Day 13, Noon: Rescue and Proposal

The Enot River was a large river that ran through the land to the north of the capital city Ode.

The river’s source was on the sacred mountain Abukust, north of the capital, and it fed into the great sea east of the capital. Grand canals, constructed many generations before, carried its water to the capital. With pleasant weather and a full river, the water looked graceful. Yet, the river could be violent, particularly downstream.

The land in the region around the watershed where the river forked boasted excellent soil, but the floods every couple of years left the crop harvest unreliable. Crops would not grow without water from irrigation, so whenever the river flooded, nobody could harvest crops.

Many had tried to control the Enot River, but neither engineering nor magic had yet overcome the scale and difficulty of the task. For that reason, on occasion some called the Enot River “The Pajan Empire’s Sole Surviving Dragon.” In the face of that gigantic natural calamity, the people came to hold a certain ceremony, essentially for their own peace of mind. They called it “The Maiden’s Prayers.”

***

“In the names of the glorious Marquis Reinhardt and Count Hamilton, I hereby offer my prayers to the river.”

At the large watershed of the Enot River, the river swelled from the rain that had started the night before. The muddy current collided with the watershed and writhed like a giant two-headed snake.

Fuuka Hamilton stood in the center of all of that. The river threatened to break from its course and engulf her at any moment, but she continued to sing her prayers solemnly. In her mind were thoughts of Miyako.

How happy I would be if Miyako came here to save me... But if I do this right, Miyako will be free. I have to see it through.

If Fuuka succeeded in pacifying the river, the Reinhardts would look favorably on the Hamilton family, and one of Fuuka’s sisters might become Klaus Reinhardt’s wife. Even if she were his wife on paper only, that would be enough to allow Dan to achieve his goal. If that came to pass, Miyako wouldn’t have to worry about Klaus resenting her or chasing after her in his obsession.

In the end, even Klaus was just a piece in play on the board of high society. A larger piece than others, perhaps, but a piece nonetheless.

Fuuka raised her eyes to the riverbank. Above the towering heights of the bank, there was a safe zone, beyond the reach of the river. She saw drenched servants holding up large tents and umbrellas. Her father and Klaus Reinhardt sat beneath their protection. Klaus was letting his gaze wander in boredom. He didn’t even try to conceal his yawns.

I expect he doesn’t care in the least what happens to me. And even if he snubs his future wife, that’ll probably just be played off as the “fun and games of an heir to a great family.” Really, can you think of anything more ridiculous?

Whatever the case, I can’t run from here. No, I won’t. Because that’s what I decided, and that’s what’s best for Miyako, thought Fuuka.

Fuuka’s recitation of the prayer resounded through the air. The muddy torrent rumbled and thundered, almost but not quite drowning out Fuuka’s voice.

The members of the Reinhardt and Hamilton families watching from the safe zone lost all interest in observing the ritual and began to enjoy a banquet. To them, this ceremony was about politics and improving their family’s standing.

The skies were gray, and the wine passing between the families was red.

Fuuka caught sight of a great rampaging snake. No, what she had thought was a snake was actually the surging torrent from the Enot River, the largest yet by far. The amount of water and its violent force were like a flash flood.

Fuuka shut her eyes at the sight of the overwhelming deluge racing downstream. Ah, this is the end. The current would surely engulf the altar Fuuka stood on and the sandbank around it.

Perhaps a first-rate mage could have resisted the colossal flow, but a mere noble lady like Fuuka had no chance.

Could Fuuka have avoided this if she had made the most of her dedication to the intellectual pursuit of white magic and chosen a path of independence as a healer or a doctor? Regardless, it was her own choice to carry the hopes of the Hamilton family as the villainess on a stage of political marriages. She had rebuked the other ladies for their lack of effort and exploited the insurmountable difference in power to crush them.

If Fuuka had run somewhere far away with Miyako, would she still have ended up standing here? Regardless, it was her own choice to set Miyako free. Fuuka returned to the capital for the sake of the first person who held out their hand to her.

She thought that everything had been her own choice, but Fuuka realized now how few choices in her life she had actually made for herself. They were all for someone else’s sake. Is there really nothing that I’ve chosen to do through my own will and for my own sake?

No, there is one, and only one thing I took for myself: Miyako’s hand. Fuuka’s auburn-haired rival had shown up unannounced in the Hamilton mansion, by the window where the curtains shook and the morning light shone through. Taking her hand, Miyako’s hand, I’m sure that’s the first and only thing I’ve ever chosen for myself.

Goodbye, Miyako.

Fuuka Hamilton closed her eyes.

Just then.

“Fuuka-chaaan!!!”

A voice rained down from above the bustling riverbank. Fuuka opened her eyes, and before her—

“Fuuka-chan, sorry for the wait!!”

“...Huh?”

—stood Miyako Florence, wearing a crimson dress elegantly embroidered with ribbons and lace. Her face was beautifully made-up, and her chestnut hair was arranged in a delicate up-do.

Miyako grasped Fuuka’s hand tightly.

“Miyako, why are you here?! And what happened to the river...?!”

“My word, my master really knows how to put a water spirit to work.”

“Umi!”

“A tiny little stream like this is but a mouse’s tail to me,” said Umi with a yawn.

Having carried Miyako here on her back, Umi stood in the path of the river in her true form, her mane of watery fish fins fluttering on her translucent body. The muddied flow halted before Umi, as though time had stopped.

“Umi, go on!”

“Nyaa, very well.”

Umi tapped the motionless river with the tip of her nose. When she did, the maelstrom of a river reverted to a gentle stream with a silly sploosh sound, without even causing any spray.

The complete shattering of the laws of physics took Fuuka’s breath away. The same could be said of the members of the two families looking down on Fuuka from the riverbank.

“W-Who the hell are you?!” yelled Dan Hamilton. He stood up, his face dark with rage at the sudden turn of events. The red rash on his neck had spread further.

“I’m Miyako Florence! I’ve come to save Fuuka-chan!!” shouted Miyako back at him, sending her crimson dress swirling.

Recognizing her, Klaus jumped to his feet without thinking.

“Is that Miyako? I knew you’d come back to me. And getting all dressed up as well! You really did miss me!!”

You’re so optimistic! I don’t know where you get all that confidence from.

Miyako turned to face Klaus and his broad smile—

“Yuck, what? I have no idea what you’re talking about! Maybe cut down on the narcissism, you stupid poser!!”

“Wh-What?!”

—and shot him down, then turned back to Fuuka.

Thanks to the Undine’s protection, the river maintained its calm despite the falling rain. Miyako pinched the hem of her crimson dress and looked Fuuka in the eye.

“Fuuka-chan, just like I promised, I’ve come to sa... No, that’s not it. I’ve come to confess my feelings to you one more time!!”

“But, why? I told you to run. I did take your hand once, but then I cast it away.”

“That’s not it! I want to start things over, and I don’t want to just spring it on you like last time...”

I burst into her mansion, got caught up in the moment and spent thirteen days running away with Fuuka-chan. But this time I won’t try to catch her off guard or force my way in; I’ll do it fair and square in front of everyone.

“Fuuka-chan, you work harder than anyone else. You’re patient and kind. You’re not great at cooking, but you go all out to help other people. You can speak Continental like a native. You’re tough on yourself and just as tough on others, but even then, you think of others before yourself... and I love you!”

Miyako raised her dignified voice so that everyone there could hear. Not worried about muddying the hem of her dress, Miyako knelt before Fuuka and held out her hand.

“I don’t mind if you don’t take my hand. But I decided I had to put my feelings into words.”

“Miyako, I...”

“And because this is such an important conversation, I wanted to look as cool as I could when I met you... so I put on this dress. How do I look?”

“...You idiot.”

“Yep, that’s me.”

“You really are such an idiot; you don’t think things through.”

“Yeah.”

“And you’re doing this right in front of the Reinhardts... If you’d dealt with them properly, you could have lived the rest of your life in peace.”

“Yeah.”

“...And it’s impossible for two women to go through life without relying on their family or men. It’s impossible to find happiness that way,” said Fuuka, forcing the words out. That was the curse that had always limited Fuuka’s actions.

This world, and noble society in particular, belong to men and noble families. Women living without their protection tread a hopeless path. The most they can do is enter a monastery and live out their days as nuns. Women are powerless in this world.

When Fuuka finished, Miyako slowly shook her head.

“You’re wrong.”

“...What?”

“Happiness comes in all sorts of different shapes. We just never noticed.”

The traveling merchant from the Continent, Shan Li, her partner Maria, and their treasured daughter Aisha showed Miyako a different kind of family. I want Fuuka-chan to see them as a family, thought Miyako.

“And maybe there are people who’ve given up on happiness, and they’re still regretting that today.”

Miyako remembered the unmarried head maid Susie. Miyako had peeked inside the pendant she carried around her neck, and found an old portrait of a beautiful young lady. I’m sure that girl still has a home in Susie’s heart. Although Susie had warned Miyako against going after Fuuka, she still gave Miyako this dress in pristine condition. Miyako wanted Fuuka to meet her too.

“So I don’t want to hear that two women can’t be happy together. I mean, it’s us we’re talking about. I know that the two of us can find happiness together, Fuuka-chan!!”

“I...!”

Fuuka’s eyes widened at what Miyako said. She lowered them as they began to well with tears, and took Miyako’s hand.

“Don’t blame me if you come to regret this.”

“That’ll never happen, Fuuka-chan!!!”

Miyako smiled in the pouring rain. Fuuka couldn’t help but smile back at her.

But then.

“Enough of this...!!”

They heard a yell from the riverbank.

“Enough of this, both of you... Stop getting in my... Koff, koff...?!”

“D-Did he just collapse?!”

Halfway through his enraged outburst, Dan fell to the muddy ground, grasping in pain at his neck and the fierce rash there. Then, as though following his lead—

“M-My lord, are yo—koff.”

“Hack, hack, hack.”

“Hrrrgh!”

—the Hamilton family’s servants erupted into coughing, until one by one, they collapsed.

“Wh-What’s going on? This is one of those bad things, right? Somebody fetch my spy!!!”

“Your spy is on vacation, my lord.”

“Oh, that’s right!!”

With that, Klaus visibly began to panic; that was how unusually every member of the Hamilton family’s retinue was acting.

“This is... As I expected, that rash is decapitation fever.”

Fuuka gulped.

“Decapitation fever? What happens now?!”

“Outbreaks of the disease are incredibly rare, but if there’s even a single person who’s caught it, the spread is astronomical... There are reports that it has destroyed entire towns and cities.”

“You’re kidding?!”

“At any rate, we have to do something...” said Fuuka, biting her lip.

After all he’s done to you, you’re better off just leaving your father to his fate, thought Miyako, but she kept that to herself. Fuuka would want to save anyone, whoever they happened to be. That was what made her the woman Miyako loved. Besides, we can give him a piece of our minds just as easily after he shakes off his decapitation fever.

My brother better make it here in time...

Miyako looked off into the distance.

“Umi, I need your help!” said Fuuka.

“Nyaa. So be it, I’ll help you. After all, you are now my master’s other half.”

Umi, the beautiful Undine, placed Miyako and Fuuka on her back and elegantly took flight.