Editing Rakuin no Monshou:Volume4 Chapter2 (section)

=== Part 2 ===

After overseeing the departure of the reinforcements, Gil Mephius secluded himself in his room. It was the same as during his first campaign. In order to defeat Ryucown in Zaim, he had for a while refused to see anyone.

''It seems he has a strange constitution: even though he is strong in battle, after it is over, his fever dies down and he is left prostrate'', people gossiped.

Since of course the way the drunken prince had stubbornly pointed a sword at general Oubary was also gossiped about, it was likely that his fiancée Vileena, or even Oubary himself, had given him a severe scolding, so he was probably sulking too. Speculation flew around both inside and out of the fortress.

"He is quick-witted but it looks like there is also a part of him which is very fragile."

"That person is still a child."

There were also other points of view. It was probably normal that people thought up all sorts of reasons to explain the difference between the prince who was called a fool and the prince as he was now.

Be that as it may, and even if he was just a child, Gil was above all else the lord of Apta castle and his secluding himself in his room caused trouble for a great many people.

Before long, Esmena Bazgan would arrive as an envoy for peace. But when Shique once asked what to do about the reception for her, all he said – and through the closed door at that – was: "I'll leave it to you."

Of course, he didn't meet with Ineli, who had travelled all the way from Solon, either. Since he didn't even come out at mealtimes, Ineli had only once seen the prince and that was when she had first arrived at Apta.

Ineli's personality was such that she could never be satisfied if she wasn't constantly the centre of attention. Naturally, she was angry. Her company of maids, who knew her temperament well, talked as though they might soon be returning, yet Ineli was displaying an unusual amount of fortitude and had already spent approximately two days in this boring Apta.

Above all, seeing that princess Vileena - who would normally have been the first to criticise such behaviour on the prince's part - seemed instead to be perplexed, far from being bored, Ineli felt her mood brighten.


Naturally, Ineli hadn't only come to Apta to give her brother a surprise. She had a reason for wanting to come here at all cost.

It was also related to her face-to-face meeting with Fedom Aulin in which she had rattled him. However, it wasn't simply to cause a scandal that she had said that the prince might be an impostor. It was a matter that stimulated her curiosity in its own right. However, it certainly wouldn't have been enough by itself for her to go out of her way to visit Apta.

Rather than prince Gil, Ileni's objective was,

''Vileena Owell''.

Whenever that name crossed to her mind, her usually rose-like smile turned as dangerous as the tip of a thorn. While it could be said that she had disliked her from the start, the reason why her hatred had grown so much was the drama of Zaat Quark's rebellion.

Ineli was taken hostage by Zaat and almost carried out of Solon by ship. And then, Vileena, piloting an airship, and Ineli's brother Gil, who was riding that ship, had quickly come after them.

Ineli couldn't forgive. Not Zaat, who had betrayed his country and who had, moreover, used her as a shield when he was cornered. No. The one thing above all others that Ineli could never forgive was that she had been seen by Princess Vileena to be bawling her eyes out with a gun shoved into her mouth, and that she had been saved by Vileena – and Gil's – intervention.

Ineli Mephius had locked herself away within Solon palace. After closing the door to her room, she hadn't let anyone in and had spent her days seeing almost no one. The people around her talked about how scary it must have been and how pitiable she was, however for Ineli, rather than fear, it was her injured pride and the thought that she had broken down that made her tremble.

Furthermore, if she took a step out of her room, she didn't know if she wouldn't run into the princess somewhere. And in that case, what kind of expression should she wear in front of the princess, what kind of things should she talk about with the princess?

''Thank you for back then''.

But did she want to thank her?

''To be able to pilot that airship through enemy fire must have taken a lot of courage''.

Would praising her in that way sound alright?

As she remained locked away, Ineli's heart sank into gloom. She was seized with the illusion that even the air that couldn't speak was sneering at her. Pride was Ineli's source of life. As long as someone praised her, as long as someone yearned for her, as long as someone offered her a love that asked for nothing in return, Ineli's path would continue to be bathed in light.

''No matter what it takes''.

At some point, the darkness that couldn't speak stopped mocking her, and the voice of Ineli's own heart whispered in its place.

''No matter what it takes, I won't let Vileena stay above me''.

Any kind of stage would do. She would prove that she surpassed Vileena – prove it to other people, but more importantly to satisfy herself – and as long as there was one stage on which she could prove it, it would do. Otherwise, she would no longer be able to conduct herself like Ineli Mephius. She would no longer be able to maintain the mask of the imperial princess that girls of her age admired.

And so, Ineli had applied to go to Apta. However, if it had just been a question of her complex, she might not have behaved so actively.  It was strange to say but she had wondered for some time now if her brother Gil might not be an imposter. In other words, it was when her complex and her suspicions first came together that Ineli decided that it would be good to go to Apta.

''Brother has changed too completely''.

Her brother Gil had held in check the rebellion in Solon. If it had only been that one fact, one could have thought that just like his first campaign at Zaim Fortress and in order to promote the crown prince, the vassals had somehow done the work and then announced that Gil's feats had surpassed all expectations. However, Ineli had been watching carefully.

The Gil who had fearlessly confronted Zaat as the latter held a gun in hand was definitely a different person from the step-brother she knew. Even though their features were exactly the same. And then, when he had moreover been shot, her step-brother had faced Zaat and crushed his ambitions with his own hands.

''That is not Gil Mephius''.

As the days followed one after another, doubts turned into conviction. Who was he, where was the real Gil Mephius, and other such questions, she didn't know. But if Gil had truly been replaced, then absolutely no one other than her should reveal the secret.

Indeed, to say nothing of Gil's fiancée Vileena, she would accomplish what not even the chief vassals in Solon had been able to do. And when that day came, Ineli Mephius would surely be praised as a heroine.


"What seems to be the matter, Princess?"

Elsewhere, Vileena Owell was standing at a window looking out when her shoulders shivered a little.

"I thought I felt a chill."

"Oh dear. If you catch an illness from a place you are not used to, it could linger. Resting at once is..."

"No, don't worry." As she shook her head, she crossed the room. "I'm going out for a bit."

No sooner had she spoken than she vigorously flew out. Theresia's cry of "Please wait!" didn't reach her in time.

By hiding behind every pillar in the corridor, Vileena outmanoeuvred Theresia. From time to time, the princess tended to want to go out alone without any attendants or bodyguards. Even at Garbera's royal court, dramatic chases involving Theresia and a group of maids were a common occurrence. Since arriving at Apta and in case of an 'emergency', Vileena had crammed into her head the map of the inside of the fortress.

About ten minutes later, she turned her steps towards a place that was entirely unbecoming for a princess.

Thump, thump, thump; each time the dragons' galloping sounded, dust was tossed up and fluttered in the wind. In the open space beyond the fence, the dragoons' training was being carried out. From the dragon pen adjacent to that open space wafted the creatures' fishy stench. Let alone royalty, it was the kind of place that commoners would not willingly approach.

However on the other side of the fence was the figure of a slender woman. She was straddling a Tengo, a small-sized dragon suitable for riding, and was galloping at the front of a group of soldiers all riding the same breed of dragon. It looked like she was being chased by the uncouth men but in fact, she – Hou Ran – was instructing them.

That being said, she barely said a word. She went in silence as much as to say that she was only concerned with letting the dragons fly.

''Oh'', Vileena was unintentionally fascinated. So as to reduce the wind resistance even by a little, and also to avoid being shaken off by the dragons, the men riding the Tengo lay flat against their backs, whereas Hou Ran sat easily and comfortably, her posture leaning slightly forward. However, she was faster than anyone. The Tengo's feet kicked the ground as it raced forward, slicing through the wind.  The circular motion when it turned was also light and sleek. As for the soldiers desperately trying to follow, whenever Ran's dragon drew a curve, they were almost shaken off left and right.

"Utter shit!"

A voice rang out, rebuking the men. It wasn't Ran's. Looking towards it, a woman was leaning against the fence, watching the practice. That fat shape belonged to Krau. Originally, she had been a female slave serving Zaj Haman, a wealthy merchant in Birac. Currently she was employed by prince Gil, who had purchased her skill at piloting air carriers.

She had apparently bought apple jam at the morning market and was shovelling a hard biscuit lavishly smeared with it into her mouth.
As Vileena approached her, with admirable speed she quickly hid the bag of food behind her back.

"M-Madam. This definitely isn't me being idle. The good people of Apta are taking care of maintenance on the air carriers, and of cleaning them inside too, er, everyone is doing it with good will, er, yes."

Of course, what Vileena didn't know was that every night, Krau would catch hold of soldiers and craftsmen and gamble at cards. When they had been fleeced from top to bottom, she would exempt them from paying a part of the money they had lost, but in exchange they would be made to check and clean the ships under Klau's instructions.

"I am not yet the Madam. You don't have to be so panicked."

"Then you won't tell the prince?"

Jam smeared around her mouth as she implored with upturned eyes, Krau's face was enough to induce unintentional laughter. However, Vileena deliberately kept a straight face and nodded.

"Of course not. More importantly, Krau, have you thought about our earlier conversation?"

"That earlier conversation, you mean..."

"The one about air carriers. I asked you if you would teach me how to manoeuvre those ships."

"Hmm", Krau crooked her thick neck. "Ah, no, of course I personally don't mind at all but what does your husband say about it? You never know when something might happen, and if it did, the ships need to be able to fly at any time, so we have to use ether sparingly."

While her reason for quibbling was plausible, "This is annoying" was written clearly on her face. Vileena felt that she should be offended but it was hard to hate someone whose face expressed things so clearly.

"Right. At ease!"

They heard Hou Ran's sharp voice. Ignoring the soldiers who had been shaken about by dragons that were several times harder to handle than horses and who were completely exhausted by their merciless teacher's strict coaching, Hou Ran's expression changed completely as she started looking after the dragons.

For some reason, Vileena's expression became tense. She hadn't originally come here to once again entreat Krau to teach how to steer a sky ship.
Vileena wasn't shy around strangers but this would be the first time that she had a face-to-face talk with Hou Ran. She was someone who was hard to grasp. Even more so than that prince.

''Ha!'' Spurring on her heart that had become timid, Vileena went over to where Hou Ran was.

"Miss Hou."

"Just 'Ran' is fine."

Ran spoke without turning around. She gave the dragons their feed, gently stroking the Tengos' necks.

Having had the wind taken out of her sails, with an "Hum, er..." and her head inclined, Vileena hesitated a little.

"What?"
[[File:Rakuin no Monshou v04 079.jpg|thumbnail]]
She demanded. As she approached, Vileena couldn't help but get the impression of a different kind of beauty from the elegance and refined demeanour that was so highly praised at Court. More than anything, her eyes that were reminiscent of a clear lake were what spontaneously captured Vileena's attention.

"W-well. I have something I want to talk about with you."

"With me."

Her voice was monotone, making it impossible to guess at her innermost thoughts. Somehow still undeterred, Vileena continued,

"Yes. The prince and you are close - or rather, it looks like you share a trusting relationship."

"The prince", Ran repeated in a mutter then nodded with conviction. "Ah, well, it wouldn't be strange if that's what it looks like."

"Wa, Wait, wait!" Krau, who had been listening – half curious, half nervous – to the exchange between the two, couldn't take it anymore and butted in, "Ran, watch how you talk. This is the princess of Garbera! The one who will become the prince's bride. Be a little...."

"It doesn't matter, Krau." Vileena stopped her. "... That prince is currently staying in his room. Does he often do this kind of thing? That is, after all, I always get irritated at the prince's behaviour, I get angry, or I scold him immediately, but every time, the prince brings about an outcome that leaves me astounded. Even if other people can't see it, he is always thinking about something. At the same time, I have come to believe that he is always suffering and worrying alone."

"......"

"But this time... I have the feeling that it's different from usual. And while it is embarrassing, I do not understand. So I thought that you who are close to the prince might be able to understand what is going on this time."

For a short while, Ran wordlessly continued to tend to the dragons. Krau, who was looking on, felt nervous as the silence dragged on.

"He isn't a child anymore." Ran said with her back still turned. "If there are things he thinks he needs to do, he will do them. Maybe at the moment, he doesn't think there is anything."

"But..."

The war with Taúlia was settled for the time being, reinforcements had been sent to Garbera; this time it was with Ende and perhaps even his own country of Mephius that there might be strife. In such a situation as the current one, it was impossible that there was nothing that needed to be done.

Perhaps realising Vileena's implied meaning, Ran turned her head – and only her head – towards her.

"If you think it's so strange, you should barge in uninvited and ask him directly."

"... If I do that, then I'll be the one who has failed. There are many ways to understand another person."

"If you can't ask the person himself then you had best leave well alone."

Even Vileena felt a little angry at her blunt way of speaking.

"Do you seriously think that way?"

"I don't know what she means by 'seriously'."

"This ''she''<ref> In the original text, this is the first time that Hou Ran directly addresses Vileena and she does so using "omae", which is normally a casual-to-rude way of saying "you" to a social equal or an inferior. In this case, given their respective social positions, it's very rude.</ref>, to whom do you refer?"

Vileena grimly narrowed her eyes, finally pushed too far. She had shown calm and tolerance in her way of speaking, but it went without saying that the title of Third Princess of Garbera wasn't something cheap to be looked down upon to that extent. Because it wasn't a problem that only concerned her.

Ran on the other hand was smiling faintly, and as for the dragon that she was stroking with her hand, one could only wonder what it was feeling as it had been ducking its head as though terrified for some time now.

Just as Krau, who could feel the explosive atmosphere, once again held her breath in nervous suspense, a dignified shadow approached.