Toaru Hikuushi e no Seiyaku:V6Part11

Part 25 (Part 11 of Volume 6)

Following the ancient customs, the group completed their preparations for the move and departed from the Lamia Palace, heading for the Evangelis District.

Nina Viento, dressed in her white priestly robes, descended the mountain path by carriage. Following another customary ritual, she exited the carriage on the road leading to the royal palace in the airborne city of Pleiades, continuing her journey on foot along the rural path.

People lined the roadside, throwing words of blessing and showers of confetti at her. Without changing her expression, Nina walked steadily, followed by her close companions.

On December 12, Imperial Year 1349, in the Uranos capital city of Pleiades──.

Behind Nina followed Ulshyrra, with Ignacio marching next, leading thirty royal guards. Mio walked further back in the line of attendants, alongside Reiner.

Reiner placed his hands behind his head, gazing up at the clear sky and muttering cheerfully.

“This has become quite a mess, hasn’t it?”

Mio, glancing at him with dissatisfaction, scolded,

“Stop with the idle chatter. Put on a serious face.”

“Even so, I never imagined it would turn out like this. We’ve ended up serving one heck of a master, haven’t we?”

Despite his words, Reiner seemed to be enjoying the situation, wearing an even more carefree grin than usual.

“Be quiet. We're heading to an important place. Stop grinning.”

Mio pinched Reiner’s side, silencing him, before turning her attention back to the front of the procession. The royal palace was gradually drawing closer.

At the entrance to the Evangelis District, three state ministers, with the Uranos Air Force and Navy flags and the royal standard waving behind them, welcomed Nina.

They spoke to Nina in grand ceremonial language, and after receiving her consent, they turned to lead her on the path toward the Old Senate.

Nina, her posture upright and dignified, followed after the ministers.

In the city, royal guards in formal attire lined both sides of the road, guarding Nina. The people gathered along the streets, just like those in the countryside, offered blessings and tossed flower petals and confetti at Nina and her entourage.

Without waving, the group passed through the lively streets, making their way to the assembly hall.

Inside the stone-constructed, solemn chamber, the members of the Old Senate and the Lower House had gathered, awaiting Nina.

As Nina ascended the podium, a state minister announced the formal conferment of Uranos’ governance powers upon her.

Amidst the resounding applause, Nina accepted without hesitation the command of the entire Uranos military, the title of supreme ruler, the authority to propose policies, and the right to veto parliamentary decisions.

All the power to govern Uranos was now entrusted to Nina Viento. Should she so desire, she could even rule the entire world with the vast authority she now held.

Without changing her expression, Nina exited the chamber.

Outside in the plaza, tens of thousands of citizens awaited her.

It wasn’t official yet. The approval of the people was required.

Nina raised her head proudly and gazed out at the Pleiades citizens.

A state minister called out through a microphone:

"Citizens, if you approve of Nina Viento as your new ruler, respond with your cheers."

In the next instant, a deafening roar erupted from the tens of thousands of citizens, shaking the sky above Pleiades. The sound was so powerful it seemed to make the very atmosphere tremble, echoing over and over through the airborne city.

The state minister knelt before Nina, delivering the final decision.

"May the blessings of Saint Aldista be upon our Queen, Nina Viento."

Amidst the rising cheers, the whistling of fingers, and the confetti, Nina ascended to the throne of Uranos, her coronation surpassing even the enthusiasm of the people when King Ortega took the throne.

The waiting Pope Illustriali approached Nina, carrying the crown of approval.

As Nina knelt, the pope placed the Queen’s crown upon her head.

It was the coronation ceremony of Nina Viento, announcing that Uranos had entered a new era.

Slowly, Nina rose and faced the citizens, lifting the edge of her dress and stepping back to offer a bow. As the unceasing cheers continued to shake the sky, Nina gazed silently at the masses with calm eyes.

Mio, standing beside Ignacio in the shadows of the assembly hall, witnessed Nina's coronation.

Nina had truly become the Queen of Uranos. The authority she had just received was so immense that with a single command, she could move the entire military.

“Will this really go well?”

She asked Ignacio. The usually quiet knight simply closed his eyes and shook his head.

“The real challenge begins now.”

His sharp gaze remained fixed on Nina's back.

“Awaiting us are demons and monsters. There’s no way they’ll allow a newcomer to wield such great power so easily. They'll use every trick to hinder us. No matter what happens, I will protect Lady Nina, even if it costs me my life.”

Uncharacteristically for Ignacio, he voiced his determination in words. Now that they were entering Uranos’ royal palace, Nina's true battle was about to begin. It wasn’t hard to imagine the various obstructions that would come from the Demistri faction, who had been pushed into the shadows of the palace. There would likely even be threats to her life. As Ignacio had said, the real battle was about to start.

Mio nodded.

“...Yes. ...I want to be of help to Lady Nina too... because if it’s her, I’m sure she can change this world…”

In her determined gaze, the figure of Nina Viento, now the Queen of Uranos, seemed so small.

What kinds of fierce pressure, plots, and malicious schemes would soon rain down upon that elegant yet fragile back, Mio could not yet imagine.

But she resolved to stand by Nina, alongside their friends from Lamia Palace, no matter what hardships they would face. She loved Nina deeply—her gentle heart, her inner strength, and her determination to fulfill her role no matter how difficult the situation.

Because she believed that beyond it all, a wonderful future awaited…

A long dream unfolded.

In the officer’s room at the Air hunt Academy, I was lounging on a sofa, eating donuts with familiar friends.

Next to me, Balthazar was carefully brewing coffee for Cecil, while Kagura teased him. Across from us, Reiner and Kiyoaki were engrossed in their usual trivial chatter, while Mio was alone in the kitchen, boiling spaghetti.

Until last September, this was our everyday life.

A scene of the seven of us that I thought would last forever.

I took a sip of the coffee Balthazar made.

Then I realized Mio was no longer in the kitchen. The pot she had left on the stove was still boiling away.

I got up from the sofa to turn off the heat. With Mio gone, I had no choice but to finish making the spaghetti for everyone and returned to the sofa.

But when I sat down again, Kiyoaki and Kagura were gone.

Cecil looked up at me, puzzled, and asked why I had made spaghetti for seven.

“Because there are seven of us.”

As soon as I answered, Cecil disappeared as well.

I looked around, and Reiner, with an unfamiliar cold expression, cast a hateful glare at me before opening the door and leaving the officer’s room.

Now only Balthazar and I remained, him quietly drinking his coffee on the sofa.

“Mio. Kiyoaki.”

I called out the names of those who had disappeared.

“Kagura. Reiner. Cecil. Where did you all go? I made this for everyone.”

There was no reply.

Holding the large plate of spaghetti, I was left behind with Balthazar in the empty officer’s room.

The sound of an exploding fire jolted me awake.

When I opened my eyes, I was met with a sky full of stars.

Each of the thousands of stars had a different colour. They shone so closely together that it felt as though I could hear their voices calling to one another.

I heard the sound of waves gnawing at the sand.

I realized I was lying on my back on a night beach.

I’m alive.

That thought crossed my mind.

The warmth nearby was from a campfire. The orange flames flickered in the depths of the night.

Slowly sitting up, I checked my body for any abnormalities.

Then I looked across the fire.

There was Kiyoaki Sakagami, sitting on the beach, silently gazing out at the sea beyond the flames.

I touched my waist. My pistol was still in its holster.

With my right hand resting on the holster, I cautiously moved away from the fire, increasing the distance between us.

Kiyoaki, noticing I had awoken, turned to me with a quiet expression.

I crouched low like a leopard, leaping back quickly as I drew my pistol, aiming it directly at him.

Kiyoaki said nothing, simply looking at the pistol pointed at him.

“You killed Captain Leo.”

I forced the words out.

“You killed Lulu and Lala.”

I prayed he wouldn’t notice the trembling in my voice.

“You killed so many of my comrades.”

Kiyoaki still didn’t move, remaining seated.

Beyond the fire, he seemed to flicker as if he were no longer part of this world.

“Yeah. I killed them.”

He wasn’t joking. His calm tone made that clear.

I aimed the shaking barrel of my pistol between Kiyoaki’s eyebrows and placed my finger on the trigger.

This was the enemy who had killed many of my comrades.

If I let Kiyoaki live, many more of my allies would be shot down.

Hate him. Kill him. Avenge Leo, Lulu, and Lala.

Just as I was about to force myself into action—

──Even if we find ourselves on opposing sides, we will never hate each other.

──Friendship is eternal.

That vow echoed in my ears.

My right arm trembled.

There was no way I could pull the trigger.

It couldn’t end like this.

“Bang.”

In a careless tone, Kiyoaki mimicked the sound of a gunshot with his mouth.

I tossed the pistol onto the sand, looking at Kiyoaki with a face that was about to burst into tears as I spoke.

“With that shot, you’re dead. Sakagami Kiyoaki of the Kusanagi Squadron is listed as missing in action. My condolences.”

Kiyoaki gave a faint smile.

He then made the shape of a gun with his fingers, pointed it at my forehead, and mimicked a gunshot.

“And Illia Kreischmidt of the Voltec Squadron is also missing in action. My condolences.”

I shrugged and raised both hands toward the starry sky, then sat down next to the fire.

We sat across from each other by the campfire, in silence, staring at the night sea and the stars.

If we stayed like this on this island, we would truly be marked as missing. Both Illia and Kiyoaki would be considered dead, and their families would receive compensation and pensions, with graves erected in their hometowns.

I had just been shot dead by Kiyoaki.

Thinking that, all the burdens I had been carrying seemed to disappear from around me.

No homeland, no comrades, no enemies to defeat—nothing remained.

It was just Illia Kreischmidt, alone, watching the night sea. That frenzied battlefield was gone, and now a vast, serene night sky showered the two of us with three thousand stars on this quiet beach.

Wrapped in a cocoon of silence, the sound of the tides and my own heartbeat alternated, growing louder. The pulse inside me quickened.

I didn’t want Kiyoaki to hear the sound of my racing heart.

Recalling the conversation we’d exchanged during our duel in the skies, I couldn’t help but blush.

Was that some kind of hallucination?

It felt too real to be just a dream. It truly felt as though Kiyoaki and I had melted into one and were speaking to each other.

──What would he say if I asked him about it?

That thought welled up, and I glanced at Kiyoaki through the fire.

At the same moment, Kiyoaki also looked at me through the flames.

Our eyes met by chance, and both of us turned bright red before looking down in embarrassment.

Afraid that my heartbeat would be heard, I buried my face in my knees.

──It must’ve been a hallucination. There’s no way we could have had that conversation, sitting separately in our cockpits.

──It was just my wishful thinking. There’s no way I could ask Kiyoaki about it…

I forcibly convinced myself of that. I felt awkward, ashamed, and foolish. I could manoeuvre a plane freely, but I had no idea how to handle my own emotions.

──I love you.

──I love you.

Those voices we exchanged in the final moments of our duel echoed again in my ears. Just remembering that raw and utterly exposed confession made me want to squirm in embarrassment. It was too Humiliating to face Kiyoaki directly.

Perhaps trying to ease the awkwardness, Kiyoaki broke the silence.

“…What should we do now?”

I tried to calm my nerves and raised my flushed face.

“…Do you think rescue will come?”

Kiyoaki paused, deep in thought, before answering.

“If they come, we’ll be separated again.”

Whether it was from St Vault or Akitsu, once we were rescued, we wouldn’t be able to stay together. We’d be thrown back into the sky, forced to fight another battle like today.

“I’m done with it. I don’t want to fight you anymore…”

I accidentally let out my true feelings.

“…Me neither. …I can’t do it anymore…”

Why do we have to fly and fight in the sky, enduring such pain?

"What should we do now...?"

The path ahead was unclear.

There was nowhere to go.

If we stayed on this island, we wouldn't have to fight anymore. But would that really be enough? Even now, while we sit here, our comrades bound by the oath are out there pursuing their dreams. Meanwhile, are we supposed to stay here, shutting our eyes and ears to the world, living by catching fish and gathering wild herbs? Is that really why I was trained to pilot flying machines from such a young age?

No.

My destiny is to fly.

But there's no one to entrust these wings to.

No cause worthy enough to devote my entire life to.

"I want someone I can entrust my wings to."

I spoke my feelings aloud, addressing Kiyoaki. He nodded.

"If it's not for my homeland, but for something else... I could still fly."

Since we were declared missing in action and lost our homeland, perhaps it's alright to seek out a freer sky.

But where should we go?

What should we do?

Lost and unable to see the path forward, just then—

From behind us, the sound of sand crunching echoed. A tall figure slowly emerged from the grass.

"...?!"

Both Kiyoaki and I turned around in surprise.

The man noticed the campfire and the figures sitting beside it.

"So, here you are. I've been looking for you."

Kiyoaki seemed to recognize the voice. As I instinctively moved to grab my pistol, he held me back with one hand.

"You are...!!"

The man slowly approached the fire.

He was dressed in a black long coat with flight gear underneath. His long hair was tied back, and his face had sharp, knife-cut features, with piercing eyes that seemed too intense.

"I'm here to capture you."

Without carrying any weapons, the man said this as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Don't resist. Get on my aircraft. I'll take you to my master. After that, you can decide what to do."

Kiyoaki called out the man's name in a trembling voice.

"Master Akmed."

Akmed, the "King of the Sky," who had taught young Kiyoaki how to fly, now stood before us. He was one of the greatest aces of the archipelago seas, alongside Urano’s Karnasion, and he was now extending a hand of rescue to both Kiyoaki and me.

"When you meet her, you will swear eternal loyalty."

Akmed smiled with certainty as he looked at Kiyoaki and me.

"Elisabeth Sylvania."

Akmed offered a hand to the seated Kiyoaki, helping him stand.

"She is my master. She will entrust you with new wings."

It was as if Akmed could see the future, speaking with such confidence.

At that moment, for some reason, I saw a banner waving behind Akmed.

It was the banner of the most powerful fighter squadron in the world, assembled and trained by Akmed himself.

"The Valkyries."

"Come with me. Fly for Queen Elisabeth."

I took Amed’s outstretched hand in mine.

Together with Kiyoaki, I envisioned a future where we donned the combat uniforms of the Valkyries, flying planes unlike any I had ever seen, ruling the skies pointed out by Queen Elisabeth.

END VOL 6