Volume 9, Chapter 6 – Preparations Before Departure

The following day.

Autumn weather is notoriously fickle; even if the previous day was bathed in brilliant sunshine, the temperature can plummet overnight following a single rainstorm, forcing one to don a coat ¹ to put on a coat to keep the chill from seeping into their skin.

This was especially true in Blossom, situated in the northern reaches of the World Tree Continent. Because the vast plains between Blossom and the northern frozen lands lacked mountain ranges for protection, winter always arrived earlier here than elsewhere. While it wasn’t yet cold enough for one’s breath to turn into white mist, the onset of winter was barely half a month away. Passersby on the streets pulled their collars tight as they walked, and wealthy families had already begun cleaning their hearths. The bustling streets were filled with merchants hawking winter clothing and charcoal. High above, the golden Holy Tree—which normally pierced the clouds—had already shed its leaves, casting a wintry atmosphere over all of Blossom.

In this environment, the Twilight Palace was similarly busy with the sorting and cleaning of winter attire.

“I’ve heard Dragonfall is exceptionally cold, so we must pack plenty of layers. Come to think of it, does Miss Claire have a place to stay there? If there’s no residence, you’ll have to stay in an inn—no, I doubt they even use the currency of the World Tree Continent there. It’s better to prepare versatile magic crystals as currency. And really, how can Your Highness go without a maid? You haven’t lived a day without attendants in over ninety years; will you truly be able to adjust…?”

“Don’t worry, Anastasia, I’m not a child. Besides, I only plan to stay there with Claire for a month at most. If all goes well, we could be back in a week. After all, this trip is just to visit Claire’s old home.”

Fia, sitting on the edge of the bed and half-lounging while staring at the ceiling, waved a hand dismissively at Anastasia, who was carefully folding a series of magnificent gowns from the wardrobe. She knew Anastasia was loath to be parted from her and wanted to tag along, but Dragonfall was simply too far from Blossom. Fia needed to combine [High-Speed Flight] with [Flowing Wind’s Blessing] to make the trip quickly; Anastasia wouldn’t be able to withstand the physical strain of such speeds.

True, she could use [Aegis of the Firmament] to protect Anastasia from the impact, but she couldn’t forget that Claire was also coming. The mental image of herself carrying Claire in one arm and Anastasia in the other was just too bizarre.

“Mm… won’t you stay in the Twilight Palace for two more days? Leaving tomorrow feels so rushed. The Queen and I haven’t even finished preparing everything. Dragonfall is far from the World Tree Continent; even though we all know how strong you and Miss Claire are, we can’t help but worry.”

“The sooner I go, the sooner I return. Instead of worrying about me, I’m more concerned about you all. Chaos has the ability to tear through space, and since the Sovereign knows I’ll be gone, she might send Helian to reclaim her puppet. Safety is a concern. I’ll ask Lucitine and Milan to take turns protecting you. Anastasia, you’ll need to help cover for Milan’s identity.”

Milan and his group couldn’t exist for long away from Chaos. To have them protect Blossom, she would need to excavate a space beneath the city large enough to house them. Fia planned to finish this before leaving. Although there was a risk of exposure, it was a risk worth taking for peace of mind.

If possible, Fia actually wanted to ask the White Fairy—whose real name was Mimias—for help. However, Mimias felt far too unstable; heaven only knew when she might betray them. Consequently, Fia hadn’t told her she was leaving the continent.

Following that train of thought, Fia remembered something important and sat up.

“Colita told me this morning that after Mother Yulisha left my room last night, she went to yours. What did she say to you, Anastasia?”

“Uh…”

Anastasia froze mid-fold. Fia could clearly see a blush creeping up the elf’s pointed ears.

“It… it was nothing…”

“It couldn’t have been nothing. Colita said Mother Yulisha left the Twilight Palace with a smile. I want the truth, Anastasia. What did she say?” Fia’s tone was thick with suspicion. She actually had a guess, but she didn’t want to believe it. She asked hesitantly, “She didn’t… try to teach you how to use the branch of the Holy Tree, did she?”

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Anastasia’s body stiffened further. Finally, she lowered her head shyly and whispered, “Yes…”

This is bad.

Alarm bells rang in Fia’s head.

Last night, shortly after she’d returned to her room, Mother Yulisha had found her with that long gift box, insisting on teaching her—an underage elf—how to use the branch of the Holy Tree by hand. Fia had naturally refused. Setting aside the fact that she was still four years away from the elven age of maturity, it was far too early even for “planning ahead.” For one thing, given the Eldest Princess’s petite frame, she didn’t look suited for motherhood at all.

But even after Fia argued her point, Yulisha had been quite forceful, pulling her to the edge of the bed and nearly rolling up the sleeve of Fia’s right arm. According to Yulisha, knowing how to use the branch of the Holy Tree was knowledge every elven royal had to master. Normally, it would have been taught back when she was Liti’s age.

The only reason Yulisha had waited until now was that the previous Eldest Princess was too cold; the mothers simply couldn’t find an opening. Now that Fia had become more “elven”like, she naturally had to learn. Moreover, since she was about to go to Dragonfall with Claire, it was only natural for things to happen between two people on the road. When feelings deepened, the urge to use it would follow; as a mother, she couldn’t let them be left wanting in a moment of need.

Faced with such a persistent Yulisha, Fia had been forced to use her trump card: shifting the target.

Her plan was to first explain, with great emotion, “I haven’t even married them yet. If my belly were to bulge during the wedding with Claire and the others, wouldn’t I become a laughingstock?” She used the “noble face” argument to stall, then suggested, “Compared to my meager body, Claire and Anastasia are surely more suitable.” This successfully diverted Yulisha’s attention to the other two, leading her to nod in agreement that Fia had a point.

Fia still remembered the pensive look on Yulisha’s face as she left, which practically screamed: Claire and Anastasia are indeed more suited to be mothers than Dofi.

That was why Fia’s sense of crisis spiked when she heard Colita’s report. Generally, the person holding the branch was the one who would take on the maternal role, but there were exceptions—for instance, if Person A mastered the usage and used the branch on Person B, then B would become the mother.

If Mother Yulisha had taught Anastasia how to use the branch on her , then being alone in a room with Anastasia right now was dangerous. Even a tiny probability warranted vigilance. For a moment, Fia felt a genuine flash of fear; if everyone discovered she had a baby bump at her own wedding, the ministers would make a “beautiful legend” out of her and laugh for the rest of her life.

She immediately rose from the bed and replied with feigned composure.

“Anastasia, I need to go out for a bit.”

“But you only just came in.”

“I suddenly remembered I should see Estelle back to her territory.”

“But it’s daytime; a vampire sleeps during the day.”

“That’s…”

“Speaking of which, the Queen asked me to give this branch of the Holy Tree to you yesterday. She also asked me to tell you how to use it.”

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Anastasia turned around, taking out the emerald-green rectangular box and taking a step forward. This proactive movement sent a wave of terror through Fia. She quickly scooted back across the bed—without even taking her shoes off—until her feet were nearly up on the mattress.

“No… there’s no need. I’m not at the age to use it yet. You keep it, Anastasia.”

“We’re coming in~?”

Just as Fia spoke, Liti’s voice came from the door. Liti, Milu, and Yulisha entered in single file. All five of them ended up staring: four at Fia, who looked like she was fleeing from Anastasia, and one at Anastasia, who was holding the branch of the Holy Tree and closing in.

The first to react was Yulisha. As a mature woman, she wore a “knowing” and gentle smile as she placed her arms around Liti and Milu’s shoulders, guiding them back toward the door.

“Liti, Milu, let’s head out.”

“Okay.”

“We picked a bad time…”

Even Liti nodded in profound agreement. Although she didn’t like “sharing” Fia, Anastasia was an exception. However, this was clearly a misunderstanding, and Fia, sprawled on the bed, quickly called out to them.

“Wait! Don’t close the door! Mother Yulisha, Liti, why are you here?”

“I… I just wanted to hand over the branch of the Holy Tree to the Princess. I didn’t mean anything else.”

“Really? We aren’t interrupting you two?”

“How could I dare deceive the Queen?”

“Tch.”

Though it was very quiet, Fia heard Yulisha let out a dissatisfied click of her tongue. The latter led Liti and Milu back into the room with a long sigh.

“We saw Claire packing her clothes. At first, I thought maybe you and she had a falling out, but when I asked, I learned you plan to leave for Dragonfall tomorrow. Why didn’t you tell me about such a hurried decision? I thought you’d take a while longer to prepare.”

“I wasn’t planning on keeping it from you, Mother Yulisha. Originally, I decided to wait another week, but those human nations were too blind to the situation. I had to move the date up.”

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“What I mean is, shouldn’t you wait until after the wedding to leave? From Blossom to Dragonfall, even in the best-case scenario, a round trip takes over half a year. Even flying would take months. Don’t forget you have a wedding.”

As she spoke, Yulisha sat down beside Fia, while Liti simply hugged Fia’s arm as if she were afraid to let her escape.

“Well… with my strength, it only takes three or four days to fly from Blossom to Dragonfall. It’s Claire’s home, and there are some things we need to confirm.”

To put Yulisha’s mind at ease, Fia explained Claire’s situation to her.

First, she had learned from the White Fairy that Claire likely came from the same world as the fairy and had some connection to the Demon Lord named Tartaros. At the very least, their weapons were identical. Fia believed that if they returned to Claire’s point of origin, they might find some answers.

Second, Claire had always worried she was the culprit behind the continent’s “Falls.” Back when she stayed in Dragonfall, the land frequently experienced earthquakes and falls, and when she came to Blossom, Blossom suffered a Fall as well. Worse still, during the time they were apart and Claire had returned to Dragonfall, she found the land was exceptionally stable in her absence—not a single Fall had occurred in years. Thus, she had come to believe that she herself was the cause.

Although Fia believed this had nothing to do with Claire and was merely a coincidence, Claire was burdened by guilt. She felt that if she stayed in Blossom, the Royal Castle might be the next to fall. Fia didn’t want this anxiety to persist. The main goal of this trip was to dispel Claire’s fears; if no Fall occurred while Claire was in Dragonfall, she could finally find peace of mind.

Anxiety has a way of accumulating rapidly over time; if left unaddressed, it would eventually lead to a terrible outcome.

Finally—and this was the reason most likely to convince Yulisha—since her wedding with Claire was in two months, it was only right to deliver the happy news to the people of Claire’s homeland. Though she didn’t know if anyone in Dragonfall still remembered Claire, Fia recalled that Claire had a very close friend there, close enough to lend out her companion weapon—apparently a dragon girl in distress. In short, it was like notifying the bride’s side of the family.

As Fia expected, Yulisha’s expression remained calm during the first two points, but her face lit up with realization and even joy upon hearing the final reason. She nodded repeatedly in thought.

“I almost forgot about that. Indeed, Claire’s friends should be invited to the wedding. Speaking of which, Anastasia—no, never mind.”

She was probably going to ask about inviting Anastasia’s parents, Clark and Veronica, Fia guessed. Although Yelido had emerged from his past gloom, Fia still remembered what he had said when he last parted with Veronica. Yelido treated Clark and Veronica as dead; if they ever appeared before him again, they would be enemies. No one dared gamble on whether Yelido would truly let bygones be bygones. It was better not to plan for it than to risk someone ruining the mood.

“Yes, it’s about time to distribute the invitations anyway. How many friends does Claire have in Dragonfall? Even though you only have a day, it’s no trouble to prepare some simple gifts. Don’t say no; you are a Princess of the Kingdom. I must let Claire’s side know your family background. They must know that Dofi is not only cute and powerful but also holds a prominent status. I won’t let you be embarrassed abroad.”

Yulisha’s expression was quite serious, not at all like she was joking. Fia couldn’t help but feel a warmth in her heart. She could sense that Yulisha wasn’t doing this for the Kingdom’s reputation, but out of pure concern for her daughter. She wanted to back her up and didn’t want her to be looked down upon.

Although Mother Yulisha was quite “rough” when it came to the topic of marriage, in terms of caring for her, she only brought warmth and a sense of security—stern yet gentle.

I really am Mother Yulisha’s daughter…

Feeling something swell in her chest, Fia instinctively leaned toward Yulisha, her shoulder lightly touching her mother’s arm. Although Yulisha’s shoulders weren’t broad, they provided an exceptionally warm touch that made Fia relax involuntarily. Yulisha was momentarily stunned, but then her amber eyes filled with relief and happiness; Fia had never proactively relied on her like this before.

“Claire has a curse of being forgotten on her. I only know she has many dragon friends, but I’m not sure exactly how many.”

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“Dragons, is it? Then prepare plenty of gems and gold coins. Dragons love shiny things; Silvar can certainly afford that much. Remember to ask Claire exactly how many dragon friends she has later. Alright, since you’re leaving tomorrow, I should go back and urge His Majesty to prepare. He’ll surely be loath to see you go so early; he might even rush over this afternoon—is Anastasia coming with you?”

“I want to go too.”

“Me too! Sister can’t play favorites!”

Following Yulisha’s question, Milu and Liti emphasized their desires. The former raised her stubborn red eyes, while the latter wore a pitiful, pleading expression.

While she really wanted to bring her companions along, Dragonfall was full of unknowns, and it would be inconvenient to fly at high speeds with so many people. It was better to resolve Claire’s worries and return as soon as possible; a month would pass in the blink of an eye.

Fia gave a wry smile and patted Liti and Milu’s small heads.

“Only Claire and I are going. Liti and Milu should stay in Blossom and rest. It would be best if you could raise your strength to the Fifth Rank; that way, you can fight alongside the Chaos.”

“No, I want to be with Sister.”

“Mmu.”

Unlike the wheedling Liti, Milu simply pouted with a look of utter displeasure.

Even so, I still can’t take you with me. The teleport points are limited; even if I used them all, it wouldn’t be enough to get from Blossom to Dragonfall.

Fia was filled with helplessness.

I just hope we can set out and return quickly. Before that, I still have to deal with those two blind human empires. If not for them, I wouldn’t have to leave so early.

Thinking of this, Fia couldn’t help but feel a flash of anger.

Having their monarchs kneel and kiss my shoes would be a reward. I might as well prepare some “grand gifts” for them; it might even benefit our future cooperation.

As she stewed in her annoyance, Fia soon lost herself in the “Sister” and “Master” calls coming from Liti and Milu on either side. To appease them, she ended up taking them for a stroll through Blossom’s commercial district. It was called a “stroll,” but in reality, she bought them everything they wanted. This gave the residents of Blossom a deeper understanding of the change in their Eldest Princess—she had zero immunity to children’s requests, and her doting gentleness was enough to make anyone envious, wishing they were a little girl themselves.