Lucia Notices Something is Amiss

Though Miss Maria looked graceful and quiet on the outside, she was usually actually quite energetic and bright. She and the prince had also always seemed so intimate... But for some reason, now she looked depressed.

“Miss Ma—”

“Hey, Lucia!” Just as I had begun to call out to her, Eric interrupted me. “To go along with researching the dragon, I also wanted to check how much your mana usage would change using a crystal. I know it’d be best to get you your own, but we could use mine for now.”

“But His Highness just told us we were leaving.”

“I know, but we could do it the next time we stop! Please?” Eric tilted his head a little, staring up at me with his big amber eyes. The puppy dog look was too cute... It was too hard to say no!

“I guess it would be alright to try the next time we have a break or stop for the night...”

“Okay, you promised!”

With his bright, big smile, Eric looked just like an innocent child. He must really love his research. I’m kind of jealous that he has something he is so into at his age.

After promising Eric, I headed towards the carriage where the prince and Miss Maria were waiting.

“Did you make plans with Eric?” His Highness spoke to me as soon as I stepped into the carriage, as if he had been waiting.

“Yes. I’m going to try casting my magic using a crystal...”

“You don’t have one of your own, even though you can use magic? Huh, so you’re the same as Maria in that way, too. Could...”

“Hey, where are we going next?” Miss Maria cut in, interrupting the prince.

Something was definitely wrong. Though she was still sitting beside His Highness, it looked as if she was sitting a little farther from him than usual.

“Next is Foristarn. Kyriest is north of Arldat, but Foristarn is southwest of Kyriest. Our last stop in Maynard is south from there. Kyriest is within our country’s borders, but Foristarn is in the Vatis duchy, and Maynard is in the Kingdom of Dal Canto.”

“We’re going overseas?”

“Overseas? All of our countries are on the continent. The sea surrounds the world, and drops into Hell. Didn’t they teach you that at the Academy? Ah... but your country was surrounded by the sea, wasn’t it?”

“That’s right. My country, Japan, is...an island nation. It’s different from here... Completely different...”

Seeing Miss Maria looking down weakly, even the prince noticed something was wrong.

“Maria, what’s wrong?” he asked.

“I think it’s motion sickness... I’m feeling sick.”

“Are you alright? Let’s have Lucia use her magic on you.”

“I don’t need it!” Over the course of our journey, Miss Maria had frequently asked that I use Soap on her, so of course His Highness would suggest it, but we were both surprised by her rejection. Her voice had been strong enough to make me stop opening the windows in shock.

“I mean, Lucia just passed out, right? I don’t want to make her have to use it. So don’t. I’m fine.” The way Miss Maria spoke, it seemed that she was worried about me. But I had recovered thanks to the baby dragon, and Miss Maria was much more important, especially if she was sick.

“Miss Maria, I’m fine. My mana was restored thanks to the little dragon. You look much worse for wear.”

“It’s not that bad, so you don’t need to use Soap. I’ll just sleep it off. Ed, I’m gonna lie down on the other side.”

“...Alright, if you say so. Have a good rest. Lucia, come over here. She can’t lie down with you there.”

Miss Maria wouldn’t be able to lay down properly with me sitting here, but I could never sit next to His Highness!

While I was flustered, Miss Maria threw me a lifeline, “Lucia, stay there. It’d hurt if I fell off the seat because of the rocking.”

Since she was acting strange, I prioritized Miss Maria’s request over the prince’s order. After declining His Highness, I moved the cushions so Miss Maria could lie down comfortably.

Although she didn’t look ill, I was worried about how depressed she seemed. Then I thought to put the baby dragon beside her. Maybe it would make her feel better, just like it helped me.

“Alright, I’ll be right here beside you. But please, at least let this little one lay with you. It might make you feel better.”

“Kyuu!” The baby dragon tilted its head innocently as I passed it over, and Miss Maria finally smiled.

“Yeah, maybe it will make me feel better. And we need to name this little guy. Is it male? Female?”

“I have no idea... I hadn’t really thought about it.”

“Geez, you haven’t thought about it? Hey, buddy, are you a boy, or a girl?”

“Kyuwawa~” Miss Maria poked at the baby dragon’s puffy tummy, a soft look gracing her features.

“It’s not clear whether dragons have a biological sex.” His Highness said. “There aren’t many in the first place, and even if there were, capturing one alive is out of the question. I heard that they couldn’t find any reproductive organs in the one that was slain last year, so it could be that they’re not able to reproduce. If that’s the case, it might be asexual.”

“I see... You must be lonely, too. Being all alone.”

“Kyukyu! Wah~”

“It looks like it’s trying to talk, but I can’t understand it. Too bad, buddy.” As Miss Maria laughed, you couldn’t tell that she had been depressed moments earlier. “I wonder what its name should be.”

“If you’d like, you can name it, Miss Maria,” I said.

“Me? Hmm, I dunno. It’s a dragon, so maybe we should go with something cool. But it’s so cute.” She looked gently at the baby dragon. The soft smile on her face suited her well. “Shiro. Let me call it Shiro. It’s not fluffy, but it’s cute, just like my Shiro.”

“Kyuu!”

“Shiro is the name of my cat at home. He’s white, with gold eyes, and he’s adorable. I miss him...” Miss Maria said, a hint of loneliness in her voice.

Ah, I understand now. Those words put everything into focus. Miss Maria must be missing her world; the one she lost because of us. I wonder what she thinks about our world? She was brought here against her will and shipped out on a journey to purify the Cristallo Sacro, with no option to refuse. And monsters are frightening, and even using magic...

The more I wondered, the more shocked I became at my realization. The entire reason Miss Maria was summoned was to purify the Cristallo Sacro. But the one to purify the first tree...wasn’t her.

Lucia Thinks About Maria

“Lucia, hold my hand, ’cause I might fall off.”

“Ah... Yes!” I gave Miss Maria my hand as she asked, and she smiled, a look of relief on her face.

“Watch me so I don’t fall, okay?”

“I’ll catch you before you do. I’m surprisingly strong.”

Holding my hand in one hand, while hugging Shiro with the other, she wearily shut her eyes.

And just like that, without having a proper conversation, we waited to arrive at our destination in silence.

◆ ◆ ◆

Because we had lost time due to my fainting, we were unable to reach the next town that day. And so, today would be the first day on this journey where we all camped.

Ready to make dinner, I looked through our ingredients beside the carriage. There was hard-baked bread, pasta, oatmeal, barley, buckwheat flour, and wheat flour, all perfect for long journeys. Smoked meat, dry sausage, a jar of salt-pickled fish and olives. Root vegetables, dry fruit, and various nuts. Beans and pickles. And, most importantly, sugar, rock salt, butter, cheese, lard, oil, herbs, and spices.

Because we were traveling with the prince, it was quite an extravagant spread. This is the first time I’ve ever seen so much meat, sugar, and spices! You would never be able to carry this many supplies on a regular journey, but thanks to the luggage space at the back of the carriage, they were able to bring a lot.

Actually, it was my first time seeing a carriage with luggage space on the outside, as well. Wagons had nothing of the sort, and neither did the carriages I sometimes saw in Arldat. It was handy, but it did look strange.

“Sacred Maiden, are you not feeling well?” As everyone else began pitching the tents, Eric slipped over next to me checking the food, and stood on his tiptoes to look inside the carriage’s open window.

“Go away, Eri-kun. I’m sick.”

“Really? Don’t push yourself. You’re a girl, after all. So, Lucia, you promised. Let’s go!”

Tossing a few nice words to Miss Maria, Eric turned and invited me. He’s been much nicer to her since the events in Amarith. As well, I’d promised him not too long ago, but...

“Not right now,” I said. “We can do it later. Everyone else is setting up the camp, so I think I should help.”

I knew it was quite a bad excuse. There was no reason for me to put it off. But I can’t right now. I’m just—

“Okay. I’m gonna help too, then. I’ll see you after!” Eric nodded, and ran back to where the others were working. He might have been able to tell from my face that I was feeling uneasy.

“Miss Maria, is there anything you’d like to eat?”

“I’m not hungry.”

After Eric left, I too got on my tiptoes and peeked inside the carriage’s window. Miss Maria was still resting in the same position she was earlier. She didn’t even move the arm that was over her face at all as she answered my question. What should I do? She might not want to, but she should still eat something. Or at the very least, maybe drink something warm.

As I worried about how to respond, Shiro chirped from where he was curled in Miss Maria’s arms, answering for her, but... That too was a problem. What do dragons eat? I looked away from the carriage as I considered the menu, and I could see everyone doing their own jobs. Sir Celes, Sir Gaius, and Lord Reynard were still putting up the tents, while Eric started the fire.

Hmm? I don’t see His Highness or Commander Agliardi. Now that I thought about it, I remembered that the prince was still sitting across from Miss Maria when I left the carriage.

“Um, where is His Highness...?” I asked Miss Maria.

“Beats me. He went off somewhere earlier.”

He went off somewhere!? Hearing Miss Maria’s weak voice, I bit my lip secretly, so she wouldn’t notice. The prince was her fiancé! Where could he have gone while she was feeling sick?

“I’m gonna sleep a bit longer. I’ll be fine. Shiro’s here with me.”

Noticing that I’d gone silent, Miss Maria shifted her arm so she could look at me. Shiro seemed to realize he’d been mentioned, and let out a little cry as well. The way he spread his little wings out made it seem as if he was telling me he’d take care of her, so I left them to it.

“...Then I’ll get dinner started. Just rest for now. I’ll bring you something warm to drink later. Shiro, please take care of her.”

“Kyuwah! Kyu~!”

Leaving Shiro to Miss Maria, I walked away from the carriage.

If she’d like to rest for a while in peace, I should hurry and get dinner ready. Although she had told me she didn’t need dinner, maybe she would be able to eat a bit of porridge. Gruel won’t fill her up. Maybe I should make soup? Though it was already the flowering month of Floréal, Kyriest was in the north, so nights were still chilly. It would be best to make something to keep everyone warm.

Thinking about what I wanted to make and what ingredients I would need, I went back to work. Even after I’d made my decisions about what to pick, His Highness had yet to return. While I still dwelled on that, I picked up the pot and moved towards the campfire. After filling it with water from a pitcher set with a water crystal, I put it on the fire.

While the water boiled, I started preparing the onions and potatoes. As I did, Sir Gaius walked over and peered into the pot. “Oh, you’re cooking for us, little lady? What’s for dinner? Have any drinks?”

“Sir Gaius, we don’t have any alcohol. It isn’t just the two of us traveling anymore. You’re going to get a scolding.”

“Don’t be so stingy! Leave that to Reynard and the Commander. You, at the very least, should let me have some.” Sir Gaius chuckled as he ruffled my hair.

He truly did love his alcohol. Is it really that good?

“But you’re pretty good at that, little lady,” Sir Gaius praised my skills with the knife. “You’d be all ready to get married.”

I hadn’t done much cooking since moving to Arldat, so what he said made me a little bit happy.

“I cooked every day when I lived back in Hasawes, so I’m just average.”

“No way, you’re great.”

Though I spoke cheerfully with Sir Gaius, inside, I couldn’t stop thinking, What if the reason Miss Maria is upset is because I was the one to purify the Cristallo Sacro? I wouldn’t know how to face her then.