ESS Chapter 3: Cliffhangers. Gotta love’em, right?
Oh…?
So, you have come again at this hour, huh? I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by now but still…this is becoming quite the weird habit, don’t you think?
What? It’s not your fault this time, you say? Weird things just kept happening whenever you tried to come here? Like what?
Your manga shelves collapsed?! Your heavy curtain rod fell on your monitor?! Your chair broke?! Your cat vomited everywhere?!
I-I see…you all had it rough…
Err…well…as you can see, you arrived a bit later than yesterday since I’m already on the bed with everyone else.
Why are FrogIlya and Celeshiark sitting on my back while I lie on my stomach, you ask?
Hmmm, just because?
Hehe, I’m kidding. My cute onesie-wearing daughters asked me out of nowhere if they could while going ‘frogi-frogi’ and ‘shiaaark’ respectively, and I would never refuse such an innocent wish from them, much less after they asked in such adorable manner! No sir!
Although…this position is a bit uncomfortable given my breasts…
But I’m enduring it for my girls!!
Besides, they are quite light too, so there is no problem!
By the way, just saying this in case you were wondering about it—and totally not because I want to brag about it to you my weebs—but today I was welcomed by Nerinne and Erevain in adorable, formfitting bunny onesies! They did it at the same time in a powerful combo of perfect duo posing and synchronized talking that blew away all the strange fatigue I had been carrying throughout the day! And yes, they were doing THAT pose that makes all bunny-girl fans flutter!
Seriously, Nerinne is upping her game to new heights while increasing Erevain’s points too!!
“Father’s back…strong…”
“Papa is comfy!”
“Hmph! Of course, it is! And of course, I am!”
Hehe, I can feel Ilya’s tiny hands going all over my back’s muscles with that innocent curiosity of hers. Meanwhile, Celesia is sitting closer to my lower back while playing with her little spider plushie.
All in all…MY DAUGHTERS ARE SO KAWAIIII~~~!!
“Fufufu~~, so cute. Don’t you think so, Erevain?”
“Indeed, they truly are our most precious treasures.”
Yep.
Hard Agree.
Super Agree.
Absolute Agree.
If being a High Dragon Lord implies having some draconic habits, then these girls are my most valued treasure and I shall fiercely protect them!
Ah, but there are others who are just as precious to me, like Nerinne, Erevain, Gabrielle, the Maid-Knights in general, the castle too and…man, am I turning into a certain norse treasure loving dragon without noticing?
Hmmm…nah!
What? You’re saying that rather than that, I’m turning more into that shiny dude that likes gating people? No way! For that I would need a super-really-close-friend-who-may or may not-be-my lover that turns into a weapon and an arrogant attitude that deprecates those who dare challenge me…
Wait…
Isn’t Nerinne and my Edge Alter act kind of similar…?
Uwaaa…
Welp, better ask the non-existent author of this non-existent web novel I feature in to change the title since he is no waifu, heh.
*clap-clap*
“Storytime, dearies~~. Get off your Father so she can sit and I can start with tonight’s part of the story~~.”
“Uhn…!”
“Yes! Yes!”
In any case, my beautiful darling, Nerinne, grabs our attention by doing some light clapping before dropping such exciting announcement for our daughters, making them immediately get off my back and letting me sit on the bed.
“Mother…Ilya wants to know…what happens…next…”
“Mother! Why was Sir Kori crying?! Was he sad?! Was he?!”
Heh, I love to see them this excited for a story. It warms my heart.
“Fufufu~~, don’t you worry my dearies, you will see both things and more in a bit so…oh? Do you have something on your mind, Erevain?”
“…!”
Oooh, it seems that my darling ‘overheard’ something. If you get what I mean, heh.
“…! Th-that was just a fleeting thought…! P-please do not mind it!”
Ooooooh! And she is embarrassed! Now I really want to know too!
“Hoooh~~, now you got me interested, Ere. Do tell.”
Thus, I cannot not say that! Even more so with a teasing yet flirtatious smile.
“That…! That is not fair, My Lord...”
Got her, hehehehe.
“It…it was just that I wanted t-to ask if something happens between my sister and…Sir Kori. But! I refrained myself from doing so because t-there is no way! A-After all there is the age-gap and…and…”
Aaaah! So cute! So cute! SO CUTE!! EMBARRASSED AND FUMBLING EREVAIN IS SO HEALING!!
“Fufufufu~~~, but something did happen, Erevain.”
“EH?!”
HA! SHE TURNED INTO A STATUE!!
“They talked.”
“…! G-Goddess…! Please refrain from teasing me like that…!”
“Huhuhuhahahahahahahahahahahaha! You are so fun, Erevain!”
“You too, My Lord…! Nu…!”
“Funny…hihi…”
“Hehe, Mama is funny! Funny!”
Aaaah, good. Blushing and pouting Ere with imaginary smoke coming out of her head from all this teasing is so good. And did you notice? She goes ‘nu’ when pouting!! Just like Celesia!! Like mother, like daughter!
Truly, moments like this really help to get me through the parts some isekai novels like to skim through: BUREAUCRACY!
Who would have thought that preparing for formalizing an alliance with The Alliance of Nations would mean having to file so many documents?!
Even more so when you must manufacture almost everything from scratch since ‘my country’ doesn’t exist! Yet!
If it weren’t for Erevain, Mika, and Lorelei—whose very convenient and useful addition to the Maid roster is already paying dividends—I think I wouldn’t be able to get as much work done…
And that’s with all my previous experience with bureaucracy thanks to my former job back on Earth…
But yeah! Laughing like this with everyone is the best!
With that out of the way, Nerinne is about to start telling the story!
Yeah, mist-like screen and all! Do I really need narrate that again?!
“Last time…”
______________________________________________
Last time we saw our dear, dear princess Euphemia not only ask the people in charge of protecting her to save a certain someone from a gruesome fate at the hooves of a meanie Doorim, but she also decided to back that desire through her own actions, as she too helped with the rescue.
That certain person was a man named Kori Toh, or Sir Kori as everyone took to refer to him.
He had been so moved by what the princess said to him in this first true meeting of theirs that he couldn’t help but shed a tear.
That reassurance.
That warmth.
It could only come from someone who knew and knew it well.
The thing reflected in his eyes.
That dark place.
That burden.
She knew it.
But how? Why? Could it be that their circumstances were similar? That their anguish was born from seeds alike?
Those were the things that he wondered right before he fainted in front of the one that had moved him so much.
Ah, but don’t worry, dearies. He was alright.
It was just that he was too tired. After all, he had been escaping from the Doorim for quite a while, even before Euphemia and the rest saved him, so now that he was safe all that tiredness came back at once.
Even if Sistina did heal him completely.
So, there they were, wondering what they would do with Sir Kori for a while.
Or maybe not, fufu~.
After all, our dear, dear princess immediately decided that they were going to take him with them until he got better.
No one went against her decision, and why would they? They were the ones who saved him, they were not going to just leave him on his own in the middle of the road.
And that was because of something really, really important my dearies.
They all had a responsibility towards him and his safety after they saved him.
And that’s something that you two need to be very aware of if you ever do what our dear, dear princess decided to do.
If you save someone, you need to take responsibility for the one you save and be sure to do it all the way.
No halfsies~.
Alright, dearies?
Fufufu~~, good.
In any case, with the resources from the Doorim safely stored, they continued with their journey without any trouble.
And so, a new day came.
The morning was perfect.
The sky was clear.
The breeze was nice.
The birdies sang.
And trouble was nowhere to be found!
Instead, what our dear, dear Princess and her companions found on their way was none other than a lake.
However, that was not an accident. Fufufu~~, not at all.
You see, that lake was—and still is—quite a popular rest spot for those going to and fro the Elven Kingdom, Deamis, and our dear, dear Princess thought it would serve as the perfect place to stretch their legs and take some fresh air.
Surprisingly, neither Charles nor Sistina objected to this seemingly unnecessary stop.
Rather, they fully supported the Princess for stopping there for a short while.
Could it be that they too wanted to stretch their legs and take some fresh air? Or could it be that there was another reason?
Of course, I could just say it. But where’s the fun in that? Fufufu~~.
So, let’s do it this way, dearies.
Can you look at Kori and tell me…what do you see?
Mhm~, mhm~, you are right. He does look worried, Ilya~.
Oh? Is that so, Celesia? You think he feels bad about something?
Yes~~! You both are so observant! You make Mother so proud dearies!
Because yes, he is worried, and he does feel bad about something.
Now…can you guess why, sweeties?
Fufufu~~, thankfully it’s not his tummy, Ilya. Unlike your Father, poor Kori doesn’t have the ability to just teleport to a bathroom if things get particularly bad, so that would’ve been quite embarrassing for him.
Still, it is good that you have Kori’s health in mind, dearie. Never feel bad about that~~.
And what about you, Celesia? What’s in your mind?
You think it has something to do with his clothes because he keeps glancing at them?
Ding ding! Correct!
He feels bad about their current tattered and dirty state!
Not to mention that he also realized that it had been a while since he last bathed.
In other words, he really wanted to clean himself.
And that was something both Euphemia and her attendants noticed.
So, they wanted to be considerate of him and his worries in a more…subtle manner.
Once there, everyone acted accordingly and took in the scenery while Kori immediately went to the lake to wash himself and what remained of his clothes.
“Here, Sir Kori.”
“…?!”
To his surprise, Charles was there when he came out of it. He was waiting for him with not only some warm towels and a new set of clothes, but also a pair of scissors and a shaving blade.
“I-I can’t possibly…”
“Nonsense. I shan’t have the gentleman we all gave succor staying in rags. More so when there are perfectly usable clothes at hand. Truly, tis a serendipitous thing that our measurements are alike.”
“I…”
“As for thine hair and beard, worry not, thou art in good hands.”
“…”
Kori didn’t want to take advantage of his saviors, but as you saw, Charles was having none of it, so much so that Kori didn’t even manage to say it.
“T-Thank you…Sir Charles…”
“Think nothing of it, Sir Kori. Now, let us take care of that hair and beard before you cloth thyself. Please, sit here.”
“Y-Yes…”
Having no other choice, Kori sheepishly accepted his fate and sat on the chair that Charles seemingly pulled out of nowhere. Aren’t storage rings quite the convenient thing? Fufufu~~.
With that, Charles proceeded to give our trembling Kori quite the good haircut and shave.
“What dost thou think, Sir Kori?”
“I…I look just like before the…it is good, thank you, Sir Charles. Truly…”
And while Kori was both nervous and still somewhat afraid of Charles, he couldn’t deny his good work as he looked at the small mirror the Butler held in front of him and saw himself from before his journey.
“Tis my pleasure to be of help, Sir Kori.”
After that, Kori changed into the new clothes Charles had given him, but only after checking if his storage pendant had any damage.
“Good…it’s not damaged…”
Fufufu~~, going by that sigh of relief of his that pendant seems quite important to him. Don’t you think so, dearies?
Still, we’ll have to wait a bit to see that bud bloom. So, let’s continue instead.
Now clean and fully clothed, Kori was warmly welcomed by everyone as they invited him to enjoy a light meal with them before they went back on the road.
There was no distinction between Euphemia, her attendants, the escorts, and Kori, as they were all eating at the same table by Euphemia’s request.
It was at this time that our dear, dear Princess approached Kori with a curious smile and a question.
“Sir Kori, if I may, were you travelling with a destination in mind or are you perhaps a wanderer? If it is the former, I believe we can take you as close to it as we can. And if it is the latter, then perhaps you can accompany us to our destination? Either way, we will gladly help, you have my word.”
“L-Lady Euphemia…please…y-you have done more than enough. These clothes, my face, and even my life…I do not wish for Lady Euphemia to take a detour in what I assume to be an important journey just to help me, nor I wish to be a burden to you all through the entirety of it…”
To this, Euphemia shook her head and tried to reassure Kori with her gaze before she did so with her words.
“It is alright, Sir Kori. We all decided to help you, and this is part of it. So please, let us help you until the end. After all, I was taught to not help people halfway, but fully, hehe.”
See, dearies? What did I tell you? No halfsies~~.
“I…do have a destination, Lady Euphemia.”
“Oh? Do tell us then!”
“Y-Yes…! Some travelers that were going north told me about it; a small village that is welcoming new people due to a desire to expand it. I believe its name was…Cucuy Village. I am planning to settle there—brush with death notwithstanding ahaha…”
Thus, the sincere words of Euphemia—coupled with everyone’s agreeance after a quick look around the table—once again managed to beat out any reticence Kori had for answering Euphemia’s question and so, he told her.
And that answer, specifically the name of the village, made one of the elven escorts’ ears perk up. He was the one that had managed to slice one of the Doorim’s horns off with his sword.
“Cucuy, huh. Ain’t that the village we’ll be stopping by to resupply, Leader?”
“Indeed, it is, Alphi’Nott.”
“Then that does it. We shall take you there, Sir Kori.”
“Ahem…t-thank you, Lady Euphemia! Everyone!”
“Hehe~.”
Hearing Fen’Ru-el’s confirmation, our dear, dear princess declared that. And while a ‘but’ tried to come out of Kori’s mouth, he stopped it, as he had understood that nothing would change their minds. Instead, he thanked them from the bottom of his heart once again, which made our dear princess happy.
With that and a toast of tea, Sir Kori was properly welcomed by everyone as a fellow travelling companion.
And travel peacefully they did, as things remained calm for most of the time, with the relaxing breeze and the warm weather making things even more enjoyable.
Although some meanie beasts did try to disturb said peace here and there, but—boom! Bam! Slice! Gaaan! Pew-Pew!
They were nothing that the escorts couldn’t handle with ease!
In the end, the beasts were all turned into useful blankets, accessories, and even the next dinner.
Meanwhile, inside the carriage, a friendly conversation took place. After all, what’s more friendly than wanting to get to know your new companion by asking him about himself? Fufufu~~.
However, he wasn’t making it easy. Oh no. His answers were vague as he nervously tried to change the subject in an overly polite manner.
Even then, one thing was clear to everyone there.
He wasn’t doing it out of malice.
No, no.
Rather…it was out of shame and frustration.
Things that his eyes showed every time he ‘answered’.
With that in mind—and not wanting to make him go through more of that—our dear, dear princess decided to go about it with a…different approach.
“Hmm…ah!”
Rather than asking him about himself, why not ask about his country? Maybe a subject as general as that could work?
“If I remember correctly, you mentioned an ‘island nation’ when you first talked with Sir Kori, right, Charles?”
“That is correct, My Lady.”
“Then…could it be that you come from the Sanjo Lordship, Sir Kori?” so she asked as she turned to him with curious eyes.
“…!! I-I…yes, that is correct, Lady Euphemia. As expected of someone of your standing…ahaha…”
“Hehehe~, it is nothing like that, Sir Kori. While I know that there are other island nations in Arte, Sanjo came to my mind not because of my standing, but because of your original attire. After all, weren’t those its traditional clothes?”
“…ah. Ah! Tha-that is correct! We-we’ve certainly become known for our traditional clothing, haven’t we? Ahahahaha…! And they were the traditional outfit for travelers back home, I liked it a lot…oh! Bu-But that doesn’t mean that these clothes aren’t good! Really!”
Seeing Kori nervously shake his head while trying to prevent a misunderstanding, our dear, dear Princess let out an amused giggle.
“Hehe~, do not worry, Sir Kori. I know that you were not implying that and if I may…would you tell me more about your country, Sir Kori? I learned a lot about other countries back in the academy, including the Sanjo Lordship, but I firmly believe that to truly learn about a country one must ask its people. So…could you?”
“…”
Kori fell silent for a moment as he pondered over Euphemia’s request. He knew that he couldn’t tell her everything, he couldn’t tell her about what happened and why he was so far from home. He couldn’t tell her about his shame. Yet he still wanted to respond to his savior’s wishes in a positive way.
All in all, he was conflicted.
And it showed.
His hands betrayed him and began to tremble, showing the others how he was feeling.
That was when our dear, dear Princess slightly leaned towards him and gently held one of his hands before earnestly reassuring Kori.
“…!!”
“Hey, I just want to know about your home. Nothing more. You can leave out anything that makes you uncomfortable.”
“I-If that is the case then…then it’s alright…”
To this, Euphemia smiled and let go of his hand, and with that Kori took a deep breath and began pondering once again.
“…but still…where should I start? I…hmm…perhaps…perhaps we could start with the food? If that is alright…?”
“Of course!”
“…?!”
“A country’s gastronomy is not only an expression of its identity, but proof of all the trials they have gone through and beaten! So color me more than interested, Sir Kori!”
Fufufu~~, that was quite the enthusiastic response, don’t you think so, dearies? Just look at poor Kori, he got so startled by it he even jumped from his seat a bit. But well, can we blame our dear, dear, Princess? She might be more mature, but she is still as curious!
Enthusiasm like that can be just as contagious as the yawnies that get you two bundles of joy when you’re sleepy~.
“Ahahaha, then I guess I should start.”
And that is what happened here with Kori, who couldn’t help but finally let out a laugh that wasn’t self-deprecating, making everyone who heard it happy.
“As you have already said, Lady Euphemia, Sanjo is an island nation, so our relationship with the sea is quite close. I would not be joking if I said that more than half of our dishes have ingredients from it. And I’m not only referring to fish either, but also seaweed and other things.”
“Really?” so asked our dear, dear Princess’ other attendant, Sistina, whose curiosity had been piqued.
“Yes, Lady Sistina. If it’s prepared correctly, it goes very well with soups and other dishes, and not just those with sea food either. It has a…salty yet savory flavor while having a very interesting texture.”
“I see…”
“Ah, but to be honest, fish is the centerpiece of most of our dishes despite what I said earlier, ahahaha... For example, there is one dish where we leave it marinating in one of our traditional beverages, which we make from the Vriz grain we cultivate. That one is very refreshing if I might add, perfect for a summer meal. Oh! But how could I forget the simpler, yet most popular one? With that one we eat the fish well-cut and either salted or raw with some boiled Vriz under it. It’s very good, I remember that I could eat more than a few pieces on my own.”
“Raw, huh? I can confidently say that I have never tried such a dish before. Although, it does seem to be quite delicious, seeing the fond grin you were just making.”
“…?! I-Is that so…? Ahahaha…I didn’t notice…ahahaha…i-it is that delicious though. I do hope you get to try it one day, Lady Euphemia” so said our adorably embarrassed Kori.
“Hehe, I hope so too, Sir Kori. But now I’m curious, have either of you eaten such a dish? Charles? Sistina?”
Sistina immediately shook her head, making the same face you dearies make when you don’t want to eat that one veggie you don’t like.
Fufufu~~, looking away will not make it as if that is not trueee~~.
“If I may, even the concept of eating something raw does not sit well with me…”
“Ahaha…”
“W-What?”
Oh my, look at that, it seems Kori’s little chuckle at her words caused Sistina to turn to him and ask that with quite the endearing embarrassed expression, fufufu~~. Very nice, Kori!
“…! I-I apologize! I did not mean to e-embarrass you, truly! I-I was just reminded of the reaction visitors would have when they ordered at our food stalls. I wish I had the ingredients to make some so that everyone could try it out. I promise that that dish is not bad nor unhealthy, Miss Sistina. It is truly good. At least, that is what I truly feel.”
Kori’s smile as he expressed such simple wish was humble and genuine, he really wanted them to try and—in a way—have a taste of his home, not unlike your Father when she makes all that yummy food for everyone in the castle.
But even then, Sistina couldn’t find it in herself to eat something raw and politely shook her head.
Despite this, Kori seemed to be enjoying the conversation, and that made our dear, dear Princess happy.
“If I may, Sir Kori’s words ring true. Tis something that I can attest to, actually.”
And not bringing the mood down, but rather making it fly higher, here he was, confident as always, Charles! And this time he made both Sistina and Euphemia turn to him in surprise with his entry into the conversation, their faces having the same question written all over and that was ‘really?!’.
Seeing this, Charles made a grandfatherly smile and nodded before explaining himself.
“As I have previously stated, in my time serving in the Draconic Front I had dear comrades who originated from the Sanjo Lordship. We laughed together. We fought together. We bled together. And whenever respite blessed us with its presence they were wont to mention just how much they missed the food of their country, its seasonings, and the Vriz wine that went along with it. So much so that the rest of us in the squadron would begin to crave it too, if only out of curiosity.”
Memories of his past began filling Charles mind as he continued, the faces of his comrades, their unwavering expressions, and their voices as they conversed back in those days, days that both seemed to streeeetch into an eternity and go in a flash.
“Ah, days of yore they were…and ‘twas in one of those days that one of my dear comrades received a mysterious package from his hometown. The rest of the squadron had no idea as to what its contents were, but one thing was certain, it made our comrade quite the joyous one.”
Nostalgia filled Charles smile as the image of his dear comrade holding the package appeared in his memory.
“He was always so dedicated and dutiful, always caring for the cleanliness of everything and keeping himself occupied with a myriad of tasks, no matter how big or small. That is why it took us by surprise when he said that he had called in a few favors with our superiors to relieve us of our duties for a night, and it was then that we discovered why he did that and what the package held.”
“Why did he ask for that time off for all of you, Charles?” asked our dear, dear Princess, her interest taken by her butler’s tale.
“To have a small feast with us, My Lady. The package he had received had the ingredients he needed to fill such an occasion with his hometown’s specialties. Ere long I found out that he had called in even more favors to have such package delivered through spatial magic, ensuring their freshness. All so that we could have an unblemished first taste of his home. Truly, he was always so…” in that moment, a tinge of sadness painted over his nostalgia, bringing pause to his tale and worry to both our dear Princess and Sistina who managed to catch it before it vanished as quickly as it came.
“…ah, apologies, it seems this old man is wont for getting sidetracked.”
With a reassuring smile on his face, Charles tried to get back on topic and do away with those worries.
Hm? What is it dearies? You didn’t notice Charles feeling sad?
Fufu~~, it is fine if you didn’t notice it dearies. Sometimes you need to spend lots of time with someone to notice those itty-bitty things. So never be afraid of spending time with others, it will only make you a better a friend. And besides, in this case, you have me as your narrator extraordinaire, so you won’t miss any of these details! Mhm!
“As Sir Kori said, betwixt the many a dish that my comrade shared with us, most of them used fish as an ingredient. And the ones that piqued our interest the most were indeed the ones that featured it raw. To be frank, ‘twas quite the joyous experience to see everyone have a taste of them as they showed expressions of fear and dread that they had never showed before, not even when facing the things one can find deep behind enemy lines, heh.”
And there it is, a rare but genuine chuckle from Charles, one that he couldn’t stop from coming out as he remembered the many funny faces his friends made, fufufu~. That showed more than anything else that our dear, dear Princess and Sistina had nothing to worry about. That despite that tinge of sadness from before, he was enjoying himself.
“Even I was reticent at first, but the sight of my comrade’s joyous eating pushed me into taking the same leap of faith that the others did. What awaited us on the other side ‘twas nothing but a welcome serving of serendipity, for it was quite the delectable surprise. To this day my memory of it is clear, the texture of it, the softness, the light saltiness of that special black seasoning, all of it. But most importantly, I can still see all of us seating on the floor of our tent, partaking on that Vriz wine while feasting the night away with smiles on our faces.”
“…”
“…?”
Did you see it, dearies? There, Kori’s expression turned somber for a moment as Charles mentioned his comrades. What could that mean, hm? Don’t worry, it’s fine if you don’t know since our dear, dear Princess was asking herself the same question I just asked you~.
“That is why, young Sistina, if thou happen to stumble upon the chance, I suggest thee take the leap of faith just as I did. Mayhap thou will find it so agreeable to thy taste that it might even become thy new favorite dish. And even if not, I promise thee that it would at least be a good chance to learn about another place through sharing a table with a friend”
“I…I suppose I do not lose anything by trying it instead of outright rejecting it, so I will. Thank you, Charles.”
Fufufu~~, seeing their smiles I can say with confidence that Sistina took Charles’ grandfatherly words to heart, even if she was still a little surprised at the fact that her fellow attendant had such a tale under his sleeve, and she was not the only one.
Our dear, dear Princess was the same.
“That was a very nice anecdote, Charles. Why is this my first time hearing it?”
“Simple, My Lady. Thy personage never asked.”
“Hehe, good point.”
The smile-a-thon continued with Charles’ rather polite, yet wry smile and our dear, dear Princess’ amused one. But again, they were not the only ones, as Kori also laughed and smiled, he even started telling anecdotes of his childhood in Sanjo.
“Back then, I would spend my days in the docks, watching visitors come and go and listening to their tales and their thoughts about my home. Besides that, their reactions to our food, our clothes, everything, they were always so fun…”
Ahh, I truly love seeing everyone smile~.
And with things going as well as they were, Kori didn’t feel any apprehension towards talking more about his country proper. In fact, he found himself wanting to share more about it and so he did.
“You see, Sanjo is composed of various islands close to each other and yet, every island has their own…how do I say it? Style? Aesthetic? While everything is indistinguishably Sanjo, each island can shine on their own. So visitors would come in thinking things would look the same as the other islands and then be surprised when they weren’t. It was so fun.”
“Hmm, interesting. I did read that the Feudal Lords of the Sanjo Lordship liked individuality and backed it up with their policies. But to think that it shows to that point is quite fascinating!”
“I wholly agree, Lady Euphemia. And it is not just the Feudal Lords who think like that, but the Regent, Lord Sanjo himself and his family also support that.”
“Lord…Sanjo? I remember the Regent having a different last name in the book I read…”
“My Lady, if I may, the book thy personage mentions also states that the Regent of the Sanjo Lordship always takes the name of Sanjo as his family name when being vested with the position, not unlike the Kyrie Kingdom’s Regent and their family.”
“Ah, I remember now! I even thought that it was sweet for both of our nations to have the same idea of taking our country, our people, as our family. Thank you for reminding me, Charles!
“Then could it be that both of our nations share a similar humble origin, Lady Euphemia? One where everything started as a small village where everyone was considered part of a larger family?”
“Hehe, that is correct, Sir Kori! Although the details from that time are still a bit hazy for us, that is correct.”
“That…that makes me happy.”
With that, the conversation kept going and Kori talked more about his home and the things that he thought would be interesting to share, all as everyone’s smiles remained undisturbed.
He talked about how they found entertainment in public singers whom some treated as idols and relaxation in their own style of outdoor baths. Outdoor baths that were very, very similar to the one we have here in the castle, fufu~.
And so, as it tends to happen when one is having fun, time flew by.
Imagine their surprise when the carriage reached the campsite for the day and they realized that they had been talking for hours.
Fufufu~~, you’d think I would end the story here, but I won’t. Instead let us jump ahead in time just a little bit. Let’s see…hmm…yes, here would be alright.
The sun left and the moon rose to take its place in a clear sky, letting the shiny little stars to join her once more.
Ah, it was such a peaceful night where even the wind would lull you into just—mmmmmnnahhh stretch and relax.
And everyone was enjoying it.
With the camp set up, dinner in their bellies, and with the mood being just right thanks to the music provided by some of the escorts, how could they not?
Of course, while some relayed tales and took part in the enjoyment, others kept watch, never letting their guard down.
But even then…someone was missing from either group.
Kori.
He wasn’t by the fire, nor he was part of those keeping watch.
So…where was he? And what was he doing?
Well, he didn’t run away or something like that, I assure you, my dearies. He was just sitting alone on the grass…watching everyone from a distance that could not be called far or close. Rather…he was right were both the light and the warmth of the fire barely reached him.
But why? Wasn’t he enjoying himself when conversing with everyone?
He was, yet he couldn’t help but be reminded of the past the more he did so, as memories of the people he would share a fire with and laugh—of people he couldn’t see again, would fill his mind as he did, and that had begun to overwhelm him.
Thus, he excused himself, saying that he needed to have some fresh air despite being already outside.
Still, everyone understood what he meant with just a look and let him go without questions. After all, everyone needs some space every once in a while.
“…”
“…?”
So, as he was trying to silence his thoughts and make the images go away by looking at the night sky, he heard someone sitting right next to him without saying a word.
“…?!”
“…”
It was none other than our dear, dear Princess. This took him by surprise and even made him do a double take, but rather than giggling as she usually did when Kori reacted like this, she simply smiled at him and turned to look at the sky in silence, just as he had been doing before she arrived.
And despite not having said anything, Kori could feel what our dear, dear princess meant with all of that.
He felt that she was telling him that she wanted to help, that while there was no need to talk, he was not alone, that they could just look at the stars together and share the silence, that they could just be if he wanted... and that was good enough.
“…”
“…”
Kori looked down for a moment, silenced a sob, and nodded.
And so, they just sat there, looking at the stars as Charles watched over them from a proper distance.
No word was spoken and yet, somehow, Kori could feel the weight pressing on his chest and the loud thoughts going ‘tshhhhhhhhh’ inside his head slowly fade away until they were gone.
“…could…could I ask you something, Lady Euphemia?”
“Of course, Sir Kori.”
Breaking the silence, a question was asked by him who was looking down and it was answered immediately by her who was looking up at the stars—no…the moon.
“When…when you held my hand after all of you saved my life you said something…something that told me that you knew…that you understood what I’m feeling in a way that only someone who has been through it would…”
“…”
“You said that there is a way out of this…this sinkhole that keeps pulling me down…how did you come out of it? How did you stop it from dragging you down…? Because I…I don’t know how to…even when I’m older than you…I just keep being pulled down by it…”
“…”
The one to answer first was not Euphemia, but the wind, as it caressed them with a gentle breeze that almost felt like the reassuring touch of a parent. Euphemia closed her eyes and received it wholly before she opened them once again and showed the moon a bittersweet smile as she reached for it, for them…with her hand.
Oh Erevain…don’t paint those tears with guilt and regret over things past and done, paint them with joy and pride because your sister is strong and kind, you’ve seen it already and you’ll see it now. So, everyone, hug her tightly while I continue with this tale.
Euphemia’s smile was both nostalgic and melancholic.
A smile filled with memories, both good and bad.
And it was then that she answered.
“The eyes that you showed me when we met…those eyes…I see them in the mirror every day and I am troubled by bad dreams every night. I feel the burning pain of the memories of being left behind, of their reasons, of their reassuring smiles and promises, of them who pushed me away…all of that is still here inside me, Sir Kori, and it has never stopped trying to drag me back into that dark room.”
“Then…how can you—?”
“How can I be…how I am? Hehe…it is because I faced them. I turned around and faced all of those feelings trying to drag me back into that place and grabbed them tightly.”
“You…grabbed them?”
“Ehehe…I know it sounds strange when I say it like that but that is how it went for me, that is how I came out. I grabbed hold of them tightly and instead of letting them drag me, I dragged them. I dragged them and turned them into my motivation, my conviction. I turned them into what keeps me moving, I turned them into my way out. Because if I did not, I would never be able to reach them. And I will reach them.”
Look Erevain…there is no bittersweetness in her smile anymore, there is only conviction, one that shines even brighter than the moon up in the sky.
And with that conviction, she turned to Kori and turned it into words that were just like a hand reaching out to help someone up.
“So, Sir Kori, it may be difficult and scary, and maybe the way you come out is different than mine, just like how my idea of it is a dark room and yours is a sinkhole. But I promise you—no, I swear to you, there is a way out. And you will find it.”
“…”
There it was once again.
That something within Kori which had been moved by Euphemia’s heartfelt words time and time again.
And this time it was like it could burst out at any moment.
Yet, there was something else in there, something alien yet comforting…something that made him feel that perhaps it was alright to just…say it all.
‘But why now? Why her?’ he wondered for a moment, but he already knew why.
Her words.
Her eyes.
Her confidence.
She made him feel something that was trying to overshadow his fear, his pain, and everything else that was chaining him.
She…made him feel hope.
So much so that he was thinking of taking a leap of faith, just like Charles had said.
But then…
“I—"
…he stopped just before leaping, almost as if something was fighting him. No…not something, it was that sinkhole that he talked about. It was trying to pull him down once again and stop him from speaking.
“I—"
And as he kept trying to fight it off, to talk, our dear, dear Princess waited for him patiently.
There was no pressure or judgement coming from her.
“It is alright, Sir Kori. Take your time. I am not going anywhere.”
Only understanding and empathy.
“…”
And that turned out to be the push Kori needed to take the jump.
For he felt safe.
For he felt the fear recede just enough for his voice to come out.
And come out it did.
“Not too long ago…after I returned from the Front and was still in my homeland…I was a certain kind of soldier…something more…”
As he talked, his mind took him to a certain island of the Sanjo Lordship and the painful memories that came with it.
Oh poor Kori…just doing so caused him pain…but even then, he continued.
“I was…I was a member of an elite group charged with dealing with threats to our islands…we were Sanjo’s Stars…the expectations on us were always high and we always needed to meet them. And our newest mission at the time was no different. We were sent to one of those islands to deal with a Lesser Dragon Lord, one that was said to be close to becoming a fully-fledged one. Still…that mission…it was strange.”
“Why?”
“The dragon lord, he…didn’t arrive to the island by air but by using a boat and rather than going wild and causing untold destruction upon my countrymen and our land, he just…stayed there in the shore, doing…nothing.”
“That sounds almost like…”
“Yes…like he was waiting for something…or more like someone, as we came to learn later.”
His words caused even more memories to emerge, memories of that beach, of the air filled with tension and dread, of the enemy standing there, and of them.
His comrades.
They who wore the banner of their homeland in their armor and stood right beside him time and time again.
People dear to him.
People whose faces were…sadly obscured by shadows of shame.
But that didn’t stop Kori from remembering what came next very clearly…
“The moment we arrived there our leader commanded the dragon lord to state their business or leave the island immediately. He told him that if he didn’t do either of those things, we would remove him by force. Of course, it was obvious for everyone—including our leader—that those words would be useless…even then maybe he thought it was a worth a shot given how strange things were. Still, we all knew that we needed to prepare for battle, so we did. And in response…the dragon lord…he smiled.”
Unlike the memories of his comrades, this dragon lord was too clear in his mind, so much so that everything else seemed hazy in comparison. It was almost as if his image had been seared into his mind so profoundly that it was overshadowing everything else…
His horns flowed from his forehead towards the back of his head before turning upwards at the end, making them look more like a helmet.
His scales that encroached upon him like two snakes coiling over his arms reached all the way to his face.
His deceptively unassuming build and posture only made his smile all the more disturbing and vicious…
And lastly, the fact that his horns and scales were mostly black with violet tips implied the worse about the identity of his masters and himself…
All those things set off every alarm inside Kori and his comrades’ heads.
He was trouble.
A very, very bad kind of trouble.
“He smiled, laughed and then he told us his business…he said he had come to Sanjo to…to…pluck some stars from our land and consume one of them…”
“…”
Euphemia had already heard from Charles about some truly evil dragon lords doing what the one in Kori’s tale said—something about an old and ancient tradition passed down by a certain ancient dragon lord—but that did not mean that it was less chilling to hear just because of that. Instead, it only made it all the more real.
“Our blood ran cold in that moment…we tried to figure out who could be his target but…we didn’t have time for that. We…didn’t have time for anything. One moment he said that and the next he raised his arms and unleashed a black cloud of dark spirits from them…”
“Dark Spirits? Like the ones that turn into Savage Spriggans?”
“Yes, Lady Euphemia…but these ones…these ones were different than those you might know. They were surely different than those we knew and had dealt with before. Not only was he able to control them with destructive precision, but they were also much, much stronger and…unhinged. Something that was made much worse by the fact that they never took a concrete form even while possessing the very ground we stood on…”
“…”
“Worst of all…he had no qualms with targeting a nearby village with them and that made things even more difficult. Still, we fought, and we fought, and we fought…Goddess we fought with everything we had and more…and yet there was just no end to them. It was…it was madness and he, that…snake just stood there…looking for his would-be prey. Then…I saw it…an opening…a chance to end things…and I…and I—no…I can’t…this was…this was a mistake…I…I…”
Pain.
Shame.
Frustration.
And more…
All those emotions began to overwhelm Kori and his voice soon broke and turned into a sob, one that he tried to stop from coming out as he fought to keep those very emotions in check…
He felt like he was drowning, but there was no need to worry because he was not alone.
No.
Our dear Euphemia was there with him, and she was not going to let him drown in that very familiar whirlpool of emotions.
“Breathe, Sir Kori. Breathe. Yes, just like that. Now…what you are doing right now is not a mistake. There is nothing wrong with it. Do not pay heed to what is trying to pull you down and instead hold on to what made you tell me all of this and listen to it. What is it telling you? Is it telling you to stop?”
“…I…no…it wants me to continue…but I…I don’t know if I can…I…”
“But you can, Sir Kori. If you couldn’t, you would not have been able to tell me everything you already have. So…you can do it, Sir Kori. Do not let those other emotions determine what you can and cannot do, alright?”
“I…y-yes…”
With that, Kori took a deep breath and grabbed hold of that feeling that had pushed him to talk and continued.
“The chance I saw…that opening…it was never there…it was just a trap to lure the one he was looking for…the one that could fell him…and I fell for it. I made the greatest mistake in my life and for that not only did he took my arm…but he was true to his word too. My comrades—stretched thin as they were—now had to worry about saving me while dealing with an intensified attack on the village. And as the guilt began eating at me…the dragon lord thanked me and said that everything that was happening then was my just reward for the treat of bravery I gave him…”
“…”
Kori couldn’t see it then, but Euphemia was angered. She was angered at what happened and the cruelty of the one that caused it all.
She couldn’t help but imagine what would have happened if she had been there, or Charles, or her Big Brother…could they have stopped that dragon lord before Kori and all those innocents were hurt? Perhaps…but she knew that in the end what happened happened and the best way to help Kori lied not in the past, but the present.
So, she kept listening.
“I tried to resist…to fight…even in the sorry state that I was…but I didn’t even have the strength for that. I was just barely keeping myself from fainting…and that is also why my memories from that point on are…hazy at best. I remember some of my comrades still fighting to save me…I remember him mocking them… I remember one of my comrades getting on top of him and stabbing him through the arm…forcing him to drop me…but I didn’t touch the ground…no…someone caught me and said something. Then…before everything turned to black, I saw them smile at me…relieved…”
“…”
“When I came to, I was in a bed back in our headquarters and…none of my comrades were there. I feared the worst, and no one would tell me what happened. It was only after I was visited by one of our superiors that I got to know. The comrade who caught me…they teleported me away right then and there, caring not for how taxing it was for them. And despite that. Despite everything. They managed to protect the village from the Dragon Lord long enough for him to lose interest and leave. But...they barely survived, and I was…well…there were no more missions for me since then…”
Kori fell silent after that.
It was not as if he had been finally beaten and silenced by the bad emotions that had been trying to make him stop all this time.
No.
This time his silence was different. It was the silence of someone who had finally been able to let it all out.
And our dear, dear Euphemia had no intentions of ruining it.
What she had, however, was questions. Lots of them.
She wondered about the one thing Kori seemed to gloss over in his story…why.
Why did that mean dragon lord target him? Why did it go to such lengths? Why?
She also wondered about lots of other things, like why that mean dragon lord went there and wanted him in the first place? Who sent him there? Was it just all on him? Was it one of the Chosen, the biggest villains in the world? Or someone else?
Even then, she did not voice any of them.
No matter how curious she was, she was not going to abuse the trust Kori had given her by interrogating him. And that is something you must take to heart, dearies. When someone gives you that kind of trust, be careful and try to just be that shoulder they can lean on for support. That is what many wish for in those moments, even if they don’t say out loud, alright?
And speaking of saying things out loud…
“I…I don’t know if I will be able to grab all these feelings inside me and turn them into my way out like you did but…”
…Kori spoke up as he looked at the night sky, wondering.
“…maybe…maybe I should try…”
He wondered with a twinkle of hope in his eyes, a twinkle that still had a shade of doubt behind it, waiting.
Meanwhile, in a certain forest not so far away, a hooded figure found themselves guided to a very familiar road by their sense of smell.
They had caught a whiff of a now faint scent lingering in the area.
A scent that they knew very well and were very, very happy to have found.
So much so that they made the biggest of smiles, see?
And in their happiness, they decided to send the owner of that scent a gift in honor of their reunion that was soon to happen.
An appetizer in a way.
For that, they raised their right arm and opened their fist, letting out a small black cloud.
But that was no cloud, dearies. That was a bundle of dark spirits waiting for orders.
“Go, little onessss. Give our dear friend a warm hello and a little refreshhher. After all, we can’t have him forget about our dinner planssss.”
With that, the dark spirits flew away towards their target with a muted yet chaotic buzz.
As for him…
“Found you, my Mind Weaver Ssstaaaaar.”
He too looked at the night sky before licking his lips and letting out such ominous words with a smile.
_________________________________
“To be continued…fufufu~~~.”
““““…””””
Yep.
She just did that.
She slapped us all with a massive cliffhanger and she is laughing.
Look at Ilya and Celesia! Last time they still managed to say something, but not tonight! And this time they are not just speechless! They are so shocked that they crashed! Even Ere looks like that! And she is an avid novel reader! She knows cliffhangers like this one, unlike our daughters!
"Fu~."
Gahhh! Now she is smiling all smugly at me because she is obviously reading my mind!
Obviously~~.
Ghhhh!!! This Goddess! And yeah, she got me too! Me, a veteran weeb of a million weekly and monthly cliffhangers! So annoying!
It's so annoying that it overwrites my excitement for the reveal of that ‘I can’t believe it is not fantasy japan!’ country!
Still, check!
You’re welcome, dear~~.
Hmph!
““...a…a…ah!!””
"...!"
Oh, Ilya and Celesia finished rebooting! Ere too! And she looks adorably embarrassed to boot! Pun totally intended!
“Mother…is pranking us…right? Mother is…going to continue…right? Ilya…wants more.”
“Yes! Yes! Mother can’t end it like that! She can’t! I want to know that happens next too! I do! I do!”
“I…I must say that I do too, Miss Nerinne. That cliffhanger was…”
Ok, I must admit that seeing my daughters taste a cliffhanger for the first time is extremely adorable! And of course, seeing Ere all fidgety over it is extremely adorable as well!
I APPROVE!
Hm? Yes, weeb that is crossplaying as the Zenith of all onii-samas? You are asking if I think the story is turning a bit too dark for the girls? Hmmm…good question. In my opinion, I don’t think so. Nana started to read me the Grimm Brothers’ versions of many tales when I was 4, so I pretty much grew up with that kind of stories and I came out alright, don’t you think?
…
…I shall take your silence as a yes.
Ahem, besides that…I trust Nerinne. She would never do something to harm our daughters, much less tell them a story that is not meant for them. So don’t worry, I’m sure it’s alright.
“Mooore…Mother…”
“Moooore!! Mooore!!”
And if that’s not enough, just look at them, they’re still asking for more while pulling at their mother’s onesie, heh.
Seriously…I love my little lights…
“Fufu~~, no can do, dearies, Erevain.”
“…!”
Heh, Ere got startled by that call out. I think she is finally coming to her senses.
“I’m afraid that we already went past everyone’s bedtime. Any more and you two darlings would be very sleepy tomorrow. And you wouldn’t want that.”
“Why…?”
“Yes! Why, Mother?! Why?!”
“Because you would go sleepy sleepy earlier and that would mean less story time~.”
““…!!””
Hahahaha! Their shocked face is adorably hilarious! Hahahahaha! Ahhh my bundles of joy can’t be this cute! And yet they are!
“So, do you really want more~~?”
“…”
“…”
““No…””
Awww, they just looked at each other before looking down and saying that at the same time. I want to hug them so badly now.
“Then let us all go to sleep. Right, dear? Erevain?”
We both nod and with that, the lights went off.
But…what’s this? Our daughters are supposed to be trying to sleep now and yet…there’s a couple of little someones hugging me tightly while fighting that same sleepiness.
“Father…”
“Papa…”
Their eyes are telling me that they want to ask me something.
“What is wrong, cuties?” I whisper in the lowest of voices so as to not make them feel like they are going to wake up Nerinne and Ere, even if they are probably listening in already.
““Do we…have someone like Charles? Like a…grandpa? Or a…grandma?””
“““…!”””
That’s…I…I didn’t expect this kind of question from them. At least, not right now…and I can feel that Nerinne and Ere didn’t expect it either…
I guess seeing how Charles is with Euphemia this was bound to happen…
““…””
They are looking at me right now expecting a response and yet…I…I don’t know what to tell them—no, I do. I just don’t know how…the ones who’d be their grandparents are…well…they were never properly there…you know? And telling them about them when they can’t meet them either way is…I don’t want that…
And then there’s Nana and Gramps…they are…they are gone…
I don’t want to tell them that they don’t have—
You don’t have to, dummy. Leave this to us.
…!
“You do have them, dearies. Right, Erevain?”
“Indeed, Miss Nerinne. You even have a great grandpa.”
“Then…”
“Then! Then!”
“Fufufu~~, I know what you are thinking, dearies. And they are busy right now, so it will take some time, but yes, you can and will meet them, I promise. Just be a little patient and wait for that time. Can you do that for me?”
“Unn…Ilya can…Ilya will wait…”
“I will too! I will too! AH! Is our great granpapa busy too, Mama?! Is he?!”
“They are, my violet star. He is on his own journey right now…but I have a feeling that we will see him sooner rather than later.”
“Yay!”
“Until then, be good girls and let us all go to sleep.”
“Unn…Ilya will be a good girl…Mother…”
“Me too! Me too! But not because you asked me, Mother! Nu!”
“Fufufu~~, yes~, yes~.”
Look at that, a few words from Nerinne and Ere and it’s settled.
See? But to think that you forgot about us~. That hurts my kokoro so much~. We even shifted ourselves to lean on your shoulders and remind you that we were here, you know?
Ack…! I’m sorry, Nerinne…I was so focused on my side of this that I got blinded to those on my more literal side right now…
For what is worth, I am sorry, Nerinne.
Fufufu~, it’s alright, Auros. I know you didn’t mean to. Both of us do. And besides, I was just teasing you a bit. How are you? Better?
I am. Thank you, darling.
You are welcome, dear. And don’t forget to thank Erevain too. She’s been thinking of nothing else but helping and consoling you since the very moment she noticed you couldn’t answer.
Yes...I can feel it in the way she is holding my hand right now.
Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if she somehow learned telepathy just out of sheer will and that desire.
Knowing her, she probably would. And don’t worry, I will also tell her why I was like this tomorrow, I promise.
Good.
….
….
….
Nerinne…
Yes, Auros?
I lied…
I am not better…
I still feel down about our daughters never being able to meet Nana and Gramps…nor they them…
They meant a lot to me…
They taught me so, so much…
And I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it wasn’t for them…
I still miss them…Nerinne…I miss them so much…
I know, my dear. And it is alright.
To miss them is to not forget them and that is a beautiful form of love.
As for our daughters…they shall meet them. No…they already have, my dear.
After all, you wear their teachings, their warmth, their everything in your heart, in your life. And it is through that that our daughters have met them and will keep meeting them, my dear.
They will meet them through the tales you tell them and the teachings you pass on to them.
They will see them in your smile and feel their warmth in your embrace.
They will love them through the love you give them and the love they give to you.
So…never stop loving them, neither of them. Alright?
Haha…are you sure you aren’t the Goddess of Consolement too? Because those words were just what I needed…
Fufufu~~, I am the Goddess of Love, dear. Consolement, comfort, is but an expression of it.
Heh, I see.
Thank you, my love.
It is nothing, dear.
And needless to say, I will never stop loving our family, all of it.
Besides that, I am truly happy that our daughters have been blessed with so many grandparents and their love…
Really, that makes me, so, so happy, Nerinne.
Good, because while they might be a little eccentric, I can assure you that when they meet them, they will smother our daughters with so much love they won’t know what to do with it, fufufu~~.
As for Erevain’s grandfather…I have it in good faith that he will be the same.
That is to say, our daughters will never want for love of any kind.
As it should be.
Goodnight, Nerinne.
Goodnight, Auros.
I love you.
I love you too.
To be continued…(cue Erevain receiving a nightly kiss in the forehead and a whispered ‘thank you, I love you’ from a grateful Auros before everyone finally fell asleep) (Also, cue Yawue going to check on the mysterious being from the previous chapters and finding them ranting about the cliffhanger. “I guess they got distracted by Nerinne’s story too, huh.”) (Also, also, cue ad for the new Auros and Nerinne figure set, onesie edition!! Only for $1200!! Shipping not included! Pre-sale Bot protection only available to members of the Prime Maid Program! Join for the low low price of $499 a year! We do not take any responsibility for bots subscribed to the program)
(Holy Fact: All Maid-Knights have pretty good dark vision from the get-go thanks to their condition as High Humans. Said dark vision can be further improved through training, class specific skills and/or traits, as well as the magical attributes one is attuned to like Darkness or…Moonlight)
In the loving memory of my grandmother and my aunt.
May you watch over me from wherever you are.