Chapter 1: Ynys Negesydd

1

Erika returned to her room, shooing everyone away under the pretense of wanting to get some good rest before the trip. It was only when the servants were gone that she could kick back and talk to Tirnanog.

“You don’t have to worry, Erika. I’ll be with you.”

“Thank you, Tir.”

Having spent two months together, Erika felt close enough to this monster to call him by a pet name.

“I’ll get rid of this August boy for you.”

“Hmm, I don’t think he’s the sort that needs getting rid of...”

Erika recalled the August from Liber Monstrorum, a frivolous prince with long, blond hair and tan skin. He never dared to develop a deep relationship with anyone, instead running away the moment someone tried to close the distance. Despite his carefree nature, he had a thick shell around his heart. He was always surrounded by one scandal or another.

“If we do end up fighting, you’ll probably be up against his Beast of Contracts.”

The Beast of Contracts was a fearsome monster that appeared in the second route of the game, the “Androphagi Archangel Incident,” where August was the focus.

This part of the story took place at the Academy of Magic in Lindis, where the Feast of the Archangel was being celebrated. In the midst of these merry festivities, a terrible incident occurred, and the vestiges of a gut-wrenching tragedy were discovered in the chapel.

An obscene amount of blood was splattered all over the scene, lending a sinister air to the chapel’s festive decorations. Within the sea of red was the left ear and three fingers of a girl and the left arm of a boy. They had been crudely severed from their bodies, like a beast had torn them off.

Those who inspected the human remains identified the victims as August and Erika. The mouth of the chapel’s angel statue was left smeared with blood, as if the angel had eaten the two of them alive.

Chloe, the game’s resident protagonist, was swept up in the events when she spotted the shadow of a large, one-armed beast at the crime scene. That night, she encountered Prince August, who was supposed to be dead.

What had caused this tragedy?

Motivated by his inferiority complex, August sullied his hands with the forbidden arts. He was unable to ride dragons, despite being the prince of a country of dragoons. Because of this, many decried him as an illegitimate son. Nevertheless, he continued to put in all his effort and then some. But in the end, if he couldn’t ride a dragon, his labor would only reap doubts and disdain.

Once he could no longer stand the pressure, August finally committed a taboo. He revived an ancient phantasmic beast known only as the Beast of Contracts and fused with it. Although August gained the ability to ride dragons thanks to the beast’s power, he had surrendered something far more valuable: his humanity.

Over the next six years, August remained stalwart; the beast, on the other hand, could no longer bear the burden placed on its imperfectly coalescent body.

Eventually, the beast split off from August. In a half-human, half-bestial form, it ambled around devouring whatever monster it came across in order to regain its power. But the creature bit off more than it could chew, losing an arm as a consequence. As it rushed to reclaim its arm and scamper back to the academy, the wounded beast came upon pitiful Erika Aurelia.

Erika was eaten alive simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and with her death, the curtains rose on the second route of Liber Monstrorum. However, the present Erika knew she wasn’t simply an unlucky, tragic victim. After all, it was Erika herself who had triggered August’s descent into darkness.

Right, she got her just desserts again. Erika let out a troubled sigh.

Just as in the first route, where she provoked Claus’ little sister, Anne, into rushing to her death, in the second route, she mocked August for his failures and tore the last remnants of his pride to shreds. Her ridicule was the last push, the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Erika knew she would have to be careful. She swore never to laugh at August. That was all she could do for him at the moment.

If August still reached for the forbidden regardless, she anticipated she would either have to negotiate with the Beast of Contracts or defeat it in battle. She had told her brother the wands were just for self-defense, but she had also chosen them with the idea of fighting a mighty beast in mind.

“Very well. When the time comes, I will be your shield and your spear.”

“Glad to hear it. I’m counting on you. But before we think about combat, there’s something I need you to do.”

Erika glanced down at the five leather bags sitting on the carpet. They were each around the size of an ottoman and were reinforced with metal to make them solid and sturdy. They mostly contained clothing and shoes, among other daily necessities.

The clothes Duke Aurelia had prepared for his beloved daughter Erika were all embroidered with Paralyze magic to prevent assassination and kidnapping. If their wearer were so much as scratched, they would momentarily restrain anyone in the general vicinity. He had additionally prepared a small mountain of accessories that could redirect curses.

On top of the wands she’d received from Eduard, Erika also had a star crystal lamp that would glow whenever mana was present, an animated rope that could be controlled at will, and a number of other magic items. She had also stuffed in emergency food, water, and medicine; books that might prove useful; the tools and materials to make a golem; and whatever else she could think of.

“You see... I push and I pull, but these things just aren’t going anywhere.”

Each bag was not only too heavy for Erika herself, but they weighed so much that she wondered whether she could possibly ask a servant to take them on.

“Leave it to me, friend. They are no more than feathers to me.”

Before she had even finished asking, Tirnanog was already at work, hoisting up the bags and stacking them on top of one another. They were furnished with straps, so even the small golem could hold them.

“Indeed, this is nothing. I feel nothing at all,” he declared once he’d gotten a hold of three of them.

“How many do you think you can handle? Are you alright? No need to push yourself.”

“Bwahahaha, don’t make light of me.”

Erika shot Tirnanog a concerned look as he proudly puffed out his chest.

“You’ve only just revived. Don’t overexert yourself, okay?”

“How laughable! Overexert? I’m not even exerting! This much doesn’t even require a warm-up. I’ve carried whole cities before! How could this be too much for me?” said the monster who was originally the size of an island.

Tirnanog lifted a tower of all five bags, walking without the slightest difficulty.

“Bwahahahaha! Why, it’s lighter than air!”

“I’m glad you can lift them, but take care not to drop anything.”

“Who do you think you’re dealing with?!”

Now I’m perfectly prepared, Erika thought, relieved.

That being the case, the wands, books, and magic items crammed into these bags were originally her brother’s. If possible, she wanted to return them unused.

2

Duke Aurelia, then Erika, and finally a line of servants passed through the transfer gate of the Spring Palace. Their destination was a small city a short distance from Ignitia’s royal capital of Ynys Negesydd.

In the interest of national security, any direct transfers to the royal capital were strictly prohibited—barring emergencies, of course. It would be a short carriage ride from the nearest transfer point.

The city they stopped by was lively in preparations for Adventmas. Statues of angels holding swords and eggs were erected all over town, and they were all decorated with plenty of flowers.

Adventmas was an early summer festival that merged the legend of Ignitia’s Founding King with other summer celebrations already held independently in the northern and eastern parts of Ichthyes.

A slave warrior born in Ignitia—which was then but a province in the continent of Karkinos to the south—caught the eye of a single angel. The angel bestowed upon the lowly slave the power to control dragons, and with this power, he drove back the vampyres who controlled Ichthyes. Thereafter, he was crowned the Founding King of Ignitia.

Outside of Ignitia, he was also known as “the Conquering King.”

This was a heroic epic any young boy born in Ichthyes should know by heart. The angel who descended that day was the star of Adventmas and the subject of all these beautifully decorated statues.

Given the origin of the country, there were officially two regions known as Ignitia. The first was the Crown of Ignitia, which occupied the southern part of Ichthyes. The second lay across from Ynys Negesydd, a peninsula in the northeastern region of Karkinos where Ignitia was once a province of a larger power: the Karkinos-Ignitia region. When one said Ignitia, they were often referring to the former—the Crown of Ignitia governed by the king and his regents.

Ynys Negesydd was also a part of the Crown of Ignitia. Its name roughly translated to “the Isle of the Messenger.”

The Aurelian carriage proceeded down the coastland. Once they rounded the cape, leaving the flock of tall buildings behind them, the natural landscape truly unfolded.

A vivid blue sea filled Erika’s entire field of vision. The waters were crystal clear, glistening under the strong light of the southern sun. The air here was different from Aurelia’s cold sea breeze; it was hot and damp as it stroked Erika’s hair.

In the middle of this glittering sea stood a palace of pure white. It was an island and a city at the same time. The townscape was constructed of a uniform white stone, and all the high buildings—the palace, church, ramparts, and the like—shared a coherent design. It had been built in harmony with the towering royal palace at the center of it all, making the entire island look like a single magnificent structure.

Surrounding the white castle were a number of winged, black shadows, fluttering high in the air.

“Oh, so this is Ynys Negesydd. Quite scenic, is it not?”

“It’s incredible. It’s like the palace is rising up from the sea.”

Tirnanog and Erika gazed in awe from the carriage window. The royal palace was just as beautiful as they had heard. It definitely deserved its reputation as the finest sight in all of the king’s territory.

A single path extended across the sea to the island. From afar, it had looked no thicker than a thread, but as they closed in, it revealed itself to be a vast and sturdy stone bridge ten meters across. The bridge’s surface was always a bit slick and covered with barnacles, as it sank around twenty centimeters below sea level whenever the tide rolled in.

The carriage soon made its way over this bridge that had been underwater only a few hours ago.

Two giant dragon statues loomed over the gate. The right one was marble, and the left one was bronze polished to a golden sheen. They represented the mounts of the King of Dragoons, the famed Founding King of Ignitia. The white dragon was Urthona, and the gold dragon Tharmas.

Above Urthona were two soaring dragons the size of horses. On the backs of these mares—for when a dragon’s gender was unknown, it was referred to as female—rode Ignitian dragoons in their red military uniforms.

The two dragoons waved their hands to welcome their foreign visitors, Duke Aurelia’s party included. They started out so high that their outlines merged with the sun’s rays, but soon descended toward the water. The twin dragons flew level to the surface, so close that the tips of their legs skimmed the waves. When the dragons rose over the visitors once more, they kicked up a spray of mist with their forelimbs.

“A rainbow!” Erika cried out in wonder.

The dragons’ paths formed an arch, a faint prismatic trail left in their wake. This was a reception exclusive to the land of dragon riders. The assortment of people from all nations who had come to take part in the Adventmas festivities waved back and cheered.

“So those are southern dragons. They’re puny.”

“You think so? I hear they can grow to about twenty meters.”

“Is that it? They still have a long way to go.”

From the perspective of a beast once the size of a mountain, practically everything was small.

Well, a dragon that can fly so freely through the open skies is captivating in its own way, Erika thought.

This was the first time she had ever seen what this world considered a common dragon.

The dragons here were all either imported or descended from dragons imported from Karkinos. They sported dinosaurian contours, slender limbs, supple yet robust hind legs, and horns that varied wildly by subspecies. However, for some reason, none of them boasted curling horns like Tirnanog’s.

On top of that, the flying breeds were blessed with a set of large, bat-like wings.

Smaller dragon breeds lived around a hundred years, and they would usually spend the entirety of that time alongside humans. The larger ones’ lifespans could range from three hundred to a thousand years, and after the first two hundred years, they would often leave human society. They would make the long trek to the islands that dotted the Sea of Monsters south of Ichthyes and spend the remainder of their long lives there.

The dragons of Ignitia were intelligent enough to understand human language, but as they did not possess the necessary organs to speak it, they were classified as magic beasts.

They were among the life-forms in this world that could not be classified in the same way as normal animals. These creatures stood out as they were often capable of at least one minor magical ability. Once their ecology was understood to a certain extent, or once they could be bred and raised as livestock, they were deemed magic beasts.

Monsters that exceeded the domain of magic beasts were called phantasmic beasts. The boundary between magic and phantasmic beasts was subject to heavy debate and based on the following criteria:

The monster could understand and speak human language.

The monster could manipulate a system of magic rather than possessing a single magic ability.

The monster was a member of a non-phantasmic beast species, but possessed transcendent strength as an individual.

The monster’s sighting and encounter rate was so low they barely existed outside the realm of folklore.

As long as one or more of these conditions was met, a beast was often considered phantasmic. While Tirnanog shared some similarities with dragons, he was undoubtedly a phantasmic beast.

The number of dragons overhead increased even more once the carriage was inside Ynys Negesydd.

“Wow, what a scene!” Erika exclaimed, a sparkle befitting her young age in her eyes.

Dragoons holding red, blue, or green flags got into formation as they soared through the air over the city. Just as the blue-flags finished simultaneously looping the loop, the red-flags circled them, flying upside-down. The dragoons spread out to herald the appearance of a conspicuously larger dragon, which exhaled a fountain of fiery breath.

The flames bloomed into a flower, eliciting claps and cheers from the crowd. This reception was both a spectacle to entertain those visiting for Adventmas and a method to show off their military might. Ignitia had around a hundred of these trained dragoons.

It wasn’t only the dragons; the town was also breathtaking and exotic. The pillars and walls were made of lovely, white crystalline limestone that could be found in abundance in the southern regions. Their buildings were all open-concept and well ventilated.

Everything in sight was decorated for Adventmas. There were red curtains emblazoned with the crest of Ignitia, angel statues dappled with flowers, handmade angel dolls, and much more. The people wore somewhat liberating and comfortable clothes ornamented with live flowers.

As Erika’s carriage ambled toward the palace, it passed by various magic beasts. She saw wingless dragons the size of cows pulling carts like horses, and occasionally, cat-sized dragons perched atop the shoulders of the affluent. There were magic beasts native to Ichthyes as well as ones reared in Karkinos.

Not limited to dragons, Ignitia was home to all kinds of beast tamers. Even if they weren’t dragoons, the everyman on the street could handle magic beasts; all Ignitians possessed what could be best described as a light form of telepathy.

As Erika was busy enjoying the extraordinary sights, the carriage finally passed through the palace gates. There, the Aurelians disembarked to meet with Ignitian royalty. Their attendants immediately rushed off to prepare the quarters Duke Aurelia and his household would be using.

Tirnanog, as a golem, was to stay in the carriage. Erika, still giddy, pumped herself up with renewed motivation. She would shortly have to confront the problematic Prince August.

I must take care not to blurt out anything that could be mistaken as an insult. I especially have to be careful around the festival’s main attraction—the joust—where Erika mocked August in Liber Monstrorum.

Erika pulled out a hand mirror, double-checking her appearance and cleanliness.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes, of course, Father! Do not worry about me.”

Thus, Erika took her first step into the palace to check on ten-year-old Prince August.

3

Duke Aurelia and Erika passed through the chamber where foreign nobles awaited their turn for an audience. They were guided straight to the private space of the Ignitian royal family.

“Why, if it isn’t Ernst! How long has it been? Welcome to Ignitia.”

As the two of them entered, a man with an affable smile spread out his arms. By the crown on his head, this could be none other than the king.

“My humblest apologies for my extended absence, Your Royal Majesty.”

“Too stiff, far too stiff. It seems you never change.”

The king of Ignitia grinned wider at Duke Aurelia’s formal address.

“Same goes for you, Erika. Just take it easy; think of this as your own home.”

“Certainly, Your Royal Majesty. Thank you for your kind consideration.”

King Henri was in his forties, but he was still an energetic man brimming with confidence and spirit. His long, pale-blond hair and hazel eyes tinted with purple were unique to the people of the south. His skin, a warm shade of cocoa, told a tale of adventure, for this man was still an active dragon rider. Either because he laughed often, or because the sunlight was so strong in these parts, his wrinkles were carved deep into his face. A silver dragon the size of a large dog sat at his feet in place of a guard.

Queen Adelaide’s blonde hair was even paler, close to platinum. Her eyes were like two transparent amethyst crystals. While beautiful enough to inspire both awe and fear, she wasn’t nearly as stiff as her appearance might suggest. Her gestures were filled with dignity and vitality. Like her husband, she had a cat-sized blue dragon resting on her shoulders.

However, the all-important First Prince August was nowhere to be found. Erika kept meek as a doll as she keenly listened in on the exchange between the friendly king and her stiff father.

The conversation occasionally touched on August’s younger brother and sister—three-year-old twins—Second Prince Jules and First Princess Agnes, but August wasn’t so much as alluded to.

Just let sleeping dogs lie, I guess. At least, that was the impression Erika was faintly picking up.

“Dear, you’ll earn the antipathy of your people if you keep monopolizing the lovely lady,” the queen politely told her husband.

“You’re right. I wouldn’t want a rebellion. Please, go and enjoy the festivities, you two.”

By word of the king, their audience came to an end.

It’s a shame I didn’t get to see August, though. Still, it had been a rather bland and inoffensive meeting, which came as somewhat of a relief.

After the audience, Duke Aurelia was scheduled to discuss Adventmas matters with the ministers and other politicians. Erika was left to roam free for the time being. Her father had told her, “We don’t come here often; why not go and enjoy yourself?” so she opted to do some sightseeing in the capital.

☆

Erika purchased a guide pamphlet from a church near the palace. These booklets were copied out by an automated writing golem, and they contained a simple map of all the religious landmarks on Ynys Negesydd along with a rough description of the importance of each.

The explanations given were in picture-book format and kept concise so children and foreigners could understand. Erika had done a bit of research on Ignitia, but among the local legends in the pamphlet, there were many completely unknown to her.

For instance, the legend of Ynys Negesydd’s Androphagi giants.

Once upon a time, this island was not the Isle of the Messenger; it was called Ynys Corfflue, or the Isle of Corpses. The island was ruled by a bad giant named Cain who ate people alive. According to the legend, an envoy of the One True God defeated Cain, and the island was henceforth Ynys Negesydd.

Strangely enough, the name of the Casquetian king—whom the Founding King had once fought—was also Cain. In King Cain’s generation, Casquetia was turned into a country of vampyres, and he was called “the Mad King.” Perhaps the legends of the vampyres were mixed up with the long Giant Wars that followed.

I definitely remember seeing the name Cain in my previous life, though.

According to the character introduction page on the official website, Liber Monstrorum was only supposed to have seven love interests: the gloomy sadist, Claus; the flippant Prince August; the noble-turned-outlaw, Harold; the strict and scary teacher, Count Brad; the sinister smiling Eduard; the somewhat ditzy teacher, Elric; and the enigmatic Claude.

However, the people who had already beaten it had flooded the message boards with talks of “Prince Cain of the MerryBad” and “Lord Cain, the Yandere to End All Yanderes.” MerryBad was short for Merry Bad Ending, a bad ending in the game that one could argue was technically a happy ending for some people involved. Apparently, Liber Monstrorum had an ending where a prince and princess kissed atop a mountain of corpses.

But who exactly was he? A hidden character?

Erika frowned. He was a romance target in an otome game, so he was probably a vampyre, not a giant. Personally, she really hoped that the heroine of this world didn’t pick that route.

Well, let’s set that aside for now. Erika put her thoughts on hold and returned to reality. She had been given ample free time to wander, and it would be a waste not to use it. Her father had told her to stay on the island, but that was more than enough. Simply walking down the island streets filled her eyes with sights that could only belong to the central hub of beast tamers.

A shopkeeper taking a break out back had his pipe lit by a small salamander. The soldiers on patrol led along large dire wolves so pure white they were like masses of snow. A number of palm-sized spiders carried flowers for the workers decorating the eaves of the houses.

Among all of this, Erika and her metallic golem were terribly conspicuous. The townsfolk frequently stole glances at this foreign girl and her porter.

Erika whispered to Tirnanog in a low voice so as not to arouse suspicion.

“It’s like an adventure. I’m feeling giddy, Tir.”

“Ever since I revived, everything I’ve seen has been so curious and interesting.”

Thankfully, it seemed Tirnanog was also enjoying taking in all the unfamiliar sights.

“Glad to hear it. Let’s see, then... How about we stop by the Grand Cathedral?”

Ynys Negesydd was famed for its many religious constructions: the Grand Cathedral and chapel, charnel house, spire, and monastery. All of these were perfect for sightseeing. With that on her mind, Erika set off to see them one by one.

4

Ignitia was the nation that brought monotheism to the united kingdoms, and it was consequently where one would find the most churches and cathedrals. That being said, theirs was not a strict or intolerant religion.

Because Ignitia had once been part of a now-fallen empire on the continent of Karkinos, it had learned a number of lessons from its empiric rulers, including how to bring together people of different races with patience and leniency. Once Ignitia’s monarchy was in control of Ichthyes, it readily put religious freedom and tolerance into practice.

By syncretizing foreign gods with their own, sometimes taking them in as saints and angels, they assimilated the local religions. No local religious practices or beliefs were completely overwritten, which brought about the current state of affairs.

Lucanlandt’s ancestral god Holle became St. Horatius. Hafan’s chief god was rebranded as another aspect of the One True God, while the others became angels and spirits. Aurelia’s Brean became St. Breandán.

An abundance of old gods from Karkinos still lingered, albeit not in their original forms. The Grand Cathedral was a shining symbol of the unity of cultures, ethnicities, and deities.

It’s still pretty strange, all things considered.

Erika felt something was off as she walked through the cathedral. The religion did not prohibit idolatry, but there was not a single representation of God to be found. Instead, the sanctuary was filled with all manner of pagan cryptids and mythical beasts.

There were reliefs of centaurs, who had the upper bodies of humans but were horses from the waist down. One mural depicted a hominid with four heads and a mouth on their stomach. A chalice was engraved with a one-eyed, one-legged monster. In one area stood the statue of a goddess with more than ten nipples.

Even the angel borrowed its design from a different god from the southern continent.

“Quite a mishmash.”

“Apparently, this used to be the royal palace. They kept on adding more and more to the existing structure, which is why the layout is so complicated. Also, the scriptures are only allowed to be copied in the language of the old empire. There are many people who can’t read them, and the decorations are meant as a visual representation of the texts for them.”

If one took the standard route through the Grand Cathedral, the images would tell the whole story of the gospel. Going off the path allowed one to follow each of the individual stories that were later incorporated into the faith.

Erika only knew the sacred texts as far as her father and brother had recited them to her, so seeing them in this form was quite a new and invigorating experience.

After pressing through the Grand Cathedral a while, they eventually reached a chamber decorated with ample amounts of gold. What’s more, there seemed to be something familiar about the story its murals depicted.

Wait... Isn’t that...?

Before her eyes, a saint was being swallowed by a giant, twin-horned creature.

“Tir, what do you think about that painting?”

“Hey! That’s me!”

The black monster cried out for joy from within the metal golem.

“Yeah, I knew that had to be you.”

“Heh heh heh! So the barbarians of the south revere me as well! Splendid!”

“Yeah, I’m not so sure about that.”

Erika tilted her head. These murals were most likely made by an Aurelian who was called upon for the construction of the cathedral. It wasn’t just the one she was looking at; the surrounding paintings also featured a black beast.

One story told of how a ship carrying a saint had mistaken a beast for an island, and its passengers had disembarked on its great body. Another illustrated people surviving a divine flood from atop a horned giant’s back. These sorts of tales were common all throughout the world, but what was depicted here was neither a whale nor a turtle, as one might expect. It was always a black monster.

Well, what do you know. This guy’s surprisingly beloved.

Erika felt a warmth in her chest. Perhaps the Seafaring Tribe had always held him dear, even if his true story had to be covered up due to a sinister event.

“Have you taken a liking to that painting?”

“Indeed. The horns are shaped wonderfully. The artist was someone who really understood my mystique.”

“That’s nice.”

“Hmm, don’t mind me. Feel free to look around. I can generally tell where you are by scent. I’m going to enjoy my paintings a bit more.”

“Really? Then I’ll go right ahead.”

Tirnanog seemed quite busy, leaning in to appreciate the painting up close, so Erika left him and walked on. Just a little further down, she was immersed in the faith of the south, which she could only ever see in Ignitia.

From what I can see, it definitely didn’t start out monotheistic.

All around her were flocks of monsters like the Hyakki Yagyo—a procession of supernatural creatures from Japanese folklore. There were also depictions of a saint’s history of suffering and martyrdom, as well as a hero with an angel, a dragon, and other bizarre beasts that aided his quest. Rather than the hero and saint, however, the images here placed a far greater significance on the monsters.

As Erika was staring at a line of pillars chiseled into the shapes of strange creatures, she heard a voice from behind her.

“Oh, that’s rare. I’m usually the only one who browses this area.”

When she turned around, she saw someone walking through the wide palette of light cast through the stained glass. Silky, blond hair that glimmered in the sun’s rays, cut just barely above the shoulders. Clear, purple eyes like two shining amethysts. Pale, white skin that could never have seen a day in the sun sported a pair of healthy, rosy cheeks. High, noble features. A small, golden dragon on the shoulder.

The people of Ignitia were notoriously beautiful, and Erika felt this person was especially so.

This kid is pretty, sure, but are they a boy or girl? I could honestly see it going either way.

Their build and features were androgynous. However, going by the white shirt and black bow tie, the black trousers, and the long boots, this was probably a boy.

“Who are you?” Erika asked him.

“Hmm, you don’t know me?”

The boy’s expression softened as a gentle smile befitting his age crossed his face. Pearly white teeth peeked out through his elegant lips.

Erika frowned when she noticed her question had been ignored. He was definitely a captivating pretty boy, but was he really that famous? Was he the son of some noble or a child actor in some famous troupe?

“That’s convenient,” said the boy as he stroked the golden dragon. Even his fingernails were neat and tidy.

“What are you talking about? Why would that be convenient?”

“Oh, just talking to myself. It’s nothing to worry about. Nothing at all.”

Despite her suspicions, Erika refrained from prying any further. Everyone had things they would rather not come to light. She herself had a mountain of matters she would rather keep to herself. That being the case, it would be inconvenient not to be able to address him, so she rephrased the question.

“My name is Erika. And whom do I have the pleasure of meeting?”

“Woe is me; I let a lady give her name first. Allow me to apologize for my discourtesy. I’m the son of the one in charge here, and I go by Angel around these parts.”

He seriously just called himself an angel?

She might have burst into laughter under normal circumstances, but she instead found herself accepting it rather easily. If he was the son of the one in charge here—the priest, that is—it would not be unusual if his name really was Angel.

“So, Erika. Where did you come from, and why are you here?”

“I’ve only just arrived from the west and... well, I’m in the middle of sightseeing.”

“Does that mean you’re an alchemist? Was that lively doll I saw over yonder one of your golems?”

“Yes, that’s right. He’s one of mine.”

“Hmm, that’s incredible. You’re still so tiny, yet you can control one of those?”

“Just barely.”

Erika nonchalantly stacked lie over lie while keeping a completely straight face.

“What’s wrong, Erika? Is there trouble afoot?”

Tirnanog approached her with cautious steps. Erika was impressed that he could close the gap between them immediately.

“You can’t attack him. This boy’s the son of the minister. He’s safe, for now.”

“I see. Such a shame.”

“And calm down a bit, would you?”

“Very well. Leave it to me. I am always calm and composed.”

As Tirnanog proudly puffed out his chest, the boy hoisted him up and began observing him curiously. The golden dragon also stared suspiciously at what lay beyond the starsteel helmet.

“Are golems supposed to move this naturally? Oh, Goldberry, it’s bothering you too? Now, what makes you tick? Hm? Isn’t there something inside—”

Before the boy could finish, Erika hurriedly raised her voice.

“While I hail from Aurelia, I’m terrible at most fields of alchemy. I just can’t seem to convert my mana well. With golem making, I can physically carve the symbols directly on the metal, so I can just barely pull it off.”

“I see. So this is the product of never giving up, even if you didn’t have the aptitude. You sure are a hard worker.”

“Please don’t stare at him so hard. It’s embarrassing. You’ll start to see my shoddy craftsmanship.”

Erika had whipped up a lie to top off her sincerity. It was true that she could only make golems, but the issue at hand was something else entirely.

“Well, I don’t know too much about golems, but isn’t he nicely done?”

The boy glanced between Erika and Tirnanog, a rather meek look on his face.

His innocence is driving a stake into my heart, thought Erika. Unable to bear his gaze any longer, she quickly moved to change the subject.

“Hey, do you have any recommendations for the Grand Cathedral? If there’s any place I shouldn’t miss, I’d really like to know,” she said while casually rescuing Tirnanog from the boy’s arms.

“Let’s see. You did show me something interesting, so I guess I have to return the favor. How about a place prohibited to unauthorized personnel?”

“Is that... okay?”

“Oh, they’ll throw a fit if they find us there. So it’ll be our little secret.” The boy offered a theatrical wink. “If you’re a fan of these creepy places, only one thing comes to mind. Why, you’d be hard-pressed to find a rarer or queerer specimen. Shall we be off?”

“Yes, thank you. I’ll follow your lead.”

Erika felt quite fortunate to have obtained such a kind and beautiful tour guide.

Maybe my luck is finally turning around.

Thus, Erika let the boy who called himself Angel guide her around the Grand Cathedral.

5

The self-proclaimed Angel led Erika by the hand deeper and deeper into the Grand Cathedral. Tirnanog followed behind them, carrying two rather large pieces of luggage.

As for Erika’s smaller leather purse, however, the boy had courteously offered to carry it for her.

He sure knows his manners.

Erika stealthily eyed the boy leading her along. Despite his slender build, his arms boasted a firm musculature. He was so obviously well trained that it went against his claim of being a clergyman’s son.

Their way was regularly dotted with locked doors, which the boy would bypass with no difficulty whatsoever. His path was straight and clear. He had with him not a bundle of keys, but a single skeleton key that seemed to work nearly anywhere in the Grand Cathedral.

“Is there any reason it’s this far out of the way?”

“Yes, it’s only exhibited a few times a year.”

“Must be pretty exclusive, then.”

“You could say that. But I’m special, so I can see it whenever I want.”

“Neat.”

From her past life, Erika recalled a precious Buddha statue that would only be displayed once every few years. Surely this mural the boy spoke of was something similar.

This is somewhat exciting.

The paintings and carvings grew more and more monstrous beyond each door. Surreal, nightmarish images sent just the right sort of chill down her spine. This was an itch seldom scratched.

It’s scary but even more enthralling! So enthralling, in fact, that Erika could relish in these hordes of painted monsters without any fear.

“I’m glad you’re having fun, but the best is yet to come. We’re headed to the room farthest in the back.”

“The deepest depths of the Grand Cathedral?”

Erika recalled what terrible misfortune had befallen her the last time she reached the innermost chamber of an ancient structure. It was a good memory in hindsight, but the idea still stirred up a bit of trauma.

When she glanced back, Tirnanog cheerfully waved.

The source of my trauma’s an ally now. I should be fine. She waved back.

“Thank you for waiting. I’ve saved the best for last,” said the boy as he pushed open the final and bombastically ornamented door.

What opened up before her was a vast room with barely any decoration at all. The back wall opposite the doorway did not belong. It was a painted slab of limestone that must have been cut out and removed from somewhere else.

Erika shivered. The dread hit her before she could even make sense of the image.

“That fine gentleman you see is our Lord. Our one and only God in the world.” The boy pointed at the painted stone slab.

The limestone wall did indeed depict the One True God, emphasizing his role as Lord of the Sun. There were vibrant shades of vermillion, black, white, and gold. The sun was set in the top center with humans and all of God’s other creatures painted below to equally share in his love and warmth.

Countless hands grew from the sun. There were so many slender arms of light, they somehow came off as sinister. Each and every one of them reached out to stroke the head of a creature on the earth below. There were seven eyes in the sun, and each hand contained its own eye.

This powerful, elaborate mural gave off a ghastly impression, overwhelming its viewer. It was overflowing with an uncanny strength, and it was definitely not the sort of painting that would awaken anyone to religion.

“It was apparently taken from an altar on a holy site in the southern continent. Doesn’t it just make you retch?”

“I’ll admit it’s creepy. And pretty scary too.”

“Sure is. It’s too bizarre. It wouldn’t be convenient if we made our believers fearful or disillusioned. That’s why it usually doesn’t see the light of day.”

Erika couldn’t take her eyes off this representation of God. She was beginning to feel it had a certain kind of beauty in and of itself.

Soaring between God and man were numerous heavenly servants. There were four large, presumably more significant ones, while the others were smaller.

These four seemed to be the archangels, but each of them boasted the head of a beast.

“Are those... angels?”

“Yeah, that’s right. They’re quite warped, aren’t they?”

Outside of this room, every painting and sculpture Erika had seen depicted angels with beautiful human faces. The discrepancy perplexed her. Indeed, the angels on this restricted art piece were more like the gods of Ancient Egypt.

The angel stationed closest to God seemed to receive special treatment, as they looked especially extravagant. They were conspicuously larger than the rest and colored with copious amounts of valuable gold and cinnabar. This angel had the head of a lion, six wings, and a burly body. There was a sword of flame in their left hand, a medicine vial in their right.

Besides the leonine angel in their red robe, there were three slightly lesser archangels: one with a cow’s head, one with the head of a bird, and one whose head was smeared out in red paint.

The epic fresco of an uncanny God and his uncanny angels had Erika at a loss for words. She looked up at it, her mouth half open, and after inspecting it up close, she slowly stepped back to take it in as a whole.

All of a sudden, she bumped into something soft.

“Oh my, to bring a girl here of all places... What a naughty boy you are.”

From behind her came the coarse, saccharine voice of a woman.

“Curses. The irksome one found us.”

The boy frowned at the individual, a fed-up look on his face and a hand on his brow. Erika turned to follow his line of sight and came face to face with an unfamiliar beauty.

This stranger had stern yet captivating eyes, and her abundant blonde hair was bound high up on her head. Her red dress was very revealing—a staple of the south—and her suntanned, voluptuous chest was nearly bursting out. There were gold ornaments all over her body, so dazzlingly gaudy it hurt to look.

“I’m irksome, you say? My, my, big words coming from a pup who hasn’t even grown his fur coat.”

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about,” the boy said sulkily. A laugh rumbled from deep within the woman’s throat.

“You know her, Mr. Angel?”

“Yes, this is... How to explain?”

The boy hesitated for a moment. Judging by the look on his face, that was not a question he wanted to answer.

“Mr. Angel? Hmm? You’re Mr. Angel now? Not bad at all. You really are an angel.”

“Bleh... I’d appreciate it if you kept a lid on it.”

He took Erika by the hand, pulling her away from the grinning woman giving an enthralled laugh.

“Unnecessary? Me? Mmhahaha, have I ever said an unnecessary word in my life?”

“Sure you have. You just said a bunch.”

“How cruel. I take it you have a thing for younger girls then, Mr. Angel?”

The lady seemed to relish in provoking the boy.

“Umm...” The conversation had completely left her behind, so Erika timidly asserted her presence.

“Ahem, sorry about that. She’s a friend of mine. Also, I can’t say this publicly, but she lives in the cathedral. She won’t tattle on us, don’t worry.”

“I see.”

Erika interpreted this as meaning the woman was in a precarious situation he would rather not talk about. Perhaps she was the mistress of a high-ranking clergyman or a noble who was being sheltered due to extenuating circumstances.

“Oh dear, look at what you did. Now she knows I’m not scary. That takes all the fun out of my introduction, doesn’t it?”

“What were you planning to say to her?”

“Why, if you’re the angel, then I’m the devil. How’s that sound?”

“Not clever, and not fun. Pretty trite, I’d say.”

The woman raised her arms menacingly as an adult might do to playfully spook a child. The boy ignored her, looking increasingly sicker of her antics by the second.

“Did I hear that right? Are you sure I’m not scary?”

“Yes, yes. You’re very scary, I assure you, so give it a rest.”

“I’m terrified,” added Erika.

Without much of an option, the two children pretended to cower. The woman nodded a few times, satisfied.

“Mmhmm. A wise choice. All of God’s creatures that live and that shall ever live must fear me as a matter of course.”

The woman seemed as giddy as a child as she spun on the spot.

“Good grief. What am I to do with you?” sighed the boy. Despite his clear annoyance, he still watched over her warmly.

The next moment, the chime of the evening bell reverberated through the Grand Cathedral.

“Oh, it’s already this late,” he said. “Little ladies like yourself should be getting on home.”

“Aw, what a shame. It was so lively for once.”

“Playtime’s over. We can’t hold up such a young child for too long, you know?” He turned to his strange companion. “Isn’t it about time for us to return too?”

Erika recalled how she had been invited to the royal family’s own Adventmas feast. Nobles would gather from all over the land, and those in attendance would have to dress themselves up considerably. It would take some time to prepare.

“Thank you so much for today. I’ll come over again tomorrow if I have the free time.”

“See you later, kiddo. Next time, how about I show you around the underground crypt?”

“The crypt? We’re showing a young girl around, and that’s the place you want to take her? Seriously, you’re too much.”

“Oh, really now? This is quite a room to be showing a girl too.”

“See you later, Erika. I’ll pick a more decent place to show you next time!”

The boy and woman smiled and waved their hands.

I get the feeling these two are experts when it comes to religious sites.

As far as Erika was concerned, a local tour guide was exactly what she needed, but she knew she couldn’t be too selfish. Once she left the Grand Cathedral and found somewhere relatively deserted, she whispered into Tirnanog’s ear.

“Thank you for keeping quiet for so long, Tir.”

“It was an easy job. I could have done it in my sleep. Plus, I wasn’t completely uninterested.”

By the time her sightseeing trip was over, it was already evening. The crimson sun was in the process of being swallowed by the horizon. With festivities at their peak, the streets were still crowded even at this time of day. The air was filled with the distinct, mouthwatering smells of dinner preparations.

If I start eating now, I’ll have trouble putting on the dress.

As Erika mulled over this troublesome dilemma, Tirnanog tugged on the hem of her skirt.

“You mustn’t let them deceive you, Erika.”

“Hm? About what?”

“The man is no angel, and the woman is far from a devil.”

“Yes, I picked up on that. I’ll be fine.”

“I see. Very good. You are a clever girl, Erika.”

Erika couldn’t quite understand the intent behind Tirnanog’s peculiar warning, but his statement seemed so self-evident that she let it slide by without any further thought.

She walked out into the lively city streets and returned to the villa reserved for Duke Aurelia.

6

The Adventmas banquet was held in the vast Lion Hall. The palace itself was enormous, and its reception hall spanned a great distance from end to end. As the name implied, the pillars and walls were carved in the likeness of lions.

Large tables stood proudly in the extravagant hall, bedecked with festive decorations and perfectly prepared for the feast. It was lit by the dozens of candles hanging on the large chandelier. They were presumably beeswax candles, as they filled the room with a faintly sweet scent.

Under their flickering warm light sat rows upon rows of nobles from all across the land. Ignitia’s royals and nobles sat with small dragons either crawling on their shoulders or skulking around their ankles. To these southern nobles, the smaller breeds not only served as a measure of self-defense but also a living display of wealth.

Lucanlandt’s nobles had large, ceremonial swords hung at their hips. Hafan’s came with their staves and robes. While Aurelia’s finest only carried a few wands apiece, they wore an excess of gaudy ornaments. Where else would they be able to flaunt them?

As Erika looked around Lion Hall, she realized something was off. For some reason, there were a conspicuous number of vacant seats among the Hafan nobles. There were many women and barely any men.

Was there something that required their attention? Erika wondered as she whispered to Duke Aurelia.

“Father, did something happen to the Hafans?”

“Apparently, several old graves were dug up all at once. A number of skilled magicians were sent to investigate and take care of it. No need to worry. Hafan nobles are experts when it comes to these sorts of incidents. They’ll solve it soon enough.” Duke Aurelia gently stroked Erika’s head.

“Could it be that they were graves from the Casquetian era?”

Erika carelessly blurted out information she’d once nicked with a glance at her brother’s documents. Lately, there had been repeated desecrations of graves from the days of vampyre rule.

“I don’t know about that, Erika... but you should take care not to say that word at a banquet.”

“My apologies, Father.” Erika hurriedly covered her mouth.

Casquetia was quite a touchy subject. Hafan and Lucanlandt shared an extreme, almost excessive hatred of them. Understandable, though, as back when Casquetia still existed, the other two nations were forced into a long and dark period of servitude. The people of Aurelia had only arrived at the continent after Ignitia destroyed Casquetia, so they were outsiders to the vampyre conflict.

If Casquetia was involved, then even if there wasn’t anything mysterious about the incident, House Hafan would personally handle the matter. Duke Hafan and Claus probably wouldn’t make it to the capital until this grave destruction was resolved.

From afar, Erika could make out the duchess, but couldn’t see Claus or Anne. She was quite looking forward to meeting Anne again, though she would rather avoid Claus. The reason being, after that incident in the Seafarer’s Ruins, he sent her a letter essentially challenging her to a duel.

What even was that letter?

She couldn’t begin to comprehend Claus’ intentions and hoped she never had to. But just as she thought this, Duke Aurelia cut in with the words she least expected.

“Are you feeling lonely knowing you won’t be able to meet Claus?”

Why is Claus’ name coming up? Erika found this quite strange. She didn’t know a thing about the talks of engagement between herself and the heir to Duke Hafan, and thus answered coldly and indifferently.

“No, not in particular. I’m perfectly fine.”

“I see. Seems like I got ahead of myself. Please, just forget about it.” Duke Aurelia looked somewhat downtrodden, but Erika failed to grasp her father’s intentions.

While father and daughter conversed, the court orchestra began playing a tune. The maids and chefs matched the tempo as they brought out silver platters laden with food. Seeing the prismatic arrays of sweets, the noble children from all over raised cheers of joy.

“Erika, at the Adventmas feast, you simply drink all you want, eat all you want, and have fun. You can enjoy a nice chat, or you can sing and dance. Don’t let their grandiose reception put you off; it’s a festival just like any other. This should be good practice before you enter high society. Don’t be shy; dip your toes in and get used to it little by little.”

“Certainly, Father.”

It was at that moment that a pastry chef arrived, carrying a pure-white sugar candy on a meter-wide silver platter. The candy had been sculpted into the shape of Ynys Negesydd with exquisite detail.

As Erika’s eyes were taken by the radiant sugar palace, she was greeted by an abrupt tap on the leg. Tirnanog peeked his head out from beneath the tablecloth, his eyes dead set on the candy curiosity.

“What is that, Erika? It’s a building, yet it gives off such a sweet scent.”

“That’s a festive sweet made for the holiday season. I hear they make things like that for special occasions.”

“Splendid. I would like to have a taste.”

“I’ll nick some for you when I see an opportunity,” Erika answered with a smile. Showing gratitude to Tirnanog for carrying around so many heavy bags all day was a task that surely required mountains of food.

“Erika, we must start by paying respects to His Majesty.”

“I know my common courtesies, Father.”

Erika accompanied Duke Aurelia to the foot of the king. She glanced back to see Tirnanog waving from under the table, crunching down on a large lobster with the shell still on.

This time, upon arriving before royalty, Erika noted that the princes were present as well.

Looks like I can finally get a good look at August’s face. She felt a sliver of relief as she closely took in the visage of this scandalous prince.

August, Crown Prince of Ignitia, wore a ceremonial uniform that was rouge red with gold ornamentation. A small, golden dragon rested on his shoulder. Silky blond hair spilled out in abundance from his head; its shade seemed a bit stronger compared to the rest of the royal line. His skin was ghastly pale.

It was hard to believe what she saw—it would take only a matter of six years to turn this youth into a frivolous playboy. The boy before her eyes was petite and delicate, almost like a fairy-tale princess.

Err, wait, don’t I know him?

Erika’s eyes nearly popped out of her skull. His expression had changed so much that her mind had failed to register it, but as she gradually took note of his features, she realized he was the same boy who had shown her around the cathedral. What’s more, the dragon on his shoulder was most definitely Goldberry.

While August greeted Erika and her father, he did not even attempt to look them in the eye. His brow remained frozen in place, his eyes set somewhere far in the distance. He bore no resemblance to that sociable and expressive boy she’d met at midday. This boy was like a statue of alabaster.

It took a while of Erika rudely staring at him before August stole an ice-cold glare at her. After silently scanning her once, he returned his eyes to greener pastures. He was either terribly apathetic or completely uninterested.

Goldberry, however, stared back. After narrowing her eyes in what seemed to be a smile, she tugged on her master’s hair to try to get him to look at Erika again. But August’s face remained set in stone.

While he was quite clearly ignoring her, Erika found she could bear it no longer, and finally spoke up.

“Your Highness? Err, pardon my discourtesy, but is that you, Mr. Angel?”

It was only after the words had left her lips that she realized how out of place they had been.

Why am I hitting on him?! No, but how else am I supposed to ask?

Before she could smooth things over, her father and the king, who were exchanging a drink, both nervously gulped.

Why do you two look so interested? Please, it’s not what you think.

Erika turned red to the ears in embarrassment. By this point, she realized she should have asked, “Were you the boy who showed me around the Grand Cathedral?” but it was already too late.

“My, did you hear that, August? She called you an angel.”

The queen happily smiled, having taken it as a compliment, and gave the boy a nudge. While this meant August was forced to look at Erika, his expression was still as cold as ever.

“Yes, it seems my beauty has made Lady Erika mistake me for an angel. But I am just as human as any other. I can’t take off to the sky.” August paused, stood, and bowed. “As a human burdened by my earthly form, I cannot say I am always in the best of health. There are inevitably many things beyond my control. I am feeling somewhat under the weather, so I shall be taking my leave for the night. Lady Erika, please excuse my impoliteness.”

He rambled on in an inorganic tone completely different from the boy she remembered. “Don’t mind me. Continue to enjoy the feast.”

After declaring this without so much as a twitch of the brow, he turned on his heel and walked off.

What’s this all about? Does he have a split personality or something?

Questions continued to circle around and around in Erika’s head. All the while, the queen passionately apologized on behalf of her son.

7

Confused and restless, Erika excused herself early from the royals’ table. She was now caught up in scouring the tables for food, a plate in one hand.

As she made her rounds, she gave her obligatory greetings while smacking her lips. Before she knew it, she had found fellow travelers: Tricia, daughter of the baron Lord Rails of Aurelia, and Marquia, daughter of the Ignitian viscount Lord Jonas. They were both eight years old, the same as Erika.

“Lady Erika, do take care not to sully your hands. Use my handkerchief, by all means,” Tricia said while holding out a finely embroidered cloth.

“Lady Erika, I highly recommend this sweet. This unique sugar candy has grown frightfully popular among Ignitia’s noblewomen,” said Marquia as she presented a glistening gumdrop.

“Lady Erika is an Aurelian noble like me. Should I not be the one to instruct her?”

“But we are in Ignitia. It only makes sense for an Ignitian to guide the way.”

Driven by a childish impulse to monopolize, Tricia and Marquia bickered over Erika like they had found a beautiful doll, ultimately growing completely engrossed more in their spat than in her.

Personally, I find that girlish behavior adorable. Erika was calmly watching over the two when, all of a sudden, Tirnanog popped his head out from under the tablecloth. Erika deftly swapped out the heaping plate in her hand with his empty one.

“Take care not to be seen.”

“Worry not. Despite my appearance, I am light on my feet.”

When the quarrel was over and Tricia and Marquia returned, Tirnanog vanished under the tablecloth in the blink of an eye.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Lady Erika. Marquia was being so terribly stubborn.”

“Oh dear, you’ve already forgotten what happened just seconds ago? It was Tricia who sounded so frightfully silly.”

“Yes, yes. I’m not going anywhere. No need to worry.”

As Erika was rendered immobile by the two adorable ladies clasping her from both sides, a terribly conspicuous girl stepped out from the party of Hafan nobles. Her name was Anne, and she was the daughter of Duke Hafan. Erika was quite certain she hadn’t been there last she checked.

Anne wore a cute, salmon dress. The dress was quite intricate, with embedded gems, fine embroidery, and elegant lace. It was a perfect match for her corsage of light-crimson flowers. Her features somehow seemed a little more mature than they had been two months prior, giving off glimpses of the sharp, refreshing beauty she would surely grow to be.

“It has been far too long, Erika dearest. I’ve been dying to meet you.”

“Oh, hello, Anne. I’m glad I got to see you so soon.”

Erika softly smiled, and Anne returned a sharp grin. Picking up on their intimacy, Tricia and Marquia were quick to shift the target of their youthful jealousy; they directed a look of concealed hostility at this newcomer.

However, Anne accepted the two noble ladies with open arms.

“A crest of three sailing ships over four waves. You must be the daughter of Lord Rails.”

“Correct, I am Tricia Rails. But why do you know our family crest?”

“A sleeping white dragon and crossed swords. Might you be the daughter of Lord Jonas?”

“I am certainly Marquia Jonas. Rather rude of you to toss out our names before giving your own, though.”

Anne casually removed her hands from the Hafan crest she had covered up.

“My humblest apologies. I am Anne of House Hafan. Tricia, Marquia, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Her voice was terribly well enunciated for a child, her curtsy picture perfect.

Tricia and Marquia froze for a moment, their mouths half open, only to abruptly stumble into a deep, respectful bow.

“I cannot believe I treated a lady of House Hafan with such rudeness!”

“You humble me with the audience you have so graciously granted us!”

“Why, if you show such humility, it almost makes it seem like I’m bullying you. Ladies, please, lift your faces.” Seeing that the girls had completely changed their tone, Anne gently continued, “It’s true that I intruded on your conversation, so doesn’t that make us even? We are all comrades in our appreciation of dear Erika. Let bygones be bygones, and let’s get to know one another as equals. Okay?”

“Y-Yes, of course!”

“It is an honor!”

As Anne calmly stepped toward Erika, Tricia and Marquia backed off to give her space. Despite declaring them equals, Anne had firmly and successfully drilled in the pecking order. She nestled up close to Erika and looked up at her with warm eyes.

“You can’t imagine how much I’ve missed you, Erika dearest.”

“Thanks, I missed you too. Our schedules just never seem to match up.”

“Come to think of it, did you get my present?”

“I did, and it was delicious.”

“I was sure you’d love it. If you come to Hafan, you can feast on delicious meat every day!”

“That sounds wonderful. I’ll be counting on you to show me the ropes next time I stop by.”

Erika found herself enjoying a long-awaited conversation with this calm, reserved girl more than she thought she would. The two of them exchanged idle banter a bit longer, when all of a sudden, Erika recalled a certain threatening letter she received from Claus. These opportunities did not come often, so she knew she simply had to ask.

“Oh, by the way, about Claus...”

“You want to know about my brother? Feel free to ask me anything you want.”

“I received a peculiar letter from him. Did I... perhaps do something that might’ve made him angry? Or maybe something that lit up his fighting spirit?”

“A peculiar... letter? When did that arrive?” A deep wrinkle crossed Anne’s brow.

“It was enclosed along with your present.”

“With the... No, no matter how stupid he is, he couldn’t possibly have—do you mind me asking what it said?”

“You are strong. I will become a man who won’t lose to you. Please wait for me. End quote.”

“He wrote what?!”

Anne nearly fainted, as if she had been assailed by a sudden bout of anemia. She was smacked right in the face by the fact that not only had her brother failed to send the love letter she had thoroughly corrected, but he had also sent something completely different in order to bypass her censorship.

“Umm... That was a challenge, wasn’t it?”

“Most definitely not. If I may be so bold, I presume that letter had a completely different purpose. It may have looked like a challenge because he could not find the right words, but it is most certainly nothing of the sort. I beg of you, please believe in my brother. Please, give him just one more chance.”

Erika breathed a sigh of relief. While Anne’s attitude was a bit unnerving, she couldn’t be more thankful if it was all just a misunderstanding.

“That’s great. I want to get along with Claus. I’ll gladly accept a rewrite.”

As Erika and Anne conversed, a shrill cry rose from somewhere too close for comfort. The sound belonged to Tricia and Marquia, who had stayed relatively quiet until now.

“Who is that dashing boy?!”

“He’s like a prince from a fairy tale!”

The two were considerably worked up. And they weren’t the only ones; many girls and even older women seemed to be entranced by a single young boy.

The boy turned toward Erika. He had black hair above melancholic blue eyes that looked prone to being downcast. He was none other than the magician Claus Hafan.

While Claus looked quite plain at first glance, his outfit was actually rather elaborate. His robe—just a shade shy of black—was a lustrous, luxurious, woolen fabric hemmed with silver thread. A first-class article. His brooch and cufflinks exhibited admirable workmanship and had a silver moon as a motif. Even though so much work had clearly gone into it, the outfit itself did not particularly stand out. It seemed that Claus was partial to intricate clothing downplayed by a subdued color scheme.

Hey, I might be squealing right along with them if I didn’t know what goes on inside his head, Erika thought, averting her eyes.

“He seems around the same age as us, but I never knew there was such a lovely gentleman out there! My heart is racing! Oh, is this a dream?!”

“Wh-What shall we do, Lady Erika?! He’s coming our way!”

“Good question. What should we do?” Erika halfheartedly replied as Tricia and Marquia firmly clutched her sides.

I get that the challenge was a misunderstanding, but I would still rather avoid him.

Claus was right in front of her before she had finished mulling over the matter. When he gave her a stiff smile, she sent back a surface-level one of her own.

“Hello, Lady Erika.”

“It has been some time, Lord Claus.”

“You’ve grown more beautiful since the last time I saw you. It was worth it to make the long trek to Ignitia.”

“And in the time since I last saw you, your character has fallen apar—pardon me, I mean, your personality has changed considerably.”

“Harsh words. Does it not suit me?”

Claus’ smile came naturally this time, and so did Erika’s. The next instant, Claus defied all her expectations. He kneeled before her and took her hand, like he was a knight and she his lady.

Huh? What is it now?!

Tricia’s and Marquia’s shrill squeals of glee filled the air in place of Erika’s silent scream.

“Erika. Would you grant me the honor of the first dance?”

As Erika’s eyes wandered in a panic, she was met full-force by a proud smirk from Anne.

Wait, don’t tell me, this is...

Despite his orderly appearance, Claus was practically a bucking bronco inside. Determining it was too dangerous to serve him in front of strangers, Anne had selected her as the poison tester; or at least, that’s what Erika concluded. And if that was the reason, she wasn’t completely against dancing with Claus.

“Of course, Claus. I’ll gladly take you up on that offer.”

Erika acted out the gestures of a noble lady, pinching the hem of her dress in a curtsy. Once again, Tricia and Marquia shrieked while the eyes and ears of the surrounding adults grew increasingly fixed on the two of them.

What do I do? This is getting pretty embarrassing.

Erika found herself lost for a moment, but she knew she would have to endure something similar to this when she eventually made her debut in high society.

Claus seemed quite embarrassed himself, and as he stared at Erika, he turned red to the ears. His movements had become somewhat jerky.

“Let’s get moving, Erika.”

“You’re reverting back to normal, Claus.”

“Shut it.”

Pulling Erika by the hand, Claus scurried onto the dance floor.

8

Claus tugged Erika step by step to the center of the floor. Their status as dukes’ children garnered them an unnecessary surplus of spectators.

Erika found herself overly conscious of these prying eyes; she was frozen stiff and feeling even more dissociated than usual. Claus picked up on this and raised an eyebrow.

“What, are you nervous?”

“You’re not? I never would have guessed. I mean, you’re pretty red.”

“Humph. It’s just the lighting.”

The two spoke in hushed whispers, taking each other by the hand.

Erika carried her feet earnestly, one at a time, exerting her utmost efforts to avoid stepping on Claus’ toes, or anyone else’s for that matter. Claus, meanwhile, compensated for her precarious footing with skillful improvisation.

“You’re a good dancer, Claus.”

“Anne hammered it into me... Quit looking at your feet. That just makes it easier to trip.”

“Ah, got it.”

Erika decided she would just leave it to Claus. It would be a huge load off her mind if he kept taking the lead. While she wasn’t entirely new to dancing, it was definitely not her strong suit.

“Don’t look down. Look at me.”

“As you wish.”

Erika stared hard at Claus. Her long eyebrows, her emerald eyes, her little slope of a nose, her lips... Once Claus’ gaze traced down to her nape, he reddened once more.

“You’re overdoing it; now your face is too close. Never mind, don’t look at me. Just look over my shoulder or something.”

“That’s quite a tall order.”

“For now, just trust me, and follow my lead. I won’t let you embarrass yourself.”

He was a skilled enough dancer to lend weight to these words. Erika relaxed, letting herself enjoy the music, and before she knew it, she had danced through a whole song without incident.

If he’s this good, he should be fine dancing with other girls too.

Knowing her job was now over, Erika gave a bow and tried to make her escape, only for Claus to grab her by the arm.

“A little more wouldn’t hurt.”

The next song had already begun. Erika reluctantly moved her body to match his.

“Claus, shouldn’t you dance with other people too?”

“I came here to see you. Why should I dance with some other woman?”

“You’re the son of a duke, are you not? Isn’t deepening connections with other houses part of the job?”

“The son of Duke Hafan is on break.” Claus closed in on Erika’s ear, continuing in a whisper, “I can’t say it out loud, but I’m currently investigating a case by royal decree. Our team’s leader is an incredibly harsh taskmaster. I had to beg that inhuman wretch to let me come here. This is my valuable free time, and I’m not gonna waste it.”

Despite his age, Claus had received an order from the king. It was difficult to find a magician on his level.

“That leader of yours sounds terribly troublesome. Is this about the grave desecrations?”

Erika recalled that the case had been taken up by House Hafan. However, she couldn’t quite imagine the term “inhuman wretch” fitting Claus’ father.

“No, it’s something else entirely.”

“Such as?”

“It’s not something I should bring up here, and my superior made it very clear that you are to remain completely uninvolved. I forgot to mention, I’m working under your blasted brother. I need to repay as much of my debt as I can so we won’t have to redraw the map of our territories,” Claus said with hollow eyes as he recalled the figure he’d been presented with. The cost of the wands and scrolls he’d used in the ruins two months ago was nothing to scoff at.

Wow, Eduard. You’re merciless even against a ten-year-old.

Erika lamented the deeds of her brother, but it occurred to her that allowing him to repay the debt with manual labor might actually be a form of compassion. Her brother was, after all, always kind in the strangest ways.

“Then you don’t have to waste your valuable time dancing with me.”

“Did you read my letter?”

“Yes, I certainly did. What about it?”

According to Anne, it had been a mistake. Claus had misworded something.

Did he come to correct himself? What was it supposed to say? As Erika considered such optimistic notions, Claus came out with terribly ominous words.

“About... what I said in the letter... I’m serious.”

“Really? Serious about what?”

“Every word of it.”

Erika’s expression froze. “You are strong. I will become a man who won’t lose to you. Please wait for me.” If every word of that was serious, it really must have been a challenge. If things continued like this, she would be living her school life on hard mode.

It will be dangerous if I don’t resolve this misunderstanding early, won’t it?

Yes, it was urgent that she correct his mistaken impression that she was a strong person. After some deliberation, Erika carefully chose her next words.

“Claus, err, to be perfectly honest, I found your proposal rather bothersome. You and I are not cut from the same cloth, you see. I would really appreciate it if you gave up on such a forceful approach.”

“What...?”

“The shoes you need filling are too big for me. But don’t worry, I’m sure there’s someone out there far more worthy than I could ever be. I’ll be rooting for you. I hope you’ll find the capable partner you deserve someday. But from the depths of my heart, Claus, I just want to be your friend.”

Claus was beaten down from harsh words from the girl he thought of so fondly.

“Friend...”

“Umm, are you listening? Claus? Hello?”

He was lost in a daze. It was like he was sleepwalking, dancing only because his body remembered how.

I do feel sorry for him. But now, Claus wouldn’t aim for her as a rival. He wouldn’t suddenly challenge her to a duel. If you want a formidable foe, please settle for my big brother.

The song conveniently ended, and Erika took a bow before slipping away from Claus’ side. Claus was left in his stupor in the center of the floor. Other young girls around their age surrounded the poor boy and began squabbling over him.

For a moment, Erika hesitated over whether or not she should help him. However, if she were to monopolize him and invite any unnecessary envy, she would clearly be in greater danger. What’s more, Erika had had more than enough of violent love affairs in her previous life, and getting involved in another one was the absolute last thing she wanted to do.

With a sidelong glance at the battle for Claus, she secretly made her escape.

9

Erika watched the young ladies flocking around the stunned Claus from afar.

This reminds me of something. Piranhas, maybe? she mused, now at a safe distance. Without much else to do, she searched for Tricia and Marquia, who she thought she was getting along well with, only to realize they were a part of the swarm.

Her next thought was to go to Anne, but the girl was already en route to extract her brother from his predicament. To fearlessly challenge over a dozen noble ladies all older than herself, Anne had the makings of a hero.

Then I guess I should have a leisurely meal with Tir.

With renewed purpose, Erika began the journey to the table where Tirnanog lay low. All of a sudden, she heard a voice from behind.

“You must be Lady Erika, daughter of House Aurelia.”

She turned to find a boy with long, silver hair and deep, violet eyes. He was around thirteen—fourteen at most—and carried a small, purple dragon on his shoulder.

“You’re a good dancer for your age.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“And you must be famished after so much dancing. Here, have a sweet.”

The boy snapped his fingers, like he was trying to look cool. The next instant, the attendant behind him presented a silver platter laden with all sorts of pastries.

“I appreciate the sentiment, but I’m not very hungry at the moment.”

“Oh, don’t be like that. This one is my personal recommendation,” the boy said as he stuffed one of the pastries into his mouth. He held out another one for Erika.

Erika felt rather unsettled and hesitated a moment. While his consideration was misplaced, he seemed to bear no ill will, making it needlessly difficult to turn him down.

“Thank you kindly. Now then, might I ask your name?”

“What’s this I hear? You don’t know who I am? That’s not very becoming of a duke’s daughter, now, is it?”

“My apologies. This is my first time in the royal capital, after all. I’m regretfully ill-informed when it comes to Ignitia’s nobles.”

“I can’t say I blame you, daughter of Aurelia. It just goes to show that my name isn’t great enough to reach this continent’s western shores. I’ll have to work harder.” The boy smiled arrogantly before continuing on. “Remember it well, as it will definitely benefit you one day. My name is Louie Ode-Ignitia. I am the younger brother of Lord Charles Ode-Ignitia, Margrave of Reconquista, the central hub of the Karkinos-Ignitia region.”

The Ode-Ignitia House was a branch family of Ignitia’s royal lineage. King Henri’s older brother had established it upon refusing the throne, which made Louie Prince August’s cousin. The house was reared to support the crown—to be an ode to Ignitia, as it were—but they still did have the rights to succession.

He probably has absolutely nothing to do with me, but he’s still royalty. Branch or not.

Erika firmly donned the mask of a high-class noblewoman. Even if he seemed like a troublesome person, she was unable to simply ignore him, given his status. She finally and rather reluctantly took a bite of the pastry she’d been handed.

Louie watched her do so with a satisfied look on his face while accepting a drink from his attendant. Erika thought to ask for one too, but in the time it took her to chew the pastry, Louie shooed him away.

Having wet his whistle, Louie brought his lips to Erika’s ear and whispered, “Come to think of it, you’re quite an interesting girl. Calling August an angel, of all things.”

Erika could feel her face tighten.

Was he around at the time?

Her embarrassment came back to her in full force, but she played dumb and returned a smile.

“I guess I did. His Highness was simply so beautiful, I couldn’t help but say so.”

Rather than making a shoddy excuse that could come off as sarcasm, Erika decided to praise August instead. If she said the wrong thing when she didn’t know who might be listening, it could prove fatal.

Louie deliberately flipped his hair once, then twice, looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

“‘Beautiful’ is a word usually reserved for men like me.”

“Perhaps,” Erika said in a calm voice.

While Louie definitely had his looks going for him, he didn’t really stand out among the royals who were all beautiful in their own right. Not that she could say that to his face.

“Regardless, no matter how beautiful you think he is, you’re better off staying away from August. He’s, how should I put it... He’s a rose with thorns. Beautiful, but if you so much as brush a hand against him, your skin will tear and bleed. You’ve heard at least a thing or two, haven’t you?”

Why was he hinting at August’s scandalous rumors here, of all places? Something felt terribly off to Erika. It would be difficult for her if the other nobles came under the mistaken impression that she amused herself with improper gossip, so she was determined to immediately cut this conversation short.

“No, I tend to distance myself from such rumo—”

“Hold on, young lady. We shouldn’t speak of those stories surrounding the crown prince. Especially not here. There’s no telling which walls have ears, after all.” It had been Louie who brought it up, and yet his tone made it sound almost as if Erika were the one speaking ill of the boy. “Personally, I want to be on good terms with August, but he seems to despise me. That boy still can’t ride a dragon at his age, and I’m always up for helping him train, but he won’t even give me the time of day. It’s a tragedy. We’re cousins, aren’t we?”

“Sounds like you have your share of troubles.”

Erika felt it was dangerous to agree with anything Louie said and instead opted to commend him without giving her take on the matter. Contrary to what he said, she could sense it was actually Louie who hated August. They were rivals embroiled in a battle of inheritance, so perhaps Louie saw the crown prince as a hindrance.

He’s trying to take advantage of August’s ill repute to lower his standing among prominent houses.

She took great care to not say anything committal. Even the slightest affirmation might give off the impression that the daughter of Duke Aurelia supported Louie, and if she refuted him, her words could be manipulated in the exact opposite direction.

“He’s been in a right slump these past few years. I worry for him more with every waking day. He’s just a pitiful kid without anyone to rely on. I want him to know I’m here if he needs me.”

“You sure are kind, Lord Louie. I also find it hard to believe His Highness is the sort of person the rumors make him out to be.” This time, she chimed in in a way to make it sound like Louie was August’s ally. “If you want to support August, then I’ll join and—”

“No, you should give it up for now. He has a short fuse. If a defenseless young girl like you approaches him, who knows what he will do.”

“Oh, really...”

Louie downed the remaining liquid in his cup in one swig before he finally realized he hadn’t prepared a drink for Erika.

“Whoops, allow me to apologize for my tactlessness. I should get you one too.”

Louie called for his attendant and had him bring two fresh cups.

“Now drink,” he said, holding one out for Erika.

Erika could smell the pungent scent of alcohol wafting off the glass, and she hesitated to take it from him. This man was, evidently, serving alcohol to an eight-year-old girl.

What should I make of this?

Was he simply thick-skinned? Was he testing her? As Erika stood there, unable to suss out Louie’s true intent, a hand reached out and swiped the glass from the side.

The hand raised it up high and splashed its contents straight into Louie’s face.

“Wagh! Who are you, you insolent...!”

Erika looked up at the individual who was suddenly standing there without a sound.

Their interrupter was a tall figure whose face was concealed behind a masquerade mask. He was dressed like Ignitian nobility with a feathered cap, a mantle that glimmered with gold thread, and long, high-heeled boots. A tuft of blond hair spilled out from underneath his hat.

While Erika couldn’t quite remember where, she knew she had seen this man somewhere before.

“Oh, my apologies. I thought you were holding it out, hoping for someone to wash off that filth. Heheh, my mistake. It wasn’t filth at all; it was just your face.”

“What insolence! Are you aware that I am Louie Ode-Ignitia?!”

“I’ve never even heard of you. Is that the name of some house out in the backwaters?”

“You bloody plebeian! Those words will be your last!”

What served as both an insult and a cheap provocation had Louie seeing red. The eyes behind the mask curled like a mischievous child’s.

“Wait, are you—”

“Well then, I’ll be taking the princess.”

In one smooth motion, the masked figure removed his hat and threw it at Louie’s face. In the brief moment Louie reflexively closed his eyes, the figure moved like lightning. He slammed a black wig he’d produced from his pocket down on Erika’s head, hiding away her characteristic golden hair. He draped a gray cape he’d been wearing under his mantle over her shoulders, covering her luxurious blue dress. In no time at all, Erika had changed into a young Hafan noble.

The stranger also removed his disguise and pulled his hair free from its ponytail. He undid his cummerbund, unfolding it to reveal a black veil, which he wrapped around his head to conceal his hair color.

His stripped-off mantle was turned inside-out, then wrapped around the waist like a pareu. Finally, with a purposeful hunch, the mysterious individual had completely transformed into an old woman in a plain dress.

The quick-change took only a matter of seconds. Those around who had seen the series of sharp movements hung their mouths half open in amazement.

Once Louie had brushed off the hat, it was as if the masked man and Erika had disappeared entirely.

“I’ve got it, you’re—”

“Shhh, not now.”

The woman interrupted, discretely pressing a glass of water against Erika’s lips. Her voice was hoarse, as though she really were an old woman. However, she was none other than the self-proclaimed devil Erika had met in the depths of the Grand Cathedral.

Until a moment ago, her voice and appearance had undoubtedly been that of a man. Now that she was close, and Erika could scrutinize her face, she seemed to be nothing more than an elderly mistress.

The woman led a now-inconspicuous-looking Erika by the hand away from Louie and the other nobles. Erika soon found herself walking out onto a desolate terrace.

There wasn’t a single cloud to conceal the vast, starry sky overhead. The seas surrounding Ynys Negesydd were calm as could be, and the glassy surface of the water reflected twinkles from innumerable specks of light.

In the foreground of this resplendent scenery was August, standing there with a lonely smile on his face.

10

Goldberry leapt off of August and landed on the woman’s shoulder.

“Mmheehee, we’ll give you two some space, okay? August, make sure you apologize,” the woman said with a wink.

Before Erika could make heads or tails of the situation, the lady and the dragon had disappeared through a doorway. Erika stole an awkward glance at August to see he was making a somewhat awkward face himself.

“Good day, Mr. Angel.”

“I’m sorry. I see you’re angry at me.”

“Yes, a little.”

He gave a troubled smile and took a step toward her. Erika found herself inadvertently retreating a step. While he retained his joyful expression, August averted his eyes.

“Yeah, that sounds about right. You should keep at least that much distance from me.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“If you get too close to me, Erika, the ill rumors will gobble you up too,” he said with flawless poise. Indeed, nary a shadow lingered on his face. His expression was wholly warm, accepting, and serene. From that, Erika could understand just how thick a mask August was wearing.

“I’m sorry, and thank you. It was just one day, and I’m the one who ruined it. But you made it an incredibly fun day for me.”

“Why does it have to be like this?”

“If you know about me, we won’t be able to converse at ease. And...”

“And what?”

“Once you know who he really is, the angel’s an angel no longer. That’s the rule.”

August placed his index finger on his lips and grinned. If only for a brief moment, it was as if the playful boy from the Grand Cathedral had returned. However, he turned his back to her all too quickly.

“August, did you want to be an angel?” Erika asked.

“Angel, devil, doesn’t matter. So long as I can soar through the skies.”

August looked up at the night sky. Although his back was turned, Erika could see his expression clearly in her mind’s eye.

He surely had that dry, empty smile on his face. His heart was so parched, so thirsty, that his tears wouldn’t come out no matter how sad he was. Erika knew the feeling well.

She continued casting her questions to his back.

“You want to fly?”

“I want to fly.” His reply was surprisingly firm. He reached a shaking hand out to the distant stars that would never be within his grasp.

“I want to fly. As long as I can fly, everything will work out just fine. And we’ll all be happy.”

“August, you’re—”

“Just kidding. I don’t really expect you to understand.”

When he turned back to her, August was once again a perfect prince, as if he had been ripped straight from a painting.

“Even as our feet are planted on the ground, our hearts belong to the sky. That’s what it means to be a dragoon. I might be a complete failure, but my heart yearns like any other.”

The slight pain in Erika’s chest convinced her. This person will fly, no matter what he has to sacrifice for it.

His longing for the open skies would one day lead him to committing a taboo with the Beast of Contracts. He probably wouldn’t stop even if he knew that contract would completely deprive him of his ability to ride only six years later.

“We’re going off topic. Well, you see how it is. I’m sorry for holding you up.”

Seeing how determined he was to not give her the time of day, Erika understood. It would not be easy to break through the thick walls around his heart.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the strum of a stringed instrument. This was an Ignitian song; she had heard it in the central plaza. But this wasn’t the modern melody that carried Hafan and Aurelian influences. Instead, it bore a vaguely foreign flair. This was most likely closer to the song’s original arrangement.

Mixed in with the laid-back tune, she could hear the nonsensical, off-beat humming of someone clearly enjoying themselves.

“This voice... Is it that woman from before?”

“I told her to quit her meddling...”

“So, she can play an instrument. She’s a woman of many talents.”

“Yeah, she—Palug can do pretty much anything.”

August’s face was stiff, and he had even forgotten to smile. Strange as it was, the way Erika saw it, this expression came to him far more naturally.

When Erika met his eyes with a soft smile, he awkwardly looked away. He was almost like a child who’d shown an immature side he wanted to keep hidden.

“Ah, it’s all ruined. It’s over. I wanted to give up, to cut ties just like that...”

“What are you talking about, August?”

“I’m sorry, Erika. I’m not going to give up on you just yet. I want to get to know you, just a bit more.”

August took Erika by the hand, looking up at her pleadingly. Seeing him so anxious caused Erika to soften even further.

“Very well. Let’s get along as two kindred, nearly friendless souls.”

“Nearly friendless... Come on, now.”

“Palug, was it? Do you have any friends apart from her?”

“Of course. I have Goldberry.”

“Any human friends?”

“Fine, I get it. You win. It’s just as you said; I have almost no friends.”

August had a sour look on his face as he raised his hands in surrender.

“Then if we become friends, your friend count will shoot up to one and a half, just like that. Isn’t that wonderful?” Erika chuckled.

“You have quite a way with numbers... but are you really alright with this?”

“Am I inadequate?”

“No, not at all. I couldn’t ask for more.” August bashfully laughed, gripping Erika’s hand tighter.

Even if his only friend is someone like me, it’s surely better than having no one at all.

Erika knew all too well how isolation could torment the heart. When she had been the target of baseless, depraved rumors in her past life, she hadn’t even managed to fake a laugh or a smile.

No, it wasn’t just laughing. I couldn’t even find it in myself to be angry.

If a childhood friend hadn’t gotten angry on her behalf, she probably wouldn’t have been able to bear it. Erika strongly wished to be someone like that for August.

“You don’t have many friends either, Erika? I find that odd.”

“I don’t. But what’s wrong with that? The number doesn’t matter, so long as you have a few you really like.”

“I guess that checks out. I would agree.” With his eyes so wide, August seemed so childish and innocent.

The music suddenly turned tense and dramatic, as if urging them on. For some reason, she could now hear Goldberry chirping along with the tune.

“Are they watching us from somewhere?”

“It’s hard to tell with just the starlight to go off of.”

“Oh, I think I figured out what she wants.”

August shrugged. The hand he had used to shake Erika’s slipped away, and he presented it anew as he kneeled before her.

“This should shut her up. Lady Erika, would you do me the honor of a dance?”

“Yes, with pleasure.”

“I’m really sorry. She always tends to overdo it.”

With August taking the lead, the pair slid into a fluid dance. Only the self-proclaimed demon and a dragon were watching as they waltzed under the stars.

“You keep complaining, but you look like you’re having fun.”

“Truth be told, I felt somewhat envious when I saw you dancing with that magician.”

“You were watching?”

“Yep. I saw it all, including every instance of you almost stepping on your magician’s foot.”

“Ahaha. Let’s just keep that between us.”

August danced like the devil had left him. His feet were light and certain.

“I was jealous. I wanted to dance with you too. I’m having so much fun right now. Ah, how liberating it is to speak my mind.”

“Of course it is. Lying is a wearisome game to play.”

“My thoughts exactly. I’m run ragged every day. Perhaps I should be an honest boy when you’re around.”

“For example?”

“I want to fly. I want to fly. I want to fly, I want to fly, I want to fly.”

This was completely different from the painful monologue he had given before. He sounded like a spoiled child as he blurted out his heartfelt desire. While childish, his words were as pure as could be.

“Come to think of it, August, why can’t you ride dragons anyway?” Erika off-handedly asked. If August wanted to fly so badly, then what was preventing him from doing so?

“Wow...”

For a moment, August was at a loss for words. It was a little late, but Erika finally realized her question had been considerably insensitive.

“You might be the first person to say that to my face. That’s a bit refreshing.”

“I’m sorry. Was it rude?”

“No, it’s a whole lot easier than dancing around the topic. It makes me feel like I’m a nuisance to be avoided.”

“That means I’ve said something terribly tactless.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it. I’m starting to think I might prefer people with no tact.”

This time, Erika was left struggling to find the right words. She regretted taking advantage of his tolerance to say whatever she wanted.

August heaved a deep sigh before opening his mouth again. “At birth, the nobles of Ignitia are all bestowed with a dragon’s egg. You’re only truly recognized once you’ve hatched, raised, and ridden your dragon.”

“You have Goldberry, don’t you?”

“She’s a smaller breed, meant for self-defense. That’s as big as she’ll get. Her two sisters will grow up to be much larger.”

“Is that how it works?”

“I’ve already decided on their names. The red dragon will be Briar, and the white one will be Bramble. They’ll grow up to be wonderful, beautiful dragons.”

August sounded very much like Eduard when he said that. He carried the bearing of a doting older brother.

“So you’re telling me you can’t ride a dragon because they won’t hatch?”

“Precisely. This is unprecedented for the royal family. No one knows why the eggs refuse to hatch... so at the very least, I was hoping to ride a generic dragon.”

“That doesn’t sound too hard.”

“Oh, riding a generic dragon is very difficult. Only one out of a hundred, maybe two hundred commoners born without a personal dragon has the talent to rise up as a dragoon. By raising them from eggs, the nobility forms a mental bond early on, guaranteeing a ride later in life. That’s why they keep telling me to wait until Briar and Bramble hatch, but...”

“You can’t wait that long?”

“I can’t.”

August wrapped a hand around Erika’s waist, lifted her up, and did a twirl.

“I asked the people who came to study dragon ecology. My father and his father both flew at age seven. I’m already ten, and not only can’t I fly, I can’t even ride... I don’t care if I’m not a genius rider like my predecessors. But I don’t want them to think the genius’ son is incompetent.”

With one last wide, sweeping turn, the music was over. Erika and August parted so only their hands were still joined and stared at each other.

“More importantly, I want to protect my mother’s honor. Riding a dragon is the only way for me to prove that I’m of royal blood.”

“August...”

The stars she could see beyond the prince’s face glittered spectacularly. The water’s surface reflected their light, making it difficult to tell where the sky ended and the sea began.

It’s beautiful, thought Erika, entranced. However, she inadvertently let her true thoughts reach her mouth.

“Obsessing over both your mother and your sisters is a bit much, don’t you think?”

“Did you just say something?”

“No, nothing at all.”

Erika hokily averted her eyes, but August calmly pursued the matter.

“Did you not just say something incredibly rude? Why don’t you look me in the eye and say it again.”

“It’s really nothing. Lalala! Why, August, you really are quite beautiful.”

Palug chose that exact moment to come over, a broad grin on her face. She seemed poised to tease the two of them. But if she would bring an end to this awkward exchange, so be it; for that moment alone, the self-proclaimed devil looked like an angel to Erika.

11

It was Erika’s second day on Ynys Negesydd. Tomorrow would be the day of the joust, and the town filled with even more life as the Adventmas festivities neared their peak.

Erika once again received permission to go out from her father, so she set forth into town.

“Aren’t you glad you got to eat so many delicacies, Tir?”

“Indeed. It wasn’t enough to sate my stomach, but my tongue is satisfied.”

“I may have eaten too much.”

“So that’s why you did not attend that garden party or whatever it was.”

Today, her schedule was occupied by a gathering held not by the royal family but by the house of the previous queen, to which the marquis belonged. If she had to guess, it was mainly for the elderly nobles to meet and mingle. Duke Aurelia had received an invitation, but it was up to him whether he brought his daughter or not.

“Yes, well, that’s part of it.”

“Is it because you don’t want to meet that Louie boy you were complaining about?”

“That’s also part of it, but... you know, I really think I should take some action about that prophecy.”

“Oh, I see.”

The jousting tournament that would determine her fate awaited her. She only had one day left to avoid the next flag. However, Erika planned to not only avoid her own ruin, but to prevent August’s downfall as well.

If August fused with the Beast of Contracts, then no matter whose route the heroine chose in six years, there was a good chance the beast would still weaken. Once the beast separated from him, August would inevitably lose his riding ability—for good this time. Erika recalled that while he wasn’t the main focus in the game’s third route, August was unable to ride dragons in that one as well.

In short, August’s future as a dragoon was sealed the moment he made a contract for those transient abilities.

“You’re in quite a predicament yourself. Are you really in a position to help others? Well, come to think of it, you are the sort of human who chose to release me from my seal.”

“I mean, how can I just leave him be? Especially now that we’ve become friends.”

August’s words resounded in her ears. After wishing so strongly to fly, he didn’t seem like he’d be able to bear losing his riding ability forever.

“I completely fail to understand your outlook... but I can’t say I hate it.” Tirnanog shrugged, his gestures practically screaming, “Good grief,” as he shook his head. “In that case, we must take the initiative: find the Beast of Contracts and defeat it.”

“That does seem like our best option. This tournament is where August falls off a dragon and grows desperate. But who’s to say it will never happen again?”

Perhaps he’d take a tumble next year instead, and perhaps someone else would mock him for it. She could only truly be certain nothing would happen if the Beast of Contracts was already defeated by then.

Alright, we have an objective. That’s a good place to start.

Erika’s goal was to find the Beast of Contracts hiding somewhere on Ynys Negesydd. She already knew of someone who probably knew where it was: August himself. Surely he had his leads; otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to reach the beast when push came to shove. Asking him would at least narrow down the possible locations to a certain degree.

“Off to the Grand Cathedral we go. If he’s not there, maybe we’ll try out the palace.”

“Very well. I’ll keep quiet.”

“I’m sorry, Tir.”

“It is of little consequence. Walking around with you is enjoyable enough.”

With Tirnanog displaying overall good will, Erika returned a bashful laugh. She lightly tapped her fist against his outstretched hand. With her trusty partner by her side, she made for the Grand Cathedral once more.

☆

“Are you here, Mr. Angel?”

Erika called for August as she walked down the more desolate districts of the Grand Cathedral.

“Over here, Erika. I’ve been waiting.”

Erika turned toward the voice to see August looking up at the stained glass. He was exactly where Erika had met him the day before.

Is there something special about that glass? she wondered.

“How did you know I would come here?”

“I have a good friend with good ears.”

“Oh, so you asked Palug.”

The mysterious woman, Palug, called herself a devil. She didn’t appear to be a guard or an attendant. Erika hadn’t the slightest idea who she really was.

“I see you came as a merchant’s daughter today. That ribbon suits you perfectly.”

“I appreciate the compliment.”

Erika had donned the sort of clothing the daughter of a wealthy merchant might wear with emphasis placed on ease of movement. She wore a functional and simple blue dress with a white shirt and blue ribbon. Incidentally, she had coordinated the colors with a certain Alice in mind.

“So what do you want to do today? Instead of restricting yourself to the cathedral, do you want to see the architecture of other churches as well? Or shall I show you around town?”

“There’s so much to do...”

How was she supposed to draw out information on the Beast of Contracts? Pondering this troubling matter, Erika also looked up at the stained glass... and noticed something rather peculiar.

“Why is there barely any blue? Not that I have anything against red and yellow.”

“The pigment to make high-quality blue glass belongs exclusively to Gigantia. There’s some old blue glass from before the war, but it’s gradually becoming impossible to restore.”

Gigantia, a country on Karkinos, was an enemy of the united kingdoms. A series of bloody conflicts known as the Giant Wars had been waged between them for many long years. While there was currently a ceasefire in place, no one could possibly claim their relationship was favorable.

Consequently, products of Gigantia had risen in value.

“The scarcity is an issue in all the churches. I hear the pigment goes for twenty times its weight in silver.”

“Sounds like someone’s profiteering off of this.”

“Though for this stained glass in particular, the main focus is the sun, so it’s somewhat managing without blue.”

The glass depicted an angel, the Founding King, and a beautiful sun. It was a scene from the legend of the nation’s founding. Erika was entranced by it for a while before she returned to her senses. Now was not the time to appreciate art. She needed to locate the Beast of Contracts, and August was her best lead.

“You asked me what I wanted to do today. How about we look at sites pertaining to the Beast of Contracts?”

“Hmm, I’m surprised someone from the west knows about that. Where did you hear about that monster?”

“I assume it’s because Ignitian royalty has married into House Aurelia a few times before. I’ve heard a thing or two about it.”

Though the information really came from game playthroughs in another life, she couldn’t just say such a thing, so she decided to chalk it up to their houses’ past relations.

“A miraculous beast that will grant any wish. Really sounds like a fairy tale, doesn’t it?”

“Is it just a fairy tale?”

“Yep. It’s neither a magic nor a phantasmic beast. It’s just a fantasy,” August stated, sounding somewhat disappointed. It seemed he didn’t believe in it himself.

Oh, but that’s the thing, Mr. Angel. I hear it’s out there somewhere.

Erika made sure her thoughts didn’t reach her face as she closely studied August’s expression. If he really didn’t know, then perhaps that bloody incident wouldn’t happen, and she couldn’t ask for more.

“But even if it isn’t real, it’s pretty interesting, isn’t it?” August continued.

“Yes, it’s like chasing a dream. Can we try looking for it anyway?”

“Hmm, then that settles it. We’ll spend today exploring the legend of the Beast of Contracts.”

“Thank you, August.”

“But in that case, we’ll have to narrow it down a bit, or one day won’t be enough.”

“Are there a lot of places related to the Beast of Contracts?”

“The general population will say the legends belong to several different beasts, but the royal family insists they all stem from a single entity. I thought we’d trace a few of the fragmented ones.”

“I see. You sound pretty knowledgeable.”

“I should hope so. I’m probably the most knowledgeable in Ignitia at the moment,” August said, his smile simply brimming with confidence. “Alright, let’s start with what’s in the Grand Cathedral.”

August looked up at the stained glass one last time before assuming his position as tour guide and marching off.

Erika followed him to the front of a mural she hadn’t seen before. It was a painting of a golden, catlike life-form and what seemed to be a young boy. The painting technique used appeared to be a lot older than that of the other works she’d seen.

“This piece is called The Riddle. They say if you beat the Beast of Contracts in a game of riddles, it will grant you one wish, no matter what it is... That’s why I found myself researching the beast, once upon a time.”

“What for?”

“I thought that if I wished for it, I would be able to ride a dragon.”

August’s fingers traced the cat’s golden fur. He didn’t seem to be terribly distressed at the moment. It was more so that he was simply stating a fact. Despite this, Erika felt a restlessness in her chest. How much easier would it be if she could just tell him, “You’d better give up. That path will only lead you to ruin”?

“But isn’t it dangerous to make a contract with the beast?”

“Yes, the story goes that you’ll be eaten if you lose the game. Even if I didn’t make a contract, I thought maybe I could find a hint on how to make my wish come true with my own strength.”

“I get it.”

“Unfortunately, it’s all complete fiction. It has to be; it’s way too convenient. Who in their right mind would believe you can get anything you want just by making a contract?”

“What happens in the fairy tales?”

Sometimes, a fragment of truth could be hidden in stories. Erika had experienced this firsthand with the story of the Seafarer’s Ruins, and thus she wondered if this one would be the same.

“There are a number of different stories, and they all have so many versions that no one can say what actually happened. There are only two I know of that have a definite beginning and end. In the first, a pandemic was killing a great many people, so someone made a wish to the Beast of Contracts and asked it to eat the disease.”

“I see...”

“The beast did as it was told, and many lives were saved. However, it came at a cost: the one who made the contract was also swallowed whole. These days, they’re worshipped as a saint... Unfortunately, the shrine’s in another city. We’ll have to see it some other time.”

“Erm, swallowed whole, you say...”

This was practically foreshadowing her fate in Liber Monstrorum, and Erika didn’t quite know what to say. She prayed it wasn’t a beast that had to eat someone every time it granted a wish.

“In the other story, a boy suffering from a snake bite made a contract and gained the power to control snakes. The Beast of Contracts had once defeated the King of Serpents in battle, and thus it held the authority to reign supreme over all serpents.”

“The power to control snakes? That’s a pretty strange story.”

“Again, it demanded an offering of flesh and blood for the wish. Just as the boy was about to be killed, he challenged and defeated it in a game of riddles, winning him more convenient terms... That’s what the mural’s about.”

“So that’s where the riddle comes up.”

“Yeah. The beast was placed under a curse from God, so it couldn’t decline any riddle challenges.”

“How peculiar.”

“No, it’s pretty by the book. Otherwise, humans have no way to triumph over such a creature. It’s only good manners for God to work in something of the sort.”

Sure enough, from what she could remember of fairy tales in her previous life, if a monster couldn’t be defeated with brute force, it was often defeated with wit. In short, the Beast of Contracts was a cryptid that would do whatever you wanted if you could outsmart it.

“Now, let’s move on. Did you get a good look at the obelisk right in front of the cathedral?” August said as he headed toward the entrance.

Erika asked the most important question as she gave chase. “So, August, do you know where the Beast of Contracts might be?”

“If I knew, I’d have made a contract ages ago, and my wish would have come true.”

“I see. I guess that makes sense.”

At present, it seemed August didn’t know where the beast was and had never even made contact with it. Was he hiding enough hints to find it in a few days? Or were they going to discover a decisive hint now? She couldn’t say for sure.

I hope this search doesn’t just stir up the hornets’ nest.

☆

The plaza in front of the Grand Cathedral was dominated by a monument that was around twice the height of an adult. Erika had already seen this obelisk a few times by now, but she had never realized it had anything to do with the Beast of Contracts.

August stared absentmindedly at the relic. “I can’t say it too loudly, but the Beast of Contracts is the ancestral deity of the Ignitian royal family. The obelisk’s pedestal was made after we were assimilated into the faith of the One True God, but the pillar came from Karkinos—from older days,” he explained.

“I don’t see anywhere a beast could hide.”

“Me neither. You think it could be hollow underneath?”

“Not very realistic.”

“Right, there aren’t any air holes... There’s an old song that goes, ‘The beast must sleep beneath the sun,’ so I thought there might be a chance.”

The stone obelisk worked as a sundial, but there were no actual mechanisms in sight, and when she tapped it, the pedestal sounded pretty solid.

“There’s no hollow space in the pillar, either,” August added.

“I doubt there’s any creature that can survive after being sealed into a—”

Erika cut herself off as her eyes met with Tirnanog at her feet.

Her partner looked up at her curiously. She couldn’t forget about the beast she had revived when she’d destroyed a stone monument.

“There’s a chance it’s been sealed in the obelisk itself with some sort of spatial or time magic. Perhaps if you fulfill certain conditions, or bring the right offering to wake it up, then maybe—”

“You’re suddenly getting quite specific.”

“I’m just trying to imagine the most common scenarios.”

Of course, the experience she spoke of had happened in the deepest depths of an underground labyrinth. It was hard to imagine a dangerous beast being sealed in broad daylight where so many people passed by.

“An offering, eh?” muttered August.

“Don’t even think about it.”

“I’m not. I mean, going off those legends, it might require human sacrifice.”

“Yes, that would be a bit difficult to arrange.”

Erika and August shared a sincere nod. They spent a bit longer staring at the obelisk, and then August clapped his hands together.

“Oh, that’s right. There is something special about the obelisk. Almost all of it’s been scraped away, but you see those faint letters carved in?”

“Yes, I can just barely make them out.”

“There was a time when all the epitaphs from when we worshiped the Beast of Contracts were scraped off and replaced with hymns to the One True God. All that’s left are the vestiges of what was erased.”

“Perhaps they wanted to cover up any evidence of a beast god that swallows people whole?”

“Whoever did it was very thorough with his work.”

A real shame. It would have been such a valuable lead, August’s expression seemed to say as he stared at the ancient letters that were as good as gone.

“Alright, on to the next place.” August resumed the tour for the three of them.

☆

All the clinics and apothecaries were decorated with ornaments modeled after a cat-headed beast. These decorations, called “sick-eating lynxes,” would be placed around entrances and water sources as talismans to devour or scare off any bad ailments that might try to invade.

The stalls also carried traces of the Beast of Contracts. Charms made of cat’s eye meant for pregnant women and infants were sold all around Ynys Negesydd. It seemed the beast was the protector of children as well.

A wide array of legends remained in what was left of the few temples and shrines dedicated to the Beast of Contracts. They passed by a statue of a strange monster with a lute in its hand, a mural of an anthropomorphic cat on a quest, and a series of deep gashes in an altar that were said to be the claw marks of the beast.

Erika found them all so curious and interesting, but the beast itself was still nowhere to be found.

“It’s been two years since I’ve been to an apothecary,” August told her as he lazily stretched out his arms.

“They have wonderful plant specimens I’ve never seen before. I’ll need to take some home with me.”

The apothecaries had been Erika’s favorite among all the places they’d visited. She was especially intrigued by the herb garden of the apothecary built into the monastery, which was a treasure trove of rare flora imported from Karkinos. A number of the flowering plants had a unique charm to them, and Erika wanted to try her hand at raising them herself.

“Are you sure? That sounds like a lot of work.”

“Hey, I might be hopeless, but I’m still an alchemist in the making. I’m interested in rare reagents.”

“How old are you again? Eight? It’s pretty admirable to be doing alchemy at your age. Do you plan on going to Lindis when you grow up?”

“I do... though it’s been an endless source of worry for me.”

Erika spoke a bit about her complete lack of talent as an alchemist—how she was unable to regulate the mana in her body and therefore unable to create wands, or any other magic items for that matter.

August stayed quiet, only adding in a word now and again to show that he was listening.

“I see. You have it rough, too. Looks like I can’t just play the tragic hero around you.”

“I’m the youngest child, so I don’t bear any major responsibilities. I’m not under nearly as much pressure as you.”

“But still, it’s pretty harsh to be the only one unable to do what everyone else pulls off like it’s nothing.”

“Right... I’m worried about how I’ll play it off when I enter the academy.”

“It’s not easy being the bottom of the class. Especially when you’ve got a reputation to protect.”

Erika felt her suppressed anxiety spilling out. She hadn’t intended to share these complaints with anyone, but it was easy to talk to August as he shared similar worries.

“Well, there’s no use getting too down over it,” he ultimately conceded.

“My thoughts exactly.”

“Oh, right. How about I bring you to my secret base?”

“What sort of place is that?”

When Erika looked up, August was grinning.

“There’s a secret room only royalty knows about. No, wait. I guess Palug knows about it too.”

“Then Palug will be there too?”

“But we’ll stand out if we loiter around there during Adventmas. How about we go after the crowds are gone? If I’m remembering right, House Aurelia is taking an extended stay, right?”

“Yes. Even after Adventmas is over, my father plans to stay a few more days for work.”

“Alright, it’s a deal.”

In the end, Erika learned nothing concerning the whereabouts of the Beast of Contracts. Such a dangerous creature wouldn’t be anywhere that could be found so easily. The way Erika saw it, everything would work out so long as she could find and incapacitate it by the time she returned to Aurelia.

The evening bell chimed. Before she knew it, their shadows had stretched out considerably.

“Should we get going now? You’ll worry your parents if you’re too late. I’ll walk you to the villa.”

On the way back to House Aurelia’s villa, August suddenly looked up at the sky. Without saying a word, he watched as the hordes of flying dragons returned to their stables. It was as though he was enchanted by a dazzling sight; his eyes belonged to a boy who was deeply in love.

His gaze caused an uneasiness to bloom inside Erika.

“August, you’d better not sneak your way into the joust. Promise me, okay?”

“How could I? I don’t have a dragon to perform with, and I can’t even ride.”

“I’m sure you’ll ride someday. You’ll be a fine dragoon.”

“Hahaha. You make it sound so easy.” August gave a lonesome, powerless laugh.

“I hear that things work out better if you try to be optimistic,” Erika offered.

“You want me to be optimistic? Now that’s asking a lot. Then, in the spirit of optimism, how about I make a request?”

“What is it? If it’s within my power, I’ll try to grant it.”

“You’re sure about that? Then allow me... this!”

All of a sudden, August smoothly plucked away the ribbon binding Erika’s hair.

“Huh?! You dare tease a lady like that?!”

August mockingly waved the stolen ribbon back and forth, chuckling all the while.

“I’m doing it because you’re a lady. Why, it’s only customary for a dragoon to take to the skies with a belonging of his lady’s in hand to show his devotion.”

He jokingly used it to tie back his own hair. He looked the spitting image of a sweet little girl, and it suited him perfectly.

You’ve got enough feminine charm as it is!

Erika couldn’t believe he would grow to look like a suave and flirty pickup artist one day. She didn’t really mind giving it to him considering how well he pulled it off, but she despised the fact that he’d pulled a fast one on her.

“Give it back! I have nothing to give to a naughty boy.”

“Oh, come now. What have you got to lose from giving me just this one?”

“Why, I’m losing a ribbon! A very nice one at that!”

August gave a joyous laugh, easily avoiding Erika’s swipe to reclaim her possession. He looked like he was having so much fun that Erika hesitated over whether or not she should even take it back. After all, she far preferred this lively August to that alabaster prince.

“Aren’t we friends? Can’t you spare just one ribbon for me?”

“Well, I guess...”

“Alright. Yep, that settles it!”

In the moment Erika faltered, August sprinted away. She quickly took off after him.

“One day,” he cried, “I’ll take this proof of our friendship to the skies, I promise! Just you wait!”

August’s smile glowed in the setting sun. Erika pictured the scene, August flying high in the air with her ribbon fluttering in the breeze.

I’m sure it’ll make me so proud to see him.

With that in mind, Erika continued to watch August in the fleeting light.