Editing Rakuin no Monshou:Volume4 Chapter7 (section)

=== Part 4 ===

Amidst the pouring rain, first the Mephian forces, then those from Ende pulled out of the Nouzen mountains.

Astride a horse, Zenon watched this for a short while then, with a wave of his hand, he gave all of his troops the order to withdraw.

Noue Salzantes, who had remained at Zaim fortress, was at the castle gate to meet them at their return. Zenon jumped down lightly from his horse.

"I've caused you trouble." He spoke to Noue first. "I still have a lot to learn. Your ingenuity is indispensable for Garbera. I hope you won't be disgusted by this, but I would like you to lend me your strength again."

"Of course," Perhaps because of the rain, Noue's usually cool expression seemed to contort under the effects of some kind of emotion. "I received a considerable lesson about myself this time. To be frank, I realised that I was too conceited. I too still have a lot to learn."

"Is that so?" The rain became weaker and Zenon looked up at the light that shone through a gap in the clouds. "Then Garbera will become a stronger and stronger country. Since both you and I have realised our immaturity, that means we can grow from it."

"Yes."

As Noue respectfully stood straight to attention, Zenon stifled his laughter.

"Did I do something?"

"No."

He was remembering how Gil, who affected being so cool-headed that it was provoking, had become flustered the moment he had started talking about his sister Vileena.

It had only been for a short while, but after having been in contact with Gil, Zenon had considered him to be a man who didn't have the slightest affinity with his younger sister. He was puzzled therefore by what had obviously taken place between the two of them at the Mephian imperial court that he himself couldn't visit.

"Gil Mephius, huh?"  On the verge of entering Zaim fortress, Noue couldn't help but overhear what Zenon murmured. "He is still green. He is green but he will probably become a more troublesome man than Guhl sometime soon."


Elsewhere, Ende's prince Eric Amon Doria still had one task left. Or rather, far more than the battle at the Nouzen fortress, the feat that he was to accomplish after this would be handed down as a legend within Ende.

They who had hastily left the Nouzen Mountains crossed Ende's territory without food or sleep, aiming directly for Dairan.

There where their relatives were, starving dragons were rampaging through the land and had already caused damage to several villages in the area. Because most of the warriors from Dairan had left, messengers had been sent to beg for help from other territories, and they passed by without meeting Eric, who was rushing to Dairan with all haste.

Eric and the warriors who followed him, Belmor first and foremost, briskly coordinated themselves and, one by one, swooped down upon every area in Dairan where dragons had appeared. They bombarded the dragons who were approaching the towns and, from astride their horses, wielding swords and spears, they directly confronted those of the dragons that had already entered the streets and drove them out.

It was by no means a battle without victims. But, at the height of the struggle, over and over again, Eric encouraged his vassals by shouting out,
"You cannot let there be more victims among the people than among the soldiers! Remember that if there is even one death more among the people than among us, it will mean we were defeated!"

And at last –

"Magnificent."

When the series of battles finally came to an end, Eric threw down his smoking riffle while soothing his favourite horse. Before him, the dragon that he had just slaughtered was bleeding out. And in place of a groom, a man stood holding his horse's bit.

"With this, it should be mostly over."

"Sir Plutos."

The other person was Belmor's father and the lord of Dairan, Kayness Plutos. From since he was young, Eric had loved him more like a father than he did his real father.

"However, while it might late to say this, it is strange; wild dragons have rarely been seen in this area."

Eric jumped off his horse,

"I too, before we rushed here, thought that my brother's army surrounded Dairan. "

"Shush! Don't say reckless things."

"This sudden uproar is too unnatural. … Something is up. We can take it that my brother has something to do with it."

"Anyhow..., in the first place, how did you come to learn of this in the far-off Nouzens? No, even after you had left the Nouzens, the eyewitness reports could not have reached you, my lord."

"There was a man who saw through ''this''."

Eric didn't know. That Gil Mephius had hinted at his brother being up to something was simply his making use of the rumour that the two princes were on bad terms. Indeed all he had done was to let Eric believe that his going away had been at Jeremie's instigation.

Just as Noue had once made use of the embers smouldering within Mephius, so too had Gil used the embers which existed within Ende.

"Gil Mephius" Eric quietly muttered to himself as he walked towards where his friends were waving at him "I have no intention of quietly putting up with this. Ende will inevitably get burnt even more. And if that is to Mephius' benefit, you will certainly be the one laughing, Gil. It may be that from now on, because of your very existence, Mephius might pose a greater threat to Ende."


Numerous thoughts and feelings twisted and frayed, and soon gathered around the name of "Gil Mephius".

But whether they were wary of that name, feared that name or praised it, the various futures forecast for Gil were all destined to fall apart.


For a while now, Vileena Owell, observing Gil's profile, had been unable to decide whether or not to speak up. 

He had only just returned to Apta. The princess had been summoned by him and had gone to the roof of the barracks. From there, they had an unbroken view of the progress on Apta's reconstruction. The mountain ridge burned golden and feathery clouds hung low across the sky's scarlet belly, as though swept there by a stroke of a paintbrush.

"In Apta..."

"Yes?"

"Did it rain? It was pouring in the Nouzens."

"It rained here too. As it has been raining on and off, the locals said that there will be heavy rain during the night."

After answering with a ''Is that so?'', Gil fell silent again. Disappointed, Vileena looked towards the same direction as he was.

It seemed people were in uproar in Solon. For having remonstrated with the emperor, Simon Rodloom had been placed under house arrest. Simon was a prominent figure even among prominent figures. Even the crafty courtiers had fallen into step and had sent a jointly-signed letter asking for him to be pardoned.

The emperor's wrath however did not abate. Odyne and Rogue, who had "let slip" the prince's troops from under their very noses were temporarily banned from Court and, by imperial command, were not to take a single step into Solon without an express order from the emperor.

Perhaps thanks to this turmoil, there was no one to block the path of Prince Gil's troops as they returned directly to Apta.  Of course that didn't mean that Gil would receive no rebuke. The verdict would certainly fall before long.

''How will Solon move when that happens?''

She had heard that there was a strong tendency in Solon to view the prince, whose actions had preserved the honour of the military, as a hero. If then the prince were to receive excessive punishment, many of the army commanders and nobles would plead against it. Perhaps large-scale actions would occur within Mephius itself.

Incidentally, Ineli Mephius had been in Apta until the previous evening but had hastily left for Solon as if to avoid crossing paths with Gil. She hadn't informed anybody and it had been so abrupt that even Vileena hadn't been able to give her farewells. She didn't know if Ineli's sudden actions had a connection to the uproar in Solon, but,

''What does the prince himself think?''

Vileena's future would also be affected. She had hoped that the person himself would broach the subject, but they had been like this for about half an hour since he had called her.

"Prince,"

Although it might still be hard to talk, Vileena intended to first express her gratitude for the relief of Garbera but,

"I'm sorry for having you be a decoy in the air carrier."

The prince once again spoke just a few words. Vileena was disconcerted.

"There's nothing to be sorry about. As long as I can be of use, I don't mind what I need to do."

"Thinking about it, those times with Ryucown, Zaat and then the war with Taúlia, your actions, Princess, put any military commander to shame."

"P-Please stop." The princess displayed the bashfulness of a fourteen-year-old girl. "I simply acted as I pleased."

"Right, the princess is always honest and frank."

"Me, I... I don't have your far-sightedness and deep designs, Prince, and each time I get completely carried away by my own emotions. At those times, I realised that I am no more than a child who knows nothing. I've come to feel envious of you, Prince, you who is always looking towards the future."

"Me, I..." He repeated her words then, with abrupt timing, he looked into her eyes. "Princess,"

"Y-Yes." For some reason, facing each other like this caused Vileena's small chest to stir noisily. But she looked back into Gil's eyes without turning away.

"I hope you will never lose that honesty. No matter what happens from now on."

Vileena was inwardly startled at his sudden words. The prince probably couldn't take an optimistic view of the fate that awaited him. That he had deliberately spoken those words was perhaps because he had looked at the future ahead of them and had accepted it.

Vileena repressed her momentary unease and smiled sweetly instead.

"That all depends on you, Your Highness"

"On me?"

"While I am grateful for your words, Prince, I do not think that I should remain as I currently am. The same holds true for His Highness Gil. First of all, I would like you to fix that secretiveness of yours and trust me."

"Y-Yes."

"There you are! As soon as I press you a little, your eyes start evading me."

"Is-Is that so?"

"While saying that I'm fine as I am, you, Prince..."

"I get it, I get it!"

Gil sighed resignedly and, as though to put distance between them, walked two or three steps.

Watching him, Vileena scrunched up her eyes as the prince's figure overlapped with the setting sun.

"Then, will you promise me?" She said, still dazzled. "From now on, would you confide in me without concealing anything? If you do, I will help you to the best of my poor ability."

"Yeah. But."

"But?"

"Don't forget one thing. Mephius' Prince Gil is a 'liar'."

As Gil smiled his figure half melted into the golden light, Vileena stared blankly for a moment then immediately puffed out her cheeks in annoyance.
[[Image:Rakuin no Monshou v04 291.jpg|thumb]]

"Honestly!"

Gil laughed out loud. Drawn in by that smile, Vileena eventually joined in his laughter. From behind that open-hearted smile, the ephemeral setting sun could still be seen.

Vileena didn't notice however. No, even if she had noticed, it would have been no concrete premonition that flitted through her breast.
However it may be, Gil and Vileena, their shoulders close together, watched as the sun slowly set.

A cold wind soon started blowing around Apta. Once only, Gil asked,

"Are you cold?"

Vileena shook her head.

"No, the temperature is just right."

"That so. Then..."

… ''then can we stay like this a bit longer?''

Was certainly what he wanted to say, but Gil kept his lips shut.

Vileena blushed for no particular reason and they continued to gaze at the sky in silence.

It was probably the first time since Vileena Owell had entered Mephius' territory that she and Gil had spent time peacefully together.


Vileena would remember that time in the sunset for a long time to come.


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