An Encounter I Wish to Avoid
In the center of the continent stood a tree taller than any mountain. The World Tree, worshipped by the fairies as a god. And floating around that World Tree was a colossal structure. The Imperial Capital Imperinax. It was the largest flying fortress on the continent and the aerial city that served as the empire’s capital.
“Your Highness. The capital is now in sight.”
At the knight’s report, Grand Duke Lua Tanalif gave a small nod. Beyond the window, she could see the flying fortresses gathering around the capital. The sight of massive structures, each the size of a castle, floating in the sky was truly spectacular.
“It seems many of the other lords chose to arrive via flying fortress.”
“They must be the lords whose lands are safer from the threat of Vile Wyverns than ours.”
In territories like the Tanalif Grand Duchy, which bordered the lands of the Wyverns, it was impossible to bring out the flying fortress—one of the duchy’s most vital assets.
“Your Highness. We will be docking at the port shortly.”
“Mm. I suppose I should prepare to disembark. Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
Dimaria put on her helmet. Since she was already wearing her armor, her entire body was now encased in steel.
“Hehe. You look quite gallant, Knight.”
“……Ahem. Thank you.”
Her voice echoed dully from inside the helmet. In case Lua’s curse caused any sudden incidents, Dimaria had to remain by her side at all times. However, as a mage exiled from the academic world, she could not openly walk around the capital.
A short while later, the Grand Duke’s airship docked at the port, and Lua stepped down onto the ground of Imperinax.
“Oh! Your Highness, Grand Duke Lua Tanalif! You have arrived!”
“Your Highness, Grand Duke Lua Tanalif! You are as beautiful as ever!”
Nobles from all directions began approaching her in greeting. They were all lords who had only just disembarked. Lua, who had no interest in socializing, offered them perfunctory smiles and moved quickly enough that they could not follow.
The emperor had ordered the lords to gather tomorrow. Today, she planned to rest at the mansion she owned in the capital.
Two relatives she wanted to avoid meeting as much as possible came to mind.
“First, the person I must avoid most is Brigitte. She would be an awkward presence for our knight as well, wouldn’t she?”
“……Indeed.”
Brigitte was the principal of Ella Magic Academy. She was also the one who had expelled Dimaria from the academic world for violating taboos. Although the principal of the magic academy was not a lord, she received treatment equivalent to a count within the empire and had the right to attend gatherings of the lords.
“But she rarely responded even when the previous emperor summoned her. She probably sent a representative this time as well—”
“I have been waiting for you, Your Highness, Grand Duke Lua Tanalif.”
“…….”
Lua turned a slightly sour gaze toward the woman calling her. It was Elizabeth, a professor at Ella Magic Academy. She was the very representative of Brigitte that Lua had just mentioned. The woman offered a polite bow to the Grand Duke.
“It has been a while, Professor Elizabeth. What brings you to wait for me?”
“The principal wishes to see Your Highness. I have come to escort you.”
“…….”
Lua and Dimaria exchanged a quick glance.
“The principal… came to the capital?”
“Yes. As you know, she will not leave the flying fortress.”
“This may be rude to someone who came all this way, but I need time to recover from my journey…”
“I will overlook the fact that Dimaria is here.”
“…….”
“She told me to convey that. She knew you would bring Dimaria with you, Your Highness.”
“Haa… What kind of whim is this now?”
Lua let out a tired sigh, and Elizabeth smiled quietly.
“I know it must be uncomfortable for you to meet her, but I hope you will see her at least once. She has mustered quite a bit of courage as well.”
“It seems I have no choice. Lead the way.”
The flying fortress of Ella Magic Academy housed only women. Because Principal Brigitte harbored a severe hatred of men, she only accepted female servants and students. The reason she had come all the way to the capital yet refused to step outside the fortress was that she did not want men entering her field of vision.
Most of Lua’s knights were men, so they all agreed to wait outside the flying fortress.
“Please enter.”
At Elizabeth’s words, the massive door before Lua began to open. Inside was a cylindrical room. The entire tower was one vast space without floors, its walls lined with countless books.
“Welcome, Lua.”
A woman seated on a plush chaise longue greeted her. Lua looked at her with an indifferent expression. She wore clothing that revealed almost no skin, yet the thin fabric clung tightly to her body, shamelessly displaying her mature figure. Her enormous breasts and hips, contrasted by an impossibly narrow waist, were the kind that would make any man unable to look away. With a pipe in her mouth, she idly wiggled her bare feet, toes perfectly aligned.
“……It has been a long time, Principal Brigitte.”
“Isn’t that title a bit too stiff? You may call me Aunt like you used to.”
A hint of sadness appeared in the woman’s narrowed eyes, where the pupils were barely visible. Her hair, braided in a single plait, was the same pink as Sia’s. Sia’s pink hair had been inherited from their mother, and Brigitte was her younger sister.
“I am the Grand Duke, Principal. I would appreciate it if you would treat me with the appropriate courtesy.”
She was not truly asking for formality; she was drawing a line. A woman who did not even show proper respect to the emperor was unlikely to change her attitude before a mere Grand Duke.
“Yes, we have grown quite distant in public matters. However……”
Soft slaps sounded as bare feet touched the floor. Brigitte lifted her large hips from the chaise and approached Lua. She spread her arms, hesitated for a moment, then pulled Lua into an embrace. Brigitte was quite tall, so Lua’s face became buried in the balloon-like swell of her breasts. A sweet, intoxicating scent gently stroked Lua’s nose.
“……Still, you are my sister’s daughter.”
“Ugh……”
Lua made a discomforted sound and pushed Brigitte away. Brigitte blinked, studying Lua’s face. Though still expressionless, her cheeks were faintly flushed. Brigitte decided it was not an entirely negative reaction.
“Why are you doing this all of a sudden…?”
“Because I want to reconcile with my niece, even now. I’m sorry. I couldn’t find a suitable opportunity to meet, so I called you here.”
“Are you saying… you will forgive Dimaria?”
The decision to employ Dimaria had been the biggest reason the rift formed between Ella Magic Academy and the Tanalif Grand Duchy. The previous Grand Duke and his wife had been desperate to save their daughter and had taken in Dimaria, who had been a fugitive. However, Brigitte, as principal, could not tolerate accepting a mage who had broken taboos—especially not when that mage had been taught by her own sister.
She had officially protested multiple times, demanding that Dimaria be sent to the academy’s detention facility. Yet both the previous Grand Duke and his wife, the Grand Duchess, had simply ignored her.
“Dimaria’s sin cannot be forgiven.”
The principal’s voice was firm.
“Dimaria committed a terrible crime. The very technique used to save you is a taboo born from that sin.”
“Even so, I will continue to accept Dimaria. I already owe her my life.”
“Yes. I am trying to acknowledge my own mistake, even at this late hour. I only stood on my position as principal and ignored how desperately my sister fought to save her child. I simply demanded that woman be driven out without offering any alternative.”
“…….”
Brigitte placed a hand over her chest with a sorrowful expression.
“As principal, it was the only judgment I could make. But as family… I have regretted it all this time. Though I have no right to say so. In the end, I couldn’t even say a single word of greeting before my sister passed away.”
“……Is that all you wished to say?”
“Huh…?”
“Do you wish to receive forgiveness from your sister’s daughter for the wrongs you committed against her? So that your heart might feel a little lighter?”
At Lua’s ice-cold expression, Brigitte became flustered. The iron-blooded and cold-blooded Grand Duke did not seem shaken in the slightest by Brigitte’s sincere confession.
“Now that I have heard everything, I will take my leave.”
“W-wait. You misunderstand. I simply wanted to speak honestly with my sister’s daughter—”
“Huu……”
The Grand Duke sighed and turned her crimson gaze upon Brigitte.
“I have understood your words clearly. ……Aunt.”
“Lua……”
Just the change in address told Brigitte that there had been at least some progress.
“However, I would appreciate it if you could give me a little more time. You are the principal of Ella Magic Academy before you are my aunt. And I am the Grand Duke of Tanalif before I am your niece. This is not a relationship that can be settled in a single meeting.”
“……I see. Then, before you leave the capital, please visit me once more.”
Lua nodded and immediately turned away. Brigitte waved her hand with a wistful look, but Lua did not glance back even once as she left the flying fortress.
“Your Highness. You have returned? If it is not too rude, may I ask what words were exchanged…”
“……I will tell you later. Let us go for now.”
Lua did not slow her pace, walking steadily onward. Though the aerial city of Imperinax had many sights to see, none of them caught her eye. The moment she arrived at her private mansion, she went straight to her room and locked the door.
“Huu……”
Like someone utterly exhausted, Lua leaned against the door and slowly slid down. She recalled the earlier conversation in her mind.
Reconciliation with her aunt? Of course that was good. Lua held no ill will toward Brigitte and understood that she had simply done what she believed was right. Resuming exchanges with Ella Magic Academy? That was even better. With the threat of Vile Wyverns looming over the Tanalif Grand Duchy, there was nothing more reassuring than the support of mages.
Even so, Lua had no choice but to flee from that place.
That goddess-like, bountiful figure. The strange, seductive body scent that had tickled her nose. The soft, warm sensation of fat pressing against her skin.
Fucking bitch! What a goddamn sow of a whore!
Suddenly clinging to me like some slut in heat!
Those tits and that fat ass are as huge as watermelons, damn it!
I almost lost my mind wanting to fuck her senseless!
Of course, it was nowhere near as bad as the lewd, masochistic, heat-driven bitch she had left behind in the duchy, but the urge had still been difficult to suppress. Lua’s massive cock, breaking through its concealment magic, swelled up as if it might burst at any moment.