Chapter 113 Epilogue
The world’s first magic-powered airship, jointly developed under the leadership of the Second Princess Sophie.
On board this revolutionary ship that traverses the skies, powered by the high-density magic crystal core Philial Diva, were Sophie, who was in charge of design and development, as well as Noel, Marietta, and Liatris, from the Kingdom of Ivelpe.
“Wooow…! Look, Noel! The view is amazing!”
“Ah, yeah…I’ve seen it. I’m seeing it. Or rather, didn’t you see it when we were returning from the Orchestra too…?”
“Back then I was too tired and preoccupied to really enjoy it!”
“I enjoyed it at that time…I enjoyed it. So Liatris, you can…”
“But this is something to be enjoyed together with your fiancée, isn’t it? Sophie was so kind as to have this magic airship take us all the way to the Kingdom of Ivelpe.”
“Fufufu. Lady Liatris, I think we’d better leave it at that.”
Marietta gave a mischievous smile to Liatris, who was fidgeting because Noel wouldn’t look at the view outside.
“My brother is afraid of heights, you see.”
“Hey, Marietta…!”
“Really!? Eh, I didn’t know that! Then when we were boarding the Orchestra…”
“At that time, we were too focused on the battle ahead to have the luxury of enjoying the scenery. And there was also the power of love.”
“Ehehe…I see…The power of love, huh…”
“Marietta, don’t say such presumptuous things…!”
“Oh my, does that mean you don’t love your fiancée, brother?”
“And you were whispering so passionately about love back then~”
“Of course I love her!”
“……………………”
At Noel’s straightforward words, Liatris blushed and fell silent, while Marietta seemed content to just watch, saying, “It looks like it’ll be more fun if I stay quiet.”
“Just…give me some time to get used to the view from up high! I’m still honestly a bit scared!”
“What a wimp my brother is.”
“…Yeah. But it might have helped. If she had pressed me further, it would’ve been bad for my heart.”
At that moment, Sophie appeared before the three who had caught their breath.
“…Well, how is the airship for you three?”
“It has a wonderfully smooth ride, Your Highness Sophie.”
“Yeah! I want to keep riding it even more!”
“……..Yeah…I guess so……”
“…I’m glad.”
Although one of them could barely get the words out, Sophie was relieved by the positive responses from the royals.
“Still, your technical prowess is as formidable as ever.”
“Even if you analyzed the technology of the Orchestra, it’s only been about a month since the battle with the Night Witch. To have achieved this level of completion for the airship in such a short period of time…”
“…Makina helped out too.”
“But are you really sure it’s okay? To mobilize this magic airship just for sending us off? I’ve heard that there’s been an overwhelming number of applications from nobles of various countries wanting to ride it.”
The right to board the magic airship had become a platinum ticket that nobles of all nations would kill for. Using it solely to transport Noel and the others wasn’t the most efficient use, considering the consumption of Philial Diva.
“…I can create a debt owed by the royals of the Kingdom of Ivelpe. Considering that, it’s not bad.”
“What does that mean…?”
“…I’ve decided to become the ruler. I want to gather as many cards in my hand as possible.”
The three froze at Sophie’s casual bombshell statement, her expression unchanged as always.
“Forgive me, but I was under the impression you had little interest in matters of succession to the throne, Your Highness.”
“…That’s how it was before. Until then, as long as I was fine, that was enough. As long as niinii was fine, that was enough. But during that battle with the Orchestra…I was scared. Knowing the Palace would fall, unable to think of any way to stop it…the thought of so many people dying terrified me.”
Even now, Sophie sometimes has nightmares of helplessly watching time pass as the Orchestra falls on the capital, without her being able to do anything.
“…It was only then that I realized. That I love this country and my family. That I’m scared of losing them. That I don’t have enough power yet. So I’ll become the ruler. A ruler who can protect everyone and make them happy.”
“…Even if it means going against Alfred?”
“…Even if nii nii becomes my enemy, my feelings won’t change. I want to become the ruler so I can protect him too.”
☆
“Oooooooooooooooohhhhh!”
“Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!”
The voices of two men thundered in the training grounds. Fists and blades scattered sparks.
When the countless sparks had dispersed, the prince’s fist deflected the blade, getting sucked into the now empty head area…before stopping just short of impact.
“…Impressive.”
“Hahaha! You were quite the formidable opponent yourself!”
One was the Second Prince Roberto. The other was…
“You’ve raised your game, Nanato!”
The blond artificial human that Roberto had named Nanato.
“Thank you. It’s all thanks to your training, Lord Roberto.”
“Don’t just focus on the training, remember your duties too.”
Clifford approached the two who had finished training, looking exasperated.
“By now, Lady Sophie and the others should have crossed the border aboard the magic airship…Likely aiming to build ties with the royals and the goldsmith of Kingdom of Ivelpe. She must be considering the clash over succession to the throne…”
“Hahaha! It’s fine, isn’t it? If the genius Sophie gets more fired up, even more citizens will be saved!”
“There’s no way that’s fine. By sheer accomplishments alone, Lady Sophie is more than a formidable threat.”
“And it’s overcoming such formidable threats head-on that makes one worthy of being a ruler! No, that’s the kind of ruler I aspire to be!”
“While I’m happy you’ve set your sights on the throne, I do wish you’d pay a bit more mind to strategy.”
“Hahaha! It’ll be fine! I have you by my side, Clifford!”
“…Honestly. And don’t think I’ll just condone everything you do.”
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT gadgetizedpanda.net
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“Hey, didn’t you just hear Roberto’s obnoxiously loud voice?”
The First Princess Luche spoke to the woman chained up in the cell.
And the woman – the criminal Loretta Garland, wearing a magic-sealing collar reserved for felons, let out a dry laugh.
“…Must be a hallucination. Do you know where this is? The Deep Prison Chamber, for incarcerating heinous criminals. Newly constructed under the Royal Palace using Orchestra technology, it’s an abyss where not even voices, let alone light, can reach.”
After the decisive battle against the Night Witch, those of the former Children of Six Emotions other than Nenel and Liatris – Lucille and Loretta – did not lose their witch powers.
This Deep Prison Chamber was created using Orchestra technology to seal those powers away. It was built under the Royal Palace because it required the strong geomancy of that location to function at full output, and to allow the royal family, the only ones capable of wielding the neutralizing Fifth Element magic, to subdue the prisoners at any time if needed.
“But really…what are you intending? Why do you keep frequenting a place like this so often?”
“Because I haven’t given up on you yet.”
“…You’d do better to give up.”
“I’m going to be the ruler, you know. If I give up on even one friend, I won’t be able to save a lot of people going forward.”
“…How foolish.”
“Say it’s uniquely me.”
“…That does sound like you.”
“…Hey Loretta. You’ve committed grave sins. Sins you may never be able to atone for. You might be resented and condemned for the rest of your life. Never forgiven. But you know, I think that’s what atonement is.”
“What are you getting at?”
“The day you steel your resolve and face your sins head-on…The day you start walking forward again. I’ll be waiting for that day, no matter how long it takes.”
“……………………”
Loretta’s inner turmoil of conflicting emotions had yet to be fully sorted out.
And yet – she was gradually getting closer. She may never go back to being the friend she once was, but she could become a different kind of friend. Luche had a definite feeling about that.
(Now then…I wonder how the meeting with the other one is going?)
☆
From the level Loretta was imprisoned at, going even deeper into the lowest level of the Deep Prison Chamber.
“How are you doing, Lucille?”
“Does it look good to you?”
Sitting on the bed in her cell, Lucille gave a sarcastic response to Leor.
Around her neck was the same magic-sealing collar for felons that Loretta wore. Additionally, her hands and feet were bound by shackles with the same sealing effect as the collar.
“Suffocating and barely able to move, it couldn’t be better…How ironic, isn’t it? I had Charlotte put this collar on, and now I’m the one wearing it.”
“At least you seem lively, that’s what matters.”
“…Did you hear what that person said?”
“I did hear it. And by venting your dissatisfaction, does that mean you’re relying on me?”
“…Hmph. You must be quite bored yourself, visiting a place like this every day.”
“Think of it as a date. Ideally, I’d take you somewhere with a nice view, but…this will have to do for now. Something to look forward to in the future.”
“How trite. I’ll never leave this place…Well, that’s only natural, I suppose.”
“For you to accept that as natural, you really have changed.”
“……..”
Words Lucille could never have uttered before – undeniable proof of her change.
“Your achievements in the battle against the my mother must have been recognized. Why don’t you just become the ruler and be done with this demon woman?”
“…That’s one way to go about it. If I become the ruler, I could let you out of here.”
“Are you an idiot?”
“Well, I am the willful and foolish First Prince. When it comes to a woman I love, I can be as big an idiot as it takes. That said, the clash over succession is bound to get fierce.”
Leor spoke as if he had made up his mind, directly facing Lucille who was in the prison cell.
“I won’t give up on you. You can’t run away like before anymore.”
“……………………”
After a moment of silence, Lucille gave a resigned smile, like a girl she once was.
“……………………You’ve changed, Leor.”
☆
TLNOTE : There’s one chapter part left, see you soon…
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