#050 Florian
Stillness.
A darkness so complete that even the abyss itself seemed to sleep.
A silent realm where the only sound was the occasional thud of a heartbeat, a depth so profound that even the countless fish refused to venture down.
And then, without warning, a small light flickered to life.
It was a colossal ship… encrusted so heavily with moss and coral that it was clear no one had maintained it for centuries.
Had it sunk in some ancient accident?
Yet strangely, the vessel was moving—drifting slowly through the black water as if it were alive and swimming under its own power.
The light poured from its deck.
"You, beautiful Fayas."
"Where has your flower-like beauty gone?"
"You, beautiful Fayas."
"Where has your nightingale voice disappeared to…"
A voice full of longing.
The haunting timbre that could stir even a soul drifted gently through the water.
That sweet, sorrowful melody weighed the entire abyss down with grief.
But the song did not continue.
It could not.
Suddenly the sand blanketing the seafloor erupted upward, sending the whole ocean into violent turmoil.
"Has another year passed already?"
Gazing at the sand now filling the entire deep, the singing figure wrenched the wheel hard.
The ship spun violently, then shot forward in a single direction at a speed that belonged to an entirely different realm.
Florian is a special city.
Temperature-control magic remains active across the entire territory at all times.
That is why, despite sitting in the sweltering south, it feels cooler here than even the imperial capital of Castelia.
Of course, it had not always been this way.
The story stretches back to the discovery of the new continent across the ocean.
After the empire was founded and the western half of the Maginas continent had been largely pacified, the emperor began searching for new frontiers.
He found no suitable enemy worth waging war against.
The mighty eastern nation of Arhen required careful intelligence gathering first, and the northern Ice Crown Kingdom was far too cold—conquering it would have made governance a nightmare.
So the emperor poured funds into shipbuilding and sent wave after wave of explorers to sea. Thus began the Age of Discovery.
Countless souls set sail. Countless never returned.
Yet challengers continued to come.
With the empire’s full backing, any real success meant instant wealth and glory.
Five years passed with no meaningful discoveries. People began to lose heart.
Just as the fires of ambition were dying, one man returned with a staggering achievement.
"That man was the first patriarch of House Violet."
"Violet? The house that was stripped of its nobility and reduced to commoners?"
"The very same."
My tale must have been captivating; Reina, Bella, and even Tanya were leaning forward, hanging on every word.
They knew the broad strokes of Florian’s story but had never heard the precise history.
That was hardly surprising. The central figure of that era had been the Violet family.
The first patriarch discovered a new continent inhabited by other races and was granted a barony. Yet a fatal curse he contracted during the voyage later saw him demoted all the way back to commoner status.
In an empire built around nobles and royalty, no one bothered to record the history of a mere commoner. The entire chapter was erased from official records.
That’s really something. Whether nobles or the imperial family… But how the hell do you know all that?
‘Luckily, the Violet family’s private archives and the Magic Tower still held copies of the lost records.’
At the time I had been investigating the “Blue Night Sea” phenomenon and, after some persistent pleading, managed to gain access to those buried documents.
"Once trade with the other races opened up and flourished, His Majesty the Emperor—exactly as Your Highness knows—designated this place a special city."
"And the byproduct of that decision is the blue barrier we can see overhead."
"Precisely."
I tilted my head back.
A faint azure membrane stretched across the entire city.
Thanks to it, the blazing sunlight felt surprisingly mild.
"By the way, Your Highness. Have you decided on a topic for your thesis?"
"Ahem. Indeed, I have given it thought."
She wore an expression brimming with confidence.
What on earth had she chosen to look so pleased with herself?
The moment she spoke, my jaw dropped.
"I shall investigate the magic of the elves—"
"Your Highness?"
"What is it?"
"Even though we are in Florian, you do realize how difficult it is to even meet an elf, yes?"
"I am aware."
"And you also know that no authority may be used to coerce them in any way?"
Reina’s eyes widened in genuine shock. She clearly had no idea.
"I-is that true?"
"Yes. It was the very first condition they demanded before agreeing to any exchange. They required a guarantee of free will. Naturally, if they commit a crime they can be detained, but the trial must be held in their own nation."
In short, any form of forceful pressure was completely off the table.
The princess’s face fell.
"T-then perhaps a simple conversation? If I persuade them with words…"
"The average elf lives four to five hundred years. They are not naïve enough to be swayed by pretty speech, and they certainly will not hand over sensitive knowledge like magic."
Reina’s shoulders drooped. Her expression grew so pitiful it was obvious she had held high hopes.
"How about choosing a common creature that lives nearby and studying that instead?"
"…Very well."
And so, in search of a thesis topic, we headed for the sea.
Accompanied by three escort knights—including Tanya—we strolled slowly along the shoreline.
On the white sand, countless nobles had already claimed spots and were enjoying the ocean.
Most of them were young ladies and heirs.
Which was probably why none of them recognized Princess Reina.
They did, however, recognize Bella.
"Hey, look. Isn’t that her? That insane Hardrens bit—"
"Shut up, idiot. Say that too loud and you’re dead."
They were whispering so loudly it made even me and the escort knights uncomfortable.
Bella, however, seemed used to such stares. She simply smiled brightly and kept her eyes fixed on me alone.
"My lady, are you all right?"
"With what?"
"The things they’re saying about you…"
"It’s fine, it’s fine~ In a life you only die once, whether you’re a spectacle or the target of curses, the best thing is to ignore it all and live comfortably for yourself~"
If that was how she felt, I had nothing to add.
But Reina, who had heard every word, clearly could not stand it any longer.
She ordered Tanya to silence them.
The knights around us released a wave of killing intent.
The whispering crowd fell silent in an instant.
"Ah… You really didn’t have to do that~"
"No. Leave weeds like that alone and they only rot deeper."
"Hmm~ But why are you suddenly helping me, Princess Reina?"
Bella let out her signature playful laugh and glued herself to the princess’s side. Reina closed her eyes and answered as though it were nothing special.
"It seems we will be together—whether we like it or not—from now on. I simply could not bear to watch someone connected to me become the subject of such vulgar gossip."
"That’s true. Both Your Highness and I are Kael’s pillar sisters…"
Shit. I hurled myself forward without thinking.
I tumbled disgracefully across the white sand.
Everyone turned to stare at me.
How did it go?
I stopped her mid-sentence. No one seems to have heard.
Whew… I really cannot let my guard down for even a second around Bella.
In that moment I finally understood why Pellermil always looked so exhausted.
"Are you all right, Kael?"
"Are you unhurt?"
"Ah… yes. I just tripped over my own feet. It’s nothing."
Tanya looked at me with pity in her eyes.
Aria, perched on her shoulder, let out a small sigh.
She seemed to understand exactly why I had done it.
"I truly don’t understand why Her Highness cherishes a man like this…"
Hey, I can hear you perfectly, you know?
Still, she had improved compared to before.
The fact that she walked over and offered me her hand proved it.
Reina and Bella watched with envious eyes.
With so many people around, they could not even bow.
Bella tried to do so anyway, but Reina pinched her arm. Bella immediately understood and settled for puffing her lips into a pout instead.
I took Tanya’s hand.
Her palm—hardened by years of swordplay—felt exactly as I expected.
It was impossible to think of it as a woman’s hand.
A girl like her always has an incredible rear. The grip is insane.
How would you even know that?
She’s swung a sword her whole life. The muscles back there have to be monstrous.
He added that in his prime he had taken every female knight he came across.
Good grief. What a thing to brag about.
You going to make your move this time?
Yeah. I’ll test the waters. If it doesn’t work, I’ll at least push things forward a little.
Hell yes! I’m already excited. Anal from the strongest female knight in the empire’s greatest order—
Completely unaware of the filthy conversation happening inside my head, Tanya brushed the sand from my shoulder and collar.
She had not given birth yet, so the gentle aura of a married woman was not yet visible, but her knightly composure was rather charming.
"Thank you, Lady Tanya."
"Think nothing of it. By the way, Kael, there is something I wish to ask."
She suddenly stepped close.
I focused, wondering what she wanted to know, and she said:
"This one always hides when she needs to relieve herself. Are all cats like that?"
"Ah… well. I’m not sure."
Of course she hides—because the “cat” on your shoulder is actually a person.
But Tanya, unaware of that fact, cheerfully declared that even the sight of Aria doing her business would be cute and wondered if there was any way to watch.
Aria, having heard every word, swatted Tanya’s cheek with her paw, then leaped straight into my arms.
Despite Tanya’s repeated apologies, she refused to leave my embrace.
Her pride had clearly been wounded.
"Aria, I’m sorry~"
Meow. She wouldn’t even look at her.