A Midsummer Night's Dream
I heard the story from Vira about what happened five years ago. About the events at the boss's birthday party. What Regalia lost that day. How she became the head of Evils Enterprise at such a young age.
All those secrets.
“—That’s how it went.”
“……I see.”
It wasn’t a particularly novel tale. Someone who feared the growing power of Evils Enterprise had targeted its leader, and the attempt had been half-successful. The previous chairman of Evils—Regalia’s parents—had lost their lives that day, leaving behind no bodies at all.
Even several of the guests who had come to celebrate Regalia’s birthday had perished. Despite the high number of victims, the culprit’s trail had never been found.
The assassin was simply too elusive, and the fact that victims had appeared even among those with grudges against the family made things complicated. Since everyone had suffered losses, even Regalia, who had lost her parents, couldn’t aggressively suspect or pressure anyone.
“It’s enough to make a ghost weep. With so many major corporations tangled up in this, they still couldn’t find a single trace.”
“Does that mean it was the work of the government—someone with power beyond even the corporations?”
“If it had been, they would’ve found traces long ago. But there weren’t even any traces to begin with……”
No single organization could have pulled this off alone. It was as if the entire world had conspired to deceive Evils.
Listening to the story, I felt a flicker of anger rise. People dying was common enough, but when it involved someone I knew? Even for things that weren’t my own, a person could still feel something.
“Well, anyway—the Young Lady hasn’t held a birthday party since that day. You could call it a bit of trauma.”
“That’s odd. She seemed perfectly fine attending the corporate party not too long ago.”
“That’s because the security there was no joke. Every major corporation head from each city gathered in one place, you know? There were so many S-class heroes it was like they were rolling around on the streets.”
Vira rattled off that no assassin or villain would dare show their face there, that even a madman would avoid such a suicidal act.
After saying her piece, Vira shrugged as if to ask whether I’d heard everything I wanted.
“So—satisfied now? Nothing else you’re curious about?”
“Not really. I understand why the boss doesn’t hold birthday parties.”
“Have you roughly decided what to get her as a birthday present?”
“More or less.”
“Ooh—won’t you tell me in advance?”
I shook my head, indicating I wouldn’t. Vira pouted and grumbled, but since she hadn’t told me what she was giving either, we were even.
Still, after hearing everything from her—why the boss didn’t hold birthday parties and what she had gone through—the answer to what I should give her as a present was quite simple.
Aile had said it herself: the boss was just a little girl. And children needed parents. Even if it was only a midsummer night’s dream……
Kitty, the secretary who served Regalia, the chairman of Evils Enterprise, took great pride in her position. She didn’t mind at all that her superior was a ten-year-old child.
What did age matter? Was serving a ten-year-old shameful while serving a fifty-year-old man was something to boast about?
To Kitty, what mattered far more was assisting someone who produced results, regardless of age. Anyone who looked down on Regalia because of her age was simply a sore loser who couldn’t claim the position themselves.
“—Young Lady. It’s time for your break.”
“Already? Time certainly flies.”
“Work is important, but you must take better care of your body…… You haven’t slept in 100 hours already.”
At Kitty’s words, Regalia burst into laughter as if it were nothing.
“I’m fine! I took the medicine the scientist made! He said I’d be perfectly all right even if I stayed up for a whole week!”
“Even so……”
“All right, all right. I’ll rest for a bit now. Will that do?”
“I’ll make the preparations, Young Lady.”
Regalia sighed as if she had no choice and rose from her seat. Kitty could see how painfully thin her limbs looked. Suppressing the ache in her chest, Kitty served her tea.
After downing the fatigue-relieving tea, Regalia immediately lay down on the bed. Kitty carefully massaged her entire body as she lay there.
Sitting for long periods prevented proper blood circulation. Without regular massages, serious problems could arise, so Kitty did her utmost to knead her body.
Just as the massage was nearing its end, Kitty noticed tears streaming from Regalia’s eyes and flinched in surprise.
“Y-Young Lady?”
“—Ah. Are you finished?”
“D-Did my massage hurt……?”
“Hm? It felt just right. I nearly fell asleep.”
“That’s a relief, but…… why the tears……?”
Only then did Regalia realize she had been crying and wiped her eyes. The amount of tears was far too great to be explained by a simple yawn.
Regalia quickly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and shrugged as if it were nothing, but Kitty felt as though her heart were being torn apart.
“—That will do. You may leave now.”
“……Yes, I understand, Young Lady.”
However, a mere secretary couldn’t interfere too much with the chairman. Kitty bowed her head and promptly left the office. Then, alone in the secretary’s office, she let out a choked sound.
Kitty knew why the Young Lady was so sorrowful. She had shown this expression several times over the past few days.
It had started after she took that medicine given to her by that street vagrant who called himself a scientist.
‘Scientist…… that insolent wretch.’
She had never liked how that unknown beggar had won the Young Lady’s favor. She couldn’t understand what tricks he had used to monopolize her affection…… and now he had given her something no different from poison?
A drug that let one go without sleep for over 100 hours. Just imagining how severe its side effects must be was terrifying.
‘To harm the Young Lady’s body like this.’
The fact that the Young Lady herself had chosen to take the drug didn’t matter. Even so, wasn’t it a loyal retainer’s duty to desperately prevent it?
No matter how busy things were, that was no reason for the Young Lady to work while whittling away her own life. It was even less of a reason for her—who had never shown emotion since that incident—to shed tears.
Filled with rage to the very top of her head, Kitty headed straight for the scientist. Inside the lab, she spotted the former bodyguard lounging on the sofa.
“Huh? Kitty? What brings you here?”
“Is the scientist in?”
“Yeah, he is. He said he’s in the middle of research and not to disturb him……”
Upon learning the scientist was inside, Kitty headed straight for the inner lab. The scientist, who had been tinkering with something intently, spoke without even turning around.
“—Vira, I told you not to disturb me.”
“I’m not Vira. Scientist.”
“……Who? Ah, the one I saw at the mansion back then—”
“I’m Kitty. The Young Lady’s chief secretary.”
After finishing her introduction, Kitty glared sharply at the scientist. The scientist, interrupted during his work, turned to face her with a hint of irritation on his face.
“What is it? So suddenly.”
“—I came because of the drug you gave the Young Lady.”
“You want more? What she’s already taken should be plenty.”
“No. It’s the opposite. What exactly did you feed her?”
“What did I feed her…… It’s just a regular tonic.”
“A regular tonic……!”
At those words, Kitty unleashed all the frustration she had been holding in. Did he know what state the boss was in after taking the drug he had given her? She described exactly how the Young Lady had been suffering from hallucinations and shedding tears, without any exaggeration. Yet the scientist listening remained utterly calm.
After hearing everything, the scientist nodded as if he understood and replied.
“—I see. So what?”
“Are you certain you heard me correctly? The boss is suffering because of the drug you gave her……!”
“She’s not suffering because of the drug I gave her. I can roughly guess the reason. I’ll take care of it, so you can leave.”
Watching the utterly nonchalant scientist, Kitty bit down hard on her lip. Instead of feeling pained by the story, he said he would solve it?
He was truly a person without a shred of human heart. She couldn’t understand at all how someone like this had earned the Young Lady’s favor.
“You claim to know why the Young Lady is sad? And that you’ll solve it?”
“Yes. That’s what I said, so stop disturbing me and leave.”
“Ha—! Even I, who has served the Young Lady since she was born, don’t know her heart, so how could you possibly—!”
The scientist waved his hand dismissively as if he truly had no interest. Seeing this, Kitty stormed out of the lab and began snapping at Vira outside.
“—What’s with that arrogant attitude, Vira.”
“Why are you asking me? He’s always been like that.”
“The Young Lady won’t tolerate it.”
“That same Young Lady is head over heels for the scientist, you know?”
“If she finds out about this, even the Young Lady will change her mind!”
Kitty rushed off to report to the Young Lady, only to be startled once again upon finding Regalia with her eyes closed, shedding tears.
Unlike before, when she wouldn’t speak of what was wrong, this time Regalia was murmuring something through her tears.
“……Mother, Father—”
Hearing those words, Kitty felt as though her heart had dropped. The former master and mistress. The Young Lady was longing for the two who were now gone.
The obvious fact—that she had been desperately trying to forget until now—suddenly surfaced in her mind. The Young Lady was still young, at an age when she naturally longed for her parents’ embrace. Even a mere scientist could see this, yet she had not.
‘But he says he’ll solve this?’
They were already dead. And without even leaving behind bodies. Was he planning to turn back time and bring them back or something?
Solving this problem was impossible. Kitty thought so once again.
A few days later, Regalia frowned as executives barged into her office while she was working.
“Yahoo—! Boss, I came to play!”
“E-Excuse me……”
“Grr— How annoying.”
Looking at the villain organization executives filling her office, Regalia asked in a slightly tense voice.
“……What is it, all of you, suddenly? Coming in a group like this. Do you have some complaint about me?”
“A complaint? Boss! Don’t you know what day it is today?”
“What day? What day is it?”
Regalia glanced at the calendar and tilted her head upon confirming there were no scheduled events for the day. It wasn’t a national holiday or any special anniversary—just an ordinary day.
Yet for someone, this day was incredibly special.
“It’s the boss’s birthday today! We came to celebrate!”
“……Ah, was it? My birthday. Time flies.”
Having spent nearly a week handling paperwork without sleep, Regalia rubbed her eyes as if wondering when that had happened.
The executives pulled out a cake and presents they had prepared in advance and held them out to her.
“B-Boss! Happy birthday! My present is this…… a magical girl costume!”
“……Oh, thank you, Aile.”
“I didn’t prepare a present. I’ll just sing a song and go.”
“I’m grateful for the sentiment alone, Galrm.”
“Levitan brought carrot chocolate! It’s delicious, so you should savor it!”
“I was just in need of some sugar. Thank you.”
“I prepared a luck stone◆. If you wear it, your luck will increase.”
“A luck stone? That sounds reliable.”
Receiving the magical girl costume, birthday song, carrot chocolate, and Arima’s gem necklace imbued with luck, Regalia smiled lightly as she looked at her subordinates.
Honestly, she felt a creeping urge to process just one more document instead, but according to the teachings of kingship, she set that feeling aside. Being too cold and detached wasn’t good for managing subordinates either.
“Young Lady! I prepared this!”
“What is it? Oh…… a doll?”
“Yes! I’ve been working on it for years. Back then, I only had one arm……”
Vira handed over a Regalia plush doll she had made herself. Though its craftsmanship was somewhat lacking, the fact that she had started making it when she only had one arm showed how much care had gone into it.
Though she wasn’t particularly fond of dolls…… Regalia accepted it with a pleased hum and turned to look at Eight, the one person who still hadn’t given her a present.
The last one whose gift she couldn’t even begin to guess. The scientist took out a single scented candle from his coat and offered it to her.
“……A scented candle?”
“Yes. It’s an aroma candle.”
“Is this…… a present?”
“It is a present, isn’t it?”
“I see. Thank you.”
She had expected the scientist to cause some kind of incident, but receiving an unexpectedly ordinary gift made the tension drain away in both good and bad ways. Letting out a sigh of relief inwardly, Regalia gathered the presents together for safekeeping and smiled.
“Thank you. I won’t forget this and will repay you all.”
“—Boss. You must light the candle alone, with all the doors closed.”
“Hm? Understood. I’ll do so.”
“And one more thing. Boss, that place is……”
Letting the scientist’s warning words go in one ear and out the other, Regalia blew out the candles on the cake with a puff. Afterward, they enjoyed the cake together before she returned to work.
Having finally cleared her backlog through a week of sleepless work, Regalia felt fatigue wash over her all at once and headed to her room. After freshening up and climbing into bed, she belatedly remembered the candle Eight had given her.
He had said to light it alone with all the doors closed. He had spoken as if he were handing over drugs or something.
‘Surely it’s not actual drugs……’
Though puzzled, Regalia lit the candle and lay down in bed, breathing in the subtle aroma as she fell asleep. A week’s worth of fatigue carried her straight into the land of dreams, and when Regalia opened her eyes again, she realized she was standing in the middle of a garden.
“……Huh?”
“—Regalia. What’s wrong?”
Suddenly, a voice she had longed to hear called out to her. Turning her head, Regalia flinched in surprise at the sight of the woman standing there.
“Regalia?”
The woman called out again in a worried voice. It was the voice of a mother trying to protect her child. Regalia stared in disbelief at her mother, and at her father in the distance, conversing with others.
‘This is……’
Five years ago. Her fifth birthday party. The very scene from when she had lost her parents.
‘What is this.’
Too late, Eight’s warning flashed through Regalia’s mind.
—Boss, that place is nothing more than a dream. Please don’t be deceived.
That’s right. She was now dreaming of events from five years ago. A dream so vivid it felt real.