A Flag and a Narrow Escape
After saying those words, I immediately regretted it. “Did we finish it off?” was no different from an ominous resurrection incantation. It was one of those time-honored, thoroughly traditional death flags passed down through every form of media—an almost superstitious jinx. Still, I felt wronged. If I had to defend myself, I always wondered why characters in shows said things like that… until I experienced it myself. I simply didn’t think. Maybe it was inevitable.
While I was busy rationalizing, Ain grabbed my hand and started running.
“……Eek?”
“No time.”
He was right. We sprinted. The building was collapsing around us. Kwa-rururung! A deafening roar shook the air as debris rained down—wood, stone, everything—pouring like a storm. I had seen derelict buildings fall before, but never a perfectly intact one, and certainly never from inside it. The situation felt like a disaster movie. A ridiculous thought, yet my heart raced uncontrollably. With everyone together, even this crisis didn’t feel entirely terrifying.
Suddenly, his arm yanked me aside. I didn’t question it. He must have had a reason. At that exact moment, rubble crashed down where I had been heading. I would have been flattened.
“Thank you.”
Ashtain answered calmly, “It’s only natural.”
I was happy. Happy that his consideration for me was real.
“Aria, I’m carrying you.”
Apparently dissatisfied with my speed, he wrapped an arm around my waist and tucked me against his side like a bundle of luggage.
“A-Ashtain!”
“Bear with the embarrassment for now.”
Embarrassed? Not at all. I was so happy, so overjoyed, I felt like I might faint. Azazel clicked her tongue at the sight.
“Your love is overflowing so much it’s practically flooding. Why don’t you two just die already?”
She sounded genuinely serious. Ahem. More importantly, this was what people called a speedrun. We were taking the shortest route out of the inn. Some exits were blocked by fallen debris, but I didn’t feel desperate. Not with Ashtain and Azazel here.
Kwaaaang! They smashed through half-destroyed, blocked doorways without hesitation. Even excavators would look clumsy next to them. Who could possibly stop their advance?
It felt like an escape-room game on a grand scale. Ashtain shouted,
“I’m going to blow this wall! Don’t worry about the rubble—just run!”
“Hurry up and smash it, Ashtain! I’ll stop a few of the falling pieces!”
Ashtain’s magic blasted through the outer wall. Kwaaaang! The already swaying inn shuddered; the explosion only hastened its collapse. But the hole gave us a runway. We sprinted toward the ruined wall like sprinters. The moment we cleared the building, the entire inn caved in behind us. A second later and we would have been buried. The thought sent a chill down my spine.
We stood outside, gasping for breath. The morning sun was slowly rising. The air was still cold, but our bodies were so hot that we barely felt it.
What sin did the innkeeper commit? His spirit was probably collapsing just like the building. I felt genuine sympathy for the poor small-business owner and wished I could do something to help.
“Aria.”
“I’m fine.”
“Azazel.”
“Yeah, yeah. You think a mage can’t even escape that?”
“Leon, Edelis.”
“We’re safe. Both me and Dame Edelis.”
Once everyone answered, Ashtain’s expression eased.
“Let’s find somewhere to rest first.”
The whole party agreed without hesitation. Exhaustion was plain on every face. Edelis was the only one who had gotten any proper sleep.
Everything after that was hazy. I was simply too tired, physically and mentally. We found a decent inn, rented one large room, and collapsed into sleep. Thanks to Azazel’s alarm magic, we didn’t need to set up the dreaded night watch. That, at least, was a relief.
* * *
“……Hngh, hngh.”
I reached upward. My hand met only empty space. I forced my heavy eyelids open. It must have been a dream. The despair, agony, and pain from moments ago were already fading, like a patient given painkillers. I had the feeling I’d had a nightmare, but the memory was already blurred and distant. Dreams were usually like that.
Blinking against the sting in my eyes, I took in the inn room. The only ones asleep in the bed were Edelis, Azazel, and me. I felt guilty for taking the bed when everyone had worked equally hard. …Or had they? I hadn’t really done anything, had I? If we were being fair, I should have been the one sleeping on the floor.
I decided to stop the pointless self-deprecation. Ashtain hated it, and so did Azazel. They both said confidence mattered. Squeezing juice from withered, dried-up confidence was hard work. You twisted and pressed, and whatever little came out would evaporate quickly anyway. Still, as long as they were here, I could try again. As many times as needed.
……Where are Ashtain and Leon?
The two of them had each claimed a sofa and were sleeping deeply. Maybe I was the only one who had woken because of a nightmare. It felt strange to be the only one awake.
“Haaah.”
I stretched and rubbed my neck. I was still drowsy, but the thought of another nightmare made me give up on going back to sleep. Experience had taught me that once a nightmare started, more would follow.
I got out of bed and walked over to Ashtain’s sofa. This is my chance. I crouched in front of it and studied his sleeping face. He looked handsome even in sleep, completely unguarded. It felt like achieving a long-standing item on my wish list. Holding my breath, I poked his cheek with my index finger—the same thing he often did to me. The reversal sent a thrilling spark through me. Ashtain didn’t stir; he was sleeping that deeply.
“Haa.”
My own breathing was already unsteady. Ashtain. My love. My everything. Just putting it into words made my heart lurch. His face—more precisely, his lips—caught my eye. Why was I suddenly remembering the unfinished intimacy from last night? Heat rose through my body again. I was so wanton. I shouldn’t be like this. I squeezed his hand tightly, wanting to pour every bit of my affection into him, to make him feel what I felt. Ashtain. My Ashtain.
“How affectionate.”
The voice was soft. I froze, breath caught, body trembling like a child caught misbehaving. Slowly, I turned my head. A blond prince with striking blue eyes was watching me with keen interest—the same expression my mother used to wear while watching morning dramas.
“E-E-Eh, since when did you… see…?”
“No need to be embarrassed. It’s only natural to react when you see an attractive member of the opposite sex, whether man or woman.”
A purely biological explanation. Something about women being emotional creatures by nature. Maybe because I was now a woman myself, his words felt especially irritating.
“………If you were awake, you could have said something.”
“I didn’t want to interrupt. Your secret meeting with Sir Ashtain—well, in this case, your one-sided secret meeting.”
Birds of a feather, as they say. Ashtain’s shamelessness must have rubbed off on this prince. Spending time with someone like him had clearly turned Ashtain into a thick-skinned rogue.
“Are you teasing me?”
“My apologies. Seeing requited love just makes me feel spiteful.”
“You have a terrible personality.”
“That’s exactly why I get along with Sir Ashtain.”
Leon’s words sounded like mockery, and anger flared.
“Don’t belittle Ashtain.”
Leon started to reply, then shook his head at my stubborn expression.
“You’re completely bewitched by that fox.”
How could Ashtain be a fox? I was about to deny it when his next words stopped me cold.
“Just like me.”
“Pardon?”
“Ashtain the Hero is an odd, rude man. But he’s a good person. Someone you can trust.”
“……Could you please clarify whether you’re complimenting him or insulting him?”
“How can anyone be defined in simple black and white?”
“I call people who try to walk that ambiguous line ‘bats.’”
Leon smiled faintly.
“In reality, I am a doppelganger. Far worse than a bat.”
He was turning this into self-deprecation? The unexpected reply left me speechless.
“Hm, no need to look so guilty.”
I changed the subject.
“………By the way, what did you talk about with that demon?”
Leon sat up on the sofa and answered in an offhand tone.
“She asked if I wanted to become the real one.”
Offering “reality” to a doppelganger? That revealed the demon’s cruel nature. Truly vile. Still…
“It must have been a tempting offer.”
“It was.”
I brushed my cheek and said, “You refused, of course.”
Leon blinked, then let out a hollow laugh.
“………Quite the confident statement.”
“If you hadn’t, you wouldn’t be here with us.”
“Oh? The Saintess is quite perceptive.”
“……I never called myself a Saintess.”
“You may not have, but that demon did. She mentioned the Holy Sword, the Hero, and the Saintess. And if you’re at the Hero’s side, you can’t be an ordinary nun. It’s only reasonable to assume you’re the Saintess.”
“Your memory and reasoning are impressive.”
“It’s nothing more than court intrigue. If I couldn’t manage this much, I’d have been eliminated long ago.”
The world of royal power struggles sounded terrifying. Just thinking about it gave me a headache.
“You’re not going to ask why?”
“If I asked, would you tell me?”
Leon nodded and continued.
“Refusing the demon’s offer was simple. It would have gone against her words.”
“Against her words?”
“Dame Edelis told me not to give up. That includes the ‘me’ who is a doppelganger. That’s why I turned down her alluring proposal.”
Was that really how it worked? It sounded more like interpretation than fact.
“……So what will you do now?”
“I was planning to tell everyone once they woke up.”
Repeating something multiple times when it could be said once was pointless. I nodded, then noticed Leon’s expression harden.
“Why are you……”
My words trailed off. Leon had risen from the sofa and rushed to the bed, pulling the woman who had just sat up into his arms.
“Thank goodness, Dame Edelis.”
The woman stared at Leon with dazed eyes. Edelis Bride had woken. She slowly reached up and stroked his back.
“Is this a dream?”
“Don’t say something so foolish. This is reality. If it were a dream, I wouldn’t forgive it.”
The composure Leon had been feigning was gone. His voice was now filled with nothing but raw, pure, soaring love. Edelis smiled gently.
“Your Highness’s embrace is warm.”
My chest tightened. Was this how Leon had felt watching me earlier? I felt like I might cry.
“Aria.”
“Eek?”
I nearly screamed at the sudden call, but Ashtain’s hand covered my mouth. His thick palm allowed not even a breeze to pass. When had he woken up?
“I’m going to bring Azazel from the bed. Let’s leave the room.”
He wanted to give the two of them privacy. I thought it was a considerate gesture. As expected, he was kind and thoughtful.
“As for you freely poking my cheek, I’ll get my revenge later.”
……Cancel that. He was not kind and thoughtful.