Interlude

The sun beat down so hard that one could build up a sweat just from walking a few steps; it was as though summer had come a little early.

Altina led her trusty steed Caracarla along the path, glancing back again and again. Should I have them rest? she thought to herself. The soldiers were dead tired, their staggering steps making it seem as though they could collapse at any moment.

And yet their expressions exuded vigor.

They would soon be at Fort Volks—their home base they had been away from for over a month now. Once they reached their destination, they would be able to bathe, sleep in a bed, and enjoy the flavors they had grown accustomed to.

Even while being worked to the bone, the soldiers were as cheerful as could be.

Altina was mulling things over—she had been for a while now. Had Regis been with them, he would have adjusted their schedule to the new situation. Thinking back on it now, she had left almost everything to him.

Someone like Jerome would have been able to make the proper calls just by looking at his soldiers, but Altina had no prior knowledge or experience to draw from. They were on the way back from a long expedition, and the weather was strangely harsh for the time of year. It seemed only natural that the soldiers would be better off with some extra rest, and yet they were adamant about pressing on to return as soon as possible.

Despite how much she had thought it over, the march approached its end before she was able to make a decision. The rests they had ended up taking were ones Regis had scheduled before their departure. He hadn’t known about the weather, so they were short, few, and far between.

Altina would ask the soldiers what they wanted to do, of course, but they would simply respond with, “We’re all right!” What else could they say?

There were seven thousand carrying weapons, a considerable number of whom were also helping to pull the cannons along. Many were growing ill and fatigued, and some shouldered the wounds of consecutive battles.

The number of soldiers who had to drop out and cram into the relief carriage, no longer able to keep up with the march, was greater than usual.

Should we rest? Should we go on?

But as Altina continued to ponder, a soldier in the vanguard raised a shout. “I can see the fortress!”

“Hurraaah!” the troops all cheered.

The merriment all around lulled Altina into a smile as well. Beneath it, however, her irritation about her lack of experience as a commander grew a little stronger.

Thankfully, the feeling proved to be rather short-lived. At least I have one experience now! she thought. Such optimism came quite naturally to her.

Those from Fort Volks had initially marched out as the Beilschmidt border regiment with four thousand troops, and now they returned as the Fourth Army with close to double their original numbers.

There were already soldiers rushing out to greet them; the messenger had gone ahead to inform them that the expedition was soon to return. Leading them on horseback was a man called Everard: a muscular knight who captained the fortress’s garrison. While he was already over fifty years old, he showed as much vigor as ever.

“Princess!”

“Everard! It’s been too long!”

“Good work—splendid work, even—on returning unscathed!”

As soon as Everard reached Altina, he dismounted his horse and kneeled. His bald cue ball head hadn’t changed, but there was now a peppering of white mixed into what had once been a splendid black beard. It had only been a month, but perhaps he had experienced his own share of troubles.

Altina likewise dismounted. “You kept the fortress safe in my absence. Thank you.”

“Your words are more than I deserve.”

The fortress’s soldiers soon caught up, the ground practically trembling beneath their stampede. Their stomps were interspersed with cries of joy at their comrades’ triumphant return.

The Beilschmidt border regiment had originally been an army stationed at the capital, so there were some who had acquaintances in the Second Army. This made for some rather surprised reunions.

And of course, there were tears shed for those who hadn’t made it back.

Altina looked over the soldiers and nodded. “They’re not just numbers... They’re people.”

“Is something the matter, Princess?”

“We lost close to a thousand of the soldiers who marched with us from Volks. Soldiers who had friends and family.”

“I heard that High Britannia had some brand-new weapon nobody had ever seen before. Both the Second and Seventh Armies were defeated, and Prince Latrielle was injured. I also heard that the enemy army was but a stone’s throw from the capital. We should rejoice that you brought even three thousand back from such a harsh war.”

“Right... I need to look forward. I even said the same thing to Regis.”

“Feeling a sense of responsibility and mourning the dead aren’t bad things, by any means. I know it may have been presumptuous of me, but seeing as you’re not on the battlefield anymore, I prepared a little celebration for your victory. Just meat and ale, though.”

“Hah... Thanks. We should hurry before it gets cold, then!”

The two mounted their horses again and rode along together. When the bugle sounded, the soldiers started to march shoulder to shoulder, singing cheerful songs of war and the Empire.

“...Hey, where’s Eric?” Altina asked.

Everard had been smiling up to that point, but his expression suddenly turned grim. It had taken only an instant for someone always overflowing with youth and energy to become as weary as an old man.

✧ ✧ ✧

Soon after she was back inside the fortress, Altina spotted a swordsman in a black robe and a young man with silver hair descending the stairs.

“Yo, Argentina!” Eddie called out. “Finally back?”

“I am glad you’re all right,” Auguste added.

She dressed in male clothing around the soldiers, but Auguste was actually Fifth Princess Felicia.

Altina greeted them with a raised hand as a large, canopied wagon passed through the gates. Clarisse stepped out from inside and offered them all a courteous bow.

Eddie tilted his head. “Hold up. Where’s Regis?”

“He had to go off on his own to get a promotion and a title conferred on him. Something like that...”

“I see. Makes sense, given everything he’s done.”

“Good grief, though! It just had to be when Germania might invade!”

“Not like there’s ever a peaceful moment in the Empire.”

“You have a point, but...”

The soldiers were growing rowdy as they left their horses to rest and started carrying the injured to the infirmary. Altina determined it would probably be fine to leave things to Everard and started heading to her room, making her way up the long staircase with the others.

“So, Eddie, Felicia—have you been in good health?”

“Never caught a cold in my life.”

“My apologies... I did catch a minor one.”

Once the soldiers were out of earshot, Felicia dropped her act to reveal the face of a timid young girl. It was a stark contrast to the awe-inspiring sense of dignity she gave off as Auguste—a testament to her magnificent acting skills.

Eddie scratched his head. “Ah, well... It ain’t your fault, Felicia. It’s been one cold day after another.”

“You think so...?”

“If only I could protect you from illnesses too. Still, feel free to rely on me whenever you’re feeling under the weather.”

“Yeah... Thank you. I already am relying on you. I always am.”

“I’ll make sure to warm you up on those cold days.”

Felicia’s cheeks turned a gentle red. “I look forward to that...”

In what seemed like a very uncharacteristic turn of events, Eddie returned a warm smile, a particular gentleness in his eyes.

Altina was starting to feel strangely restless. Am I getting in the way of something? she wondered with a quiet sigh. As she looked away from the pair, her gaze landed on Clarisse, who was walking a few steps behind and to the side of them.

“Hey, Clarisse...”

“What might be the matter, Princess?”

“When do you reckon Regis will be back?”

“I am told it will be somewhere between a week and a month from now. Please do remember that even once his business at the capital is complete, the journey here will take him quite some time. I would estimate no less than six days, and hopefully no longer than thirty.”

“Yeah, that’s about what I was expecting... Hah... I should have gone with him.”

“What are you talking about?” Eddie interjected with a wry smile on his face. “A commander can’t just up and leave her unit. Or were you planning to take the whole army with you?”

“Hmph... I know it wasn’t really an option, but... when I look at you and Felicia, I get this sudden urge to see Regis’s face! I just can’t put my finger on why, though...”

“Hmm? That is strange...” Eddie seemed equally perplexed.

Her already flushed cheeks turning even redder, Felicia stumbled over her words. “D-Does that mean...? Oh, Sis...”

Clarisse contributed an incredibly faint sigh. “Oh dear...” she muttered under her breath.

Altina parted with Eddie and Felicia upon reaching her room.

Once she had settled in, she decided she would wipe down her body. She sat in the center of a shallow tub as Clarisse soaked a cloth in a jug of warm water, lightly wrung it out, and then pressed it against her bare skin.

It was a soft, warm sensation.

“Phew...”

“Your skin truly is beautiful.”

“You think so? I wouldn’t say it’s any different from yours, Clarisse.”

“Hehe. I appreciate the compliment, Princess, but your skin glistens like a gemstone while also maintaining a supple springiness. It looks delicious, even.”

“N-No biting...”

“Oh, there’s no need to worry about me. But the time may come, someday... Hah. Just imagine it, my princess...”

“Are you suggesting that I’m going to get bitten? You’ve got to be kidding me. No matter who I’m up against, I’d never be that careless.”

“Mm... Yes, you could call it carelessness.”

“Huh?”

“Mwahaha... It seems I won’t need to worry for some time yet. You really are a princess after all, Princess.”

“Huuuh?”

Clarisse continued scrubbing Altina with strangely high spirits. The princess’s fatigue from the expedition seemed to wash away along with the grime, and soon enough, she was seated in front of the dresser while Clarisse combed her hair. She had been away for so long that the simple pleasure made her feel almost nostalgic, and before she knew it, a smile had spread across her lips.

“Hm... Ehehe...”

“Have I accidentally tickled you?” Clarisse asked.

“No, that’s not it. Maybe it’s just homesickness...”

“I see.”

“Hey, Clarisse... You’re going to stay with me forever, right?”

“Of course. But Mr. Regis will be back before you know it too.”

“Wh-Who said anything about Regis? He’s coming back. Of course he is. He promised.”

Clarisse went on to apply a thin layer of oil to Altina’s hair and skin, giving them an alluring sheen. The princess recoiled; this time, it really was a little ticklish.

✧ ✧ ✧

The celebration banquet was held that evening.

Those who had stayed behind during the war, those who had marched out on the expedition, and the newcomers who had come back with them all drank and made merry. Their coordination in battle could only be improved through rigorous training, but perhaps more personal connections such as these were necessary for them to truly rally under one banner.

Together, the soldiers rejoiced at the lives saved and mourned the ones lost. The feast carried on late into the night and would probably continue until early the next morning.

That night—

Having not seen him at the banquet either, Altina decided to pay Eric a visit. The lady doctor had mentioned that his wounds were already healed, so he would be found not in the infirmary but in his own room.

She knocked on the door.

“Yes...?” came a response.

Altina took a deep breath. “It’s me. Do you have a moment?”

“Eh?! Princess?!” The voice had become noticeably shrill.

The princess heard the pitter-patter of hurried footsteps and then the click of a latch being moved before the door was thrown open. It was nighttime, and yet the wide-eyed Eric was still wearing his usual leather clothes.

Altina chuckled. “Sorry for dropping by at this hour. It was a real pain, you know, sneaking out of the celebration... Were you asleep?”

“Perish the thought!”

The faint glow of a flickering flame seeped out from inside the room. The moon was usually the only light source for those awake at such an hour, but as Fort Volks was a former mine, there were no windows to allow for proper lighting. To make up for this, the soldiers used torches in the larger rooms and candles in smaller spaces.

“I wish to talk,” Altina said. “Is now a good time?”

“C-Certainly! I’ll get changed and head to the audience chamber at once!”

“You really don’t have to do that. But I would rather not have this conversation out in the corridor...”

The hallway carried sound like a speaking tube.

Eric stepped back and dropped down on one knee, finally granting Altina entrance. “To welcome the princess into a place like this...” he murmured.

“Well, the doctor said your wound was all better, right? So when I didn’t see you out and about, I started to wonder if something had happened.”

“Erk... M-My apologies! Under normal circumstances, I should have dropped everything to come and pay my respects!”

“That’s all right. I’ve received so many congratulations by this point that I’m sick of them. It’s not like we won with my strength alone... More importantly, though, I’m worried about you.”

Still kneeling down, Eric lowered his gaze to the floor. A non-commissioned fifth-grade combat officer like him would normally be assigned to a large room shared with several others, yet he had been granted one all to himself as Altina’s guard officer. It came with a small desk by the bed as well.

As they were now, if Altina sat on the bed, she would need to look down at Eric as they conversed. Back when she had intruded into Regis’s room, he would allow her to take the chair while sitting on the bed himself.

Now that she thought about it, Regis was a fifth-grade officer as well. It wouldn’t have been strange for him to humble himself and freeze up just as Eric was doing now.

He really is a strange person... Altina thought to herself. But that didn’t matter now. She dragged the chair by the desk over to the bed and took a seat.

“Eric, it’s hard to speak to you when you’re like that. Sit on the bed, why don’t you?”

“Me?! I-I couldn’t...”

“There’s no need to keep up appearances when nobody’s watching. I didn’t come here to be kowtowed to; I came to talk.”

“My apologies...”

Eric seemed reverent and reserved as he perched on the edge of the bed, which had been newly purchased upon the capture of the fortress. It was not a simple sheet of cloth laid over a base of straw, but a layered fabric stretched out over an innerspring mattress. This sort of luxury was normally reserved for commissioned officers.

The bed creaked lightly beneath Eric’s weight. He had already been a man who paid more thought to decorum than the others, but never to such an excessive extent.

There must be an explanation, Altina thought. It was presumably the same reason Everard had suddenly looked so troubled back when she arrived.

“So, has something happened?” she asked, cutting straight to the point. She hated needless beating around the bush.

“Urgh...” Eric groaned.

“Is it something that you can’t tell me?”

“N-No! Not at all!” he hurriedly replied. Transparent droplets were starting to well up in his eyes, and his shoulders shook ever so slightly.

Altina silently awaited his words. She wasn’t a child anymore; she could exercise patience if she needed to, especially for the sake of a subordinate.

The quivering reached Eric’s lips. “M-My left hand...”

“Yes, I heard that your injuries have healed.”

A few tears began to trickle down his cheeks. “I... I can’t continue... as a knight anymore,” he choked, gritting his teeth as he held out his trembling left hand. “I can’t put... any strength into it.”

Altina reached out and gently took his hand. It was slender and pale, almost like that of a noblewoman, and there were no visible wounds on it.

“Try to squeeze my fingers,” she said.

Eric looked miserable as he obliged. His grip truly was no better than a limp handshake. He was exerting enough strength to perhaps lift a cup of tea, but a heavy weapon was completely out of the question.

A knight was a mounted soldier: they needed to hold a spear in one hand and their horse’s reins in the other. As he was now, it would be impossible for him to fight on horseback.

More and more tears began to stream down the young man’s face. “E-Erk... Hic... That’s... That’s all I can manage...”

“I see...”

“I can only muster as much strength as a child... I can’t fight like this... I can’t even serve as a shield... I’ll only get in the way...” he murmured, struggling to contain his despairing whimpers.

Altina gripped his hand back, trying to use just as little force. “B-But the lady doctor said it would take two months for your muscles...”

Eric shook his head. “That’s not it... Not exactly... That was about my shoulder, which is getting better, but... My fingers...”

Altina was no longer a stranger to the battlefield, so this wasn’t her first time looking after a wounded soldier. She had seen similar cases before—men who could barely use their hands or feet after sustaining an injury to the shoulder or back. The muscles in their limbs hadn’t been wounded, and yet they couldn’t move their fingers or stand. The cause was unknown, and there was currently no way of treating it.

For Eric, his condition probably wouldn’t be too much of an inconvenience in his everyday life, at least not once he grew used to it. But there was no way he could continue to serve as a standard soldier, let alone a guard officer.

Altina continued to grip his hand, suddenly overcome with worry. She didn’t know what to say.

“Waaah... Princess... I-I’m sorry... I’m... useless now...” Eric sobbed, his shoulders shaking even harder as he squeezed the words from his chest. He was in no state to stand in battle or even carry supplies; in fact, under normal circumstances, he would have already been sent home by now. But was that really all right? Regis had told Altina before that, without Eric, he would have been dead.

“Th-That’s right. Regis might just...”

“Pardon...?” Eric asked, wiping his teary eyes with his right sleeve.

Altina reached out, now using both hands to comfortingly envelop Eric’s left. “I’m sorry. What I’m about to say might be a little insensitive—it might be irresponsible and selfish, and it might even frustrate you... But I really do think you’re a reliable guard officer.”

“P-Princess...?”

“Regis said it was only because of your advice that he worked out Auguste’s true identity. You’re the one who prepared the horses for us to get away, and when I fought Franziska, you’re the one who saved his life.”

“I-Is that true?”

“I don’t want to lose you, Eric. I’ll try consulting with the lady doctor. She’s only just returned, so she hasn’t gotten a proper look at you yet, right?”

“Th-That’s true, but... she’ll just say it’ll be a long time before I recover—assuming I ever do, that is.”

“I’ll wait however long it takes. Regis might even know something that can help.”

“But if Mr. Regis sees me like this... won’t he lose faith in me...?” Eric asked, looking at the princess fearfully.

Altina shook her head with all her might. “Absolutely not! That would never happen! There’s no way Regis would abandon you! I-I’m certain! Yes, of course! He’ll say something like, ‘I’ve read about this in a book before’!”

“Do you really think so...?”

“Absolutely.”

Eric lowered his eyes and sighed. “But... Mr. Regis hasn’t stopped by my room, or the infirmary... Hasn’t he forgotten about me?”

“Don’t be ridiculous! He’s gone to the capital for a promotion or something!”

“Eh?!”

“Nobody told you?! Actually... on second thought, I guess that’s something you’d never find out unless you asked. He wanted to know how your recovery was going. Ah, that reminds me—I promised that I’d write to him.”

“Writing? You...?” Eric asked, once again wiping his eyes. This time, however, he had a dubious look on his face.

Altina scowled. “What? Is the thought of me writing letters really that strange?”

“I-I didn’t say that! It’s just... I’ve never even seen you hold a pen before.”

“I can at least manage a few letters. I promised to send him one every day.”

“Every day?!” Eric exclaimed. His eyes were wide as plates, his shock so immense that he even seemed to have forgotten his own circumstances.

Is this really that surprising? I feel a bit insulted...

“Y-Yes, every day. And my first one will be about you, Eric.”

“I-I’m honored. Every day... That truly is astounding... I once heard Mr. Regis lament about you trying to avoid doing something as simple as signing documents that absolutely required your signature...”

“Erp.”

Altina averted her gaze. She wasn’t a particularly bad writer, but she couldn’t think of anything worse than being stuck behind a desk, moving nothing but her hands.

Eric reverently lowered his head. “Thank you, Princess. For you to have shown so much concern for me... That alone makes the time I once spent as a knight worthwhile.”

“Oh, for crying out loud! You’re still a knight! I haven’t given up yet—not on changing the Empire, and not on you!”

Judging by the look on his face, Eric was clearly bewildered. Altina was sure he had already heard about the passing of the emperor, but perhaps Latrielle’s proclamation had yet to reach his ears. They were on the farthest border, after all.

Altina sat back down and fell into thought. Right now, her main priority was her letter to Regis. “Err... What should I start with...?” she mused aloud.

Then, there was a knock at the door.

“Who could that be?” Eric muttered to himself as he stood, prompting Altina to finally release her grip on him. His right hand hovered above his sword as he creaked open the door.

In the doorway stood a maid with a friendly smile on her face. She was carrying a tray, on top of which was a pristine tea set.

“I thought the letter writing might take a while, so would you care for some extra sweet tea to keep you up?”

“Huh... Ms. Clarisse...”

“Aha! Good thinking!” Altina exclaimed, happily beckoning the maid inside. “You couldn’t have come at a better time; we’ll all write the letter together!”

“Oh, that does sound fun.”

Eric cocked his head. “Is that really okay though? Wasn’t the promise that the princess would write a letter every single day?”

“Erk... Th-That doesn’t matter! Remember this, okay? Relying on your comrades is important in any situation. Challenging someone you have no chance of winning against to a duel, and charging the enemy alone isn’t courageous—it’s foolish,” she explained, holding up a finger and speaking in a very Regis-like tone.

Eric and Clarisse exchanged a brief glance before bursting into fits of giggles.

Why are they laughing?! Altina thought, puffing out her cheeks in frustration.