Chapter 9: Return from Overseas

The day after the signing ceremony, Lou and I left Marsche in a hurry along with Gillain.

I hadn’t even had a chance to explain what was going on to Tabuchi, Yamada, and Yoko, but I knew Tabuchi would give them a good explanation. I’d have to write a letter when I got the chance.

We left from the harbor in Marsche and headed to the continent of Celt on a large Galéan military ship. The waves were high, maybe because of a low pressure system coming in, and I was feeling seasick.

“This is when you ask Miyu for help!” suggested Lou.

“Miyu, help me!” I shouted. “Calm the sea! Our sails are going to break!”

The sea became calm amidst the pitch-black clouds.

“I’m impressed,” said Lou.

“She is the ruler of the eastern sea, after all!”

“Oh, I see Lady Serephione can even control the weather! Lovely.”

I turned around in surprise to see Regueid standing there, grinning. Behind him, numerous Galéan officials were staring at me, white in the face.

“Monsters marry monsters...”

I couldn’t tell who had said that.

Monster... I’d been called that in the book. Lou growled, ready to jump down from my shoulder.

“It’s okay, Lou. I’m honored to be compared to Gillain.”

“Hey! Fio—I mean, Lady Serephione! His Imperial Majesty wants you!” Sakaki was waving at me from the cabin. I headed over to him with long strides.

Galé was located in the south of Celt. It took about two weeks to reach from the large harbor in the southeast of Marsche. Judore was located in the midwest of the continent, bordering Galé.

This was my first time back home in about two years.

Welcome back, me.

We decided to stay in Galé until we had more information about Judore.

In the novel, I had been Gillain’s mercenary, and now I was his fiancée. Did that difference constitute a departure from the plot of Wild Rose, or was it still within the bounds of the plot?

Lou had already left by this time in the book; I was left all alone in the cramped barracks. My days consisted of either fighting or staring at the wall from my bed, but my heart had long since gone numb, so I didn’t even register loneliness. The only person I’d had to talk to was Gillain.

Now, I’d settled down in a detached palace a bit away from where Gillain lived in the middle of Galea, the capital city. Gillain had prepared a room in the imperial palace for me, but I turned it down because living in the palace would bother me. The detached palace had been neglected for a while, but I settled on it because Lou said its atmosphere was clearer than the others’.

The Galéan nobility wasn’t jealous of me since I’d gone through so much pain. Gillain assigned Sakaki to be my guard since we knew each other, and Asu came every day to extort treats out of me. Regueid mentioned assigning me a lady-in-waiting, but I flatly refused, since I’d be too nervous wondering if she was a spy.

Galé’s climate was pleasant—warmer than Judore’s. The drafts didn’t even bother me. In my detached palace, where we wouldn’t attract attention, I covertly gathered materials with Lou, learned fire magic from Asu, cooked with ingredients that Sakaki brought me, and went back to Gillain at night to take care of everyone.

“Sere, what’s this thick blue liquid?” Gillain asked.

“It’s a smoothie I made with nutritious herbs I picked in the forest, anti-poison mushrooms, and banana. This is sure to take those dark circles away! Don’t worry, I used Appraisal on it! I haven’t tasted it, though!”

“A ‘smoothie’...?”

“This is your fiancée’s love for you, Gillain. Go for it!” Asu teased him.

“This is your responsibility to your fiancée, Gillain,” Lou piled on. “Don’t leave any in the cup!”

“Hm? Lou, Asu, you want some too? Here you go!” I offered.

“Uh...”

“Oh, and Sakaki? Here!”

“I, um...”

At times, when I couldn’t take Gillain’s dark circles away, I kissed his eyes as a charm, just like I used to do for my papa. I tried brushing my fingers over them instead to see if it would have the same effect, but I couldn’t change the charm, maybe because I’d already set it as a kiss. It was a little embarrassing, but you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs... I couldn’t just let Gillain die of overwork!

“So? Have your eyes stopped feeling tired?”

“Yeah. Thank you.” He hugged me tightly, and his magic surrounded me. I felt like I might get addicted to coffee from the sheer strength of it.

“Ah, he’s marking you.” Asu snickered.

“What do you mean?”

“Anyone with magical talent will notice his magic on you and know not to touch you.”

“Hmm, but sometimes I get attacked in the woods.”

“Sorry,” Asu apologized. “Galé is big. Unfortunately, that means there are some idiots here.”

Soaking up both Gillain’s and Asu’s magic constantly, I felt like my own magic was being boosted. I felt just as protected as I did when I was in Judore. It made me a bit self-conscious.

◇ ◇ ◇

“A party to showcase our engagement?”

“Yes. The emperor’s engagement is the biggest event in a nation. If we don’t give it the proper attention, other countries will look down on us. As a noble yourself, you should understand that I’m not saying anything out of the ordinary.” Regueid smiled as he drank the black tea that I’d made him when he visited my detached palace. Apparently, he wasn’t worried about poisoning as long as I made it.

“Gillain’s reform of Galé is still in progress. Shouldn’t we avoid spending money unless it’s absolutely necessary?”

“You can leave financial matters to me. Celebrations, if done well, can stimulate economic activity and turn a large profit.”

“Gillain isn’t a big fan of formalities in the first place. He especially hates flattery. Don’t you think this could backfire and damage our image to the people we invite?”

“That depends on your skill as the one who stands next to him. It could either raise or lower his reputation.”

Ugh, this guy! “Gillain, what do you think?” I asked Gillain, who was looking over some documents next to me.

“We don’t need to do it if you don’t want to.”

“Your Imperial Majesty, Lady Serephione is still only a name in the eyes of our subjects. If you don’t present her, you’ll get the same annoying insects flying around you as you have up to now. It would be better to declare her to be yours publicly. Those who understand her worth will understand.”

“Oh, Regueid, you understand too?”

“Of course!”

Very fishy. I doubt Regueid really thinks of me as much more than an add-on to Lou.

“If you plan to marry soon, you could skip the engagement announcement and just announce your wedding.”

“The wedding can wait. I’ve only just convinced her of my feelings. Don’t rush it.”

Gillain had told me that he would wait until my mess (Schneider and Maribelle) was cleaned up, and also until after I had turned nineteen, to avoid the years when I was convicted and killed in the novel. He said to wait and see for myself that he wouldn’t betray me.

Ah... I want to be stronger.

We had no choice but to showcase our engagement, but I was bad at socializing due to having been raised as a shut-in. I didn’t think Gillain was particularly good at it either.

We as a couple...would just have to resort to force if the time came! Bring it on, muscleheads!

“Can you do hair styles, Sakaki?”

“Fio, hair styling isn’t part of a spy’s job description.”

“What about you, Asu?”

“Sere...this is the first time in my long life as a holy beast that I’ve been asked to style hair.”

“Darn it!”

“Sere! Why aren’t you asking me?” Lou demanded.

“You have paws.”

Lou scoffed.

“Fio, how can you just disrespect a holy beast like that...”

Sakaki still called me Fio when Gillain wasn’t around. He had also studied magic hard, maybe because he felt constrained by life in the detached palace, so he was able to see Lou and Asu now.

I had to dress up nice for the engagement party to avoid embarrassing Gillain. I didn’t have the time or means to make a gown, but fortunately, I had a new one in my Magic Room that my grandmother had made for me. She had given it to me in case of emergency, since a gown is a woman’s battle armor. It was only later that I understood what my grandmother said and did; I was grateful to her.

The hem was designed to be easily extendable for when I grew in the future. It was a classic design, but it was still from a foreign country. I didn’t know what I’d do if it stood out too much from the others, but I had no other option. I just had to put it on and stand strong.

I’d been trained in hair and makeup, but my hair was short now. It had finally grown out to shoulder-length, but it still wasn’t long enough to tie up or braid. I figured I would ask someone else...but nobody in the detached palace could handle it.

“What if you called Elise?” Asu asked.

“I can’t just call a saint to do my hair. Plus, she’s a knight in the first place. She’s not the best at that kind of thing.”

“I guess birds of a feather flock together.”

“We’re from the same knight flock.”

“Oh, well.” Asu shone and grew from his miniature size to his true size, then plucked out one of his rainbow feathers. “You can put this in your hair.”

That’s...awesome!

“I can’t just wear a holy beast’s feather! That’s national treasure tier!”

“You think? I can just grow a new one.”

“Thank you, but...I don’t think most people can even see it.”

“I see... In that case... Here, now even Magicless people should be able to see it.”

I held up the feather with both of my hands. It was like an otherworldly illusion. Sakaki and I made eye contact.

“Fio...you have to wear it now, or it’s disrespecting the holy beast,” Sakaki informed me. “I can’t deny that it’ll make you stand out too much, though.”

“It also lets people know you have me protecting you,” Asu said. “Two birds with one stone.”

“Wear my fur too, Sere!” Lou chimed in.

Where? On my butt? There’s no need for a weird rivalry.

This is too much for my plain black hair...

◇ ◇ ◇

I was ushered into the front room of the Imperial Palace’s largest audience hall, where I waited with Lou and Sakaki. The hall would be filled with influential nobles from Galé. I would be the last to enter—diving straight into unfamiliar territory.

“Sere, you look down. What’s wrong?” Lou set his paws on my lap and tilted his head.

Normally, I would have been escorted to Gillain by a male relative...

This engagement may have been irregular, but I was naturally serious about it. This was going to be the first and last engagement party in my life. If this engagement were to disappear...I would disappear with it.

It hurt not having family with me, even if I knew there was nothing I could do about it. I wondered if my father would agree with this engagement... I wondered if my grandmother would give Gillain a passing score.

Someone knocked on the door, and Arthur entered. He was escorting me in place of a male relative. Arthur was a marquis, so he was in no position to complain about the woman he was taking with him.

Arthur took one look at me, drew in a breath, and stopped in his tracks. His gaze wandered for a moment, then he gathered himself and made his way over to me. “You seem...subdued. Is something the matter?”

Where did your disrespectful attitude go? Is this like the arm wrestling effect?

“It’s nothing. I’m just...a little homesick.” I shook off my thoughts of my family and smiled weakly.

“Do you feel constrained in the detached palace?”

“Of course not! Everyone treats me well. Thank you for escorting me today. I don’t mean to be a bother, but I’d appreciate if you gave me instructions.”

“Sure.”

I gently put my hand around Arthur’s elbow. “Is there anything strange about my appearance? I haven’t had a chance to learn Galéan customs.”

“No, nothing’s wrong. I don’t see a single weak point on you today. If you’d been like this in Marsche, even I would have...” Arthur sighed.

“Arthur?”

“It’s nothing. The emperor is waiting.”

Arthur’s uniform was navy blue. It was decorated with ceremonial medals and aglets that hung from his chest.

My grandmother’s best dress was the clear light blue of Lou’s eyes. The skirt was not particularly full, and the silhouette was clean. Mrs. Marcus had embroidered the wrists, neckline, and hem in navy blue, toning down the bright sky blue to my liking. I was sixteen, so I wanted a more modest look with my gown.

“We’re wearing matching colors, Arthur.”

“That...may not be good.”

My grandmother had given me a lot of accessories, but all I had around my neck was my platinum chain. Other than that, I just had on Alma’s gold ring and my engagement ring. My short hair was forcibly gathered at the back, and I had carefully hidden the nape of my neck with Asu’s feather. It shone red, blue, and green, depending on the angle. I feel like a follow-up act to the feather...

Lou stood on my other side, and Sakaki protected me from the back.

“Are you ready? Okay, let’s go.”

“Presenting Lady Serephione Granzeus of the Kingdom of Judore!”

The announcer read my name off. A clamor broke out in the room.

“It’s the Twilight Fairy I keep hearing about...”

“The ultimate weapon of the Trundles...”

“Why is our empress some little girl from Judore...?!”

“Eeee, Sir Arthur! Why would you escort such a lowly girl?!”

“H-Hey, her hair! Is that from our sacred bird?!”

Ah, this brings me back. I remembered being all alone in the novel, shown off to the public, kneeling before the emperor, and vowing to be his vassal. I had been subject to all kinds of abuse from the Galéan soldiers.

Compared to then...I was so much better off.

After all, I had Lou at my side. Sakaki was accompanying me with a calm air. Even Arthur was helping me with this event.

People spread to make a path to the throne for me. Gillain was watching from the throne, his elbow rested on his armrest as if he were bored, and Asu shone brilliantly on his shoulder.

I had to do my greeting and speech on my own, since I didn’t have my father with me. I mulled over how to start as a noble lady, but decided not to worry about it. I’d managed on my own in my past life. I’d do the same this time out of respect to that past version of me.

I walked up to Gillain with Arthur. Arthur started to bend his knees, but I held my fan out to stop him. His eyes went wide in surprise, and he took a step back. The audience whispered. Gillain raised his left eyebrow.

I bowed at Gillain’s feet like a knight. “My name is Serephione Granzeus. I vow my undying loyalty and protection to Emperor Gillain for the rest of my days. Even if my body deteriorates, please allow me to serve you as a spirit. May your reign be blessed.”

I’d said everything I needed to. The audience was silent—probably shocked that what I’d said hadn’t been what they expected from a woman. It had been my true, unfiltered feelings. I would never betray Gillain. That was my announcement to the audience. Just as Gillain protected me, I too would protect Gillain!

Whoosh!

Suddenly, ten flaming blades came flying from behind me, aimed at the throne. I instantly pulled out the knives I had hidden in each sleeve, stood in front of Gillain to deflect them all, and put each flame out individually by cutting off its oxygen supply. The room would’ve flooded if I’d used water.

Clap, clap, clap, clap. “Wonderful!” Regueid approached in a dress suit and applauded.

You’re the one behind this?! My shoulders fell.

“That was in bad taste,” I said.

“You can say that again,” Lou agreed.

I glared at Regueid, who smiled and knelt at my feet. I swallowed my voice.

“I welcome you to Galé, Lady of Twilight. And once again, I pledge my loyalty to the Emperor of Galé and his peerless empress.”

Sakaki, who was next to me for some reason, also knelt down and hung his head. Arthur followed quickly. Behind Regueid, one after another, military officers who, from the looks of their collars, were at least colonels, and civilian officers and nobles who didn’t seem to be idiots, knelt down.

Regueid had played me like a fiddle. He’d used me to turn Galé into a monolith. I sighed and put my knives back.

Gillain suddenly put his hands around my waist from behind. “Regueid, I’m going to kill you if you ever turn a blade on Serephione again.”

“As you wish.”

“I hereby proclaim Serephione Granzeus to be my fiancée. Anyone who harms her from here on out will be treated as if they had harmed me. I will show no mercy. If any woman has more resolve than my Serephione, she may present herself here.”

A stunned silence fell over the room. Asu spread his wings and jumped onto my shoulder from Gillain’s. I could feel the shock from the people who could see him. I froze as I realized that his feathers and my hair accessory were the same.

“That was too cool of you, Sere. Leave some for Gillain,” Asu teased.

“Hey, I was just set up, nothing more.”

“You’re drawing attention,” Lou warned Asu. “But it’s on purpose, isn’t it?”

Asu chuckled.

Music began to play.

Gillain took my hand and led me to the center of the hall. It was customary for the emperor to have the first dance. Now my second dance has also ended up being with Gillain... We made sure we were in time with the music and entered the ring of high-ranking nobles.

“Are you upset that I’m not very good at dancing?” I asked.

Gillain’s eyes sparkled in amusement—a rare expression. “No, you’re exceeding my expectations. You make my heart soar. You’re my treasure.” He brought his face close to mine as he whispered, then he took my plate from my collar and kissed it. The plate glowed with magic. I could feel the blood rush to my face from the sheer intimacy of it.

“H-Hey... That plate...”

“How can she be so innocent...”

“So strong, and yet so pure...”

“It’s so cute how she’s so much more innocent than she looks...”

The audience was making quite the commotion, but I couldn’t hear them over the sound of my own heart. I was too focused on not messing up my steps as Gillain watched me.

Safe in Gillain’s arms and looked after by Asu, I surprisingly barely felt any ill will from the people of Galé at all. I felt like I could make it in the Galé Empire as Gillain’s fiancée.

“Um, Gillain, I may not be the most competent, but I’ll do my best for you.” I looked up at him, put my hand on the scar on his cheek, and put a charm on him to take away any pain he might have. This was like a routine for me! The charm worked, and I smiled in relief.

Gillain’s cheeks turned a faint pink. He closed his eyes and turned his head up. Is he overheating?

“You...got me.”

Yeah, I thought we established that already? I tilted my head, and Gillain pulled me in, closing the distance between us and shadowing my face. He kissed the faint scar on my cheek.

“Eek!” I squealed. Wh-What are you doing?! I opened and closed my mouth like a goldfish.

“If you’re going to put a charm on me, I’ll put one on you. Fair and square.”

“Eeeeek!” The room filled with screams, squeals of delight, and Regueid’s laughter.

Asu chuckled. “How adorable.”

“Ah, to be young...” Lou concurred.

◇ ◇ ◇

It had been two whole years away from Judore. The events with Schneider and Maribelle still hung heavy in my heart, along with the plot of Wild Rose.

But I was surrounded by people who would protect me. I had Asu, who called me his best friend, and I had Miyu, the eternal maiden and protector of girls, who would come running whenever I called. And I had Lou, my other half, at my side. That crushing loneliness I’d once felt had gone away.

Until the conditions were right for me to return to Judore, I planned to train to become an S-rank adventurer and go on secret adventures around Galé with Lou to collect rare materials. Just like we’d decided in the countermeasure plan, I was going to live life to the fullest in this new land, and I wasn’t going to let anything stop me. And I was going to support Gillain, the man who had saved me in the book and was now my beloved fiancé, so I could make him smile.

“Sere! I feel like something salty today. Let’s have Marsche-style sukiyaki!” Lou suggested.

“Not cake? That’s unusual!” I replied. “We’d better get some meat then.”

“Ooh, I spy two devilboars tormenting some rare Galéan squirrels! That’s no good! We’d better hunt them down! Let’s head off into the forest along the beach!”

“All right, let’s go!”

I knew Gillain, Asu, and Sakaki would come to share the meal. Even Arthur showed his face at times recently. Well, two devilboars should be enough, I thought—when I saw that Lou had already leapt off the balcony!

“Lou! Slow down!”

“My sukiyaki! Wait up!”

I crouched down, leapt off the balcony railing, and landed right on my beloved silver fluffball!

We were going to have a lively banquet in my detached palace tonight.