Ending

I really had meant to get up again soon, you know? But I ended up sleeping for three full days after slaying the dragon—that’s what happens when you drain too much energy and take too many doses of ether. When I finally came to my senses, I was in my room in the royal villa.

“Good morning, Your Highness.”

“…Ilia? Am I…in the royal villa…? What happened to the dragon?!”

“Please calm down. You’ve been asleep for three days since the battle.”

“It’s been three days?!”

“His Majesty asked us to send word as soon as you awoke. I believe he will be coming to visit us.”

“Oh no.”

If I hadn’t fallen into this state, I could have probably come up with an excuse to explain everything, but breaking out of the royal palace and coming back bedridden would definitely earn me a lecture! No, I don’t want to see him!

“I’ll call him, then.”

“Ilia! Let’s talk! Help me convince him…!”

“I’m afraid I can’t help there. Miss Euphyllia has already come to an arrangement with His Majesty, so there’s nothing more I can do. Hee-hee-hee.”

“Don’t laugh! Ah, ow! Why does my whole body hurt?!”

“If you’ll excuse me. Hee-hee-hee…”

“No! Wait, Ilia! At least give me one more day…!”

But in spite of my desperate pleas, Ilia departed the room with an expressionless face and an eerie laugh. I thought about running away and hiding, but I definitely wasn’t in the condition for it. I had no choice but to swallow my tears and accept my fate.

A short time later, my father appeared—and he wasn’t alone. Euphie and Duke Grantz were with him, too. At this point, I was about ready to give up. I wanted to flee with all my might. I wanted to spin around and make a break for it right then, but it hurt so much just to turn my head!

“…I see my fool daughter is finally awake.”

“Father. I’m so delighted to see you! How are you, if I may ask?!”

“Ha-ha-ha. Can you not see that I am furious?”

Ah, I had suspected as much. I was trying to laugh cheerfully, but the pressure I was under here was immense!

“You blasted fool!”

“Yeep!”

My whole brain recoiled in response to my father’s angry voice.

“What kind of royal throws themselves into the front line, let alone tries to rush a dragon?! And what were you thinking, getting Euphyllia involved?!”

“W-well, my reasons are incredibly profound, you see…”

“What?”

“I’m sorry! It was selfish of me! I shouldn’t have dragged Euphie into it!” I cried out. My father’s presence was like a weight bearing down on me; his anger had practically coalesced into a dense ball of black rage.

But after my apology, my father gradually relented, and the pressure lessened. He let out a deep sigh and rubbed his brow with one hand. “…You truly are a handful. Euphyllia has told me everything. Apparently, if you hadn’t leaped into action, the outcome would have been much worse.”

“Really?”

“With our normal fighting forces, we would have had no choice but to wait for the dragon to exhaust its magic—or else fight it with enchanted weapons like yours. But there are very few people capable of doing that, and it would have taken some time to prepare them. There’s no doubt that your actions have kept the damage to a minimum.”

I nodded in agreement. The dragon’s entire body had been shrouded in magic, so it must have been incredibly powerful. With regular magic, it would have probably taken repeated strikes with techniques as powerful as Euphie’s to get past its defenses.

And fighting it normally would have required constant magical attacks to exhaust its stamina and magic reserves. But that wouldn’t stop it from advancing, nor from wreaking immense destruction. So ultimately, jumping out and attacking it head-on had been for the best.

“But you bungling, fool, idiot daughter. You’ve created a real mess this time!”

“No, I know I acted rather selfishly, but if I helped save lives…”

“Yes, I suppose you do deserve praise for that. But then there’s your position to consider. And more importantly, you got in Algard’s way.”

“Huh? Allie?”

I failed to see what my brother had to do with all this.

“Algard was keen to participate in the battle against the dragon. He was probably trying to make up for the mess he caused, so he wanted to confront the dragon himself.”

“…Huh? You’re saying I ruined his plan?”

“Utterly.”

Uh-oh! I hadn’t meant to do that! Wait, hadn’t he been confined to his quarters?! Why couldn’t he just behave himself for once?! Well, that might sound strange coming from me, but still!

“You’ve always done whatever you please, without ever considering those around you—but this time, you’ve gone too far. Why on earth do you always have to go to such extremes?! Thanks to you, Algard is back under house arrest, and you have two completely opposite reputations!”

“You’re saying I’m both a selfish, willful, crazy princess and a courageous dragon slayer, too…?”

“I suppose that sums it up.” My father breathed a deep sigh.

I was fine with both reputations, but all the same…

“…How much damage did the stampede cause?”

“Casualties were few. There were some serious injuries, but considering that we were dealing with a stampede and a dragon, the damage was surprisingly light.”

“That’s a relief. Saving others is much more important than my own reputation.”

I had long ago resigned myself to the fact that I wasn’t good enough as a member of the royal family. There were more important things than how other people saw me. First of all, the knights and adventurers hadn’t sustained much damage, so that was a relief. And of course, there was one more thing that was important to me.

“And the dragon’s materials are mine, right?! I defeated it, after all!”

“I knew that was your real goal, you boneheaded…! Don’t you realize how great a treasure they are for the kingdom?!”

“I don’t mean everything! At least let me have the magicite crystal! It was bequeathed to me!”

“Huh? What do you mean, bequeathed?” My father stared back at me with suspicion.

Euphie, Duke Grantz, and Ilia, too, were all watching me carefully. I winced a little, but I couldn’t give up now.

“The dragon entrusted it to me. So please, at least let me have the magicite.”

“Hold on, Anis. Hold on. You’re saying you spoke with the dragon?!”

“Well, more like it spoke at me…”

My father exclaimed in astonishment, while Euphie seemed to murmur something under her breath. I could hardly believe it, either, but it had happened, so that was that. And besides, even if the dragon hadn’t entrusted the magicite to me, I would still have wanted it.

“I think the dragon only spoke because I defeated it. But it doesn’t matter whether you believe me. I’ll accept any punishment for my recklessness. But please, just let me have the magicite crystal.”

“…Ah… It’s always one nuisance after another…”

“…Your Majesty, if I may?”

“…What now, Grantz?”

“I have some ideas regarding how to dispose of the dragon, as well as some ideas about appropriate rewards and punishments for Princess Anisphia.”

“…Go on.”

“Yes. The princess defeated the dragon; that can’t be concealed. And it is a fact that she made a significant contribution to the effort. Given the circumstances, punishing her for her actions will be met with great resistance from the common people, while failing to punish her will be considered an affront by the nobility.”

“So if we punish her, the commoners will be up in arms, but if we let her go, the nobility will be?” my father said, his brow furrowing in a frown.

Grantz nodded. “It’s true that the princess needs to be punished. But how about I shield her from the worst of it? I can say that her recklessness this time was driven by her desire to link her achievements to Euphyllia.”

“What are you saying, Father?” Euphie asked in surprise, staring wide-eyed at the duke.

I, too, was taken aback.

“Wouldn’t that make it look like I’ve been supporting the House of Magenta?”

“Indeed, it would. But you must admit, it isn’t exactly a lie, is it?”

“I suppose not…”

I had originally invited Euphie to be my assistant to give her a chance to make a name for herself and undo the damage that had been done to her reputation by her failed engagement. And she had worked with me to stop a stampede and defeat a dragon. In a way, it was no exaggeration to say I had accomplished what I had set out to do.

“Now that it’s already finished, we can’t deny that Prince Algard’s ambitions have been stymied. The necessity of restoring Euphyllia’s honor has put us in direct conflict.”

“Is that why you want to shield Anis, Grantz?”

“It is. I’ll take the position that I want to thank the royal family—and Princess Anisphia in particular.”

“Are you saying you want to bring Princess Anisphia into your faction, Father?” Euphie asked.

“Euphie. We were originally a military faction. A great many of our associates have a favorable view of the princess. Now that we’re butting heads with Prince Algard directly, we can’t afford to leave her position hanging in the air.”

“R-right, but I don’t want to get caught up in any political troubles!” I cried out.

“I’m afraid you made too big a scene this time. This is your only option.”

“N-no…!”

Nghhhhh! But seeing as I had decided to protect Euphie, I would inevitably have to confront Allie in one way or another. We had been on bad terms for a while, but he had never tried to actively get rid of me so long as I kept out of the limelight.

I had already renounced my claim to the throne, and I had declared that I wouldn’t interfere with Allie’s succession—but thanks to the ridiculous way he’d broken off his engagement with Euphie, my social standing seemed to be rising.

And now that I had defeated a dragon, it was sure to increase even higher. If people learned I had done all this to help restore Euphie’s honor, people would get only more excited. I was fine standing out from the crowd as a troublemaker, but it would be too much trouble to be a regular sort of famous.

“Hmm… I can’t say it’s a bad plan…,” my father murmured.

“Princess Anisphia. Let’s say we treat this as a debt.”

“A debt?”

“Yes. I’m sure that given this incident and Prince Algard’s blunder, there will be more than a few people seeking to curry favor with you. Allow me to handle them.”

“…Ah. So I’ll have to pay you back someday?”

“This is my way of thanking you for saving Euphie. Although I do have my own agenda as well.”

Huh. To be honest, I didn’t love political intrigue. I didn’t want to get caught up in any conspiracies, so I had been actively keeping a distance from such matters.

But this time, after all that mess, I wouldn’t be able to remove myself from this scheme. My father couldn’t handle this alone, what with how big the situation had become. And there was no course of action that would satisfy both the people and the nobility at the same time. That being the case, the best option available was to rely on the assistance of an experienced politicker.

Duke Grantz was willing to take on that role. In other words, he would shield me to resolve this affair.

But if I agreed to his proposal, I would be regarded as a member of his faction. I wasn’t even at odds with his political allies, and yet…

Duke Grantz was the chancellor of the realm and my father’s counselor. At the same time, he was also the head of the Ministry of Defense, the organization responsible for protecting the country and overseeing the chivalric orders active in each region, which was why he had described his faction as a militaristic one.

I myself had worked with the Border Guard during my time as an adventurer, traveling to various locations as part of my missions. I wasn’t on bad terms with the Royal Guard, either, and I had received sword lessons from them—even if they had treated me as a bit of an eccentric. All the same, that didn’t mean I could read the duke’s intentions.

“…Duke Grantz. You aren’t going to object to Allie becoming king or anything after the incident with Euphyllia, are you?”

“His conduct has called his suitability into question, but that was already partially apparent even before he broke off the betrothal. So long as Prince Algard doesn’t turn out to be a fool acting against the interests of the realm, we aren’t planning on moving against him.”

Hmm… Well, I didn’t really have a choice either way. I would prefer to keep my head down, but given the circumstances, a little strife did seem inevitable. It might have been avoidable if we were talking about everyday problems, but we couldn’t ignore a dragon. I was sure that that was why Duke Grantz had come out with this proposal. So it was all out of my hands…

“…A debt it is. Can you help me out with this, then?”

“Very well. I assume you have no objections, Your Majesty?”

“…Oh, I don’t mind. I’m sure you’ve been musing about this since we first heard how it all ended, haven’t you, Grantz?”

“I only wish to show my loyalty to Your Majesty by acting in the greater interest of the realm,” the duke said with a reverent bow.

My father scowled and turned back to me, letting out a deep sigh. “Anis. Your punishment will be to participate in the celebrations as befitting a member of the royal family. From your dress to your behavior, for once, please refrain from anything wild and be as modest as you can.”

“Huh?! You mean there’s going to be banquet for defeating the dragon?! And you want me to play a leading role?!”

“Obviously, you dolt!” my father cried out. “You’re the one who did it! So from now on, you had better act like a princess and work a little harder at extinguishing the fires you’ve started!”

Was he thinking about changing his mind about me being a legitimate princess? I didn’t like the sound of that… But I couldn’t say anything in protest. Ugh, how I wished I could. Why did I have to attend the celebrations? And acting like a princess? That would be suffocating! I couldn’t possibly do that!

“We should also formally announce that Euphyllia has become an official assistant to Princess Anisphia and tout her role in this achievement. Yes, this will be a good opportunity.”

“Ughhhhh! Nooooo! I don’t want to be a princess!”

“Don’t you go throwing a tantrum now, you daft girl!”

My father could yell at me all he wanted, but I still didn’t like it! Argh, I was starting to feel depressed already. I just wanted to get out of there.

“Euphyllia. I’ll need you to help teach Anis manners. And make sure she doesn’t run off.”

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

“Arghhhhh, nooooo! I hate lessons in etiquette!”

“There is also going to be a dance. Be sure not to embarrass the royal family.”

“Noooooooooo!”

But the others, ignoring my pleas, began to consult with one another.

And so I was left behind, steaming with my own resentments. With no one left to complain to, I could only hang my head and give up.

After the date of the banquet to celebrate that the dragon slaying was set in stone, time flew by at a dizzying pace. As soon as I was feeling better, I had to get my measurements taken for a new dress, and I began reviewing my etiquette and dancing. I hadn’t done this since I was a child, and I felt like my head would burst memorizing everything I had neglected.

I lived in fear of Euphie and Ilia, who had been put in charge of my education. Once, I got fed up with all that rote memorization and tried to run away, but the two of them soon caught me. After that, they kept an eye on me at all times, and so I had to give up any ideas of an escape attempt.

Then, in the blink of an eye, the day of the celebration was upon us. I was utterly exhausted even before the event got underway. The dress I had been forced into only made me feel worse. It was so heavy that my shoulders felt dull and stiff.

It was a rush job, but Ilia had been working on it for a while beforehand on the assumption that I would one day need a good dress for formal occasions. As ever, she was a fantastic maid. But I would never forgive her for this. When on earth had she even designed this thing…?

The dress was the perfect attire for a royal princess attending a banquet. If I wasn’t the one who had to wear it, I would have readily lauded it as a work of art.

Its soft-pink tones were decorated with white frills, and the patterned embroidery was simply splendid, while the ornate jewels embedded into it complemented it perfectly.

It was hard to believe I was staring back at myself in the mirror. With all this makeup on, I had to admit that I was beautiful. Yet the more I looked at my own figure, the deeper into my depression I sank.

“Just how long do you intend to wallow in your misery?”

“Father.”

While I was busy scrutinizing myself in the mirror, my father entered the room with Ilia beside him. My clothes and makeup were all complete, so I was ready to go. My father had said something about us entering the hall together. The banquet had probably already begun…

I let out a long exhalation, when my father stared across at me. His shoulders drooped as he breathed a tired sigh. He seemed disappointed.

“Please just try to keep your mouth shut and conduct yourself like a royal princess…”

“Mind your own business! I’ve never even considered myself a princess!” I said in frustration.

My father raised an eyebrow. “Anis… Now isn’t the time to let your mouth run away with you.”

“…Very well, Father.”

I breathed a sigh for what felt like the umpteenth time and flicked my mental switch.

I fought to calm my emotions, to take a bird’s-eye view of the situation—to move outside myself and separate my mind from my heart.

Wearing a light smile, I bowed to my father. He stared back at me strangely, looking for all the world as though he had just seen a ghost. Normally, I would have pouted in response, but I maintained my smile as I took his hand.

“You should be careful not to let your subjects see you making such a face.”

“…No matter how many times I see it, I’m always amazed that you can change your demeanor so quickly,” my father said, truly impressed.

“I’m honored,” I answered, bowing my head with a faint smile.

This was my princess mode, which I employed whenever I had to act as a royal for occasions like this. No matter what anyone said to me, I would smile softly and respond with perfect tranquility. This persona never failed to make my father deeply uncomfortable.

“Shall we be off? Thank you for escorting me, Father.”

“…Hmm.”

“We’re going, Ilia.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Take care.”

As Ilia saw us off, I stepped into the banquet hall with my father by my side. The nobles in attendance had already arrived and were busy mingling and chatting among themselves.

The banquet was also a social gathering for the nobility. Attendance was necessary to take stock of all the latest information. How many of them are truly happy that it was me who defeated the dragon? I wondered as I made my way through the hall.

“All hail His Majesty King Orphans and Her Highness Princess Anisphia!”

The herald’s announcement focused the room’s attention on us as we entered the hall. I stretched my back to stand upright beside my dignified father.

First of all, my father would have to address the crowd, and so he made his way to the stage that had been prepared for such speeches before casting his gaze around at the gathered nobles.

“Thank you, everyone, for joining us this evening. Please make yourselves comfortable, as tonight is all about celebration. I’ve called the banquet after the recent dragon attack on our realm, which was forestalled by my unruly daughter, Anisphia.”

With my father’s introduction, I curtsied in the manner expected of a princess.

“Anisphia has accomplished a great feat, but she is not above censure, having acted at her own discretion. Nonetheless, this is not enough to outweigh such an achievement. As such, I have decided that she is owed an apt reward. On the other hand, my daughter was not alone in defeating the dragon on this occasion. Please welcome my loyal retainer, Duke Magenta, and his daughter, Euphyllia!”

Duke Grantz and Euphie both gave a reverent bow before joining us on the stage. Duke Grantz was dressed in an extravagant ceremonial dress, much more ornate than his usual attire.

And then there was Euphie. Her silvery-white hair was tied up in a bun, and she was wearing a dress colored in a gradient of blue shades. Her undisputed beauty was as radiant as the jewels she wore.

“My loyal vassal Euphyllia, daughter of Duke Grantz. I’m truly grateful that you accompanied my wayward daughter and took part in her effort to defeat the dragon threatening our lands.”

“I’m honored, Your Majesty. I may be a young woman, but I am ready to stand on the battlefield whenever the realm is in danger. I must thank you for bestowing this honor on me in spite of my blunders and for appointing me as an assistant to Her Highness Princess Anisphia. I owe this honor to her—to your wonderful daughter,” Euphie said, kneeling reverently.

I would normally feel incredibly embarrassed to have someone talk about me in this way, but for now, I fought to keep my emotions hidden.

“Hmm. I’ve caused you a fair amount of trouble, Euphyllia. My intention here isn’t to try to make amends, but I do hope you will continue to show your loyalty by my unruly daughter’s side.”

“As you wish, Your Majesty.”

“You’ve raised her well, Grantz. I hope I can rely on your continued support, too.”

“My loyalty is always to the realm—and to you, Your Majesty.”

Both Euphie and Duke Magenta gave my father perfect bows as they thanked him. My father nodded, glancing my way. At this signal, I turned fully toward him.

“Anisphia. Your achievement this time is nothing short of magnificent. But you have neglected your duties as a member of this royal household. I regret that I cannot praise you unreservedly. From now on, please conduct yourself in a manner more befitting of your station.”

“I’ll do my best to live up to the royal blood that flows through my veins.”

“I trust that those words are true. Once again, you have done the realm a great service, Anisphia. As requested, the dragon magicite is yours. And while you won’t be allowed to have all of them, you will also receive a share of the materials from the dragon’s remains as well.”

Yesss! I cheered in my heart, trying not to show my delight outwardly. Now the dragon’s magicite crystal was mine! Wow, I’m so happy! It was worth all that effort!

My father cast another look at me, before turning his gaze to the nobles gathered in attendance. “As we all know, Anisphia’s magicology research is to thank for resolving this great crisis. I hope she will continue to work for the benefit of the realm. Euphyllia?”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“Once more, I would like to ask you to continue to formally assist Anisphia.”

“Understood. I would like to help Her Highness forge a righteous path.”

“Hmm. Anisphia, the road ahead of you is yet unknown. Be sure not to tread wrong.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Very well! In that case, everyone! Today we celebrate having averted this great crisis! I hope you enjoy the banquet!”

With my father’s speech concluded, the rest of the party began to mill about once again, exchanging their thoughts. No sooner did I step down into the hall than a throng of nobles came to greet me. Euphie, Duke Grantz, and my father were similarly boxed in by the nobility.

Ah, I hate this! I hate having to do all this socializing! I forced myself to exchange pleasantries with a broad smile, all the while wondering how many of them were actually grateful for my success.

“Your Highness Princess Anisphia. Congratulations on your outstanding performance.”

“Thank you. I’m afraid your praise is too much for me.”

“Not at all. Allow me to introduce myself, Your Highness.”

“Thank you for your kind words.”

Wearing a smiling mask, I dealt with one noble after another as they came to greet me. Few, however, were willing to stay long enough to engage in real conversation. It was Euphie and my father who were speaking to their admirers at length. Both seemed to be enjoying whatever they were talking about.

I didn’t normally attend these social gatherings. Everyone regarded me as an eccentric, I didn’t have any interesting stories to discuss, and most of all, I was quite sure that some of these people didn’t much like the fact that I was technically a member of the royal family.

I doubted very many of them would believe I’d had a change of heart and wanted to behave like royalty—and after all, what was done was done. The best course of action ahead of me would be to keep a low profile, at least until the situation with Allie was brought under control.

“Greetings, Princess Anisphia. I hope you’re enjoying yourself?”

“Yes, thank you… Oh, Commander Sprout? Of the Royal Guard?”

I stared back at the acquaintance who had just called out to me. For a moment, the mask concealing my emotions slipped.

“It’s been a while. I’m glad to see you’re doing well,” said the commander.

“It’s a delight to speak with the honorable commander of the Royal Guard,” I responded.

The prestigious Royal Guard was entrusted with the defense and protection of the Kingdom of Palettia’s royal palace and its surrounding castle town. Among all the knightly orders, only the most elite warriors were selected to join.

The commander’s name was Matthew Sprout, and in addition to leading the Royal Guard, he was also a count. He was the one who had taught me how to fight and use martial arts.

The commander was a mild-mannered man with dark-green hair and pale-green eyes, and he had the build of a well-trained warrior. Most of the time, he had a gentleness about him, but on the battlefield, he was simultaneously both a calm leader and a valiant warrior.

Due to his soft demeanor and abilities as a knight, he was a frequent target of the affections of the various maids of honor who worked at the royal palace—despite being married. Even now, I could feel the searing gazes of the ladies watching on from a distance.

“You’re as popular as ever, I see,” I remarked. “I’m envious.”

“Are you teasing me, Princess Anisphia? You’re very beautiful today in all your finery, aren’t you?” Commander Sprout responded without breaking his smile.

At this comment, I felt the energy draining from my shoulders.

“I heard about your success on the battlefield. I must say that I would like to have a word with you about acting alone, but your efforts have kept casualties among the knights to a minimum. I believe I owe you my thanks.”

“Not at all. I heard the situation was so grave that there was even talk of dispatching the Royal Guard. I’m just relieved that the knights who responded to the stampede didn’t suffer any serious losses.”

“I received a letter from them, by the way. They asked me to convey their gratitude to you.”

“Well, please tell them that I’ll keep on doing my utmost.”

“Yes… So how was it? What was it like fighting a legendary dragon?” Commander Sprout asked, cutting to the heart of the matter with an unfaltering smile.

I straightened my back, staring back at him. “I’m glad I went. Regular knights would have been out of their element, if you ask me.”

“Was it that strong?”

“It was the toughest opponent I’ve ever faced. I’m just glad I finished my Witch’s Broom in time.”

“Ah, I see. It must have been quite effective, both helping you get to the scene and to fight an airborne monster.” The commander nodded, his keen gaze piercing. “Your magical tools truly are amazing, Princess Anisphia… But are you encountering trouble mass-producing them?”

My mask broke at that, and my smile turned bitter. “Thank you for saying so… But I’m not worthy of your praise, given the situation on that front.”

“I’m afraid I don’t follow… Although, I do sympathize.”

Commander Sprout had been a great help in the development of my Mana Blades and in ensuring that they could be distributed to the maids working at the royal palace for their personal defense.

Above all, he understood the value of my magical tools and wanted to adopt them officially as equipment used by the knights. But at the same time, he also had a good understanding of internal politics within the kingdom, and of course, as the leader of the Royal Guard, he knew when not to overstep his bounds.

“I’m sure you caused His Majesty a good amount of trouble.”

“Please continue to support my father.”

“Oh? I wasn’t expecting to hear that from you. In that case, would you consider devoting a bit more of your attention to social graces in the future?” the commander said with a forced smile.

Commander Sprout was around the same age as my father—and a good friend of his, too. If not for that, his suggestion would have struck me much harder, I’m sure.

“…And there’s another matter I should mention. I must apologize in regard to what happened with Miss Euphyllia. There are no words adequate to express this, but please accept my deepest apologies.” Commander Sprout bowed his head, his tone of voice having become unusually serious.

“Ah… You mean Navre? My sympathies, too.”

The commander’s son had been involved in the group who had arranged to break off Euphie’s engagement.

I had heard that the commander was a good friend of Duke Grantz, and so he must have been shocked by the incident. He was a good person.

“There’s no need for you to apologize, Commander Sprout. Besides, it was a good opportunity for me, too. And Euphie’s help was essential in bringing down the dragon. It’s because of that incident that we’re here today, if I may say so. So everything turned out for the best. Please don’t worry about it.”

“…Thank you for saying that. Ah, this isn’t really a conversation for a party, is it?”

“I don’t mind at all.”

“That’s all I wanted to say, so thank you again… Ah, one more thing, Princess Anisphia. As the commander of the Royal Guard, I can’t openly praise your actions. But I am truly grateful to have you looking out for the kingdom.”

The commander met my eyes, then bowed deeply. All of a sudden, I found myself staring at his lowered head.

After a short moment, he looked back up at me, his expression curious, before he continued. “If not for you, a great many lives would have been lost. Despite the circumstances, I do sincerely hope you will one day take a more public-facing role.”

“…You speak too highly of me, Commander Sprout.”

“I wish you all the best in your future endeavors, great and small. Well then, I’ll leave you to it.”

“Thank you again.”

The commander left with a warm, friendly smile. As I watched him leave, I let out a deep sigh. I was still somewhat nonplussed by that conversation.

…What a surprise. Commander Sprout was really singing my praises…

I was glad to hear that he thought so highly of me, but it was still difficult to accept.

Meanwhile, I realized that the music in the hall had changed to a dancing rhythm. Before I knew it, I was being asked by the sons of nobles to join them in the center of the hall.

I adopted an appropriate smile and tried my best not to let my ragged exhaustion show. If I made a misstep here, I would be the joke of the party.

Euphie and Ilia had given me special dancing lessons, but to be honest, the whole experience had been nothing if not traumatic. I would have to review everything on a regular basis to ensure I didn’t forget…

After dancing with a couple of partners, I was starting to feel tired.

Maybe I should go to the balcony before someone else asks me…?

I quickly scurried off, the dancing music continuing behind me. Luckily, no one seemed to be following me. After making sure I was alone, I flicked the switch in my mind and let my princess mask fall. That act alone came as an enormous relief.

“…I’m no good at social gatherings.”

Because I was a royal, my aversion to large events like this was a serious problem, but it was what it was. I had always been regarded as strange, and that was only a stone’s throw away from being considered downright eccentric. The gazes directed my way were always probing, always harsh.

I just wanted to use magic. That was all. The second I had learned that magic existed, I hadn’t been able to stop dreaming. So if I couldn’t use magic the regular way, I would just have to find a new way. Because I needed magic, even if it meant breaking all the rules. If I could use it, I could bring smiles to people’s faces. And then I could bring a smile to my own face, too. If I could do that, everyone would be happy.

“…I wish it was that easy.”

Reality was cruel. What I had created was nowhere near the real thing, but at least I could actually call it magic. The problem was that my magic required breaking so many of the tenets that people took for granted, so it had never been truly accepted. Somewhere along the line, I had given up on studying magicology to help others. I had started to think that if I could make something for me, it would prove useful to others, too.

Only a handful of individuals truly understood me here. Maybe I could help them, I’d thought. So I had retreated to my villa in the detached palace. Of course, there were people who appreciated my inventions, like the commander of the Royal Guard. But not many. Few in this country were willing to accept my ideas.

“…I wish I could just study whatever I like…”

“Ah, Lady Anis! Here you are!”

“Waugh!”

I spun around at the sound of a voice calling out behind me. It was Euphie. We both leaned against the balcony, watching on as the banquet continued apace inside.

“Are you taking a break?”

“I can’t do this. I’m no good at social gatherings. I’ve never liked them. How are you finding it, Euphie?”

Euphie raised her eyebrows in slight surprise at this question. She flashed me a vague smile, as though unsure how to respond. Then, lowering her gaze, she murmured, “…I’m pathetic. I acted like I knew what I was doing during your lessons, but the second a man’s hand touches mine, I can’t even breathe anymore…”

So that was it. She was still traumatized after what had happened with Allie. A bit of time had passed since then, but the wound must still have felt fresh. No wonder she found dancing with men painful.

All of a sudden, I realized she was holding her arms, trying to hide the fact that she was trembling slightly.

I reached out and took her hand. “Shall we dance, Euphie?”

“Huh? Together, Lady Anis?”

During my lessons, Euphie had played the role of the male dance partner, so I knew she was fully capable of dancing. Of course, it wouldn’t be appropriate for two young women to dance together in public. That must have been why she looked so perplexed by my invitation.

Still, I held her hand in my own. “There aren’t many people here, certainly no one who would hold it against us. And I know you like dancing. So it would be such a waste not to.”

“…It would?”

Euphie gave me a small smile, blinking in surprise, then accepted my hand. Once she was ready, I began to take the lead.

We danced together in perfect harmony, just as she had taught me, albeit our roles reversed. Thinking how strange it was, I couldn’t help but grin—and Euphie smiled back.

We danced hand in hand on the balcony, away from the glamour of the celebrations. I couldn’t help but smile when I considered how surprising this must look to anyone watching. I wasn’t sure if Euphie felt the same way, but she let out a soft murmur: “…We must look so absurd dancing together.”

“All that matters is that we’re enjoying ourselves, right?”

“If our fathers could see us, they would be aghast.”

“Let them! What good is dancing if you don’t enjoy it?!”

We followed the steps, spinning around together. At that moment, the music came to a stop, and there was a brief silence before the next song got underway. But Euphie didn’t let go of my hand. Our gazes met, our hands still intertwined. She was staring straight into me.

“…I sometimes wonder, what would have happened if you hadn’t taken me away that day… I would have cried, I would have been crushed, I would have hated everything… I’m sure of it… I would have been broken inside.”

“…Yeah.”

“But you saved me from all that. Now I can put it all into words. I was so happy, Lady Anis. Thank you so much for giving me a chance after I had failed at everything else.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sure you’ll keep on slaying dragons and doing other ridiculous things. And I know you’re no good at these social events. So I’ll help supplement your weaknesses.”

“…Euphie.”

Out of nowhere, the moon shone through a break in the clouds, illuminating her face as she gazed into my eyes. Her silver-white hair, glimmering in the moonlight, shook slightly in the night breeze.

“You’re so important to me. I can’t take my eyes off you. I want to stay with you,” Euphie said with a smile as she intertwined her fingers through mine.

Her smile was mesmerizing. I couldn’t look away.

My magic existed to make people smile—if I could do that, my childhood dream would come true. As I had grown older, that dream had come to seem distant and cold.

I could only reach so far by myself, so I swore to myself not to let go of this hand linked with mine. This was the happiness I had always wanted. That feeling was like a comforting fire in my chest.

When this boring party was over, we would have more time. Time to figure out what we didn’t yet understand. There were still new sights to see, new creations to give form.

And—I wanted to enjoy life here in this world.

I was holding hands with someone I truly cared about. The kind of magic user I had always wanted to be. She was perfect, my lifelong ideal, and she was holding my hand now. She had accepted me. She had told me there was nothing wrong with my magic.

It felt like being forgiven. I could follow this path. I had always put on a brave face, always acted as though I didn’t need anyone’s approval. I was used to walking by myself despite the rejection.

But maybe, just maybe, with Euphie by my side, I could accomplish all those things I hadn’t been able to do on my own. Maybe I wouldn’t need to smother the passions of my heart anymore.

I was embarrassed to acknowledge these uncertain feelings, and I shook my head trying to dispel them. Then I gave my partner a heartfelt smile.

“Don’t leave me, Euphie! There’s still so much more to do!”