66. Reward
66. Reward
Hearing Fabiana's words, I had no idea how to react, so I just let my head drop.
Then, even mobilizing Mana, I barely managed to hold back the laughter that was about to burst out.
Crazy bitch.
The thought "crazy bitch" did cross my mind.
But because I understood why she did it, it was even more infuriating.
-What's with you, Luna? Why's your face like that?
-There's something I've been worried about lately.
-You little shit, what kind of trouble did you cause now?
-I say I'm worried and you immediately start cursing and carrying on. This is exactly why people call you a dumbass.
-What worries could you possibly have besides gambling?
-I do have one, you shithead. My worry is this. When we... finish everything and return to the continent, I'm worried the Emperor and the Pope might say something different.
-You're worrying about useless crap.
-There's a political dimension to this that a moron like you wouldn't understand. In a future where humanity's enemy has vanished, the only way to unite humanity again is to create a new enemy.
-So, you're saying the Emperor or the Pope might stab us in the back? By turning us into humanity's enemy?
-...That's right.
-What does that precious Yurphia of yours have to say about it?
-I'm not such a fool that I'd lean on Yurphia for a trivial matter like this.
-Hmm...
-What? Why are you looking at me with those eyes?
-No reason. Just thinking you're worrying about something really pointless.
-This isn't pointless, it's something that could really happ—
-If. If, say, those two suddenly start spouting nonsense, then we just beat the shit out of them. Even if you say you can't, I'll beat them. If I'm not around, Paulo or Kaloso, and if those bastards aren't around either, Arisa will beat them for you.
-So, you're saying you'll beat up the Emperor and the Pope?
-You talk like we've never done it before. Hey, do you know how many times we slapped the Pope when we pulled you out of the Holy Kingdom? And the Emperor, too. And even if those bastards do turn us into humanity's enemy, we'll win no matter what.
-...Ronan. What you're saying sounds like you'll kill every human if they turn against us.
-I don't kill humans. I only kill bastards who aren't human. And if they dare lay a hand on me... on us, what couldn't I do?
-Ronan. It sounds like there's a truly vicious demon possessing your mouth.
-I take her side and she still runs her mouth.
-Still, hehe. Listening to your bullshit makes me feel like my worries really are pointless. You're right. Violence is an excellent means of communication that can smooth over most situations.
-If you're done worrying, heal me.
-Heal you? We didn't even run into any Demons, so how did you get hurt?
-I fought Paulo.
-...Why?
-Because that motherfucker stole my meat and ate it.
-You could've just stolen and eaten his like you always do.
-Well, I'd coated the meat Paulo stole with poison.
-And Paulo ate it?
-Yeah.
-Then he should be weak and shaky. Where would he get the time to brawl with you?
-He came at me saying he'd kill me before the poison spread.
-...So where's Paulo now?
-Over there.
-Uh, uhhh!! Luna!! Lunaaaa!! Paulo's about to stop breathing!! Hurry, hurry!!!
-You dumbass bastards.
Did she really keep that promise from back then?
Because the Emperor spouted nonsense?
I slowly rubbed my trembling lips with my fingers and suppressed my laughter.
If I burst out laughing in front of Fabiana upon hearing that the Emperor, known as the greatest of all, had been beaten to a pulp, it didn't seem like something I could easily brush off.
"...Ahem. I see."
"Why is your face like that?"
"What's wrong with my face?"
Fabiana's eyes narrowed.
"It's too stiff. Like you're trying to hide your expression. Eliarnes. I never knew you were the type to put on a front like that."
"...It's not a front."
The conversation that followed consisted of questions with little substance.
Unlike the private conversation we'd had so far, these were topics closely tied to the political situation.
Things I didn't particularly like, and had somewhat expected.
An enemy of humanity had appeared.
It was time for humanity to unite.
The Empire's prestige would rise.
And with it, Fabiana's own standing would rise as well.
But that wasn't what Fabiana wanted.
Someone was behind it.
That someone had blown this incident up into something huge.
And those words were also her way of subtly telling me who the culprit was.
The Empire's First Prince, Anton de Hermann.
"Is it all right for you to tell me something like that?"
So I asked outright.
But Fabiana merely smiled faintly and shook her head.
"It doesn't matter. You wouldn't use this as a weapon to scheme something foul. You're a young lady with little interest in politics."
"That's true."
"To think the next head of House Eustetia would be this indifferent to politics. It worries me a little."
"There's no rule that I have to be interested. And my father is still in good health. He'll live a long, long time. So there's no need for you to worry."
"That's something Duke Turius Eustetia would grin ear to ear to hear."
"...I didn't exactly mean it that way."
Fabiana chuckled, then rose from her seat and plopped down onto the desk covered in stacks of documents.
"Be wary of my damned brother."
"Would I ever have reason to get involved with the First Prince, who isn't even at the academy?"
"If there's no reason, he'll simply make one. He's royalty, so that sort of thing is easy. Perhaps he'll even use this compensation matter to forge a connection with you."
"Wouldn't you, Your Highness, prevent something like that?"
There was no way Fabiana would just sit back and watch that happen. Besides, on the surface, it would seem that Fabiana, Silina, and I had developed a certain level of closeness.
"Kahahaha! Right. Exactly."
"You wouldn't do such a thing, Your Highness, but I'll say it anyway. Do not think of me—no, of House Eustetia—as a political weapon. I merely helped Senior Fabiana, a fellow student of the academy, as Eliarnes, not as Eustetia."
These words weren't directed only at Fabiana.
I was issuing a warning to the imperial family itself.
Calling it a warning made the tone sound quite dangerous, but House Eustetia could afford that.
"I swear on my honor. I will not use House Eustetia as a political weapon."
"Thank you for answering my rude words so readily."
"For my benefactor, it’s nothing. I could do far more than this. If you wanted, you could even call me ‘big sis,’ and I would gladly—no, I’d actually like it."
"That's a bit..."
"You're making an even more horrified face than when you drank the tea earlier."
"...It's not that bad."
Chuckling, Fabiana picked up a Mana-powered pen and glanced at me sideways.
"It didn't seem that way, but you... yes. You seem to cherish and like House Eustetia a great deal."
I shrugged nonchalantly and grabbed a handful of candy from the small basket, stuffing it into my pocket.
"Because it's Eustetia."
Then I watched as Fabiana dusted off her rear, stood up, and began working through her backlog.
"Your Highness. One last question."
"If it's about the Treasury and the Forbidden Archive, they'll open around noon tomorrow."
"No. Not that."
"Hm?"
Her gaze, which had been fixed on the documents, turned back to me.
"The information in the Imperial Palace's Forbidden Archive. Do the imperial family members... know all of it?"
Fabiana shook her head.
"No. The only one who knows is His Majesty the Emperor."
"Even you don't know, Your Highness?"
"What I know wouldn't even amount to the tip of the iceberg."
A faint smile formed at the rather welcome answer.
"Thank you. I enjoyed our conversation."
"Then let's arrange these meetings from time to time."
"The human heart is a fickle thing. Talking for a short while like this is enjoyable, but the thought of it going on for long makes me feel a bit strange."
"So?"
"Not too often. Let's do once every two months."
"That would make me too anxious. Let's narrow it down to once a month."
"Very well."
I bowed my head and immediately turned my back.
Behind me, Fabiana murmured softly.
"If a situation ever arises where I cannot move, may I ask you to look after my little sister, Silina?"
"Since it's a request and not an order, I'll do my best."
"That's more than enough. Thank you, Eliarnes."
Fabiana was smiling brightly.
*****
By the time I left Fabiana's room and arrived at my own,
just as Mikel had said, the door had been properly repaired.
And so, back in the cozy atmosphere of my room, I spent quite a busy stretch of time.
I dragged my stiff, throbbing, aching, creaking body into the bath and soaked, then dried myself thoroughly, even my hair.
Next, instead of the shabby training clothes I always wore, I put on the academy uniform—the one that had been perfectly tailored to my current measurements this time.
I also tied my hair back as neatly as I could.
With a ribbon that had a black bow.
It was a little sloppy, but still not too bad.
Finally, after drinking a fatigue-recovery Potion, a stamina-recovery Potion, and even a Potion packed with nutritional supplements,
"What the hell am I doing... ugh."
I stood in front of the mirror, confirmed that my complexion was gradually returning, and then called Eurasia on my Device.
[Can.you.come.to.my.room.for.a.sec~?]
Exactly ten minutes later.
Knock, knock. A very, very polite knock sounded.
"It's open."
The door opened without a sound, and an incredibly polished Eurasia walked in.
The sight made me snicker.
"Eurasia and I are the same."
"Y-yes? What do you mean?"
"We both dressed up all neat."
Of course, the reasons were probably different.
Eurasia was dressed neatly because she belonged to the knight order, but I had made myself look as presentable as possible in case some unexpected visitor showed up and started worrying over nothing.
"Sit here."
Pat, pat—I tapped the spot next to me on the bed where I was perched, and Eurasia sat down on the bed with very careful movements.
Then she looked at me with wide, bright eyes.
"What do you think I called you here to do?"
To avoid unnecessary misunderstandings and worries.
And to make Eurasia's achievements a little bigger, I had called her here to help her organize what she needed to say.
"Um... I don't know...?"
But our innocent Eurasia couldn't grasp that intention, and just rolled her blue eyes around, full of questions.
I giggled at the sight of her.
"We should get our stories straight before people show up."
At the same time.
"...Huhk."
Eurasia's face went poof! and turned bright red.