His eyes were sparkling—maybe he really was a fan.
[But no one knows exactly how he died. His whereabouts after he drove the Guardian’s Sword into the cliff are a mystery.]
“Ah, yes.”
It wasn’t a topic she cared about; Camilla let it in one ear and out the other.
“My lady, there’s an enormous greenhouse over there—would you like to go?”
“A greenhouse?”
When Camilla showed interest, Dorman picked up excitedly.
“It’s a place only the imperial family can enter, but they’re granting special access to the delegation.”
“Hmmm.”
Honestly, she was a bit bored. With the coronation still a few days away, there was nothing in particular for her to do.
Crown Prince Edsen was spending a dizzyingly busy day with lines of people wanting to meet him, but she was very free.
“Let’s go have a look, then.”
“Yes!”
“Wow....”
Money set on fire.
That was Camilla’s first impression upon entering the greenhouse.
How much money did it take to maintain all those countless flowers and trees filling this endlessly wide space.
There was no electricity like in the modern world—this all had to be maintained with Mana.
Outside, a winter blizzard raged; inside the greenhouse were spring, summer, and autumn all at once.
“There are fallen leaves over there too.”
Only fallen leaves? Over there cherry blossoms were falling.
Honestly, it drew admiration on its own. They said it was a place the imperial household specially managed and cherished, and it was worth every bit.
“I’ll go fetch some drinks!”
Dorman dashed out of the greenhouse saying he’d bring refreshments, as if he meant to stay a long while here.
Well, it was so large that even a quick look-around would take over two hours. Left alone, Camilla strolled the greenhouse slowly.
“Is that a waterfall?”
Camilla let out more exclamations at the greenhouse that even had a miniature waterfall built in.
But what on earth are those?
There were things flitting around her from earlier. From far away she’d thought they were ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) birds, but they weren’t.
Dragons?
They were definitely dragons, fluttering short wings as they flew—about the size of an adult’s palm.
And they were transparent like spirits. They had color, but the backdrop showed right through.
What is this? Ghosts?
Now we’re even getting tiny dragon ghosts?
While Camilla was letting out a slightly enlightened chuckle, the things flitting here and there suddenly froze in place.
[Hey. It’s been bothering me for a while—doesn’t that human seem to be looking at us?]
[Then is she a spirit-user? I thought spirit-users were all gone from the continent?]
[I also feel something strange from that girl’s neck.]
[Ah! That’s the aura of those damned beings! Guardians!]
[Huh? You’re right. It’s the Wolf’s aura.]
...Spirits? Those were spirits?
Camilla’s face grew even more incredulous as she listened to the three dragons’ conversation. Was she seeing spirits now, after everything?
I’m going to lose it.
Should she just bail? They still seemed unsure—couldn’t she just pretend ignorance and run?
[I feel another Guardian’s aura on her too.]
[What? Multiple Guardians drawing near at the same time means...]
[It means she’s very friendly with nature. Which means there’s a very high chance she can recognize us.]
...It’s over.
“So what is it, then? You’re spirits?”
[Eek!]
[She can hear us too!]
Enough. That reaction is so tired I’m going to pass on it.
“Are spirits a bit different from Guardians?”
[Good heavens! How can you mention us with those—!]
[We aren’t ordinary spirits!]
“If you’re not ordinary spirits?”
[I am the Spirit King who rules spring!]
[I manage summer, the Spirit King of summer.]
[I love autumn, the Spirit King of autumn.]
“...”
Are we shooting a kids’ hero movie? Their colors were yellow, green, and red; I almost wanted to put a transformation item in their hands.
“Right, manage well.”
Camilla walked quickly past the hero dragons.
[Wait!]
[Talk with us a little!]
[It’s been hundreds of years since we talked with a human!]
Don’t follow me! Don’t follow me!
“I’ll say it again: there’s absolutely no need to be nervous.”
Count Alton—whom she met again—still looked like a likable man.
“Our duke is, in his way, understanding.”
KWA-RAAANG!
— “Did you write this as a report?”
“He is, in his way, benevolent.”
— “You did work like this and yet your lunch must have been delicious. The grease is practically trickling at the corners of your mouth.”
“He is, in his way, upright and fair.”
— “I don’t want to hear excuses. Get out.”
“So please meet him at ease.”
“...”
Excuse me? You don’t hear what’s coming from in there?
In front of Duke Escra’s office prepared in the imperial palace, Camilla let out a short sigh.
Only today, the day before the coronation, did a contact come regarding the Mana Stone deal.
As expected, the person in charge of this deal was Duke Escra himself.
KNOCK KNOCK.
“Lord Kais, I’ve brought Lady Camilla of the Ducal House of Sorpel from the Fable Empire.”
“Come in.”
A short reply came, and when the door opened, she could see Duke Escra seated at a desk piled high with documents.
He’s doing it again.
He was staring straight at her in silence again. She didn’t avoid that gaze either.
His eyes, tinged a shade red... oddly irritating.
“Sit.”
Only after quite a while did Duke Escra offer her a seat.
As he came close, he tapped something down on the table. It was the contract she had prepared.
When she arrived at the imperial palace, she had sent it ahead through Count Alton.
“The price is one and a half times higher than what we proposed.”
“That’s the normal price.”
“Do you not know there are exceptions in deals between nations?”
“It’s of no real benefit to me, so it doesn’t apply.”
“You eat the nation’s rice too; you should cooperate.”
“The nation’s rice isn’t particularly tasty, so I’m thinking of eating other rice from now on.”
“If you suddenly switch rice, you’ll get a stomachache.”
“Wouldn’t that hurt less than getting my money taken and my stomach hurting?”
“...”
“...”
After volleying words back and forth for a while, both stopped at the same time.
What is this tiki-taka? It was their first conversation, but it felt like the flow ran smooth.
“So you’ll push ahead with this contract as is?”
“Yes.”
“And if I don’t like it?”
“I have a mindset I always keep when I sell Mana Stones to people.”
A deep crescent drew at Camilla’s lips.
“If you don’t like it, don’t buy.”
“Pfft!”
Count Alton, who had been quietly listening from the side, sprayed his tea.
“...With that mindset, I always enjoy doing business.”
Mana Stones—there are plenty of others to buy them, even if it’s not you. You’re a big client, but I have zero intention of lowering the price just because of that.
Before departure for the Gracia Empire, she had heard from the Fable Empire imperial relations to be as accommodating as possible to their convenience and match their terms, but...
Why should I?
“The worst kind of merchant.”
“I still make good money.”
Duke Escra, who had been looking at her steadily, finally picked up a pen. Then he signed the two copies of the contract.
“Good for you—making lots of money.”
Receiving one copy, Camilla smiled thinly and tucked the papers away carefully.
“My sincere thanks to the duke who is, in his way, understanding, in his way, benevolent, and in his way, upright and fair.”
“...‘In his way’?”
Watching Count Alton hurriedly avert the duke’s gaze, Camilla rose from her seat.
“Then I’ll see you next time.”
No reply came back, but Camilla bowed politely and left the office.
SMACK.
“You’re really capable.”
Once Camilla left, Count Alton smiled as he tidied the papers scattered on the table.
“More like you’ve lost your fear.”
“It’s been a long time since I saw someone who doesn’t tremble even before the duke.”
“I must be, in my way, understanding; in my way, benevolent; and in my way, upright and fair.”
“Ha... ha-ha....”
“...”
“You know how I feel, right?”
At the heart made with his hands, Duke Escra picked up the document he was holding and threw it at him.
*****
“I hear you had it out with the duke?”
The coronation was splendid and worth seeing.
As a member of the Fable Empire’s delegation, Camilla was given a seat at the high table and watched the coronation with great interest.
Into her ear came Crown Prince Edsen’s low voice.
“‘Had it out’? We merely signed a contract.”
He chuckled quietly, then spoke in genuine admiration.
“Did you pick a fight knowing what sort of man he is?”
“I heard he was benevolent, understanding, and upright and fair.”
“What?”
As if to say she was spouting nonsense, he stared at her in disbelief; leaving him behind, Camilla scanned the coronation hall.
Delegations from other countries are here in droves, huh.
Just then her eyes caught Duke Escra.
Everyone’s flustered around him, I see.
There seemed to be far more people watching Duke Escra’s mood than the man ascending the throne today.
Calmly seated as if used to that, he looked, in his way, impressive.
By the way, the weather today is even worse.
As if the blizzard had been nothing, outside a literal snow storm was raging.
Even the people of the Gracia Empire clicked their tongues, saying it had been a long time since they’d seen weather like this.
Huh?
Camilla, who had been idly looking out the window, widened her eyes. A woman was standing plastered to the window in fluttering clothes in this cold.
What is she?
A woman with snow-white hair and blue eyes stared at the place where the coronation was underway without a single blink.
From her eyes as she looked at the one ascending the throne, cold fairly dripped.
A woman who died in this civil war?
Otherwise, why would she look at the emperor with eyes so full of bitterness.
But a moment later, Camilla had to look again in puzzlement.
Those are....
Small beings were gathering around the woman.
The very same—hero-costume... no, the colorful spirits—she had seen in the greenhouse just a little while ago were hovering around the woman, flustered.
Huh? Why do they look smaller?
Unable to hide her puzzlement at the spirits that looked smaller than they had in the greenhouse, Camilla stared.
