Land of His Own
Natalie clutched a slab of half-raw meat and tore into it like a wild beast, shoving it down her throat without mercy or hesitation, as if the meat itself were Kiera.
Her fury was so raw that tears threatened to spill again, but this time she gritted her teeth and held them back.
That bitch.
That absolute bitch.
I listened to every damn word you ever said.
Her mind was crammed to bursting with thoughts like these.
Natalie had been something like Kiera's field commander. Whenever Kiera gave an order, it was Natalie's job to carry its meaning to the rest of the party.
The kind words, Kiera delivered herself. The ugly ones—the unpleasant things, the distasteful instructions—those she dumped on Natalie.
It was the same in battle. There were times Kiera fought half-heartedly: when her period had her cramping, when a client had rubbed her the wrong way, when her mind was already off wandering through some evening banquet ahead. Even as her allies died around her, she swung her sword carelessly, thinking only of her own mood.
And every time, Natalie understood. She swung her greatsword twice as hard as usual to make up for it.
If Kiera said do this, Natalie did it. If she said do that, Natalie did that. Not a single word of complaint. She truly, genuinely obeyed.
And in the end, what she got back was betrayal.
"It's not fair! It's not fair!"
She spent half the night grinding her teeth, unable to sleep.
When dawn broke, she hauled herself up, dusted off her backside, and set out toward her next destination.
The loss that came with being cast aside made her want to throw in the towel right then and there—drink herself stupid and take two years off from everything. But it was still too early to stop.
There was still hope left.
Maru.
Yeah. Maru.
"Maru will take me in. He's a warm-hearted man. And he's the first man who ever slapped my face, too."
When his hand had connected with her cheek, she had felt it with her whole body—this man was strong. Power like that was exactly right.
She would go to him and propose they form a party. Go slay the Demon King together, the two of them.
"I'll make it big before that damn Kiera does!"
Carrying that swollen hope in her chest, Natalie stepped onto the territory of the Basilite Kingdom.
The morning was spent in council with the ministers. The royal court was in an uproar day after day, searching for the Crown Prince rumored to be somewhere within the kingdom.
"Unless he can fly, Your Majesty, he must have left traces somewhere."
"Why does he travel so quietly instead of revealing himself?"
"The situation is urgent, yet I cannot fathom why Your Highness remains so relaxed about it. Treasurer, go and speak some sense into him."
"Thorough inspections will begin in every city of the kingdom starting today, so I trust we shall meet him before long."
"I say, Sir Maru! What are you brooding on over there, sitting in silence all this while? Come, if you have a good idea, let's hear it."
Maru considered carefully for a moment before speaking.
"It seems His Highness simply wishes to travel in peace. I say we leave him be. When the time comes, he'll show himself on his own."
"Oh dear, oh dear. Young people these days know nothing but romance—they have no grasp of how serious the matter is. What if an accident should befall him here in our kingdom? Who would shoulder the blame for that?"
When the council ended, Maru washed his face with cold water and headed for his office.
"Oh dear, oh dear. Young people these days know nothing but romance..."
He muttered the words from the meeting over and over as he walked the corridor.
"...Who would shoulder the blame for that?"
"Maru!"
Audrite's voice rang out suddenly. He turned to find her standing there with a face split wide in a smile, sparks practically showering from her eyes.
"Where are you headed?"
"My office. And you, Princess?"
"I was on my way to the docks, but then I saw you, so I came running."
She darted into his arms without warning, rubbing her cheek against his chest and letting out a contented little sigh.
"Mmm, I like this..."
"P-Princess. Not here, please."
"Have you forgotten? You promised to call me Audrite."
"People will see, Audrite."
"No one's passing by. Just a little longer like this."
Maru liked holding her too, so he said nothing more. He wrapped his arms gently around her and stroked her back.
"Come to my room again tonight."
"Of course. Ah—but waiting until tonight will be hard. Couldn't I have seen you before dawn?"
"I wanted to see you. I couldn't sleep."
"Then tell His Majesty about us soon. Then we can be together at night, too."
"I'll find the right moment and speak to him."
"Why not today? Today, right now?"
"Today? Well, today—"
Suddenly, from around the bend in the corridor, came the voices of the King and his ministers.
"As for the Crown Prince affair, I have a plan in mind. See that all is made ready accordingly."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
It was the very instant the King rounded the corner and half-caught sight of Maru and Audrite clinging to each other. Audrite sprang away and slapped Maru hard across the face.
Smack!
The sharp crack of the blow echoed down the corridor. The King and his ministers froze mid-step, eyes wide with shock.
"I told you no!"
"Y-yes...?"
"So go back and look into it properly!"
"Look into... what...?"
Maru stood utterly dumbfounded—he hadn't been warned of this in the slightest. Meanwhile Audrite was carrying on the performance at full tilt.
"Truly useless, you are! Get moving, find out what I asked, and report back to me!"
The princess glared daggers at him for good measure, then hurried off. Maru rubbed his cheek and stared blankly after her retreating figure.
He understood the situation, but somehow it was absurd.
"Good grief."
A reasonable excuse would have sufficed—didn't the slap seem a bit excessive?
The King laughed heartily.
"Our princess put you to work, did she?"
Maru bowed his head awkwardly.
"...Yes. She did."
"Strange, that. She's not usually one to breathe fire like that. Well, I ask your understanding."
"I only regret having disappointed the Princess."
"No, no. You're a guest—it was she who went too far. In any case, this works out well. I was meaning to call for you regardless. I'm going out, and I'd like you to come along. Change into traveling clothes and meet me here in an hour."
"Yes, Your Majesty. I'll be ready without delay."
After the King departed, Maru tilted his head.
"Where could he be going?"
He was walking the corridor deep in thought when Audrite popped out of nowhere.
"Did it hurt a lot?"
Her face full of worry, she caressed his cheek tenderly. Maru let his hurt feelings show.
"Forget the pain—the shock of being hit is the problem."
"I'm sorry. I panicked, and my hand moved before I knew it. I've been reflecting on it, truly."
"Do you think saying sorry out loud is going to make my anger go away?"
"Then what will make it go away?"
"B-blow on it."
"Blow on it?"
Maru pointed at his cheek with his index finger.
"Here. Right here. I want you to blow on it."
"And that will earn your forgiveness?"
"We'll see. Hurry up."
Audrite brought her lips close to his cheek and blew on it—a soft little puff of breath. A fragrant floral scent drifted over him.
"Better now?"
"Keep going until I say it's better."
"Fine. Hoo~"
She kept blowing on his cheek over and over, and somehow it stirred him. His gaze slid down to her backside beneath her dress.
His body was moving ahead of his brain. But that was allowed now, wasn't it? They were at that stage.
In one motion he wrapped his arms around her waist and seized one full cheek of her rear in his palm. He kneaded the springy, resilient flesh, savoring the feel of it, and the girl in his arms dissolved into giggles.
"You pervert. Do you want to go to prison?"
"Give me your lips."
"Why? Do you want a kiss?"
"I'm going to take my revenge with a kiss."
"You were the one saying people would see."
"Let them see."
"We really shouldn't..."
She squirmed, protesting her shyness, but soon closed her eyes and offered her lips. Maru wasted no time pressing his mouth to hers.
The land they reached by the King's carriage, just outside the capital, was blanketed in vast, rolling vineyards. A small village sat in the distance, and around it he could see a reservoir and a mill with its waterwheel slowly turning.
"This is the land I promised you. As of today, it's yours."
The King, standing outside the carriage, handed over the deed, then clasped his hands behind his back and gazed out at the distant scenery. A pleasant breeze drifted past, and a contented expression spread across his face.
"I hear the people call Edward the Fool Prince far less often these days. That's thanks to you."
Maru tucked the land deed into his coat, folded his hands neatly before him, and surveyed the scene before his eyes.
All of this—mine. He'd have to build a house first thing. A proud smile crept onto his face all on its own.
"I still feel it isn't enough to improve the Prince's image. Going forward, I intend to take on more impressive conquests."
"Keep that up and you'll get the Prince killed."
"I will take care that no harm comes to His Highness."
The King laughed heartily, then shook his head.
"There's no need for that anymore. Concern yourself with the Prince no longer."
"You're satisfied with this, then?"
Instead of answering, the King drew a long, deep breath of the clear air. A refreshing smile bloomed at the corner of his mouth.
"Five years ago, a capable minister by the name of Sir John Malek passed from this world. He was seventy-two. He was the only man in our kingdom who had ever traveled to the Ra Iskandaria Empire as an envoy."
The King turned slowly to look at Maru.
"In all of history, the Empire has reached out to our kingdom first on only two occasions. The first was ten years ago, when a son was born to Queen Alexandria. The second—you saw it yourself—was when the Queen sent word of the Crown Prince's visit, penned by the Queen's own hand."
"I see."
Maru found himself smacking his lips without thinking. His mouth felt strangely dry.
"Sir Malek went to the Empire on my behalf to congratulate the Queen on the birth of her son. When he returned home a year later, this is what he said."
He was not her trueborn child, but an adopted son who looked to be in his early teens. And yet he seemed to be of a different race from us. I could tell plainly with my own two eyes. His hair was jet-black—
the King pointed with a wrinkled hand at Maru's hair—
his dark brown eyes had no double eyelids, unlike ours, and
as though confirming a kill, the King pointed at Maru's eyes—
his skin was a faintly yellowed hue, as though white and red had been mixed together.
And last, the King pointed at Maru's neck, wearing a smile whose thoughts could not be read.
"What an astounding coincidence. It's as if I were describing you. It goes beyond appearance—the very age fits as well."
"Could it be that you suspect me of being the Crown Prince?"
Maru swallowed hard. The King breathed in the clear air once more, exhaled, and gazed out at the scenery.
"If you say you are not, then you are not, I suppose. Your name is different, after all. They say the Crown Prince is called Alexandro—a name resembling the Queen's own. I can't imagine why a mother would name him after herself rather than after his father. Perhaps the Empire's ways of naming differ from ours?"
"It is only my mother who is unusual."
Maru looked the King squarely in the eye.
"My mother has lived a life of such heroism that all look up to her in reverence. She gave her son a name resembling her own, declaring with certainty that he would inherit her good fortune. He very nearly became Alexandria the Second, in fact."
The moment the words left his mouth, a wind came sweeping across the field. The King's beard fluttered. His mouth hung open in astonishment.
"S-so it's true...! You are the Crown Prince!"