Lucia's Final Command
Three days remained until the day Lucia told me I had to leave this place. Truth be told, even the thought of leaving stirred no particular emotions in me. Perhaps it was because, in the short time since transmigrating, I'd been through so much that nothing surprised me anymore.
Boom! "You crazy bitch! I told you to stop invading oppa's room!"
"If you're jealous, do it yourself, you washboard!"
"You little wet-behind-the-ears brat!?"
The duels between Alessia, who was desperately trying to cling to me, and Erin, who was blocking her every move, had become all too familiar by now.
"Princess Lucia..."
That's when I spotted Lucia standing in the corridor, gazing at the open space where Alessia and Erin were clashing. Hearing my voice, she sent me a smile before quietly departing.
After that, I never once spoke with her again.
※
"From today, let's start learning some intermediate magic little by little."
Erin's magic lessons continued. She'd initially insisted I learn at the academy, but now she was earnestly drawing up a curriculum just for me.
'Once she starts something, she does it properly...'Her dedication was something I could only admire.
"Rion."
"Yeah?"
"Do I have to keep listening to this?"
In contrast, Alessia... well, honestly, I had no idea what to make of her. I knew her obsession with me ran deep, but what had sparked it in the first place? Come to think of it, there was so much about Alessia herself that I didn't know.
"Hey, if you're not gonna stay quiet, get out."
"...When did I say that?"
"The loser who met oppa first and even had her first kiss stolen has a lot to say."
"...Rion, could you wait just a moment?"
I somehow managed to intervene before they could start fighting again, shooing Alessia outside and pulling Erin into a hug to calm her down.
"Hehe."
"...Be honest. You're both in on this, aren't you?"
"Do I look like the type who'd do that, oppa?"
"Nah, probably not."
Erin purred contentedly in my arms, then whispered softly.
"Princess Lucia... bothers you, doesn't she?"
"...You think Alessia noticed too?"
"If even I picked up on it, she'd have known long ago."
It had been two days since I'd last spoken to Lucia. Today was essentially my last day here. I still hadn't apologized to her. She never showed up at meals, though I'd catch glimpses of her now and then—only for her to vanish the moment I approached. Even when I asked the servants about her whereabouts a few times, they just vaguely said she was busy and dodged the question.
"I know the way you look at me or Alessia is different from how you look at Princess Lucia."
I couldn't argue with Erin's words. Erin felt like a little sister, and Alessia... well, whatever she was, she wasn't like Lucia.
"Why do you think that is?"
"Why ask me? You need to figure that out for yourself, oppa."
Erin pulled away from my lap, dusted off her bottom, and pointed upward with a finger.
"Go to the top. You can see her now if you hurry."
"...Thanks."
Erin cupped my face with both hands as I sat there. Her lips met mine.
"...This makes the second one mine, right?"
Whether that first brush of lips when we met counted as the true first kiss was debatable, but even if it didn't, Erin had been the first.
"Yeah, the second one's yours too."
"I'm telling you this because you're struggling, oppa—not because my feelings for you are any less than hers. I just knew locking you in my arms wasn't the right path for you... So someday, you'll change how you look at me."
Her radiant smile as she said that made her look more mature than ever before.
※
"So this is where you were."
After asking around the dormitory servants, I'd arrived at a hidden terrace atop the building. Lucia sat there, sipping tea whose aroma I recognized from before, gazing down at the academy.
"...You've come, Sir Rion."
"...Princess Lucia!?"
She turned calmly, wearing only a thin white negligee—the kind where her figure faintly showed through the fabric. I immediately squeezed my eyes shut.
"That outfit..."
"You can open your eyes, Sir Rion. Did you think something like this would embarrass me?"
"I'm the one who's embarrassed..."
Still, I couldn't stay like that forever. Swallowing my shame, I opened my eyes.
"Now that you've opened them, take a seat. You can't stand there forever, can you?"
I hesitated again at the sight of her body so brazenly revealed, but willed myself to move.
"Hmm, one thing I should mention."
"...?"
"Truth be told, I'm incredibly embarrassed right now."
Just seconds after her bold words, she backtracked, averting her gaze as I stared in disbelief.
"I thought it'd be fine... but knowing it's you seeing me makes it quite mortifying. So, what's your impression? This is the body of a princess, after all."
"Impressions? What kind of question is that..."
"Even a masterpiece unread remains mere ink on a page. The finest song unheard is just noise."
Lucia leaned toward me, her violet eyes pursuing mine relentlessly.
"So, what do you think? This body I've cultivated thinking only of you."
"It's... beautiful."
"Hmmm... is that all?"
"Truly stunning..."
"...Thank you."
The distance between us over the past few days vanished entirely as she drew near. This was how she'd always been—unlike Alessia, who schemed to cling deliberately, or Erin, who kept some distance despite sharing my heartbeat through the scar on her chest. Lucia had always maintained a certain space.
Except for moments like this, when she suddenly closed in.
"So, what brings my Sir Rion all the way here?"
"...Ah."
I'd completely forgotten why I'd come. Was it the overwhelming stimulation? Thanks to Lucia, the reason snapped back.
Her reaction made it seem like she already knew exactly why I'd sought her out.
"I'm sorry about the other day."
She pressed her index finger to my lips, as if to say no apology was needed.
"If anything, I should be the one apologizing. I let pointless jealousy show such an unsightly side of me."
Lucia quietly poured tea and offered it. Somehow, two cups had been prepared.
"Do you remember? A few days ago, you said it was fine to be rude to me."
"...I remember."
"Still, I'll say it again. Sir Rion, no matter how grave your offense against me, it doesn't matter. So feel free to stop minding my feelings."
Lucia was far too generous with me. What had I done for her in the previous loop to earn this?
"I ended our talk so abruptly back then. I thought we needed more time to converse properly. And now, opportunity strikes."
"...Yes."
Yet she fell silent for a long while after that, simply savoring the tea's aroma while watching the setting sun in the distance.
I didn't know the exact date, but time in the game matched Earth's: 24-hour days, 12-month years. It was probably late February now—still chilly outside.
Compared to that, Lucia was out here in just her thin negligee, unlike me in the thick clothes from the servants. On a hunch, I'd borrowed an extra coat from one and draped it over her shoulders.
"Hmm?"
"You looked cold..."
The yellow cardigan went well with her gleaming golden hair.
"No need to hold back. I accept good intentions as they are. Thank you, Sir Rion."
A sudden gust made her pull the coat tighter. As I debated fetching another, she smiled at me.
"Sir Rion... how far did your talk with Erin go?"
"She said she'd lost her voice once, and I gave it back to her."
"Hmm, so you know that much. Then you must realize..."
"Yes, I heard I was a knight."
"Indeed. My knight."
I'd known whose knight ever since Erin told me. Only one person had ever treated me as such.
Sir Rion. She'd called me that from our first meeting.
"Sir Rion. You are special to me—a person irreplaceable by anyone else in the world."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, of course. You were my first and last knight. And as your princess, I have one request for my knight."
"A request...?"
Lucia didn't answer right away. She let out a deep sigh, gazed at the darkening sky, sipped her steaming tea, then idly stroked her cup—as if desperate to avoid responding.
"Sir Rion... no, Rion. Have you taken an interest in magic this time? You look good wielding it. Joining the Mage Tower might suit you, if possible."
"Erin would be thrilled."
"How about becoming a merchant with Alessia? She's not entirely trustworthy, but she'd give her all for you. You could live comfortably."
"...Maybe."
Her hand overlapped mine as I reached for my cup—warm from the tea's heat.
"You'll live to a ripe old age. I'll make sure of it."
Lucia smiled at me.
"So this time, please don't become a knight. Don't take sword or spear in hand. This is Princess Lucia Edel Valterion's final order to her knight Rion—and my first and last request of you."