Toaru Hikuushi e no Seiyaku:V8Part3

Part 12 The capital city of Pleiades tilted out of view, vanishing from sight.

The world sank into the summer sky.

A single sigh escaped from Mio Syira's lips.

How long had it been since she last flew? It had been about three years since she had flown in an airship, ever since being brought to Pleiades. During her time at the Air Hunt Officer Academy, flying had been a regular part of her life. Now, the sky felt so nostalgic, so dear, that her vision blurred with emotion.

Imperial Calendar Year 1351, July, the Urano Capital, Pleiades—

It had been three years since she betrayed her comrades, the "Seven of Eriadore," and fled the burning Air Hunt Island aboard the Uranos airship. The pain, which she thought would fade over time, still smouldered within her. At any moment, a spark could ignite it, burning away her inner self.

The deafening roar of the rotors reached her ears from the wings of the airship. This cutting-edge craft, capable of both vertical take-off and landing on land and water, had been deployed to Ulysses Palace three days ago. The Countess of Ulshyrra had expertly handled the objections from the palace guards and the Pleiades Air Squadron, registering it as the official aircraft of Queen Nina Viento, with today's flight being its inaugural test.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Nina, strapped into the co-pilot seat at the front of the craft, echoed sentiments similar to Mio’s own. Nina, who had once aspired to be an airship pilot on the flying island of Isla, likely still cherished the skies. Reiner Beck, who was piloting, responded with his usual casual grin.

"Not as beautiful as you, Lady Nina!"

"Ah... haha..."

"It'd be perfect if I could keep flying with you forever, Lady Nina. A date in the sky, yeah?"

Before Nina could respond, Mio leaned forward from the navigator’s seat just behind the pilot and smacked Reiner on the back of his head.

"Ow! What the hell was that for? Jealous much?"

"Jealous of whom, exactly? Lady Nina, I'm sorry, he's an idiot. He doesn't know how to talk properly..."

As she apologized, Nina giggled softly. When Nina was dressed in formal attire, she conversed like a queen. But once her daily duties ended, and she removed her silver hair extensions and elaborate outfits, she became Claire Cruz, Mio’s friend. That was the rule Mio had set. However, Reiner casually addressed Queen Nina Viento without any proper respect, yet Nina never chastised him and instead smiled, a trace of laughter still lingering.

"You two are quite close, aren’t you?"

"Not really. But if I leave him alone, he just does whatever he wants... like that painting..."

Mio pointed to the sides of the aircraft with a frown.

Nina didn't lose her smile.

"I actually like it. It’s convenient to identify this craft from a distance, and I think it’s quite fitting."

"But why did it have to be a "hummingbird"? It's supposed to be your personal aircraft, Lady Nina."

Mio shot Reiner a sideways glance, her tone sarcastic. As she mentioned, Reiner had personally painted a "hummingbird" on both sides of the craft—an illustration of a bird with wings like a bee, a brilliant sheen of blue and green feathers, short legs, and an overly long beak. Surprisingly, Reiner had some artistic talent, and the artwork was impressive enough to even surprise Mio. But did it really need to be on Nina’s personal aircraft?

"It’s useful, trust me. I guarantee it’ll come in handy someday."

Reiner, still gazing ahead at the sky, maintained his usual nonchalant tone. Mio crossed her arms, assuming a professor-like stance.

"Explain your reasoning."

"My gut feeling."

"Pathetic. Isn’t your boss, Hachidori, angry about this? You did that without asking permission."

"Eh? He wasn’t thrilled, but he didn’t stop me. He hasn’t been feeling great lately, it seems."

"...He has moods?"

Normally, Hachidori would have taken control and forced Reiner to stop, but apparently, he didn’t this time. Perhaps he had his reasons.

Thinking about Hachidori was always perplexing. Harsh, strict, and treating Mio as less than human, yet half a year ago, when Mio was injured protecting Nina, Hachidori had a wicked look on his face as he kicked enemies aside, encouraged the wounded Mio, and even gave her a blood transfusion. For a moment, Mio wondered if Hachidori was actually kind, but after Mio recovered, his inhuman treatment resumed with relentless demands.

Sighing through her nose, Mio settled back into her seat and stared out the window. Below them was land. According to the celestial navigation data they had painstakingly gathered, they were now over the central part of the Mitterland continent, likely in the territory of the St Vault Empire...

She searched the land for some recognizable landmark, but just as she did, the radio crackled to life.

"Please do not stray further from Pleiades. We cannot guarantee your safety."

Looking up at the sky, Mio saw the pilot of a Pleiades Air Squadron fighter, giving them a stern gaze from his cockpit. Glancing around, she noted the dozen or so Uranos fighters patrolling around them, and Reiner’s face darkened with slight irritation.

"We’re obviously safe. Do they think we’re trying to escape?"

"They're just saying not to act recklessly. It’d be a problem for Demistri if Lady Nina had too much freedom in the skies..."

They had been strictly instructed not to fly beyond a thirty-kilometre radius from Pleiades. This was the limit imposed by the Pleiades Air Squadron commander, who claimed that any further, and they would not be able to guarantee the queen’s safety in case of an attack, which was a thinly veiled excuse. In reality, it was likely Demistri or the Church of Illustriali pulling strings to keep Nina under surveillance. As long as she stayed confined within the heavily monitored Ulysses Palace, her movements could be easily tracked, but once she was airborne, that became impossible. They had avoided letting the caged bird fly free, but after a year and a half of daily persistence, Nina had managed to gain genuine supporters within the Uranos court, making it far more difficult to reject her demands. The provision of a queen’s personal airship was a testament to her growing influence in the court.

"Well, I suppose it will make getting around Pleiades more convenient and secure. Let’s head back for today."

At Nina’s prompting, Mio relayed their compliance to the escort commander over the radio. The queen’s personal airship turned back toward Pleiades, tilting its rotors for the return flight.

The immense floating city of Pleiades swelled into view through the windscreen.

From the ground, it was hard to grasp its size, but looking down from above at this massive island floating 2,000 meters in the air, one could feel a sense of awe and fear. The overwhelming scale of Uranos' grand doctrine, "Heaven and Earth Dominion," seemed somehow plausible when viewed from above Pleiades. Surrounded by thirty escort airships and battlecruisers, and with more than a thousand fighter jets ready to launch from the surface, this indomitable fortress seemed invincible. Neither the St Vault Empire nor the Hydrabard Archipelago, nor even the Akitsu Federation, could possibly muster the strength to capture it.

The airship touched down on the rooftop helipad of Ulysses Palace. Reiner carefully hovered, then lowered the craft until the landing gear scraped the stone surface. Even the ever-scowling Ignacio emerged slowly from the tail gunner seat, and the four of them—queen and entourage—made their way back inside.

The interior of the sprawling palace, with its endless wings and extravagant design, was a labyrinth of mismatched rooms and uneven floors. Whether this was for artistic purposes or to thwart potential invaders was unclear, but one thing was certain: navigating the palace without getting lost was nearly impossible. Mio rarely ventured beyond the Ulysses quarters, so if left alone, she was confident she would get hopelessly lost. Her only lifeline was Ignacio, who had spent countless hours exploring the palace and drawing up his own maps.

As they walked, Ignacio scolded Reiner, who was dawdling at the rear, all while looking smugly pleased with his mastery of the palace layout. Reiner, disgruntled but unable to argue, followed grudgingly, taking note of key landmarks to help orient himself later. For someone who had no time to explore the palace as thoroughly as Ignacio, Reiner—or rather, Hachidori, observing everything from within him—needed to memorize the route to and from the Ulysses quarters.

The "Heavenly Shrine" was located in the central main building of the Ulysses Palace, which could be considered its main hall. Several wings had been added through expansion work, turning it into a complex and mysterious labyrinth. Demistri's inner palace was located behind the main hall, separated from the outside world by a wall and covering a space about the size of two baseball fields. There was only one entrance at the front, and the two-meter-high stone wall completely hid the interior of the inner palace.

As they stepped out of the main hall, into the night garden, and gazed at the stone wall and the spires and chapel-like buildings beyond, Kiliai spoke happily.

“Look. Just the atmosphere is already erotic, right?”

“I don’t really know how to respond to that.”

“Inside, it’s even worse. You see, Demistri is rumoured to be the most erotic of the royal bloodline. He has no practical skills, but his lust is said to be double that of all previous kings combined. A true monster of desire.”

“I really don’t want to get close to him…”

“There’s no problem if you’re wearing these outfits. They’ll just think we’re concubines too.”

The two were already dressed in their prepared costumes. However, the outfits barely covered their chests and hips, leaving their shoulders, legs, backs, and even the area near their collarbones exposed. The fabric itself was also extremely thin, making Mio feel very uncomfortable.

“What’s the target?”

“Apparently, Demistri is somewhere around. We’ll find him, watch his perverted show, and then go home and laugh about it.”

“How depressing.”

“We’re not leaving until we watch the whole show! Let’s get pumped!”

With a heavy sigh, Mio resigned herself to the situation. However, she couldn’t figure out how they were planning to sneak in. The guards were watching the front and back entrances of the stone wall, so they couldn’t just walk in. If there were any workers going in or out, they could try to blend in, but it was late at night, so that wasn’t likely. It wasn’t as if the concubines, who were practically birds in a cage, would be going out anytime soon.

“How are we getting in?”

“Who do you think I am?”

Kiliai moved upwind of the less-guarded back entrance, pulled a small incense burner from her pouch, sprinkled several substances onto the incense wood, and started burning it. The rising purple smoke carried by the wind reached the guards at the back entrance.

“Don’t breathe it in.”

Mio nodded and covered her nose and mouth with her sleeve. Before long, the guards began to rub their eyes suspiciously, as if trying to ward off something invisible, waving their hands in front of their faces.

“Now.”

Kiliai and Mio silently approached the back entrance and slipped past the blinking guards, sneaking into the inner palace.

Looking back, the guards were still rubbing their eyes and swatting at invisible insects, showing no signs of noticing them.

"It’s a kind of narcotic smoke. They won’t notice our infiltration."

Kiliai whispered proudly. She was said to be a poison specialist, but it seemed she had a talent for handling all kinds of drugs. As expected of a member of Patriotis, she effortlessly completed the infiltration task.

Mio’s intuition whispered that this might come in handy someday.

"Can I make that smoke too?"

"Oh? You want to make it? That’s unusual."

"Yeah. It seems useful."

"I could teach you. It’s essential for infiltration techniques."

Mio nodded and began observing the mansion.

The torchlights illuminated the buildings inside the inner palace.

The complex was a medieval-style fortress, with corridors running around the perimeter, courtyards, spires, and small detached houses with triangular roofs, all intricately combined with stone structures. The strange shapes silhouetted against the starry sky in the orange light were eerily reminiscent of mythical monsters.

"Now it’s like a sightseeing tour. If anyone stops us, just say we got lost. Let’s take our time and assess Demistri’s fetishes."

Mio swallowed the words, I don’t want to assess that, and began exploring the inner palace with Kiliai.

The mansion was crisscrossed with corridors, and the faint scent of incense wood burning inside lingered in the air. The sound of fountains and streams drawn from outside could be heard in the garden, and elegant two-story houses were scattered here and there. Lights were on inside, and occasionally, the sound of women’s voices could be heard. Demistri probably visited these buildings at his whim, spending time with his concubines whenever he pleased.

“That building at the far end looks suspicious.”

Kiliai pointed to a building in the shadow of the spires. It had a triangular roof reminiscent of a chapel, and the seven-story structure stood out. From the peak of the triangular roof, something eerie seemed to be wafting into the starry sky.

"Let’s find him quickly and get out of here."

Feeling that staying here any longer would allow something unpleasant to seep into her skin, Mio urged Kiliai, and they headed towards the suspicious chapel.

"There he is! They’re doing it!"

After almost an hour of exploring the chapel, sneaking through narrow hallways and staircases, occasionally passing by guards and concubines while keeping a straight face, they reached the grand hall on the fifth floor. Kiliai excitedly whispered, pulling Mio behind a pillar. Mio nervously peeked out from behind the pillar to observe the scene in the hall.

Under the thick smoke, colourful candles placed on the floor illuminated the nearly naked bodies of about twenty concubines from all angles, casting long, flickering shadows. Exotic rugs decorated with tigers and dragons had pillows and woollen blankets carelessly thrown about. The women, moaning obscenely, embraced each other, laughed in high-pitched voices, or held pipes in their mouths, seemingly consuming hallucinogens.

Mio felt terrified. Just inhaling the sweet, rotting scent of this incense wood made her feel defiled. Decadence and decay roiled in the darkness like a bubbling mass.

Silhouettes of men and women could be seen through the thin velvet curtains hanging from the ceiling.

Mio couldn’t make out what positions they were in. Four or maybe five men and women seemed to be intertwined. How such shadowy figures were even formed, she couldn’t understand. The moaning and groaning coming from the intricate shadows sounded like something from creatures that had abandoned their humanity.

She felt nauseous.

She pitied the women here, feeling they were miserable and unfortunate. She wanted to free them all and take them to a sunlit field.

"That shadow is Demistri. There’s another man with him. Who is it?"

Kiliai whispered excitedly. Mio desperately wanted to leave, but she couldn’t disobey their teacher’s orders. She crawled toward the velvet curtain.

The sweet, dangerous scent of aphrodisiacs reached her nose. Mimicking Kiliai’s earlier trick with the narcotic smoke, she covered her nose and mouth with her sleeve to avoid inhaling too much. Trying not to make any noise, she slipped between the half-naked women lying on the rugs and crept closer to the edge of the curtain, listening carefully.

The voice sounded familiar.

"…Zenon?"

"…Seems like it."

The man with Demistri appeared to be Zenon Kavaris, the Director of the Urano Intelligence Bureau, and the superior of both Mio and Kiliai. Mio’s fear intensified. Memories of the humiliation once inflicted by this superior resurfaced on her bare skin, and she instinctively covered herself with a blanket from the floor.

Kiliai glanced back at Mio, smiling mischievously.

"Bullseye. We’re going to hear some juicy gossip…"

Then, without hesitation, she reached out, hugged Mio, and pressed their bodies together.

"…Hey…!?"

"We’re imitating the other women. If we do this, we won’t get caught."

Indeed, some of the concubines were embracing each other, but Mio found it incredibly uncomfortable.

"We might hear state secrets at this rate…"

It was something they had learned in their espionage training—high-level information always came from the centre of power. Demistri and Zenon were at the core of Urano. They might overhear something invaluable.

The two pressed one ear against the curtain while pretending to sleep, focusing on Demistri and Zenon’s conversation…

While tormenting one of the concubines, Zenon was reporting top-secret information collected, classified, and analysed by the Intelligence Bureau to Demistri, the Supreme Commander of the Urano Army. This grand hall in the inner palace served as Demistri’s office, where he almost always indulged in debauchery while receiving reports in one ear.

Forcing the now-unconscious toy into a grotesque position, Demistri lazily repeated the name mentioned in Zenon’s report.

“Fana Levamme?”

He muttered the name suspiciously, speaking languidly while tangled with his toy in a ridiculous position.

“She’s the head of the Levamme government, right? What could she possibly hope to achieve now?”

Zenon, also entwined in an obscene position, responded.

“She seems to have finally recognized our threat. For nearly twenty years, they’ve prioritized economics and diplomacy over military affairs, establishing a friendship with the Imperial Amatsukami government, with whom they’ve had long-standing ties. While they’ve neglected their military, their economic growth has been remarkable. If Empress Fana decides to act, within a few years, they could field a fleet to rival ours. While democracies are less likely to start wars, once they’re determined, they can quickly build a formidable military.”

In a grotesque position beyond description, Demistri responded,

“Their military delay won’t be so easily made up. Once we conquer the archipelago, we’ll march in and crush them.”

“As you wish. It seems that the vanguard units from both Levamme and Amatsukami have already merged with the Second Isla Fleet, but that’s just a token force from Fana to Isla. It won’t have much impact on the overall situation.”

“They must have realized they can’t win without cooperation. But it’s already too late.”

“Incidentally, Fana is said to be a beauty, known as the "Saint of the Western Seas."”

“How old is she?”

“She’s been involved in government for nearly twenty years, so she’s at a certain age. But they say she’s only grown more beautiful with time.”

“Hmm. In that case, once we crush Levamme, I might add her to my inner palace.”

“As you command. As long as we prevent coordination between Levamme, the archipelago, and Balesteros, there won’t be any problems. If we isolate each faction, your fleet will have no trouble destroying them one by one.”

Demistri reached for another toy, connecting it to the one he had been playing with. A scream-like cry once again shook the velvet curtains.

“I want to take control of the Archipelago first. What are the movements of the St Vault Army that landed on the Akitsu Continent?”

“They are locked in a standoff with the Crown Prince's Imperial Army at the southern front and cannot move. If they start to retreat, the Imperial Army will immediately pursue them and completely annihilate them. This is a blessing for us. If the 1.7 million soldiers of the Imperial Army complete their retreat and land back in Mitterland, we will have to be prepared for significant losses, but for now, they are self-destructing without us needing to lift a finger.”

“A fitting end for the lowly people. Once we destroy the Second Isla Fleet and the St Vault Empire Fleet in a naval battle, both the Hydrabard Archipelago and the Akitsu Continent will fall in no time.”

“You are correct. In a few months, the new Archipelago Fleet will be ready. Last month, our Archipelago Fleet suffered damage from the Isla Fleet, but we have significantly strengthened our forces by integrating them with the Kai Andros Fleet. It could be called the Second Archipelago Fleet. Even if the Isla Fleet and the St Vault Fleet were to cooperate, they would not be able to match our Archipelago Fleet.”

“What is the status of the Isla Fleet?”

“They are currently anchored across the Hydrabard Archipelago under a treaty with the Kingdom of Sylvania. Most of the ships require repairs, but due to a lack of docks, their recovery won’t be complete until next year. By then, our new Archipelago Fleet will be ready, making it an ideal time to strike.”

“By next year, the Archipelago will be in our hands. After individually subjugating Balesteros and Levamme, within a few years, the long-held dream of our people will be realized.”

The dominion of heaven and earth.

Urano’s two-thousand-year-old dream was now within reach.

“At present, our naval power exceeds that of all other nations combined, and our air power is superior to all air forces on the ground. In other words… if we fight, the world will bow before you, Your Excellency.”

Demistri nodded in satisfaction and shifted the conversation to the matter he was most obsessed with.

“And is it true that the Second Isla Fleet was formed by Nina's lover?”

He emphasized the word "lover" with disdain. Zenon stopped inspecting his toy and lifted his lips into a smile.

“It is true. There are fools in every country, it seems.”

Demistri snorted harshly, blowing air onto the toy, and his face twisted in displeasure.

“That detestable fleet was organized solely to reclaim Nina Viento?”

“The financiers had different intentions, of course. But the story of a love affair between the fool—Crown Prince Kal-el Albus of the former Balesteros Empire—and Nina was used to rally the public. After all, they were once bitter enemies, so it was convenient for stirring up the masses. As a result, that ridiculous fleet was set sail.”

“So Nina is waiting for the arrival of the Isla Fleet?”

“Without a doubt. She ascended to the throne to avoid a battle with the Isla Fleet.”

“That woman dares to mock me…!!”

Demistri directed his rage at the toy, and the tangled bodies of the concubines let out a mixture of moans and screams.

“I won’t forgive her… I will make her regret ever trying to steal the throne from me for such foolish reasons… In the name of the honour of all previous kings, I will make her pay…!!”

It’s starting, Zenon thought, feeling a mix of exhaustion and disdain, though he kept his expression neutral while indulging in the sordid pleasure before him.

Soon, it would come out—Demistri’s twisted and pathetic dream, which had warped so badly it made Zenon sick to even listen to.

"Nina Viento!! I will make you my wife!!"

Demistri’s impassioned declaration shook the grand hall. He seemed to gain courage from his own words, throwing himself at the toy before him with a beastly expression.

How had his desires become so twisted, to the point where this was his goal? Zenon found it incomprehensible. But Demistri was serious. He truly believed that after dethroning Nina Viento, he would take her as his wife.

Is he in love with her?

That thought even crossed Zenon’s mind.

This pitiful prince, who had been mocked and compared to his talented younger half-brother since childhood and had indulged in lust without ever being loved, now, of all people, had fallen in love with his arch-enemy Nina Viento, the one he should be sending to the execution block. It seemed that his hatred of her pure and untainted demeanour had somehow twisted into romantic feelings.

“I will take Nina Viento, body and soul, right in front of that bastard Kal-el Albus…!!”

His boiling words spilled out into the stifling atmosphere. Without any awareness of how twisted his heart had become, Demistri desired nothing more than Nina's body and soul.

“I will not let Kal-el have her!! You will be my bride!!”

All of Demistri’s dark desires poured into the toy in front of him. Even as the pleas for mercy layered over one another, Demistri seemed intent on releasing all his pent-up, inexpressible emotions through his actions.

He can’t even control himself.

He’s losing his mind over Nina.

As Zenon watched the prince’s grotesque behaviour from the corner of his eye, a mix of contempt and pity filled his heart. No matter how much debauchery Demistri indulged in within this inner palace, the emptiness inside him would never be filled. What Demistri sought could not be found anywhere in this inner palace.

Fleeing the grand hall as if running for their lives, Mio and Kiliai managed to escape the inner palace. They jumped over the stone wall like startled rabbits and returned to the main hall.

Breathing heavily, they hurried back to the servant’s dining room in the Heavenly Shrine, reflecting on everything they had just overheard.

“This is bad… I mean, we just heard something far more interesting than we ever expected…”

In a tone that was somewhere between satisfaction and regret, Kiliai lamented.

Mio, her lips pale and trembling, said,

“That pervert wants to marry Nina… What on earth!?”

Just from the shadow play they had witnessed through the curtain, Mio had understood how grotesque Demistri’s tastes were. The mere thought of Nina being subjected to that made every cell in Mio’s body boil with disgust.

“What is going on? Why are you causing such a commotion?”

The head maid, Ulshyrra, entered the dining room, holding a candlestick. By now, it was late at night, and there was no one else in the dining room. The moment Ulshyrra, who Mio found intimidating, walked in, Kiliai comically waved her hands and fled to the servants' quarters. Kiliai often engaged in bizarre antics around the Heavenly Shrine, which had put her on Ulshyrra’s bad side.

“Well, we just overheard some shocking information while sneaking into the inner palace for training…”

Left alone, Mio explained everything she had just witnessed to Ulshyrra. Ulshyrra sat down in a chair, her stern expression growing even more severe.

“I see… The Grand Marshal is in love with Her Majesty…”

“I-I don’t know if we can call it love! But he does want to marry her…”

“It’s the same thing. Her Majesty cannot remain a virgin queen forever. Proposals of marriage from various kings and nobles have been pouring in.”

This was news to Mio, though it made sense. After all, whoever married Queen Nina Viento would be tied to the Urano royal family and could secure their lineage's prosperity for generations. In Demistri’s case, it wasn’t about bloodlines but about Nina herself, making his marriage desire arguably more genuine.

“If the Grand Marshal marries Her Majesty, her life will be safe. It would also resolve many political issues. For Urano, it would be a favourable outcome…”

Ulshyrra’s words made Mio pale as she quickly retorted.

“T-That might be true! But what about Nina's feelings…?”

Her heart belongs to Kal-el, not Demistri. Mio was about to say when Ulshyrra’s words cut her off.

“Her Majesty’s position requires her to prioritize the well-being of many over her own personal feelings. If she marries the Grand Marshal, all the malicious forces opposing her will become our allies. The threat to her life will vanish, and her political influence will increase.”

Ulshyrra chose her words carefully, lost in thought.

Her logic was sound. That much was clear. But…

Nina was waiting for Kal-el. She became queen of an enemy nation to save him. If she became Demistri’s, the six years of struggle she endured in Pleiades would lose all meaning.

Ulshyrra understood this as well. She had served Nina faithfully for six years, almost like a mother caring for her own daughter. Her desire for Nina's happiness was surely stronger than Mio’s. If Kal-el came and married Nina, there could be no better ending.

But for now, that possibility seemed slim.

At this rate, Urano would achieve "dominion over heaven and earth" within a few years. The ground nations were too busy fighting amongst themselves to form any alliances, and once the new Archipelago Fleet was complete, no single force would be able to resist them. If Nina abandoned the small hope she had in Kal-el and accepted Demistri’s proposal, at least she could live in peace for the rest of her life.

But still, that just…

Mio was about to voice her numerous objections when Ulshyrra suddenly asked.

“…The Isla Fleet is anchored in the Kingdom of Sylvania, correct?”

“Yes, that’s what I heard. It’s a strange coincidence, but Queen Elisabeth is a friend from my officer school days. She has probably already met with Kal-el by now.”

Ulshyrra thought for a moment before making a request of Mio.

"After your bath, Mio, please inform Her Majesty about the Isla Fleet being in the Hydrabard Archipelago."

Mio nodded.

"As for the Grand Marshal's affections, you may subtly inform Her Majesty in private. It’s better for her to know than not."

"Understood."

"Make sure to observe Her Majesty's state carefully when you speak. Avoid bringing up heavy topics if she seems particularly tired."

Mio agreed. Ulshyrra’s consideration for Nina was always detailed and thorough. In situations requiring political judgment like today, consulting Ulshyrra often resulted in clear answers, something Mio deeply appreciated.

As she began preparing for the bath, Mio pondered how to convey the information without making it too burdensome. She concluded that it would be easier to talk when Claire was being herself, rather than when she was acting as Queen.

After removing her silver wig and shedding the regal attire that exuded holiness, Nina Viento became Claire Cruz once again after her bath. In this moment before sleep, she could relax and relieve her body and mind from the day’s exhaustion.

Mio brewed Claire’s favourite herbal tea, bringing it to the white table on the balcony. Claire, in her nightwear, took a deep breath, enjoying the aroma while gazing at the summer constellations. She took a sip and sighed deeply.

"It’s delicious."

"You’ve worked hard today. The stars are beautiful tonight."

Mio sat across from her, sharing the moment. After a day of official duties, it had become a daily routine for Mio and Claire to indulge in light-hearted, trivial conversations as close friends.

Bathed in the starlight falling onto the balcony, Claire relaxed, her cheeks softening as the night breeze caressed her. Most of her day was spent in meetings with nobles and high-ranking officials, but now, in this brief moment, she could finally find peace.

"I flew today for the first time in a while… It felt so good."

"That airship was amazing. It would’ve been even better if Reiner hadn’t painted that weird picture on it."

"No, really, I liked it. I actually love it."

"Claire, you’re too nice. You should scold him sometimes. You know, like, "What do you think you’re doing to my airship?" or something."

Mio made a playful gesture, mimicking strangling Reiner, and Claire giggled. Mio had never seen Claire get angry with anyone, let alone raise her voice. Claire always remained calm, enduring her daily duties with a quiet, steady demeanour. The more time Mio spent with her, the more she cherished Claire. She wanted to make sure these moments gave her some relief, so Mio would always share light-hearted stories from the day to make her smile.

"You went into the inner palace?"

She decided to share that story too—about the series of events with Kiliai, their infiltration into the inner palace, what they saw, and their encounter with Demistri. As Mio recounted the details, Claire's expression grew more tense.

Listening intently to their eavesdropping on Zenon’s conversation, Mio eventually shared the most crucial piece of information.

"……………………"

Claire listened quietly as Mio told her about the Second Isla Fleet being anchored in the Kingdom of Sylvania. Mio had expected her to be more excited, but Claire remained as composed as ever. Mio added more details.

"According to Zenon, it seems that part of Urano's Archipelago Fleet was completely defeated by the Second Isla Fleet. The damaged fleet is currently being repaired in the Kingdom of Sylvania, where my friend Elisabeth is queen… I was surprised, too. So, I think Elisabeth has probably already met with Kal-el."

Claire’s reaction remained quiet.

But—Mio noticed her eyes glisten ever so slightly with tears.

There was no way she wasn’t happy. But at the same time, the fact that the Urano Fleet was fighting the Isla Fleet weighed heavily on Claire. She had become queen to avoid conflict with the Isla Fleet, and now, to learn of a battle that she hadn’t known about likely made her feel powerless.

"That… is surprising."

Claire gave a short, quiet response, filled with complex emotions, before standing silently and walking toward the balcony railing, gazing up at the stars.

Mio remained quiet, watching Claire’s small back. She didn’t speak, knowing that Claire was likely sorting through the emotional storm within her. Even as a friend, there were feelings too complicated to understand, emotions swirling so intensely that they seemed to spill out from Claire’s small frame.

"I had no idea… I want to look into this a bit more."

Claire said this while still staring at the starry sky.

"Yeah. I’ll look into the Isla Fleet with Ulshyrra’s help. But maybe we shouldn’t tell Reiner or Kiliai. Zenon might find out."

"I’ve recently gotten to know some friendly members of parliament… I think they’ll help me find out more. Yes… I need to do my best too…"

After letting the night breeze blow over her for a while, Claire turned to face Mio. Her expression was unchanged, calm and gentle, her violet eyes filled with tenderness and sadness.

"You’re doing great, Claire. I think it’s amazing. It’s been only a year and a half since you became queen, but you’ve steadily gained more allies here. You’re doing so well…"

That was all Mio could manage to say. She wished she had something more meaningful to offer, but this was her honest feeling.

Claire sat down again, brought the herbal tea to her lips, and gave her usual soft smile.

"It’s only because everyone supports me. I couldn’t do it on my own."

"I hope I’m helping. By the way… I have some other news. Are you ready for it?"

"Huh? What is it?"

Mio exaggeratedly teased her, causing Claire to lean forward with a playful smile.

"Are you prepared for a shock? Ready?"

"What is it? A scary story?"

"Yeah. It’ll make your skin crawl."

"Ugh, no, I hate scary stories. But now I want to hear it. Tell me, tell me."

Claire laughed, grabbing Mio’s arm and shaking it eagerly. Seeing her like this, Mio figured it would be fine to share the rest of the story.

"So, Demistri… While talking with Zenon, he started throwing insults around as usual."

"Yeah, he complains about everything."

"And then… he brought up you. I figured he’d talk trash about you, like usual."

"He says horrible things to my face, so I don’t really care what he says behind my back."

"Really? To your face?"

"Yeah. During meetings, he’s awful. He makes a devilish face and criticizes everything I do. It used to make me furious and exhausted, but lately, I’ve started thinking, ‘Wow, he’s really thorough. It must be tough keeping up with this. He’s got such passion.’"

Claire spoke with an innocent expression, almost in admiration. Mio couldn’t help but feel sad, sensing the vast emotional disconnect between them.

"Oh… I see…"

"So, what’s the scary story?"

"Well… here it goes. Oh, maybe don’t drink anything right now. Did you drink?"

After gulping down her tea, Claire nodded with a tense expression, preparing for the shock. With the fear of a spit-take avoided, Mio finally revealed the truth.

"Demistri… suddenly got all excited and declared, ‘I will make Claire Viento my wife!!’"

Claire froze in place, still processing the words. Mio continued, nodding to encourage her.

"Apparently, Demistri wants to marry you."

"……………………"

Claire remained motionless, her expression blank.

Mio scrunched up her face in disgust, raising her fists and imitating Demistri’s outburst.

"He said, ‘I won’t let Kal-el have her! You will be my bride!!’"

"……………………"

"…Yep, that’s what he said. He’s serious. He really wants to marry you, Claire."

Mio watched Claire’s expression closely. Slowly, confusion began to spread across her face.

"The Grand Marshal… wants to marry me?"

Seeing Claire’s bewildered expression, Mio nodded seriously and replied.

"Yeah. He declared it with his fists raised. This is serious. He’s a pervert, and I’m sure he has all kinds of twisted ideas."

The image of the shadowy figures they had seen earlier resurfaced in Mio’s mind, sending a shiver down her spine. She instinctively hugged herself.

Claire lowered her head in thought for a while, then looked up again, still confused.

"When did he start feeling this way?"

"I’m not sure. Maybe he fell for you while he was tormenting you? Or perhaps he’s been bullying you because he liked you all along."

Claire tilted her head to the left, straightened up, then tilted it to the right.

"I thought he hated me."

"Maybe it’s the opposite. You know how they say the opposite of love isn’t hate, but indifference? Maybe the opposite of hate is love. He hated you so much that he thought about you constantly, and before he knew it, he was considering marriage."

Mio wasn’t sure if her explanation made any sense, but perhaps that’s just how emotions worked. Love could overwhelm someone unexpectedly, filling them up without any logic, and no amount of willpower could wash it away.

"I… guess that could be it."

"Yeah. Being disliked would still be better, but to be liked... what a disaster. I need to figure out how to make him hate me."

Claire sank into deeper thought, her expression becoming more serious than before, as if considering something important.

A long silence followed. Much longer than Mio had expected. And Claire’s expression grew more severe by the moment.

Mio began to feel afraid.

What if Claire was seriously starting to consider what Ulshyrra had mentioned earlier? What if she was thinking that by marrying Demistri, all the opposing members of the Senate would become her allies, and her political influence would increase? And maybe, just maybe, it would become easier to save the Isla Fleet… Could Claire possibly be thinking this?

"H-Hey, Claire, what are you seriously thinking about? Please, this isn’t something to seriously consider, right? Just say, 'I refuse,' and that should be the end of it, right?"

Terrified, Mio asked, but Claire didn’t respond, her head bowed, lost in deep thought.

Mio grew anxious. Perhaps it had been a mistake to bring this up. She had thought they would laugh about it and move on, but Claire seemed to be genuinely troubled by it.

"Hey, Claire? Please don’t think too much about this, okay? This should just be a ‘Wow, a creepy prince likes me, gross!’ kind of thing, right?"

Claire, still shaken, looked up at Mio with fearful eyes and spoke.

"But… what if… if I handle this right… the war could end."

A chill ran down Mio’s spine.

"How do I put this…? It’s not the nicest way to say it, but… if I play my cards right, the Senate would all side with me."

This was bad. Claire’s thought process was beginning to mirror Ulshyrra’s.

"If all the opposition became my allies… yeah. The war could end. I wouldn’t have to fight the Isla Fleet anymore. And no more Urano people or people on the surface would have to die…"

Claire’s eyes drifted into the void as she tried to make sense of her confused thoughts.

Mio felt the urge to cry.

How far was Claire willing to sacrifice herself? She was clearly not thinking about her own life at all.

It was heartbreaking for Mio, standing so close to her.

Mio took a deep breath and steeled her expression. Joking wouldn’t work anymore; she needed to speak seriously because the current, confused Claire wouldn’t understand anything else.

Claire is my best friend.

And as her best friend, Mio had to say it.

"Claire, that’s not okay. Absolutely not."

She spoke firmly, looking straight into Claire’s eyes.

"But… if I endure it… then people won’t have to die anymore… The people on the surface can live safely. If the war ends, the Isla Fleet won’t be wiped out and can return home…"

Claire’s thoughts were swaying. Her experience as a queen had led her to prioritize the world over herself. She had started to believe that if sacrificing herself could end the war, that’s what she should do.

Unable to contain herself any longer, Mio kicked back her chair, stood up, and marched over to Claire. She placed her hands on Claire’s elegant shoulders.

"Claire. I’m asking you for one thing."

Her eyes and voice were firm, as she made her request clear.

"…One thing?"

"Six months ago, you asked me for something, right? I did what you asked of me. So it’s fair that I get to ask you for something, right?"

Back when Mio had been injured while protecting Claire from an assassin’s gun, Claire had asked to become her friend. Mio had gladly accepted, and now, here they were, sitting together on the balcony, talking about everything.

"…Yes, of course. Ask away."

"Promise you won’t say no. Then I’ll ask."

Mio threw Claire’s own words from six months ago back at her.

"…Okay. I promise I won’t say no."

Claire nodded, her expression determined.

Mio took a deep breath and made her request to her best friend.

"Think about your own happiness."

That was all Mio asked of Claire.

It was such a simple thing to say—something that should be obvious to everyone. People act for their own happiness. But Claire couldn’t do that. Ever since she had been abandoned by her mother and called a witch as a child, she had grown to believe she had no value. As long as she could be of use to someone, she was quick to step aside and sacrifice herself. If it was for the greater good, she would throw herself away without a second thought.

She treated herself far too carelessly.

Mio cared deeply for Claire, and because she cherished her so much, she wished for only one thing.

"It’s okay for you to be happy."

Feeling overwhelmed, Mio knelt down and hugged Claire.

Who cares what happens to the world? If people want to keep killing each other, let them kill themselves into oblivion. Don’t put the weight of that foolishness on Claire’s shoulders.

I only have one wish.

That Claire, who has endured and carried so much, who has walked a path of pain and wounds, will find happiness.

I pray that Claire’s future ends with the happiest ending in the world.

"We were born to be happy."

The words came out of Mio’s mouth naturally.

And then she just held Claire tightly.

"…Mio."

After a while, Claire gently wrapped her slender arms around Mio’s back.

"Mio."

Her voice, calling Mio’s name, was filled with friendship and gratitude.

"…I understand. Because it’s Mio’s request… I’ll promise… I’ll be happy."

"Yes. Thank you. It’s a promise. If you break it, I’ll hate you."

"…Yes. I’ll keep it. Thank you. I’ll keep my promise…"

They clung to each other, tears welling up, supporting one another.

Claire was human too. Even she could waver when something unexpected and difficult came her way, shaking her beliefs. Mio just wished that Claire would share even a little of that burden, that she wouldn’t carry it all on her own. Mio wanted to help bear Claire’s pain and sadness.

She didn’t need to say that out loud—she conveyed it through the strength of her embrace.

One day, the Second Isla Fleet and Kal-el will come to this floating city. When that time comes, everything will be resolved, and they’ll all reach a happy ending, smiling together. Believing in that, Mio held Claire’s small body close, as if praying for that future.