--The princess's office, the royal castle.

　The room was silent.

　At the far end of the castle. At the end of a corridor that was originally not very popular, it was the most secluded place.
　The room was poorly lit and always had a hint of gloom.

　It's just... But not this quietness today.

　In fact, the room was so cold that it would have been more lively if it had been unoccupied.

　There were no maids running around the room noisily as usual.
　There was no young man sitting on the sofa, making a cup of poorly made tea.

　The master of the room sits deep in his desk chair.

　His hands are folded in front of his face, his eyes are fixed on the door, and his thoughts are racing.

"I see, I see.

　Her cool, heavy voice echoed in the room, where even the drops from the rain gutters had been kept quiet.

　The corners of her mouth lifted unconsciously.
　Her eyes narrowed further, and she simply stared at the sky in the empty room.

It seems that there are people who are doing what they want in my royal city.

　I'm not going to spend a lot of time trying to identify this lackey.
　I'll find them immediately and dispose of them before too many people notice.

　She had a crumpled scroll in her hand, as if she had squeezed it.

　It contained the news that Lord Loosegood's house had been blown up.

　It was the name of the man who had been trying to send the jewel to Huta.









　--Inside the Royal Castle. Corona's private quarters.

No, I don't know where ...... Mirabelle is.
Well... Do you have any idea where she is?　I went to the lute this morning and she was gone.
Where's your dad?
My dad didn't see her either.

　Hmm," says Futa, crossing his arms.
　I wish Corona or Lilac were here to give me a little wisdom at a time like this.
　On the other hand, he had just gotten a decent night's sleep and he was busy, so he was afraid to ask for help.

　I had to think for myself. Every once in a while, I turn my head, hoping to find something constructive to say without their help.

　Oddly enough, that may be the benefit of Corona's injury.

I don't know, it's not like the room Mirabelle was sleeping in was ransacked, right?
Yeah. The guards must have been keeping a close eye on it, and they're running around looking for it.
It would be negligent not to look for them in this situation. ......

　I'm sure Bill and Ben are in a panic right now, and I feel a little sorry for them.

I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one. ...... Oh, and the lute?
Is it the store?
No, not the one Mirabelle had.
Oh, ...... well, that one's gone too.
Is it possible, by any chance, that ...... they could have left on their own?
"There's no reason for the kidnappers to take the lute with them. I see.

　This is a great way to get the most out of your time and money.
　Apparently, she was thinking the same thing.

　Considering the possibility that Mochisuke was just an idiot, it's a rather pitiful story.

King's Landing is a big place, and it's not safe at all. There are many places that would be dangerous if Mirabelle were to accidentally step into them. --Izuna
I know. It's not like I'm busy. I'll just have to earn my keep. Fortunately.

　And with a pop, he puts his hand on his blank head.

Some people come in handy.
"......!

　Mochisuke was proud to show off to Futa.
　He seems to be developing a strange rivalry with Futa.

　I can't help but smile.

"Well, yeah, I guess that's good. ......

　In fact, if the two of them were to search together, it wouldn't be too difficult.

"Hmm?

　It was almost at the same time that the three of them noticed a strange presence.
　It wasn't that someone was attacking us, or that we found ourselves surrounded, or that we were being looked at hostilely, or anything like that.

　It was that there was a buzz outside. Specifically, in the hallway and beyond.
　The sound of running around, accompanied by the voices of men shouting this and that.

　Raising one eyebrow quizzically, Izuna quickly opened the door and exchanged a word or two with the attendant who had been waiting.
　Then she came back and told them.

I've heard that a nobleman's house has been bombed.
That's not so easy to say, is it?
They said they're sending out a lot of guards to raise the alert.
Guards: ......?

　Guards. Lilac is the actual head of it.


　It seems that the king is holding the reins of power, but the real power is already in her hands. --Anyway...

　If the guards are moving, it means Lilac has given her permission.

　A nobleman's house has been blown up. The credibility of that information is growing fast in Futa's mind.

What's going on?
No, the guards are on the move, which means that Bill and Ben might be sent there too. There might be fewer people looking for Mirabelle.
Really?

　On the one hand, we're looking for a girl whose identity we don't know and whose case is still unclear.
　On the other hand, there was a clear attack on the residence of a nobleman.

　It's obvious which one we should prioritize.

Well, if we're going to be outnumbered, there's only one thing we can do.
Master, what is it?
Work hard.
"I see.

　With a smirk, Izuna turned his back on Futa.
　This time he was going to leave the room.

"Be careful, Izuna. I've never heard of a house being blown up.
"Don't worry Futa. We just got blown up yesterday.

　Futa nodded lightly with a reliable smile, as if he had been right in front of the wall that was blown up.

　Futa doesn't want to leave Corona in this state and move on.
　Izuna will be the one who will be chasing this stinky situation.

　Even though there were places that he could not reach by himself, Futa realized that he was grateful to have someone who could help him.

　He was worried about Mirabelle, but the nobleman's house had been blown up.

　Futa wondered if Richter would be okay, and narrowed his eyes a little.




　--It's been a while since Izuna left.

　The air in the room was relaxed and quiet.
　I feel uneasy. But for the time being, there was no sudden change.
　The girl is sleeping peacefully, her breathing is steady, and her chest does not seem to be rising and falling.
　Her peaceful expression shows that she is sleeping well.

　If you gently put your hand on her cheek, you can see that she still has a fever.
　I'm not sure what to make of that.

　The first thing you should do is to look at your eyes.
　I asked the attendant to change the trough earlier, so we should be getting cold well water again soon.

I'll just have to deal with the sweating as the fever goes down.

　If I don't wipe it off periodically, my condition will only get worse.
　But I was conflicted.
　How many people were aware of her skin?
　Futa knows there are many old wounds under these clothes.

　She wouldn't welcome being seen by Futa either - but she also didn't feel comfortable asking someone she didn't know.

　As she pondered what to do, she gently stroked his soft cheek.
　If you rub it lightly with your fingertips as if you were caring for it, the cheek will push back against your fingers with elasticity.
　Their little playfulness is similar to that of two people playing together under normal circumstances.

　I hope you feel better soon. In a word, it's a simple feeling.

　But then I had a thought.

　--If it's a lifespan to begin with, is it something that can be solved by just removing the presence of magic?　And.

　Futa has no knowledge of magic.
　I don't know the details.
　But Motisuke did say that he sensed a hint of magic.
　If it is a magic that eats away at your life span, isn't it something that comes from within Corona? If it can be eliminated so easily, so much the better.

　Perhaps Mochisuke has more power than he imagined.
　Convinced of this, Futa suddenly looked towards the door.

　A hint of human presence.
　While answering a light knock on the door, Futa noticed something.

　This knock was different from the previous attendant. It was different from Lilac's unassuming one.
　There was only one person in the room.

　Futa smiled softly as the door opened.

Oh, so it's Rilla.
I knew you'd recognize me from the knocking.

　The girl, smiling softly, gently placed the bucket she was carrying at Futa's feet and took a breath.

I would like to have a word with you, Mr. Futa.
"Hmm?　What's going on?

　He fumbled with the chignon on his head. I wondered if he hadn't tied it well.
　The first thing you need to do is to look at your eyes.

　I'm not sure what to make of it.

I'm not sure what to make of that.
I'm not sure what to make of it.
That's part of it. So she's sorry that she can't come to visit Corona.
Oh, no. That's not an option. I'll take Lilac's place. Tell her not to worry.


"I understand ....... Thank you very much.

　She smiled, as if troubled.
　So," she continued, "this is where the story comes in.

I just want to make one thing clear. Please answer honestly.
"Oh, yeah.

　Her uncompromising gaze was that of a princess. I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's worth it.

I'm not sure what to make of this.
"Oh, yeah. I'm not sure what to do.
Okay.
...... Is there something wrong with that?
No. ...... Come on, we'll have to ask the princess.
"Oh, I see.

　Futa smiled blithely.
　Strangely enough, I thought that it was not surprising that Lila had gained a lot of trust from Lilac.
　Maybe he was asking what the question was about.
　Just... She's a cautious lilac. I'm convinced that she wouldn't go that far.

"Yes, Lilac. I have a question for you.
What is it?
Are you on good terms with ...... Corona?
What? ......?

　She rolls her eyes, "What's so sudden?
　You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. There's no sign of her waking up.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was just wondering if...
It's not that we don't get along .......

　A little tinted cheeks and a hesitant look around his mouth.

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing.

　I'm not sure what to make of it, but I think it's a good idea.

It's one of the few times I've been able to find a friend who isn't a ...... friend,.......
Do you really feel that conflicted?
What are you trying to say?
Unlike Lilac-sama, you're not so shy when it comes to this.
"Pop ......?

　I'm not sure what to say, but I'm going to say it.

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　I'm not sure if you've heard of this, but I'm sure you've heard of it.

You can wipe her sweat or something.　I'm sure you're not comfortable with me doing it or any of the other attendants doing it. ......
I'm sure you're not comfortable with me doing it or any other maidservant doing it. ............ Oh, that's what you mean?

　Half eyes. Half-eyed. Flushed.
　It's not that I don't know why people are giving me that look, but if you're a friend, you should be proud of yourself, Futa said with a wry smile.
　This Lila is also a maid that Lilac trusts.
　She would never lie to him.

I'll wait outside for a bit. I'll wait outside for a while.
Yes, sir. I'm calling you at an odd time.
Why don't you just call me when you're done?

　He smiled mischievously, as if to return the favor, and dropped his shoulders as if he was tired.
　I'm not sure if you'll be able to find the right one for you.



"...... Well...


　I'm not sure what to do.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

"Whoever you are.

　She already understood.
　Whoever it was, she already knew that someone was responsible for Corona's condition.

"How dare you choose me to dance with?

　All she could think of was the only happy place she had left.

　It's not that your hopes or goals have been thwarted.
　It's just that the precious now has been violated.

　She only lifted the corners of her mouth in strong emotion that she wouldn't have had any other day.

I'm not sure what to say.

　It's a great way to make sure you're getting the most out of your money.