Editing Unlimited Fafnir:Volume 12 Chapter 4 (section)

===Part 1===

The instant I opened the hatch, I almost lost balance due to a gust of strong wind. I steadied myself with a hand against the wall.

Currently, Marduk had decreased its altitude and its speed was dropping rapidly too. Hence, I decided it was possible to go outside even without an air barrier. However, this wind pressure was capable of blowing an entire person away if one were careless.

Arriving on Marduk's deck, I gripped the railing while moving towards the prow. Someone was already there.

Her shoulder-length hair and skirt swaying in the wind, she was looking down from the edge of the deck.

"—Can you see it, Firill?"

I approached her—Firill Crest—while asking in a voice loud enough to overcome the wind.

Only then did she notice and turn towards me with slight surprise. She smiled.

"Yes, I can see it. Thank you, Mononobe-kun, for making a detour to fulfill my selfish request."

"No problem, there's plenty of time before the operation starts. Furthermore, this isn't really a detour. The Principality of Erlia borders our charted course anyway."

I shook my head and asked the grateful Firill not to worry.

Indeed, Marduk was currently flying over Firill's homeland, the Principality of Erlia. Looking down from the deck, the view of a country rich with natural beauty, ringed by mountains, entered my sight.

"...It's such a tiny nation when I look down from the sky like this. But to me, it is an extremely important place that I don't want to lose. That's why I wanted to confirm. What I must protect at all costs."

Firill looked out to her homeland while gripping the railing.

"Yeah—It must be extremely important to you."

Expressing determination to protect her homeland, the side of Firill's face overlapped with my memory of Mitsuki, who had defended the town where we lived in the past.

"Oh, Mononobe-kun! Look at that castle! And over there, a lake and a waterfall! Do you still remember?"

Firill pointed at the royal castle and the lake beside it.

"I didn't forget. We even danced together at the castle, and the waterfall was so loud."

My memories surfaced. This was the country where my first encounter with Hraesvelgr took place. The memories of the battle were especially vivid.

"So nostalgic... It feels like it just happened in front of me. However, this messes up the promise a little."

"Promise?"

Seeing Firill murmur in disappointment, I asked, and she smiled mischievously.

"My intention was to bring you back as my prince, Mononobe-kun, the next time I returned here."

"What—"

Firill admitted this with a blush, causing my heart to pound nonstop.

"Well, I suppose I've achieved the goal, sort of... Mononobe-kun, you said you'd take responsibility... Hmm, but you haven't fulfilled your promise properly yet. Oh, why don't we—"

After contemplating for a moment, resting the side of her face against her hand, Firill puffed out her chest as though she had thought of something.

"Mononobe-kun, this airspace belongs to the Principality of Erlia, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, that's right."

Shaken by her earlier words, I nodded stiffly.

"As such, I am the princess right now. Within this country, I am a super VIP."

"VIP—But isn't the Principality a democracy even though they have royalty?"

"Even so, I'm still a VIP, you know? I have clout and authority. Any objections...?"

"None at all."

"Excellent. So, the VIP—this princess—hereby commands. Mononobe-kun, kneel down before me."

With royal dignity in her countenance, Firill declared solemnly.

"Why?"

"Stop talking and just do it now."

"...Fine, I got it."

I gave up and sighed, then knelt down on one knee in front of Firill. I hastily bowed my head because kneeling down had provided me a view of the underside of the skirt billowing in the wind.

Next, in front of me while I was crouched down, Firill extended her hand.

"Kiss the back of my hand."

"K-Kiss!?"

I could not help but exclaim in hesitation. Then Firill spoke with some displeasure.

"I heard you did this with Lisa. Don't tell me... you won't do it with me? This is very important."

Her voice sounded extremely serious with mild insecurity in her expression.

Indeed, at Midgard's underground hot spring, after the comedic "transformation into my kind," I had kissed the disappointed Lisa on the back of her hand.

Being close friends with Lisa, Firill must have heard about what happened.

"—Understood."

I mustered my determination and took Firill's hand.

Since this was what she hoped, I had to grant her wish. This was out of my own volition, not responsibility for selecting her.

Her pale and slender hand was trembling lightly. Even though she was the one who had requested it, she seemed to be nervous.

This was one of Firill's traits. Hence, if anything happened, I must protect her and guide her.

"Please excuse me, Princess Firill."

I had to afford her the proper respect since she was carrying herself as royalty here. I brought my lips to make contact with her hand.

In that instant, Firll's entire body shook. Just as I withdrew my lips, she started going limp starting from her hand.

I looked up slowly and made eye contact with the blushing Firill.

However, she deliberately came up with an ostentatious speech in order to prevent her dignity as princess from crumbling.

"—I, Firill Crest, Princess of the Principality of Erlia, hereby swear upon the souls of my great ancestors, to accept this contract and take Mononobe Yuu as my lawfully wedded husband."

"Huh...?"

I stared at Firill in shock, then she repeated it again, blushing even more intensely.

"With this, Mononobe-kun, you're now my husband. My prince."

"Prince—J-Just wait a sec!"

"Of course I'm not going to wait. Even though it was simplified ceremony, what just took place was indeed a wedding. Within the Principality, it is legally binding so long as it is witnessed by a member of royalty. On this occasion, since I myself am royalty, there's no problem at all."

Firill made a thumbs-up. I hastily stood up and asked:

"What, that's a huge problem! I was totally kept in the dark, so—"

"Objection overruled. This marriage was conducted and sworn in the name of royalty. Mononobe-kun, we are now husband and wife. This is a princess' decision, so no complaining."

Firill pressed her finger to my lips to stop me from speaking, then a smile appeared on her blushing face and she hugged me from the front.

"Fufu, mission accomplished!"

"F-Firill..."

My brain's processing power could not keep up with the sudden development and the sensation of her bust.

I did not know what to do—However, Firill released the railing that she had been holding onto for support and wrapped her arms around my back, hugging me tightly, making my heart pound nonstop.

This had nothing to do with marriage or whatever. I became aware that the option of letting go of Firill never existed in my heart.

Feeling Firill's body warmth, I was thinking perhaps it really was time to take responsibility, but she left my embrace as though she had noticed something.

"—Oh, looks like my time as a princess has ended."

Looking at the ground, she said in disappointment.

"Uh, what do you mean?"

Unable to comprehend the situation, I asked.

"Now that we have crossed the mountain range, this isn't the Principality's airspace anymore. Since there isn't any contract of matrimony in writing, this marriage is only effective within the borders of the Principality. We are no longer husband and wife this moment, just classmates who are very close—Mononobe-kun. Sorry for scaring you."

Firill explained with a faint smile.

"Oh I see... You really scared me to death."

I relaxed my shoulders and exhaled deeply. Was this actually relief or dashed hopes? Even I myself could not tell.

"I wanted to make my dream come true before the next battle against Bahamut. Having a wedding after the battle felt like it'd be a dangerous flag to raise."

Firill spoke with a wry smile, but at that moment, she switched to a solemn expression and held my hand.

"However, what I said earlier was no joke. The fact that we are married in the Principality of Erlia, Mononobe-kun, is the truth, okay?"

Saying that, she raised my hand and slowly brought it close to her face.

She pressed her cherry lips against the back of my hand. Surprising me with the soft and slightly moist sensation, Firill looked up at me and smiled mischievously.

"Until the next time we visit the Principality, this secret is between only me and you, Mononobe-kun."

Then she left me and walked to the hatch.

Frozen, I watched her walking away, but just before entering the ship, she turned around and pointed at me strictly with her finger.

"Divorce or similar words are forbidden—My prince."