The Festival That Ended (2)
"That's everything I know."
"Hmm… still not nearly enough, is it."
At Vincent's words, Milia let out a low, frustrated hum.
She had asked him three things in total: Marchel's plan, the timing of its execution, and anything he knew about the Masked Man.
Not one of them had yielded a clear answer.
On the plan itself, all he could say was that something would happen. On the timing, only that it would be within this Founding Day celebration. And on the Masked Man—nothing at all.
"I-I'm sorry… I couldn't be of more help…"
"It's fine. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't even know something was coming."
Of course, none of it could be laid at Vincent's feet. Even someone involved couldn't possibly know every detail. Simply learning that an incident was on the horizon was already a considerable gain.
"Schwarz. What do you think?"
"Looks like we'll have no choice but to go out and search on foot."
Milia propped her chin in her hand as she asked. Schwarz closed his eyes with a look of mild exasperation and folded his arms.
They couldn't simply sit still for lack of leads. Something was definitely going to happen—so the only option left to them was to comb every suspicious corner they could find.
Naturally, the two of them couldn't scour the entire city. But it was still far better than doing nothing.
"So that's really the only way…"
"We should notify the guard corps in advance as well."
Milia pressed her fingers to her forehead as if a headache were coming on. Schwarz exhaled a short sigh of his own. Andrea had already granted them authority—they ought to make full use of every resource available.
"I suppose we'll have to."
"My Lady, breakfast is ready."
Just as Milia stretched her arms overhead with a weary groan at Schwarz's words, a knock sounded at the door and a maid's voice called from outside.
"Coming!"
Milia answered loudly and rose from her seat. Vincent stood as well, following her lead.
"From here on, the adults will handle things. Don't worry about a thing—just rest well. You have to play hard and rest hard if you want to grow up big and strong."
"Ah… yes, ma'am!"
With that, Milia ruffled Vincent's hair roughly. He let out a low whimper, then a sharp "Auwu!" as he bowed his head to her and hurried out of the guest room.
The door clicked shut behind him.
"Well then. Shall we go eat?"
"Yes, My Lady."
Milia stretched again with a long groan, then started toward the door with Schwarz at her side.
The next morning, early.
Schwarz and Milia walked the quiet streets. It was so early the mist had not yet lifted, and for that reason almost no one was about.
"Well? Sensing anything?"
"No. This area seems clean."
Schwarz shook his head at Milia's question. The street reflected in his eyes was, quite literally, spotless. A mere passerby wouldn't leave lasting traces of mana, of course—but even so, this much was more than welcome.
"Hmm… maybe we should head for the harbor after all."
"Wouldn't the slums be better to check first?"
Their opinions diverged, yet both had sound reasons. The harbor saw little traffic beyond laborers, and the cargo made it an ideal place to smuggle something in. The slums, on the other hand, lay beyond the firm reach of public authority, and their tangled layout made them equally suited for hiding things.
"In times like these…"
"That method, right?"
Schwarz offered Milia a faint smile. They stepped apart, faced each other, and settled into position.
Then, in the next instant—
"Rock! Paper! Scissors!"
They shouted almost in unison and thrust out their hands.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Still weak as ever, Schwarz!"
"Urgh…"
Milia had thrown paper. Schwarz, who had thrown rock, let out a low groan.
"I've always told you—you'll never beat me at rock-paper-scissors."
"You're not cheating, are you?"
Their record stood at eighty-four matches, eighty-four wins, zero losses. Milia's record, of course.
"Cheating? This is pure physical ability."
"Physical ability? In rock-paper-scissors?"
Rock-paper-scissors as a physical contest… Schwarz's voice was pure disbelief as he stared at the confidently smiling Milia. If rock-paper-scissors counted as a physical game, then so did gambling.
"What are you talking about? Didn't I explain this to you before?"
"Huh? Explain what?"
But Milia sounded genuinely puzzled. Schwarz tilted his head. She had been serious about the "physical ability" claim?
"Look. In rock-paper-scissors, you always switch your hand at the last second, right?"
She stepped closer, took his hand, and spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Right."
"So if you watch the muscles move in that instant, you can tell what the other person is about to throw. All I have to do is react to that movement."
"…"
What the hell is that. Terrifying.
This wasn't some bullet-dodging action hero—there was no way that was possible…
Except it was.
Schwarz regarded her with a complicated expression, then nodded in reluctant understanding as he recalled her physical capabilities. Enhanced by mana, Milia's body was, in a word, superhuman. She could crush a steel helm bare-handed, sprint a hundred meters in five seconds, and clear ten-odd meters in a single leap without breaking a sweat. Her dynamic vision far exceeded ordinary human limits. For someone like her, putting her earlier claim into practice was no strain at all.
"Hold on—that's cheating!"
"Cheating? I'm clearly just using my own physical ability!"
"That's exactly why rock-paper-scissors is not a physical game!"
Schwarz shouted as if he'd been swindled. Milia shouted back just as indignantly, and the two of them bickered for quite some time.
"Pfft…!!"
"Kh—!!"
But only for a moment. They looked at each other, faint smiles tugging at their lips, and low chuckles escaped them both.
"Puhahaha!"
"Ahahaha!!"
Unable to hold it in any longer, they laughed outright—heedless of the few glances from passersby.
"Doesn't it feel like we've gone back to the old days?"
"It does. Nostalgic."
Even before he could take human form, the two of them had often squabbled just like this. Milia tugging at the reins, insisting she wanted to go here or there; Schwarz refusing to take her anywhere dangerous. Their little tussles—sparked by one or the other's mischief—had always been a common sight between them.
"Come to think of it, you haven't called me 'big sister' once since then, have you?"
"Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden…"
Milia narrowed her eyes and snickered, old memories clearly surfacing. Schwarz wore an expression of pure exasperation. The day she was thinking of was almost certainly the one when she had discovered he could transform into a human.
An ominous premonition slid down his spine. He let out a low groan. Milia looked at him, a faint smile on her lips.
"Call me big sister. It's been ages."
"I'll pass."
"Aw, whyyy?!"
She pouted and raised her voice at his flat refusal. Honestly, he could put up with most things—but that one request he wished she would spare him. There was no particular reason. It was simply far too embarrassing to endure.
"Just once! Call me that just once!!"
"Urgh…!!"
But Milia showed no sign of backing down. She switched into full stubborn mode, whining as she tugged at his arm.
Looking at her like this, she's no different from a little kid…
Schwarz sighed quietly at the thought.
"My Lady, let's head to the harbor first and think it over there…"
"No! I'm not going anywhere until you call me big sister!!"
"…"
He tried to change the subject, but Milia remained utterly unmoved. Judging by her expression, she had no intention of budging until she got what she wanted. It was fortunate the streets were nearly empty—if there had been a crowd, Schwarz would have had no choice but to give in.
In this quiet moment, he racked his brains for some way to calm her down. Then his eyes caught a carriage approaching from afar, slowing as it drew near. At the same time he confirmed once more that almost no one was around. He held his breath and watched the carriage come closer.
And the instant it reached a suitable distance—
"My Lady."
"Have you finally decided to say it?"
Schwarz rested a hand on her shoulder. Milia's eyes lit up as if nothing had happened, and she lifted her face toward him.
In that same moment—
"Mmph…!?"
Milia's eyes flew wide as a warm sensation covered her lips. With practiced ease his tongue slipped between them; their saliva mingled, and a taste beyond words filled her mouth.
Barely ten seconds. Yet more than enough to short-circuit every thought in her head.
As the carriage rolled past them, Schwarz drew back from her lips. Milia stared at him, eyes round as saucers.
Then—
"You… you!!"
"Will this do for now?"
Her face flushed scarlet as she finally grasped what had happened. Schwarz only smiled faintly as he spoke.
"…!!"
They say you can't stay angry at a smiling face. Milia dropped her gaze and muttered under her breath.
"You're always so underhanded… I'm going to remember this."
"I'll be looking forward to it. For now, let's get moving."
"…Fine."
Schwarz took her hand and started walking. Milia followed with her head bowed, her voice soft as she matched his steps.