As always.
Even if a question pops into my mind, I have no means of solving it.
So what if I understand it? What could I possibly do with that?
Even if I try to investigate a phenomenon that defies logic, I wouldn’t know where to start.
Still, it feels wrong to just sit on my hands.
Too many times I’ve gotten burned by doing nothing in situations like this.
I have to do something.
“Should I stop by the academy once I get back…?”
Right now, all I have is one clue: the spell.
Of course, since it’s a skill the Empire has cast aside, I can’t be sure I’ll find anything.
Chances are it’s only remembered as some barbaric superstition used by savages.
There’s only one thing I can cling to.
“…I hope Vidar left something behind.”
Despite how he looked, he was meticulous. He might’ve prepared at least one measure for my sake.
Could he really have disappeared after leaving behind just a single spell?
My head hurts. It’s not just fatigue. These unknowns keep popping up out of nowhere, and it’s suffocating.
“Huh? You’re not asleep?”
Just then, Yuna quietly opened the door and peeked in.
She must’ve thought I was slacking off as usual.
“If I were sleeping, what were you planning to do, sneaking in like that?”
“Hmm… take a nap?”
“Come here.”
I grinned and called the mumbling Yuna over. She lay down next to me, and I lay down too.
When your mind’s a mess, sometimes it’s better to just sleep.
Leave it to tomorrow’s me. Today’s me needs rest.
“What were you doing?”
“Thinking.”
“You do that all the time.”
“Yeah, why do I always have to be the one thinking about stuff?”
Why can’t I live a mechanical life? Every day, new worries and problems come up.
“By the way, Yuna, what brought the Princess here?”
“You’re seriously lying here next to your girlfriend and talking about another girl?”
“Then get up.”
And what do you mean, “another girl”? You don’t talk about your boss like that.
“She’s taking a bath right now. Said you can come by in about two hours. Plenty of time, huh?”
Yuna smiled as she held my hand.
Lying right next to me doing that….it almost felt like she was trying to tempt me, but that’s just how she is.
She must know the impact her looks have, and yet she acts like this. She’s cruel in her own way.
“Hey, Johan. Want me to sing you a lullaby?”
“Go ahead.”
I quietly closed my eyes, listening to Yuna’s voice.
The last thought that crossed my mind before I lost consciousness was that she sang better than I expected.
***
After confirming that Johan was asleep, Yuna quietly left the room.
“Hmm… looks like there’s nothing out of the ordinary with Johan.”
She had come to see him partly because she missed him but also to check on something briefly.
“This is strange.”
Even while serving Lobelia, something had been bothering her.
The teddy bear Johan had given her. It was nowhere to be seen.
Of course, commenting on someone else’s gift is a bit much.
Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling.
Princess Lobelia isn’t the type to throw away a gift from someone else.
Given that she’s aiming for the throne, she’d naturally want to maintain a soft image. At least in front of her subordinates.
And in fact, Lobelia was the type to make use of every gift her followers gave her. She even carefully kept a rough handmade gift from a child on the street.
Thinking about her personality, even if she wasn’t particularly fond of Johan’s gift, she’d most likely have displayed it somewhere.
But it was nowhere in sight.
It was as if she didn’t want anyone to know she’d received a gift at all. It was hidden completely out of view.
“This is strange… really strange.”
Maybe that’s why? Even the smallest actions started to seem suspicious.
Why had Lobelia started taking Johan with her on patrols?
Well, Johan kind of feels like a representative of our group, so maybe that’s why.
Then why had she specifically assigned Johan to serve her while she was incapacitated?
That happened in front of Johan, so maybe that makes sense too.
All of it could be explained logically.
But the fact that all those “logical” things kept happening only to Johan…that gave her a strange feeling.
And that wasn’t all.
Lobelia had ordered Johan to keep quiet. At first glance, it seemed like the natural thing to do, but Lobelia was fully aware that Johan and Yuna were practically a set.
For someone like her, the decision felt a little off.
Yuna was confident that even if Johan tried to hide something, she’d find it out. Lobelia would’ve known that too.
This particular matter ended up going nowhere because Johan openly disobeyed the order anyway.
So there’s no reason to think it strange.
Surely not. And yet, for some reason, it felt like Lobelia was trying to hide something.
“Your Highness, are you feeling any better?”
“My powers are still unstable, but the fatigue has washed away after a bath.”
Click.
As the sound came from the bath, Yuna managed her expression and greeted Lobelia.
Maybe it was because she was used to seeing her drenched in blood, but seeing Lobelia in light clothing gave her a different impression.
“Your Highness, honestly… couldn’t you fold someone like Johan in half even without any clothes on?”
“No, as strong as I am, I’d still struggle against someone using mana.”
If Ariel had a slim build and Yuna was balanced, Lobelia gave the impression of being solidly built.
While Yuna had carefully maintained her physique to look natural, Lobelia was well-trained. She even looked agile in her own way.
“It’s late to say this, but thank you for helping. I’m counting on you for the return trip as well.”
“Oh, come on. I’m doing this for Johan too. It’s only natural.”
“…I see.”
Yuna deliberately mentioned Johan to gauge Lobelia’s reaction.
Usually, Johan and Lobelia acted like they couldn’t stand each other, but it’s often the case that people who bicker like that can suddenly grow close.
Not overlooking that, Yuna subtly tested Lobelia…
I have no idea…
Seeing Lobelia’s complicated expression, she couldn’t help but feel just as conflicted.
At the very least, she didn’t look like someone in love with Johan.
Not yet, anyway.
“Don’t worry, Your Highness. On the way back, I’ll take good care of you on Johan’s behalf. But in return, you have to promise me something.”
“Sounds like you want something from me. Fine. I wouldn’t feel right using someone like you for free.”
Lobelia nodded.
Yuna was a force to be reckoned with. Even the Emperor couldn’t ignore her.
She was a wild card.
The title of King of Assassins hinted that her strength could overturn even personal power alone.
“Stay neutral.”
“Neutral?”
“Yes. Did you really think I wouldn’t know you were backing Lady Ariel?”
“Hmm…”
Yuna even went so far as to bring up Ariel who wasn’t here just to crush any lingering possibilities.
Lobelia had supported Ariel.
And thanks to that support, Ariel had become Johan’s fiancée. At this point, she had practically reached the finish line. Kicking her out now was impossible.
That’s why Yuna had given up on trying to keep Ariel in check.
But that doesn’t mean I have no one else to keep in check.
The Oracle was… hard to say. Her existence felt uncertain somehow, so it was difficult for Yuna to either keep her in check or welcome her.
And recently, Emily had become a concern too. That girl, whose thoughts were unreadable….if there was one thing certain about her, it was that she held feelings for Johan.
Of course, it was still unclear what kind of feelings those were.
Admiration? Respect? Love?
Whatever it was, Yuna intended to nip it in the bud.
By poking at Lobelia’s guilt and conscience, she’d keep her in check.
“Well, fine. I suppose it’s not really right for someone to interfere in matters between a man and a woman anyway.”
Fortunately, Lobelia nodded with a reluctant expression.
Well, well…
Reluctance. That expression itself meant there was something bothering her.
Seeing that, Yuna beamed and made a firm resolution: to keep Johan and Lobelia from seeing each other as much as possible.
***
She might hate hearing it, but Yuna was basically like a mom.
In the carriage ride back,
Yuna took care of everyone.
She brought snacks for Mephistopheles, tended to Lobelia, and even gave me a lap pillow, ensuring a comfortable journey for all of us.
Has she finally realized she can’t rely on her looks anymore and is now trying to appeal with domestic charm?
But we’re nobles. We don’t need to do that kind of thing.
Then again, how would Yuna know that?
She’d spent most of her life on the streets.
It’s not easy for someone who lived as a commoner to understand the sensibilities of nobility.
Of course…
“Johan, are you uncomfortable?”
“It’s perfect.”
Good is good.
It’s just that everything felt so great, I was looking for something to nitpick.
Sometimes, Yuna is so competent that I can’t help but feel a bit inferior.
“I wonder if Mr. Immun will be okay.”
“Well, he’ll be fine. It’s him, after all.”
“But Johan, what excuse are you going to give to Cattleya?”
“I’m not going to.”
I’m just going to be shameless about it.
I already have enough on my mind. Do I really need to worry about the business prospects of the Andvaranaut Merchant Guild too?
“And Immun doesn’t need shackles. He’ll keep his promise.”
It was a short time, but I could tell that Immun was someone who kept his word.
He might be a bit clumsy, but he follows through on what he says.
So he’ll come back.
“And let’s drop the subject now. Yuna, His Highness might get upset.”
“I have no reason to be upset.”
“Oh dear, I apologize. Yuna can be a bit tactless.”
“You’re hardly in a position to say that, lying down like that. If you’re going to apologize, at least sit up.”
“Then I won’t apologize.”
I was already lying comfortably and had no desire to get up.
Yuna’s lap pillow is incredibly comfortable. Sure, the view is blocked, but that’s actually a plus in other ways, so I don’t mind.
No…in fact, I prefer it this way.
I didn’t feel guilty enough about Lobelia to give up this little pleasure.
“Your Highness, don’t you think it’s time to stop worrying about all this? The more you dwell on it, the more it’ll just wear you down.”
“…Yeah, you’re not wrong.”
Immun had left.
The reason was to follow in Theseus’s footsteps.
He’d always admired Theseus, so it made sense that he’d be curious about what Theseus was up to.
And Immun was probably wondering what was going through Deus’s mind too.
I don’t know if he’ll be able to repair Deus’s machine body which was now just a heap of scrap metal. But inventors always chase after even the slimmest possibilities.
“Putting that aside, Johan, I must say…you’ve grown awfully lazy lately.”
“I’m not the one who’s become lazy. Yuna’s the one making me lazy.”
“Just relax, Johan. I’ll take care of all the annoying stuff.”
“Well, if you insist.”
“You don’t get chances like this very often, do you?”
“That’s true.”
Yuna had been too busy visiting the Magic Tower to look after me properly, so I’m just getting the attention I missed.
“Fufufu.”
“…Johan, I don’t mean to meddle in matters between a man and a woman, but you really need to pull yourself together. It’s not just illusion magic that brainwashes people. You’re already halfway brainwashed by Yuna.”
“There’s no way I’ve been brainwashed.”
I waved my hand to dismiss Lobelia’s worries.
Honestly, even that was a hassle, but I was being generous.
“Come on, Your Highness, how can you say that? I’m trying so hard for you. Surely you’re not thinking of breaking our promise now, are you?”
“No, that’s not it, but…”
Maybe she noticed how lazy I was being, because Yuna stepped in to support me.
“Then don’t worry about it. It’s just between us, right?”
“Hmm…”
Even though Lobelia had lost her powers, I still couldn’t mess with her because I was scared.
But Yuna seemed confident she could easily handle the current Lobelia.
With her keeping Lobelia in check, I couldn’t be more comfortable.
No need to worry about anyone’s feelings.
“Johan, wanna sleep? I’ll sing you a lullaby.”
“Mhmm…”
As I slowly drifted off, I enjoyed the cool touch of Yuna’s fingers brushing my bangs aside.
I just want to live like this forever.
But then…
“Ah! Mom! This is a critical time, okay? I need to press him now!”
“Enough nonsense. You’ve been away traveling for so long. Don’t you think you should deal with your backlog of work? Do you think being heir to the Magic Tower is some easy position? Do you take the rank of Count lightly?”
The short dream came to an end.
At the tail end of our journey, Yuna was kidnapped by an evil Magic Tower Master.
“Johan, you should really pull yourself together and start living properly.”
This was Lobelia’s unsolicited advice.
But I just scoffed.
“I’ve always been in my right mind. I just wanted to live like that, fully aware and by choice.”
Didn’t I already say it? I wasn’t brainwashed by Yuna.
Even in my right mind, I was a lazy person.
“In that case, it’s even worse.”
“Ugh…”
Since I had no confidence in rescuing a princess from an evil Magic Tower Master, I had no choice but to give up the easy life.
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