Chapter 4: Like Picturing a Rainbow

A few days had passed since we had started to share ideas through our makeshift lessons.

By now, we had firmly established the format of these magicology lessons—I was the teacher, and Ilia was my assistant. Heh-heh, I was actually enjoying this!

“So today we’re going to build a working magical tool!”

“Oh? Are they really that easy to make?”

“I’ve brought a simple one. See, one of those Thermal Pots you’ve been using so much!”

Ta-daa! With a dramatic flourish, I placed the unassembled parts in front of Euphie, who stared down at them with great interest.

“It isn’t all that difficult to put together,” I said, taking the parts in my hands. “But it does require a certain level of technique.”

“Technique?”

“Indeed. I’ve got a question for you now. What do you need to do to make a detailed mental image whenever you use magic?”

“…Chanting?”

“Correct! Or more precisely, conveying to the spirit what you want it to do.”

That was something Euphie herself had described in one of our previous classes. Of course, she was fully aware of the necessity of creating mental images.

“This part of the magical tool is extremely important. This is where your crafting technique comes in.”

“…It isn’t as easy as I hoped, is it?”

“It’s all about the process. It isn’t all that difficult to assemble, and the basic principles are fairly simple. Why don’t we give it a go?”

I showed Euphie the base, which would provide the Thermal Pot’s core function of generating heat, and urged her to pay attention as I pointed to the base.

“By placing a fire stone here, we’ll be able to make it generate heat. This is where the chanting technique comes in.”

“A chanting technique…?” Euphie echoed, tilting her head to one side in curiosity.

“The magical tool isn’t going to speak or anything like that,” I said with a smirk. “See? Take a look inside the base.”

“…Is that an engraving? Ah, that’s the incantation?”

“Something like that. So how exactly does a Thermal Pot work? How do you get it to do what you want? This is basically a circuit to provide that core function,” I said, tracing the engraved letters on the base while Euphie watched on in admiration.

In the world of my past life, this might have been considered a program of sorts that served to activate the magical tool.

“If you pass fire-type magical energy through these letters, you can activate it even without the fire stone. But not everyone has an aptitude for fire magic, so it’s better to use the spirit stone.”

“You can do all that just by carving the words into it…?”

“That’s why I said it requires specific techniques. For example, applying a special paint containing ground-up spirit stones to the engraved letters. Also, the base itself is an alloy with spirit stones in it, too. You know the spirit stones with no attributes? They’re only really used for decoration, right?”

“They are…? Well, I suppose they don’t have many practical applications, but since spirit stones do have such a long history, aren’t they used in ceremonies and the like…?”

“That’s what I mean. Decoration.”

Euphie breathed a deep sigh.

No, I understood where she was coming from. People in our society held immense gratitude and reverence for spirit stones. That applied even to those stones that possessed no functional attributes.

However, since such spirit stones contained only raw magical energy, there was some doubt about how to make use of them. They were often ground up and sprinkled through the air in a powdery form in ceremonies and festivals and the like.

They were used occasionally in medicine, too. If you poured magical power into such a stone and processed it into powder, the end result was a restorative medicine capable of replenishing magical energy. That said, the taste alone was practically lethal. I had tried such a concoction once myself, and I had no intention of ever doing so again.

Aside from that, non-elemental spirit stones were still largely a mystery. Were they the remains of spirits that had crystalized before they could develop notable attributes? Or had they lost their original attributes due to overuse?

That was an enticing question for future research, but I had put off investigating it in depth, as my priority was to make magical tools I could actually use. Perhaps I would have time to look into it properly one day.

“Back to the topic at hand; it appears to take a lot of time to process…,” Euphie commented.

“It certainly does. But anyone who possesses magical energy can make these tools work. This could lead to new opportunities for craftsmen, new employment, and new ways to make a living.”

The Kingdom of Palettia had been blessed with an era of peace and stability. I’d heard the country had been going through a rough patch before my father took the throne, but he had managed to right the ship.

But even if our world was at peace, there was still a divide between the rich and poor. In fact, I was aware of a slum for refugees in the capital itself, and there were untold numbers of poor and destitute subjects who had no means of securing food for tomorrow.

I might not be able to save all of them, but if demand for my magical tools was to increase, the kingdom would need more manpower to satisfy it. I would have liked for my father to help promote the development of magical tools with the power of the state, but there was only so much I could do in my present position. The political struggle regarding who would succeed to the throne was truly a hindrance to my efforts.

That was when I realized Euphie was staring again.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“…No, I was just thinking how you sounded like true royalty just then.”

“I am royalty!” I exclaimed.

Not even Ilia could suppress a snort at that, apparently. I glared at her, but she quickly wiped her mouth, trying to pretend nothing had happened. Maybe I should pinch her cheeks…

“A-anyway! There are blacksmiths and craftsmen among the commoners we employ, so why not put their skills to use?”

“Y-yes. That does make sense…”

For some reason, the atmosphere had become rather awkward. I mean, I might not have been perfect, but I was still royalty, you know? I couldn’t be indifferent to the well-being of the people here.

Who was I making these excuses for anyway? I set about assembling the Thermal Pot with Euphie’s help. Getting the parts ready might have been difficult, but the assembly stage was much simpler.

All we had to do was connect the parts in the proper order. The base, which provided the main function of the unit, had to be connected to an exterior container that prevented the heat inside from escaping. Next came the fire-type spirit stone, which had to be inserted into the alcove in the base.

After that, it was important to do a thorough safety check to ensure there were no mistakes in the engraved text. The last step was to pass enough magical energy through the unit to see whether it worked.

“All right. Now we’ve confirmed it’s functioning properly.”

“It’s surprisingly easy, just putting the pieces together…”

“Creating the parts requires craftsmanship and skill, but after that, even a child could assemble it.”

“…I’m convinced. These really are wonderful inventions.”

“Do you actually think so?”

“Yes, I do. Completely and utterly sincerely.” Euphie flashed me a smile, nodding.

I felt my chest growing warm at this display of emotion. Ah, I was so grateful to her.

Whenever someone praised my magical tools, though, I always got an itch to show them more. If she was so impressed by the Thermal Pot, what would she think about that other device?

“All right! This time I’ll introduce my extra-special, secret magical tool that my father authorized!”

“Special? Secret?”

“Hee-hee… Ta-daa! Here it is!”

I shoved my hand down the back of my skirt and held up the thing so my protégé could see it.

Euphie stared back in suspicion. “Is that…a sword hilt? It looks a little strange.”

It was indeed—in my hand was a bladeless sword hilt.

There was a depression at the base of the hilt, inside of which was a spirit stone. Other than that, the rest was nothing but a regular sword hilt. To all appearances anyway.

“As you can see, it’s modeled after the longswords commonly used by our knights.”

“Why only the hilt?”

“Why indeed? I’m especially proud of this magical tool. You’ll be amazed how useful it is. Behold!”

“E-er…?” Euphie, taken aback by my outpouring of enthusiasm, took my invention in her hands. She looked down at it doubtfully, checking its weight and feeling it in her hands.

Finally, she turned her attention to the spirit stone embedded in the hollow at the base.

“It’s a magical tool, isn’t it? Do you activate it by passing magical energy through it?”

“Why don’t you give it a try?”

“…Very well.”

Euphie began to direct her magical energy, slowly and with great care, into the sword hilt. The spirit stone embedded in its base responded with twinkling light. A magic circle appeared on its surface, and more light began to spill from the empty hilt.

That radiant glow quickly grew stronger and firmer, until it composed a shimmering blade of pure light. Euphie was definitely impressed.

“It’s a sword, but the blade is made from magical energy. The hilt is much lighter than any regular sword, and the weight of the blade itself can be adjusted to the user’s liking! A perfect tool to help a lady defend herself, don’t you think?”

“Why do you sound like a merchant now, Lady Anis…?”

Because I was getting caught up in the heat of the moment! Like calling in to take advantage of an infomercial deal! Sure, telephones hadn’t been invented in this world yet, but at the rate I was going, it was only a matter of time! Probably!

“This is amazing. It looks like it’s about the same length as a standard longsword. But only the hilt has any weight… This would be perfect to help women defend themselves, Lady Anis. And it’s so easy to carry. Even children ought to be able to use it. Can the magical blade actually cut?”

“Of course it can. That said, I don’t exactly recommend it. Getting into a serious battle would put a lot of strain on the spirit stone generating the blade. It’s a little vulnerable to physical shock. Oh, and this is just another accidental by-product, but it’s very useful for cutting through magic.”

Impressed, Euphie held the sword out to confirm how it handled. To the naked eye, it looked just like any other sword, albeit one composed of light. It might not have been well suited to a truly intense duel, and it might not be able to survive repeated impacts, but it wasn’t heavy in the hand and didn’t cost a fortune to produce. It was one of the few inventions of mine that my father had praised openly.

I had referred to it during its development as a Mana Blade. Several trustworthy ladies-in-waiting in the royal palace had already adopted them for self-defense to see how they worked.

They were extremely easy to carry around; I kept one in a holder attached to my thigh. At that size, they were easy to hide and made for great concealed weapons.

“How strong is it?”

“That depends on the settings. You can adjust the shape and strength to your liking. That said, seeing as it’s powered by a spirit stone, overloading the stone inside will break it, and you’ll need to replace the stone. Also, the more you demand of it, the more magical energy it will use. I’m currently testing its durability. So! That’s the Mana Blade. My father was more impressed by the Mana Shield, actually. Argh!”

“You can make a shield the same way…? That does sound useful.”

They were, yes, but the Mana Blade was so much more of a classic! As an aside, only my father and Ilia were in possession of Mana Shields in order to keep the technology from leaking out. My father had his as a means of protection, and I had given a second to Ilia as a present.

My father had asked if I could use the same basic principle to create a whole suit of armor, but the settings were almost impossible to get right to cover an entire person. After all, swords and shields didn’t need to accommodate for movement. I had tried my best to fashion something resembling armor that could adapt to a moving subject, but it had been too difficult to fine-tune. In the end, I had abandoned the idea.

“You can’t use them everywhere, though, seeing as they’re vulnerable to heavy attacks. But that doesn’t mean they won’t come in handy in a pinch. I just don’t recommend anything that will damage the spirit stone.”

“How much can it take?”

“If you tried to deflect a falling rock around the size of a person, that would probably break it.”

“…Have you tried that already, then?” Euphie asked coolly.

I averted my gaze, clearing my throat and trying to deflect. “R-right! There are magic techniques that can summon swords, too, aren’t there? Mana Blades are essentially the same idea!”

“…There aren’t very many people who can do that, though. Those people usually end up joining one of the chivalric orders. But I’ve heard people say it’s better to just use magic normally…”

“Because they have to do it in an enclosed space or something, right? Well, that’s where a Mana Blade will come in handy. Even if you can’t use magic, so long as you can channel magical energy, anyone can use them!”

In other words, they were mostly designed for my own use—to be even more specific, I had built them because I had wanted to use them. I had always longed to wield a sword of light. After all, I wasn’t exactly defenseless, but I was a woman, so this kind of tool could prove invaluable. On top of that, they had been popular among the maidservants, so it was clearly one of my more successful inventions.

“So you see, there are ways to put non-elemental spirit stones to proper use.”

“I see. By the way, what would happen if you used an elemental spirit stone instead?”

“More trouble than it’s worth.”

“Oh…?”

“I tried putting a fire stone in one, but the handle got so hot that I burned myself. Water is useless until you can solidify it, but freezing it gave me chilblains. Wind was too difficult to stabilize, and it kept going off accidentally. And as for earth… Well, that basically just turned it into a cudgel…”

Did she think I didn’t want an elemental sword?! The problem was that it was impossible for someone with no ability to use magic to forge a blade from an elemental spirit stone. After all, as painful as it was to admit, I had no sense for those spells.

The issue was finding the proper configuration and working out how to add elemental properties while maintaining the core function of a sword. Solving those problems had proven to be such a hassle that I had ended up putting off the project.

“But maybe you can do it, Euphie? You can add elemental properties through your own magic, rather than relying on spirit stones.”

“I see…”

“So I’ve decided to have a new Mana Blade made specially for you.”

“For me?” Euphie stared back wide-eyed.

I flashed her a smile. “Think of it like a welcome gift to celebrate your new job as my assistant. If you have a taste for swords, I’m sure it will come in handy sometime. Especially if you ever have to deal with a surprise attack.”

“…Are you sure?”

“It will be custom-made, so you can modify it any way you like! Making these things is basically a hobby of mine, so feel free to get creative!” I exclaimed, taking her hands in my own.

Euphie looked rather flummoxed, but she did respond with an embarrassed nod. “I’ll accept your offer, then… And I do have a request.” After a moment of troubled thought, she suddenly pulled her hands away from mine and whispered her request into my ear.

My eyes widened in surprise, and I almost burst out cackling like a madwoman. Eventually, I found my self-control and flashed her a grin. “That sounds wonderful, Euphie! I knew you were the right person for the job!”

“…But is it really possible?” she asked nervously.

“I’ve got a personal rule—nothing is impossible until I’ve tried it!” I said to reassure her.

Caught up in the moment, Euphie gave me a broad smile. Now came the fun part—trial and error! This would be a blast! Mwa-ha-ha!

When I opened my eyes, I found myself staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling. For a brief moment, I wondered where exactly I was. Then I woke up properly and remembered I had moved into a villa on the grounds of the royal palace.

I shook my head to dispel my lingering drowsiness and let out a deep sigh. I was doing that a lot recently, probably because I hadn’t been getting enough sleep over the past few days.

“Good morning, Lady Euphyllia. May I come inside?”

All of a sudden, a voice sounded from outside my door—Ilia, Lady Anis’s personal maidservant. She had been attending to me quite a bit lately to help me get used to life here.

I was grateful for her attentiveness, but a sinking sort of ennui had settled in my heart as well. It was like I was somehow gradually losing my bearings.

I couldn’t afford to let my exhaustion show, so I took a deep breath to calm my nerves before calling out in response: “I’m here, Ilia. Thank you for waking me. You can come in.”

With my permission, Ilia stepped inside and gave me a polite bow. As usual, she helped me get dressed before we went to eat breakfast. Ever since I had arrived here, I had taken to wearing the dresses Lady Anis provided. Her clothes seemed to incorporate elements of a knight’s uniform, unlike the clothes I had brought.

Apparently, Lady Anis had designed them herself, seeing as she hated having to wear regular dresses in everyday life. I probably looked a little strange in it, but it wasn’t anything to worry about.

It was a generous gift, and Lady Anis had even asked Ilia to tailor them for me. Unlike her, I couldn’t bring myself to expose my legs, however, so I’d had the knee-length skirt underneath replaced with a longer one.

Suddenly, I realized I had let my mind wander—when I came back to my senses, I found that I was fully dressed. I rubbed my temples, trying to pull myself together. The next thing I knew, my mind turned to the absent Lady Anis.

“Is Lady Anis about, Ilia…?”

“She leaped out a moment ago. Incognito, as she puts it.”

“…That’s a strange way to describe it, leaping out, incognito…”

“She does this all the time,” Ilia replied in her usual matter-of-fact voice.

…Right. I hadn’t seen Lady Anis much at all lately. She was apparently hard at work on the Mana Blade she was making for me, and she wanted to keep the project secret until it was finished.

While I was happy that Lady Anis was being so thoughtful, I had been left with nothing at all to do. I ate my meals at the appointed times, but apart from that, the remaining hours of the day were free. Given how I had always lived, this was all but unthinkable. To tell the truth, I had no idea what to do with myself.

Not so long ago, I had been all but overwhelmed with my studies and my education to become the future queen. There had been so much to learn. But now that Prince Algard had broken off our engagement, there would be no telling what the future had in store for me until the dust settled.

Now that the situation had reached such an extreme, there was probably little likelihood of our engagement being restored. Prince Algard didn’t hold me in his heart anymore. I was rather startled to realize how little that fact wounded me. Perhaps I no longer yearned for the life I thought I had.

But it was excruciating trying to while away the hours. I could feel myself growing more depressed by the day.

“…I wonder if Lady Anis hasn’t finished yet…?”

As soon as breakfast was over, leaving me once again with too much time on my hands, her face suddenly came to mind.

What did I even think of her? She seemed bright and cheerful, rather easygoing, and was always thinking about this or that. I considered her a good person, but the way her mind worked—the way she saw the world—was so different from mine. Every time I felt that gulf—whether it was her perspective on magicology or the way she employed and created innovative magical tools—I never knew how to respond.

Why on earth had people taken to calling her Princess Peculiar? Why did people dislike her so? Why had she been deemed unworthy as a member of the royal family? Certainly I hadn’t had a good impression of her, either, before I had gotten to know her, but now?

She was unpredictable, wild, a troublemaker always pursuing new, unprecedented ideas—that was what I had been led to believe. She was obsessed with her unfathomable inventions and devoted her days to her mysterious research while neglecting her duties as a member of the royal family.

I had heard that she and Prince Algard weren’t on good terms, and so I only ever saw her occasionally—and from a distance at that.

Now that I had become her assistant, I had no idea what to make of my life… Nor did I know what to make of her.

Did I find her agreeable? Did I dislike her? I couldn’t say. Everything just seemed so distant, so shocking, so difficult to judge. I was sure she was a good person, but still something lay heavy on my mind.

I wished I had an answer for all these unresolved feelings, but my frustration was only increasing now that I was unable even to see her.

“…What on earth should I do?”

Faced with these inexorable thoughts, I made my way out into the courtyard. Perhaps because Lady Anis herself didn’t often visit the garden, she didn’t seem to have given it much attention. It was a rather bleak sight.

The garden had received only the bare minimum of maintenance, and the deserted scenery tugged at my heart. Somehow, I felt as though I was falling—or as if I had dropped something important.

My feet could have given way directly beneath me. I let out a long sigh. No, I had nothing at all to do. No drive, no obligations. Was this loneliness that I felt or idleness? I didn’t know. I just didn’t know.

I repeated those words to myself, like a broken toy. It felt as if there were an unfilled hole inside my heart.

This couldn’t go on. I clapped my cheeks with my hands, but that didn’t make me feel any better. I was about to let out another sigh of annoyance when it happened.

“Ah! Here you are! I’ve been looking all over for you, Euphie!”

Lady Anis was calling out to me, and I was taken aback when I saw her face. There were dark circles under her eyes, and she was clearly short of sleep.

Her hair was done in the usual way, tied cutely at either side, but even her hair and clothes seemed to droop. It was obvious she had been busy working until this very minute.

And yet her smile was as dazzling as ever. Only then did I notice that she was holding a sword in her hand, shaped like a common rapier.

What was unique about the item was its hilt. The curved guard to protect the back of the hand was finely crafted, and I could see that it was inlaid with six colored spirit stones. This must have been what had consumed all her time and energy.

“Lady Anis, is that…?”

“Hee-hee-hee! Sorry to keep you waiting! Your very own Mana Blade is finally complete, Euphie!” she said proudly, puffing out her chest. With another hearty laugh, she passed me the sword by its hilt. “It’s made from an alloy of spirit stones, making it a perfect conductor of magical energy! I fused them all together and embedded the spirit stones into it, but you’ll have to try it out for yourself to see how efficient it actually is. If it works, it should help combine elemental attributes into the blade! It should help you use magic normally, too—this is a real luxury item! I’ve outdone myself this time!”

Overwhelmed by Lady Anis’s rapid-fire speech, I glanced down at the sword in my hand. In weight and appearance, it resembled an ordinary rapier. But the moment I wrapped my fingers around it, I knew it wasn’t.

From the second I first touched it, it seemed to respond to my magical energy. I remembered having felt something similar to this once before. That time, however, I hadn’t been holding a sword. I glanced up at Lady Anis, hoping to confirm my suspicions. “It was just an idea, but to think that it could actually work as a wand…”

A magic wand. A good many nobles held on to such items as an expression of status. They were inlaid with spirit stones that matched one’s magical affinities, used to assist in channeling the magic that came naturally to the user.

In and of themselves, magic wands weren’t particularly rare. But I had never before seen something that could be used as a sword and a magic wand at the same time. The only shape other than a wand that came to mind was a ring, perhaps. I had broached this idea to Lady Anis, but I had never thought she might actually be able to produce it…

“Well, if I’m going to make something, I want to do a good job! Oh, but it isn’t complete yet. I still need to add some finishing touches!” Lady Anis said with a satisfied grin.

It was clear she truly enjoyed creating these inventions.

“Right! Euphie! I feel kind of bad asking you to do this right away, but why don’t you give it a go? There shouldn’t be any problem using magic here in the courtyard!”

“…I suppose not.”

“Hold on, I’ll get you some protective gloves first!”

“L-Lady Anis?! There’s no need to hurry…!”

Nonetheless, Lady Anis rushed back inside. I reached after her, but my hand passed through clean air. I adjusted my grip on the Mana Blade.

A feeling, something close to an echo, seemed to be emanating from the magic sword. It was a strange sensation, as though something inside me was resonating with it. Almost like a pulse. I had never experienced such a thing before.

I was bewildered by this strange new sensation, but at the same time, it quickly grew familiar. It was as if my mind and body were growing separate, but it wasn’t unpleasant, and I felt no fear. That mysterious feeling was spreading through me.

“I’m back, Euphie!”

My consciousness was suddenly called back by Lady Anis’s excited call. I shook my head to clear my thoughts before staring back at her.

“Lady Anis, this sword…”

“Ah. I designed it myself, but it was a blacksmith I’m on good terms with who actually forged it. What do you think?”

“…It’s a good blade.”

That was my heartfelt opinion. Even just as a sword, it was a magnificent piece of work, and that strange feeling that had fallen over me when I held it in my hand didn’t change that fact.

“I always order sword hilts, so my blacksmith was glad to work on a blade for once!”

“Was that why you went out?”

“Yes. I’ll introduce you to them if we get a chance. But first, try it!”

“…Yes, of course.”

After putting on the gloves Lady Anis handed me, I picked up the sword once more. Even without touching it directly, that strange sensation continued to reverberate through my body. I wondered what it could be, but no explanation came to mind.

Actually, it felt as though something inside me had managed to gather up those thoughts and bury them deep. My mind was becoming strangely calm.

It isn’t unpleasant. In fact, it’s rather comfortable…

I closed my eyes, surrendering myself to the mysterious sensation. The resonance intensified inside me, my internal rhythm shifting until it was in perfect sync, and then I opened my eyes.

The sword was adapting itself to me. I directed my magical energy into it and felt it tremble in joy, as though it were a part of me. There was unmistakably a six-colored spirit stone at its core.

“…I’ll try using some magic, Lady Anis. Please step back.”

“Sure. Ah, there’s a target over there, so why don’t you aim for that?”

I turned around to see where she was indicating and saw a target for some kind of training. Taking a slow, deep breath, I pointed the tip of the sword in that direction.

When using magic, it was essential to visualize a clear image of your intentions to guide the spirits. The tip of my sword began to shimmer, the magic I had pictured in my mind materializing. From this point on, everything proceeded as I expected.

Prayers, wishes, desires. I offered my magical energy to the spirits, giving them form, and what emerged was a roiling sphere of flames.

“Fireball.”

As soon as the image came into focus in my mind, a fireball burst out from the tip of the sword and flew straight into the target, which exploded in flames. Success. I let out a gentle breath, the tension in my body relaxing.

“Whoa. That was amazing. Amazing! How was it?” Lady Anis asked, clapping after watching my fireball hit the target.

Before answering, I looked down at the magic sword. “It’s very smooth. It must be one of the best wand mediums I’ve ever seen. With the workmanship and the spirit stones inside it, I think I have a heightened sense of the spirits around me. It’s so easy to visualize the magic I want to use now.”

“That’s great!” Lady Anis cheered. I worried she might start jumping for joy at any moment.

I lifted a hand, trying to cool her excitement. “Um… Shall we see how it works as a sword now?”

I readied myself in a dueling posture, raised the blade in front of my eyes, and poured my magical energy into it.

Let’s start with…water, maybe?

That wasn’t because I had just used fire, but rather because I could sense the presence of water spirits responding to my mental image and the energy I was channeling. And sure enough, water began to swell around the blade.

“Here we go. Water Blade!”

“Ooooh! Well done! It’s a solid sword!” Lady Anis watched on in excitement, her eyes sparkling.

What looked like a longsword composed entirely of water had suddenly formed along the thin rapier blade.

I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle watching Lady Anis get so excited. Even I was astonished by how easily I had managed to apply that magical technique. I waved the sword from side to side so she wouldn’t notice my reaction. It seemed sturdy. And after applying the stones, it was only slightly heavier.

“This… This is kind of fun, isn’t it?” I said in admiration.

“You’re amazing, Euphie! I’ve never been able to do that!” Lady Anis exclaimed, rushing forward.

“L-Lady Anis!” I yelped, quickly diverting my sword. “Don’t leap forward all of a sudden! It’s dangerous!”

We had been in such a good mood, but all of a sudden, Lady Anis fell silent and still.

“…Lady Anis?”

What happened? I gently shook her shoulder.

At that moment, her eyes opened wide, and she began to collapse then and there. I quickly dropped my sword to catch her. A cold shiver ran down my spine…until I heard her snoring.

“…Wow.”

I was completely taken aback. This was an awkward position, so I laid Lady Anis down on the ground, placing her head on my lap as I stared into her face.

She was beaming with joy—and relief, too.

“…She’s so dedicated—so ingenuous. Like a child.”

She was older than me, yet most would think she was younger. I could understand, as unpleasant as they were, the many nicknames people had given to her. Even this magical sword she had produced with such ease was a testament to her extraordinary nature.

“…I’ve never let anyone rest their head on my lap, not even Prince Algard.”

…Ah, what was I doing? I had been betrothed to Prince Algard for so long, and yet I had never once thought of doing anything like this with him. I had simply steeled myself to become queen and left my humanity behind in the process.

Perhaps that was why Prince Algard and the others all gave up on me. It was one thing to be betrothed to the future king, but another thing entirely if I couldn’t establish a proper relationship with him.

I had made a terrible mistake. But that very failure had brought me here now. I let out a shallow, self-deprecating chuckle.

The fact of my failure would never go away, but this feeling of joy was wonderfully, ticklishly warm. I didn’t want to pull away, but when I thought about trying to accept it, I could hardly breathe. My eyes began to grow hot.

“…I envy you, Lady Anis.”

And I meant it, truly. Now that I had come to that realization, there could be no escape. Ah… Her brilliance was too warm and comforting, too dazzling.

Plop.

A wet drop landed on her face; only then did I realize I was crying. I traced my finger across her cheek. I didn’t want to wake her. I didn’t want to do anything to cloud her radiance and warmth.

I didn’t want her to see me looking so pitiable when she woke up. I was still unable to grasp the depths of this feeling. All I knew for certain was that I envied her.

Ah, how I wished I could be like her, even if only in some small way.

“Ah, I guess my exhaustion caught up to me now that everything’s safely wrapped up! Sorry!”

After a short while, Lady Anis awoke and apologized with a cheerful laugh.

I shook my head to show I wasn’t bothered. “No, I don’t mind. Actually, I should be thanking you for this wonderful sword!”

“Mm-hmm! I had a lot of fun making it, too! Thank you!” Lady Anis was radiating pure joy from her whole body.

Suddenly, she rested her chin on her hand, sinking deep into thought. “Speaking of which, we should think of a name for it.”

“A name?”

“Yeah. I mean, it isn’t really a Mana Blade. Hmm… I wonder what would suit it?” she murmured, crossing her arms as she pondered.

She seemed to be rather set on naming the sword, but to be honest, I wasn’t particularly bothered, so I said nothing and wondered how to proceed.

“Hmm. How about Rainbow…? No, actually, yes… That’s it!”

“What is?”

“I’ve got it! Let’s call it Arc-en-Ciel!”

“…Arc-en-Ciel? Yes, that does mean rainbow, doesn’t it?”

“Exactly! You have so many magical aptitudes, Euphie! You can use so many different types of elemental magic! All those colors make you think of a rainbow, don’t you agree? It’s perfect!”

So I was like those colors of a rainbow? Hearing her put it that way, I couldn’t help but stare back at her. Rainbows were bridges of light, brilliant arcs in the sky. Imagining those fantastic, beautiful phenomena only made me feel worse.

Isn’t that…? Well, isn’t it a little much for someone like me?

I wasn’t nearly as impressive as a rainbow. In fact, I considered myself rather dull. Yet Lady Anis seemed to like it, so perhaps I should accept it for her sake?

I gave her a faint smile. “Thank you, Lady Anis. It’s a wonderful name.”

Her eyes widened, and she stared back with such intensity I feared she would bore a hole into me.

I was confounded by the sudden attention. Yet she didn’t say anything. Just when I was starting to wonder whether something was the matter, Ilia appeared from within the villa.

“Please come back inside, Your Highness. We need to fix your appearance. You’re so untidy.”

“Sorry, sorry. I got distracted,” Lady Anis said with a grin.

“As you so often do,” Ilia responded, her own lips curling in a faint smile.

I could sense deep affection and trust between these two.

…All at once, my heart began to beat with a painful rhythm. I placed my hand on my chest, startled by this sudden sensation. What on earth was this? I had never before felt anything like it.

“Lady Euphyllia?”

I glanced up as someone placed a hand on my shoulder. It was Ilia, who was peering into my face sternly. Wondering just what had happened, I stared back.

“Huh? Euphie? Are you not feeling well?”

“Hmm? L-Lady Anis…?”

“Here, let me check,” she called out worriedly as she placed her hand on my forehead.

I didn’t think I was unwell, but she placed both hands on my cheeks and pressed her forehead against mine.

At first, I couldn’t help but wonder what was going on. I understood that she was checking my temperature, but I was taken aback by Lady Anis’s sudden proximity, and I froze.

“Yeah, you are a little hot! Ilia, she might have a cold!” Lady Anis cried out in a panic, quickly pulling back.

“That won’t do.” Ilia nodded back.

Huh? I didn’t have a cold, though…

“Euphie, let’s take you back to your room! Come on, you need to get some rest!”

“U-um, you two? I’m fine, really…”

“Ilia, look after the Arc-en-Ciel! I’ll take Euphie to her bed!”

My faint protests went unheeded as Lady Anis took the Arc-en-Ciel from my hands and lifted me into the air.

Ah! It was just like when she had removed me from that incident with Prince Algard. I immediately gave up. I had learned it was useless to resist when she did this.

And so Lady Anis took me in her arms and whisked me away. When we arrived back at my room, she quickly made me change into my nightwear, then tossed me unceremoniously onto the bed.

“Did you spend too much time out in the wind? No, maybe this is my fault. I shouldn’t have rested on you for so long. I’m sorry…”

“N-not at all. It isn’t that big of a deal…”

“It’s too late for all that now! Stay put! I’ll bring some medicine!”

“L-Lady Anis?!”

I could only watch in a daze as Lady Anis dashed off like a gust of wind. She seemed incredibly worried, and so I simply pulled my blanket up to my mouth, trying to hide my embarrassment for distressing her so.

“…What am I doing?” I muttered to myself, the feeling of emptiness that had been lapping against me since morning striking again with full force.

If I closed my eyes, they would be so heavy I wouldn’t be able to open them again.

Just how long did I remain that way? I snapped awake to the sound of the door opening, and Lady Anis charged back inside.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Euphie! Ah, let’s take your temperature again first!”

She came over to the side of the bed, kneeling down, leaning over me, and then pressing her forehead against mine once more.

We were so close that we could hear each other breathing. Lady Anis’s warmth was so nice that I found myself closing my eyes again. After a short while, she pulled away. She wasn’t pleased.

“Hmm. A slight fever, maybe? I just hope it doesn’t get any worse. Anyway, you ought to take some medicine. Can you sit up, Euphie?”

“Well, I don’t feel that bad…”

I began to raise my upper body. Lady Anis offered me a hand, helping me sit up.

She was a diligent caregiver, I thought as I accepted the medicine and tossed it into my mouth.

…Speaking of which, could this be the first time anyone had ever told me to rest and take medicine like this? Up until now, I had always managed these things myself.

After all, as a future queen, I hadn’t been able to afford to show any weakness. Not even to family members. It was rather refreshing to have someone else worry about me like this.

Lady Anis brought me a glass of water, so I drank it down with the medicine. After making sure I had taken all of it, she breathed a sigh of relief and began to gently stroke my head.

“Get some rest, Euphie. I know it must be hard to relax, having to adapt to a new environment and all. If you don’t feel sick, it’s probably just exhaustion. Don’t push yourself too hard, all right?”

“I’m sorry to bother you…”

“It’s fine, really. You inspired me to make the Arc-en-Ciel! You spurred my creative ambitions! And I really did it this time, if I may be so boastful!” Lady Anis said with a joyful laugh as she put me to bed.

But in proportion to her joy, the weight in my heart only grew heavier.

…Maybe I was ill. My mind certainly wasn’t relaxed. I had never experienced anything like this before, and I didn’t know how to respond to it…

“Euphie.”

As I sank deeper into my thoughts, Lady Anis said my name and placed her hand softly over mine. Now that I could feel her warmth directly, I realized that my body temperature was lower than hers.

Just a touch of that warmth made me feel as if I could melt away into that sense of comfort. It was like I was out of balance, unstable, wavering from side to side, but there was nothing I could do to bring my feelings under control.

“…I’m pathetic,” I murmured in shame.

Not too long ago, I would never have allowed myself to act so ungracefully in front of others.

Lady Anis gave me a sharp glare and flicked me on the forehead with her finger. I blinked reflexively at the sudden jolt.

“That’s enough! You aren’t pathetic. I wasn’t as attentive as I should have been. I should have paid more attention to you!”

“But I’ve made you worry so…”

“Even if you were fine, I would still worry about you.”

Those words were like a warm touch. The shock of hearing them was enough for me to lose all sense of who I was. I closed my eyes, turning away to try to keep her from seeing the extent of my confusion.

“You are so clumsy, Euphie.”

“…But I am good with my hands. A knowledge of embroidery is a must to be a proper lady…”

“That’s not what I mean. You’re clumsy as a person.”

Ugh. Before I knew it, she’d poked me on the cheek.

“It’s fine, really, to let someone treat you to a little kindness,” she said, her voice filled with tenderness.

Those words rang painfully in my heart. I felt a sudden tightness inside me and raised my hand to my chest.

That pain wasn’t unpleasant—but it still hurt. Inescapably so.

What had come over me? Whatever it was, if I got close enough to touch it, I would want to disappear. Even closing my eyes, trying to reject these feelings, they wouldn’t go away.

“…Lady Anis?”

“Hmm?”

“…I don’t understand myself.”

“Hmm.”

“…What should I do?”

“Well, whatever you want, I suppose.”

“But what if I don’t know what I want?”

Lady Anis still held my hand as the disconnected conversation went back and forth. She had told me to do as I pleased, yet I had no idea what I truly wanted anymore.

It would be so much easier if someone could tell me what they wanted, if someone could give me a role to carry out. Please—it hardly mattered who. She was a royal princess; couldn’t she instruct me…?

Nonetheless, Lady Anis said my name again in a gentle voice. “…Euphie. If you don’t know what you want or what you want to do, then let’s take our time and find the answers to those questions together. You can stay here and have fun with me until you figure out the next step. Just keep me company while I indulge myself. Until that day comes, you’re free.”

Those weren’t the words I had been hoping to hear. Rather, they only added to the almost choking sense of pressure building up inside me. I couldn’t hope to deny them, nor could I let go of this warmth that had filled me with such distress.

Her hands were warm to the touch and so comfortable. And yet I felt like I was melting away. She shone too brightly for someone like me. She knew so much that I had yet to learn.

Does she…does she really understand what I am looking for?

But in the end, I couldn’t voice my question. Before I knew it, I had simply closed my eyes, bathing in her warmth.

“…Huh?”

When I returned to my senses, I was lying down in a darkened room. It was night, with the sun long since set.

The only light was the faint glow from a magical tool. As my eyes adapted to the dark, I felt my drowsiness subside. I must have fallen asleep. I remembered holding Lady Anis’s hand before nodding off, but she was nowhere to be found now.

Nonetheless, her warmth seemed to linger in my hands. I clenched my fists to hold on to it as long as I could.

“…I’m thirsty.”

My throat was so dry; I definitely needed water. I grabbed a cup from beside my bed and called on the water spirits to summon a drink for me.

After gulping it all down, I stopped to catch my breath. I was still in a daze, still unable to focus on anything. It was as if I was losing my mind, and yet I felt no urge to do anything about it.

I don’t know how long I sat there like that, but before I knew it, the door began to swing quietly open.

I turned around and found Ilia standing in the doorway. Seeing me awake, she nodded and came inside.

“I see you’ve finished your rest, Lady Euphyllia.”

“…How long was I asleep, Ilia?”

“Almost half a day. As Her Highness said, you must have been exhausted. You’ve just moved to a new environment, but the biggest change is probably in your frame of mind. Please remember to take care of yourself. Princess Anisphia was worried about you.”

“…I’ll have to thank her. And you too, Ilia.”

“I’m honored… Would you like some tea?”

Ilia must have noticed I was holding a cup. I nodded, though it took me a moment, and she began to prepare some hot water using the Thermal Pot in my room. I watched on vaguely, until Ilia glanced back at me.

“Is something the matter?”

“…No, nothing in particular.”

“If you would like to talk about something, please do speak up.”

“…Huh?”

“Go ahead.”

I had no idea what to say. I must have looked rather pathetic just now.

Ilia nodded once more. “I see. Your condition looks rather serious.”

“…Serious? A condition? Me, you mean?”

“Indeed. You remind me of myself, a long time ago.”

“What do you mean…?”

She was trying to tell me something, but I couldn’t fathom what.

Meanwhile, Ilia averted her gaze and continued her work. “It isn’t easy to live outside your set role, is it?” she said.

“…”

“Aha, I knew it. Yes, yes. I understand.”

Her words shocked me to my core. It was painful hearing her put my feelings into words like that. I had never wanted to do anything other than what was required of the role I had been assigned.

“I wonder if it’s a hobby of hers, ensnaring people like us?” Ilia sighed—maybe it was anxiety or perhaps just frustration.

“…What is your relationship with Lady Anis, Ilia?” I asked.

Ilia did not show any particular emotion to the question, yet she tilted her head to one side. “I wonder. It’s hard to put into words. If I had to say, we’re lady and servant.”

“But for a lady-servant relationship, you’re, er…somewhat irreverent… At least from what I’ve seen…”

To be honest, Ilia’s attitude toward Lady Anis could have gotten her beheaded. Nonetheless, Lady Anis seemed to forgive those transgressions. Perhaps the relationship between them was one of deep trust.

“Her Highness doesn’t like being respected in that way. I would like to honor her, truly. But if I don’t show her the right amount of irreverence, she’ll feel suffocated. So I play along with her.”

“…Is that right?”

“Indeed. I hope that answers your question.”

“I see…”

Ilia said she wanted to show Lady Anis respect, but Lady Anis herself didn’t appreciate such treatment. And so Ilia behaved in the irreverent way she did because that was how she showed her respect.

Theirs was certainly a strange relationship. I could see what she had meant when she had called it difficult to explain.

“I used to be a conventional person, too.”

“Conventional…?”

“Yes. I never questioned what my parents told me. I always did as instructed. And I didn’t fight back when they told me to marry a well-to-do old man who desired me in exchange for his patronage and support.”

“…I…didn’t know.”

What was I supposed to say? Ilia’s voice was as casual as could be, as though she were speaking about the weather, but it was a harsh reality she was describing. Was this the right way to talk about this?

“But Princess Anisphia shattered that conventional life of mine. Now I feel like my parents got what they deserved.”

“…You’re a very unique person, too, Ilia.”

“Thank you.”

…I hadn’t exactly meant that as a compliment, though. I rubbed my forehead, struggling to maintain my footing in this conversation. For a moment, I wondered whether she and I really were similar, but perhaps I was just imagining things. That had to be it.

“The specifics might be different, but that’s also why you ought to keep an eye on her, Lady Euphyllia.”

“Huh?”

“The difference between you and me is whether we’ve been loved as a person.”

“What do you mean…?”

“What troubles you is the idea of doing more than just playing a role.”

“…Troubles…?”

Was I troubled…? Yes, she was right. I was. She had put even my thoughts into easy-to-understand words.

“…Ilia, will you hear me out? I feel like talking a little, too.”

“Of course.”

“Ever since I was small, I’ve endeavored not to bring shame to myself as the daughter of a duke, as a future queen. No one ever told me I had to be that way, but I always thought that was what everyone expected.”

Ilia continued her work as I explained, preparing the tea leaves along with the Thermal Pot.

“…You said I was troubled, and I suppose it’s true. Right now, nothing at all is being asked of me, and it’s like I’ve lost the ground from underneath me…”

“You’ve come to believe that your worth is in embodying the ideals that people expect of you.”

“…I can’t deny that,” I replied with a weak smile.

At that moment, Ilia finished preparing the tea. The comforting aroma tickled my nose, and so I accepted the saucer and took a sip.

“…I kept pushing on, but maybe I had grown anxious along the way. And now no one expects me to be a future queen or noble daughter or anyone. I don’t know what to do…,” I whispered.

Ilia said nothing in response. She merely waited in silence.

I took another sip of my tea. It tasted better the second time, as if my tongue had become more accustomed to it.

After a brief pause, Ilia said, “Lady Euphyllia. You’re a very discerning person.”

“…? I—I am…?”

“You’re much less of a handful than a certain troublemaker we both know. I can vouch for that.”

“…Huh? Ilia?”

“So please, allow yourself to worry as much as you need to. But be sure to find the solution to those worries for yourself. Not to become the person other people want you to be—to become the person you want to be. The princess will help to occupy your time until you find an answer. She will no doubt want to take care of you even after you do.”

I glanced up at Ilia’s face. She wore her usual calm expression, but the corners of her lips were raised in a faint smile.

Her gaze was warm, but not in the same way as Lady Anis’s. I wondered why. No doubt her expression now was fueled by a different kind of fire.

Lady Anis’s warmth made me feel like I was melting, like I was about to disappear. Ilia’s warmth was gentler, soothing even.

With that realization, the uncertainty that had filled my heart became slightly more well-defined.

“…I still can’t quite put it into words, though.”

“Yes.”

“…But I’m glad I came here.”

“I’m pleased to hear it.”

With that, our conversation came to an abrupt end. But it felt good to have been able to talk so casually. I couldn’t quite grasp it yet, but someday, I wanted to be able to put this feeling into words.

…Ah, thank goodness. It seemed I had found what I wanted to do; relief and joy washed over me. Now I could smile naturally.

“Thank you, Ilia. I need to thank Lady Anis, too. You’ve both done so much for me.”

“Not at all. I’m sure the princess won’t mind, either. She’s a softhearted one.”

I shook my head in amusement. Softhearted was one way to describe Lady Anis.

“She is, isn’t she…? But maybe you are, too, Ilia?”

“…You jest. I just follow along with whatever she sets her mind to.”

“I see… Um, Ilia? Can I ask you about Lady Anis? I want to do something for her, too. I want to know more about her, so I can think of some way of giving back.”

“Well, I’ll do my best… But how about a refill first?”

Realizing only then that my teacup was empty, I nodded back at her with a smile.

This night spent in each other’s company would last a little longer yet.