by Terasu Senoo
She didn’t have nearly enough courage to tell him they had reached the bottom floor or that they had undone the seal on an ancient monster, let alone that they had risked their lives to reseal it.
“I’m so sorry, Father.” Erika’s apology was heartfelt. She kept a low posture, making sure to show she was deeply regretting her actions and reflecting on them; this was a very Japanese negotiation tactic she had picked up in her past life. At that moment, Claus stepped in to cover for her.
“It’s all my fault. I dragged her into it. Erika didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Claus, you have my thanks for protecting Erika. She returned unharmed from those ruins because you were with her, correct?”
“No, that’s not it. I was the one who—”
“Yes, that’s right, Father. Claus did his best to keep me safe.” She didn’t want him to complicate things, and she was genuinely thankful that he’d protected her.
“Very good. You see, Claus, Erika is my treasure; nothing in the world can replace her. I promise to repay this debt to you someday. As a father and as Duke Aurelia.” The seasoned noble was expressing the utmost respect to a boy more than thirty years his junior.
Claus still looked like he wanted to say something, but he didn’t dwell on it.
Erika’s father sent Claus and Anne out to where the Duke and Duchess of Hafan were waiting for them.
“Erika...”
“Yes?”
Without another word, Duke Aurelia locked her in a warm and gentle embrace.
To Erika, this made her feel far more guilty than if he had actually scolded her. There were people who would be saddened if she treated her life so cheaply. She was finally beginning to open her eyes to something so obvious.
☆
“I can finally get some sleep.”
Duke Aurelia successfully dispelled the curse two hours after she had returned to the palace. In the midst of the process, Claus anxiously came to check on her again and again. In the end, he even escorted her back to her room.
What a conscientious person, Erika thought with a smile.
She threw aside the leather bag she’d borrowed from Eduard, stripped off her outfit, and collapsed onto the bed.
Ah, I’m finished. I’m not moving a single step! she proclaimed in her heart as she sunk beneath the covers. She wasn’t going to go tomb raiding again. Dungeon crawling could stay in video games, where it belonged.
As she rolled from side to side, her hand brushed against something hard. She picked it up to find that it was a single vial. She’d asked Claus to give it to her on the way back.
“Looks like I still have one more job to do.”
She crawled out of the bed with hollow eyes and made for her workbench. Digging through every nook and cranny chock-full of alchemical reagents, she finally managed to find what she was looking for.
Can I put my prior knowledge to good use?
She mapped out the process in her head as she got the tools and materials in order. This was going to be time-consuming work; perhaps she would be up all night. She turned back toward the bed, yearning in her eyes.
“Ahh, my beloved blankets...”
Shaking off her lingering attachment, she concentrated on the spoils of war arranged on the table.
Chapter 4: The Promised Land
“Alright, Claus. Keep a good hold of those flowers.”
Erika snipped off another light-pink rose with the pruning shears and handed it to Claus, who was off to one side arranging the roses into a bouquet.
Claus had gotten quite an earful from his parents the night before, and there were bags under his eyes. What’s more, while he hadn’t suffered any serious injuries, he was still covered in scrapes and bruises. There were bandages on his cheeks and brow, making him look almost like a protagonist from a shounen manga.
Is his skin otherwise perfectly clear because of his youth, or is that one of the special perks of being a pretty boy? Erika wondered.
Naturally, her own skin was in great condition. She rarely exercised, yet she wasn’t feeling any muscle pains. Erika had to thank her mother for giving birth to such a robust girl.
“Hehe, you heard her, Claus. You have to listen to me today.”
As promised, the three of them were strolling through the rose garden of the Spring Palace. The gardeners watched endearingly as Anne frolicked to and fro. She was followed by Erika with the pruning shears and Claus with his arms full of flowers. It was as if Anne were a princess and the other two her attendants.
Erika’s eyes were soaked in the green of spring, and Claus seemed to be zoning out as well.
Oh, a comrade in arms, Erika thought as she looked at Claus. Their eyes met.
“Erika, were you up all night too?”
“Yes, I still had a few things to take care of. Nice job on surviving the lecture.”
“Hardly,” Claus muttered with lifeless eyes.
Oh, should I have said something more refined? “My condolences,” maybe?
Erika tried coming up with an eloquent Japanese phrase to comfort him, but the truth of the matter was that they were conversing in the language of the present world. This world’s language tended to be rather wishy-washy when it came to formal and informal speech, so it wasn’t that strict.
“The lectures, or rather my father’s teachings, aren’t over yet. I’m just taking a breather.”
“Really?”
“After that, it’s Mother’s turn.”
“Good luck. I know you’ll pull through.” Erika offered a wry smile.
House Hafan seemed to be quite strict, but it was probably born of love and genuine concern.
“Look, brother, those roses over there are so beautiful!”
“Fine, go for it. But just two more, okay?”
“Why, Claus! If you’re not repentant enough, I can always tell Mother and Father about it.”
“Ngh... Let’s get to work, Erika! We’ll prune the entire rose garden!”
“You’re overreacting!”
“Yes, yes. You can have as many flowers as you want.”
Anne seemed to be wholeheartedly enjoying herself. While Claus tagged along with a somber look on his face, he sincerely seemed relieved that she was alright.
I’m glad they get along. Erika smiled serenely. And finally, finally, that’s one of my death flags gone and done with.
She felt that a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. The flag had been a stubborn one, but now that it had been eliminated, she could breathe a sigh of relief. Having overcome that hurdle, Erika felt completely drained. On top of that, she was terribly sleep-deprived, which had transformed her into an autonomous, flower-pruning doll that could explain the flowers’ features on demand.
I can zone out this much and still not die! This is pure bliss. She keenly savored the taste of her good fortune.
“Erika, dearest, what’s that yellow flower?”
“That would be a Lady Banks’ rose, native to the southern continent.”
“Wonderful! I’m going to get a closer look!”
“Yes, of course. Go ahead, Anne.”
Ever since the incident, Anne had begun calling Erika “dearest.” Her sweet behavior was straight out of a classic shoujo novel, and it brought a slight blush to Erika’s face. While she did feel happy about it, it was also considerably embarrassing.
“Good grief, just look at how peppy she is after everything that’s happened. I wonder whom she takes after.”
Claus’ arms were loaded with the flowers Anne had picked out. The spirit of adventure had yet to depart from her, and today she was especially merciless.
Erika, on the other hand, was barely there; she followed Anne’s orders in a daze, mechanically cutting roses and handing them to Claus. Before he knew it, Claus was hoisting up an outrageous amount.
More than three times what Claus was holding had already been delivered to Anne’s rooms. In all seriousness, the garden could end up fully harvested. Eri
ka thought little of it, as if she considered it someone else’s business.
“She’s just like you, Claus. Simply brimming with curiosity. She’ll do whatever she’s set her mind to. You’re two peas in a pod. Oh, but you do lack her courteousness.”
“Oi, Erika, what the hell did... Err, Lady Erika, what might you be referring to?”
“Dear me, Sir Claus. Gaze out and behold all the large-flowered roses that surround us.”
Erika smiled superficially and blatantly changed the topic.
Haha, human ears are attuned to pick up insults. What a bother.
Erika averted her eyes from his pouting face and snipped a light crimson rose that had caught her eye. To both distract and tease him, she adorned his hair with the flower.
With both his hands occupied, Claus had no way to avoid it.
Keeping a composed look on her face, Erika internally burst into laughter. The beautiful rose suited his dignified features surprisingly well.
“Oh, it’s perfect, Claus.”
“What are you doing?! Remove it at once!”
Claus’ cheeks flushed with shame as he frantically shook his head to jostle it free. Unfortunately, the stalk was tangled rather fiercely, so it wasn’t coming out.
“What do we have here? Claus, you’re looking adorable today.”
“Oh! Eduard! Welcome back!”
“Geh! Eduard’s here?!”
With exquisite timing, Eduard appeared from between the hedges. He was wearing the same clothes as when he left, the leather briefcase that served as his Wunderkammer in his hand. He carried himself with the usual grace and elegance, but there was fatigue etched onto his face. Like Erika and Claus, he had likely been up all night.
“Ngh...! Stop! Don’t look at me, you cretin!”
Claus hid his face behind the bundle of flowers. Try as he might, he completely failed to hide his ears, which had turned bright red.
Still, you don’t have to put it like that, Claus. Erika giggled as she gave him a sidelong glance.
“There’s no need to hide it. It’s quite beautiful, you know.” Eduard casually spouted such incendiary lines while reaching a hand toward the bouquet.
Claus promptly whipped around and started running away from the Aurelian siblings.
“Grrr! You’d better remember this, Eduard Aurelia! One day I’ll clear my name of this disgrace, just you wait!” Leaving a needlessly embarrassing parting remark, Claus fled in Anne’s direction. Was it really so embarrassing to be seen by Eduard with a rose in his hair? Perhaps it was simply inevitable, given how he had arbitrarily decided Eduard was his rival.
Once Claus was gone, Eduard’s smirk melted away, and he faced Erika with a look of gentle concern.
“I came as fast as I could once I got the messenger owl... I’m so sorry, Erika. I hear you almost died from the trap I set.”
“No worries. It was safely dispelled, so I’m quite alright.”
Erika averted her eyes. She couldn’t quite tell him that his extremely powerful death trap had ultimately saved her life. While she couldn’t divulge the truth, she did feel deeply indebted to him.
“More than that, I’m sorry for making a mess of all the tools you’d saved for exploration.”
“Don’t worry about it. Father told me about what happened yesterday. The tools I left behind helped my dear sister return alive. Why, I couldn’t be more proud of my creations.” With a soft smile, Eduard knelt down to match her eye level.
“Eduard, you...”
You really are kind. She felt warmth blooming in the depths of her heart. Unfortunately, with his very next words, his angelic smile contorted into something more sinister.
“But if you could please tell me exactly who used what and how much of it—as far as you can remember, of course—I would be sincerely grateful.”
“Erm, what do you intend to do with that information?”
“It’s a secret. Don’t worry, I won’t cause you any trouble, Erika.”
Eduard held an index finger in front of his lips, which were curled in a dark, elegant grin. Erika could somewhat read his intentions.
He’s definitely billing Claus for the cost of the potions and scrolls. This must be what they mean when they say “when it rains, it pours.” Misfortunes never come singly.
Erika pitied the boy. When Eduard’s invoice arrived, Claus might have to sell off one of the forests he was arranged to inherit. Erika decided she would beg her brother to at least wait until the poor boy was older. Eventually, after Claus took over the post of Duke Hafan, he could endeavor to increase his territory’s assets in order to make up for the loss.
Still, what do I do now? Erika hesitated. Was she better off telling her family what had happened that night in the Seafarer’s Ruins? The very existence of the monster Zaratan would become a scandal throughout all of Aurelia.
She fell silent, thinking over it carefully, so Eduard tactfully changed the subject.
“Come to think of it, you know how I’ve been secretly sneaking into the ruins? I never found what I was looking for.”
“What might that have been?”
“A friend of mine was looking through some references, and according to him, the remains of a giant monster may sleep at the deepest depths of the Seafarer’s Ruins.”
“O-Oh, hmm, is that so? I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
Erika trembled with fear as Eduard brazenly reached the heart of the matter. It was no more than a coincidence, surely, but she broke into a cold sweat, wondering if she would be able to keep her secrets.
“Considering the distribution of star crystal and starsteel deposits in the surrounding soil, he said that the ruins may have been constructed at the center of a life-form five kilometers across. And that was his conservative estimate.”
“Wow, that large?”
“It sounds like a dream, right?”
The Zaratan had said it spanned an entire city. But to think the monster was over five kilometers wide... That was far larger than Erika had anticipated.
I’m glad it was still small when we met it.
If they’d had to face the living Zaratan, they wouldn’t have stood a chance. It was understandable why the ancient alchemists had used a last resort like the Sailor’s Song wand to take it down.
“Right, right. I doubt you’ll go to the ruins again, but if you do end up getting lost in there, you definitely can’t go beyond the seventh floor.”
“Is something there?”
“There was a nest of formidable monsters on the eighth floor. While we barely managed to wipe them out, the magic we used was just a bit too large in scale, and unfortunately, we delivered drastic damage to the structural integrity of the maze. Worst-case scenario, the entire floor could collapse.”
“Th-That sure sounds dangerous.”
“I’m still debating with my fellow researchers on whether we should do some repair work or just dig a tunnel so we can keep exploring. Whichever we decide, we’ll be going beyond the scope of what we can keep a secret from Father, you see. I’ll have to arrange an official expedition team from Lindis.”
If there would be such a team, Eduard was guaranteed to be a part of it.
How am I supposed to explain this one away?
One little slip-up and her perceptive brother would immediately pick up on it. Erika chose her next words carefully.
“Come to think of it, when we were exploring last night, we heard a terrible crash, almost like the floor below us was breaking apart.”
“Ah, then maybe it has already caved in. That leaves the tunnel idea, I guess. I wonder what could have caused it. Did I overlook some mechanism linking it to the other floors? I thought I’d conducted a pretty thorough search.”
This was going just as Erika feared, and she hurriedly attempted to shift the topic at hand.
“I say, Eduard, it’s amazing that such a large animal can exist!”
“Oh, did it catch your interest?”
“Yes, I
find it very intriguing.”
Erika nodded. Not only was she intrigued, she had met the creature in question.
“It all stems from the story of the alchemist Jasconius, commonly called the Legend of Zaratan. You’ve heard it too, haven’t you? But what was Zaratan? Was it just another name for Jasconius? There’s a theory that ‘Zaratan’ might have actually been the name of the giant creature.”
“The people of Lindis have some crazy ideas...”
“Of course, there’s also the theory that it was an ancient energy-producing facility embedded with space-manipulation mechanisms, the theory that it was the name of a secret organization, and the theory that it was a visitor from the stars.”
“Err, what about the giant monster version?”
The conversation was about to be frightfully derailed, so Erika urged him back on track.
“Yeah, there are a few legends to support that.” Eduard hesitated for a moment. While he kept the same gentle smile, an air of sadness was budding beneath it.
“There are a number of discrepancies between the official record of Jasconius passed down throughout Aurelia—the lonesome Zaratan who made the philosopher’s stone—and the stories passed down in Aurelia’s oldest houses.”
“I only know of Zaratan from the books in the study.”
“Yeah. But the one you read was actually a hidden legend unique to House Aurelia. In our version, Zaratan was killed by the magic that causes stars to fall to earth, right? You haven’t received a formal education yet, but elsewhere they say he was killed with a knife in his sleep.”
Erika was taken aback. According to the Zaratan itself, it had been killed after it passed out from exhaustion. Regardless, she couldn’t believe the fact that the hidden truth of the Zaratan’s murder, which was supposed to be taboo, was still publicly taught in modern times.
“I have a friend who loves those sorts of stories, you see,” Eduard continued. “At first, I was just helping him out, but before I knew it, I was even more invested than he was. Our ancestor was known to be a man of few words, but maybe he left something for his distant descendants to discover... or something like that. Doesn’t it sound interesting?”