One Wish, Chirp Chirp
Sisilia crouched down, feeding grain to a sparrow. The knight order's headquarters was completely empty. The lavish drinking party from last night was to blame. They'd stuffed themselves with all the expensive booze on hand to disguise the thefts, and everyone had been wiped out.
Sisilia had served them. Not just because she was underage and couldn't drink yet—it was a personal hobby.
'I wonder if the captain's up by now.' Chiron had joined in too, for reference. He never touched alcohol on workdays, but he must've hated wasting such fine liquor. Feeling a bit guilty, she'd whipped up breakfast before heading out. Well, granola with milk poured over it.
"Eat up."
"Chirp!"
Sisilia gently stroked the sparrow's tiny head. The bird ignored her, pecking away at the grain. For it not to fly off... this was the power of the Sword Princess. Even sparrows recognized her cuteness...!
Flutter!
But once its belly was full, the sparrow spread its wings and soared into the sky.
"Repay the favor with one platinum coin, please."
As if in response, the sparrow circled overhead and dropped a white glob.
Splat.
A thick splat of bird poop. Sisilia, who nearly got hit, stared blankly at the departing bird.
'...Repaying kindness with shit?' She really shouldn't trust these harmful little birds.
"Wind She—"
"Ah, Lady Sisilia."
"..."
Sisilia turned around. Beatrice, just arriving for work, stood there with a bright smile.
"Good morning."
"Yeah. Morning."
"Is it just us showing up today?"
"Hangovers."
"...Is that really okay?"
"It's fine. I've got it covered."
Sisilia proudly placed a hand on her hip. Beatrice gave an awkward smile.
"You're right."
"You okay, Betty?"
"Yeah... I don't like alcohol much, so I skipped it."
"Got it. Then help me out. Gotta write reports."
"Sure!"
As they headed upstairs, Sisilia thought, 'Pretty Sword Princess buys the booze, handles the next day's shift. Their favorability must've shot up, right?'I'm a total angel! She marveled endlessly at her own protagonist aura. Another fine morning.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"You've done well, Lude."
In the queen's garden, a small child knelt on one knee, head bowed.
"If it's what Your Majesty desires, this is only natural."
"Your confidence is a delight to see. That's why I could never hate the Windsor Knights."
Queen Lydia beamed, patting Lude's head. He kept a straight face to maintain dignity, but inside, he was thrilled. The queen's touch was second only to Sisilia's.
"Still, it's worrying. Sir Erterion."
The Sword Saint Erterion, standing silently behind, nodded.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Could you stand against the new Demon King?"
A knight must always show confidence to his lord. But Erterion, Liannen Kingdom's strongest knight, was a realist.
"Impossible."
"You gave a different answer last time."
"The previous Demon King was within my power to handle."
"And now?"
To Lydia's calm question, Erterion replied without hesitation.
"My apologies, but the sword strike detected near Demon King Castle exceeded human limits."
"Only a Sword God could oppose it, then."
"I didn't witness it myself, so I can't be certain—but it matches what I sensed and the testimonies."
"So the odds are low."
Erterion offered no further explanation. He couldn't voice that a Demon King beyond human power meant the end.
"The good news is the current Demon King's moderate nature. With such overwhelming might, internal strife over power is unlikely."
Lydia smiled faintly.
"The problem is Lude's research: the Sacred Flame has only a year left."
Magus Lude and court mage Viaton. Mages focused on theory, magi on measurement—opposites. But together, their synergy was immense. The world's top mage and magus duo had poured everything into studying the flame crisis. Today brought results: a near-prophetic prediction with low error margin and high realization probability.
Liannen's 500-year Sacred Flame would extinguish. Despair.
"It's time to prepare. Viaton agrees."
Lude finally raised his head, voicing his opinion.
"The moment to use Your Majesty's Authority has come."
"Ahh, I really hate doing that."
Lydia sighed like a child, slumping.
"Sir Erterion, you too?"
"...No other choice."
"Can't stop the Demon King? What if the whole Windsor Knight Order charges?"
"With Captain Chiron, victory odds rise—but..."
Erterion's eyes darkened. Lude gave a bitter smile.
"Mutual destruction is most likely. If it brings humanity peace..."
Lude continued Erterion's words with near-certainty.
"The Windsor Knights would gladly offer their hearts."
"But resistance would vanish completely afterward."
"Humanity falls. Even killing the Demon King, without the Windsor Knights, we can't face his army."
Liannen was humanity's last bastion. Those born on this goddess-blessed land, especially the Windsor Knights' supreme talents, barely balanced the human-demon gap. Their loss would tip fate inexorably to demons.
"Sigh, what are those empire geezers doing?"
"Pitiful lot. Same species, yet they hinder us... worse than demons."
The empire offered slim hope, but they'd long prioritized human wars over demons. Now, they eyed Liannen greedily. If Windsor self-destructed against the Demon King, Liannen would fall to empire forces, not demons.
"Can't lose the Windsor Knights, then. I must act."
Lydia strolled the garden like a dancer, spinning gracefully before flashing a V-sign with a grin.
"What would you do without me?"
"..."
"Your Majesty, mind your dignity. It's your kingdom, not someone else's."
"Sir Erterion's frank words always sting..."
"Frank advice, not criticism!"
Lydia chuckled softly.
"Worry not. Long ago, I decided on the one wish to offer the goddess."
She gazed skyward.
"Still, it worries me. My choices were always right, but they won't be forever."
She hadn't foreseen current variables when planning the wish. But they weren't flame anomalies or waning goddess power.
'Sisilia Windsor.'
Queen Lydia's wildcard was one Sword Princess.
"I believed the goddess's blessings shine brightest united among many. Diverse Auras blend into greater splendor."
But unity was hard. Merging individuals into one was alien to humans. So Lydia always prepared answers yet felt unease. Was there no other way? No firm hope beyond shaky human compassion?
Lately, an outline emerged from long deliberations.
"Yet sharing weakens all."
"Perhaps the goddess's epic needs a protagonist. Then I'm the moon illuminating her."
The issue: said protagonist wanted no spotlight. Annoying how she kept dodging the moonlight.
'Still, if I toss it her way, she'll catch it, right?'
Lydia smiled serenely at the puzzled pair.
"In short, it's my burden."
"I'll hoard the worries. Enjoy your permitted year's revelry."
Queen Lydia added casually,
"Oh, relay to Sisilia too."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"A message from Her Majesty the Queen."
Have fun for the next year!
Sisilia touched her lips, eyeing the messy handwriting. Did this really need a royal decree?
"...She wants a reply."
Erterion flushed with embarrassment. Sisilia eyed him coolly, thinking, The queen's always like this. Probably means nothing.
"I'll play hard."
"...Thanks for not arguing. You just upheld a guardian knight's honor."
"Ah, sure..."
'If she tells me to be guardian knight, I'm defecting.' Sisilia waved him off, settling her future simply. His back looked tragic.
"Wow... a direct royal decree from Her Majesty. You're amazing."
With Erterion gone, Beatrice gushed.
"Heh."
Sisilia puffed up proudly.
"I'm just drowning in useless invites..."
"Invites?"
Her smugness shattered instantly.
"Yeah. Big ball coming up. Dad wants me there for wheat aid..."
Beatrice looked glum. But Sisilia fidgeted.
'I wanna go...!'
Perfect Sisilia had one flaw: no debutante yet!
'Now's the chance. No time after official opening...!'
Post-launch, no ball time. Perfect newbie lore: 'Oh, Sword Princess Sisilia's debut? Epic. Everyone at the ball was stunned!'
'Gotta seize it!'
Problem: A Sword Princess begging 'Lemme go to the ball!' was too try-hard. Needed "reluctant invite from acquaintance" title.
Beatrice was perfect.
"Why not go? Truce means free time."
"Still... Sorry Dad, but declining. I'm a royal knight; attending could spark rumors, rude to all."
"!"
Sisilia grabbed Beatrice's shoulders as she moved to toss the invite.
"...It's fine. Our knights don't care. Saw yesterday—all alcoholics."
"I know, but I can't do wrong just because others..."
Beatrice trembled. Sisilia's eyes were dead.
"What?"
"I'll attend."
Quick-witted Beatrice saved her neck. Grateful to clock out alive.
Meanwhile, pleased Sisilia lounged on the Windsor HQ ceiling, moon-gazing. All set. Just waiting now.
She was happier than ever.
'Still, just in case.'
"Moon. Won't shatter you, so send newbies. Lots."
Sisilia clasped hands in prayer. Hoping her plea reached 22nd-century Earth.