FLAP FLAP!
As Camilla stepped into the detached palace lodgings, something rushed toward her.
A small white dragon came fluttering over on tiny wings and settled onto her shoulder.
“...Isla.”
[Why?]
Watching Isla let out a lazy yawn, Camilla finally spoke the words she had been holding back.
“Aren’t you busy?”
She had kept her mouth shut the whole time, worried Isla might get mad again and freeze this place solid...
“Why do you keep staying here?”
She honestly could not not ask. Why on earth was she still here? The other Spirit Kings were so busy they were in an uproar.
[Not busy.]
“Ah. Right.”
Looking at the white dragon yawning long again, Camilla let out a short sigh inside.
[But I should get some proper rest.]
The Spirit King of Winter took off again.
She circled lazily around Camilla’s face for a moment, as if killing time, then suddenly fluttered down and tapped at Camilla’s hand.
[Open your hand.]
“My hand?”
Not knowing why, Camilla still obediently stretched one hand out in front of her.
WHOOOOSH.
In front of Isla, who let out a small breath, a white crystalline mass gathered and then gently settled down onto Camilla’s palm.
Staring at the cold, crystal-like jewel, Camilla blinked over and over. What is this?
[Call me when you need me. Even if I’m in the Spirit Realm, I’ll come running anytime.]
Some kind of communication stone?
“Are you going back to the Spirit Realm?”
[Yeah. I’ve been here too long.]
Hearing the faintly tired note in her voice, Camilla nodded as if in agreement.
WHIIING—!
A chill swept through the air in an instant.
When she closed her eyes and opened them again, Isla had turned back into her human form and was standing in front of her.
She looked at Camilla silently for a moment, then came closer.
“...!”
And then she lightly brushed her lips against Camilla’s forehead.
At the sensation of something cold yet soft, like air, touching her, Camilla looked at her with slightly startled eyes.
[Thank you.]
With a very faint smile that lingered for only a moment, Isla vanished right there on the spot.
After rubbing at her forehead for a moment, Camilla ended up letting out a small snort of laughter herself.
“Young Lady!”
Just then, the door opened and Dorman came inside.
“Are you all ready?”
Somehow, he seemed even more excited than she was.
Which was only natural, since a festival was starting in the capital today. Not just the capital. The entire empire was in a festive mood right now.
“What’s there to get ready for? I just have to go out.”
Camilla hurried to head out so she could enjoy the festival.
Honestly, she was a little excited too. It was her first time enjoying a festival in this world.
“Let’s go already!”
Letting Dorman’s urging go in one ear and out the other, Camilla left the room with a light heart.
*****
“A festival?”
“Yes, I was just informed she went out to enjoy the festival.”
Duke Escra’s brow twitched as he checked over his paperwork.
“The escort?”
“I understand she took two knights with her.”
“Only two?”
“I heard from House Sorpel that they are quite skilled. Besides, taking a large group of people out into a festival only draws eyes.”
“True.”
Duke Escra returned his gaze to the papers in his hand as if that was good enough.
“There will be a lot of people at the festival today.”
“Of course. It’s the first festival held in such good weather.”
“There won’t be any problems with security, will there?”
“I have already ordered the Guard Corps to patrol frequently.”
At Count Alton’s words, he gave another slight nod and went back to reading.
RATTLE!
“My lord?”
A short moment later, he suddenly rose quickly from his seat.
“I think it would be best if I took a look around.”
“Pardon?”
“For a festival being held for the first time in a long while, we can’t exactly allow any unsavory incidents, can we?”
“But...”
Since when have you cared about that kind of thing?
“And those papers?”
“Are those damn documents more important than the safety of the empire’s citizens?”
Watching Duke Escra head straight for the door, Count Alton could not hide his disbelief.
Letting out a short sigh at this unexpected sight from his lord, who had never once put off his work until now, he also hurried outside.
*****
“There are so many people!”
As they entered the street where the festival was being held, Dorman let out exclamations again and again. The streets were packed with people out to enjoy the festival.
“Take some seeds! Seeds!”
All along the street, there were many people handing out flower seeds. The ones handing them out and the ones taking them all had smiles on their faces.
Of course they do. The meaning behind this must be something else entirely for them.
In this place, where it had been winter all year round, plants could finally grow.
For the citizens of the Gracia Empire, who had never even dreamed of farming, the meaning of these tiny seeds was something very special.
“I really didn’t think winter would end this easily, though.”
Dorman, who had ended up taking some flower seeds too, muttered.
He had heard the rough outline of the situation from Camilla, but it still felt a little unexpected that Isla had ended winter just because she learned a few truths.
After harboring a grudge for so long, she let it go this easily? Even if it had all been a misunderstanding, could that really happen?
“She must have been tired too.”
Watching Isla leave for the Spirit Realm today, that was the thought that had come to Camilla. That she looked very tired.
“Hating someone for that long isn’t easy either.”
For hundreds of years, at that.
She had probably needed a trigger. A trigger that could calm this loathsome anger of hers.
[Thank you.]
Camilla felt that Isla’s last farewell was not so much gratitude for telling her the truth, as thanks for giving her the chance ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ to stop.
“Anyway, as long as it ended well, that’s wh—!”
CRACKLE!
Camilla froze in place mid-step. The earring hanging from her ear had made a strange sound.
It was the earring imbued with defensive magic that Arsian had given her.
CRACKLE! CRACKLE CRACKLE!
It was not just the earring. Waves of magic were surging repeatedly from the bracelet and anklet Arsian had fastened on her as well.
“Young Lady!”
Sensing something amiss, the knights who had been a little distance away ran over, moved in front of her, and began scanning their surroundings.
Magic?
If the defensive magic had activated, that meant something had attacked her. With powerful magic at that!
“We should move from here for now.”
Camilla, who had been dazed for a moment, quickly nodded at the knight’s words.
There were far too many people here. The thought that innocent bystanders might get swept up in the attack because of her made her hurry her steps.
Who is it?
As if they realized magic would not work, there were no further magical attacks.
This was clearly an attack aimed at her.
Camilla felt a chill run down her back. This was the first time she had experienced such a direct assassination attempt. Even as it still did not feel quite real, fear surged up.
WHOOSH! TAANG!
“...!”
Daggers. Very small daggers were flying toward her, only to be knocked aside by the knights’ swinging swords and clatter down to the ground.
“Kyaaaah!”
Hearing the screams of the people nearby, Camilla walked even faster.
A short while later, the knights turned into an alleyway. When you did not know how many enemies there were and you were short on allies, a narrow place like this was more advantageous.
It’s fine, it’s fine! I have Zeno.
Looking at the two knights blocking the front and Zeno constantly scanning their surroundings at her side, Camilla forced herself to steady her heart.
At the very least, as long as he was here, she did not think she would die helplessly to these enemies.
Damn.
She bitterly regretted the fact she had no weapon in her hand. She should have brought at least one of the many weapons Ludville had packed for her!
[Camilla!]
WHOOSH!
No sooner had Zeno shouted than Camilla’s body was yanked sharply backward.
STAB!
In that instant, daggers buried themselves in the spot where she had been standing. The attacks were pouring down from the tops of the buildings around the alley.
“Wow, there are a lot of them.”
Dorman, who had pulled her arm and wrapped himself around her, looked up and let out a small gasp of awe.
“Protect the Lady!”
“Yes, my lord!”
Enemies also appeared at the mouth of the alley. Knight Herald stepped forward and ordered the other knight to stay by Camilla’s side.
There are way too many.
Both on the rooftops and in the enemies entering through the alley mouth, their numbers were far greater than she had expected.
Dying abroad, dying abroad!
She had struggled so desperately to survive all this time! And she was going to die in a place like this?
Vigorously shaking her head, Camilla picked up one of the daggers embedded in the ground.
“Zeno, if it gets bad, you’re coming in.”
[Got it.]
At her small whisper, Zeno gave a big nod. Having at least that minimal safety measure made her feel the tiniest bit calmer.
STEP.
...Damn! Calm, my ass! As the approaching enemies drew closer, Camilla swallowed dryly again and again.
SHEEEK! ROLL ROLL—
It happened then. The advancing enemies suddenly halted. Five somethings fell to the ground and rolled away.
FLOP.
“Leave one alive.”
“Yes, my lord.”
A familiar voice reached her at that moment.
A sword slick with blood flicked lightly, and an indifferent gaze turned toward her.
At Duke Escra’s appearance, Camilla could not react at all for a moment. But soon a long breath escaped her lips.
I’m alive.
The moment she saw him, relief surged up from the tips of her toes.
“Urgh!”
At the sudden sound, she lifted her head and saw the enemies on the rooftops collapsing one by one.
Watching their bodies char and blacken as if they had been struck by lightning, Camilla’s jaw fell slack.
WHOOOOSH!
Turning her head toward the strange energy, she saw a faint magic circle laid out over the entire alley.
And standing at its center was Count Alton.
He was a mage?
Realizing this for the first time, Camilla could not hide her surprise. She had only vaguely known he was Duke Escra’s closest aide.
STEP.
While the enemies were being helplessly bound by Count Alton’s magic and dying, Duke Escra strode toward her.
...Is he mad?
Reading the anger lodged in his seemingly indifferent eyes, Camilla shrank in on herself a little. It was clear she was the cause of this situation.
She did not know who had hired these people, but what was certain was that she was the target.
STEP.
“What brings you all the way here, Duke?”
STEP.
“I mean... it’s really not like I came out here on purpose to cause this kind of commotion.”
STEP.
“Honestly, I’m a victim here too.”
Slide.
Seeing Duke Escra’s hand come close, Camilla squeezed her eyes shut.
