Chapter 28
The procession arrived safely in Contium.
The city of Contium was the seat of a countship that had not seceded from the Empire.
The Count of Contium often described himself as a fool who was talented at business but hopelessly dull when it came to politics,
and perhaps the Empire had decided that, even if it granted Contium certain privileges, it was better to keep it under the imperial wing than allow a separate independent domain to arise at such an important strategic point,
so the Imperial Family and Contium had maintained a close partnership for quite some time.
To strengthen their mutual interests, Blanc planned to remain in Contium for quite a while, and during that time, the others were given leave in rotation.
Fulcare had, naturally, arranged for his leave to coincide with Vieta’s, and Vieta went to find Fulcare on the very first day of her leave.
“How do I look? Does it suit me?”
“You look fine as you are, too. Drawing stripes on a pumpkin doesn’t turn it into a watermelon.”
“Captain, you’re saying I’m a pumpkin? How could you say something so hurtful….”
Fulcare gruffly replied as he awkwardly smoothed down his black wig.
Fulcare, who always went around with blond hair, had disguised himself solely at Vieta’s insistence. Vieta thought that simply hiding his blond hair would let Fulcare move around Contium much more freely.
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. It suits you.”
Vieta burst into bright laughter and fixed Fulcare’s hair for him.
Once they had finished getting ready to go out, the two busily toured downtown Contium under Vieta’s direction.
They visited Nineberries, a dessert shop famous for its distinctive flavor created by mixing various kinds of berries; a shopping street lined with rows of three-story buildings along the main avenue; a street of stalls displaying brightly colored wares; and various general stores and weapon shops.
Wherever they went in Contium, Vieta’s eyes sparkled with excitement. And no wonder—she had never traveled before. Circumstances had forced her to spend all her time in the capital or at gambling houses near the capital.
Their tour, which had begun in the morning, finally ended after four in the afternoon. Before returning to their lodgings, they made one final stop at the stream downtown, one of Contium’s foremost attractions.
A stream ran across the city of Contium.
The languid sunlight of four in the afternoon shone upon its surface, making it glitter like glass beads.
Lush grass and small, lovely flowers formed little clusters along the edges of the stream, and whenever they swayed in the breeze, they casually cast their reflections onto the water.
Amid the gentle murmur of the flowing water, the sound of fish occasionally leaping powerfully into the air mingled with it.
“Nice….”
Vieta sat on the riverbank, stretched, and basked in the cool breeze. Fulcare plopped down beside her and gazed at the stream.
The two of them drank in the leisurely mood the stream conveyed amid the bustling city.
“By the way, how can you eat this much and still usually not eat at all?”
Vieta took a French fry from the bag Fulcare was holding.
The thinly sliced fries dusted with salty cheese powder were the last snack Vieta had chosen.
“Because I can live without eating?”
Vieta wore a horrified expression. She knew that Fulcare ate sparingly. She also knew that he subsisted mostly on vegetables and ate no meat.
Even so, the idea that he could live without eating was utterly incomprehensible—and unacceptable—to her.
“What on earth do you get out of life?”
“…The fun of teasing you, Captain?”
Vieta held up a tightly clenched fist.
“You need to eat well and live well even when I’m not around. You’ll really get sick otherwise. I mean it.”
“Why wouldn’t you be around, Captain? If you ran away, the others would chase you to the ends of the earth.”
“Oh, whatever.”
Vieta put on a stern expression, but the corners of her mouth twitched.
As Fulcare watched her profile taking in the orange sunlight and breeze, he was reminded of the Vieta from long ago.
From the moment they first met, Vieta had constantly said that she wanted to go back.
“This place is too cruel.”
As she said that, Vieta had trembled all over.
The ordinary person she had once been had grown more and more haggard, saying that everything had changed the moment she arrived in this world.
And no wonder—she had always been forced to live with death at her doorstep, kill magical beasts like a machine, and make cruel decisions at times.
When Vieta had completely broken down, she had even laid down her sword, saying she would not fight the Demon King and begging them simply to send her back.
Everyone around her had tried to soothe her with promises of sweet rewards, but it had been useless.
“I’m suffering so much right now. Can I really hold on just by looking toward the future? I might not even be alive by then.”
She had spent several days living like a complete wreck, and Fulcare, unable to leave her alone, had stayed right beside her and comforted her around the clock.
After defeating the Demon King through such hardship, Vieta had nearly lost her mind when the goddess disappeared this time.
She had started drinking despite never having done so before, gambled like mad, and so on.
He could laugh about it now, but Vieta had definitely been out of her mind back then. Fulcare had even crossed swords with her several times to stop her from continually ruining herself.
Splash—the sound of a fish lashing its tail brought Fulcare out of his reverie.
“This time, I’m really going back. So treat me well while I’m here.”
As she spoke, Vieta pointed at the dagger strapped to her waist, then picked up a potato chip and popped it into Fulcare’s mouth.
“I think you’re already treating me well enough.”
“That’s true. I really would have had a hard time without you.”
Vieta grinned and turned her head toward the stream.
With the Three Gems as well, perhaps she really would be able to go back this time.
Fulcare could not imagine what it would be like for Vieta not to be there.
‘If Captain really leaves….’
Then what will happen to me?
The potato chip in Fulcare’s mouth tasted bitter.
***
After finishing his meeting with the count, which had continued since morning, Blanc went looking for Vieta.
It would soon be six in the evening, and once that time came, Vieta would have no choice but to return to the lodgings, so he had to see her before then.
He hurried to the quarters of the maids and attendants, but other people were there to greet him.
“That maid is away at the moment.”
As she said this, one of the maids gave Blanc a coquettish smile.
“I see.”
Though she was clearly a beautiful young lady from a prestigious family, Blanc felt nothing at all.
“If you have the time, would you care to join us for a cup of tea?”
“No. I’ll be going now.”
Leaving the slyly smiling maid behind, Blanc headed to Fulcare’s lodgings, just in case.
Vieta and Fulcare were almost always together. Perhaps she was at Fulcare’s lodgings.
For some reason, the closer he got to Fulcare’s lodgings, the more uncomfortable he felt.
“The chief is away at the moment.”
Just as he had expected, Fulcare and Vieta were together. Since he did not know where they were, he could not go looking for them, and Blanc eventually returned to his own lodgings.
“I was going to go with them….”
Vieta loved food, so she had surely gone to find Contium’s famous specialty, Nineberries.
And Fulcare would be beside her.
As he imagined the scene, his heart twisted anew.
Only then did Blanc realize what the unease he had felt while looking for Fulcare’s lodgings had been.
Childishly, he was jealous of Vieta and Fulcare—the two of them together.
Yet realizing his feelings did not change anything.
Having even turned down dinner, Blanc remained sunk deep in the sofa until the sky outside the window had grown dark.
There were also so many things Blanc wanted to say to Fulcare.
Seeing Vieta being attacked and being unable to do anything at the time had made him feel like a complete fool.
He bitterly regretted not training his magic all this time, using his injuries as an excuse.
That was why he wanted to ask Fulcare for help.
He wanted to tell him that, when he was young, he had been falsely accused and his mother had attacked him,
and that, ever since, his mana had run wild whenever he tried to use magic, so he had forcibly sealed off its flow and had no idea what he should do from then on.
And yet he harbored such an ugly feeling toward the very person he needed to ask for help.
“…This is the worst.”
Blanc rubbed a hand over his face.
Like the pitch-black night sky, Blanc’s heart had darkened as well.
“Your Highness.”
After he had remained sunk in darkness for a long while, a servant’s voice came from outside.
“Let no one in.”
He did not want to show anyone the ugly sight of himself, unable even to control his emotions.
“Hm? Are you feeling ill?”
But a woman’s sudden voice startled Blanc to his feet.
Hanging outside the window was Vieta.
Then who was outside the door?
“Your Highness, it’s the chief.”
Blanc hurried to the door and opened it himself.
Fulcare, neatly dressed as always, was waiting for him.
“C-come in.”
Blanc hurriedly dragged over a table and set out a chair as well.
“I never expected to receive such treatment from Your Highness.”
Fulcare seemed a little flustered by his actions.
“You’ve had a long day today.”
By contrast, Vieta sat down as naturally as if she belonged there and placed a box labeled Nineberries on the table.
“After working hard, you need to eat something delicious.”
While Vieta set out the dishes and cutlery she had brought with her, Fulcare also took tarts out of the box one by one and arranged them.
“This is the tastiest one.”
“They really are quite delicious. I’m sure they’ll suit Your Highness’s palate.”
What kind of feelings had he been harboring only moments ago?
Seeing Vieta and Fulcare taking such thoughtful care of him, Blanc’s chest tightened.
“No wine today?”
“Vieta, you drink?”
“What are you talking about? I can handle one glass.”
As he watched them treat each other so familiarly, Blanc suddenly found himself wishing he could be like them.
Jealousy, embarrassment, and envy tangled together, and before he knew it, Blanc blurted out a single sentence.
“How about we drop the formalities?”
Vieta and Fulcare looked at Blanc in surprise.