Wandering Malice (4)
It had been a while since I'd last seen Airen, and as always, she looked every bit the radiant female knight she was.
There was even a faint sheen of sweat on her — traces of hard training — and somehow that only made her more appealing. The smile that rose unbidden to my face told me just how thoroughly I was wrapped around her finger.
Not that I minded, if anyone asked.
"Lady Airen. I'm sorry for dropping by without a word."
"Ah…"
"There's something I wanted to ask of you today… Lady Airen?"
No matter how many times I called her name, she seemed completely out of it. Her expression wasn't great, either.
Had something happened?
I studied her face and tried again.
"Lady Airen."
"Hm?! Ah, a… uh, S-Swen. Y-you're… here. Ahem."
"Is something wrong? You don't look well…"
"No, no! Nothing's wrong. It's just… well, Swen. You showed up so quietly I was startled, that's all… Yes, I'm fine."
"If you say so, that's a relief."
"But…"
Airen stepped closer and asked in a near-whisper.
"Who is that person?"
She was looking past me at Ioline, who stood silently behind my back.
"Ah, well."
I hesitated for a moment, unsure where to even begin explaining — and in that exact pause—
"Swen, what is your relationship with her…? Were you perhaps planning to introduce her to me? Someone like… Lady Reika, maybe… another woman with whom you've discussed marriage…?"
"What? No."
I waved my hands in flustered denial at a word I had never expected to hear — but she seemed to have fallen into something close to panic, muttering on as if she couldn't believe it.
"I was already so shocked when I heard about Lady Reika… Don't tell me…!"
"Lady Airen, please calm down."
I set a hand on her shoulder. Only then did the trembling ease.
"It's a little complicated to explain… but it's not about marriage, I promise."
"Really…? Truly?"
"Of course."
"…Alright."
…?
Today, Airen's behavior was strangely hard to read. She was usually so upright and straightforward that her thoughts were easy to follow — yet somehow she felt unfamiliar.
At any rate—
I spent a while explaining who Ioline was to me and everything that had happened so far.
"So… she's the younger sister of your roommate, who appears to have gone missing?"
"That's right."
"Ah, hello…! I'm Ioline Al Kaski."
Ioline, who had been reading the room the whole time, finally offered a greeting. Airen answered with a remarkably gentle smile.
"Forgive the late introduction. I am Airen Juliette. Al Kaski… then you must be kin to General Irian?"
"Yes. He's the head of our house, and my eldest brother."
After the brief introductions were done—
"So, what do you intend to do?"
"We know he's somewhere in the territory, so I plan to keep searching… but I think we'll need your help, Lady Airen. Situations like this call for someone with rank, after all…"
"It would be difficult for the two of you alone, yes. And you said you'd prefer this not reach our lord's ears if possible?"
"Yes."
Having heard the full story, she seemed to understand without any trouble.
"Then I'll help as soon as today's duties are finished. Will that do?"
"That would be perfect."
I glanced toward Ioline as I spoke. She nodded as well, knowing she had little choice in the matter.
"Wait just a little, Ioline. I'll wrap things up and return shortly."
"Oh, no…! I'm already grateful that you're willing to help at all."
Ioline bowed her head again and again in thanks.
"Ah, right. Lady Airen — when does training end today?"
"Hm? In about an hour or two, I expect…"
"Then we'll just wait here, if that's alright?"
This was the reception room of the barracks. Better to stay put than wander around outside. I was part of Serpina's forces myself, and one civilian — especially if we mentioned she was Irian's blood — would be easy enough to explain.
"Alright. I'll finish up and come back soon."
"Take care."
After sending Airen off, I fell into thought — only for Ioline to pose a quiet question.
"So that was Lady Airen?"
"Yes."
"At first she seemed so wary of me I thought she must be terrifying… but she's actually very kind…"
Wary?
Was she?
I hadn't particularly gotten that impression, but people felt things differently. I was about to let it go when—
"Um… are you and Lady Airen… romantically involved?"
"…What? Out of nowhere?"
First Airen, and now Ioline — both of them pulling unexpected words out of thin air in front of me.
"It's just… the way the two of you look at each other is so… how should I put it… intense…!"
The way she clasped her hands to her cheeks with sparkling eyes was almost girlishly charming — but I gave a slight shake of my head.
"I wouldn't mind if that were the case, but I don't know how Lady Airen feels."
"Is that so…?"
"Yes. She's not the type to think deeply about anything outside of battle."
They say the best way not to be disappointed is not to hope too much. Rather than let some strange wind fill my sails and rush into a proposal that might ruin everything, I wanted to approach her only when the ground was certain and safe.
Still… was my expression around her so obvious that even a third party like Ioline could see it?
I should probably rein it in a little.
I'd heard that men who flutter too openly aren't particularly popular.
With that idle thought, I passed the time until her training was done.
At the same moment.
"…"
Thump. Thump.
Airen stopped on her way back to the training grounds and leaned lightly against the corridor wall.
Her face was burning. The emotion she had just felt was swirling through her heart like a storm.
Ever since learning that Reika had discussed marriage with Swen, every time she saw a woman he brought along, a feeling she had never once experienced in her life seemed to wrap itself around her.
Just now, if Swen hadn't calmed her down, she might have completely lost her reason, hadn't she?
Why am I like this…?
This isn't like me. It isn't proper conduct for a knight, either.
No matter what woman Swen brought before her — even if that relationship was romantic in nature — she was supposed to be the sword and shield that supported him and protected him. Her own private feelings had no business making her heart this complicated.
And yet.
Why… why couldn't she support him with a pure and upright heart, and instead found herself ruled by this wretched emotion?
Think only of what Father taught you.
Whatever happens, move for the sake of the one you mean to protect.
That was what she had learned from her father, Kafka. Of course, the "one to protect" her father had envisioned had been the children of House Brans — but for Airen now, that person was Swen.
Even if Swen never became deeply involved with her, even if he married other women, living for his sake forever was the surest compass of her life.
She had steeled her heart that way, and still…
Why wouldn't the pounding in her chest settle?
Swen…
Do I want to be his knight?
Or… do I want to be his woman?
…!
Slap!
Airen struck both her own cheeks hard with her hands.
Good. She felt a little more clear-headed now.
First, handle what Swen asked of me.
She buried the turmoil deep inside and set her feet moving again to resume training.
A girl who had been raised only to protect others — who had been nothing more than a kind of shield — was, little by little yet unmistakably, becoming a woman after meeting Swen.
"You're still living in the barracks?"
"Mm. I should be moving into the residence our lord granted me sometime next week."
"Alright. I'll join you once I've finished settling things on my end."
"Okay."
When we headed to the barracks so Airen could prepare for the inquiry, another welcome face greeted us.
"Ah, Lady Airen…! Oh… Lord Swen, you're here too?"
"Hello."
Was this the first time I'd seen Reika since Saint Valentino's Day? She no longer trembled quite so much in front of us, and she was managing to start conversations almost normally now.
"Lady Reika? Did you come out to meet us?"
"Yes. There was something I wanted to show Lady Airen… but…?"
"?"
Where Reika's gaze landed, Ioline stood with a blank look on her face.
"…?"
"Uh…?"
"What's wrong, Reika?"
"No, it's just… who is that…?"
"Ah, I'm Ioline Al Kaski."
What was this?
Airen had frozen for a moment when she first saw Ioline too, but she hadn't been flustered quite like this.
"Um… you are a woman, right…?"
"…!"
And then.
The moment I heard those words from Reika, I understood instinctively.
"Reika!"
"Eek…!!"
I caught both of her hands and asked.
"Have you seen Lady Ioline somewhere else before?!"
"L-Lo… Lord Swen…???"
"Calm down, Swen!"
Airen's intervention made me realize I'd gone a little too far.
"Sorry, I… I apologize. But saying 'you are a woman' means you thought she was a man — which means this isn't the first time you've met, doesn't it?"
"N-no, I-I mean… th-that is… I…"
Damn.
Only a few minutes after I'd thought she was improving… she had slipped right back into her usual shrinking mode.
I gently stroked the hands I was still holding and spoke more softly.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to press you… Just tell me honestly. Right now, you might be able to help us a great deal."
"Help…?"
"Absolutely! Help!"
At my words, Reika's trembling pink eyes gradually steadied — and then she nodded, answering in a voice full of determination.
"If I can help… I'll do anything…!"
Good.
Time to hear what Reika had to say.
"You've seen him before?!"
Ioline pressed in on Reika, unable to hide her excitement.
"Y-yes…! In a market alley… a few days ago, I saw someone who looked exactly the same, and…"
The date she mentioned overlapped with the period when I'd been sharing a room with Ioline — in other words, the period when Jennis had been missing.
"That has to be my brother!"
"Ioline, please calm down."
Even as I restrained her, my face burned at the realization that I'd done the exact same thing to Reika moments earlier. I hadn't meant to bully the fragile girl…
"Ah… I'm sorry. So then… when exactly did you see my brother?"
"Well… a few days ago, in an alley…"
"Do you remember where?"
At my question, Reika nodded.
"Yes…! I think I'd know if we went there in person."
"Do you also remember what the people with him looked like?"
She nodded firmly at Airen's question as well.
"Yes. They had very distinctive faces… I'm sure I'd recognize them if I saw them again."
This might go more smoothly than I expected.
I'd been thinking of using a patrol as cover to comb through every house in the territory with Airen, but if Reika could point us to the location, we'd find him far faster. And if she could identify the people who'd been with him, the game was already over!
I took Reika's hands once more.
"Reika, thank you. You've been an enormous help!"
"What? Ah… it's nothing. Ehehe… somehow, hearing that I helped… makes me… h-happy…"
She said it with her head bowed, smiling. Looking at her like this, she really was an adorable girl. Even without being a mage, she was more than lovely enough as a woman in her own right.
"Then let's set out at once. Lady Ioline, you may return first if you wish."
"No…! I should come along—"
"No."
I looked at Ioline and explained the situation.
"Now that we can narrow the search, if someone who looks exactly like Senior Jennis is seen wandering around, it could actually cause problems. It would be better if you returned to the estate, Lady Ioline. I promise we'll bring you good news."
"Ah…"
She had no intention of forcing her way in once she understood she'd only be a hindrance, and she accepted it quickly.
"I understand. Then, Lord Swen… and everyone else as well… please look after my brother."
After sending Ioline off, and once Airen had finished preparing for the inquiry, we set out with Reika in the lead and followed behind her.
For the first time since that day long ago when, as members of the Aesius forces, we had blown a hole in a castle wall—
the three of us were reunited for a joint operation.
Following behind her, we checked the market alleys inside Aingart Castle.
True to a capital fortress, the crowds were considerable, and quite a few street stalls sold curious things I'd never seen before.
"This way!"
The place Reika pointed to was a dim, sunless corner even amid all that bustle. Foot traffic dropped off so completely that the atmosphere turned eerie — and Airen strode forward without hesitation.
I whispered to Reika.
"Reika. You remember what I told you?"
"Yes…!"
Nod, nod.
I had given her two instructions.
First: if she saw a familiar face — that is, any of the men who'd been with Jennis — she was to pinch my forearm.
And second—
Knock, knock, knock.
"Is anyone home?"
At the sound of Airen's voice as she knocked on the first door, Reika and I stood on either side of her, eyes fixed ahead, tension taut.
A few minutes passed.
"Who's there?"
A voice came from beyond the door. A man's voice.
"We're the patrol. There's been an incident in the area, and we'd like to ask a few questions. If you could step outside for a moment, we'd appreciate it."
Without so much as a change of expression, Airen delivered the lie exactly as I'd instructed. Her voice was so grave that even I would have been fooled if I'd been that man.
Before long, the door clattered open.
A fairly large man appeared.
"What is it?"
The moment I looked at the burly man—
"…!"
Reika… pinched my forearm.
Already??
Without needing to search any further, we'd hit the jackpot at the very first house.