Kaze no Kishihime v2c3
After returning from Karina’s grave, Cendrillon became even more reserved. He drank less than before, but he also spoke less. Less, however, did not mean that he had stopped drinking completely. Every night he would drink, and when morning came he would head off somewhere. Then, when night fell, he would return and drink again. He had also removed himself from the palace guard rotation. Nor had he shown his face at Vivian’s mansion. Apparently he was investigating something, but he offered Karin no explanation.
One day, having finally run out of patience, Karin asked him directly.
“What are you investigating?”
“I’m looking into the troupe of traveling performers Karine belonged to,” he replied.
“Why won’t you tell me?”
“Because it’s not the kind of work that suits you, and I can handle it perfectly well on my own.”
Those words made Karin feel as though he was rejecting her. I’ll handle it myself. Stay out of this... A sudden loneliness welled up inside her, and she pouted. Cendrillon and Karina... there was some kind of bond between them that seemed to transcend good and evil, morality and reason alike, and it felt like something she could never enter.
I’m your partner, aren’t I? Maybe I’m only an apprentice, but still... More than that, I actually thought I could help you. So what do you mean, you’ll do it alone? You’re weak... and I’m the one who saved you!
Like a sulking child, Karin stubbornly insisted.
“Take me with you.”
Cendrillon looked at her with an exasperated expression.
“You have your own duties, don’t you?”
He was right. Ever since that incident, Marianne began assigning Karin to guard her every day. Marianne trusted Karin completely after Karin saved her in Deauville, and the degree of her favor already became famous throughout the court.
Wearing a gloomy expression, Karin reported to the palace, and she was immediately shown to the princess’s bedchamber. Though she was still no more than a knight apprentice, Karin already became a notable figure at court. Even the guards assigned to the princess greeted her with warm smiles. As the princess’s favorite, everyone was eager to curry favor with her.
That very eagerness, however, was one of the things Karin found most irritating. Advancement was gratifying, certainly, but being fussed over for reasons that went beyond her actual abilities was not especially pleasant. Of course, she performed deeds worthy of recognition, so in that sense the praise was deserved. Even so, it left her feeling strangely embarrassed.
Besides, that achievement wasn’t mine alone.
It was a victory made possible by Cendrillon’s water magic and her own wind magic. But Cendrillon, who hated being in the spotlight, quietly allowed all of the credit to fall to Karin alone.
While Karin stood there wearing such a gloomy expression, the bedroom doors suddenly burst open with a bang, and Marianne appeared.
“Karin! Karin!”
Crying out her name, she ran over and threw her arms around her with obvious delight. The attendants standing nearby responded with wry smiles.
“Y-Your Highness... there are people watching...”
Karin said this with an awkward expression, and Marianne puffed out her cheeks.
“My! Are you saying you’re not happy to see me?”
“N-no... it’s not that...”
“I spent all last night thinking about you, you know? I even wrote a poem! And yet why are you making such a face?”
The ladies-in-waiting covered their mouths, apparently finding Marianne’s innocent lovestruck behavior charming. Karin herself, however, was in a panic. What am I supposed to do if she gets this attached to me...? she thought, feeling as though her head were about to explode.
“Will you listen? To my poem?”
“Your Highness, it is nearly time for breakfast,” one of the attendants said in a troubled voice.
“Oh, that’s fine! I’ll only read a little!”
Marianne rummaged through her papers, pulled out a sheet of parchment, and began to recite.
“O Karin, when I call your name,
stars fall, rain falls, and cats fall too.
And the fallen cat meows.
Meow.”
It was an utterly hopeless poem.
After a brief, heavy silence, the attendants offered a halfhearted round of applause.
Clapping... clapping... clapping.
Beaming proudly, Marianne looked up at Karin.
She’s adorable, but... I’m not very good with this girl...
As Karin stood there rigid and unable to move, large tears began to gather in Marianne’s eyes
“I put so much thought into it... and cats are cute...”
“Th-they are! Cats are adorable! Absolutely!”
The moment Karin blurted that out, Marianne broke into a delighted smile.
Once breakfast was over, Marianne had to attend her etiquette lessons, and Karin remained by her side the entire time. Afterward came a period of free time, and Marianne leaned over and whispered into Karin’s ear.
“I want to go into town.”
“Oh...”
Karin immediately felt her spirits sink. What in the world was this princess thinking? After everything that happened so recently, she still seemed desperate to go out and have fun.
“It’s dangerous.”
Karin tried to reason with her, but Marianne had no intention of listening.
“It’ll be fine. No matter what happens, you’ll protect me, won’t you, Karin?”
“I am not confident that I could handle everything by myself if something were to happen.”
Karin answered honestly, but Marianne remained unmoved.
“It’ll be all right. I’ll have additional guards follow us. They’ll keep their distance.”
That would make them quite a spectacle.
“His Majesty will be furious...”
“No! Then kiss me!”
A kiss.
A shiver ran through Karin’s entire body. She did not want to kiss another girl.
Karin bowed her head.
“Very well. We shall go out. But if I sense even the slightest danger, we will return immediately.”
Marianne puffed out her cheeks.
“...Do you have some objection?”
“Don’t you want to kiss me?”
“W-well, that’s...! I am merely a knight apprentice, while Your Highness is the princess of this kingdom! It would be far too presumptuous!”
Karin hurriedly explained, but Marianne folded her arms as if refusing to accept such an excuse.
“It hurts my feelings that you dislike the idea of kissing me so much.”
You were the one who offered it as a condition, Karin thought. What a princess. And yet that selfishness suited thirteen-year-old Marianne perfectly. In a way, Karin even envied her. Even if she were to fall in love with someone, she could never imagine expressing her feelings so openly.
Marianne gazed at Karin. Then her face crumpled, and tears began to well in her eyes.
“Please don’t hate me...”
“I-I don’t hate you!”
Karin waved her hands frantically. Marianne clenched her fists tightly in front of her chest.
“Then kiss me. And take me on a date.”
I’ve been adored by a truly outrageous girl, Karin thought, finally surrendering. Closing her eyes, trembling all over, she puckered her lips. Marianne’s soft lips touched hers lightly for a brief moment, then pulled away.
When Karin opened her eyes, Marianne was looking down with her face completely flushed.
“...Thank you. I’m very happy.”
Karin felt her own cheeks redden.
“Ahem. Shall we go, then...?”
Changing into her usual town-girl outfit, Marianne slipped out through the back gate of the palace. Grasping Karin’s hand, she set off at a lively pace, her face radiant with excitement.
For a thirteen-year-old princess, simply stepping beyond the palace walls was probably an adventure dazzling enough to make her dizzy. She wore a bright, carefree expression that Karin had never once seen within the court.
“Your Highness! Where are we going?”
“Oh, honestly! Don’t call me ‘Your Highness’! You’ll reveal who I am. What was the point of dressing like this?”
“Ah... then what should I call you?”
“Marie is fine. Isn’t it lovely? Just like a real town girl!”
Linking arms with Karin, Marianne practically skipped down the street. Such a stunning pair—a beautiful girl and a beautiful boy—naturally drew admiring glances from everyone they passed.
We’re conspicuous enough already... Karin thought gloomily.
But Marianne was astonishingly bold. Though she changed her hairstyle, she wore no real disguise at all. Very few people had ever seen the princess up close, but even so, this was reckless.
“If someone from the court sees us like this... there will be trouble.”
“Oh? At this point, there isn’t anyone who doesn’t know about you and me.”
Now that she mentioned it, that was probably true.
As she walked through the city beside Marianne’s cheerful figure, Karin gradually found herself enjoying the outing as well. Filled with boundless curiosity, Marianne darted into every shop they passed, chattering to the merchants in the local dialect and buying whatever caught her eye.
The basket Karin carried soon overflowed with an assortment of odds and ends: fruit, stuffed animals, hats, tableware... and countless other things besides.
“What a handful you are, young man.”
Balancing a cream pastry on top of the mountain of packages Karin was carrying, the old confectioner said this with a grin. Karin gave an ambiguous nod, and Marianne cried out happily.
“Do we really look like that?”
“Indeed you do. You make a lovely couple.”
“Eek! What should I do, Karin? He says we suit each other!”
“I-I am very pleased to hear that... Y-Your Highness... no, rather, Marie.”
“Say it in a more natural tone.”
“I’m happy, Marie.”
Karin recited the line in a completely flat voice, which only made Marianne squeal and throw herself into her arms.
Their next stop was a certain tailor’s shop.
“What is this place?”
“I’m having some clothes made for you.”
“That’s really not necessary.”
“But you only have one outfit.”
Marianne pointed at Karin’s knight uniform.
“Well... that’s true, but...”
“If that’s all you have, you won’t even be able to attend a ball. That would be a problem.”
“It would not be a problem. I am a warrior.”
“It would be a problem for me!”
The shop appeared to be quite popular, because the interior was crowded with customers.
“The clothes here are the height of fashion in the capital right now. The designs are so bold that if you don’t wear this shop’s creations, society won’t take you seriously.”
Karin looked around and had to admit that the garments were certainly unusual. She found herself wondering how anyone wearing bows that large could possibly see where they were going, when a boy who looked to be an apprentice hurried over to them.
“Welcome!”
But the moment he took in Marianne and Karin’s appearance, he apparently decided they were just a town girl and a poor young nobleman. His attitude instantly turned cold.
“We’re rather busy right now. We’re not taking new customers.”
Marianne, however, remained completely unfazed.
“Please fetch the proprietor.”
“He’s busy. He can’t come down.”
“Just go get him.”
“I told you, that’s impossible!”
“You’re going to be scolded later if you don’t.”
Clicking his tongue, the boy disappeared upstairs. A moment later, a fussy-looking middle-aged man descended.
“Didn’t I tell you to turn away new orders?”
“It’s this strange girl, sir...”
“I said we’re fully booked at the moment... h-huh?”
The moment the proprietor saw Marianne’s face, he went pale. His throat bobbed, and he immediately bowed deeply.
“M-my, my... Y-young... no, milady!”
“I’d like to have some clothes made. Is that possible?”
“Y-yes! At once!”
The proprietor spun around and shouted at the apprentice, who was still standing there in stunned silence.
“You! Quickly! Bring the pattern templates from the top drawer!”
“That won’t be necessary. I’d like you to make clothes for him today.”
Marianne pointed at Karin.
“For this gentleman?”
The proprietor blinked in surprise.
“That’s right. Make him something splendid. Something he can wear anywhere without embarrassment.”
“Certainly. This way, please.”
Karin and Marianne were led upstairs.
When it came time to take measurements, Karin panicked.
Will this be all right? she thought. I have a woman’s body, after all. If a professional touches me, there’s no way they won’t notice.
As a result, Karin put up an extraordinary amount of resistance.
“No! That won’t be necessary! Truly, there’s no need!”
“I’m afraid that is impossible. We cannot make clothes without taking your measurements.”
“That’s right, Karin. What are you unhappy about?”
The proprietor clapped his hands as if he had suddenly understood.
“Ah, I see! You dislike having your measurements taken, is that it?”
Karin’s heart nearly exploded.
Have I been found out? Does he know I’m a woman?
“Why? Why don’t you want to?”
Marianne asked innocently.
It’s over...
Karin sank into despair. If Marianne discovered that she was actually a girl, she would never forgive her. At best, it would be the dungeon. At worst... the executioner’s block.
Just as she reached for her wand, ready to flee—
“Many noblemen dislike being touched by commoners!”
The proprietor said this with a cheerful smile.
“Huh?”
“Allow me to reveal the secret behind why so many aristocrats favor the House of Bolbadeur!”
With that, he produced a measuring tape. At first glance it looked perfectly ordinary, but when he tapped it, the tape unfurled on its own. The marked ribbon wriggled through the air like a snake.
“This magical measuring tape takes all measurements by itself.”
Karin felt a wave of relief so intense she nearly died.
The clothing would be finished in four days at the earliest. Marianne, after all, had poured all of her taste and enthusiasm into designing Karin’s new wardrobe. The other customers, who had no idea who they were, could only stare at the two of them in bewilderment.
One noble customer muttered quietly,
“Good heavens. Doesn’t that town girl look exactly like Lady Marianne?”
Karin froze.
But another customer immediately replied,
“Now then, don’t say such disrespectful things. Lady Marianne is far more refined. Only the face resembles her.”
Marianne stuck out her tongue at Karin.
Karin could not help but laugh.
By the time they left the shop, evening had already fallen. Marianne slipped her arm through Karin’s. Karin gave a small start, but in the end she allowed it.
At that moment, Marianne said softly, almost to herself.
“Thank you for today. And I’m sorry for always asking so much of you.”
“N-not at all... I had fun as well.”
“It’s all right. I understand. You only indulge me because of your position, don’t you, Karin?”
“Huh?”
When Karin turned to her in surprise, she saw not the spoiled child she was used to, but the face of a princess staring straight ahead.
“You’re my retainer. Of course you have to put up with a princess’s selfishness. The same goes for all those people. They made my clothes out of order because I’m a princess. But I want you to understand something. Just because everyone grants my every whim doesn’t mean I’m happy at all. This is the only time I have. Sooner or later, a prince from some foreign kingdom will arrive, and they’ll tell me, ‘Marianne, this is to be your husband.’”
Karin looked at Marianne in silence.
“Everything I’m doing now is preparation for that day. Lessons so that I can become Marianne, Queen of Tristain. And when that happens, I won’t be able to walk with you like this anymore. Flowers bloom only briefly. Not that I’m beautiful enough to be called a flower.”
Karin shook her head.
“Your Highness is the loveliest lady in the kingdom.”
“Thank you, Karin. Hearing you say that makes me very happy.”
Then Marianne smiled—a full, radiant smile, like a flower in bloom—and Karin felt a painful tightness in her chest.
Her eyes grew unexpectedly warm.
Before she knew it, she had dropped to one knee.
Marianne responded with graceful elegance, extending her hand. Taking it reverently in both of hers, Karin pressed her lips to it.
After escorting Marianne safely back to the palace, Karin remained on duty for a while longer. Once she had handed over her post before dinner, she began the walk home.
On the way back, her thoughts remained fixed on Marianne.
I thought she was just a carefree child who never thought about anything. But she does think. I looked down on her as nothing more than a spoiled princess.
Karin felt ashamed of herself.
For her sake... I have to solve this incident, no matter what. I can’t be her lover, but at the very least, I want to protect the future waiting for her. As a true knight should.
Four days later, Karin went to the tailor to collect the outfit that was completed. The moment she saw it, she gasped. In a word, it was spectacularly tasteless.
The jacket was made of glittering satin yellow. It was covered from top to bottom in feathers and lace, and on the back was a massive manticore embroidered in all its glory. Then there were the trousers. Pure white, which would have been fine, except that dragons danced along both outer seams. For some reason, their eyes were actual gemstones. But the hat was the true masterpiece. A wide brim was one thing, but why did it shimmer in seven colors? What was the purpose of the skull that appeared depending on the angle of the light? And the crystal skull mounted on the crown went far beyond excess and entered the realm of utter incomprehensibility. It even glowed. And as if that weren’t enough, there was a butterfly-shaped mask encrusted with jewels. Only after putting the whole ensemble on did Karin discover that it also had a tail. She had absolutely no idea what she was looking at.
I’m really going to wear this...
Karin had never cared much about clothing. Her tastes were entirely ordinary. For someone like her, this outfit was a form of torture.
But when she remembered Marianne’s smiling face, even this absurd costume began to seem strangely endearing.
The shopkeeper clapped a hand over his mouth the moment he saw her.
“Oof.”
“It is fine.”
“W-we merely made exactly what was ordered!”
“I know.”
Wearing the outrageous outfit, Karin stepped outside. She carried herself with dignity, back straight and chest proud. Passersby stared at her in shock, but she paid them no mind.
Then a group of mounted knights came into view and at that moment Karin’s eyes narrowed.
Approaching from the opposite direction was none other than the Unicorn Corps. Her hand instinctively moved to her wand, but she restrained herself and stepped to the side of the road, intending to let them pass.
Unfortunately, one of the unicorn-mounted knights spotted her at once.
“Well, well! If it isn’t Karin of the Magic Guard!”
At his shout, every rider turned to look.
“It really is him! Good grief, what is that outfit?”
The knights burst into loud laughter. Karin nearly drew her wand.
But Cendrillon’s words flashed through her mind.
Don’t cause trouble.
Biting her lip hard, Karin turned to leave, but then one of the knights flicked his wand and tore off the tail from her costume.
“Look at this! It even has a tail!”
“Perfect for an apprentice!”
Before she knew it, Karin had turned back and drawn her wand in one smooth motion.
“I don’t care if you mock me. But I will not forgive anyone who mocks this outfit.”
To her, insulting these clothes was the same as trampling on Marianne’s heartfelt feelings. That, Karin could not allow.
The smiles vanished from the Unicorn knights’ faces.
“So, you’ve drawn your wand.”
“I have.”
The knights wheeled their mounts to face her. At that point, Cendrillon’s warning had been blown completely from Karin’s mind. All that remained was blazing anger.
That anger stirred the wind. It swirled around her in tightening circles until a miniature cyclone formed, whipping around her body. Signs rattled. Doors slammed. Pedestrians stopped and watched from a safe distance.
“Listen carefully, boy. We are nobles, and so are you. Once wands are drawn, this ends only when one of us is struck through the chest with magic. Understood?”
“Gladly.”
With that, the knight began chanting despite being in the middle of a crowded street. A massive sphere of flame hurtled toward Karin, but before it could strike her, she swept her wand through the air.
A fierce gust erupted and snuffed out the fireball instantly.
“In the middle of the city!”
Karin shouted furiously. Wrapping her wand in Blade, she launched herself straight into the center of her enemies. The Unicorn knights responded in unison, chanting Blade and lunging forward to skewer her. But Karin, driven by righteous fury, danced through the air with flawless control over the wind. She leapt from rooftop to rooftop, evading every attack without allowing a single blow to touch her.
Soon the street was packed with spectators, and the commotion grew even louder.
Members of the Magic Guard who happened to witness the fight sprinted to the tavern where the squad often gathered and informed everyone there that Karin was in danger.
Bacchus and Narcissus were among those present.
“Hurry and back him up! He’ll get himself killed!”
Bacchus roared, and the Magic Guard members immediately rushed out of the tavern.
“Someone go fetch Cendrillon!”
Narcissus shouted, and one man broke away and ran toward Cendrillon’s house.
By the time ten members of the Magic Guard arrived, the battle had become even more chaotic.
Three Unicorn knights were already sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain.
At the center of the crowd’s attention stood Karin. Using her wind magic with extraordinary skill, she bounded from rooftop to rooftop, effortlessly avoiding the spells hurled at her.
The knights of the Unicorn Corps now numbered close to twenty. They unleashed spell after spell at Karin all at once, but with the wind at her side she evaded them effortlessly. From time to time one of the knights would take to the air in an attempt to corner her, but no one in the Unicorn Corps could match Karin in aerial combat. Each challenger was swiftly beaten back and sent crashing to the ground. The knights groaning below were the casualties of those failed attempts.
“Damn it! If that’s how it’s going to be, we’ll all go up and capture him together!”
Just as one of the knights shouted this, Bacchus and the rest of the Magic Guard came flooding into the street.
“Support Karin!”
The sudden arrival of the Magic Guard made the Unicorn Corps hesitate for an instant, but they quickly recovered and answered by casting Blades.
The battle that followed was spectacular and lasted for more than ten minutes. The Unicorn Corps held a slight advantage in numbers, but the efforts of Karin, Bacchus, and Narcissus turned the tide.
At last, the Unicorn Corps gathered up their wounded and fled. The Magic Guard raised a victorious cheer, and the citizens who had been watching rewarded them with applause. Clashes like this between the Unicorn Corps and the Magic Guard were so common that they became a form of entertainment for the townspeople.
In the middle of all the commotion, Cendrillon came running up.
“What is the meaning of this?”
At the fury in his voice, the members of the Magic Guard fell silent as if doused with cold water.
“Hey, Cendrillon! We won! Those bastards were nothing! See? If you just face them head-on—”
“You idiot! I told you not to lay a hand on them!”
Cendrillon shouted, his face contorted with anger and Karin’s expression twisted with shock.
“But... they were the ones who provoked us...”
“And why does that matter? Responding is exactly what they wanted! Do you understand that?”
What’s with him...? We won. He could at least praise me. They insulted the princess’s feelings. Does he even understand that? And the incident in Deauville—those people are obviously behind it. Yet all he can talk about is investigating.
And he still can’t forget his former lover.
You said you were happy she was alive...
“You—you couldn’t solve this case if your life depended on it! Not a coward and a weakling like you!”
The instant the words left her mouth, a sharp crack rang out. Cendrillon had slapped her across the face. His own face was deathly pale. Karin’s eyes widened in disbelief. Then her expression crumpled, and a single tear slid from the corner of her upturned eye. Pressing a hand to her cheek, she turned and ran.
Bacchus, who had witnessed the entire exchange, rounded on Cendrillon.
“Hey, Cendrillon! Why are you yelling at Karin? He took on the Unicorn Corps by himself! If he hadn’t held them off, we’d have lost!”
“What good does it do to decide winners and losers over something like this? No matter how you look at it, we were the ones who took the bait. He was the first to draw her wand. Isn’t that right?”
“Ugh...”
Bacchus turned pale.
“There’s no telling what kind of trap they’re setting for us. And He had to make such a spectacle of it...”
As Cendrillon glared around and muttered under his breath, Narcissus said calmly,
“The one who seems emotional here is you. Though I agree—this was the wrong time to start a fight.”
Cendrillon clenched his fist and addressed everyone present.
“In any case, we’re going to Lady Vivian’s estate. We need to report what happened. And if I had to guess, we’ll be summoned to the palace before the night is over.”
When they reported the matter to Vivian, she listened with an air of complete indifference.
“It will turn out however it turns out,” was her only comment.
Just as Cendrillon had predicted, they had scarcely arrived at Vivian’s estate before an order came from the palace summoning them at once.
Since Karin herself disappeared, Vivian, Bacchus, and Narcissus were the ones who appeared before the king. Philip III was in an exceptionally foul mood.
“So Marianne’s favorite little apprentice was the one who struck first, was he? I can already see Eustache’s smug face before my eyes! I know exactly what that man will say. ‘Your Majesty, this makes it perfectly clear which side are the true ruffians!’”
Vivian, who had heard the whole story, interjected in a conciliatory tone.
“Your Majesty, with all due respect, it was the Unicorn Corps who provoked them first.”
“That may be so. But the timing could not have been worse! At any rate, punishment must be handed down. It was our side that drew a wand first. Eustache punished his men the other day, and if I do not do the same, the scales will not balance. First, every guard who took part in the disturbance will have his pay docked for three months. In consideration of their service in saving Marianne, I believe that is an appropriate measure.”
Narcissus and Bacchus both went pale.
“And as for the apprentice boy who started the entire affair... he will be dismissed from the Magic Guard.”
Everyone present stared in shock.
“Even if he is Marianne’s favorite, I cannot show favoritism. Hm... my daughter will surely resent me for this, but my hands are tied.”
“Your Majesty, I beg you to show mercy!”
Bacchus, ever soft-hearted, cried out.
“No. This pains me as well. I am being forced to cut short the future of a promising young man.”
Philip III then ordered everyone except Cendrillon to leave.
Once they were alone, he asked:
“Well then, have you learned anything about that woman?”
“I confirmed the grave where I buried her. It was empty.”
“And what of her trail afterward?”
“I investigated the troupe of traveling performers she belonged to... but it had long since disbanded. I managed to speak with several former members, but none of them knew anything about Karina.”
“So the woman remains hidden in darkness.”
Cendrillon nodded silently.
Philip III sat in thought for some time before shaking his head.
“Then there is nothing more to be done on that front for the moment. No information has reached me either.”
“I regret that.”
The king leaned forward.
“Now then, putting that aside. I have done some thinking about this matter, and I would like you to hear my conclusions. Come to think of it, I have never had anyone I could truly call a trusted confidant. I cannot bring myself to trust the people at court.”
“As Your Majesty commands.”
Philip III glanced around to make certain they were alone, then lowered his voice.
“If this series of plots is truly Eustache’s doing, what do you believe his aim to be?”
It was a testing gaze. Without changing expression, Cendrillon replied.
“This is merely my personal opinion, but... I believe the object of his desire is the crown Your Majesty wears.”
Philip III nodded.
“Just so. That is my conclusion as well. The man has obtained everything in this kingdom. If there is one thing he still lacks... it is the title of king itself. But then why does he not strike directly at me? If he were to kill me, everything would be his.”
“Duke Eustache is a very intelligent man. If Your Majesty were to die by so obvious a method, it would amount to publicly proclaiming that he was responsible for the assassination. If he were branded a traitor, he would lose everything he has gained.”
Philip III smiled.
“If this were wartime, I would appoint you as my chief strategist.”
“You honor me beyond measure.”
“Even so, I cannot simply banish Eustache. Without that man, this country would scarcely function. A body cannot move without its heart.”
Cendrillon found himself at a loss for words. That was exactly the problem. Even if Eustache was indeed the mastermind behind these events... they could not simply destroy him. That was why he urged Karin and the others to be cautious and to restrain themselves.
“What would you do?” the king asked suddenly.
Caught off guard, Cendrillon scratched his head.
“Well... I believe the best course would be for Your Majesty to govern directly.”
Philip III burst into loud laughter.
“Don’t be absurd. No one understands his own limitations better than the man himself. I am not suited to politics. This affair has made that abundantly clear.”
The king nodded as though he had reached a firm decision.
“I shall bring in a new chancellor... and a new heir apparent.”
Cendrillon’s eyes widened.
“The problem is that there is no one to replace Eustache. That fact alone has made him arrogant. Then the answer is simple: we must create a replacement. This is war, Cendrillon. The moment I began to think of it as war, everything became clear. First, we must strengthen our own position beyond all doubt. Only then will we strike back.”
Cendrillon bowed deeply. Indeed, there seemed to be no other way.
“For now, we endure. There is no telling what methods they may use. Endure until the day comes for us to retaliate, Cendrillon.”
Philip III extended his hand. Cendrillon reverently took it and pressed his lips to it.
As he was about to leave, Cendrillon bowed once more.
“I have one request.”
“What is it? I intend to grant you anything within my power, so speak freely.”
“It concerns Karin, the apprentice of the Magic Guard...”
“No. On that matter, I cannot yield. We must not give our enemies any opening.”
Cendrillon said nothing more and left the room.
When he returned to his quarters, he found Karin in the sitting room, buried beneath a blanket like a small hill. Seeing her like that, Cendrillon let out a deep sigh. He poured himself a drink first and downed it in one gulp.
“Karin.”
No answer.
“I need to talk to you.”
From beneath the blanket came the sound of a sniffle, followed by a small, shaky voice.
“...I have nothing to say to you.”
“Maybe not. But I have something to say to you.”
At that, a cup flew out from under the blanket and struck him squarely on the head. Like a child. Well, she was a child. And now he had to force a painful reality on that child.
Cendrillon held his head in his hands. But he had to say it.
“Listen... don’t be shocked. Absolutely do not be shocked. All right...? Well... um...”
He shook his head awkwardly, struggling to get the words out.
“You... don’t have to go to the palace anymore starting tomorrow.”
“...What do you mean?”
“Well, I mean exactly what it sounds like...”
Karin slowly poked her face out from under the blanket.
Her eyes were red and swollen from crying.
“Say it.”
“...You’ve been dismissed from the Magic Guard.”
“W-Why?”
“Why? Because I told you! I warned you over and over that this was dangerous and that you had to keep your head down! I told you not to make the first move! Eustache had already dismissed one of his own men over the previous incident, remember? His Majesty says he has to do the same or it won’t look fair!”
Karin stared at him, mouth hanging open. For several moments she remained completely motionless.
“...Damn it. There’s nothing I can do about it now. You’ve got nowhere else to go, so stay here for the time being. Maybe another chance will come for me to plead your case before the king...”
But Karin still did not move.
When Cendrillon lightly shook her shoulder, she toppled backward.
“Karin!”
He cried out in alarm. There was no response. Karin had fainted dead away.