There remained a task that I now had to consider as my last.
Well, rather than calling it the last, it would be more appropriate to say that it was a task that, in some sense, signified the beginning, with all preparations completed.
The Temple dormitory.
Nighttime.
"Yesterday, I finished making contact with Owen de Getmora."
Inside my dormitory room, I was listening to Sarkegaar's report.
"How did he react? Wasn't he surprised?"
"He seemed somewhat startled, but being a natural-born merchant, he quickly regained his composure."
It must have been disconcerting for someone who was promoting the Human Republic Revolution to suddenly be approached by forces from the demon world. However, it seemed that he had calmly begun to assess the situation.
"He said he would have to discuss it with his advisers first, but as you suggested, the circumstances seem to be favorable for a positive response."
As far as we knew, there was no difference between having a leash around their necks and being caught. If they didn't want to join hands, all we had to do was pass on information about the revolutionary forces to the empire.
"Right, from the empire's perspective, the immediate threat isn't us, but the revolutionary forces."
The existence of the demon world forces could serve as grounds for uniting humanity. However, the revolutionary forces represented internal divisions.
The demon world forces couldn't bring down the empire, but the revolutionary forces could.
Therefore, the ones the empire would truly want to eradicate with all their might were not us, but the revolutionary forces.
Sarkegaar looked at me cautiously.
"Of course, Owen had one condition during our meeting."
"A condition…? What is it?"
"He wants to see the Demon King's descendant with his own eyes."
"Hmm."
It wasn't entirely unexpected. If they were to join hands with us, they would be curious about how much power we had left and what we could do.
And they would want to verify the existence of the last Demon King, who was only rumored to exist. If I had the power of the ancestors of the Demon King's lineage, I would be very reliable.
But I didn't possess such practical power.
"Can't he tell by looking at an Archdemon?"
"That's what I said."
So, showing myself wouldn't make much of a difference.
"What do you plan to do? Of course, we will need to coordinate on the location and manner of the meeting. Also, you don't have to confront him personally. There could be traps or dangers of any kind."
We knew them, but they didn't know us.
Revealing ourselves and exposing our full strength in such a situation couldn't be considered a good choice.
However, we would prefer to form an alliance rather than be exploited.
We were already in the grasp of the Black Order.
"Going there personally would be risky. Let's avoid face-to-face meetings until we've built a certain level of trust. It's not like we have to see each other's faces to work together."
Restraint is necessary at times.
"Understood, Your Highness."
Sarkegaar looked at me as if his report was finished.
"I've decided to cooperate with the Order."
"I see."
Epinhauser never mentioned that he was a member of the Black Order. If that were the case, Sarkegaar would try to get me out of the Temple by any means necessary.
"The exact purpose of the Black Order is still unclear. But it seems they've agreed to join forces to fight against Cantus Magna. While our interests align, we can't quite trust each other, but we'll work together."
"...I think it's too dangerous."
Sarkegaar's judgment is correct.
And I am actually in an even more dangerous situation. If Sarkegaar knew that I had hidden Epinhauser's affiliation with the Black Order, he would be furious.
"I'm not sure if it's the right decision to put ourselves at risk like this for Akasha. It might not be the object we're looking for, after all."
"Perhaps."
What is Akasha?
I don't know.
But since I've decided to do something, I must.
The die was cast long ago, and now we're just moving our pieces.
If I wasn't going to move my pieces, I would have stayed in Eleris's shop, quietly waiting for the Gate incident to happen and leaving all other events and accidents untouched, killing time in that cramped second-floor corner.
"You know that I went to the Demon King's territory this time, right?"
"Yes, Your Highness. Was there something there?"
"It was a hideout, stocked with supplies that could last for a very long time."
At my words, Sarkegaar stares at me blankly.
"In the underground of the Demon King's territory... There's such a place?"
"Yes, it seems you didn't know."
"No, this is the first time I've heard of it."
"It appears to be a labyrinth that only opens to Archdemons."
"A mysterious labyrinth... The previous Demon King was well-versed in magic, so it's not that surprising, I suppose..."
In fact, even Airi vaguely knew there was a secret space like that in the Demon King's territory.
The Four Heavenly Kings must have known about the bunker, but they kept it a secret. Airi knew the location, but she didn't know it was a bunker.
If so, the ones who knew about the bunker were the Four Heavenly Kings, the Demon King, and myself.
The rest didn't know about the secret space in the Demon King's territory. Of course, someone else might know, but I can't be certain.
"It's a labyrinth. It seemed like no one but Archdemons could even enter."
"I see..."
"Anyway, there were plenty of magical books from the demon realm in there. We'll use them as bait to lure Cantus Magna."
The bait is more than enough.
So we prepare to catch the big fish named Cantus Magna, together with the Black Order.
"Pass this information on to Lucinil. Then Eleris will know too."
We share the information we've gathered and decide what steps to take moving forward.
"Yes, Your Highness."
Sarkegaar transforms into a sparrow and flies away.
I gently pressed my temples and took a few deep breaths.
Shouldn't I meet the revolutionary forces directly?
Is it right for me to obediently stay in the temple when the Black Order could harm me at any moment?
Would soul-absorbing magic be the solution to Charlotte's condition?
What if I make a mistake with Cantus Magna, causing even bigger problems?
When everything goes wrong...
If I tell them that I was actually trying to save everyone...
Who would believe me?
Two days had passed.
Nothing particularly significant had happened during that time. I was cautiously approaching contact with the revolutionary forces, and I hadn't received any opinions from Professor Epinhauser.
However.
It seemed that there were quite a few people who found my gloomy demeanor bothersome.
"Hey, come out."
Liana called me out as I stayed cooped up in my room, clutching my head.
She appeared in an unexpected way at an unexpected time.
"What is it?"
"Let's hang out with your big sis."
She got a taste of defeating Cliffman, and now she's doing this to me too?
"…Why do you think you're my big sister?"
"Kid, it's just a figure of speech."
She grabbed me by the collar and dragged me out of the room.
"Ouch!"
"Anyway, come out, you little brat."
This girl, who seemed to live without any worries and only focused on enjoying herself.
A rich girl who seemed like a rich girl but also didn't.
Liana de Grantz.
"Want a drink?"
"You and I aren't at the age to drink like it's a natural thing, you know?"
"But last time, you were screaming your head off and enjoying yourself, weren't you?"
Somehow.
In a situation like this, Liana's carefree behavior was comforting.
It was still afternoon.
As Liana dragged me along, she spoke.
"Anyway, spare some time."
"What for?"
"Let's have a chat."
Liana looked at me and grinned.
"I don't know why you're so gloomy, but there are more than a few people who get tired of it, you know?"
-Thump thump!
Liana patted my shoulder.
"You won't die from lightening up."
Not everything that goes wrong is because of a bad attitude.
So, it's okay to lighten up.
"You're right."
As I chuckled weakly, Liana clicked her tongue.
"A pig about to be slaughtered tomorrow wouldn't have an expression like that, would it?"
"Are your words gradually getting harsher?"
"Yeah, come on out like this. It's more familiar this way."
As I seemed about to lose my temper, Liana laughed and patted my back.
Liana de Grantz...
She always seemed distant yet close.
A strange girl.
She said to spare some time.
Liana took me outside the temple.
"Where are we going?"
"Just follow me."
She even dragged me onto a magic train.
Come to think of it, there weren't many times when it was just the two of us.
It was during the deserted island group mission when I first spoke with Liana. After that, we didn't seem particularly close, but after the summer vacation, we began to treat each other casually, as if we had become friends.
We hadn't shared many experiences, but somehow we became close enough that we didn't feel any discomfort around each other—a peculiar kind of relationship.
We could call each other friends without hesitation.
That's what I think, at least.
On the magic train with a limited number of passengers, I absentmindedly gaze out the window, gripping the handrail.
The scenery resembles Seoul, but it's distinctly different as it whizzes by.
The process of taking the train is the same, but the landscapes of this world don't resemble those in my head from Seoul.
Inside the swaying train carriage.
"What's the matter?"
Liana de Grantz asks quietly.
I could feel her concern for me in her simple question.
There's a lot going on, but I can't talk about it.
"Nothing's wrong."
"Well, people can feel that way sometimes."
Though she didn't seem entirely convinced, she didn't pry further. Liana fell silent for a moment, searching for a new topic before speaking up again.
"The new students will be joining us soon."
"...Yeah."
I had been preoccupied with my own issues and hadn't given any thought to that matter.
We're now second-year students, and soon, new students will be entering the Royal Class.
Some of these new students will have roles in the original work, and since my actions shouldn't have affected that part, they will be admitted to the Royal Class as usual. They'll mostly be involved with Ludwig, though.
Of course, they'll be divided into first-year A and B classes, maintaining the same power dynamics among the seniors.
Juniors.
I've drifted away from the temple while thinking about such things.
"I just hope we don't have juniors like you."
"...What's wrong with me?"
"Would you like it if we had a junior who started cursing at their seniors trying to maintain discipline?"
"Oh."
That thought makes my head spin.
Having a junior like me?
That would be the worst.
Liana looks at me and asks.
"What would you do if Harriet gathered the juniors and was telling them various things, and a junior as small as a mouse started lecturing her and she ended up crying?"
Well.
That.
Uh...
"..."
"You wouldn't let that go, right? Like that senior who came to discipline you last time and left with a swagger?"
I couldn't deny it!
I had cursed at Redina, who came to discipline the juniors, and she had brought second-year Ard with her, swearing to teach me a lesson. I had been beaten badly by Ard but managed to avoid the crisis with a last-minute high kick.
And now that I'm a second-year student.
Our class probably won't have to deal with disciplining the juniors.
But if we did, and a junior started mouthing off to one of our classmates.
And if Harriet, surprised by the incident, tearfully reported it to me.
'If my junior ever said that to me...'
Even if they did say such a thing.
I have no confidence that I wouldn't beat them senseless.
Ard de Gritis...
You...
You deserved it...
Only after a year had passed did I come to understand the feelings of my senior who had defeated me.
I'm sure I would be no less severe, if not more so...
Who do you think you are, dealing with our thickheaded friend? Even though she may appear this way, she's a princess.
When it was my turn to endure it, I found it unbearable and annoying, but if the situation were reversed, I couldn't guarantee that I wouldn't do the same!
Seeing my expression, as if she could read my thoughts, Liana burst into laughter.
"But when you think about it, it's amazing. Last year, when you did that crazy thing, I really thought you were an unbelievable lunatic... How did it come to this?"
We had no reason to become close, but after various events, we ended up becoming friends. Liana must have never expected that she'd end up going on walks outside with someone like me.
Liana gazed out the window with a faint smile.
"Anyway, it was fun."
"..."
"I hope this year is the same."
Just like Liana said, last year was filled with fun events, and I hoped that this year would be full of enjoyable moments as well.
"...I hope so too."
I wish the same.
We took a magical train, and soon I found out where Liana was taking me.
The mansion-dense area in the northern part of the Imperial City.
In front of an incredibly large mansion, Liana stopped.
"Of course, this isn't your house, is it?"
"You know it well."
What does my apparent gloominess have to do with your invitation to your home?
Liana chuckled.
"Soon, I'll have to ask for permission."
"Permission? Permission for what?"
"Marriage."
"Wha- No, what?"
"What is it? Don't you like it?"
What on earth is she talking about?
Has she been looking at me that way all this time?
"Um, no... I don't understand what you're saying. And, sorry, but..."
"...You really think I'm serious? It's a joke."
Liana clicked her tongue as if she couldn't believe it. Then, a blue spark jumped from her hair.
-Zap!
"Also, you're getting really worked up, and it's annoying."
"What do you want me to do? Don't play jokes like that!"
"Quiet."
As if her pride had been hurt by my reaction to her joke, Liana crossed her arms, and soon the mansion doors were opened by the servants.
"Welcome back, Miss."
"Yes."
"Everyone is waiting for you in the guesthouse."
Waiting?
Who on earth is waiting?
"Come on."
Liana grabbed my arm and led the way through the vast mansion.
"You should be grateful, you know."
Liana muttered something incomprehensible as she dragged me along.
