“N-No! I’m the one who watches over Rani!” Inglis insisted.
“Really? Doesn’t seem like it.”
“You’re just imagining things. I’m Rani’s future squire, so I watch over her at all times, from her daily life to her actions on the battlefield.”
“Someone as beautiful and ladylike as Inglis doesn’t look like she’s going to do anything reckless, though,” Ian said.
“Oh, she definitely would!” The response came in unison from everyone present.
“Huh?! Really?” Ian asked.
Inglis didn’t bother defending herself. Well, there is a part of me that likes to have a good time, Inglis thought. But I wouldn’t call my behavior “reckless,” exactly.
“You didn’t see what happened earlier... Anyway, you’ll find out sooner or later,” Lahti said. “If this is what you want to do, I’m behind you all the way.”
“It is. Thanks, Lahti.” Ian smiled softly.
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