“Next!”
A knight in full steel armor called out as wooden wheels rolled across the now-muddy ground. The line at the main gates of Atrila was shorter than usual, but still long regardless. A single-file line of over fifty merchants stretched behind the gate, all equipped with their own transportation.
Typically, the smell of sweaty men, the unwashed fur of horses, and spoiled foods would span the entire line, making many of those not used to such strong scents extremely sick.
For that purpose, Atrila built a rest area for merchants’ families, filled with small stations for quick showers and toilet breaks. It was an expensive addition, with a well built next to the stone building.
But the improvement was noticed nearly immediately by those inside and outside the city. With a single order, Atrila and other vendor-heavy neighboring cities were cleansed of the ill-inducing stench and instead promoted general cleanliness.
Word quickly spread, inviting and encouraging people to deal in Atrila even more.
But with rain drizzling from the skies during the last few mornings, there was little need for anyone to stop by the station. The rotten and disgusting stench had been replaced by the smell of damp rain.
Many of the merchants wore simple brown tunics. It was a sight for sore eyes. Their unplanned uniformity carried a certain message for everyone, an advertisement to those who sought wares that they were indeed merchants.
But among the serpent-like coil of light brown, a single girl stood out from the crowd. She stood beneath someone else’s carriage, as she did not have her own to use as cover against the rain.
“Next!”
She waved goodbye to the merchant who had been holding a conversation with her since the morning as she stepped forward with nothing but a brown leather bag wrapped around her shoulder.
Through the grills of his metal helmet, the knight was met with a beauty that did not belong in the crowd of crusty old men.
Her silver hair shone brightly as bits of rainfall dripped from the strands, adding a layer of sparkle that otherwise would not have existed. The vibrant, bright blue eyes she carried reminded the knight of his vacation at the beach.
Polished silver hoops ran through her earlobes, three small ones lodged in her left ear. Reaching into her bag, she took out a piece of paper, indicating her approval of passage. But what the knight’s eyes focused on was not the permission slip, but her painted black nails.
Dark eyeliner masked her natural beauty. Though not applying anything to her lips, they were captivating enough in their naked state to command attention. The clothes she wore added another layer of uniqueness to an otherwise dull day dealing with crusty, dirty old men.
To combat the winter gale, she wore a short black jacket, just enough to cover her sleeves and half of her upper body. The anti-cold outerwear heavily contrasted the decently short skirt that she unintentionally flaunted.
Underneath her jacket, she wore a white button-up shirt, no doubt wearing another layer beneath that as well. Around her neck hung a loose tie, often worn by business officials who traveled from a distant nation.
Yes, her fashion sense was an extremely common one in the Floating Islands of Keptas, but with very few tourists visiting from that nation, the knight had never truly interacted with someone from Keptas. He had only heard stories and rumors about their outlandish and drastically different lifestyle. But he hadn’t expected it to be to this extent.
Putting the knight and the girl side by side, one could say they belonged in two completely different worlds, and it would be extremely believable.
But the final nail in the coffin to confirm her origins was the way in which she spoke.
“Yahoo~”
Carrying a carefree tone, she energetically presented the small paper card in front of the knight. His eyes scanned her information, curious as to who the person could possibly be. If he hadn’t already been married, he would no doubt ask her out for a nice dinner.
“Kanami. Twenty-”
Before he could continue, Kanami stepped closer, her face invading the knight’s private space with a soft grin. The sudden advance caught the knight off guard as Kanami lightly tapped the end of the paper.
On the bottom-left edge was a small but legitimate red seal, indicating her importance to the Kingdom.
For the minimum-wage knight, he might as well have hit the lottery with his unusually strange experience. Not only had he met the beauty of a lifetime, who happened to be from Keptas, but she also carried a seal of great international importance.
Too stunned to speak, the knight stepped aside. Casually strolling past him, Kanami swiped her card from his grip while whistling a tune to pass the time, and partly to distract the knight from asking for even more credentials.
She knew her appearance and forward personality were something to be used and abused, as not many others would usually have the opportunities she had. Her head remained forward, though a band of onlookers stared intently at the foreigner from Keptas.
Her steps were measured and precise, yet still playful and innocent, knowing exactly which path to take. If she didn’t present herself so uniquely, one might mistake her for a native of the city. She walked past the food district despite her strong urges to stop for a meal.
The narrow alleys of the city were no match for her either, as she strategically took the fastest and safest route to her destination. While she made her rounds, her eyes scanned the condition of the city.
Though there were still destroyed buildings that had yet to be repaired, the population had grown accustomed to the cumbersome debris and moved forward with their own lives. Taking another turn, she poked her head out into a vast open area, where a single stone church inhabited the space.
The building itself was heavily damaged, having housed as many civilians as possible during the attack in Atrila. Even so, it was the large hole on the right side of the building that shocked her, one that had been created by Saya when she fought against the mud hand.
While the giant doors had been locked for repairs, Kanami poked her head around the building, seeing if there was anyone who could possibly bother her. In contrast to the town square and even the food district, this part of the city was much quieter, with the voices of people reduced to nothing more than a muffled hum.
She knew it wasn’t true, but it almost felt like a forgotten part of the city. There were no buildings surrounding the church, nor were there many people lingering nearby, most preferring to stay in the high-density areas instead.
Shrugging, Kanami lightly pushed the doors. The metal locks and hinges that stood in defense of the church immediately vanished, turning into golden particles of light before dissolving into the open air, and then nothingness.
The door groaned open, its metal hinges shrieking in protest as flakes of rust crumbled away and scattered onto the stone floor below.
Immediately, a still, chilly sensation seeped through her clothes and into her skin as she was met with the somber interior of the church. The air inside felt stale and untouched, as if the building itself had been holding its breath since the day of the attack.
She took a moment to absorb the view, the dark church illuminated by only a few thin rays of sunshine barely slipping through the tall windows. Dust drifted lazily through the pale beams of light, hanging in the air like faint mist.
Making her way toward the elevated platform, Kanami noticed a dried puddle on the ground. Even in the dim light, it was easy to tell the stain was blood. Water or oil would not last that long on solid stone, and most would have evaporated already. The dark patch clung stubbornly to the floor, its edges cracked and flaking where time had begun to wear it away.
Kneeling, she hovered her right hand over the puddle, closing her eyes and saying a short prayer. “rest in peace, pastor.”
After a brief moment of silence, she stood up and made her way back to the platform. With a single leap, she landed on top of the wooden stage, her eyes scanning the planks beneath her feet. Her gaze darted back and forth, as if searching for something completely invisible. Then her breath hitched as she stepped forward and leaned down.
She ran her palm along the wood before catching hold of a small, nearly unnoticeable ring. Slipping her finger through it, Kanami pulled as hard as she could, the metal plate revealing itself as a hidden trapdoor. Having remained unopened for many years, dust burst from beneath it, finally freed from its long confinement.
Kanami leaned back to keep the debris from settling on her clothes. When the dust finally settled, she looked down at the opening again, only to reveal an empty container. It resembled a small chest meant to hold jewelry, its metal frame rusted and the surrounding wood beginning to decompose.
Yet she knew the contents it once held were incapable of simply vanishing. She sighed and closed the trapdoor again. Disappointed in herself, Kanami made her way toward the exit, having fulfilled what she came to Atrila to check.
Now, only one other goal remained.
Her walk was much slower now, carrying none of the enthusiasm she had shown mere moments ago. With her head hung low, her mind churned with thoughts and theories about where the artifact she was searching for could have gone.
The presence of people and their voices faded into the background, her legs moving on their own toward the next destination. Her eyes barely followed the path ahead, only glancing up enough to avoid accidentally bumping into someone.
Unbeknownst to her, many of the native Atrilans watched in awe as the foreign girl smoothly moved past their shops. Some tried to call out to her, while others stepped in front of her in hopes of making a sale.
Keptas, being a relatively rich nation, often gave many people the idea that anyone from there was either filthy rich or some kind of important figure. Of course, this wasn’t entirely true, but with most people having never left Fridan, it was a shot worth taking in hopes of improving their business.
Plus, if they managed to conclude a sale with someone from Keptas, they would have the information as bragging rights against their competitors. Truly, it was a war of wits and quality. Perhaps if this had been anyone else, it might have worked in their favor.
But their target was Kanami, who had absolutely zero interest in materialistic things, much less those from a rather “slower-developing” nation like Keptas.
After what seemed like forever, Kanami halted in front of the pride and joy of Atrila, the royal castle. There was no line of vendors, retainers, or soldiers during this period, as it was prime lunchtime for most people in the city.
Even the gate guards were casually eating sandwiches and other takeout foods from nearby stalls. Striking a stoic expression, she presented herself as the “cool beauty” type while walking toward the gates.
With a nonchalant wave, she made it past the guards without any suspicion. Internally, Kanami couldn’t help but praise herself for such a performance. But her poor memory had forgotten the faces of the knights who greeted her, people she had met various times before during her previous visits.
In the throne room, Viera and Hana looked over leftover documents as they both munched on cuisine the royal kitchen had prepared for them. Although the chef had begged the two to stop by the dining room so he could serve them a meal fit for royalty, both workaholics refused, preferring to eat while working instead.
The Queen wore her usual purple and blue dress, while Hana had forgone her battle uniform in favor of a much more casual look, wearing the white coat that had been gifted to her by her father alongside a white beanie and white boots.
Like walking into a friend’s house, Kanami opened and walked through the side door rather than the large main ones. She didn’t care much for the spectacle that would come with bursting through such a grand entrance, and even imagining it filled her with unfathomable embarrassment.
Despite presenting herself as the confident type, she was far more self-conscious about how others perceived her.
Viera was the first to notice, raising her head slightly to catch a glimpse of silver hair swaying side to side with every step. Immediately, she grinned from ear to ear, setting the paper she had been holding aside as she called out her visitor’s name.
“Kanami!”
Hana immediately twisted her body in shock, her jaw wide open, the piece of food she had been holding pausing halfway to her mouth as her eyes locked onto the familiar silver-haired figure.
“Yahoo~” there it was, Kanami’s signature greeting, alongside her rapid wave.
Stepping down from her throne, Viera walked over to meet Hana and Kanami, the three of them naturally forming a small circle. The moment they gathered, the questions began flying. The two natives of Atrila eagerly bombarded Kanami with curiosity, while the silver maiden fired questions right back at them with equal enthusiasm.
“Your jacket looks so nice. Where’d you get that?” Hana asked, brushing her fingers across the smooth fabric of Kanami’s sleeve.
“I got this from ‘Loboda.’ They had a big sale not too long ago, so I decided to treat myself,” Kanami replied with a cheerful grin. “Wanna try it?”
Without hesitation, Hana nodded. “Yeah, let me try it.”
Kanami slipped off her jacket and handed it over, while Hana took off her own white coat and passed it to her in return. The two quickly swapped, each trying on the other’s clothing. Kanami tugged Hana’s coat snug around herself, rubbing the sleeve between her fingers.
“Ah, this feels so good, like always,” she said with a happy grin. “Keeps me all fuzzy and warm, kinda like a way better bathrobe.”
Hana laughed while adjusting Kanami’s jacket around her shoulders, testing the fit.
After a moment, Hana passed the jacket along to Viera, prompting the queen to try it on as well. Viera slipped her arms into the sleeves and examined the material with mild curiosity.
“This does feel much nicer than most,” she admitted, smoothing the fabric along her arm. “Perhaps I’ll purchase some the next time I visit Keptas.”
Once the little exchange ended, the clothes made their way back to their rightful owners.
Kanami slipped her jacket back on and gave the sleeves a quick shake, smoothing them along her arms. Hana did the same with her coat, tugging the collar up slightly as if savoring the familiar warmth returning to her shoulders.
“You weren’t kidding,” Hana said with a small grin. “That thing’s actually pretty nice.”
Kanami puffed up a little at the compliment, tapping the side of her jacket with pride. “Told ya.”
“It seems like the leatherworkers in Keptas keep getting better and better,” Viera mused lightly, “if everything there starts feeling like this, I might end up buying far more than I’d like.”
Waving her hand side to side in denial, Kanami stated, “No, no, you should ask Roy to give them to you. Being the president, I have no doubts he’ll spend a few bucks to please the great Queen of Fridan.”
Viera laughed back. “Roy? Giving gifts? Please, that cheapskate would rather die than buy something for someone.”
Hana immediately deflated, remembering her low payroll and barren room. “You’re one to talk.”
Before the Queen could fight back with a snappy remark, the door at the back of the throne room burst open, sending a loud crack across the relatively large, empty space. The sound bounced off the marble floor and high ceilings, cutting cleanly through the lingering chatter.
Immediately, Kanami knew who the culprit was. There was only one person obnoxious enough to make a grand entrance every chance he got.
“WASSSUPPPP!!!”
“OH! IT’S KANAMI! HEYOOO!”
The papers KL had been carrying were tossed into the air, fluttering like oversized confetti before drifting to the floor. He sprinted over to Kanami, his footsteps echoing against the polished stone of the throne room, and threw himself into a large hug.
His sheer body weight nearly collapsed the young maiden, forcing her to take a step forward in resistance. After she secured her balance, Kanami returned the embrace.
“Hey, Kos! Been missin’ ya! How’s it goin’?”
“I’ve been great! The attack on the city was kinda lame, but other than that, I’m good.”
Pushing KL back, she turned to the others, asking, “How ’bout you guys?”
Slightly rubbing her forearms, Viera chuckled lightly, “I’m fine now. I had to get rid of a lot of ice in my body for a few days though.”
Kanami recoiled at the thought of even having to go through that. “Ouch. But you still haven’t really gotten better, huh? Guess it’s all that Frostland stuff that’s keepin’ you like this.”
Viera nodded.
“What brings you here, Kanami?” Hana asked.
“Ah, had some business with the Church. Paid my respects to the dead pastor, and thought I’d swing by to see you guys, and Albo.”
Instantly, everyone’s ears perked up. Expecting a member of the church to check on their territory was not unusual, but Albo was kept carefully hidden under wraps in Atrila.
Concern raced within the three minds, as they couldn’t help but question whether the Petals of Eudoxia were spying on them internally, enough to leak even the most secretive information.
Noticing their reactions, Kanami raised both her hands to ease their tension. “I ran into Saya on the way, and thought I’d try helpin’ her cure her friend.”
Loud sighs of relief deflated from their chests. Hana, being the first to recover from the sudden impact of information, turned to Kanami with a surprised expression, bunching her lips together and widening her eyes slightly.
“What a coincidence that you’ve met Saya. Small world.”
Kanami continued, “Guess it’s an even smaller world. I’ve known her since we were little.”
Suddenly, everyone bore the same expression Hana had on her face. None of them screamed, but they were close.
The air between them tightened instantly, the quiet hall amplifying the faint sounds that followed. Clothes rustled as Hana’s shoulders stiffened, the fur lining of her coat brushing softly against her neck.
Viera’s posture straightened almost imperceptibly, while KL retained the same careless attitude, his right hand resting lightly on his hip. For a moment, none of them moved an inch. Even their breathing, which had felt synchronized moments ago, fell out of rhythm.
It was as if the room itself paused to process the statement.
“Well in that case,” Viera finally shattered the awkward silence, “I suppose I can have my maid show you where Albo’s being treated. Also, how long are you planning on staying?”
“Oh yeah, about that… think you could let me crash in a room for a few days? Got some more business in the city, so I’ll probably need a place for at least three days.”
Viera nodded, a smile forming on her face. It radiated a motherly warmth that none of the others possessed, piercing through Kanami’s heart and making her feel even more at ease than before.
“Of course, we can make that happen.”
She glanced over her shoulder at the maid standing silently by the door. The worker gave a slight bow, then twisted the metallic doorknob, the soft click echoing faintly before she gestured for Kanami to follow.
“I’ll catch you guys later then. I’ll probably swing by a few times today after I take care of Albo’s treatment,” Kanami said, stepping forward toward the door.
“Take care, I’ll talk to you in a bit. We have to get back to work too, so this works out fine,” Hana replied.
KL, meanwhile, raised his hand as high as he could reach, shouting, “See ya!”
As Kanami passed through the doorway and entered the royal hallway, the world behind her closed with a soft thud. The hall seemed to fall silent, the only sound the muted thump of the maid’s footsteps against the pristine red carpet.
Kanami’s eyes darted across the walls, the tall windows, and the chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling. Nothing about the castle seemed changed since her last visit nearly a year ago, aside from a few carefully placed ornaments that gleamed faintly in the morning light.
Having grown accustomed to the impulse purchasing and cluttered decorations of Keptas’ churches, to witness a room that seemed frozen in time was a breath of fresh air for Kanami. Lost in thought and awe, she failed to notice the maid in front of her had stopped, bumping lightly into her.
“Oh, my bad.”
“No worries, ma’am.” The maid folded into a careful bow before stepping aside, revealing yet another wooden door. Kanami’s hand hesitated on the knob. Suddenly, her breath hitched, her heartbeat spiking.
It felt as if iron weights had filled her stomach, her body refusing to obey her commands. A loud, audible gulp escaped her, prompting the maid to lean sideways in concern. “Ma’am?”
Determined not to let her nerves take hold, Kanami finally pushed the door open. It slid smoothly across the polished floor, revealing the luxurious bedroom where a certain blonde boy had been kept alive. The moment her eyes settled on him, she froze.
Her body refused to take another step as a flood of emotions threatened to overwhelm her. Her chest felt tight, as if her heart had been flipped upside down and was ready to burst forth at any moment.
In front of her lay Albo, sleeping peacefully. The windows by his side were open, letting a gentle breeze sway his hair ever so slightly. The curtains fluttered in the draft, allowing sunlight to brush across him before being subdued by the heavy drapes meant to temper it.
His breathing was steady, calm in contrast to her racing pulse. Even knowing he was in a coma, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the slightest sound might rouse him. Tiptoeing forward, Kanami extended her hand, inching closer with careful, measured movements, every second stretching longer than the last.
But before her chilly hands could touch the warm surface of his skin, a high-pitched voice called out to her from behind, with a tone of irritation marinated along her words, “If you value your life, I suggest you stop immediately.”
She looked over her shoulder and was met with an unfamiliar presence. Leaning against the wall was a girl with striking red-blond hair, wearing a lavish dress that practically begged for attention. The shimmer in the jewelry she carried all across her body served as a distraction, as Kanami’s eyes scanned from foot to face.
Veronica watched intently with her arms crossed, her Birthmark already flaring a deep purple. Her threats were not for show, and Kanami knew that. There was a sense of understanding between the two women.
Although Veronica tried to carry an upstanding form of elegance, her muted irritation was all Kanami needed to know to back off, even slightly. She had to choose her words carefully, or else their battle might end up hurting the defenseless boy.
“I’m not here to hurt him, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“Then what are you here for?” Veronica snapped back.
The answer clearly did not satisfy the princess, but it was one step to success, as no magical attacks had gone off right after. If she maintained the momentum, then surely the girl in front of her would eventually come to trust her.
Besides, it wasn’t like she was lying anyways.
“I’m here to help him, to use my magic to ease his pain, even if it’s just a little.”
Tilting her head upward ever so slightly, Veronica replied, suspicion still wrapped around every word, “He seems pretty at peace to me.”
“He really seem like that to you?”
Even though the question seemed a bit sarcastic and passive-aggressive in nature, it came from Kanami’s genuine observation. Despite being under a deep slumber, and his physical appearance seeming like he was at peace, nobody other than Kanami knew how troubled he truly was on the inside.
If she wanted to help, she would have to employ her expertise to aid her childhood friend, or perhaps to serve her own selfish desires.
A void of silence grew between Kanami and Veronica, neither speaking to the other for a solid half-minute. Kanami simply stared at Albo, while Veronica did the same to Kanami, all the while gearing up her magical energy in the background.
The imperial princess had no intention of letting a stranger break a promise she had made to Saya. Even if the person before her was approved by everyone else in the world, she would not allow such a transgression to slide easily.
But even she would be lying if she claimed that the strange woman, who had barged so suddenly into the room, had ill intentions. As much as she looked down on others, Veronica had a keen sense for character, often told she could detect malice from an entire ocean apart.
She had no reason to doubt herself now, and yet, for some reason, she refused to waver.
Clearly, they both read each other like open books, but neither wished to step aside for the other. While no magical abilities were being cast, an invisible battle of determination and loyalty unfolded in their minds.
Ironically, both their loyalties came from a desire to keep the promise to the exact same blue-haired mage.
Ticking ever so slowly, the clock and their breaths were the only sounds audible inside the room, the wind occasionally interrupting that constant. At this point, not even a maid or the Queen would be able to break through the tension.
It relied solely on one of the women to shatter the barrier, but the first one to do so would mean absolute defeat against the other’s pressure. There wasn’t a single drop of sweat, not a single hitch of breath, just silence.
After running through over a thousand responses, Kanami finally said, “I’m doin’ this for Saya.”
Unfortunately, it still wasn’t the correct answer Veronica had been looking for. She knew it wasn’t a complete lie from the way Kanami spoke, but it wasn’t the complete truth either. Her face said that she detested Kanami’s very presence, but still tugged along with her game.
“For her, or for you?”
It was like peering through an extremely clear glass window, and having been exposed, Kanami had no choice but to reply with honesty.
“Both.”
“He means a lot to me… more than Saya does. Honestly, even more than he means to her.”
Her words were bold and dangerous. By now, she expected at least one magic cast to be flung her way, but that danger never came. Glancing slightly at Veronica, she saw her emotionless, stale expression looking back at her. At this point, the princess had become completely unreadable, even to Kanami.
To Veronica, however, Kanami’s statements were bolder than asking a royal for the rights to the throne. During the three years she had known Albo and Saya, she had witnessed their love bloom, eventually being ripped out during the events of the academy.
The love that Saya carried within her was so strong it lit a new sense of determination within the girl, even gaining the respect of the person who hated her most. So to claim Kanami had a closer relationship than Saya was a statement so absurd she couldn’t even laugh it off or be irritated by it, hence her current expression.
But again, she sensed no lies.
Deep down, it reminded Veronica of her own past, a past that she refused to let surface. Clicking her tongue, she reached out to the cabinet next to her, gripping the novel lying on top of its surface.
She then walked over to the edge of the room, making herself comfortable while flipping the pages to where she had last left off.
There were no more exchanges in words, but the two had come to a mutual understanding. While Kanami’s statements seemed absurd, they seemed genuine to the heart. Whether or not this was simply a delusion from Kanami, Veronica did not know. But if she claimed to be there to help and was willing to put her life on the line to do so, then she was not someone who was her enemy quite yet.
However, she was still not willing to leave the two of them alone, hence the role she decided to take in supervising Kanami.
Kneeling on the floor, Kanami reached out from the edge of the bed to Albo’s face. She brushed her fingers through his golden hair, feeling the soft strands slip between her fingertips.
Each movement was careful and deliberate, as if she could untangle the weight of all his suffering through touch alone. Her palm lingered lightly against his temple, tracing the gentle curve of his cheek, grounding herself in the small, human connection.
Her heart grew heavier with each stroke, her nose flaring with discomfort. Soon, her eyes were filled with tears, as they dripped like slow rain onto the clean blanket covering most of his physical body.
With a single sniffle, she whispered, “Wow… you really are a boy this time.”
“Missed you.”
“Sorry for leavin’ you behind.”
“Even if I gotta reach you in your dreams, I’ll make sure to save you this time. No matter what.”