CHAPTER 3

LIESELTANIA

“Take care, okay?”

The next morning, Kaya saw them all off at the gate. She wished them well as she gently stroked her daughter’s head.

Saya, looking a little embarrassed, nodded.

It was another sunny day, but the temperature remained cold, and their breath turned into white plumes of mist before their eyes.

“Ah, I almost forgot to tell you. That intruder last night—looking at the data from the sensors, it seems that it wasn’t human.”

“Wasn’t human…? Then what on earth was it?” Ayato asked Souichi—or rather, his hologram, standing beside Kaya rubbing his chin.

Souichi had undoubtedly installed projection devices not only within the house but all around the premises.

“It must have been a wild animal or something like that. It probably came out of the forest.”

Since Saya’s house was located on the edge of the suburbs, there was a dense forest only a short walk away.

“An animal…” Claudia sank deep into thought.

All of a sudden, a large black limousine stopped in front of them.

A young girl in a maid outfit—Flora—stepped down from the passenger seat. “Hello, everyone! I’ve come to pick you up!” she exclaimed enthusiastically, giving them an extravagant bow.

“You’re as energetic as always, Flora.”

“Yep!” she replied simply, brimming with pride.

Only a few months had passed since the Phoenix, but she seemed to have grown a little taller. She’ll certainly be quite the beauty in a few years, Ayato thought.

“Thank you for taking care of us, Uncle Souichi, Kaya,” he said politely, and they all stepped into the limousine.

The interior of the vehicle was similar to the one in which they had spoken to Dirk Eberwein, but the windows weren’t tinted black, and it didn’t have a table in the center. The front of the vehicle, where the driver’s seat was located, was separated from the passengers’ area by a glass partition. There were three cushioned seats facing the rear of the vehicle, across from which were another two even more spacious seats.

“Your Highness, Master Amagiri, please take the rear seats.”

“Huh? Well, all right…” He didn’t know whether there was special meaning behind the seating arrangements, but he didn’t really have any reason to refuse the suggestion, so he sat down on the seat next to Julis as instructed.

“Okay then, let’s go!” Flora exclaimed, and the stern-faced driver started the engine without a word.

“How long will it take to get there?”

“Hmm… From here, probably around two or three hours.”

“Wow, it’s closer than I expected.”

“Lieseltania is a small country, in the mountains on the border between Germany and Austria, after all.” After answering Kirin’s question, Julis addressed her companions across from her. “Well, we have a little time, so I suppose I had better tell you all a little about it. But it looks like there’s someone here who can correct me if I make any mistakes.”

Claudia laughed softly. “Hee-hee. I wonder who that could be?”

“…Haah…” Julis released a long sigh, glancing out the window. “To start with…okay. The territory that is now Lieseltania was originally part of the Holy Roman Empire. It became an independent country after the Empire collapsed…and lost that independence with the German Revolution. So it existed as an independent country for around a hundred years.”

Perhaps because Saya’s house was at the edge of the suburbs, almost from the start of their journey the scenery outside changed to one of row upon row of snow-laden trees. Watching those trees fly by, Julis continued, “It would have been for the best if it had ended with that, but unfortunately, Lieseltania was dragged out of its coffin after the Invertia. During the Reconstruction, a class-one grade Vertice Meteorite was discovered in the territory of the former kingdom.”

The meteorites that had fallen to Earth during the Invertia were called Vertice Meteorites in order to distinguish them from the regular kind.

“Class-one grade meteorites are extremely rare, right?” Ayato asked.

“Indeed, there has been only a dozen or so such meteorites discovered thus far,” Claudia replied.

Vertice Meteorites were graded based on their manadite content, with the class-one grade referring to specimens with a purity rate of more than ninety-five percent—in other words, composed almost entirely of manadite.

The technology to create artificial manadite had since been developed, but the products of such processes could hardly match the quality of the real thing. Moreover, such technology hadn’t existed during the Reconstruction, so securing the world’s manadite deposits had been a top priority of the integrated enterprise foundations.

“The size of the deposit is quite small compared to many of the others, but there’s also an overall smaller amount of Vertice Meteorite material in Europe, as the damage caused by the Invertia was itself comparably less here than in other parts of the world. It’s only natural that the IEFs would want to get their hands on as much class-one grade material as possible. And Europe is the home territory of Solnage, Frauenlob, and EP, after all.”

Julis took a breath as she watched her three companions in turn. “But the location proved to be a problem. As I said, the territory of the former kingdom of Lieseltania had become a border zone. Both Solnage, based in Germany, and Frauenlob, based in Austria, had a great level of power. Both parties were ready to go to war over it…but the risk posed by military conflict to the European economy, which was just starting to stabilize during the Reconstruction, was deemed to be too great, so the other IEFs stepped in to mediate.”

“They might have called it mediation, but they certainly had their eyes on the leftovers.” Claudia smiled as she spoke, but her voice spat venom.

“And once the profit-sharing agreement was completed, the integrated enterprise foundations came to the conclusion that if they were going to have to share anyway, they might as well take the opportunity to build their own little miniature garden where they would be free to do whatever they liked. Even though the existing states already didn’t have any power to resist them, the integrated enterprise foundations figured they could use that framework for their own benefit. And so the former kingdom of Lieseltania was reborn. Which is why, in my country, every government policy, from tax rates to guarantees of status, are designed to perfectly suit the IEFs—essentially, legal tax avoidance, and legal immunity for core staff.”

“…In other words, it’s a puppet state?” Saya asked.

“If you want to put it that way.” Julis shrugged, albeit with a grimace. “Which is also why the IEFs all maintain their own research facilities around the Vertice Meteorite. Like I said, there are no airports in Lieseltania, but maybe it will be easier to understand if I told you that those research institutes all have their own runways and maintenance facilities.”

“Since there’s a high level of mana concentration around the Vertice Meteorite deposit, it’s ideal for meteoric engineering research,” Claudia added for clarification.

The level of mana concentration, of course, varied from place to place, but there was certainly data to suggest that Genestella were more likely to be born in areas with higher concentrations.

“That isn’t to say that the country itself is poor. We do get some benefits from the IEFs. Even if the degree of those benefits is completely disproportionate.” Julis tacked the last part on, biting her lip in frustration after.

From her explanation, it wasn’t hard to see that Lieseltania was a country caught in the middle of a complicated situation.

While Julis had been speaking, the scenery outside the window had gradually changed to one of magnificent snow-covered mountain ranges. Compared to the plains, there was a much greater volume of snow collected along the sides of the road. If there was this much snow at this time of year, Ayato could only wonder what the mountains must look like when winter well and truly came around.

“Ah! Look, you can see the capital, Strell!” Flora exclaimed innocently, looking back to face them from the passenger seat.

It seemed they had crossed the border without even realizing it.

“Ah…”

They looked out the front window, and watched as a town much larger than they had imagined came into view around the edge of a pristine lake surrounded by seemingly endless mountains. Historic houses made of brick and wood stretched out in all directions, just like an old painting of a European townscape. A number of large buildings stood lined up in rows in what appeared to be the center of the city, and railway tracks crisscrossed the streets here and there.

“So this is Strell, the capital of Lieseltania,” Kirin murmured, fascinated. “It’s beautiful…”

“Well, it isn’t really all that different from most other towns… Huh?” Julis frowned.

“What is it?”

“No, it’s just that this is a pretty roundabout way to the Royal Palace… Flora?”

“Um, His Majesty ordered us to come this way…”

“My brother?”

“Yes. Please wait a moment.” Flora, in a practiced manner, retrieved a folded memo from her pocket, opening it delicately.

The car seemed to be heading along the main street leading into the center of the city. Moreover, its speed had decreased markedly.

“…Does it look to you like there’s a ton of people out and about?” Saya whispered, her forehead pressed up against the window.

“Um, he says, ‘Enjoy your victory parade on your way home.’”

“Wha—?!” Julis seemed about to jump up, when a wave of excited cheers welled up outside the limo.

“Wow!”

“A-amazing…”

They had heard their fair share of cheers during the Phoenix, but the enthusiasm that ran through the crowds rivaled even that of the finals.

“Your Highness!”

“Princess Julis!”

The crowds overflowed along the sides of the road, with Julis’s name being chanted from everyone’s lips.

Confetti in every color imaginable rained down from above, tossed down by yet more waving people sticking their heads out of every house and building.

The crowds of men and women of all ages were so large, they wondered if every last citizen of the capital was there lining the streets.

If one looked carefully, one could see, posted here and there around the streets and in empty windows, posters with Julis’s image announcing her triumphal homecoming.

“Ugh, brother. I’ll remember this…!”

“You’re extremely popular, Julis.”

“Being a princess must be really something…”

Saya and Ayato, overwhelmed by the celebratory atmosphere, stared outside in frank admiration.

“It sure must be,” Claudia said, laughing softly. “It’s the first time in all of Asterisk’s history that a princess has won the Festa, after all. There’s no need for me to explain how newsworthy that is here, now is there? You both left dealing with the media to the Academy, so you probably don’t realize yourselves just how famous you’ve both become in the wider world. Julis in particular has become a celebrity to rival even Sylvia Lyyneheym,” she explained with an amused chuckle.

“Yep! Thanks to Your Highness’s victory, the number of tourists has shot up, too!”

“Really? Wow…”

In that case, such tourists were undoubtedly mixed into the huge crowds that lined the road.

“You shouldn’t speak as if it’s all about someone else, Ayato. Your own home seems to be getting quite a bit of attention as well, you know.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“It’s just like what Miss Sasamiya’s father said the previous day. She might not have made it past the semifinals, but he still has been flooded with offers. Just think how popular the dojo of the winner’s Amagiri Shinmei style must be.”

“No way…” His father hadn’t said anything when they’d spoken.

“Well, the Academy will help look after things in that regard, so you can rest easy.”

“…”

Ayato’s father was the sort of teacher who gave his students the freedom to come and go as they pleased, and had never been particularly passionate when it came to gathering disciples. Especially since Haruka had disappeared.

Maybe I should call him later…

If this was going to cause some kind of trouble, he’d better say something to apologize, he thought.

“Master Amagiri! Master Amagiri!”

“Huh?” He had sunk deep in thought when he suddenly heard his name. He glanced up in surprise to see Flora looking across at him impatiently.

“Please respond to them, Master Amagiri, like Her Highness.”

“Uh, um… M-me?”

“Yep!” Flora nodded.

“It’s just—why me?”

“Because you’re Her Highness’s tag partner!”

“Ah, I guess that’s true…”

He glanced at Julis, who was waving through the window to the crowd with a rare—albeit somewhat stiff—smile.

An even louder wave of cheers rolled through the crowd in response.

“Don’t be so surprised, Ayato. You’re well aware of Julis’s strong sense of responsibility, aren’t you?” Claudia said with a smile and a soft chuckle.

“…Responsibility, huh?” As a princess of Lieseltania, she certainly didn’t take that lightly, that was for sure.

And there was no mistaking the fact that he too, as her tag partner, shared in that responsibility.

“Right, got it.”

Resigned, he tried to wave through the window like Julis. He felt more than a little embarrassed, not to mention uneasy.

His expression was undoubtedly even stiffer than her own.

And now that he was paying attention to it, the crowd wasn’t just calling Julis’s name—a significant number of people were calling his, too. He began to feel more and more self-conscious.

“They’re really enthusiastic, aren’t they…?”

“…I wasn’t expecting this…”

Sitting across from them, Saya and Kirin, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying it all.

“Like Julis said earlier, this country is caught in the middle of a very complicated situation. This might not be a very articulate way of putting it, but this is clearly a good opportunity for people to let out some stress,” Claudia said, before lowering her voice. “That said—I don’t think that’s the only reason behind all this…”

The Royal Palace of Strell was on the opposite shore of the lake across from the city center, and was currently being used as the official residence of the royal family. It was a massive brick building, said to have been constructed more than two hundred years before.

The parade lasted longer than Ayato had expected. When they finally arrived at the Royal Palace, Julis, her face almost purple with anger, took off through the imposing corridors.

Her companions, at a loss about what to do next, had no choice but to follow her.

They soon reached a door on the second floor, which Julis pushed open without knocking.

“Brother! What is the meaning of all this?” she called out, her voice filled with anger.

Her companions, behind her, cautiously peeked into the room.

The room was luxurious, but it gave off a somewhat gaudy impression as well. The furnishings were all first-rate, but the room was excessively decorated, fitted with a massive desk close to the window, a huge, gently curving sofa, and even a multitude of paintings on the walls. None of it seemed to suit the room—nor, for that matter, its occupants.

A man, lying on the sofa with his head in the lap of a curly-haired woman, slowly lifted himself up.

“Ah, so you’re back. Welcome home, Julis.”

He looked to be in his mid-twenties, with long, dark-red hair, and a thin physique. Dressed in sneakers and pants, this man seemed to be most at odds with his surroundings.

“Oh my, if it isn’t Julis. And Claudia, too,” the woman on whose lap the man had been resting drawled with a gentle smile.

“Sister-in-law, please excuse me for disturbing you. I’d like to speak with my brother for a moment.”

“Of course,” the woman replied innocently, standing up beside the man, and giving them an elegant curtsy. “It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”

“And you must be the students from Seidoukan Academy. I’m so happy that you accepted my invitation. I’m Julis’s brother, Jolbert, the present king of Lieseltania. And this is my wife, Maria. These are my private quarters, so please, make yourselves comfortable.”

At these words, everyone but Julis and Claudia stared wide-eyed at the man.

“…Huh?”

Julis had called him her brother, so there was no denying it, but—

“…His Majesty…the King?” Saya stared at him dubiously. “Really?”

“Not what you were expecting? Did you think that I would be wearing a crown, or maybe a cloak?” He laughed cheerfully, but Ayato, too, had been taken by surprise.

Usually, when one imagined a king, the picture that came to mind was of a somewhat stately, dignified figure. Jolbert was nothing at all like that, or at the very least, he was a thoroughly stripped-down version. His features and hair were similar to Julis’s, but his personality and bearing were very much the opposite.

“I do wear a suit for my official duties, you know. I have today off. Or should I say, there isn’t usually much work that needs my attention.”

“Forget about that for a minute, brother! You didn’t say anything to me about that victory parade! I thought I told you not to make a big deal over it!”

“Well, you would have been opposed to it if I had mentioned it,” Jolbert said indifferently, easily turning his sister’s anger aside.

“Of course I would have! But even if you take me out of it, what were you thinking, dragging Ayato into it like that?!”

“Ah, well, it was a one-of-a-kind opportunity, you see.”

“Have a little common sense! You’re supposed to discuss these things with people first!”

“All right, all right. I’m sorry. Please forgive me, everyone,” Jolbert said, smiling wryly to Ayato and the others. “But you know, Julis, the people aren’t only interested in you. They also wanted to see your tag partner, Amagiri here. After all, he’s the partner that you, their princess, chose.”

It looked like he had hit the mark. Since Julis was well aware of her position, he no doubt knew that by combining the two issues, she would not be able to argue the point as strongly.

It was like they said—when it came to siblings, they understood one another’s weaknesses well.

“…Oh, and is it only the people who are interested in them?” Claudia glanced at Jolbert, her tone hinting at something.

“Oh dear, you’re as sharp as ever, Lady Enfield.”

“…What’s that supposed to mean?” Julis asked suspiciously.

Jolbert dodged her question with a hearty laugh. “About that, I might borrow a little of your time later. There’s a lot I’d like to talk about, both with you and Amagiri.”

“Well, I don’t really mind, but…” She glanced at Ayato, who hastily nodded.

“Um, okay. I mean, of course.”

He suspected he already knew what the king wanted to discuss, and there was no way he could turn him down.

“Oh, and I should thank you all for saving our young maid,” Jolbert added, looking them over slowly. “So I decided to hold a ball in your honor. I hope that you’ll all be able to come. Oh, and I’ve had some clothes prepared for everyone, so please choose whichever you like. There should still be time to make adjustments if the sizes aren’t right.”

“This is the first I’ve heard of that, too, brother!” Julis again raised her voice in anger.

“Well, there’s no problem, is there?” Jolbert laughed coolly.

“…He sounds like a very unique person,” Kirin said delicately as she glanced toward the confused Ayato.

“Ha-ha…” He could only answer with a bitter smile and a brief laugh. At the very least, there was no doubting that Jolbert knew how to get his way.

Shortly afterward, Ayato and the others were shown to a detached villa on the grounds of the Royal Palace.

The two buildings were within walking distance of each other and connected by an enclosed path.

On their way there, a magnificent baroque garden spread out before them. They couldn’t help but stop in amazement. It was coated in a layer of snow, but that pure-white landscape, unmarred by even a single footstep, was a sight to behold.

“Wow, it’s beautiful…,” Kirin said in admiration.

“Yep! And it’s even more beautiful in the spring, when the flowers come out! It’s Her Highness’s favorite spot. She takes care of them all herself!” Flora shone with pride.

There was no doubting that when the seasons changed, an altogether different kind of beauty would replace of the quiet tranquility before them now.

“That’s enough of that, Flora. Let’s keep going,” Julis said curtly, quickening her pace—and, it seemed, trying to hide a blush.

The others exchanged amused smiles and continued toward the villa ahead.

Its baroque design was similar to the garden but with an extravagance rivaling even the Royal Palace’s. Part of the building was used as the official residence of the royal family, with the remainder of it serving as a guesthouse for honored visitors. According to Julis, the royal family also had quarters in the Royal Palace, where Jolbert usually resided, but she preferred to stay here.

Unlike at Saya’s house, they were lodged one to a room—each of which seemed larger and more extravagant than necessary.

Ayato found himself unable to calm his thoughts, but at least he would be able to catch his breath. Yet, no sooner had he thought so than Flora appeared at the door.

“Master Amagiri, I’ve brought you your eveningwear.”

“Ah, the one King Jolbert mentioned?”

“Yes, indeed! I need to check the size, so could you try it on for a moment?”

“Ah, okay. But more importantly, what do you think about this ball? It’s the first time I’ve ever gone to one, you see…”

It was quite rare, after all, for a regular high school student to be invited to a royal ball. He had acquired the basics of social etiquette, thanks to his sister’s strict upbringing, but this, he felt, was on a whole other level.

“Hmm… I don’t really know either, but it was organized all of a sudden, so I don’t think it will be too big an event.”

“I hope not.”

He wasn’t Julis, but he didn’t like to be fussed over, either.

In the middle of their conversation, Flora moved around to take his measurements, jotting down an endless stream of numbers in a small notebook.

“But I guess it can’t be easy for you either, Flora. It looks like you’ve been saddled with all kinds of work.”

“Not at all! I’m only here thanks to His Majesty, so I have to do everything I can to repay him!”

“I see…”

“Besides, compared to getting everything ready for the ladies, the preparations for the men are so much easier.”

“Ah, it must be a bit of a challenge to get everything right for them.”

“It is.”

In Ayato’s experience, women generally took their time getting dressed, even for casual occasions. He could only imagine how much must be involved for events like this.

Which was why he waited until late afternoon before visiting, when, he suspected, the others would have finished their preparations.

After knocking on the door Flora had shown him, he called, “Julis? Can I come in?”

“Y-yes. It’s open,” came Julis’s nervous response.

He opened the door, puzzled at her unusual tone, and froze in place.

From what Flora had told him, these were Julis’s private quarters. Like her room in the school dormitory, they were overflowing with potted plants, a private botanical garden.

But that wasn’t what had stopped him in his tracks.

Rather, it was the four young ladies themselves—he had become lost in admiration at their enchanting figures.

“Wh-what are you staring at us like that for?”

“That’s right, Ayato. It’s proper manners at times like this to praise a woman’s beauty.”

“…Agreed.”

“N-no, I-I’m sure it doesn’t look good on me, so you don’t have to force yourself…”

Julis and the others were each wearing different but individually dazzling dresses.

The gowns were floor-length and hid their feet but left their arms and backs largely exposed—especially Claudia’s and Kirin’s, whose modest necklines served to emphasize their ample cleavage. Ayato didn’t know where to cast his gaze.

Julis was wearing a crimson one-shouldered dress, and Saya had donned one that looked like a long white camisole. Claudia’s was an elegant purple, while Kirin’s, by contrast, was a chic black.

“…Ah, er, sorry… They look wonderful on you all.” Ayato snapped back to his senses, embarrassed.

He couldn’t really say whose was the best—the dresses suited each one.

“Thank you very much, Ayato,” Claudia laughed. “Your outfit sits very well on you, too.”

He was wearing a dress suit—a three-piece tuxedo—and had his hair combed back.

He didn’t really like formal outfits, but there was no getting around it this time.

“Well, I wanted to escort Ayato myself, but since you and he are the stars of the show, I’ll bite my tongue. But in exchange, I want you to think about us all later,” Claudia said to Julis, giving her a light push.

“I-it’s not like I have a choice or anything… H-here,” Julis stammered, holding out her hand.

Ayato stood for a moment in confusion, until Julis, with a strained smile, put her arm through his.

“S-sorry!”

“Don’t worry about it. I know you’re not used to this kind of thing. I’ll lead you,” Julis said softly, chuckling.

He couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed—that was supposed to be the man’s role, after all—but he trusted her.

“Everyone, it’s time to go! Are you all ready?”

Flora had burst into the room. Her voice made her sound a little uncertain, but she’d mustered some courage to call out to the group grandly.

“Phew…” Ayato began to let out a deep sigh but held it down.

“Ha-ha. You look tired.” Julis, standing beside him, offered him another drink with a slight laugh.

“Of course. I didn’t think there would be this many people…”

Even though Flora had said it wouldn’t be a big event, a bewildering number of guests were milling about the villa’s spacious hall. The invitees, it seemed, were all either related in some capacity or another to the integrated enterprise foundations, or else members of Lieseltania’s political elite.

Julis and Ayato, being the guests of honor, were halfway through greeting each guest individually, but Ayato was already exhausted.

“This might not be the best time to ask,” he began, “…but I thought you said your family had no money?”

The hall was illuminated by a set of brilliant chandeliers, and the invitees were being catered to by a small army of waiters and attendants; plus, there were mountains of food and drinks on the tables along the walls. Ayato couldn’t even begin to imagine just how much this ball must have cost.

“I told you, didn’t I? That even though there’s a lot of money used on us, there’s nothing for me to use myself. And besides…my brother is different.”

“What do you mean?” he asked when her eyes turned to Jolbert.

Despite the ball’s ostensible purpose, the young king was the center of attention, standing across the hall chatting with several guests. He was in formal dress—quite unlike his daytime attire—looking for all the world like a completely different person.

“My brother gives the IEFs what they want, after all. He doesn’t assert himself politically, and he isn’t particularly passionate about his work. It’s probably fair to say that there could be no better puppet. The foundations are very happy with him, and so are willing to overlook his selfishness. In return, he takes full advantage.”

It was a blistering assessment of her own brother, but despite her words, there was something sad lurking behind Julis’s eyes.

“Even so, I don’t think that inviting us all here like this was entirely his idea. There’s no doubt he wanted us to come, but the IEFs must have supported him, or maybe even suggested it from the beginning.”

“It sounds more complicated than I thought… Huh, wh-what?”

Like Julis, he had been watching Jolbert when he suddenly noticed something strange. The king was surrounded by several women, each of whom followed him everywhere he went throughout the hall. Queen Maria was among them, but the others too were being surprisingly intimate.

“…Oh, them. They’re my brother’s mistresses.”

“What?!” At this casual explanation, Ayato almost dropped his glass. “Mistresses? Out in the open, like that?”

Society’s sense of ethics and morals might have become somewhat looser than in the past, but most countries in Europe still followed strict religious monogamy. It was true that social disparity was widening, and there was no denying that there was a tendency for people to turn a blind eye to the immorality of those above them—but they weren’t living in a polygamous society, so it was common sense that the man ought to at least feel some guilt about it.

But what was strangest of all was that Maria, his lawful wife, was laughing along joyfully with those mistresses.

“The IEFs are behind them, so no one will complain. And to be honest, my sister-in-law is the same. I won’t call them spies, but more than half of those women must have their own agendas. The foundations will take any opportunity to place their pieces near him.” Julis gulped down her drink distastefully.

“Even Maria…?”

“Well, I suppose it’s a good thing my sister-in-law is such an airhead. She, at least, doesn’t seem to have any ulterior motives. And my brother investigated her thoroughly before they got married. I don’t dislike her or anything… I mean, everyone knows about the mistresses. The people think of him as their promiscuous and mediocre, yet lovable and charming king.” Julis’s expression suggested she was trying to keep her emotions in check.

“I-is that Claudia?!” Ayato blurted out, watching as she approached Jolbert.

He had no idea what they were talking about, but the fact that she could speak to the king so comfortably in the middle of such an extravagant event suggested she was used to this kind of situation.

“Did you know that her mother is an executive at an IEF?”

“Ah, I heard a little bit about that…”

“She was formerly in charge of this area. She was the one who introduced my brother to Maria in the first place. Afterward, she was promoted to an executive position, and Claudia’s father took over her responsibilities. It was with her father that Claudia started coming to Lieseltania. We didn’t have much to do with each other back then, though. I’ve probably told you before, we were just acquaintances, maybe seeing each other during the Opera Ball. It was only after going to Asterisk that she started to meddle in my affairs.”

“Wow…” He hadn’t known that. “So is her father an executive, too?”

“No. He might be her mother’s secretary, or maybe her subordinate, but I doubt he’s an executive.”

“…What makes you think that?”

“I’ve seen him a few times. He was too human,” Julis said flatly. “Executives at the IEFs lose that.”

Ayato remembered the conversation he’d had with Helga about Danilo.

“He seems like a much better person than her mother. At the very least, you can see that he loves his daughter.”

“Huh…” In that case, he had to be a good father.

“Um, Your Highness?” Flora appeared in front of them, flustered. “His Majesty asked me to get him a certain bottle of wine, but I don’t know where to find it…”

“Oh. I see. You’re still an apprentice, so they won’t let you into the wine cellar… How could he have forgotten that…? Sorry, Ayato. I’ll be back in a minute.”

“Sure. I think I’ll go get some fresh air.”

After watching Julis lead Flora away, he headed for the terrace, but stopped when he noticed Kirin.

“…Um, y-yes… No, I…” She was surrounded by a number of guests and seemed to be drowning in conversation, her eyes darting this way and that as if she was about to burst into tears.

No matter how you looked at her, she was particularly attractive that day, and the men invited to the ball were quite assertive, so it wasn’t altogether surprising that they were trying to speak to her.

“Kirin! Do you have a moment?”

“Ah! Y-yes! Sorry, please excuse me.” No sooner had Ayato called out to her than her expression brightened. She hastily made an exit, rushing over to him.

“Thank you, Ayato.”

“You’re welcome.”

The young man smiled, while Kirin, relieved, lowered her eyes. “I… I’m not very good at dealing with people, especially talking to strangers…”

She was very talkative when it came to swordsmanship, but surprisingly reserved about almost everything else, so it was evidently difficult for her to wade high society all by herself. “Besides…,” she added, “I’m not as pretty as the others…”

“Huh? That’s not true.”

“B-but, this kind of outfit… It doesn’t suit a kid like me.” She hung her head pitifully.

That’s Kirin for you—no self-confidence.

Ayato stopped, heaving a big sigh, and turned toward his friend. “I told you before. That dress looks really good. You look incredibly grown-up, and…beautiful.”

“Wha—?!” Kirin’s face turned scarlet.

It might not have been the most eloquent way of saying it, but a fact was a fact. That chic dress turned her still innocent features into those of a mature young lady. It was a different kind of beauty from Julis’s and Claudia’s, who always had an air of elegance—more vivid.

“Th-thank you… Ayato…” She whispered in a voice so faint he almost didn’t catch it.

“S-sure. Um, should we go out to the terrace?” he replied, somewhat embarrassed. Before he could keep walking, however, Kirin grabbed his sleeve.

“U-um… Can I ask you something?”

“Huh?”

“W-won’t you link arms with me…? Like you did with Julis, a little while ago? It looked so wonderful…”

“Sure, I don’t mind… But I don’t know if I’ll be able to be a proper escort.” After all, he had been relying on Julis to guide him.

“Th-that’s okay! I just want to know what it’s like…”

“…Okay.” He offered his left arm.

Kirin approached nervously, wrapping her right arm around his.

But maybe because she wasn’t used to it, it was more like she was holding on to him with all her strength. They weren’t linking arms so much as she was embracing him. When Julis had accompanied him, she had simply rested her hand on his arm, so he hadn’t been particularly aware of it, but now Kirin’s soft breasts were pushing against him.

Moreover, the dress she was wearing revealed much more than her usual uniform.

“Um, Kirin? Maybe you could hold on a little less tightly…”

“Huh? Oh, I-I’m sorry…!” she blurted out, when—

“…Not fair, Kirin.”

“Wha—?!”

All of a sudden, Saya appeared on his right, grabbing his other arm.

Taken by surprise, he ended up pushing his arm farther into Kirin’s bosom.

“S-Saya! What are you doing?!”

“…I want to hold your arm, too. It’s a fair demand.”

“But you don’t need to jump out of nowhere like that!”

On his left, it felt like Kirin was embracing him, and on his right, as if Saya was clinging to him…or rather, pulling him.

It was hard to say that he was merely linking arms with either of them.

And everyone around was staring at the scene they were making. This can’t look good, he thought. He would have to take refuge on the private terrace as quickly as possible.

“Ha-ha-ha,” came a deep, rumbling laugh from behind. “Now that’s what I call having a flower in either hand! I’m jealous.”

They turned around to see a gentlemanly, middle-aged figure with a neatly trimmed mustache smiling at them.

“Ah, forgive me. I overheard, you see…”

The man wasn’t among those whom Ayato had greeted earlier.

“But that’s the privilege of youth. Yes, most splendid. I should have expected no less from someone who did so well in the Phoenix.”

“Ah… Thank you.”

“By the way, do you intend to participate in the next Gryps? They say that you’ll be joining Miss Enfield’s team.”

“No, that’s still…,” he trailed off. He couldn’t afford to give a careless answer here.

“Hmm, I see. You would be best not to, for your own good.”

“—!”

No sooner had he spoken than his smiling visage fell away. His eyes gleamed threateningly as a dangerous aura consumed him.

Saya and Kirin let go of Ayato at once, preparing themselves for an attack.

“…What do you mean?” Ayato asked guardedly as he began to slowly edge away.

The man in front of them was a Genestella, and a powerful one at that.

“Just what I said. There’s someone who would be quite upset if you decided to join Miss Enfield’s team. My job is to prevent that from happening… So I came here to ask you in person,” the man said courteously, albeit with a too-broad grin.

The others in the hall had all noticed the situation. Murmurs spread like ripples throughout the space, and those standing around them began to distance themselves from the building confrontation.

“And if we refuse?”

“That would be most unfortunate. It pains me to have to deal with my juniors this way.” At that moment, a violent burst of mana engulfed the man. “I leave you in this one’s hands.”

All at once, a complex magic square floated into the air, from which a gigantic creature began to emerge.

At first glance, it looked like a lion, but there was no comparison as far as size was concerned—it must have been at least five meters long. Moreover, it had bat-like wings, and a tail that resembled the head of a snake. It was like a chimera emerging out of the realm of mythology, unlike a real, living creature.

If anything, it resembled the not-dragons that had attacked Ayato and Kirin several months prior. But those creatures had still exuded some kind of life force—the chimera in front of them felt like no more than a lump of pure mana.

“Ayato…” Kirin had undoubtedly realized the same thing. She glanced at him as if about to say something more, only to hurriedly turn back to the problem at hand.

Screams erupted throughout the hall, with the guests running blindly this way and that. Amid the sound of tableware and glasses being thrown aside, the man, standing behind the creature, bowed courteously.

“Well then, I bid you farewell.”

“Wait!” Ayato leaped after him, but the chimera flung down a gigantic arm to block his path.

“Argh…!”

Despite its huge size, the creature was surprisingly quick. In that moment, the man disappeared toward the terrace.

“What’s going on?!”

Julis and Claudia approached at a run, but there was no time to explain.

“Julis, where’s Jolbert?” Ayato demanded.

“His bodyguards have already taken him away. Don’t worry about that!”

Fortunately, it looked like the chimera was only interested in the five students, and it was leaving the fleeing guests alone.

Behind them, a squad of what looked like Royal Guard, armed with gun-shaped Luxes, stood in formation ready to fire, but perhaps because there were still guests trying to escape the hall, they had yet to do so.

“Grrrrrr…!” The chimera let out a low, deep roar, its bright-red eyes fixed menacingly upon Ayato.

“…Let’s try to lure it outside. The others could get hurt if we fight it here.”

“That’s all well and good, but do you even have a weapon on you?” Claudia pointed out.

“Ah…” He only then realized he wasn’t carrying even a simple Lux, let alone the Ser Veresta. Kirin and Claudia were evidently in the same situation.

“Then I guess I’ll have to deal with it,” Julis said as she stepped forward, but Saya held out a hand to stop her.

“It’s okay. I always carry a Lux on me.” She raised the hem of her dress, pulling out a hidden Lux activator.

“I should have expected as much. But, Saya, you can’t use that here. It would be a disaster!”

Saya’s Luxes were, after all, far too powerful. It was one thing to use them in Asterisk, but in an enclosed space like this, they would only make the situation worse.

“That goes for you too, Julis,” Claudia pointed out.

“I can adjust the firepower of my techniques, and I’m much more accurate. Don’t lump me together with her,” Julis pouted.

“Anyway, I’ll drive it outside. Once it’s out in the open, you can both deal with it.”

“B-but you’re unarmed…”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got an idea,” Ayato said, stepping forward and slowly releasing his power.

Watching Ayato’s movements, the chimera took a defensive stance, but as soon as Ayato came within its reach, it began to swing its arm sideways at him.

“Grrraaaaaaaaar!”

It let out a deafening roar that vibrated through the air, but Ayato jumped aside just in time to dodge the blow.

I hope this keeps the guests from getting caught up in it.

His senses broadening as he entered the state of shiki, he could detect the positions of everyone who remained in the hall, and closed the distance between himself and the creature while taking care so as not to cause any damage.

Once more, the chimera let out a terrible roar, again attacking Ayato with its gleaming, clawed arm. He leaped aside to dodge it, when—

“Ayato, watch out!”

As if having predicted his movements, the chimera’s tail swung toward him.

The snake’s head at the end of the tail was large enough to swallow a person whole, but Ayato swiveled through the air, using his momentum to deliver an almighty kick that slammed it into the ground.

He landed beside the chimera, atop its crushed snake’s head—and caught his breath.

“Amagiri Shinmei Style Grappling Technique—Chest-Piercing Feather!”

Slipping underneath the chimera, he kicked upward, aiming at its abdomen with all his strength.

“Grrrgiiiiiiiiii!” The creature’s huge body soared through the air as it let out a piercing scream.

Ayato leaped after it, whirling through the air again to deliver another three consecutive kicks to the chimera’s face.

“Amagiri Shinmei Style Grappling Technique—Indestructible Thunder!”

“—!”

Unable to let out so much as a wail between each of those three powerful strikes, the chimera was thrown across the hall, smashing through the towering windows and onto the terrace.

“Saya! Julis!”

“…Understood.”

“Leave it to me!”

He chased after it alongside Saya, who was already wielding her Helnekraum, and Julis, who was gathering her mana. Lying sprawled on the lawn in the courtyard beyond the terrace, the chimera, staggering, tried to lift its huge body.

Fortunately, on the other side of the courtyard was the lake.

“Burst into bloom—Amaryllis!”

“…Boom.”

The next moment, the fireball and bullets of light made direct contact with it.

“Grrraaaaaaaaaaaaar!”

The explosion danced upward, the creature screaming in mortal agony. Then, in the midst of those flames, the chimera’s body slowly melted, the highly concentrated mana dispersing in every direction.

“So it wasn’t even a living thing…,” Julis muttered grimly.

Ayato nodded, silent.

“…So it was no match for them at all? This is just insulting, losing to a bunch of unarmed kids,” the man, standing at the edge of the lake looking through a telescope, muttered to himself, before snapping his fingers.

At that sound, deep within the lake, something gigantic began to move.

“Well, I guess it doesn’t matter. I didn’t want to have to get too involved in this…but it would be a waste to let this opportunity slip by.”

The man spoke to no one in particular as he disappeared into the darkness surrounding the lake.