Lucia Gets Home

Though it had taken more than three months to get from Arldat to the Cristallo Sacro in Maynard, it only took us a month and a half to get back from there. At the end of the month of Fructidor, as the rays of the sun weakened as the year was ready to change, we finally returned to Arldat Castle, where our journey had begun.

The soldiers that had met us at the border had returned ahead of us to share the news of our arrival, and the plaza before the castle gate was packed with people. They all shouted praise for Miss Maria and Prince Edoardo. Of course, there were also voices cheering for Sir Celes.

“Amazing...” I gasped.

“You and me left from the northern gate, right?” Sir Gaius asked. “The south gate was just like this when the main party left. You didn’t go see the captain off?”

“I had laundry to do that day...”

“That’s just like you, huh...”

I’d switched to riding with Sir Gaius when we got closer to Arldat, so there wouldn’t be any chaos from me riding with someone as popular as Sir Celes. He’d pouted, but we compromised by switching near the capital rather than the border like I had originally suggested.

Though I would really have been happier to ride with Sir Celes, I still didn’t have the courage to publicly ride on the same horse as the famed Dragonslayer, so I asked Sir Gaius instead. Miss Maria insisted I ride with him anyway, since we’re engaged, but I couldn’t just suddenly get that brave...

“Thank you, thank you, Sacred Maiden!”

“Long live Prince Edoardo!”

“Ahhh, it’s Sir Celestino! Sir Celestino~~~!”

But I knew just how right I had been once we entered the capital. It really was too dangerous. We’d probably cause an outright riot if I was close to Sir Celes. Sir Gaius and I were already getting confused looks, since we hadn’t left with the party. Of course they would be confused. They had no idea we were with them!

But, in between those cheers...

“Lucia!”

“Welcome home, Lucia!”

“Lucia, we’ve been waiting for you!”

“Welcome home!”

I shot my head around, searching for the owners of the voices I recognized.

“Chicca! Jeanne, Joanne! Rossella!”

My heart warmed at the sight of them waving at me. I really felt like I was home. That’s right, I’m home. Our journey is over.

As I waved back at my friends, I ended up muttering my feelings. “It’s all over, huh...”

“That’s right. Good work, little lady. Thanks for everything.” Sir Gaius plopped his hard hand on the top of my head, messing up my hair. While part of me was embarrassed that he was doing it in front of so many people, the sincere warmness of it made me happy.

“Thank you, too, Sir Gaius. I’m glad you were with us.”

“Yeah, you couldn’t ride on your own, after all.”

“You’re right. I should have practiced more.”

While both Sir Celes and Sir Gaius had shown me how during breaks, I still couldn’t ride a horse as easily as they could. I guess it really came down to natural reflexes, or sense...

“Oh yeah, when’s the ceremony? You can always call me if you need any help getting things set up,” he said, beaming.

“W-We still haven’t decided anything, yet!

“Ah, you still don’t have a proper bracelet, after all.”

I look down at the wooden bracelet on my right arm. The precious bracelet that Sir Celes had made with his own hands. It was already enough for me, but...

“I still need to give him one back, so once Sir Celes gets through his backlog of work, we’re planning on going to buy them together.”

“The city is gonna be in chaos when the Dragonslayer shows up with a fiancée.”

“Don’t remind me...”

Since he was the captain of the Third Regiment, Sir Celes wouldn’t be getting any time off once he got back. Though his vice-captain had been taking care of things while he was away, I could remember him sighing, saying he’d probably have to stay stuck in the regiment office for a few days. I wasn’t in a rush, but Sir Celes felt bad that I only had a wooden bracelet, so he wanted to go pick a silver one out as soon as he had a chance.

“But will it really be okay for you to help with the housing thing?”

“Yep. Me and my wife’ll help you look until the Captain can go with you. They probably won’t kick you out of the dorm after you did so much for the country, but worst-case scenario, you can stay with us.”

“Make sure you talk to your wife and get proper permission first, okay? Don’t decide it all on your own. You don’t want to shock your wife. I’ll be fine by myself.”

“Nah, my wife loves takin’ care of people! Reynard doesn’t come over often anymore because she’s always doing something or other for him when he shows up.”

Though the Commander and everyone else insisted I wouldn’t be thrown out of the dorms for being unemployed, Sir Gaius volunteered to help me look for a house to live in with Sir Celes. But... I didn’t want to bother his wife, too. Since I was worried about relying on him too much, I just wanted him to talk to her first.

It felt weird, thinking about all the things I never even dreamed would happen when I left Arldat. I had no idea I’d end up engaged to Sir Celes, or become friends with the ‘Sacred Maiden.’ I didn’t expect to lose my Soap, either.

You really never know what life will throw at you.

◆ ◆ ◆

The fuss over us continued until we arrived at the castle. The crowd was packed shoulder-to-shoulder, but the path before us was always clear. I’d never seen anything like it. We had been greeted in Fatna, too, but the scale was totally different. It just showed how much the people had been looking forward to the Cristallo Sacro being cleansed, but I was still surprised.

Even once we got through the castle gate, things didn’t change. Since only certain people were allowed to enter the castle, you had to show your identification at the gate. I had given my uniform back, but I still had my ID. Inside were uniformed attendants, guards in their armor, knights and Academy students in their uniforms, and researchers in their robes — everyone who was authorized to enter the castle lined up by rank to see us. Though we didn’t see lower servants, it was probably because they were either working, or went to see us outside of the castle.

We didn’t get off of our horses until we got to the entrance. I’d never seen anyone get the same kind of greeting we did, so I felt uncomfortable. To think that I’d be greeted like that before seeing it happen to someone else...!

While I was flustered, Miss Maria and the others were all confident. Hiding her usual expressiveness, she looked prim and proper, with her slender chin tilted up, looking just as you’d think a Sacred Maiden would. Though she’d been wearing dresses that were easy to move in since Vatis, she’d changed into the elegant dress I first saw her in for her triumphant return. It looked beautiful, and she matched Prince Edoardo, who was escorting her, well.

Following them were Sir Agliardi and Lord Reynard, with Sir Celes, Eric, Sir Gaius, and myself behind them. The exaggerated greeting line continued into the castle. I-I want to just run and hide! Glancing at the others, I seemed to be the only one overawed by it. How were they all acting normally!? Was it because they’re used to it!?

While I tried to hide my panic, we turned a few corners before stopping in front of one room. As Miss Maria and the prince approached the door, the knights standing on either side of it saluted, opening it for us.

“Welcome back, Your Highness, Sacred Maiden. I am glad to see you’ve returned well.”

Inside was an elderly butler. His pure white hair was tied back neatly as he bowed before His Highness. The prince had his ‘Crown Prince’ face back on, briskly giving the butler orders.

“Yes. Take Maria and the others to the baths, and have them dressed. Prepare a light meal for us, as well. All of them are my companions, the Heroes of Purification. Be sure to treat them as such.” He turned back to us. “Well then, I’ll go report to my father. You all should wait here.”

After taking Miss Maria’s hand and dropping a light kiss on the back of it, the prince quickly left the room. As soon as he left, the palace attendants waiting behind the butler split into two groups and came to us.

“Please, come this way.”

Because the men’s and women’s baths were separate, the attendants showed each group to different doors. But as they did it, I could feel their suspicious gazes on me, making me worry about if I should go along with them. I really don’t belong... Of course they’d be suspicious when the group returned with more people than they set out with.

Noticing my hesitation, Miss Maria linked her hand with mine.

“Let’s go, Lucia! I’m not letting you stay behind! You’re my best friend, after all!” The attendants looked between us, surprised, after Miss Maria’s announcement. “D’you have a problem with that? She’s my best friend. What’s wrong with her coming with me?”

“Nothing at all, Sacred Maiden. Please, come this way.”

Just as palace attendants should, they immediately smoothed things over, leading us towards the door. We walked towards them, still hand in hand.

As I passed Sir Celes, he lightly brushed my hand with his. When I looked up at him, his sky-blue eyes looked at me gently. Even without words, I was happy to know how he felt.

◆ ◆ ◆

Though the bath felt wonderful, I was incredibly uncomfortable the entire time.

We had bathed in an extravagant palace bath back in Fatna as well, but my level of discomfort was much higher here, since I could recognize a few people. They may not have known me, but I noticed a few I’d seen walking through the halls. I really had no idea what I should do. It would have been much worse if Miss Maria hadn’t been with me.

But after that, we were separated.

After we were led to different rooms once again, one of the attendants with me handed over my familiar laundrymaid uniform. “You must be Lucia Arca. Put on these clothes before you return.”

“We have other jobs, so we’ll be leaving.”

Once they gave me my uniform, they turned and left, jobs done. They must have been busy getting everyone’s rooms ready, or preparing for us to see His Majesty.

“...I kind of missed this.”

After being left alone, I put on the gray apron-dress that I’d worn every day until I left half a year ago. If they were giving it back to me, would that mean that I’d been given my job back? Or maybe they just wanted to dress me in something familiar. Whatever the case, I had no problem with it.

After getting dressed, I stood in front of the large mirror on the wall and fixed my hair. With a retying of my hair with the flowered ribbon that Sir Celes gave me, I looked just as I remembered. I felt more like I was about to go do laundry than see the King.

“Are you ready? The others are waiting, so hurry up.”

They must have realized I was finished as another attendant came to get me at the perfect time. I guessed we were meeting up again before our audience with the King. Maybe it was because I was wearing something familiar, but the discomfort I felt before changing was gone, and I headed back to the room where the others were waiting.