Chapter 21: The Man Who Vanished in the Empire... and the Invasion of Mia the Moment-Living Princess!

“Mia...”

A deep sigh escaped Abel as he walked down a hallway. With the Holy Eve Festival around the corner, the academy was astir, but the festive atmosphere did little to elevate his mood.

“I wish I knew what was wrong...”

He’d also noticed her recent forlornness. How could he not have? For a long time now, his singular wish had been to catch up. To be a good match for her. And he was willing to do whatever it took. He tirelessly trained with the sword, hoping to become a dependable man who could protect her. He buried himself in books, hoping to match her boundless wisdom. Not a day went by when she was absent from his thoughts, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t figure out what was troubling her. And that wasn’t the worst part.

“...She’s dealing with some sort of problem, but she won’t say a word about it to me. I think that’s what hurts most.”

It was a realization that hit pretty hard. Mia did have a tendency to act suddenly on her brilliant whims. The poisonous mushroom stunt she’d pulled a few days ago—that had given everybody a minor heart attack—was a good example. She was undoubtedly a genius, but that genius was accompanied by a propensity to neglect explaining her thoughts to those around her.

He knew that was simply a part of her character...but it still hurt. Perhaps he was disappointed that she didn’t trust him enough to seek his help. Or...perhaps her reserved attitude had left him feeling lonely and he was simply wallowing in self-pity. He hoped it wasn’t the latter. Being forced to acknowledge that he harbored such petty sentiments might be more painful still.

After struggling with his feelings for days, he finally worked up the resolve to seek Sion’s advice.

“Just because I can’t figure out what’s troubling her doesn’t mean no one can. Maybe Sion noticed something I didn’t.”

In Abel’s eyes, Sion Sol Sunkland was a wall. A towering barrier to be scaled, but one whose crest remained far beyond his reach. Every time he looked up toward its invisible apex beyond the clouds, then down at the meager progress he’d made, he felt like giving up right then and there. The gap seemed so vast, the distance so insurmountable, that holding onto the mere desire to one day become his equal was a herculean feat in and of itself. His ego groaned in agony at the thought of asking this overwhelmingly superior rival for advice, but he mentally beat it into submission. His pride could wait; Mia was more important.

Upon arriving at Sion’s room, he was greeted by an unexpected voice.

“Ah, Prince Abel. I hope you’ve been well.”

“Hm? Who’s—” He turned toward the speaker to discover a woman in a maid uniform. “Oh, Monica. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

He and Monica had been well-acquainted during her time in Remno as an undercover agent. Ever since she came to Saint-Noel, however, they hadn’t run into each other much.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Same goes for you too, I hope?”

“Yes, Lady Rafina has treated me very well.”

“I see. Good, good... But, uh, what are you doing here in Sion’s room?”

Sion, half hidden behind a disorderly heap of papers on his desk, raised his finger.

“That was me. I asked her to help me with something,” he said before gesturing at the documents, “and she kindly acquiesced. A better question is what are you doing here, Abel? Not that you’re unwelcome, but you’re not exactly a frequenter of my quarters.”

“Yeah, about that. The reason is, uh...I noticed that lately, Mia has been looking sort of down, and I was wondering if you might have any idea why...but if you’re busy, then I’ll come again some other time.”

“No, it’s fine. Good timing, actually. I was just thinking I should take a quick break.”

Sion leaned back and stretched his arms as he yawned.

“Really? All right then. But, uh...” Abel’s brows furrowed in bewilderment at the papers. “What is all this? And why do you look so tired?”

“Because,” said Sion, giving his face a quick rub before holding up one of the pages, “I’ve been looking into this.”

Abel took the page and read it over.

“Hm... Jason, Lucas, Max, Thanasis, Bisset...” He raised an eyebrow. None of the names sounded familiar. “Who are these supposed to be?”

Sion did not answer directly. Instead, he shrugged and said, “I, you see, have also noticed that Mia hasn’t been in the best of moods.”

Abel eyed him, puzzled by this reply.

“So I have been worried as well,” Sion continued, “but despite my best efforts, I cannot think of a way to cheer her up. Therefore, I have decided that my time would be best spent doing what I can.”

“Doing...what you can?”

“That’s right. Over the past couple of days, I’ve been taking another look at the Wind Crows. Ever since I made a mess of things in Remno, I’ve been thinking long and hard on how I can redeem myself. This would be part of that effort.”

Abel was reminded of what Sion had said during the student council election. When urged by Mia to run in the election, Sion had declined, insisting that he’d earn the chance to redeem himself on his own terms.

“What you see there,” said Sion, pointing at the paper in Abel’s hand, “is the list of names a Wind Crow agent had used while undercover in Tearmoon.”

“A Wind Crow agent?” asked Abel. “You mean one of the agents you recalled?”

“No. They were used by an agent who went into hiding.”

“...Went into hiding?”

Suddenly, something clicked in Abel’s head. He lowered his voice.

“Wait... I remember you saying you had a contact who gave you information about the Serpents. That’s how we learned that one of Tearmoon’s Four Dukes is connected with them. It’s that person, isn’t it?”

“Ah, very sharp of you. That’s him.”

“This man was also my mentor,” Monica added. “It was him who laid the groundwork for the entire intelligence network that operated in Tearmoon. As the chief intelligence operative, he coordinated all on-site collaborators and was referred to as the spymaster.”

“If that man is still alive, then he doubtlessly has information that would be useful to Mia. So, I figured I’d track him down, but...” Sion shook his head. “I’m coming up frustratingly empty.”

“You think someone offed him already?”

“Maybe. The thing is, I don’t know. There’s only so much I can find out from here. We recalled all the Wind Crows from Tearmoon, after all. For what it’s worth, I also asked Monica to try the Wind Crows’ emergency contact method, but we haven’t received any response at all yet.”

Sion spread his hands helplessly. Despite the gesture, Abel found himself impressed.

Sion...has his feet on the ground. He doesn’t have all the answers, but he’s doing what he can to help Mia, one step at a time. Meanwhile, I’m... Ugh, what am I even doing...

He combed his fingers through his hair as a frustrated sigh escaped his lips, moments before he felt a smack on his shoulder.

“Chin up, man,” said Sion. “If Mia’s feeling down, then it’s your job to cheer her up.”

“Ha ha, frankly that’s a pretty tall order for me right now...but you’re right. The least I can do is try.”

Understanding what was going through Mia’s mind was difficult, if not impossible. He wasn’t even privy to her troubles. And might never be, by her choice. He could neither solve her problems nor share her burden. But surely, he could at least be a source of emotional support...

“Doing what I can, huh... Yeah, that’s a good place to start.”

With the boys engaged in such sober conversation, the room had become a bastion of serious business, complete with hardening resolve and contemplative introspection. It was this introspective atmosphere that Mia barged in on.

“Oh, finally. There you are, Abel. I’ve been looking all over for you. Hey, listen, I need to talk to you for a bit,” she said, wading in with all the delicacy of china-busting bovines.

The invasion of the Moment-Living Princess had begun! Would the delicate sensibilities of these sentimental young boys stand up to her assault?

“What are you doing here in Sion’s room, by the way?” she asked.

“...What are you doing here, Mia?” asked Abel in response.

For those who have yet to identify the social faux-pas in this situation, some explanation is likely in order. A quick analysis of the situational context would reveal the anomalous nature of Mia’s cavalier manner. They were in Sion’s room, which was located in the boys’ dormitory. Though there wasn’t a strict rule, the boys’ dormitory was generally understood to be off-limits to girls. At the very least, you weren’t supposed to stroll in just to take your sweetheart out on a date.

Debauchee Mia, however, couldn’t care less about social norms. After all, she was currently invincible! Nothing—well, mostly nothing, aside from inherently scary things that would go unmentioned—could stand in her way! At last, her chicken-heartedness had ascended to a higher state. It had leapt for the peaks of lionheartedness, scraped the edge with its feet, failed to hang on, and tumbled back down to an intermediate ledge. She was now...pig-hearted! Not as prone to squawking as before, but it couldn’t quite manage a majestic roar either. It simply oinked. Hopefully, her newfound porkiness would remain an attribute of her heart and not an adjective for her tummy...

In any case, that explained Abel’s surprise at seeing Mia, who grinned playfully.

“I’m here because I need to borrow you for a bit. Will that be okay?”

“Huh? U-Uh, sure, I guess?”

Abel glanced at Sion, who held up his hands in a “this one’s yours” gesture.

“The princess demands, and the princess gets. It is, I believe, the duty of a gentleman to ensure the causal link between the two,” Sion said with a wink.

“In that case... Sorry for cutting our conversation short, but I guess I’ll excuse myself.”

After Mia escorted a hesitant Abel out of the room, he asked, “So, what exactly do you need me for?”

This time, it was Mia’s turn to hesitate.

“Mmm, well, you know...”

Turns out, she didn’t know either! Had she written her plan down on paper, it would have read “Step One: Find Abel, Step Two: ???” She considered heading out to town on a confectionery tour, but the moment she stepped out of the dorm, a chilly breeze made her reconsider.

This...isn’t exactly going outdoors weather. Too cold.

Mia was the kind of person who preferred to spend cold days inside. Braving the frost to go on a date outside was not even close to being an option.

Which leaves us with...somewhere inside the academy?

Just then, her ears picked up a faint music in the air. It was a lively sound, and it was coming from the grand hall. Before she knew it, her feet were pulled in its direction.

In the hall, preparations were underway for the grand banquet that would follow the candlelight mass to celebrate the Holy Eve. The decorating was almost complete, and the hall was looking magnificent. Stately wooden walls were adorned by sacred paintings in gilded frames. They were displayed only during special occasions like these. Brilliant red cloth hung down from where the ceiling met the walls, further embellishing the festive air. Arranged at the front of the hall were rings of musicians currently rehearsing pieces for the upcoming ball.

The sight brought forth a memory in Mia’s mind.

“Holy Eve Festival... Dancing... Oh, I know.”

She was reminded of the welcome party for new students. She’d danced with Abel that day, and for a variety of reasons, hadn’t been able to do so again since.

“We should dance. I want to see how good you’ve gotten before it’s time for the ball.”

“Huh? What do you—”

“Excuse me,” said Mia, addressing one of the staff, “but we’re going to borrow that spot over there for a while.”

“What? Mia, wait—”

Ignoring Abel’s reluctance, she firmly clasped his arm and pulled him to an empty corner of the hall. Undaunted by the astonished gazes around her, she stepped close to him.

“All right, Abel. Let’s dance.”

With a graceful flourish of her skirt, she signaled for him to begin. He stared dumbfounded at her for a few seconds before conceding a wry smile.

“Well, someone’s a little pushy today, isn’t she?”

The comment elicited a defiant grin from Mia.

“Oh? Someone else is a little out of the loop then. Haven’t you heard? I’ve always been said to be a particularly selfish princess.”

“Have you? So this is the real you? Well, in that case, I guess I have no choice but to oblige.”

He moved his body close to hers as well, and they began gliding about their makeshift stage. Amidst the hustle and bustle of festival preparations, the pair danced...as though the figures rushing to and fro around them were but a backdrop to their romantic moment.

They weren’t though. They were people with jobs to do, and an amorous couple twirling about the venue while they were trying to get work done was nothing but a major nuisance. More than one person likely hissed a private “Oh get a room already. You’re getting in the way.” Faced with this inconsiderately public display of affection, the members of the orchestra proceeded to jibe.

Not at them, but with them! They’d always been good sports, as evidenced by the impromptu accompaniment they’d provided for Mia during the welcome party for new students. Having seen her take over the dance floor that night, they were more than willing to provide the pair with some ad-lib music.

“My, it seems like we’ve made the orchestra our own,” said Mia, giggling as she began dancing to their lively tempo.

Her motions were graceful and executed with expert precision. They were also matched by Abel, who kept up without missing a beat.

“Well, you’ve sure gotten better at dancing, haven’t you?”

“Ha ha, it’s an honor to receive your approval. I never had a chance to show you, but swordsmanship isn’t the only thing I’ve been practicing,” said Abel, a touch of pride in his voice.

“Have you now?” replied Mia, a touch of provocation in hers. “Impressive. But can you keep up with more difficult steps?”

Her motions intensified. The increased challenge was thoroughly absorbing, and she lost herself in the moment as they moved from step to step as one. One second, she’d pull away, only to press herself against him again in the next. Round and round she went, twirling about him like a fairy at a woodland revel. She lost track of time and place. It was like a dream. The best kind of dream, where all she knew was delight.

Suddenly...

“Mia, tell me something...”

She heard Abel speak.

“Am I...somehow not good enough?”

His expression was serious.

“Not good enough? What do you mean?” she asked.

“I know you’ve been troubled by something lately. And I’m worried. I don’t know what it is. Sion doesn’t either. As far as I know, you haven’t told anyone. It feels like you’re trying to keep it all to yourself. Shoulder it alone...”

“Abel...”

Moved by his concern, she momentarily found herself without words. All she could do was hold his earnest gaze.

“Is there any way for me to...share your burden? I know I’m no genius. I know I probably can’t solve your problems for you. But if it’s possible for me to lighten your load by even a little bit, then I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”

His words were so tender that she almost swooned. It took every ounce of restraint she possessed to stop herself from spilling every last bean right then and there. Through sheer will, she forced out a mischievous smile.

“Are you now? Well then...how about this? If you ever become as good as I am at dancing, then I’ll let you in on the precious secret I’ve been keeping.”

She knew that telling them wouldn’t solve anything. She could spill her heart, confiding in them everything she knew, and she’d still sneak off Saint-Noel Island when the time came. And were she to divulge her secrets before doing so, the Princess Chronicles foretold that a far more tragic future would come about.

The loss of Mia would push Abel past the brink of sanity. Forsaking his own well-being, he’d ultimately meet a catastrophic end. Sion, likewise, would be gravely affected, and his actions would eventually topple the whole of Sunkland. Her death would cast a long shadow, weighing down everyone she knew. No one would be spared, and no one would ever escape the all-consuming grief.

The passages in the Princess Chronicles detailing these events had been written to underscore the sheer magnitude of her influence, but their bleak consequences had robbed her of words. Indeed, they’d taken from her any possibility of divulging the contents to her peers.

Telling them would only make things worse. If they know it’s going to happen, they’d only regret it more when they realize they couldn’t keep me away from harm. I’d be dooming Abel to suffer... I wouldn’t be able to die in peace if I did that.

It occurred to her that despite the numerous steps she’d taken to prevent her death, she was nonetheless starting to accept her grim fate. That proved to be a terribly unpleasant thought, and she shook it out of her mind.

“...Don’t think about anything else right now. Just focus on enjoying the dance.”

The time she spent dancing was deeply fulfilling. It felt like the first time in ages she’d been able to laugh from the bottom of her heart. She had such fun. So much that she felt like she wouldn’t mind dying right this moment. Delight permeated her body, filling every corner...except a small nook in her heart of hearts.

For some reason, I feel like there’s still something I haven’t done yet... Something I might regret... I wonder what...

It would be a little later when she’d realize what she’d left undone. After thoroughly relishing every sinful indulgence she could think of (snacking, pastries in bed, sweets for breakfast, etc), there was but one entry left on her bucket list. Little did she know, it was this final item that held the key to her surviving the Holy Eve Festival.