Part 7: The Golden Lighthouse of the Aurelia Shines Bright! II

Prologue: It Grows and Spreads...

Mia walked through the halls of Saint-Noel Academy. She was headed for a meeting—specifically one to discuss her master plan (aka the fishing tournament) to form a friendship with Princess Orania Perla Ganudos.

“Oho ho! This is perfect! We’ll forge a bond of friendship and build a bridge into Ganudos!” exclaimed Mia with a proud grin, utterly assured of her victory. But suddenly, she was hit with a wave of anxiety. “How strange. I’m feeling uneasy... I suppose something similar happened around now in the old timeline. I was so certain I’d prove successful that the shock of failure only felt greater...”

Yes, back in the old timeline, Mia had dedicated herself to forging a friendship with another certain someone—the queen of the academy, Holy Lady Rafina Orca Belluga.

“Argh! How in the moons can I get close to her?!”

“Don’t worry, milady. You just need to give her this! These hairpins have been all the rage on Saint-Noel as of late.”

“My! You prepared this just for me?” Mia took the box offered by her personal maid Petra and smiled.

“The golden jewelry you gave her the other day just isn’t her style, milady. She’d never accept something so gaudy. Don’t let the merchants push you around.”

“You’re right. I was being foolish. So Miss Rafina prefers more sophisticated, trendy designs. Of course! Saint-Noel Island is always in the forefront of fashion, after all! She must be well-versed in the subject herself.”

Yet, this surefire present gifted with absolute confidence was turned away, and Mia’s invitation for a tea party with some gourmet cake was refused as well. Despite her countless, perfect plans, none had come to fruition...leaving Mia quite traumatized.

“The more perfect the plan, the more I’m worried it’ll fail thanks to that...” Mia recalled the pure icy smile Rafina had worn back then and shivered.

“My, Mia! Are you headed for the student council room too?” Suddenly, a voice rang out from behind her. While pleasant, it had a certain sense of overwhelming presence.

“E-Eek! A-Ah, if it isn’t M-Miss Rafina!”

Rafina Orca Belluga peered into Mia’s eyes with a scowl. “Are you all right, Mia? You look awfully pale,” she said, sounding quite worried.

“Y-Yes, I’m perfectly fine. I was just up all night thinking about this meeting.” Of course, that was a complete lie. Mia almost never experienced wakeful nights.

Regardless, Rafina took her words at face value, bringing a hand to her chest with a sigh. “I see. But please, there’s no need to push yourself too hard,” she said before tilting her head. “So even you get anxious sometimes. I’ve hardly ever seen you like this before.”

“Oh well... I’m just a bit worried that the fishing tournament won’t go over as smoothly as I hoped.” Without thinking, Mia voiced her earlier apprehension. Of course she thought the tournament would go well, but she couldn’t shake the unpleasant sense that her plan was so perfect it was bound to fail.

Suddenly, Rafina took Mia’s hand in her own, looking her straight in the eyes.

“Miss Rafina?”

“There’s nothing to worry about, Mia!” Rafina attempted to wipe her worries away. “I’m sure it’ll go well! And if it doesn’t, we simply have to come up with a new plan, so...” She put on a gentle smile. “Please remember that I’m here for you. Don’t worry about all this alone. Heavy burdens are meant to be shared. You said it yourself, no?”

“Miss Rafina...” For a moment, Mia wondered if she had really said that, though she kept it from showing on her face. Instead, she offered a solemn nod. “Indeed, I did. Then if this fails, I’ll reconsider our plans alongside you and everyone else. But...oho ho!”

“Hmm? What is it?” Mia’s sudden burst of laughter earned a confused look from Rafina.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Mia replied, shaking her head. It just suddenly felt so...strange. She had worked so hard to befriend Rafina in the old timeline, but she never so much as gave Mia the time of day. But now, they were good friends—enough so that they could even discuss befriending Orania together. All of this was so beyond expectation it was almost amusing.

“You’re right. We’re friends, even if you used to be cold to me. And if that’s true, then... Oho! I’m sure it’ll all work out with Princess Orania as well.”

“Hmm? I’m not quite sure why you’re insinuating that it was hard to befriend me...”

Mia shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. Well then, shall we be off?”

With that, the two made their way to the student council room.

Chapter 1: Belluga’s Fish Maniacs

Preparations for the fishing tournament had begun, and gathered in the student council room were all the big hitters—the members of the student council, the SEEC program’s teacher, Julius, and the man in charge of the island’s security, Santeri Bandler.

“Thus, I was hoping to hold a fishing tournament in order to bring the students closer together while fostering their education,” said Mia, glancing at Julius.

He nodded. “Thank you, Your Highness. I am sure the opportunity to learn about nature while having so much fun will be a great asset for them.”

Having earned Julius’s approval, Mia continued. “I was also hoping that all of you would help plan and carry out the tournament.”

Saint-Noel Academy had never held a fishing tournament before, which meant there was plenty they needed to prepare—starting with procuring fishing poles and bait. Plus, since this was technically a competition, there was a need to discuss the rules as well.

“While this is a fishing tournament, I think it would be best if we refrained from making it too competitive.”

The other members of the student council nodded in agreement. “I agree. Even if it does defeat the point of a tournament, it would be best for the students if they could focus on enjoying themselves rather than catching the biggest fish,” said Abel, sporting a gentle smile.

Mia now had Abel’s support too! “While it can be fun to compete, I want the focus to be on catching fish together and eating what we’ve caught.”

They’d play together, eat a tasty meal together, and laugh together—that was Mia’s go-to method of diplomacy. Everyone just wants to relax when they have a full stomach! Orania seems to be avoiding me, but if I fill her up and make her sleepy, she’ll forget all about that! Mia was absolutely certain of this.

“That means we’ll need an experienced fisherman who can identify which fish are edible and which are not, but we’ll do the cooking ourselves, and...”

Someone raised their hand before Mia could finish.

“What is it, Keithwood?”

Keithwood, Sion’s vassal, almost never spoke in place of his master, and Mia was awfully interested in finding out what he was going to say. Met with her gaze, he cleared his throat. “Rather than doing it ourselves, wouldn’t it be best to have professional chefs cook these fish for us?”

“Huh? But don’t you know how much fun it is to cook together?”

“Y-Yes, I do. Of course I do.” For a moment, Keithwood’s eyes were trained far off into the distance, his mouth shut closed as if biting down on his tongue. But shortly, he shook his head. “However, Your Highness... I believe you are forgetting something important.”

“My, and what is that?”

Keithwood looked at her with absolute conviction. “The best part of fishing is getting to eat the fish you caught yourself.”

“I see...” Mia folded her arms and mulled over his words. After a moment of silence, she accepted the truth behind them and nodded. “So?”

“In other words, there is a decent possibility we’ll ruin those fish if we’re the ones who cook them. Perhaps failure isn’t so disappointing when you cook with ingredients that have been gathered for you...but that’s not so much the case when cooking fish you’ve caught yourself.”

“So you’re saying that there’s a decent chance we’ll end up ruining the fruits of our labor?”

“Yes. We can’t afford to ruin these fish, so I believe it would be best to have a professional prepare them instead.”

“Hmm, that’s quite the convincing argument.” Mia glanced at Rafina.

She nodded. “We can have the academy’s chefs prepare them, but we may need to hire a few more for the job as well...”

Mia looked back at Keithwood. “Thank you. I hadn’t thought that far ahead. You really have been a great help.”

“Not at all. I’m just glad I could be of service,” he said, so deeply satisfied his eyes were clamped shut. His clenched fist trembled in absolute...joy? Mia watched him curiously.

Then suddenly, someone else raised their voice. “Won’t fishing be quite dangerous?” Santeri Bandler, the man in charge of the island’s security, spoke with a stern scowl. “It would be disastrous should a student happen to fall in the lake. I’m sure there are many here who do not know how to swim.”

This earned a scowl of Mia’s own. He was right. “Yes, very few nobles know how to swim.”

But then, what could they do? Limiting participants to those in the SEEC program would be doable, but I doubt Orania would accept such an invitation. That was the very reason Mia had decided to make this a school-wide event in the first place. But just as Mia was about to truly start to worry...

“Good grief. I suppose I have no other choice,” said Santeri, shrugging his shoulders. “I, Santeri Bandler, shall make full use of my countless years of experience and find a fishing spot that will be safe and suitable for you fishing novices!” He looked awfully proud of himself.

That’s right. Just as there were horse maniacs in the Equestrian Kingdom—ahem, Tearmoon—there were another breed of maniacs in Ganudos Port Country and Saint-Noel Island. Santeri “Angler” was a fish maniac on par with the enthusiasts from seaside nations far and wide!

Chapter 2: Just as the Moonlight Reflects on the Water...

“If we’re talking safety, we’ll need to avoid rocky areas.”

“You’re right. Rocks tend to be slippery.”

“Then the only possible spots are...”

The other fish maniacs on Saint-Noel Island had gathered, and Santeri Bandler led a lively discussion that consumed the student council room in a passionate whirlwind.

“We’ve found our spot. On another note, won’t the noble ladies have a hard time putting their bait on their hooks themselves?”

“You’re right. I’m sure they’ll have trouble taking the fish off their hooks too. We’ll have to arrange our compatriots in posts around the lake.”

Mia watched them work out all the details with a satisfied nod. It really is best to leave things to the professionals! I’m glad they know so much about fishing. It’s probably fine to leave the rest to them, right? Mia glanced over at Rafina, who offered a nod in response. Now that she had her permission, Mia left the room in order to accomplish her real goal—winning over Princess Orania.

Even if we hold this tournament, it would all be pointless if Orania doesn’t participate, or if she grumbles and complains about what we did wrong. I need to make sure I get rid of all the obstacles standing in my way!

But as Mia was headed for Orania’s room, she came across two children in the hallway—Patty and Yanna.

“Oh, Miss Mia!” exclaimed Yanna as she ran over to her. “Greetings!” she said, offering a slight bow.

Mia flashed her a kind smile. “Oho ho! I’m glad to see you’ve cheered up, Yanna.” She patted her on the head, earning a bashful grin.

“Um, thank you for the other day.”

“There’s no need to thank me! I’m just glad you’re back to your usual self. Has Orania said anything to you since?” asked Mia, trying to gather some intel on anything that could be used against the princess before their meeting.

However, Yanna just shook her head and began playing with her bangs. “I’ve been hiding my mark behind my hair so Princess Orania can’t see, and I’ve put a bandana on Kiryl to hide his.”

“I see. So you’re trying to preemptively prevent any unnecessary trouble...”

The Visalians suffered persecution in Ganudos, but the forehead tattoo that marked them could be concealed with a little effort. Still...

“Are you really all right with that?”

“I don’t really mind. I don’t like this tattoo much anyways.” There was something noncommittal about her words.

I’m sure the tattoo must be sentimental for her. It probably reminds her of her parents... But at the same time, Mia felt that as long as Yanna had been the one to make this decision, it wasn’t her place to say otherwise. Hiding it really would save her some trouble.

“Miss Mia?”

Mia pulled herself out of her thoughts to find Yanna staring up at her. “Oh, it’s nothing. That reminds me. You’re from Ganudos, right? Do you know how to fish?”

Very few noble children had ever gone fishing before, and while Mia had some basic knowledge of the matter, she had never tried her hand at it herself, as she was nervous to hook her own bait.

Thus, holding a school-wide fishing tournament required posting experienced fishermen around the lake who could offer their assistance. Maybe they could group students together and assign a helper to each of them.

Well, I’m sure the fish maniacs will work out all the details for me.

Mia was hoping that if Yanna knew how to fish, she could help Julius lead the SEEC class. But unfortunately, Yanna’s answer was no. “Oh, no... I’ve never gone fishing before...” She looked awfully apologetic.

“My, that’s surprising.”

Mia was convinced that the people of Ganudos were all fish maniacs the same way the people of the Equestrian Kingdom were all skilled riders, but she had apparently been mistaken.

Yanna’s expression grew cloudy. “I’m sorry, Miss Mia. We Visalians are supposed to be pirates, but I don’t know how to do any of that stuff. I can’t even swim...” she said, dejectedly slumping her shoulders.

Mia shook her head. “It’s nothing to apologize for!” As things were, it felt like Mia was bullying the poor girl, so she decided to be clear. It couldn’t be good for Patty if Mia failed to pluck out any possible seeds of danger.

“I was just asking. What you can or can’t do doesn’t change your value as a person. And as a child, you’re still in the position to learn.” Suddenly, Mia giggled. “That’s right. I’ll teach you how to swim soon, okay?”

“Huh? You can swim?” asked Patty, her eyes wide.

Mia put on a proud grin. “Oho ho! It’s easy! They say my figure as it moves through the water is as beautiful as the moonlight reflected on its surface. Isn’t that right, Anne?” Mia glanced behind her.

“Yes, milady. You’re a wonderful swimmer.” Her loyal vassal gave an enthusiastic nod. There seemed to be a bit of falsification in her memories, but...it was just human nature to rewrite those to confirm biases.

Anyways, the master of the floating aurelia technique of swimming smiled. “Well, it’s too cold to go swimming this time of year anyways. This tournament will strictly be for fishing! I do hope everyone in the SEEC program will enjoy themselves.”

Chapter 3: Mia Receives Some Welcome News

After bidding farewell to Patty and Yanna, Mia headed for Orania’s room in the dormitories. “Is she here? I hope she hasn’t gone off fishing again... Oh!”

Orania opened her door with perfect timing. She gave Mia a curious look. “My, Princess Mia... Did you need something...?” she asked in her usual calm, slow tone.

Mia nodded. “I was hoping to speak with you. Do you have time?”

“Oh, um... If you’re suggesting a tea party, then come again later...” said Orania, already prepared to flee.

But Mia’s eyes were sharp! She didn’t miss the fishing pole and basket Orania had on her. Orania was about to go fishing!

Oho ho! She’s an even bigger fish maniac than I thought!

Mia’s tone was grand and dignified. “Rather than a tea party, I was hoping to discuss fishing...”

As soon as the word “fishing” left Mia’s mouth, Orania froze in her tracks.

“Fishing...you said?” She slowly turned around.

Mia nodded. “Yup, fishing!”

“Fishing? The fishing where you catch fish with a pole and a line?”

“Yes, but I’ve never heard of any other type of fishing before...” said Mia, flashing a gentle smile. “I was hoping you could tell me more about fish. I take it you’ve heard that the student council will be holding a fishing tournament soon?”

“Yes, I have...” she said, fully turning to face Mia.

Oho ho! I’ve caught her now! thought Mia, inwardly snickering. But she kept her expression composed as she looked at Orania’s hands. “I see you were about to head to the lake. Why don’t we chat on the way to your favorite fishing spot? I’d love to hear more about the hobby...”

Orania now had nowhere to run. She couldn’t return to her room, and now that Mia had offered to chat as they walked, she couldn’t use needing to be somewhere as an excuse either. Mia had caught her hook, line, and sinker.

“Let’s be on our way then, shall we?”

Orania left the dorms and headed for a narrow road located behind the academy, which the girls traversed walking side by side with quick steps.

Moons, I think I’ve walked this road before with Abel. It leads to that secret beach!

With that realization, Mia quickly checked her feet. Luckily, there was no horse dung in sight.

“Um... What did you want to talk about?”

“Hmm? O-Oh, right. After everyone’s gone fishing together, I was hoping to prepare those fish for dinner,” said Mia, glancing at Orania.

“I see...! That’s such a great idea,” she said, her eyes twinkling. “Eating the fish you caught yourself is really fun, and they’re tasty too...” she said with a laugh.

Oho ho! It’s human nature to crave the tasty fish you’ve caught! It’s just like how mushroom hunting makes you crave what you’ll cook with them later!

Quite frankly, Mia had begun to fear that Orania was a creature beyond her comprehension when she had said she wasn’t a fan of sweets. It had thrown her for a loop, but now, she realized Orania was someone she could understand after all. She wasn’t some weird alien from outer space, just a princess who loved seafood!

Eventually, the canopy of foliage gave way to reveal a clear sky. Soft sunlight shined down on the white sand of a beach, which Orania headed for with gumption. Once she had reached the water’s edge, she peered into the lake. “I really love fish, but I love shellfish too... I heard Noelige Lake had plenty, but I don’t see any around here...” Still wearing her shoes, she kicked some water into the air and laughed.

“I’m quite fond of the sandiness of shellfish myself,” responded Mia, not really meaning it.

“There’s a shellfish known as the mushroom of the sea. It’s delicious...”

“Mushroom, you say? How peculiar. I’ve never heard of a shellfish like that before.” Now that caught Mia’s interest! Still, she decided to put this welcome news aside for now. “But anyways, I’ve heard some fish are edible while others aren’t. I was hoping you could tell me how to distinguish them from—”

“I’d love to help,” interrupted Orania. Her enthusiasm left Mia assured of her victory.

“Thank you, Orania. That would be excellent.”

She giggled. “I didn’t know you could be so fun...”

“My? You didn’t?” asked Mia, looking slightly confused.

“I love fun people...! Life really is all about eating tasty food and having fun...” responded Orania, beaming.

Chapter 4: In Search of His Own Sword

In another area of Saint-Noel Academy, two princes occupied the training grounds.

“But fishing, huh? There really is no predicting what Mia will think up next,” Sion Sol Sunkland, holding a wooden training blade, muttered in amusement. “She says she’s trying to win over Princess Orania, but I’m sure she has some other goal in mind as well.”

Abel nodded. “She always does. Mia always thinks on multiple levels, and all we see is the surface. I had a chance to chat with Sir Dion, Sir Ludwig, and some of her Princess Guard while I was in Tearmoon, and really...her drive and creativity are astounding,” he said, picking up a training sword in one hand and a round shield in the other.

“You must be talking about what happened after the cooking party at Marquess Schubert’s residence. I heard you visited the former Clausius Domain, and while I’m quite interested to hear what happened there, there’s something else that’s currently caught my attention.” Sion glanced at Abel. “A shield? I’m shocked,” he said, slightly furrowing his brow. “I always thought what defined your style of swordsmanship was preemptive strikes that overwhelm your opponent.” The first stance of Remno swordsmanship—a swift strike from above—was what Sion always considered Abel Remno’s greatest weapon. “I thought you knew as much yourself.”

“Of course I do, and I know a single strike completely focused in both body and soul is what best suits my style too.” Abel put on a wry grin. “But I’ve begun to think about my goals lately. There’s something both charming and awe-inspiring about a swordsman who rushes headfirst into his enemies, but my wish to protect and support Mia is even greater. That’s the kind of sword I’m after.”

The sword he sought was not one that rashly rushed in to cut away his enemies, but one that outlasted—he’d protect Mia and walk forward together.

“I see. If that’s the answer you’ve reached, then I respect it,” said Sion, gripping his sword. He held his blade not in the usual low position, but the middle, the tip trained on his opponent. “I’ll help you achieve that goal as a friend,” he said, grinning.

Abel was the one who’d requested this match. While Dion had promised to train him the next time he returned to Tearmoon... I can’t just ask him to spar with me when I’ve never practiced fighting with a shield before. Thus, he had enlisted Sion’s help.

“Let’s see how this goes...” muttered Abel as he readied himself for battle. He stuck out his left hand—which held his shield—and rested the sword in his right on his shoulder. This stance had a specific purpose; he’d block his opponent’s strike with his shield and overwhelm him with an overhand swing of his sword.

Sion relaxed his expression. “To be honest, I was always jealous of you, Abel.”

“Huh?”

“Your sword was one of pure offense, free of any thoughts of what would happen next. I always wished I could fight like that myself,” he said. Then, he took a forceful step forward as he swung down his blade in a blur.

Abel managed to block with his shield, but the force caused him to groan. Have his attacks grown stronger? Or maybe this is just the force a genius can manage when he’s completely focused.

Abel spun around and slipped past Sion to stand at his back. At the same time, Sion continued in the direction of his momentum. In the end, the two boys had switched places, and Abel watched as Sion resumed his stance.

Sion furrowed his brow. “You’ve let your guard down because of that shield. While it provides protection, it won’t help you if you don’t stay focused.”

“I see you like to hit where it hurts,” said Abel as he lifted his right elbow. His shield remained in place, but he repositioned his blade to rest on his shield, ready to thrust at his opponent. It’s hard to force Sion on the defensive. I need to block his attacks, minimize my movements, and wait for a chance to counterattack.

“Here I go!” announced Sion, rushing forward. Was he going for the same downward swing, or a slash from the side? Abel focused on his shield, ready to respond to any attack his opponent could throw at him.

But then, he was hit with a sudden impact, forcing the breath out of his throat. Sion had thrust his blade right into the center of Abel’s shield.

“See? You’re letting your guard down. You weren’t even worried about this strike.”

Sion was a master swordsman, and the force and velocity of his thrust had far exceeded Abel’s expectations. The shock waves that traveled up his shield overwhelmed him.

“Your opponent might go for your shield if he can’t reach you, but you’ll break your arm if you can’t dampen the force of those strikes.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

They took up their stances once again. Third time’s the charm, and this time, Abel was certain he’d be able to block his opponent and counterattack. But then, Sion rushed at him once again, completely crushing that resolve.

Sion lifted his blade into the air, readying for the same downward swing from earlier. Abel lifted his shield to block the attack but...Sion disappeared!

“Huh?!”

“And of course, your enemy might rush past your shield and try to get a direct hit on you as well,” said Sion, lowering his hips. In desperation, Abel tried to block his strike with his own blade, but...

“You won’t be able to block this with one hand.” Sion thrust his blade upward. A clang reverberated through the hall, but losing his sword wouldn’t stop Abel. He slammed his shield into Sion, hitting his shoulder and prompting him to retreat.

Sion was so impressed he couldn’t help but laugh. “That’ll give you the advantage! So, if you lose your sword, you’ll keep fighting with your shield... I can almost see a shadow of Remno’s Adamantine Spear.”

“I’m grateful, but it’s a shame to be compared to a man so strong,” said Abel with an awkward laugh as he picked up his blade.

Their sparring match continued for another hour, but in the end, Abel wasn’t able to land a single hit on Sion.

“A shield can prove an advantage, but it makes things more difficult as well. Having to divide your attention between your sword and shield requires finesse. You’ve got a long road ahead of you,” surmised Sion.

Abel shrugged. “I don’t mind that. I’ve been stuck at the first stance for so long. It’s about time I took a step forward. I’ll just need to go slow and steady.”

“I see you’ve already steeled your resolve. Well, as your friend, I suppose I don’t mind doing what I can to make that journey faster,” quipped Sion.

Abel responded with a joke of his own. “Really? I’m not going to go easy on you during the next swordsmanship tournament just because you were willing to help me.”

“You’ve got quite a mouth on you, Abel Remno, but you should keep that sort of talk to yourself until you learn to properly block me.”

Thus, the two princes continued their training.

And a certain princess happened to catch sight of them. “Whoa... Another fight between the Libra King and Grandpa Abel!” said Bel, oohing and aahing at the action. Not that this particularly mattered.

Chapter 5: The First Annual Fishing Tournament... Wait, Annual?

“How did it come to this? Why didn’t anybody tell me?”

A voice rang out from deep within her ears. It was her own, a memory from her lonely days at the academy on the previous timeline...

It was the morning of the fishing tournament, and Mia started her day wide awake—something terribly uncommon for her.

She yawned. “I really do need to teach Orania a lesson, don’t I?” She folded her arms, staying firmly within the covers. “This can’t be easily conveyed with words alone, but if she hears my warning and chooses not to heed it, that’s her choice. The blame is on her! But if I don’t say anything, then...the blame is on me! She might literally kick my butt if I’m not careful! Let’s do this!”

With a rousing cry, Mia leaped out of bed.

After getting dressed and enjoying a relaxing breakfast, Mia returned to her room to wake up Bel. Then, she and Anne headed off to the grounds of the fishing tournament. The sky was perfectly blue, and the sun’s bright rays shone down on them from above. It was warm out, as if summer had returned for just a day.

No, that wasn’t quite right. Summer had been chilly this year, with few days as warm as this one. Still, the weather was nearly perfect.

“There’s not a single cloud in the sky... It’s almost too hot.”

“You’re right, milady. Take this,” said Anne, offering her a brand-new hat.

“Thank you, and you be careful too, Anne. It really is quite scorching out here.” Mia looked to the harbor—the grounds for this fishing tournament—as she placed her new hat on her head. “But moons, how odd...”

This had been Mia’s brainchild, but Santeri and the other fish maniacs had done all the work, and they had carried out their duties excellently—almost too excellently. It was hard to put exactly what Mia was feeling into words, but...it was as if a snowball had been pushed down a snowy mountain, tumbling down and down, picking up more snow as it went and growing into something large and terrifying.

“This really is odd! It’s like they’re throwing a whole festival!”

Stalls and shops lined the harbor, and the passion and enthusiasm they oozed even surpassed that at both the swordsmanship and horsemanship tournaments!

“This is much more...grand...than I was originally planning...” Mia had imagined a small, close-knit gathering—not this. “We’re just holding some academy event! Why’s everyone so excited?”

That’s when something caught her eye. It was a banner, and plastered on it were the words “Saint-Noel Academy’s First Annual Fishing Tournament.”

“First annual?” Mia’s head started to spin. First? Annual? If there’s a first, then there has to be a second! Is that what they’re planning?! That’s not what I envisioned at all!

Mia could tell very obnoxious things lay in her future.

Enlisting the fish maniacs had been a mistake. Just like asking Equestris to host a horsemanship tournament would result in something head-spinningly grand, asking the fishermen of Noelige Lake or Ganudos to host a fishing tournament would result in something...equally terrifying. Unfortunately, Mia was only realizing this now.

“Step right up and compete to catch the biggest fish! The winner will get an ink rubbing as proof of their victory! Then, we’ll be cooking the fish right over here!” came an awfully cheery voice from one of the stalls.

“A contest to catch the biggest fish? Is that what he said?” Mia wondered aloud.

The first man’s neighbor spoke next. “Noelige Lake boasts a diverse population of fish! Prizes will be awarded based on whoever catches the rarest!”

“And they’re holding a contest to catch the rarest fish over there... That means the list they’ve displayed must be the one Orania wrote up...”

The third voice she heard came from right next to her. “And whoever manages to catch the King of Noelige Lake will win a portrait of Holy Lady Rafina! Wait, Lady Rafina?! You came to watch? And you’re going to the back? Why do you need to—?”

The lion of Rafina bared her fangs right at the end, but anyways...

“I believe I told them there was no need to compete.”

Apparently, competition was an inherent part of events like this, just as war was an inherent part of human nature. Mia couldn’t help but lament this sad truth.

“The atmosphere here is electric, huh?”

Mia turned around to find Santeri, who was already dressed in his fishing clothes. He wore an old, worn-out fishing basket on his hip.

“Oh, Santeri... That’s quite the interesting getup.”

Wasn’t he supposed to be a lifeguard? His job was to keep the students from falling into the water!

“Oh, this? I was just hoping to do some night fishing myself once all the fun of the day is over. I wanted to be ready to heed fishing’s call whenever!” he said with a chuckle. Apparently, the fish maniac blood running through his veins was boiling.

“I’m amazed by the enthusiasm here. It really is much more than I was expecting. But I get the sense that the people of the island and the teachers are much more excited than the students...” muttered Mia.

Santeri responded with a vigorous nod. “You’re right. There’s even a legend that the dukes of Belluga descended from fishermen.”

“That’s right! Fishing really has always played a central role in Belluga’s history then.”

Just as the Equestrian Kingdom believed in one creation myth, Belluga had one of its own. While Equestris believed themselves to be the descendants of a shepherd, the first lord of Belluga was said to be a fisherman of Noelige Lake.

“It has. It’s why the main doctrines of the Central Orthodox Church are based on the initials of fish. They’ve always been quite treasured in Belluga,” responded Santeri with a kind smile. “Duke Orleans Belluga is quite fond of them himself. Not only does he love eating seafood, he even once commissioned a portrait of his daughter in the form of the legendary mermaid in hopes of bringing his two greatest passions tog—”

“May I have a moment, Santeri?” Rafina had appeared out of nowhere.

Mia gulped. “M-Miss Rafina?”

She glanced at Mia, wearing her usual cool grin. “Oh, Mia! Shall we go fishing together later? I’ve never gone before, so I’m rather excited to try my hand at it.” Then, her tone changed. “I’ll be borrowing Santeri for a moment. Good luck on your opening speech! I can’t wait to hear it.”

Then, she yanked Santeri’s arm and dragged him off into the distance.

Chapter 6: Princess Mia’s Fishing Declaration!

“A mermaid portrait? I see you’ve suffered, Miss Rafina...” Mia tried to picture it in her mind. “You’ve really, really suffered...”

Mia shot Rafina a sympathetic gaze as she watched her disappear. Then, she directed her focus toward a separate matter. “Anyway, my opening speech! I need to make sure I fire everyone up!”

Mia’s main job at the fishing tournament was to kick things off with a speech, but to be honest, she didn’t think the job was all that important. Her true objective was befriending Orania, and even if she completely bombed her speech, the tournament would live on. She didn’t have to worry about anything at all! It’d be a piece of cake!

Mia had given speeches to end wars, to prove her worth as president of the student council, and to ensure children had a place to belong. A simple speech to kick off an event should be nothing!

But once Mia saw the tense atmosphere that surrounded the other members of the student council, she started to second-guess all that.

I sense...a wave. Mia was the seafaring aurelia, and her sensitive wave sensors were tingling. She folded her arms and gave a “Hmph!”

I want to spend some quality time with Orania, and if all goes well, make her one of our allies. But I might have to tell her some things she won’t like hearing.

The words Orania had shared with her the other day still weighed heavily on her mind: “Life really is all about eating tasty food and having fun...”

I could have said that if I were still my old self...

Mia knew perfectly well that eating tasty food and having fun was incredibly, incredibly important—but some things mattered even more. You had to work to protect your happiness and live a life deserving of what you had.

If you don’t, your fun, happy life will lead you to the guillotine! I need to warn her, to guide her down the right path!

When it came to executing princesses, Mia’s knowledge was second to none. Her story started at the guillotine, making her a perfectly qualified expert on the subject.

But it’s hard to foster friendship while chastising someone’s actions. I’ll just need to make sure my warnings don’t come off as too harsh—or make sure she’s ready to listen.

And that required rallying the morale of the staff and making sure this fishing tournament was a blast. “So you were scolded, but hey, it was still a fun day overall, right? We all had fun and learned a good lesson in the process” was the vibe Mia was going for.

But that means I can’t slack off with this speech.

“It’s almost time, milady.”

Mia nodded. Then, she decided to double-check her outfit. “How do I look?”

Anne combed through Mia’s hair with her fingers before taking a step back. Then, she brought her hand to her chin with an inquisitive “hmm” before announcing, “You look perfect, milady!”

Now that she had passed Anne’s thorough inspection, it was time for battle. Mia took a gulp of juice—notably, not water—to prepare herself. How tasty!

She decided to down another glass.

Now that her brain was properly fueled, she climbed up to the podium at the top of her game.

“Greetings, everyone.”

Her booming voice silenced the chatting students, who now sat upright in their seats.

“Please relax. This is supposed to be a day of fun!” she exclaimed as she looked around the audience. “I am incredibly pleased to be able to offer this incredible event to all of you, and it was only possible thanks to the efforts of many others. So before anything else, I want to extend my gratitude to everyone who worked so hard to make this fishing tournament a reality.”

Mia bowed her head. Then, she glanced at Santeri and his compatriots, who were looking awfully proud and pleased with themselves.

“However, I must admit...I’m not interested in fishing at all! Not in the slightest!” she said, her expression perfectly composed as she dramatically shook her head. She had laid down a fishing hook, and no fish maniac could resist biting at its bait! Having heard their beloved hobby so ridiculed, they all glared at Mia.

But once the full force of their fury was upon her, she relaxed her expression with a giggle. “Well, to be exact, I wasn’t interested. When I was young, I used to wonder what could possibly be so fun about fishing, but once I learned it was a means of procuring food, it began to pique my interest.”

It was true. Fishing was a means of procuring sustenance, and it could help her escape the clutches of the revolutionary army. Thus, she had looked into the matter.

“Not to mention the time I was stranded on a deserted island.”

The audience looked dumbfounded.

She flashed a mischievous grin. “Well, that all worked itself out in the end, but one day, my companions on the island caught some fish for us...and after that, my interest only grew. I began to realize there had to be much more to fishing, and I was shocked and awed to learn so much in preparing for this event.”

She had grabbed their attention, and now, it was time for a push! Everyone adored hearing praise for their beloved hobbies, and if the fish maniacs and academy staff who’d be running the event were pumped, so would the students. And it was sure not to offend Orania or Rafina either, both of whom had a particular affinity for fish. This push had been considered on multiple levels and exhibited the finesse of a master!

“Of course, I’m not so conceited as to believe I’ve learned everything there is to know about fishing. But nevertheless, I was ecstatic to have learned the little that I did.”

Now, Mia directed her gaze to the residents of Saint-Noel Island. Some had come from the shopping district to set up stalls, while others had been enlisted by the school to take students out into the water on their boats. Countless individuals had worked to make this event a reality, almost all of whom were citizens of Belluga. It was why they hung on every word that left Mia’s mouth, and her declaration of adoration for the sport had these people beaming.

Oho ho! I’m glad I learned that Belluga had some special ties with fishermen in advance, thought Mia, recalling her earlier conversation with Santeri. Now that he mentioned it, fish always did play a big role in the Holy Book. I can see why the people of Belluga have such a soft spot for fishing. If I can get them as excited as the fish maniacs, then this speech will have really meant something!

Urged by the strong wave beneath her, Mia made her final call to action. Yes, fishing may be fun! But more than that, it was sacred!

“Fishing is a sport both elegant and noble, a perfect representation of noble tastes!” Mia was no longer just pushing, but shoving with all her might.

She put on a grin. “Well, it would be boorish of me to speak for too long, and so, here is where I’ll conclude my speech. I hope today will be a day of fun for all of you, an opportunity to not just enjoy the sport, but learn of what makes it so great.” Finally, Mia directed her gaze at the students. “You’re free to fish at the designated spots around the island or take the boats out into the lake to try your hand at more advanced techniques! Picking and finding the right spot is one of fishing’s many joys, and I hope this will be a chance for you to experience that!”

Finally, Mia glanced at Orania. “Then let’s grab our poles, pick up a basket, and get fishing!”

After a final curtsy, Mia stepped down from the stage.

Chapter 7: Like a Serpent’s Venom or a Jellyfish’s Sting

“Fishing is a sport both elegant and noble, a perfect representation of noble tastes!”

Orania listened to Mia’s exaggerations with perfect composure. “Hmm... Why is she trying to flatter them so much?”

In her eyes, Mia’s speech seemed incredibly artificial and forced. She purposefully stated she had no interest in fishing just to draw their attention, only to follow it up by showering the sport with praise. It was a speech that ebbed and flowed like a wave—an excellent example of bootlicking (aka pushing).

“Maybe she’s trying to curry favor with Belluga’s people since they’re so partial toward fishing? Or maybe with Miss Rafina...or me?”

Orania’s keen intellect saw right through Mia’s plans.

“Well, I guess Miss Rafina must be her main target... She’s the Holy Lady, so she must love hearing all that praise. But trying to win favor like that is terribly materialistic... She really is uncouth...”

Yes, the sharp eyes of the ignorant princess saw right through Mia’s facade of a sage—she saw the real Mia.

“But would my father really want me to avoid hanging out with someone like her?”

A seed of doubt began to sprout in her chest. There was something odd about her father’s parting words.

Yes, a normal parent would want to keep their daughter away from the materialistic and uncouth, and if they had been bewitched by Mia’s influence, they would have encouraged their daughter to befriend the girl despite her flippant nature.

But Orania knew very well her father was no normal man. He had no desire to keep his daughter away from poor influences and raise her properly, nor was he the type to sacrifice his daughter in a play to get some of Mia’s power for himself.

He doesn’t think anything of... Orania opted not to finish that thought.

“Anyway, father clearly seemed wary of Princess Mia, but why...? What’s there to fear about such an obvious sycophant...?” Orania pondered for a moment, and ultimately, came to the conclusion that there was nothing. “Then...her declaration must have been fake. She must have some other reason for saying all this...”

Her father’s attitude at their farewell and the content of Mia’s speech just didn’t add up. That doubt crept on her like a serpent’s venom—no, a jellyfish’s sting—invading her thoughts, paralyzing her mind, and clouding her judgment.

“Well, whatever... Who cares about what father or Princess Mia are planning?” She giggled. “I’m just supposed to have fun today!”

Thus, her dangerous train of thought had come to a sudden stop.

It would be a little while yet until Orania learned of Mia’s true motives (...at least, as they were interpreted by a certain Holy Lady and her friends) and was beaten down by their force.

Now that the tournament had officially begun, Orania decided to check out the possible fishing spots. The ruins of the old bridge near the harbor were open, and so was the sandy beach through the woods. Students also had the option of going off onto the lake, and three boats had been charted for that very purpose.

“Boat fishing, huh...?” she muttered, quite deeply impressed by this option. Honestly, she wasn’t all too interested in the fishing spots that were available to them, as she had already visited them all herself. And while fishing was fun wherever and whenever, boat fishing was a rare opportunity. She was keen on taking up that offer.

I’ve gone boat fishing in Ganudos on my own before, but I can’t really do that here... Tee hee! This is going to be so much fun!

Thus, Orania was dead set on heading out on one of the fishing boats, but just as she was about to hop on board...

“Orania! I was thinking you would be here!” A cheery Mia Luna Tearmoon waved at her from the ship.

“Huh...?!”

Not to mention, she was surrounded by the other members of the student council and students from the SEEC program.

“Hurry on board! Let’s enjoy some fishing together!”

“U-Um... But...” Panicked, Orania glanced at the other boats.

“Come on then, Orania!” But somewhere down the line, Mia had come right next up to her. She grabbed her hand and pulled her on board, closing off all possible paths of escape.

Hmm... Well, whatever!

Yes, “whatever,” the same attitude Orania had when it came to everything in life. Thinking was hard, so why think? She should just have fun! What else could she want besides enjoying some boat fishing? This was the guiding principle that had defined the entirety of Orania Perla Ganudos’s young life.

“So, where exactly is this boat headed...?”

“Excellent question!” Belluga’s number one fish maniac Santeri stepped out of nowhere and unfurled a map, looking awfully serious. “There’s a perfect fishing spot, and while it’s hard to access from the island, it’s easy to get to by boat...”

“I always did want to try fishing there...” said Orania, grinning from ear to ear.

Chapter 8: Mia “Heroine” Tearmoon

The three boats docked at Saint-Noel Island’s harbor were of reasonably ample size. While they weren’t able to carry a whole carriage across the lake, they could fit around twenty passengers.

I’ve laid my bait. I just hope it’s enough to lure her here...

Mia had emphasized these boating expeditions in her opening speech, but had she actually hooked Orania? She wasn’t certain, and she let out a long sigh. “It really is quite hot today...and terribly bright out too.”

With Mia baking in the sweltering heat of the sun’s rays, sweat droplets began to form on her skin. She wiped her brow with a handkerchief as she eagerly anticipated her prey falling into her trap...but she didn’t have to wait very long for that.

Oho ho! Here she comes! All had gone according to plan. Orania was a bona fide fisherman—she wouldn’t waste her time fishing in beginner spots! If she was participating in the tournament, she’d choose to head off into the lake. At least, that’s what Mia had surmised, quite correctly.

She called out to her with a victorious grin. “Orania! I thought you would be here!” she exclaimed, all the while rushing toward the girl to prevent her escape. “Hurry on board! Let’s enjoy some fishing together!”

“U-Um... But...” Her eyes darted around as she checked the other fishing boats.

Mia grabbed hold of her arm. “Come on then, Orania!” she cheered.

The other princess simply sighed in defeat.

Mia finally breathed a sigh of relief once their ship had left the port.

Everything’s going to plan, at least so far.

Orania would be trapped until they returned to the harbor, which was quite the relief. The Ganudos princess eagerly listened as Santeri babbled about the fishing spot they were visiting, and it inspired an approving nod from Mia.

I’m glad she’s having so much fun, but...this will all be pointless if she ends up just fishing by herself. I think it’s about time I make my next move!

Mia glanced at the children of the SEEC program. Her strategy for this battle had been devised with salient advice from the Great General Anne—specifically that “Young lords love praise, and getting to use the skills they’ve cultivated even more... At least, that’s what I’ve read.”

And what exactly was her strategy?

“Could I ask you to help the children fish, Orania?”

Yes, this was her master plan!

Noble ladies love being praised for their skills! She’s bound to enjoy being asked to offer a helping hand! Probably, at least... was Mia’s thinking. Orania was likely hoping to spend some good, quality fishing time alone, but that ran counterintuitive to Mia’s objectives. We’ll need to chat if I want to get close with her, but she’s clearly been avoiding me. I’ll need to create the opportunity myself.

And for that, she decided to use the children. With Orania helping them, there were bound to be increased opportunities to chat, and the slight vexation of helping out beginners combined with the glee of getting to show off her own skills would help keep things relaxed.

Not to mention, having Orania interact with the kids in the SEEC program will help her realize the dangers of the path she’s chosen.

Mia believed that granting Orania the chance to interact with children from poor backgrounds would lead her to reflect on her own actions. Looking at Orania was like looking at her old self, and she wanted to tell the other princess the saving words others had failed to give her on the previous timeline: “You better fix your personality while you still can.”

Thus, Mia looked behind her ready to introduce these children when she was hit by a sudden gust of wind. The boat shook, but she planted her feet firmly on its deck to keep from stumbling.

“My, was that strong... Bwack!” Something whacked her straight in the face, eliciting a cry that sounded like the cry of a smooshed frog. Yes, this was the famous cry of Mia “Heroine” Tearmoon!

Caught off guard, she flapped her arms in the air before finally managing to remove the cloth-like object that had adhered itself to her face. “Wh-What is this...?”

It was an adorable hat!

“I-I’m so sorry, Miss Mia!”

Mia turned to the source of this voice to find Yanna, who was clearly panicked and as white as a sheet.

“Oh, so the wind knocked your hat off!” Mia placed the hat back on Yanna’s head, put her bangs back into place, and flashed her a smile. “These gusts are strong, so make sure you keep a hold of it, okay? It’s quite sunny out today too, so a hat is an absolute must!”

Mia once again fondly patted Yanna on the head. That’s when she noticed Orania was standing there as if she had seen a ghost.

Hmm? What’s with her? She offered an inquisitive glance, but Orania only averted her eyes.

Chapter 9: It Was a Moonbow! Or Something...

Huuuh? Wasn’t that...?

The sight had frozen Orania in shock. Ice spread through her head, completely freezing over her earlier excitement to enjoy some fishing on Noelige Lake.

No way... No way, right...?

Her heart was in disbelief, but she knew what she had seen. Once the wind had blown Yanna’s hat off her head...a tattoo of an eye had been revealed.

I-Is that girl a p-pirate...?

“Hmm? What’s wrong, Orania?”

She jolted, then turned toward the voice to find a grinning Mia Luna Tearmoon.

“N-Nothing! Nothing at all...”

“Really? You’re looking awfully pale.”

“I’m fine... I’m just feeling a bit overheated...”

“My, we can’t have that! Why don’t you put on a hat? I’ll go ask if there’s anything we can get you to drink.”

Just as Mia was about to head off in search of a beverage, a young boy toddled over to her. That’s when Orania realized his forehead was covered, and it looked awfully intentional.

I-Is he a pirate too...?

Orania took another look and realized...that a bandana tied around the forehead was the spitting image of a pirate! He had an innocent face, but now, Orania had begun to feel an amorphous sense of malice coming from the boy. She involuntarily scowled.

The boy handed Mia a clay vessel containing a mysterious liquid.

“My, Kiryl. What is this?”

“Patty said it’s juice. Here, take some!” The bandana-wearing boy handed a cup to Orania as well.

“O-Oh. Th-Thank...you?” She said, sporting a forced, awkward smile as she stared at the boy. That bandana really does make him look like a pirate... Oh my gosh! How terrifying!

All the people in Ganudos feared pirates. There were stories of pirate ghosts, phantom pirate ships, and hordes of haunted pirate hooks that would drag you into the sea... Basically, almost every ghost story in Ganudos was about pirates in some form or another. But the stories that had instilled the most fear in young Orania weren’t those of ghosts, but of the three-eyed pirates, who were much realer than phantoms.

If they managed to catch you, they’d sell you as a slave! Sometimes, they’d tie your limbs together and throw you into pits of crocodiles, and at other times, they’d trap you in a barrel and sink you at sea, or even make you fish fodder! These stories were not only terrifying but carried a sense of reality the ghosts stories lacked. And having grown up so sheltered, Orania took them at face value.

How frightening!

Orania was terrified of pirates. She wanted to stay far away from anyone with the Mark of the Third Eye—children be damned!

“Thank you, Kiryl. Oho ho! This really is delicious,” said Mia, fondly patting the pirate on his head. An illustrious princess patting the head of a commoner boy was a rare enough sight in and of itself, but this was just bone-chilling! How could she pat the head of a pirate?! Orania couldn’t believe her eyes.

E-Eeek! Is she a pirate captain or something...?

Orania could see a giant phantom shark baring its fangs from behind Mia’s back. Now, if anyone was going to hallucinate anything behind Mia, they might expect that to be a gentle moonbow... But at least in Orania’s eyes, Mia looked like a terrifying beast.

“We’ll soon be arriving, Your Highness,” said Santeri, entering the conversation with perfect timing. It was only then that Orania realized that after setting sail from port, the boat had headed straight to the opposite shore from the island, taking the same route that ships carrying carriages would follow. She peered into the water, which was a deep blue—and the water was quite deep itself, in fact.

“There used to be a bridge that connected the island to the land, but it sank. It used to be here, and plenty of fish live in its remnants.”

“Hmm... We might be able to catch a big one...” Orania opted to force down her fears and focus on fishing. I’ll be okay... We’re just fishing... I just need to stay far away from Mia and those two children, she told herself, trying to switch gears.

But that was when the great white shark bared its fangs. “Oh, Orania. I had a favor to ask!” said Mia, approaching her with a full-faced grin.

“Huh? Um... What is it, Princess Mia...?” she asked, quaking in her boots.

Mia didn’t seem to notice. “I was hoping you could teach the children how to fish.”

“Hweek...?” Her overwhelming fear caused an awfully strange-sounding cry to leave her throat as she froze in fear.

“Very few of us from the student council have ever fished before, and while the captain of this boat and Santeri can help, we’re still short on hands. So, I was hoping you might be willing to step up...”

Orania now noticed that the young girl with the hat was standing right next to Mia, her tattoo peeking out from behind her bangs. For a second, Orania thought she was just a cute, clumsy girl. But then, she rectified that mistake. She’s not being clumsy. This is on purpose! They’re threatening me...!

Not to mention, the bandana-wearing boy was right there as well, and the expressionless girl behind them looked kind of scary if Orania squinted. She looked just like Mia but gazed at her as if trying to discover her heart’s deepest secrets. It was terrifying.

“U-Um, I...”

“Oh, there’s no need to worry. I wasn’t going to leave everything to you alone! I planned to help as well.” Mia put on a mischievous grin. “I want this day to be fun, and I know seeing your excellent skills up close would help with that!” added Mia in obvious flattery.

U-Ugh... If only we weren’t on a boat... Then I’d be able to run away...

Reluctantly—very reluctantly—Orania nodded.

Chapter 10: Day Breaks on Two Best (Earthworm) Friends

Nice one, Kiryl! Mia nodded along, deeply satisfied by the taste of the scrumptious juice. That wasn’t the most important thing to her, however. Of course it wasn’t. The juice was delicious, but she was much more pleased that the boy had been kind to Orania. Teaching strangers is one thing, but it’ll be much harder for her to refuse to teach a child how to fish after he brought her some tasty juice!

Mia glanced at Patty, who had instructed Kiryl to deliver the cup. She gave a wordless nod, and while her expression was as hard to read as always, Mia could sense some pride behind it. Oho ho! She truly is my grandmother! She can read me like I’m an open book, sure, but... Next, Mia glanced at her own grandchild.

“Tee hee! I’m gonna catch the King! Every adventurer needs to know how to fish, so make sure you all learn well, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am!” cried the SEEC students. Bel was trying to lure them to the adventuring dark side.

Why is she so...what’s the word? Well, whatever. I suppose you could consider her necessary comic relief. Yup, let’s go with that.

Yes, you mustn’t compare yourself to others—this was an axiom Mia knew perfectly well. Everyone had their own roles to play; while Ludwig was astonishingly intelligent, it would be absolutely oppressing to be surrounded by Ludwigs. There was a place for ditzes like Bel out there too.

While I’m on the subject, I need to make sure I don’t turn into a buzzkill like Ludwig either! I can’t be too serious. I need to let the tension out of my shoulders sometimes. Anyways, Bel has a role to play too! And that is, um...

Mia folded her arms and pondered this dilemma. “What important role is there for Bel to play?” she absentmindedly muttered.

But anyways...

Noticing Orania had glanced at the children, Mia took the opportunity to speak. “I would like you to teach the children how to fish,” she said with a smile.

“Huh?! Why...me?” said Orania, looking like she had every intention of refusing.

But nothing could escape Mia’s eyes! She sensed some fear in Orania’s expression as well! Oho ho! That’s right! You need to watch your words when Rafina’s about, and she just happens to be right over here! Mia glanced behind her.

“I can’t wait! This is my first time fishing, after all,” said Rafina with a jovial giggle. Her cheeks were tinged red, and she wore a childish, innocent grin.

She hides the lion behind that smile, but it pokes its head out at times, and it’s awfully terrifying! That’s right, there’s a furious lion within Rafina, and you’re right to fear waking it from its slumber, Orania! And I’m sure you’d anger Sion and Tiona if you treated these children poorly too!

After confirming the lion waiting to pounce behind her, Mia slowly and deliberately began to block all of Orania’s paths of escape. First, she appealed to the lack of hands on deck, and the necessity of Orania’s help, all the while stressing that what she was asking was simply help, thus lessening the burden she was putting on her. Then...

“I want this day to be fun, and I know seeing your excellent skills up close would help with that!” Mia let out her secret technique—the hupty-doo push. It really could be used in a variety of circumstances. Pushes were what made the world go round!

And under the oppressive weight of Mia’s push, Orania had no choice but to nod silently.

Oho ho! All according to my plan! Have things ever gone so smoothly for me before? Oho! I’m doing so well, it’s almost scary, thought Mia, as happy as could be.

That’s when Anne handed her a fishing pole. “Please take this, milady.”

“Oho, a fishing pole! This is my first time handling one.”

“Please hold down the string and wait for a moment. There’s a hook attached, so be careful.”

“A hook...” Mia glanced at the string’s end with a gulp. “My, there’s something odd about its tip...”

“That’s called a barb. It prevents the fish from falling off once they’re caught. If you poke your finger with it, it’ll be quite painful, so be careful,” Santeri warned.

Mia responded with a grave nod. “I shall. I never expected fishing to be so dangerous,” said Mia, fearfully staring at her fishing hook.

“You stick this bait on the hook...” said Orania, presenting a box. Apparently she was willing to help.

Mia let out an inward triumphant chuckle. But then...

“Hwaaak!” That chuckle morphed into a strange-sounding scream. “Y-You stick on those gross-looking things?”

The box was full of red, squirming creepy-crawlies. It sent a shiver up Mia’s spine.

“Yup. They’re called seaworms...and they make excellent bait,” said Orania, not seeming to pay Mia much mind. She picked up one of the creepy offenders and impaled it on her hook with zero hesitation. “See? Easy...right?”

“R-Right... I-I’ll give it a try.” Mia gulped down her fear and poked one of the seaworms with the tip of her finger. It was squishy—a sensation Mia found wholeheartedly unpleasant. “Th-This is all in the name of some tasty seafood! Here goes!”

She resisted her fear and managed to hook her bait. Then...

“Eeeeeek!” A cute scream came from behind her. She turned around to find Patty, Yanna, and Rafina staring at her hands.

Who screamed? wondered Mia. She first locked eyes with Rafina, who displayed her usual, serene grin. It was just as calm as always—no, much more so than usual. Her pale skin seemed to glitter in the sun’s rays. Well, Miss Rafina doesn’t seem like the type to lose her composure, and I doubt Patty would mind a bug or two either. That leaves Yanna! Oho ho! She really is adorable!

Mia smiled at the young girl in an attempt to placate her. “There’s no need to fret, Yanna. The worms are a bit gross, but they’re nothing to fear!” said Mia, sounding awfully proud of the fact she’d managed to hook her own worm.

Mia’s sensibilities, at their core, aligned with that of all noble ladies. Obviously, she detested squirmies and crawlies like centipedes and worms, and she was entirely uninterested in touching one.

But that changed when it became a necessity. Fishing was a means of survival, and those words were enough to change Mia’s mindset. She had a terrible penchant for ending up at the guillotine, and she was ready to escape using any means necessary. Fishing meant procuring a source of both food and water, and she had every intention of mastering the skill.

It may be unpleasant, but starving feels much worse! she thought, laughing inside.

This sight had inspired Bel to remark, “My, Grandmother Mia really is something! She’s learning survival skills to prepare for any adventure, any time! This must be the true source of the Great Sage of the Empire’s wisdom!” The spirit of adventuring had consumed her soul, but anyways...

“You really are quite amazing, Your Highness! I was convinced hooking the bait would be our job,” said Santeri, awfully surprised by what he had witnessed.

Mia shook her head. “It’s unfair to leave what’s gross to your vassals and only do what’s fun yourself,” she said. Plenty of nobles were keen on foisting the dirty work on their servants and taking the credit for themselves, but Mia wanted to avoid this as much as possible. The thought of pushing all the work on Anne and just having fun seemed preposterous to her.

Not to mention, Rafina loathed such practices as well. She glanced at the Holy Lady, hoping to both appeal to Rafina’s sensibilities and stress the fact Rafina was her ally to Orania. “Right, Miss Rafina?”

She seemed shocked to have been dragged into the conversation, but she quickly closed her eyes to compose herself, bringing her hands before her stomach in prayer. “Yes, you’re absolutely right, Mia.” Then, she opened her eyes, which glistened with tears, and looked straight at Mia. Rafina appeared as though she were making an earnest, desperate plea.

Huh? What’s up with her? thought Mia before she returned her attention to Santeri. “And letting others hook your bait would mean not getting to enjoy one of fishing’s joys! Everything from hooking the bait to catching the fish comprises the act of fishing, no?”

“That’s an excellent way of thinking, Your Highness,” responded Santeri, nodding enthusiastically with the air of an experienced fisherman. “Hooking the bait yourself truly is one of fishing’s greatest joys, one I’d like all of you to experience for yourselves.”

“But Santeri? Won’t the children struggle trying to do it themselves? See? Touching them is quite gross and...” said Rafina, as considerate as always.

“Listen up! Fishing is a necessary skill for any adventurer! Make sure you learn it properly, you hear?” came a cheerful voice that drowned out Rafina’s.

Bel would be known as the greatest adventurer in all of adventuring history to posterity, and her group of SEEC cadets let out a hearty “Yes, ma’am!” in response. Yanna and the other girls had begun picking up the worms with squeals, but even they seemed to be having an awful lot of fun.

“Um, Rania? Won’t this be a bit much for those from royal houses?” asked Rafina, very kindly and benevolently trying to watch out for her fellow man.

Rania grinned. “Thanks for worrying about me, but there’s gross bugs like these crawling all over the fields,” she said, glancing at Tiona.

She grinned as well. “Right, and some can harm plants. I’ve squashed and squeezed plenty of bugs myself!”

“It’s the same...in the woods. There’s plenty...of bugs,” added Liora, nodding along with the other two girls. Instead of fearing the worms, the three countryside noble ladies happily chatted about their hometowns.

Still wearing her usual cool smile, Rafina turned to the princes.

“We never got a chance to test our fishing hands on the deserted island. I think this’ll make a fine opportunity for a competition.”

“You beat me out in our training the other day, so I think it’s time I turn that around.”

They were all in as well! Keithwood shook his head in loving exasperation.

Now, Rafina spun around, looking at everyone she could find as if pleading for help... That’s when her gaze settled on the sweet, lovely Citrina. She spoke as if having sensed this gaze and the desperation within it. “Oh, um... Rina isn’t really good with—”

“Huh? But Rina, that means we can never go adventuring together!” said Bel, cutting off her friend’s words awfully forcefully.

Citrina moved in a flash! “Well, I thought Rina wasn’t good with them, but it was actually quite easy once I gave it a try,” she said, nonchalantly hooking a worm. Her movements were awfully refined, as if she had done so many times before.

For just a moment, Rafina’s expression was that of betrayal. But quickly, she recovered her smile, looking around the room once again. She settled on...

“Ch-Chloe, don’t you prefer reading books alone in your room? In that case...”

“Do you think we could catch the human-faced fish with these seaworms?”

“The human-faced...fish? I’ve never heard of such a thing before... I’m not quite sure since I’ve never caught one myself,” responded Orania.

The sight of their lively chatter had Rafina swallowing her words. There was no one else she could enlist for help.

“Miss Rafina, do you...?” Suddenly, someone seemed to notice Rafina’s hesitation, and moved to offer her some kind, encouraging words. It was Mia.

At the same time, Rafina let out a shout of self-encouragement and plunged her hand into the box of worms. “Here goes!” She plucked one out with her thin fingers, holding back her trembles with bated breath and a ghastly expression as she impaled it on her hook!

“D-D-Did you see that, Mia?! Look, I did it too!”

While her eyes were full of tears, the expression she wore was one of triumph. It overwhelmed Mia, but she managed to nod. “Y-Yes, that was excellent, Miss Rafina.”

The Holy Lady broke out into a childlike grin. “That was much easier than I thought it would be!” she exclaimed, puffing out her chest.

Ugh... Not that it really matters, but this is beginning to feel like some secret society’s initiation ceremony.

Thus, the clandestine Anglers Club was born on Saint-Noel Island! Not that it mattered. At all.

“Anyways, let’s get fishing...” said Orania.

Mia grabbed her pole and cheerfully marched to the boat’s edge, peering into the lake below. “Moons! You can see the fish all the way from here!”

The water of Noelige Lake was so breathtakingly clear, you could see straight to the bottom.

“Actually... The fish tend to be less wary in murkier waters, but there’s nothing we can do about that here...” said Orania, slightly dejected. But then, she giggled. “Still...I can’t wait to throw down against these fish...”

“Then let’s get to fishing! I’ll even catch the King!” announced Mia. On her signal, the big group of fishing buddies rushed to their fishing spots.

Fishing had begun, and while everyone found spots of their own, Mia stealthily looked for Orania. She chased her down to the ship’s bow and called out to her just as she was sitting down. “Is this seat taken?” she asked, wearing the same obsequious grin she had sported every time she attempted to present Rafina with a friendship-earning gift in the previous timeline.

If you want to be friends, you need to get to know the person, and that requires chatting! I need to sit next to her. Not to mention, I’m dying to hear more about these mushrooms of the sea... Oh, but that’s just an aside! We don’t have to discuss them! People tend to only divulge their secrets to their true friends, so I doubt she’ll open up about these sea mushrooms with me. I really do need to get close to her...

Mia had begun to lose sight of the real reason she needed to befriend Orania.

“U-Um...” Mia’s sudden voice caused Orania to jump, and she tried to distance herself from the other princess.

Not that Mia was going to let her escape. “Hey! You three come over here as well! Orania’s an excellent fisherman, and I’m sure you’ll be able to learn plenty just by watching her,” she said, inviting the SEEC children to join them. Mia had already asked Orania to help teach them, and with them around, it would be hard for her to run.

But she had another plan up her sleeve. “Miss Rafina. Would you join us too?”

The Holy Lady seemed to have yet to decide on a fishing spot, and she nervously and frequently was glancing Mia’s way. Noticing this, she decided to invite her over, as it would ensure Orania couldn’t do anything unjust to either Mia or the children. In other words, Rafina was serving as a watchman.

It’ll be near impossible to deny anything for “the sake of the children” in front of Miss Rafina, and it’ll be much harder to ignore me too! And we already promised to go fishing together anyways. I’ll be killing two birds with one stone!

Mia’s invitation earned a beaming smile from Rafina, but she quickly composed herself with a cough. “Sure! It’ll be best if I stay near the children, so I’ll take you up on that offer. Could you watch the others, Santeri?” she said, moving to where Mia stood in a flash. Thus, the children were forced to sit next to Orania.

“Thank you so much, Orania. The children will have so much fun thanks to you.”

“Right... Ugh...” said Orania, her expression incredibly hard to read.

Hmm... Something’s off about her. She seems afraid, but not of Miss Rafina—rather, of the children. Perhaps she just isn’t accustomed to interacting with commoners?

Plenty of nobles despised poor children, and it had been the reason the nobles of Tearmoon used to avoid the Newmoon District.

Well, I’m sure spending a day fishing together will change that. You can’t ignore someone you’ve conversed with, and this is the perfect opportunity for her to chat with them, thought Mia, and luckily, that opportunity came immediately. Orania had avoided even looking at the children at first, but something came over her that changed that—the passionate blood of a fisherman that coursed through her veins!

“That’s not how you do it... If you don’t let the line out farther, your hook won’t reach the fish,” she said, correcting Yanna’s poor handling of her pole. “It’s best if you can move your pole sometimes. It lures the fish... Oh, you’ve got a bite... But don’t reel it in just yet... The fish might just be poking at the bait, so leave it for now,” she said, barking orders at Kiryl.

Oho ho! I knew this would be the case! She just can’t keep herself from saying something! A true fish maniac’s heart is awe-inspiring...

Orania watched over the children, just as Mia had predicted. She couldn’t help but snicker. Then, once the children had thoroughly loosened Orania’s mouth, she began with some small talk. “About those mushrooms of the sea you told me about the other day, could I ask for some more details?”

“Well, they’re a type of shellfish...so they really don’t have much to do with fishing...” said Orania Fish-Maniac Ganudos, all the while describing this shellfish in great detail.

“So they tend to live on the beaches near the shores of Ganudos... Perhaps there were some on that deserted island,” thought Mia. That’s when she noticed Keithwood, who was fishing right behind her. “I didn’t realize you were over here, Keithwood! Were you hoping to capitalize on Orania’s skills?”

Mia’s thoughts were simple: Orania was a fisherman bound to pick the best spot, so fishing there should be lucrative for others as well!

“Yes, I suppose so. Aha ha ha!” His laugh sounded awfully forced.

Chapter 11: Mia Receives a Declaration of War

“Whoa! H-Here it comes!” Mia was quick to catch her first fish. She felt tugging at the end of her pole, and she scrupulously reeled it in while it trembled in her hands. Then, a single fish flew straight out of the lake and into the air!

The hook was settled deep in the mouth of the sleek, golden-tinged silver fish. It jumped around in the air, taking the string with it. Mia gingerly reeled it in and glanced at Santeri. “Can you eat this one?”

“You can. It’s known as a coonger, and while they can be quite tricky to debone, they make for an excellent delicacy. This one is in the smaller size, but a skilled chef should be able to prepare it for you,” Santeri responded. She had gotten the go-ahead!

“Oho ho! I can’t wait! Then let’s get back to fishing! I’m ready to catch a ton!”

Mia fished like a maniac! And shockingly, every fish she caught was a perfectly normal, edible fish. As terribly surprising as that may be.

Watching her from behind, Keithwood couldn’t help but remark, “I just don’t understand... Why is Princess Mia so terribly abysmal at picking mushrooms and nothing else?” But anyways...

“Oho ho! This is so much fun! I love fishing!”

Mia was having the time of her life, but after a while of skipping and dancing alongside her fishy friends, she realized something. Wait! I’ve completely forgotten about befriending Orania!

She had been on the verge of awakening to the joys of fishing and being consumed by it, as was prone to happen to Mia when she was having fun. She had the perfect skills for fishing, whether it be her prowess at the Flotsam or her skills at leaf-counting!

We can’t have this. Seeing Bel had convinced me I needed to relax my shoulders a bit, but I was wrong! What I need is to give Bel a good talking-to and convince her to be more serious like me! Was she mistaken, or was she not? Who knows!

Anyway, Mia shifted gears and decided to try her hand at some more small talk. “Orania, I wanted to ask you about the fish I just caught,” she said, making use of her newfound knowledge. I can’t impose my sense of normalcy. Instead, I have to meet her at hers. That’s how I can get her to talk.

Thus, she naturally brought up the topic of fishing. It was the perfect plan! At least...it should have been, but she encountered a surprise pitfall.

“Oh... That one’s a princess salmon... They’re tasty both grilled and simmered, and since they’re quite fatty around this time of year, it’s the perfect time to eat them...”

Yes, Orania...

“They lay quite a lot of eggs, and sometimes, you’ll find them in their stomachs. Those ones are supposed to be the best... The eggs are both squishy and crunchy, and they’re very delicious. You can’t catch them in the Galilea Sea, but I’ve seen them in rivers before... They lay their eggs between rocks...”

...was incredibly loquacious when it came to fish! One question would earn you everything she knows about the fish—its ecology, where to find it, the dishes you can make with it, whatever else—and she’d explain it all in excruciating detail.

“The largest I’ve ever caught was about...thiiiiis big,” she added, mixing in some triumphant tales of her own fishing adventures. She had already been talking for what felt like forever.

Mia sensed that catching a fish now would be disastrous. She’d segue right into talking about that one, and then this would never end! Sensing this impending doom, Mia tried to redirect the conversation...or not.

“Oho ho! I never knew there was so much to the world of preparing seafood, nor did I know the eggs were so delicious! Thank you for teaching me something new!”

Instead, she jumped right into the flow of things herself! All her talk about seafood dishes had left Mia enraptured!

These all sound so scrumptious! Mia was drooling on the inside and was ashamed to discover how little she knew about seafood. Oho ho! I’ll have to try these when I go to Ganudos! I’ll talk with the chef too! If I can add some new dishes to our menu, dinners at the Whitemoon Palace will be even better!

While the two girls chatted quite enthusiastically...it was questionable whether they had actually started to grow any closer.

But we can’t just keep our discussions to fish. Maybe this is the right time to make a move...

Mia once again shifted gears. “You really are a great fisherman, Orania.” First came a push. “Does your father share your skills?”

“Huh...? My father...?” Suddenly, Orania’s tone grew gloomy.

“Yes. He’s the king of a neighboring nation, after all. I’d like to share a meal with him one of these days.” But as the words fell out of Mia’s mouth, she grew ever more aware that Orania’s demeanor had changed.

After a moment of silence, she finally spoke. “Princess Mia... Why don’t we have a competition between just us?”

“Huh? A competition?” Mia was flabbergasted at the proposal.

Orania grinned back at her. “Right... We’ll compete to see who can catch the biggest fish, and if I win...I want you to leave me alone forever. Can you do that...?”

Well, that was blunt.

Chapter 12: Rile ’Em Up! Return from the Brink of Death!

“You want us to...compete?” Mia’s expression froze.

“Oh... Um...” Mia tried to avert her gaze, but Orania looked straight into her eyes, blocking off her escape. “If you win, I’ll tell you what you want to know... About my father, about Ganudos... You said you wanted to share a meal with him, right? If you need my help...I’ll offer it.”

“No, but... There’s no need to rush all this,” said Mia, jumbling her words a bit. She was desperate to escape!

“But in exchange, if you refuse to compete...I’ll never be speaking to you again, okay?”

Aauuugh! Why in the moons is this happening?!

This was supposed to be a calm, relaxing chance to catch some fish and deepen some bonds. She had no intentions of anything so uncouth as deciding anything via competition.

Ugh, but...

Mia glanced back at Orania. She wasn’t sure why, but she had clearly offended her. She glared back at Mia with icy, sharp eyes.

I really messed this up! Refusing seems nearly impossible, but just where did I go wrong?

Still, no amount of thinking could fix what had already transpired. Now that things had come to this, Mia couldn’t rely on her friends, and she doubted a good scolding from Rafina would change Orania’s mind.

Then my options are either to win or to minimize the damage my loss would incur...but the latter seems nearly impossible! Winning is my only hope! Agh! B-But can I even win against a fish maniac?! Mia saw her chances of victory against a woman who had trained her fishing arm on the Galilea Sea her entire life as incredibly slim.

Hmm? I’m competing...against a fish maniac. That’s it! Mia had a flash of inspiration! She snickered. “I see refusing isn’t an option. I’ll accept your challenge,” she said with a dramatic nod. Orania’s grin grew triumphant, but that’s when Mia stuck a finger in her face. “But I’d like to make a small correction to those rules.”

“A correction...? Do you want to compete for the most fish caught instead...? I won’t lose that contest either,” she said, sounding wholly unamused.

Mia shook her head. “Not at all. I simply thought settling our disputes with such a competition sounded awfully boorish,” she said, her grin turning devilish as she attempted to rile Orania up. “Let’s make this a competition to see who can first catch the King of Noelige Lake!”

“The...King?”

“Exactly. I heard at the harbor that this lake has a King,” she said with a dramatic nod. “If we’re going to compete in a fishing contest, then it needs to be grand! And since we have all these children around, I’d love to show them such a ginormous fish,” she said, tacking on a reason that made her offer even harder to refuse. Then, she stared at Orania, ready for her next move.

Yes, this was how Mia planned to return from the brink of death! Her chances at victory were abysmal, but contests weren’t simply win or lose—there was another path! They could end in a draw, so she sought to set the victory condition as something impossible—catching an uncatchable fish. Orania was bound to catch a bigger fish than Mia, but one so big it could unabashedly be called the King of Noelige Lake? Now that didn’t sound nearly as likely.

And even if she does catch a gigantic fish, I can probably just get out of it by refusing to accept that it’s actually the King! Mia could be a dastardly devil.

“But doesn’t that mean...we’d end in a draw as long as you don’t admit any of the fish I catch are the King...?” said Orania, looking straight into Mia’s eyes.

She had hit her where it hurts, eliciting a peculiar groan from Mia. That’s when some unexpected reinforcements arrived.

“That’s an awfully rude assumption to make about her, no?” This girl’s words were calm and serene, but also frightening enough to send a chill up your spine. Mia turned around to find Rafina, and despite her smile, she was mad—absolutely furious! The lion had woken up! “Mia would never resort to such underhanded methods. Right, Mia?” She spoke with absolute confidence.

Mia made her judgments instantly! Orania’s sharper than I expected! There’s a chance she’d see right through it if I chose to lie. That leaves...!

Mia put on a mischievous grin and chuckled. “Not at all, Miss Rafina. I’m not purely innocent; I’m perfectly capable of thinking up such underhanded methods myself,” she—ahem—“joked” with a shrug. “But since you’ve seen through my plot, I think this calls for a judge. Hmm...” Mia’s eyes darted about, landing on the perfect man for the task! “Could you serve that role, Santeri?”

“Me?” he asked, seeming awfully shocked by this development.

“Of course. You’re the most knowledgeable among us when it comes to fishing, after all.”

A fish maniac like him...must have some sort of fixation on the King! He’s got to have the strictest rules on what could qualify! Mia made her calculations in real time, and she didn’t forget to add on an extra reminder. “I’d like you to serve as a judge with your pride as a fisherman on the line.”

Yes, she implied that determining any old fish to be the King out of consideration for the princesses would tarnish his fisherman name, and she did it all with a smile!

Santeri nodded. “Understood. I swear on my life as a fisherman—I vow to be a fair judge,” he said, sounding awfully grim and grand.

“Hmm...” said Orania, pondering the situation.

Mia took the opportunity to give one last push! “You’re not afraid you can’t catch the King...are you?” She riled her right up! “Well, if that’s the case, then it’s perfectly possible this contest will end in a draw. That is, if you don’t think you can catch it, of course!” And she only kept riling away!

There’s a fish here so huge it’s called the King of Noelige Lake, and you really don’t want the chance to catch it yourself? But you love fishing! Are you sure? she implied, her expression infuriatingly smug.

“I really was excited to give the children here the opportunity to see such a ginormous fish, but if you really don’t have the skills, then I guess I’ll have to give up on that,” she added, slumping her shoulders.

“Fine... I accept your offer.” The look in her eyes as she glared at Mia could cut like a knife.

Chapter 13: An Impartial Victory, or Beginner’s Luck?

“Then let’s hurry up and begin—”

“We can’t catch the King here, Princess Mia...” said Orania, gazing into the water below. “This is a good fishing spot, but we need somewhere more secluded to find it...”

Santeri nodded. “You have excellent eyes, Your Highness,” he said, folding his arms ponderously. “But the waters are dangerous where the King has been sighted, so we opted not to include the spot on our list. It could be disastrous should a student fall in. Though...I suppose we can make an exception,” he said with a grin. “We need to live up to Princess Mia’s fisherman spirit, after all.”

Thus, Santeri led the boat to Saint-Noel Island’s opposite shore. The beach there was windy and jagged with rocks—hardly friendly for docking.

“It’s much darker,” remarked Mia.

“Indeed. It’s quite deep around these parts, and since so few people make their way through, plenty of large fish have made it their home.”

“There really is an opposing air here,” said Mia, inwardly groaning at how deep the water looked. I wanted to catch a fish that just looked like the King, not the actual King! But we’ve come too far to turn back now. This is a fair fight, and I’ll do whatever I can to win! With such thoughts in mind, Mia tossed her hook into the water below.

Right next to her, Orania was reeling in one huge catch after another.

But Mia wasn’t going to give up! She reeled in one catch after another of her own! Unfortunately, they were all tiny. Her beginner’s luck had run out, or perhaps the big brains of these big fish outpaced the capacities of the Great Sage’s own. In any case, Mia managed to catch plenty, but none were the huge catch she had wanted.

Well, I suppose it makes sense things haven’t worked out for me, thought Mia with a sigh. This had been the exact reason Mia proposed switching their contest to catching the King, and yet... I can’t just give up now. I should at least make it look like I’m fishing!

Thus, Mia left her hook in the water, though her motivation had all but depleted. I really do keep catching only tiny, cute fish. I feel kind of bad for them, and if I’m being honest, baiting my hook over and over is kind of gross. Maybe I should leave my line in the water and spend my time counting the waves instead, all the while praying that the King won’t chomp down on Orania’s hook...

Yes, Mia extended her graces to the small fish in the sea and prayed that the King would go uncaught and free. She was the spitting image of the goddess of fish—the Princess of the Aurelia!

Mia affixed her pole in place, stared into the waters below, and began to count the waves. Her fishing desires and competitive passions had already left her. Now, she was nothing but a single jellyfish, counting the waves with an empty mind.

But that’s when Mia’s real beginner’s luck began to rear its head! Her rod started to twitch, but only slightly. It had to be a small catch. Feigning ignorance, she let out her line more and more, all her attention focused solely on counting the waves.

Santeri had noticed her movements, letting out an “I see...” of admiration. Suddenly, something yanked on her line!

“E-Eeek! Wh-What’s happening?! It’s so strong!”

“Woo-hoo! You’ve done it, Your Highness! This is quite the mighty catch!” exclaimed Santeri, his fishing maniac blood boiling. “To use one of your smaller catches as bait... How genius!”

It was a miracle—the small fish Mia had taken pity on had been swallowed whole by a larger one! It was a feat accomplished only by combining her skills of eliminating her presence like the aurelia and plain beginner’s luck. Or perhaps, a blessing granted by the goddess who had heard her jellyfish-pitying prayers? In any case...

This is my only chance! I can’t let it get away!

She planted both feet firmly on the ground and grasped her pole, but her catch was mighty! She felt like she was the one who was about to be pulled down!

“My apologies, milady! Be careful!” Anne supported her by the waist, eliminating all fears that Mia could topple in. As long as she didn’t drop her pole, she was golden!

A crowd began to form around her. Kiryl peered into the water, leaning himself against the railing as he exclaimed, “Wow! It’s huge!”

His small fingers were pointed at a fish that had leaped into the air. It was long, fat...and had a terribly huge mouth, one that could definitely swallow another fish whole.

“An empress fish! A species truly befitting the epithet of King of Noelige Lake!” remarked Santeri, sounding awfully excited.

Meanwhile, Mia was wholeheartedly focused on reeling in her line. “Th-This is the chance of a lifetime! I need...to catch it! Heave...ho!” shouted Mia, sounding quite a bit unprincess-like as she yanked on her pole. It was quite a barbaric approach, but the fish still fought back as strong as ever. Apparently, these empress fish were gluttons who refused to let go of any prey once caught!

The fish jumped into the air and splashed back down into the water below. It opened its mouth, looking straight at the boat. Then...it let go of the line! Apparently, these empress fish were also chickenhearted, with the ability to sense danger when it mattered most.

“N-No!” Mia was devastated.

“Leave it to me, Miss Mia!” said Kiryl. He leaned out over the water, reaching his hands toward the fish, ready to catch the supposed King midair!

“Kiryl, watch out!” warned Yanna.

Then came a strong gust of wind.

“Ah!” It pushed Kiryl straight over the railing and into the water!

“Kiryl!” Yanna tried to catch her falling brother’s hand, but she couldn’t reach him. He tumbled and tumbled. Then came a dramatic splash.

“M-Moons! We need to rescue him!” Mia rushed to her feet in a panic. That’s when she saw someone jump into the water. Her nimble frame flew through the air as she exhibited a picture-perfect dive. Of course...

“Orania?!”

...the diver was Orania, the princess of Ganudos.

Chapter 14: Orania Lives for Fun

“Listen, Orania. You must grow into a wonderful princess. That’s the only way he will love me.”

Ever since she was young, she had heard those words over and over. Orania’s mother was a woman starved for her husband’s love. She coveted and craved it beyond all else, and while it was the foundation that typical couples were built on, love from a partner was an excessive luxury to a queen.

To royals, marriage was a means of uniting households. What mattered beyond all else were logical merits—how would it benefit their family and kingdom? Political strategy was put above emotions.

Orania’s mother yearned for her husband’s love. Their marriage may have been a political one, but they were nevertheless husband and wife. And as a wife, her heart burned with desire for her husband’s affection. She had dedicated her body to carrying out her duties as a lady hailing from her noble family, yet she still wished for love, as was her natural right. Still, her wish was never granted.

Her husband was a man who treated his wife with indifference. He neither hated nor despised her; he was merely uninterested. Thus, his wife clung to a desperate idea: If she gave birth to and raised the perfect heir, her husband would surely love her.

Ever since Orania could remember, she had spent her days saddling the great burden of her mother’s expectations, even if it only lasted for a short while, and even if Orania didn’t view it as the burden it was. She was proud that her mother expected so much from her, and doing all she could to act perfectly and win her father’s praises had given her a purpose.

But those days reached a sudden end.

It was the day her mother departed—not from this world, but from her husband. On Orania’s tenth birthday, her father divorced her mother and introduced her to another noble man. The two were married, and her mother was blessed with a perfect, warm, and passionate husband.

Thus, Orania’s mother was granted the love she always wanted. It had taken her a long while, but she had finally obtained happiness, and she lived happily ever after with her new husband and their two children. She had been readily granted the love she always saw Orania as a tool for, obtaining her own happy ending.

Orania was all that was left behind, along with the dregs of her mother’s desires. When she was young, she had asked her father, “I want to become the perfect princess. What do I need to do?”

Did she need to welcome in a capable husband from a foreign land, or head off to a foreign land to marry there? If her father welcomed in a new wife who gave birth to a son, leaving was in the cards for her, but she didn’t mind. It was simply her duty as a member of the royal family.

Thus, Orania asked for her father’s guidance—she implored him for a way to live, a purpose. But his response was something she had never expected.

“Orania, you...mustn’t do anything.”

“Huh?” she blinked, unable to follow. “I don’t have to do...anything?”

“Yes. You needn’t do a thing,” he vaguely affirmed before averting his gaze. Now, Orania seemed to be the target of his disinterest.

No, that wasn’t quite right. Orania’s keen eyes had long realized that her father had never—not once—held any interest in her. And it went beyond just his daughter. The man before her was completely apathetic, not just regarding his wife and daughter, but about the entire world. He never exhibited love for his family, but he never abandoned them either, nor did he banish them from the palace. Instead, he just left them alone as he watched events flow by him. That’s what had always defined King Nestori Perla Ganudos, no matter how much she wished and pretended not to notice.

Orania had lived her life in hopes that her father would one day praise her with the attention that would bring joy to her mother. It had been her purpose, and in that very moment, her life had lost all meaning.

“You needn’t carry out any duties as a member of the royal family. No matter what you do or don’t do, it doesn’t matter. While you’ll surely become the next ruler of this nation, that doesn’t require anything from you. Just do whatever you wish.” His cold words rang in her ears.

Doesn’t that mean...you don’t need me? She kept that question to herself.

Orania was a lost child. Her compass had vanished as if it had never existed in the first place. She didn’t know how to live for herself, nor did anyone bestow her with a purpose either. She was free to do whatever she wished, and no one chastised her for her choices either. Thus, she lived a pointless life shrouded in apathy.

Eventually, a thought began to take root in her. If she didn’t have any purpose, and if there was nothing others needed from her, then why not live for fun? If no one had hopes for her—if her life was pointless—then what was the harm in living as she wished?

But though she began living for fun, she found no joy.

Why am I remembering that now...?

Orania swam frantically toward that young, drowning boy.

Why am I doing this anyway...?

Despite her thoughts, her arms still moved.

And why can’t this Visalian swim...? He’s a pirate! How does that make any sense...?

The boy desperately splashed around in an attempt to escape his fate. Had he only let his body go limp, he would have floated straight to the top. Yet he was ignorant of even that. What a stupid Visalian. His people live on the sea, yet he couldn’t even fish! Why save a pirate anyway? She could have just let him be, but her body moved on its own.

Is it because he smiled at me and said “thank you”? How stupid... Have I always been this easy to please...?

Orania didn’t know the answers to the hazy questions that formed in her head, yet when she reached her hand out to Kiryl, it was in desperation.

Chapter 15: To Put It Nicely...

Having witnessed Kiryl topple into the water and Orania dive in after him, Mia’s head was left spinning. Wh-What in the moons should I do?! That’s it! Since my fishing prowess was able to catch the King, I should be able to catch Kiryl and Orania too!

There was something...not exactly right in her thinking, but something awfully right about it too.

“Y-You can’t! You’ll end up drowning too!” came a panicked voice. Mia turned to find Anne, desperately holding Yanna back from jumping into the water after them.

And the pandemonium only continued. “Wait here, Your Highnesses. Please reel me back on board.” Fisherman Santeri Bandler naturally barked some orders to the boys and dove straight into the water, exhibiting the mighty, brave figure of a man raised on the sea! But wait, was he even a fisherman in the first place? There seemed to be another more important job he had as well...

In any case, Santeri and the other watermen dove into the lake right as Orania resurfaced with Kiryl. The tide must have carried them away, as they seemed slightly farther from the ship than where they had started.

Orania floated on her back, resting Kiryl’s head on her left shoulder as she approached the boat. Santeri swam up to her and assisted as Abel, Sion, and Keithwood prepared to haul them back on board.

Meanwhile, the girls watched on with bated breath. There was nothing they could do to help, and very few noble ladies knew how to swim anyways. Even Rafina, a girl who had once been depicted in portrait as a mermaid princess, had only been cosplaying the role. She was a lousy swimmer herself. In fact, she was quite confident she couldn’t swim at all considering she had only ever dipped her feet in. Thus, the only one among them who could swim was Mia, the Waning Aurelia! It was the perfect set of circumstances to birth the whack-job theory of Mia-Omnipotentism.

As the girls stood around, Orania and Kiryl were eventually brought on board. The latter coughed up some water, but he had retained consciousness. He seemed to be fine.

Orania, on the other hand, was panting, but she seemed perfectly healthy herself. Mia let out a dramatic sigh of relief.

“Take this.” Tiona and Liora rushed to bring the two towels.

Orania glared at Kiryl as she wiped herself dry. “If you can’t swim, then you can’t lean out over the water like that... It was warm today, but you may have frozen had it been colder,” she said, giving him a stern scolding. Then, she turned her attention to Yanna. “You too... You’re a pirate, but you don’t know how to act around the water at all! Averting your attention away from your brother even for an instant is inexcusable...! Pay more attention next time!” she shouted, sounding awfully angry.

“I-I’m sorry,” said Yanna, hanging her head. Having come from such an experienced fisherman, her scolding had quite the impact.

She’s right. As Kiryl’s older sister, she’s responsible for looking after him, and letting down her guard could have led to something disastrous. Wait...responsible?

Mia had finally regained her usual composure. Once Kiryl had toppled into the water, she had been completely focused on rescuing him. But now that he was safely back on board, she could think again.

So think she did. No one was hurt, and no lives were lost, so all was fine, but...was that really true? A child had fallen into the lake, and a princess had dove in to save him, which definitely sounded like a problem.

Then, who bore the burden of that responsibility? As the man who prepared this event and led them to these dangerous waters, Santeri was definitely partly responsible. But in general, the one who had decided to hold this fishing competition in the first place was...

Wait, if you trace things back to their source, I’m the one at fault, aren’t I?!

A cold sweat began to flood down Mia’s back. If the academy wanted someone to take responsibility for the incident, then what would happen? Not to mention, the one who had risked her life and jumped in to save the drowning child was a princess on unfriendly terms with Mia. There was a good chance she’d want payback!

I-I need to make the first move! Having come to that conclusion in a flash, she immediately jumped into action!

First, she took hold of Orania’s hand, interrupting her belligerent berating.

“I’m so glad you were here, Orania,” she said gently.

“Huh...?” Orania clearly hadn’t been expecting this development.

Mia looked her straight in the eyes. “Kiryl could have drowned if you weren’t here to save him, which would have been terrible. I have so much admiration for you, jumping in without hesitation to save an innocent child despite your standing as a princess. You’re so incredibly kind. Being so lucky as to have an amazing swimmer with a heart like yours on deck could only be thanks to the Holy Deity’s providence. I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” said Mia, clearly exaggerating and sounding awfully passionate.

Her goal here was to put things nicely and to settle on a story that would obfuscate who was at fault here. Basically, to rephrase things as “We had a bit of an accident, but it was no biggie thanks to the illustrious feats of the amazing swimmer Princess Orania!”

That very princess muddled her words. “I-It’s nothing... Y-You don’t have to thank me. I-I just... That’s right! I wanted to catch the King with my bare hands. I don’t care what happens to the children of pirates... Not at all...” she said, speaking quite fast—the same speed as when she babbled about fish.

But Yanna bowed her head, undermining her words. “Still, thank you so much for saving my brother. He’s the only family I have left. So really...thank you.”

“I-I don’t need any thanks from a pirate!” Despite her words, Orania’s cheeks were tinged pink. All who saw it watched with kind, gentle smiles. Really, the atmosphere on the boat was excellent, and if possible, Mia wanted to end things there. Alas...

“Still, we need to keep incidents like this in mind for the future. Nothing happened today thanks to Orania, but she may not be around next time,” said Mia, glancing at Rafina.

She nodded. “You’re absolutely right. Since these waters are quite dangerous, this was a bit of an exceptional incident, but it could still very well happen in the future. We need to make sure swimmers are posted near the students, and strictly ban entering waters like these.”

Santeri directed a deep bow at Rafina.

Well, anyways...

Mia successfully pretended to take responsibility by adjusting the story of what transpired today and instating new rules that would prevent any similar incidents in the future.

Chapter 16: The Washing(?) Aurelia, Princess Mia

Once the group had returned to shore, they parted ways. Santeri and the other fishermen dispersed to check on the other fishing spots, while Squad Leader Bel and her band of SEEC student adventurers headed to attend a class on grilling fish. Citrina naturally accompanied her, but so did their usual open-fire chef Liora and knife-wielding Tiona. Abel and Sion tagged along too...and so did Keithwood, silently trailing behind them.

Meanwhile, Orania and Kiryl were brought to the baths to warm up. Julius accompanied Kiryl, while Mia, Anne, Rafina, and Chloe came with Orania. Patty and Yanna tagged along as well, wanting to wait for Kiryl.

Once she had thoroughly cleansed herself, Orania dipped into the bathwater. The warmth seeped into her skin, eliciting a satisfied sigh.

I hadn’t realized how cold I was...

While the heat of summer still lingered, it was now fall, and naturally too cold for swimming. The sight of her tinged cheeks as she let out an amorous sigh teetered on the erotic, and was a far cry from the odd, old-man sighs of a certain princess. A vast ocean could even separate two princesses, and which princess was serving as an object of her comparison doubtfully needed clarification.

Ugh, this fishing competition wasn’t fun at all... thought Orania as she stared at the ceiling. Why did I have to save a pirate, anyway?

No matter how hard she pondered that question, she couldn’t find an answer. She hugged her knees to her chest, sinking the bottom half of her face in the water to blow out some bubbles with a groan. She just couldn’t get those words out of her mind.

“I’m so glad you were here, Orania.”

“He’s the only family I have left. So really...thank you.”

Every time she mulled over Mia’s words and Yanna’s honest thanks, she just got...

She splashed water on her face and sighed once again. I really should have kept my distance from Princess Mia.

The woman in question was currently washing some hair. Not her own, but one of the students in the SEEC program. Orania was pretty sure her name was Patty.

They really do look alike... Are they related? Either way, it’s weird for a princess to wash someone’s hair...

Next to Mia, her personal maid was washing the young Visalian girl’s hair. Her eyes were shut tight and she sat there frozen. Orania just couldn’t comprehend the girl.

Why does she hate water so much...? She’s a pirate! Her brother was quite pitiful too... They can’t swim, can’t fish... How do they even survive?

The three-eyed pirates took to the seas, attacking harbors and kidnapping Ganudos’s citizens, right? But falling from their boats would spell death for these children who couldn’t swim. How did they plan to make it in life?

Just as Orania was starting to worry, she shook the thought from her head. What does it matter to me...? It doesn’t! Yup, I just wanted to fish and ended up getting swept up in all this boring stuff... I had no fun at all...! Not one bit!!! she thought, her inner voice sounding less like she was confirming her beliefs and more like she was trying to convince herself they were true.

That’s right. She had no fun at all—she couldn’t have! What could have been fun about what she just experienced? And yet...

Why was her chest filled with a sense of satisfaction? She had never felt this before... No, that wasn’t true. It had simply been a long while—the sense of accomplishment that overwhelmed her was one of nostalgia.

But just as she began to ponder its source, a certain young lady addressed her. “Do you have a moment, Princess Orania?”

She looked up to find Rafina Orca Belluga, wearing a cool smile as she dipped into the water next to her.

“Um...”

“I was hoping we could chat. Do you mind?”

I do...

This was Mia’s self-proclaimed best friend, after all. Orania wanted to stay far away, and she unconsciously scooted farther from the girl. But Chloe had slipped in on Orania’s opposite side without her noticing, trapping her. She wore her glasses, and the steamy air had thoroughly fogged them up. She removed them, dipped them in the water to rinse them off, and stared back at Orania.

Oh. I’m trapped.

Orania was ignorant. While the open waters were her territory as a princess of Ganudos, these baths belonged to someone else. Mia was the Washing Aurelia, and these were her waters!

Not that Orania could have possibly known.

Chapter 17: Princess Mia Has Grown

Mia loved her baths, but there was a reason she had stayed away from the tub to wash Patty’s back instead. Of course, that wasn’t due to any filial piety she felt for her grandmother, but to save face with Yanna!

If she views me as responsible for putting her brother in danger, she could hold a grudge.

Objectively, Yanna was just a measly child. Even if she did begrudge Mia, the threat she posed was minimal... At least, that’s what one might think. Reality greatly differed.

Mia took grudges seriously. Viewing the Lulus as just a measly tribe had led to quite a bit of heartache for her on the previous timeline.

In Tearmoon’s final days, the Tearmoon Army wiped out the tribe, and its survivors transformed into a formidable force. Had Liora been spurred by hatred alone, even she would be frightening! If I want to sleep soundly, I need to make sure I smooth things over with Yanna.

Still, it would be unnatural for a princess like her to wash the hair of a commoner like Yanna. It would seem awfully forced.

Thus, Mia set her sights on the girl beside her, Patty. She judged the gap between them well...in her own right. “I’m so glad Kiryl ended up being okay,” she said, acting nonchalant. By stressing her concern for Kiryl, she prevented Yanna from thinking, “This princess views us commoners as nothing more than common weeds.”

Yanna—who was currently having her back washed by Anne—nodded. “I’m so sorry. Kiryl’s fall completely ruined the fishing tournament.”

“And who said that? I had my fun before that fiasco. Didn’t you?” As soon as those words left her mouth, Mia quickly realized their difference in positions forced Yanna into one answer. “You had fun, didn’t you, Patty?”

Thus, she quickly redirected to Patty. “I did, Miss Mia.” Patty caught her drift and readily answered.

“I’m sure the other children had fun too, so don’t worry about Kiryl’s fall. Though, I am quite sorry if the tournament wasn’t fun for you even before that.”

Yanna shook her head once again. “No, I did have fun. I had never gone fishing before,” she said, pausing for a moment. “I’ve had so much fun here, and...I can let my guard down enough to have that fun. Before, I could only focus on surviving, but Kiryl laughs so much these days.”

“Really? In that case, I hope your memories of today are those of fun and free from guilt. Ideally, you’ll look back on this little incident as a fond memory as well...”

“Miss Mia...” she grinned at the older girl.

“Oh, and don’t scold Kiryl too harshly. What he did was dangerous, and he deserves a warning for that, but he was only trying to help me catch my fish. In fact, I should be thanking him.” After Mia had thoroughly smoothed things over, she stood up. “Well then, I’ll be headed to the bath. Hmm? What’s happening there?”

Mia turned toward the tub, and her nose was immediately hit with the scent of danger. It was wafting from Rafina, Chloe, and Orania, who sat locked in conversation.

Bath waters were the Washing Aurelia’s turf. It sharpened her senses.

Silently, she rushed over to the tub, but she couldn’t escape Rafina’s sharp eyes. “Oh, Mia. Perfect timing.” She wore a gentle smile, her cheeks tinged by the warmth of the water. “I wanted to ask what you’ve been thinking lately.”

She spoke those words quietly, lifting herself out of the water to sit on the tub’s rim and cool down. Apparently, she was expecting this battle to drag on.

Huh? What I’ve been thinking lately?

Of course, Mia never thought at all. She had no idea what Rafina could be referring to. Instead, her head had been filled with nothing but how to escape taking responsibility for the incident with Kiryl.

Still, Mia had survived countless battles! She lifted her tilted head, spinning it around to cover her confusion with feigned neck stretches.

“Ah, I see...” she muttered. Sensing a doubtful glance from Orania, she kept her eyes off the Ganudos princess and instead dipped herself into the bath. She bought some time by pretending to enjoy the water as she desperately thought, thank, and thunk. After a moment of silence, she lifted her face and made a sage utterance. “Yes, this is the perfect opportunity for me to confirm you’re on the same page.”

Then, she once again closed her eyes and folded her arms, making it clear she was expecting Rafina to speak first.

That’s right, Mia’s countless meetings and experiences as president of the student council had fostered some growth in her! Specifically, regarding the best rhetorical strategies to employ as a yes-man.

“All right, then. I do hope my assumptions are correct,” Rafina said with a giggle, happily taking Mia up on that offer.

Chapter 18: Princess Mia Requests Her Thinking Be Explained to Her (by Rafina)

“Well then, I suppose I’ll be the one to explain. The other day, Chloe and I were talking and...”

Mia shot her hand into the air. Then, she quickly drew into her thoughts. Considering Orania’s here, Miss Rafina must want her to hear this as well. In that case...

She nodded. “Miss Rafina, I’d appreciate it if you made sure to explain things so Orania can follow as well.”

Rafina responded with an understanding nod of her own. “Of course. I already planned on it. This is important, after all.”

Is it? Mia’s head threatened to tilt itself inquisitively, but she managed to hold it back, covering it with a smile. If Rafina was going to explain things so Orania could understand, that would make it easier on Mia too! As a yes-man, it was vital that she properly understood what her proponents were offering.

“Thank you very much, Miss Rafina. You may continue,” she said, closing her eyes. She wanted to lose herself in the warmth of the bath, but paid careful attention to ensure she listened to Rafina closely.

“Then let me resume. The other day, Chloe and I were chatting at the library, discussing what sort of joint research you had in mind for Saint Mia and Saint-Noel.”

Oh, that’s right. I had forgotten... It was only now that Mia remembered the matter, and despite the warmth of the bath, a shiver made its way down her back.

Rafina continued, completely unaware. “Hmm... Incidentally, do you know why Mia suddenly wanted to hold a fishing tournament, Princess Orania?”

“Of course I do... It’s because fishing is fun!”

Rafina accepted the answer from this fish maniac with a magnanimous grin—she was the spitting image of a tenderhearted saint.

That’s right! Quite frankly, Rafina was in excellent spirits today. Not only did she get to take a bath with her dear friend, but the two girls also got to amuse themselves with a quiz! This was what she had always imagined hanging out with friends was supposed to be like, and while she retained her usual composed smile, her heart was pounding with excitement and glee.

Thus, she was able to accept Orania’s unconventional answer with a smile. “That is one reason, yes, but she was also hoping to amuse the children of the SEEC program and give you a proper welcome. Tearmoon and Ganudos Port Country are neighbors, so I perfectly understand why Mia would want to establish good rapport. But also,” there was a sudden shift in Rafina’s tone, “I hear you’ve been avoiding Mia. She tried to hide it, but... Well, I’m sure you have your reasoning, and Mia doesn’t want to make a big deal out of it either, so I’ll overlook it for now.”

Mia glanced at Rafina. Eeeeeeek! H-Her eyes aren’t smiling! Faced with the ferocious glare of a lion, Mia clamped her eyes shut. I-I didn’t see a thing! And if I didn’t see it, it means it never happened! Yup, I saw nothing! She’s not fuming at all! repeated Mia in her mind as the conversation continued before her.

“I’m sure you’re unaware of this yourself, but just the other day, we in the student council were discussing conducting joint research between Saint-Noel Academy and Saint Mia Academy.”

“Joint research?” clarified Orania.

“Yes, joint research that could help all the people on this continent. In other words, researching countermeasures for famines. Are you aware of what Mia has accomplished? She’s instated measures to stave off famine despite the poor wheat harvests threatening the entire continent.” Thus, Rafina explained all of Mia’s feats, quite proudly and with an overly healthy dose of embellishment.

Having heard all this, Orania’s eyes opened in shock. “I had no idea...”

“This time, we won’t be researching wheat, but something else. Chloe believes the focus of this research will be fish. Right, Chloe?” asked Rafina, glancing at the girl.

She nodded. “Right. When I met Mia in the baths the other day, she told me all about fish. It made me realize that fish were likely the subject of this research.”

“Fish...?” asked Orania, tilting her head.

“Yes, fish. I’m sure Mia has asked you about them as well.”

“Oh... Now that you mention it, she asked me tons of questions while we were fishing,” she responded, her eyes still open wide. “I can’t believe there was such a grand meaning behind it...”

There isn’t! You just assigned one yourselves! Those were the words Mia wanted to scream, but she gulped them down. But moons, I see! Researching fish, huh? Do they mean attempting the same research Chloe suggested we do with bugs, discovering ways to eat ones we thought were inedible?

Just as Mia was piecing things together herself, someone asked the very question on her mind. “Researching fish...? Do you mean creating new fishing techniques, or new ways to consume them...?”

“Neither,” Rafina responded with confidence. “What Mia has set her sights on is farming them.” Wearing a cool, temperate, and very smug grin, she glanced at Mia, who had her arms folded, her eyes closed, and her brow furrowed. “What is it, Mia?”

“You’ve about summed it up. I’m impressed you saw right through me. But, um... How did you arrive at the idea of farming them, exactly?” Once again, Mia requested an explanation.

Chapter 19: Mia Adopts Rafina’s Reasoning!

“Well, you gave us plenty of hints, like the way you chose to spend your summer.”

“Are you referring to when I visited the former Clausius Domain?”

“Not quite. You met with your cousin Lord Hildebrandt Cotillard before that, right? The Cotillard domain specializes in textiles and sells many silks, and silks means...”

“Lunar silkworms, correct?” answered Chloe as she adjusted her glasses.

“I heard you hadn’t seen Lord Hildebrandt since you were children. I deduced that your reunion gave you the idea to farm and cultivate fish the same way they do lunar silkworms.”

“I see... So I got the idea to raise fish from silkworms,” bemoaned Mia.

Chloe, on the other hand, continued on cheerfully. “Oh, and I took the liberty of researching the silk threads lunar silkworms produce as well. Apparently, they’re edible when boiled!” she said, offering completely unnecessary information.

Rafina stepped in to stop her. “Yes, but... I think we can save such discussion for later,” she added, gracefully sidestepping this derailed train.

That’s right. While Mia was known as a skilled dancer, Rafina was a duke’s daughter herself, and she had every bit of ballroom prowess that Mia had! Whenever Rafina sensed danger, she was perfectly capable of elegantly getting out of its way. Thus, she ignored and dismissed Chloe’s fun fact with a composed smile before returning to the topic at hand.

“Though, it is a bit hard to connect the dots in this instance. I believe I was only able to get there since I had already arrived at farming fish as my answer. The more obvious hint...was the fishing competition,” she said, her smile turning mischievous as she brought a finger to her cheek.

“The tournament?” clarified Mia.

“Yes. When you first brought the idea up to the student council, I was shocked. I couldn’t figure out where the idea had come from, and Chloe and I racked our brains together.”

“That’s right, we thought long and hard about it. What could possibly be the reason behind holding a fishing tournament? At first, we concluded that it was just as you said, and you were merely trying to welcome Princess Orania, but”—her glasses, white and foggy from the bath’s steam, glistened—“then I remembered what my father once said: that each of your moves is layered with plots and reasons. And so, we pondered the dilemma with everything we had...”

Rafina picked up where Chloe left off. “And while we talked, we decided to return to the impetus. That is, the point in performing this joint research.”

“Which is...?” asked Orania, tilting her head.

Rafina responded. “Utilizing Saint-Noel’s name value was a way to make our research more palatable to foreign leaders. Thus, we thought Mia may be attempting to do the same,” said Rafina, dipping herself back in the water and looking at Mia. “I’ll put things frankly. Mia...this fishing tournament was a way of spreading the hobby to the nobility, wasn’t it?”

Mia was ready to shout the words “Oh, that makes sense!” but Orania beat her to the punch.

“Oh! So Princess Mia was trying to make the noble children here fishing enthusiasts...”

As a woman who had long and intimately known the joys of fishing, she had always wondered why the hobby had never spread to the foreign nobility. She knew for certain that if they had the chance to hold a fishing pole in their hands, they’d be hooked! Thus, she found Rafina’s reasoning perfectly sound—as long as they had a chance to participate in a fishing event, interest would surely spread.

“But what good would come of that...?” asked Orania.

“Why, that’s obvious. Nobles aren’t quick to jump to action when it comes to saving their starving people, but that’s not so true when it comes to their hobbies. They’re sure to spend extravagantly,” she said, closing her eyes and wagging her finger. “But what is it that Mia wants them to use that money for? Searching for good fishing spots within their borders? Discovering fish we’re not accustomed to eating? I think not,” she added, dramatically cutting off her words. “What Mia wants is for these nobles to create ponds in their manors and domains. There, they’d cultivate fish of their own and enjoy the amusements of fishing. There may even be royals who become so enamored with the sport they create entertainment facilities, perhaps ones where plenty of fish are let free, making them easy to catch. Don’t you think that’s possible?”

“I see... Advanced fishermen like me don’t enjoy such doctored circumstances, but plenty of others find their fun in catching as many fish as possible. Not that an experienced fisherman like me could enjoy that,” affirmed Ganudos’s veteran Fishing Princess, nodding away.

“Then what would happen in this scenario? We inform these royals and nobles that there are easily cared-for fish that are incredibly satisfying to catch, and that in times of need, they could be distributed to the people?” Rafina sounded so gleeful she was practically humming. “There are times when abandoning your subjects may be allowed if food is scarce. If it were truly unavoidable—if that noble insisted he only had the food to feed his family—the king would be unable to interfere. Well, not that I would allow such a thing.”

That final whispered sentence terrified Mia. She averted her eyes.

“But, if a noble had food and was simply being stingy because they wished to use it for their own hobbies, I’d doubt any monarch could overlook it. They’d be under the impression they were spending money on their own amusements, but creating fail-safes for famine without even realizing it. What else could we possibly want? This must be Mia’s real thinking.”

“And as we continue our research, we may discover species who breed and develop quickly. It’s important to begin cultivating fish, but if we’re able to ship these fish to regions experiencing famine and have the technology to cultivate them there, we’d be able to establish a long-term system for providing food to these regions in addition to the short-term solution of providing wheat. It would be revolutionary,” added Chloe, her eyes sparkling behind her foggy glasses.

Rafina gave a satisfied nod and directed her gaze at Mia. “That’s our answer. What do you think, Mia?”

Mia had been silent during the whole discussion, but now, she opened her eyes and grinned. “Yes, that’s about right. Of course, welcoming Orania was my main goal, but what you all just mentioned wasn’t not on my mind—though perhaps not as concrete as what you’ve laid out... Oho ho!” Her laugh sounded a bit forced, but her answer was quite normal. On the inside, however, she was reeling at these crazy leaps in logic.

Well, if I really think about it, what they’re saying makes sense. Mia accepted every good idea that came her way without qualms or hesitations, as was the natural state of the Waning Aurelia. Having overcome and trained through countless student council meetings, she had developed the flexibility to consider and readily adopt any good idea that came her way, even unexpected ones. Yes, flexible—like a soft jelly.

“This is just my own prediction, but you were hoping Orania would help us with this, right, Mia?” asked Rafina.

She nodded along happily. “Of course. Given her knowledge, having her on board is a must.” Thus, she turned to face Orania. “What do you think?”

“I don’t understand...”

“Huh?”

Orania lifted her face and stared straight into Mia’s eyes. “How can a princess try so hard for her people...?” Her expression was pained, like a lost child clinging to the last shred of hope she had.

Chapter 20: Princess Mia Offers an Honest Answer

“‘How?’ What an odd question. The answer is obvious.” Now that she had hopped on board with Rafina’s suggestion, the momentum carried her straight into an answer. But then, she hesitated, instead looking into Orania’s eyes as she pondered.

Of course, Mia could have offered any random answer. She could have said it was natural for a princess to care for her people, or any other sort of comforting and convincing words. The exaggerations she recorded in her daily diary had left Mia with the vocabulary for any lip service she might think up.

But she couldn’t do that, as Orania’s questions seemed to be coming from her past self. I, too, was once mad at Sion for something similar.

Mia was brought back to her early days at the academy, when they had infiltrated Remno. She had once grown angry at Sion, questioning why he couldn’t have warned them when there was still time to avoid this outcome, pointing out that it was underhanded to take justice’s side only once it was already too late.

Orania as she is now and my past self are one and the same. If she continues down this selfish path, it’ll lead her straight to the guillotine! It’s a wide, smooth path that’s easy to walk, which means I can’t just give her any old answer. I need to speak from the heart!

But that wasn’t so easy in practice. For one, Rafina’s and Chloe’s eyes were locked on her, looking terribly curious as to what Mia was about to say. She couldn’t just tell the truth and say she was doing everything she could to avoid the guillotine! Instead, she had to wring out every last bit of wisdom she had and think back on the big picture that defined her actions.

“How, you ask? Well, it’s for myself, of course!” Mia was a subscriber to the policy of Mia First, and with that as her guiding light, it was impossible to hide.

“For...yourself?” Overwhelmed by the passion in Mia’s words, Orania gulped down her bated breath.

“Exactly! For myself!” she said, nodding vigorously. “I want to make sure I can continue walking down this path.” Yup, she didn’t want to reach any sudden endings. She’d escape her fate at the guillotine and live a long, happy life! This was her motivation, and she raised her fist in the air and spoke with every passionate bone in her body! “I’d like to continue to live as Tearmoon’s princess, and thus live as a princess of Tearmoon should.”

Well, if things really came down to it, she’d happily flee the country and live as a peasant somewhere, but if possible, she wanted to live as a princess and eat all the tasty foods a princess should. Ideally, she’d be able to take plenty of naps and live a reasonably lazy life.

“That is what guides me,” she said, smiling at Orania. “I hope you’re satisfied with that answer.”

“‘Live...as a princess should’...”

“Exactly. I was given the privilege of being born as a princess. It would be a waste to live my life ignorant of what a princess can do.”

There were plenty of luxuries afforded to princesses alone. If you needed to split a cake, Mia had the right to the tasty strawberry on top, and if you were making mushroom stew, it was her right to first take a mushroom up on her fork and be blessed with its mushroomy goodness. Mia wanted to keep those rights! Having been born as a princess, it would be a shame to put them to waste.

“For myself...”

“Yup, for myself, or yourself. I’m not looking for praise—just to live the life I want to lead.”

It’s important to clarify the order of things. Mia put so much effort into things not as a princess, but to avoid her guillotine-bound fate as a princess. Praise and glory certainly felt good, and they may help her escape her fate, but that was just a bonus, not the focus. What she viewed as most important was keeping herself out of guillotine’s way. And with all that on her mind, she beamed at Orania.

“Not for the praise of another, but for myself... I get it now...” Orania let out a long, deep sigh. Her expression was flooded with relief, as if what had once haunted her had suddenly been exorcised. Then, she sat up straight and turned to Mia, who found her a bit intimidating considering how much taller she was.

“Princess Mia... No...” Orania cut off her words and took another deep breath. “Master Mia! Please teach me how to live as a princess!”

“Huh?” This unpredictable turn of events left Mia reeling.

Chapter 21: Hitting Orania Right Where It Hurts!

Orania had been caught in a chaotic whirlwind; what had transpired today completely shook her worldview to its core.

I can’t believe Princess Mia had thought this through so thoroughly...

Rafina had told (tall) tales of Mia’s countless, amazing feats, and even the fishing tournament today had been predicated on a secret, deeper meaning.

Not only does she want to cultivate fish...she found a way to convince other nations to adopt that practice. She doesn’t look like she’s thinking about anything at all! Not one bit, but...

She was deeply shocked, but at the same time...it just worked. Orania knew from her own experiences that her own keen eyes and common sense couldn’t be trusted. She watched as Yanna, now thoroughly cleaned, hesitantly dipped into the bath, the tattoo on her forehead on full display, yet...

I didn’t need to be so scared... There’s no way that girl is a frightening pirate.

How could a pirate possibly not know how to fish? How could they be so squeamish with bait, or not know how to swim? They wouldn’t obediently listen to a scolding from the woman who saved their drowning brother. Yanna couldn’t be a pirate!

That’s when Orania realized something. I was so clueless... About Princess Mia, about everything...

She once again directed her gaze at Tearmoon’s princess. Beyond the thin veil of the steam rising from the bathwater, she folded her arms, closed her eyes, and furrowed her brow, looking quite...imposing. It was a huge shock to Orania considering she had been half-convinced Mia was nothing but a ditzy airhead.

I can’t believe my morals could be uprooted so easily. If that’s the case, then...

Orania decided to ask a question. “How can a princess try so hard for her people...?”

Was it to live up to her father’s expectations, or perhaps her mother’s? Maybe it was the expectations of the others around her—her friends or vassals. She must be trying to meet the expectations of someone she cared for, right?

Orania was dreadfully wrong.

“For myself, of course!”

“For...yourself?” Orania couldn’t help but gulp down her breath and question her. Does she mean for her own pride...? Or maybe she has some other circumstances...?

As she looked into Mia’s eyes, she immediately received the answer she sought. Mia pridefully nodded her head, lacking even a smidgen of shame. Her imposing figure immediately assured Orania that it had to be the former—that she worked so hard for the sake of her own pride.

Her following words only confirmed that conviction. “I’d like to continue to live as Tearmoon’s princess, and thus live as a princess of Tearmoon should.”

To live as a princess should... In other words, to not bring shame to her title. That was her motivation.

Orania was enchanted. Mia spoke without pretense, bearing only the slightest hint of shyness. Her words were clear. How...can she see things that way?

That question never left Orania’s mouth, yet somehow, Mia managed to answer. “I was given the privilege of being born as a princess. It would be a waste to live my life ignorant of what a princess can do.” Because Mia had the means to extend a helping hand to those who suffered, it would be a shame to waste the power that came with being at the top.

“I’m not looking for praise, just to live the life I want to lead. I don’t need any validation from anyone else.”

“Validation from others...? Oh, I see...” Those words cut deep, hitting Orania right where it hurt. Once, she had strived to be an excellent princess to live up to her mother’s expectations, and once, her resolve to do so had been broken by her indifferent father. Orania was a shell of the girl she had once been, and Mia had told that very girl that validation didn’t matter—that she must live life for her own sake.

I always thought my existence didn’t matter... Mother didn’t need me, and neither did father. I thought there was no place for me, nor any role I could serve...

Back on the ship, Mia had taken Orania’s hand in her own and said, “I’m so glad you were here, Orania.” Back then, she had served a purpose—she had saved Kiryl—but none had asked her to serve it. I did it because I wanted to. Then, Mia had acknowledged her role, thanking her for her mere presence.

Now, Orania thought differently. If she believed there was no purpose for her, it was only because she lived a life of no purpose; not just because no one had granted her it, but because purpose was something you only found when taking a step forward yourself. Without even knowing it, Orania had taken that step forward, and Mia had taken notice. She acknowledged her efforts.

So this is Tearmoon’s Great Sage of the Empire, the girl my father fears, and the girl Miss Esmeralda so adores... Orania turned to face Mia. I want to live a life I can be proud of. I want to live as a princess should...! Fortunately, the perfect example of that was right before her. The path ahead was clear. I need to choose the road I won’t regret.

Thus, she quietly opened her mouth. “Princess Mia... No...” Orania cut off her words and took another deep breath. “Master Mia! Please teach me how to live as a princess!”

Mia stared back at her, simply blinking her eyes and looking absolutely flabbergasted.

Chapter 22: Princess Mia Learns How Painfully Difficult It Is to Teach

“M-Master? You mean...me?” Mia couldn’t help but ask that question. Yes, she had recently taken to instructing the students in the SEEC program to rave reviews from the students, who celebrated her lessons as the opposite of boring and so fun it felt like more play than study. The only problem was, it was incredibly questionable whether it actually counted as studying, but in any case, she did have some experience as a model for the youth.

However, her experience was limited only to students who had never received a proper education before. She wasn’t quite sure whether she’d be able to serve that role to a peer, especially a fellow princess.

Still, it’d be a waste to just refuse. This request would bring them closer together, and she wanted to use that to her advantage. Master, huh? Master of princess ways... Without thinking, Mia began to search for the ultimate symbol of authority—glasses.

“I want nothing more than to learn the Way of the Princess, for you to teach me how to live a proper princessy life!”

Mia couldn’t help but wonder what in the moons the “Way of the Princess” was.

Well, I guess it’s probably exactly what it sounds like. If such a school of thought is out there, I suppose I can teach it to her, but...

As the person who brought up the idea, Orania held the upper hand. But just as Mia had begun to warm up to her request...

“Oh, but not just that, of course... I want to know how you saved your country from peril and such too...”

Now, she had been deprived of all means of escape. An aurelia simply couldn’t win against a fisherman.

“I...see. I’m not quite certain if I’ll be able to live up to your expectations, but...”

“There’s no need to be so humble, Mia. I think it’s a wonderful idea,” said Rafina, gleefully clapping her hands. “I’ve always thought the world would be a much better place if everyone could be just like you.”

“Huh? Just like...me?” Mia took a moment to consider such a world. “I doubt...that’d be for the best.”

Who would be the idea men in such a world? As a yes-man, what could she possibly accomplish with only yes-men around her? Who would do all the thinking?! Any silly idea that left her lips could put her in the idea man spot and be instantly okayed by the others!

What a terrifying thought. She shivered.

“Anyways... If there is anything I can teach you, I’ll happily do so. Though, only so much as it helps you become a good princess in your own right.”

Mia was speaking from the heart. A disastrous princess blindly walking down the path to the guillotine had asked for her help, and she couldn’t help but feel that request had come from her past self. Abandoning her in her time of need just wasn’t an option.

“Still, the relationship of master and disciple feels a bit...formal, no?”

“‘Formal’...?” parroted Orania, giving her a curious look.

Mia smiled. “Yes, formal. We’re fellow students at Saint-Noel Academy, an institution of learning. We’re meant to study hard, learn from each other, and inspire one another. So, I do hope you learn something from me, but I’m sure I can learn from you as well,” said Mia, finishing up with a glance at Rafina.

She nodded, wearing her usual composed smile.

“I’ve learned plenty from Chloe and Miss Rafina as it is. Given that, I don’t think there’s a need to make our relationship such a formal one,” she said, putting on a mischievous grin. “Perhaps we could just be friends?”

Mia fervently worked to lessen the weight of her responsibility by morphing her title as “master” into that of “friend.” It was easy to save a friend in need, and she had no qualms of warning a friend who was headed straight for the guillotine. But guiding her as her master? That seemed...well, obnoxious, quite frankly.

“And I’m not the only one who can teach you things at this academy. Everyone you meet will have their own unique set of skills which you can learn from. So...”

Next, Mia divvied up that responsibility, appealing to the fact that she had plenty of other friends she could learn from, like Rafina or Sion. Now, even if Orania were to horrendously mess up, she wouldn’t be able to claim, “This was all based on the teachings of my great Master Mia!”

Orania listened to Mia’s every word. When she was done, she took it all in with a nod. “I see... So, that’s how I need to spend my time at Saint-Noel... Thank you for the tips, Master Mia.”

“H-Huh? How odd. I can’t help but feel you didn’t quite absorb what I just taught you...”

Once again, Mia was forced to realize the great difficulty of teaching others.

Chapter 23: Princess Mia Gives Bel Some Candid Advice

After nominating herself as Mia’s number one protégé, Orania would often come to see Mia, entreating her for her wisdom with every visit. That day was just one of many, and once Mia had exited the cathedral after the weekly mass had concluded, she was greeted by Orania.

“Hello, Master...!”

“My, Orania. Greetings,” said Mia, the grin on her face appearing rather forced. This was bad timing, and Mia felt a cold sweat begin to trickle down her back. But why? The reason was simple!

“What do you have to teach me today, Master Mia?”

“H-Hmm, well...”

That’s right—Mia had already run out of ideas! As you may already know, Mia was not equipped with an endless spring of wisdom. If anything, her intelligence was more on the...well...measly side. In any case, her stock of axioms and insights had never been that plentiful in the first place.

Still, she couldn’t offer a half-baked answer, as that could quite possibly lead Orania to tell someone, “I’m just doing this because that’s what Master Mia said to do...” Mia wanted to avoid that at all costs.

And when Mia thought about the matter really hard, she realized she wanted her neighboring nations to be peaceful as well. If the flames of revolution ravaged its doorstep, Tearmoon could easily be engulfed as well. And knowing the Serpents, they’d happily pour some gasoline on the matter to make sure of it.

Thus, Mia shared her guillotine-escaping wisdom with Orania, which she had learned from invaluable experience. “You see, Orania, committing a wrong is of course a sin, but failing to do what is required of those of us sitting at the top is equally terrible,” said Mia, recalling her hardships in the Sealence Forest. “When faced with a problem, you must do all you can to fix it. That is important.” If you didn’t do all you could to escape, the guillotine would happily come and find you itself, after all. “There are plenty of things in life where ignorance can’t serve as an excuse. So ready your senses, and make sure you’re doing everything you can to discover any problems that could lead to misfortune.”

“You mean...the problems the nation ignores? The ones it pretends aren’t a problem at all...?” Orania’s expression suddenly turned sour.

“What’s the matter?”

“Oh... It’s nothing. Please excuse me, Master Mia...”

Mia saw Orania off and returned to her room.

“Welcome back, milady. I’ll prepare you some tea.” Anne seemed to have been making the beds, but she quickly began to prepare some tea and tea cakes.

“Thank you. I just met with Orania, and it ate up a lot of my brainpower.”

Mia naively praised her maid, thinking she was oh so very thoughtful. But what Mia didn’t know was that Anne had purposefully prepared a vegetable cake that lacked just a tad of its normal sweetness for Mia to prevent her from overeating. She was thoughtful in the real sense.

“I’m back!” came a cheerful voice. It was Bel.

“My, welcome back, Bel.”

“Right! I need to prepare for a meeting with the kids in the SEEC program! I’m gonna tell them all about my adventures!” Recently, Bel had been leading some SEEC protégés of her own in all sorts of fun.

She seems to have her morals straight...but can the same be said about her studies? Mia was Bel’s grandmother, and naturally, she worried for her granddaughter’s future.

“That reminds me, Bel. Has the future changed now that we have Orania on our side?”

“Huh?” Bel’s face was blank, as if she didn’t know what Mia was talking about at all.

Mia stared back at her. “Just to be certain, you have been checking Ludwig’s diary, right?”

“R-Right! Of course I have! I obviously would, right? I read it cover from cover every single night! I have the blood of the Great Sage of the Empire running through my veins, after all...”

Bel’s answer was enough to assure Mia of one thing—Bel definitely had not been reading the diary at all!

“Moons... If you’re not careful, the future will stray further and further from the one you came from. Check it right now,” said Mia, wagging her finger in proper scolding style. Though the fact that something so relatively sensible had fallen from Mia’s lips did raise some questions about the certainty of Tearmoon’s future.

“Fine, Miss Mia...” Bel obediently nodded and took out the diary.

Mia took this opportunity to ask a question which had suddenly occurred to her. “By the way, Bel, what was the state of Ganudos in the future you came from?”

“What was...what, exactly?”

“Were things going well? Were they in turmoil? That sort of thing.”

“Oh, right! I think we...probably had a typical diplomatic relationship.” There was something awfully noncommittal about Bel’s answer, and it earned a sigh from Mia. “O-Of course, if our relationship was really bad, I’m sure I would have remembered that! So even if they were our enemies, they must have been keeping a low profile. I never heard anything about them from Professor Ludwig... Huh? I haven’t, right?” she mumbled, pulling out the diary and flipping through the pages.

“Ah!” Bel suddenly screamed. “Th-This is terrible, Grandmother Mia!”

“What is it? That was an awfully sudden shout. It’s not befitting for a noble lady to scream like that,” said Mia, the very un-noble lady who let out cries like “hupty-doo!” and sighed like an old man.

Anyway, putting the jokes aside, Bel was in a real panic. “This is no time for that, Grandmother Mia. Ganudos Port Country...was destroyed!”

“Hwah...?”

Once again, the ball had started to roll.

Chapter 24: It Rises to the Heavens! The Golden...Lighthouse?

“Ganudos was...destroyed? M-Moons! It wasn’t because I said anything weird to Orania, was it?” asked Mia, very very timidly.

Bel tilted her head. “The diary doesn’t say anything like that, but... Hmm... Hmmmmm...” She furrowed her brow.

“You’ve got quite the scowl, but...do you actually know what’s going on?” Mia fundamentally lacked faith in her granddaughter’s education. But this wasn’t a complete lack of trust. She simply thought that when it came to anything, Bel probably understood less than her.

Now, there was clearly plenty of room for poking fun at that notion, but...

“Of course I understand! I’m a descendant of the Great Sage of the Empire! Your blood runs through my veins!” said Bel, proudly puffing out her chest.

Unfortunately, no one was there to point out that this fact was exactly what was so worrying.

“Um... To sum things up, the king was assassinated, and a revolution broke out at the same time. Oh no! It says Princess Orania was executed at the guillotine!”

The word “guillotine” filled Mia with dark, foreboding thoughts. “I see... So Orania is also a victim of the same fate,” she muttered with a doleful sigh.

“Then, um... That spelled the end of the royal family, and because all the other higher-ups were killed too, Ganudos was left in total chaos. There was even a civil war.”

“A civil war...? That doesn’t sound good at all.”

The flames of revolution were those of destruction. An unstable state of domestic affairs led to famine, which in turn led to pestilence. In the end, the chaos would cross borders, threatening nearby nations.

“I’d like to keep the wars to a minimum, if possible.”

“Then, it seems like you influenced Duke Redmoon to mobilize Tearmoon’s army and get the situation under control. Since the forces within Ganudos were nearly depleted, Tearmoon suffered very few losses. Efforts to reestablish and maintain public order went well, and the people of Ganudos were incredibly thankful.”

“Oh, I did? So things do work out in the end. But...if I solved the problem, then how does Ganudos get destroyed?”

“Well, there’s no royal family, and all the other higher-ups were killed. The heads of the different forces in the civil war vied against each other, which meant any ruler would bring back chaos, so...um...” Bel looked to Mia, her eyes sparkling. “Ganudos Port Country was destroyed and subsumed by Tearmoon. It became the Ganudos domain! It says you implored them to leave their nation’s future in your hands...”

“We subsumed Ganudos? That’s...quite...” Mia let out the same sort of sigh that often accompanied indigestion and looked to the sky. The responsibility of a foreign affair fell on the shoulders of the heads of that nation, but if Ganudos became a territory of Tearmoon, its affairs would fall on the shoulders of Tearmoon’s emperor. And if Mia was going to one day be the empress, she’d be the one bearing all that weight.

A peaceful land would be one thing, but a new territory full of citizens whose hearts and souls have been ravaged by civil war? That’s more dangerous than anything! It’d be nice to have direct access to the sea, but that could incite the jealousy of other nations. One wrong move and people would be saying I purposefully let civil war destroy the land so I could swoop in when the time was ripe!

This seemed like a dream come true for the Serpents, and it left Mia at her wit’s end.

“Whoa! That’s so cool!” came a shout from Bel.

“What is it? Is there something else?”

“It says the territory of Ganudos erected the Golden Mia Lighthouse to celebrate your amazing deeds!”

“A golden...Mia...lighthouse?” Mia was overcome with a dizzy spell and collapsed on her bed. “Wh-What exactly is this strange and ominous-sounding building...?”

“Um... It seems like it’s a lighthouse shaped like you that’s made out of gold!”

“It must be huge! I’ve seen lighthouses before—aren’t they big towers?”

“That’s what it says. See? There’s even a diagram.”

Mia looked in Bel’s book to find a picture of her, holding a torch high in the sky with one hand and a book in the other.

“The torch is the light, and the book in your left hand is probably...the Holy Book?”

Mia couldn’t help but groan. “I understand why the torch would represent light, but...wouldn’t holding a Holy Book in my hands mean depicting me as a religious figure? This is sure to anger Miss Rafina and the Central Orthodox Church.” Mia’s sharp sense of smell was picking up on a whiff of danger—building something like this would definitely tear a hole in the relationship between Tearmoon and Belluga.

“Could this be the Serpents’ doing...?” Building a lighthouse made of gold would be a terrible waste of a nation’s resources. Mia thought she saw the makings of a plot to incite a revolution! “We absolutely cannot build this. Making our way into Ganudos just became an even graver matter,” said Mia, shaking her head. “And letting my foolish protégé be executed at the guillotine doesn’t bode well either. We need to get to Ganudos as fast as possible!” proclaimed Mia, a fire in her voice.

Chapter 25: An Insignificant Tragedy

“The problems...our nation has failed to realize...” Orania sighed once she had returned to her room. Suddenly, she began to prepare for another fishing trip. “Master Mia really does understand the problems befalling Ganudos...”

Orania recalled the serious expression Mia had worn and fell into the world of her thoughts. Ever since she had started to look up to Mia, she had begun to notice something—namely, that Mia usually was playing the part of a ditz, likely to keep her interlocutors from putting up their guard. But sometimes, that would change. She’d drop the act and warn Orania with absolute seriousness, just as she had just done.

She discarded her ditzy facade to impart that teaching on me... She must be referring to that...but...

“Are you fishing again, Your Highness?” Orania turned around to find her personal maid looking awfully fed up. She didn’t bother to hide the fact she was clearly trying to belittle Orania, who nonchalantly looked back at her.

“Hey... You’re making fun of me, right...?” She spoke in her usual, carefree, slow tone, so the maid responded with a faint smile.

“No, not at all...”

“I don’t mind so much myself, but...won’t your family end up on the streets if you’re fired?”

“Huh?” All the blood rushed from her face, but Orania paid no attention.

“You have a younger brother and sister, right...? If I remember correctly, they’re quite young, and I seem to recall sending them some money on their birthdays...” Orania stared into her maid’s eyes, which were open wide in shock.

“U-Um, I-I...”

“People really are fools... Even when the danger is obvious with even just the littlest bit of thought, they choose to dance on uneven ground... Do you even realize you’re hopping around on a boat that’s ready to sink...?” Personally, Orania thought the answer was almost certainly “no.”

“The princess I serve is an idiot, so she’ll turn a blind eye to a bit of teasing! And if that’s the case, I should be able to blow off some steam by being rude to her, right? I’ll be fine as long as I don’t cross the line, yeah?” That had been her maid’s thinking, and as long as they continued to stay out of the way of anger, warning, or harm, people failed to notice the dangers of their actions. They wouldn’t change, and by the time they suffered the harm they begot, it would be too late to do so.

“F-F-Forgive me, Your Highness. I wasn’t trying to...”

She surely had her excuses. Maybe the other maids were all doing it, and maybe the maids above her had instructed her to follow in their example. Maybe Orania’s typical attitude had her dropping her guard.

People really were fools beyond salvation.

She can’t see the clear consequences of her actions. I...was the same...

But luckily, someone had appeared to warn Orania—she had met someone she could look up to in example.

And so, these were Orania’s words. “Hmm... Well, if no one warned you, then you’d obviously act like this. It isn’t truly your fault, so I can forgive you...but...” She brought her pointer finger to her lips. “From now on, I want to live a life befitting the princess of Ganudos...”

“Befitting...?”

“Yes... I was fortunate enough to be born a princess, after all. If I don’t try to solve our problems and make a better nation for us all, being born a princess would be a waste... For example... Don’t you think it would be wonderful if being fired didn’t mean your family was forced to the streets...?”

“I-I see,” said the maid, blinking blankly back at her and unable to keep up with how her master had changed.

“And I’d be happy if you’d work with me to make such a world...” said Orania, smiling.

Her maid seemed overwhelmed, but she managed to kneel on the ground and lower her head. “Not only have you excused my discourtesy, you’ve shared your deepest thoughts. I’m incredibly grateful, and I wish for nothing more than to give my all in loyal service to answer your warm kindness.”

“I see... That’d make me very happy,” said Orania, beaming back at her maid as she studied her. She didn’t sense any ill will, and there were no hints of scorn or belittlement. But Orania wasn’t one to trust easily. What had transpired the other day had hit her where it hurt, making it abundantly clear her keen eyes weren’t as keen as she had thought.

More than anything, she now knew that people could change. An insignificant act like swearing loyalty could easily sway one’s heart, and thus, Orania felt like it wasn’t deserving of her trust. And yet...

I’m sure Master Mia wouldn’t punish this maid...

It was then that Orania suddenly realized just how easily hearts could change. A soul that had been innocent just the day before could easily be dyed black. But still...perhaps there were some things that couldn’t easily revert to how they once were. Orania was certain she could never be the same person she was before she had met Mia Luna Tearmoon, the Great Sage of the Empire, and she knew she would never be capable of betraying her master.

Master Mia really is amazing... I hope I can be just like her...

Orania was likely unaware of who exactly she was aspiring to be. Her keen eyes were even more unreliable than she had thought. It was an insignificant tragedy.

Chapter 26: Wave the Flag of the Holy Deity!

“Hmm... Well, we’ve decided to go to Ganudos, but what justification can we use to enter? That’s the hardest part to figure out...”

That night, Mia had changed into her nightclothes, tucked into bed, and began to think. The king’s assassination was shockingly close.

“We need to leave as soon as possible considering the travel time.”

Well, in the absolute worst-case scenario, she could march in with Orania right after the king died and quell the chaos.

“I’d like to avoid the assassination if possible, for Orania’s sake. And if we arrive after the pandemonium has started, people will give me the credit for restoring the peace! They could build that thing, and I really do want to avoid that if I can...”

Thus, Mia set their goal at preventing the assassination and squashing whatever had been the cause.

Mia turned over in her sheets and once again began to mutter. “But that means I can’t mobilize the Princess Guard either. Marching an army into a nation at peace would stir up trouble. But I do have a man (Dion) who could withstand a hundred on his own. He’ll likely be able to protect us and stop the assassin, but I’ll need a reasonable excuse to mobilize him and Ludwig... What could serve as that excuse? Hmm...”

As Mia muttered away, she slowly drifted toward dreamland. But just as she was about to enter its embrace, there was a sudden knock at her door. She shot out of bed, and once Anne had opened the door, standing in the dark hallway was none other than...

“Orania! What is it?”

Yes, it was Orania Perla Ganudos, and her expression was awfully troubled.

“Master Mia, I apologize for visiting you so late at night...” said Orania, turning her dimly lit, serious expression toward Mia. “There’s something I want to discuss with you...”

“Well, in that case...” Mia glanced at the others in her room and groaned. Patty and Bel had already gotten ready for bed, and while it was still a bit too early to sleep, children (and Mia) needed early bedtimes.

“I’m sorry, Bel, but could you sleep in Rina’s room tonight? And could you head to Yanna’s room, Patty?”

Once Mia had quickly driven the others away, she welcomed in Orania.

“What did you wish to discuss?”

After plopping herself in a chair, Orania began to speak. “You told me earlier today that I needed to pay attention to the problems Ganudos is facing...”

Huh? Did I? Mia was about to tilt her head...but she held her ground! “Yes...that’s right. I told you that if there’s a problem, you must give your all in solving it, and to do so, you’ll need to do what you can to discover those problems.”

Orania closed her eyes as if mulling over those words. “There’s a grave problem that’s befallen Ganudos... One that must be corrected...” She shook her head. “No, it doesn’t need to be corrected... I want to correct it myself,” she declared.

Seeing the strong resolve in her eyes, Mia couldn’t help but gulp.

“But it’s not a problem I can solve on my own... I don’t know what to do, so I decided to ask you...”

“I see. And what exactly is this problem?”

While Mia gulped in anticipation, Orania used the opportunity to take a deep breath. “The problem...is the Visalian Ghetto.”

Mia gave her a blank stare.

“As you know, Visalians are persecuted in Ganudos... Others try to avoid them.”

“Yes, I’ve heard.” Mia just barely knew this information, but she was so proud, she couldn’t help but give a smug nod.

“The Visalians have been rounded up in a separate district of Ganudos, where they are forced into labor... Slave labor...”

“Slave labor? I wasn’t aware such systems still existed.”

Tearmoon once had serfs, slaves that were forced into farm labor. But that system had been abolished two generations before Mia. In other words,they disappeared during Patty’s time. I hadn’t realized that before.

Ever since, “slave” had merely been nothing but a word. When referring to all classes, the phrase “everyone from the emperor to the slaves” had survived, but that was the only place you could still find slaves in Tearmoon.

“Slavery still exists in Ganudos?”

“They don’t use that word, of course...but that’s what it effectively is. Those forced into the ghetto are made to work for publicly owned shipbuilding companies... They’re superficially promised food, clothing, and shelter, but they receive no wages, and they’re not allowed to leave...”

Mia pondered this, her expression grave. That really does sound like slavery. But...

“I used to think it made sense to lock them away, since they were pirates. No one in Ganudos questions this system, but...” she averted her eyes. “Yanna and Kiryl are Visalians too...”

“Ah, I see.” Mia understood where she was coming from. Being aware of someone by name and actually getting the chance to have fun with them were two completely different things. Orania had now fished, bathed, and shared meals with Visalians. She could no longer turn a blind eye to their enslavement. It was simply human nature.

“If the two of them hadn’t come to Saint-Noel Academy, they could have been forced into the ghetto... And there could be children just like them there now...”

“I understand exactly how you feel. But...they’re a persecuted, detested minority forced to live separately from others, right?” Mia folded her arms and groaned. “We...could use this.”

“Did you say something, Master Mia...?”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” she said, shaking her head. We might have a chance.

Mia knew this situation would work—it was the same logic that had been used to excuse an attack on Tearmoon in the previous timeline. The royal family had failed to accomplish the duty granted to them by the Holy Deity to govern and keep their people safe.

That excuse applies to all nations. It’s perfect! With this, Dion and Ludwig will have to act, which means...

Mia slowly raised her head, looking into Orania’s eyes. “Our path into Ganudos has been paved,” she proclaimed with utter confidence.

Chapter 27: Mia Becomes a Tad Grandmotherly

As soon as her discussion with Orania had concluded, Mia jumped into action. First, she visited Rafina, as she needed the Central Orthodox Church’s assent that her cause for visiting Ganudos was indeed just. Ludwig couldn’t argue against the Holy Lady’s stamp of approval, but Rafina’s response had been even grander than Mia was expecting.

“Greetings, Mia,” offered Rafina, clearly in high spirits.

“Greetings, Rafina. Thank you for making the time for me.”

Mia explained what she had heard from Orania regarding the situation in Ganudos.

“I...see...” Once Mia was done, Rafina offered some brief words. “That’s absolutely unacceptable.”

Though it was rare for her, Rafina was frowning. Mia already found the composed smile Rafina wore when angry plenty frightening, but now, she knew that Rafina when she was really angry was much scarier.

“O-Of course, this is simply what I’ve heard from Orania, and I haven’t confirmed it myself. Her story may be a bit exaggerated.”

“I know that, of course. As your new pupil, Orania may have homed in on something she could do and may be overly zealous. However...” She brought a hand to her cheek. “We can’t leave this be regardless.”

“I agree. Now that she’s asked for my help, I plan to do everything I can,” said Mia, pounding her chest as a gesture of assurance.

“I see. So you’ll be going there yourself.”

“Well, you know...” I don’t really want to, added Mia inwardly. Quite honestly, she just wanted to send someone like Dion in to save the day for her.

Perhaps that’d work if this was simply to save the king, but I need to make sure I nip all the sprouts of revolution in the buds. I’m one of few who rank as high as the king, so I’m in a position to criticize Ganudos. If only I could shove all of this onto Sion’s shoulders...

But considering that’d be overdoing things a tad, Mia really had no choice but to head there herself.

“I suppose that means you won’t be attending the Holy Eve Festival this year,” muttered Rafina, seeming awfully sad.

“Well, I don’t know if it will serve as a proper replacement, but I’ll be sure to invite you to my Birthday Festival this year. Though considering the state of our wheat harvests, I doubt it’ll be as grand as usual.”

No proper famine had yet to break out in Tearmoon, but that didn’t mean they had enough abundance to squander their reserves. Honestly, I wished they just did away with my Birthday Festival...

But at the same time, stopping all forms of enjoyment and leisure would only depress the people. Some of the more sensible folks might even begin to doubt whether they’d have enough food for the next year. Thus, Ludwig and the others had told her that such entertainment was necessary in wiping away her people’s doubts, but still...

I’m sure father wouldn’t stop the event even if I begged him to. Ludwig must want to use it to our advantage. I don’t not understand him, but...what should I do if they want to build a giant snow sculpture of me?

Particularly frightening was the fact that unlike gold, snow was free. You’d think there’d be labor costs, but the people who would choose to make it would happily volunteer themselves for the cause.

Well, if someone wants to make one, I suppose I can’t force them to stop.

Mia was lost in her thoughts, but when she finally looked at Rafina...

“Thank you, Mia. I can’t wait,” she said, beaming. “Oh, and if there’s anything I can do to help, please let me know,” she said, adding on some heartening words.

So now I have Rafina’s approval. Next is deciding who will be coming with me, thought Mia, sipping on the tea Rafina had prepared for her. “My, this has quite the unique aroma.”

Rafina giggled. “I thought you might notice. It’s actually made from kelp,” she said, sporting a funny smile. “There’s an island nation to the east that puts dried seaweed in their tea. I learned about it while I was reading about fish the other day, so I decided to try some.”

“Kelp, huh? Now that you mention it, it is a bit salty.” Mia took another sip and breathed a satisfied sigh. “I’d say it’s both calming and nourishing. Maybe it’s thanks to the salt, but the tea cakes seem to taste extra sweet as well,” remarked Mia, wearing a grin of absolute satisfaction.

Not that it particularly mattered, but Mia would have to wait another year to encounter the sticky snack that paired perfectly with this tea.

Chapter 28: Unconventional Heroine Mia!

Mia didn’t rest after her meeting with Rafina and instead headed straight for her next destination. She was rarely diligent, but today was an exception—an incredibly rare exception. Today, Mia was an Ultra Rare!

Anyways, just remembering Rafina’s furious expression was enough to... H-How terrifying! If I mess this up, it could be disastrous!

Mia felt that maybe, it would have been best to keep this a secret from the Holy Lady and move behind the scenes. But she couldn’t get the frown Rafina had worn when she heard Mia wouldn’t be attending the Holy Eve Festival out of her mind.

“Ugh. I need to use every last bit of my brainpower and make sure this succeeds!” With that conviction now in her chest, Mia sped down the halls. “But if we’re infiltrating Ganudos, I suppose I’ll need to limit our troops...”

If possible, Mia wanted to bring everyone she could and overwhelm them with the power of numbers. Subjugating their enemy by leading a large, imposing army into battle was the number-game strategy the Tearmoon Army tended to play, and Grand General Mia had been operating under the same principle.

“Since we can’t visit as official guests, we need to avoid standing out. I can’t bring too many people,” said Mia with a groan. “Even if our visit has a just purpose, it will take time for them to prepare to welcome in the princess of Tearmoon, and they might interfere in our plans if they grow suspicious. The Greenmoons are well-connected to Ganudos, so maybe using them would work. I do have to wonder, though—just how well-connected are they?”

This time, Mia had a clear goal: to make sure Dion Alaia was at the scene of the assassination!

“Any strategy we can think up will work as long as he’s there, and it’ll be hard for our enemies to think up a way to beat him. Dragging him into Ganudos and sending him to the scene of the crime is the easiest solution,” muttered Mia as she crossed her arms. “I may be able to enter Ganudos as Orania’s friend, but I could have a hard time maneuvering if the king grows suspicious...”

In that case, the assassin may grow suspicious of Mia and her crew and fail to make an appearance.

“Worst-case scenario, the timing of the assassination could shift so that it occurs only after we’ve returned home. That means we need to both stop the assassination and capture the culprit. In that case, we’ll keep careful watch of Ludwig’s diary and interfere only at the scene of the assassination. I think that’s our best course of action.”

But for that, they needed the king of Ganudos to act as he would if Mia weren’t in Ganudos.

“I really do need to limit myself to a few elites, and I need to make sure someone from outside of Tearmoon is present so nobody can claim we were acting out of line. Perhaps Abel or Sion would do a good job?” Of course, she did consider bringing Rafina, but... “Given our discussion, I think Miss Rafina would happily come, but the weight of her name is just too much. It would be a disaster if anything happened, so I’ll ask Abel or Sion instead.”

Thus, Mia rushed along to her destination—the training grounds. She had correctly expected to find Abel and Sion there at this time. As soon as she arrived, she saw the two boys facing each other, swords in hands. Sion was farther inside the room, holding his blade pointed to the ground, while Abel stood closer to the door, his back turned to Mia.

She couldn’t help but swoon at the sight of his strong, toned back. But then...

“Here I come, Abel!” shouted Sion as he raised his blade into the air. His stance overflowed with power, and it had Mia’s heart pumping!

But no, she hadn’t been enchanted by the sight of Sion’s gallant form. It would be crude to ask Mia to exhibit such a heroine-like response. As an unconventional heroine, there was no way Mia could have such a reaction. Instead, she was metaphorically hit by Sion’s blade from head-on, terrifying her little chicken heart.

She sucked in her breath and almost collapsed on her bum. But at the very last second, she was saved!

“Do your best, Sion!” Abel stepped in between them, planting his feet firmly on the ground and facing Sion. Now that she was staring at such a reassuring, gallant, and manly back...

“Abel...” Mia couldn’t help but sigh!

Sion moved in an instant. In a flash, he flung his blade downward toward Abel, who blocked with his left hand. Wait, left?

“Hmm? Is that a shield? I don’t recall ever seeing Abel use one of those before...”

A dull clang resounded through the room as sword met shield. Abel retreated a step. Then, he tossed his shield aside, brought both hands to his sword, and struck, letting out a ferocious war cry as he performed his killer downward slash.

But Sion blocked easily. Their hilts were locked together, but Sion shoved his forward, forcing Abel backward.

Once the two were separated, Abel shrugged his shoulders. “Good grief. I thought I finally had you.”

“Your movements flowed well, but your strike lacked the power it usually has when you have the chance to attack first. Did you not properly disperse the force when you blocked?”

Abel chuckled. “I really can’t win against you. Of course, I didn’t think having that shield would make blocking easy, but you really are in for a world of shame if you fail to properly neutralize the force.” He turned toward Mia. “Hey, Mia. What are you doing here?”

Seeing his dashing smile, Mia put on a gentle grin of her own. “I had something to discuss with you two, but,” Mia tilted her head. “What’s with the shield? Have you always had one?”

“Oh, this?” Abel lifted the shield he previously had on his left arm. “It’s so I can protect you from anything. I’ve been practicing with it recently, but...” His smile grew bashful. “It’s not really working out for me.”

“Moons!” Mia was deeply moved by his words. Oho ho! He’s getting even more dependable!

“So, what is it? It’s rare for you to come all the way to the training grounds.”

“Oh, that’s right. I almost forgot.” Mia looked first at Abel, then Sion. “There was something I wanted to discuss with you two.”

Chapter 29: Mia Makes a Declaration!

The three moved to a wooden bench set up in a corner of the training grounds. Anne and Keithwood appeared with drinks as if they had been waiting to show up at the perfect moment.

“Thank you, Anne.” After flashing her maid a grin, Mia returned her attention to the two boys. “I’ll need to go to Ganudos Port Country soon, actually.” She explained what she had heard from Orania, sounding just like a runner who had come to report to their captain. “This is bound to be revealed sooner or later, and when that happens, trust in Ganudos’s royal family will plummet.”

Mia’s primary goal was saving the king, but she wanted to avoid any shifts in the authority governing Ganudos as well. She was hoping things would fix themselves so Ganudos wouldn’t have to become a territory of Tearmoon. And I need to do everything I can behind the scenes to make sure they don’t build that ominous gold thing either!

Now that Mia had her priorities straight, she continued. “So, we need to investigate the situation and speak with Ganudos’s king. And if possible, I’m hoping we can reform him. Luckily, Orania already wants to fix the problems facing her nation, which means it’s important for us to support her, convince the king, and remedy the situation.”

It was always important to have clear goals. It would be terrible should anyone mistakenly believe she was going herself just to take the bad guys to task.

“I see. I’d gladly come with you. My own kingdom once suffered at the hands of revolution as well.” Abel was the first to speak. He admitted there were problems in how his father governed Remno, while also highlighting the need to maintain royal authority. It was hard for him to consider Ganudos’s current state as unrelated to his own.

Mia giggled. “Thank you, Abel,” she said with a satisfied nod. Then, she looked toward Sion. Sion’s always fussy about these sorts of things. I’m sure he’d stick his head in even if I didn’t ask him, since what’s currently happening in Ganudos is clearly unjust. She had let her guard down!

“I think...I’ll sit this one out.”

“Huh?” Mia stared back at him. She hadn’t expected this response. “What’s gotten into you, Sion? This isn’t like you at all! Are you not feeling well? Does your stomach hurt?”

Seeing how intensely worried Mia was, Sion put on an awkward grin. “No, that’s not it. It’s just...” He swallowed his words. “I was thinking I’d go and see Echard.”

“You were?”

“Yeah. I’m worried he’s having a hard time being away from Sunkland. It seems like he’s doing his best, and I was hoping to reward those efforts.”

“I see... I suppose you did visit him this summer. Well, if that’s how it is...” Mia was half convinced, but she still had a nagging suspicion. This was Sion! Sion Sol Sunkland, the man who would do anything in the name of justice! Could he really turn a blind eye to what was happening in Ganudos?

Hmm. Is this Sion...a fake? thought Mia, absolutely ridiculously. But it really is a shame he won’t be accompanying us.

But there was more on Mia’s mind than these silly thoughts. She wanted to show Sion exactly how she planned to handle the situation with Ganudos, which faced similar circumstances as Tearmoon once had.

The golden rule was a very convincing axiom, stating that one must do unto others what they would want done in return. Branching from this rule was another axiom, that one must do what pleased others, and not what pleased themself.

Thus, Mia had wanted to use the golden rule to demonstrate how she wanted to be treated by displaying how she treated Ganudos. She was hoping to contrive things so Sion and the others were more amenable to this, making it easier for them to realize what sort of treatment Mia wanted. Basically, she wanted to tell them, “If things take a turn for the worse in Tearmoon, I want you to do this. This is what will make me happy, so hurry up and realize that, okay?”

First, you tell them what’s right and what’s wrong, warning them nicely if possible. If they still didn’t listen, then you really laid down the arguments, and if that didn’t work, you warned them more harshly. Then, you gave them one final warning, and if that whole process proved a bust, then that was it. The next step was revolution and the guillotine.

There were steps to this! Mia thought there was plenty they could have done before throwing her in the dungeons and decapitating her at the guillotine! And even if that wasn’t how things tended to work, she wanted to make sure they knew that was the process they needed to follow when it was her turn!

Both Miss Rafina and Sion have gotten a lot better, but I can’t let my guard down. Hearts change, so there’s always a chance they’ll suddenly want to punish me in the name of justice. And as someone who had a neck that fit perfectly in a guillotine, Mia needed to be cautious.

She turned to study Sion. “So you’re planning on heading to the Greenmoon domain?”

“I suppose so, but I’m hoping to show my face at the Holy Eve Festival too. But first, I was planning on going to Tearmoon, then spending the new year in Sunkland.”

In that case, I might be able to have Esmeralda drag him to Ganudos if I give her the news in advance, thought Mia with an inward grin.

Chapter 30: A Mia-Like Appraisal

“What’s wrong, Your Highness?” Keithwood questioned Sion as soon as they had returned to his room.

“What’s wrong? What do you mean, Keithwood?”

“Playing dumb, are we? I’m talking about Ganudos Port Country,” he responded, shaking his head in exasperation. “Do you truly plan to leave everything to Princess Mia?”

“Does that upset you? I thought you’d be happy I made this choice, considering you’re always telling me I should stop sticking my head into danger.”

“You should, but... Leaving the matter alone just isn’t like you, Your Highness,” said Keithwood, scratching his head. His master, Sion Sol Sunkland, wasn’t the type to turn a blind eye to unjust actions that abused the people. The fact Mia would be stepping in perhaps meant that wasn’t completely true in this case, but sitting back on his hands and failing to step in himself just wasn’t like him, especially considering that visiting Echard wasn’t that high of a priority. “I was sure the flames of anger would thrust you onto the front lines.”

Sion chuckled. “I wouldn’t go that far, of course, but... You’re right. Ganudos really is doing evil, from what I’ve heard, and that shouldn’t be ignored. At the very least, there’s a need for someone to head there themselves and question the king and the other eminent nobles,” he said, looking quite ponderous.

Is this Prince Sion...a fake?! Seeing his master like this inspired a very Mia-like gut feeling in Keithwood. His case of Mia-itis was clearly severe. Though I suppose now isn’t time for jokes.

Keithwood cleared his throat once—then twice—before speaking. “What happened between you and Princess Mia is still bothering you, isn’t it?” he asked, trying to sound casual. As far as Keithwood knew, Mia had been Sion’s first heartbreak—his first love, rather, now that Keithwood remembered his master’s lack of romantic experience. Suddenly, he began to worry that the pain of that heartbreak had left a deeper scar than he originally thought.

Monarchs blinded by love popped up throughout the world in every nation there was. As a man wise in the ways of the world, Keithwood wondered if he should have stepped in to make sure his master experienced a relationship or two beforehand.

“Oh, I see. I hadn’t realized that was a way of interpreting my actions,” said Sion with a curious grin. “If I joined Mia on this journey, I would get to see her governing prowess from up close. I’d get to see how the Great Sage chooses to deal with Ganudos, which is knowledge that might serve me well in the future. On the other hand, I’d be learning how to govern from the woman who has rejected me, and offering a helping hand would come with complicated feelings. Is that what you surmised?”

“Well, yes... Was I wrong?”

Sion glanced at Keithwood, wearing a self-deprecating grin and shaking his head. “That would perhaps be more human of me, but you’re unfortunately wrong. My apologies for the lack of childish charm, but my thoughts were a bit colder in nature.” Suddenly, Sion opened his eyes. They glistened with the light of intellect, and it put Keithwood at ease.

“I see. So you’ve made your decision as a member of Sunkland’s royal family.”

“Rather than that, as a fellow opponent of the Serpents. If I were operating as a royal of Sunkland, the right course of action would be to head to Ganudos and correct their wrongs, just as you envisioned.” Sion cut off his words and pondered for a moment. “I don’t mean to abase myself, but Mia and Sir Ludwig will be plenty of brains, and Sir Dion and Abel will be enough brawn. Don’t you think there’s not much reason for me to accompany her as well?”

The squad of vassals Mia had built were elites, and Abel easily wielded his blade, knowing when it was time to put his life on the line. With them around, there wasn’t much purpose Sion could serve.

“Hmph. So you’re unwilling to resign yourself to just being backup?”

“Of course I want to fight our enemies on the front lines, and I don’t want to become the type of man who fails to feel anger at the unjust and chooses to turn a blind eye. Had we been fighting a group of bandits, I would happily run straight onto the battlefield. However...”

“Please don’t happily run onto any battlefields, Your Highness.”

Sion ignored Keithwood’s warning and continued. “I don’t think that’s the right way to fight the Serpents. Instead, I believe we need to fight from farther back, where we can take in the entirety of the battlefield. At least, those have been my recent thoughts.”

“Ah, I see. So that’s why you’re headed to where Prince Echard is, to the Greenmoons. They certainly are well-versed in Tearmoon’s foreign affairs, and Princess Orania and Lady Esmeralda are friends. It will be easy for you to gain intel on Ganudos, and not only that, you’ll be able to rush into action if necessary and operate separately from Princess Mia on the front lines,” said Keithwood, stroking his chin. “The Serpents certainly are elusive, and they’re not so foolish as to take only one route to march into a fortified fortress. If our greatest force, Princess Mia, has led a party into Ganudos, there’s a good chance they’ll stir up trouble elsewhere, yes?”

“I don’t know if it’ll be elsewhere, but in any case, I want to lie low and calmly take in the whole situation.” His expression suddenly stiffened. “Abel has found the path that’s his to walk. I can’t lose to him.” He spoke quietly but with hardened resolve.

Chapter 31: Things Are Getting...Complicated

Two carriages marched toward the capital city of Lunatear, protected by guards. The first carried the younger crew, consisting of Yanna, Kiryl, Bel, and Citrina. The second had Mia, Abel, Anne, and Patty.

“We’re still a long way from Lunatear,” said Mia, wistfully gazing out the window as she let out a despondent sigh. She was supposed to be eating tasty food at the Holy Eve Festival, and that thought only depressed her further.

“Would you like something to drink, milady?” kindly offered Anne.

“That’s a great idea. Let’s have some tea the next time we stop, and maybe some sweets to perk us up a bit,” responded Mia, ordering a bit extra.

“Could I ask you something, Mia?” suddenly asked Abel, who was sitting next to her.

“What is it, Abel?”

“I wanted to know what you plan to do in Ganudos.”

“Well, for now, I was planning on aiding Orania in emancipating the Visalians.” Of course, preventing the king of Ganudos’s death came first, but saying that out loud might cause some problems. She decided to keep it to herself.

I’m sure Abel would try to stop me if he knew I was approaching the scene of an assassination, but sending in Dion alone is terrifying in its own right. He might take things too far.

Anyway, Mia decided that for now, she’d spin the events as her being there to quietly support Orania from behind.

She clapped her hands as if she had suddenly remembered something. “That reminds me! What happened to Remno after everything?”

Abel’s grin grew awkward. “Nothing much has changed, I suppose. Count Donovan and the other upright nobles have done their best to ensure no extreme taxes have been placed on the people after the revolution, but Remno’s militaristic attitude remains as it was, and many still hope to expand our borders.” He shook his head. “I doubt Miss Rafina would have supported these efforts in Ganudos had I been the one to make the suggestion.”

“My! I don’t think that’s true at all!”

“It’s fine, Mia. Some things have changed too. Like my brother, for example.”

“You mean Gain, my soon-to-be brother-in-law?” Casually and without even noticing, Mia had decided the future.

Abel didn’t seem to notice either. Or rather, he smiled as if he were expecting those words. “He visits Valentina often, and thanks to that, he’s gotten much less physical with our mother and other sister. The maids were amazed.”

“Well, that’s good to hear.”

Abel’s brother Gain was next in line for Remno’s throne. Mia wanted nothing more than for Abel’s home country to be peaceful and stable.

But if he’s been influenced by Valentina, that means he’s been influenced by the High Priestess of the Chaos Serpents. That can’t be good... No, If Prince Gain is moving in a better direction, that must mean Valentina is as well. Mia had naturally fallen into the world of her thoughts.

“In any case, there’s no knowing what will happen to Remno. I hope things work out for us, but the opposite could easily happen as well. I’m worried Ganudos will end up in the same boat as us, putting off their current problems till later, ignorant of how the scales may eventually tip. So...I personally think it would be best if you could be the one governing them.” Abel turned to face her, immediately pulling Mia out of her thoughts.

“Oho ho ho! I could never do something so obn—presumptuous!” Mia had almost said the quiet part out loud. That was close! But I think I covered my tracks, she thought as she studied Abel.

“Presumptuous? You mean it would be presumptuous to ruin the name of Ganudos’s king. No, you must mean it would be presumptuous to take that decision from their people. Do you want to enthrone Princess Orania instead?” Abel mulled over her words...and Mia jumped on the chance to ride this forming wave.

“Yes, exactly. The actions of the monarchy have been unjust, but the majority of their people have allowed it. They’d get mad should a foreign princess step in from the sidelines and make her own demands. It would mean hurting the pride of the people who call Ganudos home.”

“In that case, they wouldn’t listen to you no matter how right you were,” said Abel, nodding in agreement.

Mia took this opportunity to glance over at Patty. I almost revealed how I really felt about things, but I have to be serious when Patty’s present! I can’t just say things are obnoxious. I need to stay on my guard!

If Mia failed to properly educate Patty, the past could go up in flames. Mia renewed her resolve, however...

Patty quietly watched Mia. She was about to say “obnoxious.”

She saw right through Mia’s redirect! That’s right, Patty had been trained by the Serpents, attuning herself to people’s true feelings even more so than Orania. Thus, she knew exactly how Mia truly felt! And it inspired...

But you need to be this sloppy when dealing with the Serpents. It can make you more flexible, and it’s easier to work against them because your serious thoughts come at random times. Miss Mia really is the perfect girl to fight against the Serpents!

...a sense of awe!

Patty read Mia like a book and completely picked up on her questionable attitude...and managed to find teachings in it! Perhaps it was Patty who suffered the most serious case of Mia-itis.

My granddaughter is amazing!

At just ten years old, Patty was a doting (grand)parent, full of pride for her grandchild!

Things had gotten...complicated.

Chapter 32: The Men Share a Drink

Dion had come to visit Ludwig in his office, which wasn’t a particularly rare occurrence. The two often shared a drink after work to discuss Mia’s mishaps—or “grand achievements” in their words.

Dion stepped in with a knock and grinned at Ludwig, who was standing by the window, reading. “You gotta stay on your toes. If I were a Serpent assassin, I’d easily be able to change the fate of the empire.”

“Sir Dion... Unfortunately, our nation will thrive even without me as long as we still have Her Highness,” he responded with a shrug before walking up to Dion. “She’ll soon be arriving, and she delivered these orders in advance.”

Dion quickly skimmed the papers Ludwig had handed him, breaking out into an exasperated grin. “She’s infiltrating Ganudos? There she goes again...”

“She wishes to put an end to the Visalian Ghetto and the forced labor that’s befallen the Visalians, a minority in Ganudos. Such actions directly contradict the Central Orthodox Church’s tenet that all are born equal. Their actions are worthy of reproach, though I’d personally like to stop her from going there herself,” said Ludwig, pushing up his glasses. “Still, the only ones who can reproach a king are those who are tasked to rule the people themselves.”

“Well, making up grand reasons like that really does sound like our little princess. I’m sure she’s got all her bases covered. But Ganudos, huh? So that’s where she’s sticking her paws next,” said Dion, handing the papers back to Ludwig.

“There really is something suspicious about them, and it’s best we solve those problems now. If she plays her cards right, we may be able to turn Ganudos into one of our territories and gain port access ourselves.”

Dion observed Ludwig with a grin. “You don’t really think our little princess has anything like that in mind, right?”

“As you say, I’m sure Her Highness is only considering rectifying the king’s attitude.”

“She never changes, huh? It’s a pain, but it’s also exactly what I’ve come to expect from her,” said Dion, shaking his head in exasperation.

Ludwig’s tone was quiet. “Does something displease you, Sir Dion?”

“Not really. I just thought it was a little half-baked,” he said. His actions did not share his words’ restraint as he plopped onto the couch.

“Half-baked? What do you mean?” Ludwig picked up two glasses, a bottle of liquor, and sat opposite of Ludwig. The dark-red liquid poured into the glasses with a glug.

Dion picked up his glass, amusedly swished it around, and spoke. “Don’t you think so too? I’d understand trying to expand our territory now that she’s got this grand reason. That strategy would pay off for us, and it’s only natural a princess would think about expanding her empire. Not that we have to copy Sunkland, but having the little princess as a ruler’s gotta make the people happier than having a failure of a king.” He took a sip to wet his throat, savoring the flavor before he resumed. “But instead, she wants to correct the corrupt king and inspire a change of heart in the other nobles? Does she really need to go out of her way to do that? I just don’t think it requires messing up a foreign nation’s stability and peace. I just can’t shake the feeling that she’s doing too much.”

“Peace, you said?”

“Well, maybe it’s a false peace, but for now, there’s no signs of any rebellions in Ganudos, right? But if Princess Mia joins the mix, that’s no longer gonna be true. She’ll stir up some waves—someone might even light a spark. Though, I guess Ganudos Port Country already has plenty of waves!”

Ludwig met Dion’s joke with a grimace. “Indeed... However, let me ask you this. Do you consider peace to simply be the absence of war, Sir Dion?”

“What do you mean?” Dion had lifted his glass to his lips, but this question caused him to pause. Instead, he stared back at Ludwig.

“Let’s say there’s no war, turmoil, or deaths by the sword. Even should there be no blood spilled by the whip, could you truly consider this peace if the weak were threatened and oppressed—forced to suffer?”

“You’re saying that even if a country isn’t at war, that doesn’t mean it’s at peace, huh?”

“Perhaps you could say that the nation was stable, but could you really say it was at peace? Similarly, even if no swords met swords, I’d consider that nation in a state of struggle if there were those who had their swords at the ready.”

“A step before war, I suppose?”

“And if a strong nation threatened a weaker one with military force, I wouldn’t consider that peace either. The state of a nation can be divided into many more categories besides just wartime and peacetime.” Ludwig brought his glass to his lips. “I believe considering simply the absence of war to be peace runs counter to the true meaning of that word. Peace may sound well and good, but it’s often used as an excuse to uphold evil and bar change.”

“So you’re saying the little princess doesn’t want this false peace, right?” confirmed Dion, his words quiet.

“Her Highness is a revolutionary who defies the status quo, similar to the Serpents, but with a different goal.”

“Huh, and I thought all rulers would do whatever it took to keep the current system.”

“Of course they would, but that’s not all it takes to satisfy Her Highness.” Ludwig looked down into his glass, swished the contents around, and muttered, “I’m quite certain a false peace based in the unjust won’t last long anyway.”

“What do you mean?”

“I am a man of only standard faith, morality, and ethics, so I don’t consider myself an authority on peace and justice. In fact, I’d be a bit ashamed to call myself just.”

Dion chuckled. “Same here. I think we’re a bit too warped to debate that topic!”

The two shared a laugh and refilled their glasses as Ludwig continued. “But logically speaking, we must correct the situation in Ganudos. A society based on trampling others may seem stable, but a system that oppresses a class of people is the opposite. It won’t last for long.”

“Sounds about right. With enough time spent trampled and beaten down, they’ll stand up eventually once they find that chance, even without the Serpents’ help. It’s like the waves at the beach. They come and go, and once they’re big enough, they’ll spray seawater onto shore...or maybe more. Huh. I guess it really would be best for us if Ganudos is at peace.” He put on a mischievous grin. “So? How does she plan to get there?”

“I believe she’s planning on borrowing Shalloak Cornrogue, since he has ties to Ganudos.”

“The great merchant, huh? I heard he messed with us in Perujin.”

“He’s now one of Her Highness’s valuable allies. I’m sure his connections will prove a great benefit for us, and that must have been what Her Highness was after as well...”

“I get it. If she eliminated him as an enemy, she wouldn’t be able to use his connections. Aha ha ha! That really does sound like our little princess.”

The two men shared a quiet chuckle.

Chapter 33: There Was No One to Point Out the Obvious

Upon returning to Lunatear, Mia immediately began preparing for her journey to Ganudos.

“I doubt I need to give Ludwig any concrete orders. That would only hold him back. As for Dion, I shouldn’t have to worry about him so long as he’s armed—actually, perhaps even if he isn’t.” Mia couldn’t help but think Dion could handle a warrior wolf or two without his sword. “Now I just need to figure out how to get into Ganudos...”

She completely ignored her doting father who wanted nothing more than to hear about her days at school, and instead...headed straight for the Merchant King, Shalloak Cornrogue. Ludwig had already requested his presence at the Whitemoon Palace, so Mia had prepared the perfect tea cakes to greet him.

“We’ve become friends after my journey to Perujin, so I do think he’ll be willing to help us,” muttered Mia as she gazed at the snacks arranged on the table, which was a tray of hard-to-find baked goods she had Esmeralda procure. The confection was known as ruscotti, a traditional Tearmoon sweet consisting of twice-baked cookie dough topped with a sweet jam. And since the Greenmoons didn’t disappoint, what Esmeralda prepared was a grape jelly as beautiful as she was. It was filled with chunks of crushed grapes and was more enchanting than any other jam Mia had ever encountered. She gazed at it, completely bewitched.

Mia wasn’t the type who cared much for jewels and accessories, but she did care for food. If you stored beautiful, delicious goods in your stomach, nobody could steal them from you, after all. She was a pragmatist, and thus emphasized the importance of pleasing both your eyes and your taste buds!

“Excuse me, Your Highness. Sir Shalloak Cornrogue has arrived.” Ludwig appeared with Shalloak behind him.

Huh?

But there was something odd about his appearance.

Shalloak...seems...

Mia couldn’t quite put her finger on it, yet she ignored the feeling and led him to the sofa. “I had the daughter of Duke Greenmoon prepare our tea cakes for today. Please dig in.”

But despite Mia’s suggestion, Shalloak made no move to take any. “My apologies, Your Highness. I’ll refrain from the sweets.”

“My, but you’re always eating!” Mia’s eyes were wide. “Does this perhaps have to do with your current form? You seem to have gotten slimmer,” said Mia as she slathered her ruscotti with jam.

Shalloak gleefully nodded. “So you noticed!” he said with a chuckle. “Miss Tatiana’s been helping me, actually.”

“She has? Looking at you again, your face looks so healthy I hardly recognize you! I didn’t know there was such a great, dramatically effective, fast-acting method to improve your health,” muttered Mia, utterly impressed.

Shalloak slightly averted his gaze. “Effective, huh? Well, I suppose it is more great than bad, but...it’s quite hard knowing I’ll never get to lose myself to gluttony again,” he said, his expression somewhat forced.

Mia realized she could never adopt this method herself. “I see. I-In that case, I’ll have to ask Tatiana about it if I have the chance,” she muttered.

But there was something Mia had missed! Anne was standing right behind her, and thus had heard the whole thing! But let’s put such grave matters aside for now...

“So you want your group to infiltrate Ganudos Port Country disguised as merchants,” muttered Shalloak, stroking his chin—which incidentally, while once flabby, was now defined.

“Yes, exactly. Princess Orania told me about the situation in Ganudos now that we’ve become close. She even came to discuss the matter with me, so there’s no way I can sit back now.”

“I see. How very like you to take the port country for yourself and gain access to the sea, Your Highness.”

Hearing the words “take the port country” inspired a terrible image in Mia’s mind. Taking it meant ruling it, which meant the construction of a huge, golden something—specifically, a lighthouse—symbolizing that power! She’d be the subject of censure across the continent and receive terrible rebuke from the Central Orthodox Church.

“Oho ho! I’m not acting out of such personal interest. If I want access to the sea, I can just ask Ganudos to grant me it, no?” First, Mia made that clear, emphasizing that she had absolutely no intentions of turning Ganudos into a Tearmoon territory.

“I see. There’s logic in that as well. There’s no measuring the backlash you’ll receive from the people of Ganudos should you take it by force. It would be difficult to procure crew for your ships, and the people would stop caring for the ports and building new boats. So instead, you think it’s better to maintain an amicable relationship and use those ports as well, yes?”

“I’m not so presumptuous as to think I can do everything myself, and everyone has their own talents. I simply think it’s best to leave things to the experts. Merchants should control trade, and warriors war. Similarly, the royal family of Ganudos is the group who will best govern it.”

In all honesty, Mia just wanted to shirk any responsibility she may have. If it was up to her, she’d be spending her days tasting delicacies, napping, dancing, and going horseback riding. Then, well...she’d restrain herself just a bit and gently—very gently—approve whatever documents Ludwig brought her way.

“But you’re not a true friend if you simply let your friends do as they please, no? True friends point out their friends’ bad habits and scold them when necessary.”

Shalloak chuckled. “A noble reason for a noble woman! A merchant would strike when the time was right to gain greater profits for himself.”

“That does sound like you, Shalloak, but don’t go too far. If you do, I might have to give you another talking-to.”

Shalloak responded with another jovial laugh. “We can’t have that. If I put you in a bad mood, you might take me off my work for the Mianet, and that’d be a shame after all the effort I put in.” He narrowed his eyes, as if looking at the dazzling sun. “History looks fondly on those who have worked for a purpose. The Mianet will save the starving and change the world, and I’m sure working to establish such a thing will have been my life’s greatest pride.”

Shalloak was talking as if he were ready to call it quits, but Mia meanly flashed him a grin. “Oho ho! I think it’s a bit too early for that. You’re not old quite yet! Aren’t you being hasty, talking about your life’s greatest pride?” She took a sip of her tea. “Actually, there’s something we’ve started to discuss at Saint-Noel Academy.” Mia filled him in on their plan to cultivate fish.

“So you plan to farm fish as a countermeasure to combat famine?”

“We do, but for that, we’ll have to transport live fish all across the continent. Would that be possible?”

“I’m not quite sure. We may be able to transport the eggs, but it’s not my area of expertise,” said Shalloak with a slight groan.

Mia grinned at him. “There’s still plenty left for us to do, Shalloak. Don’t you think it’s too early to be talking about retirement when we still have so much great, purposeful work left to do?”

He tilted his head. “Hmm? I don’t recall ever mentioning my retirement,” he said, standing from his chair. “But if you need me to stay healthy so I can continue this work, I believe I’ve already started!” he said, chuckling. “I don’t plan on getting old just yet!”

His expression was jolly, lacking all malice or hint of the cunning merchant he once was. Instead, it was dyed with vitality, life, and the dreams of youth.

Once her meeting with Shalloak concluded, Mia welcomed in a new guest.

“Greetings, Miss Mia.” A girl with beautiful emerald hair elegantly stepped into the room. It was the self-proclaimed leader of the Etoilines: Mia’s best friend, Esmeralda Etoile Greenmoon. She greeted Mia with a curtsy in perfect form as Mia cheerfully welcomed her inside.

“It’s been a while, Esmeralda. You really were a great help with Princess Orania.”

Esmeralda giggled. “She’s a good girl, isn’t she?”

Mia pondered this as she stared at Esmeralda’s smile. She wasn’t quite certain that “good girl” was the right way to describe Orania, but...she ultimately decided to nod along. “Yes, that may be the case once you befriend her. She’s been calling me ‘master’! Oho ho! She certainly is adorable.”

Once their joyful tea party had begun, tea and cake were immediately brought to the table. It had been a while since Mia had gotten the chance to enjoy the unusual sweets the Greenmoons always had on hand, and Esmeralda had brought just the thing to appease her.

“My, this is...!”

Mia couldn’t help but let out a gasp of awe as she marveled at the cake that had been placed on the table. It was orange in color and square in shape, similar to the castilla from Perujin, though the decoration on top was different. It was covered in white cream and three berries of different colors, giving it quite the adorable appearance.

“Oho ho! Shalloak might have partaken if this was what I had served him,” said Mia as she cheerfully dug her fork into the sponge. It was soft, and as soon as her utensil collided with the cake, syrup began to ooze out. “My, this scent! Is it alcohol?”

Esmeralda giggled. “I hear it’s soaked in a syrup made from rumoon liquor.”

“How odd! The jam you gave me to share with Shalloak was quite unique as well,” muttered Mia as she brought a bite of cake to her lips. The sweetness of the syrup spread across her tongue, meshing perfectly with the saccharine scent of the alcohol that had already spread throughout her nose. The sponge was filled with dried grapes, which must have been soaked in rumoon as well, adding texture to the dessert. Finally, the slight acidity of the berries on top cut through the sweetness brilliantly.

“This is quite...the adult delight. Oho ho! But it’s very delicious.” Mia popped another bite in her mouth with a grin.

It should be mentioned that her discussion with Shalloak about limiting food intake and exercising to lose weight—as well as the fact she had eaten the entirety of the tea cakes since he had chosen not to indulge—had completely vanished from Mia’s memory. Her heart was so big that she didn’t need to sweat such small stuff.

Her only saving grace was the fact Anne had already resolved to discuss the matter with Tatiana, but anyways...

“By the way, Esmeralda, I wanted to talk about Sion.”

“My, what about my brother-in-law?”

“Brother-in-law”? She’s sure quick to the jump. They haven’t even gotten married yet! thought Mia with a grimace. Unfortunately, there was no one around to point out the obvious.

“It seems that Sion plans on visiting Echard, and will thus be sitting out on our trip to Ganudos. We still don’t know what might happen during our journey, and we might need his help at some point. So...”

“Oh, so you were hoping I could make him head to Ganudos,” she said. Then, she clapped her hands. “In that case, why don’t I invite him to our villa?”

It was only then that Mia remembered the Greenmoons had a villa in the capital of Ganudos. If he were there, he’d be able to jump to their aid whenever it was needed.

“I’d be grateful for that,” said Mia, giving a satisfied nod.

Esmeralda’s expression grew ponderous. “I’ve heard of the Visalians in Ganudos before...” She brought a hand to her cheek and groaned. “They’re a minority group with settlements around the Galilea Sea, no? The king two generations prior ran a thorough pirate-hunting campaign, and the majority were either captured or became citizens of Ganudos themselves. There are rumors of hidden Visalian villages, but I very much doubt they are still openly acting as pirates.”

“Hmm... And why do you think that?”

Esmeralda nodded emphatically, as if the answer were obvious. “Because a beautiful noble lady like me visits the Galilea Sea every year, and I’ve never encountered a pirate once!”

“Beautiful,” she said? Well, we are related. I suppose she is beautiful, but I admire her for having the nerve to declare so herself.

Unfortunately, there was no one to point out the obvious.

“I’ve always thought being taken away by a handsome pirate would be wonderful! Oh, but not anymore, of course! I’m fully loyal to Prince Echard.”

“I...see... Well, anyways, the situation with the Visalians seems more complicated than I thought. And since I hear they have ties to the Serpents, I’ll have to be vigilant, which means I must focus on nutrition!”

Thus, Mia launched an assault on the cake in front of her, ready to recover her energy!

Unfortunately, there was no one to point out the obvious.

Chapter 34: A Visit from Lorenz Etoile Yellowmoon

The sky had already been dyed the color of the setting sun by the time Esmeralda returned home.

“Hmm,” groaned Mia as she rubbed her stomach. “I wonder what’s for dinner today.” What a troubling thing to say!

Perhaps it was a natural question. The masterpieces the chef whipped together were so tasty they could whet the palate of the already satiated. Asking Mia not to wonder about the menu he had crafted for dinner was nearly impossible.

But that wasn’t the chef’s fault! Such an insinuation would be preposterous. He thought carefully and critically about Mia’s and her father’s health, sharpening his skills night and day to prepare the most delicious and nutritious meals he could.

So nobody was in the wrong, right?

In that case, why don’t I steal a few b—I mean, perform a taste test? thought Mia as she exited the room.

It was worth mentioning that since Mia had already indulged in so many tea cakes, Anne had requested beforehand the size of dessert be diminished. She was the pinnacle of maids and managed the condition and meal sizes of her master with the utmost care!

Mia rushed to the White Night Dining Hall, ready to enjoy a little taste of her meal. But that’s when...

“My apologies, Miss Mia. Could I have a moment?”

The sudden voice shocked Mia, eliciting an odd “Hwah?!” She awkwardly turned around to find...

“O-Oh, Rina. What is it?”

“Before we head to Ganudos, Rina would like you to meet with my father.”

“My, with Duke Lorenz?”

“Yes. When I asked him about Lord Hannes Clausius, he said it would be best to speak with you directly.”

“Ah, that...” It wasn’t as though Mia forgot or anything! Well, if she had, at least she was trying to hide it with her expression. “You’re right. If we’re going to Ganudos, it would be best to hear his intel and make sure we have our information straight.”

Mia’s goal wasn’t to save the king of Ganudos from assassination, nor was it to save the sea-faring Visalians. Instead... My main goal is to figure out where Great-Uncle Hannes is.

Suddenly, Mia felt eyes on her. She examined her surroundings and found a group of young kids staring at her near the entrance. Of course, it was Patty, Bel, Yanna, and Kiryl. The mention of Hannes had drawn Patty’s attention.

Mia once again made sure her lapse of memory didn’t show on her face. “And where is Duke Lorenz?”

“He’s currently here at the Whitemoon Palace.”

“My, he is? Then I must meet with him immediately,” replied Mia, beckoning to Patty.

She timidly—but quickly—approached. “Did you find out something about Hannes?”

“Yes, I believe we have,” said Mia with a nod. Patty will return to the past one day, so I absolutely need to make sure that her impression of Duke Lorenz is a good one!

Mia recalled an old nightmare—the one where she was presented with a poisoned cake by the Yellowmoons. Mia loved cakes, and a poisoned cake was as big a betrayal as a poisonous mushroom!

No, that wasn’t quite right. As the Mushroom Empress, Mia had love for all toadstools, even the virulent ones. But a lethal cake? Mia could never allow such a thing!

That’s why I need to make sure Duke Lorenz and Patty meet. As long as she knows Duke Lorenz is a good man who saved Hannes, we’ll be able to avoid such nightmares, thought Mia with a sigh.

“Would you like to listen in on our conversation, Patty?”

“H-Huh? I can come too?”

“Of course. You’re directly related to this matter, after all. I’ll make sure Duke Lorenz allows it.”

Lorenz was fundamentally an understanding man. Knowing that he loved sweets as much as she did, Mia was confident she’d be able to convince him.

After a short while of waiting in the drawing room, there was a knock at the door, and Lorenz stepped inside. His eyes opened wide as soon as they landed on Patty. “I take it this is one of your relatives, Your Highness? Or perhaps a descendant of Lord Hannes?”

Mia wasn’t quite sure how to bring up Patty, but this was her chance! She nodded along. “Yes, that’s about right. I’m quite surprised you noticed.”

“She looks awfully like your grandmother, after all.” The corners of Lorenz’s eyes lifted into a smile, as if he were looking fondly on the past. “But I see... A descendant of Lord Hannes. I take it this may be the reason you suddenly inquired about him?”

“Yes. I’m glad we’re already on the same page,” said Mia with a nod. “I know nothing about my Great-Uncle Hannes, nor House Clausius, which I know had deep ties with the Serpents. However, I’ve heard rumors that he was assassinated by the Yellowmoons. I was hoping you could fill me in.” She stared at Lorenz, her expression serious. “At the very least, I believe he must still be alive. Is that true?”

Lorenz folded his arms and nodded. “I see. In that case, I shall tell you all I know.”

Chapter 35: A Blow to the Past

Mia ushered Lorenz to sit down, then took a seat opposite him herself. Patty plopped into the seat next to her, while Citrina sat beside Lorenz.

Now that everyone was seated, Mia turned her attention to the table in front of them and noticed something...odd. There was only tea! Mia glanced at Anne, who simply told her, “It will soon be dinner, milady.”

“I ate with His Majesty just a moment before, so I’ll refrain.”

“Really? Well, if you say so...” muttered Mia as she longingly gazed at the table. I suppose you do need an empty stomach if you really want to enjoy your food, anyway.

One might worry that Mia’s brain would suffer from a lack of sugar, but there was no need to fret. Mia could switch on her brain and function just fine with the amount she had already consumed.

“In that case, let me ask you first about my Great-Uncle Hannes.”

“Indeed...” Lorenz pondered for a moment. “As you are already aware, House Clausius had deep ties with the Serpents. Their history is on par with us Yellowmoons, and they functioned to insert Serpents into the imperial family.”

“I see. You said that was to ensure the emperor didn’t stray from the Serpents’ desires, correct?”

“I believe my old maid Barbara was trained by a Serpent related to House Clausius as well. Though since Serpents are prone to hide their origins and relations, I never was able to confirm that for certain.”

“I heard Barbara suffered at the hands of Viscount Overadt. The Serpent who approached her afterward must have been hiding here in Tearmoon, which means they were very likely related to House Clausius,” responded Mia, using up seventy percent of the sugar content of the jam she had consumed earlier.

“It seems that the heads of House Clausius would lay hands on their subjects, bear children, and adopt those children to educate them in the ways of the Serpents.”

Mia naturally glanced at Patty. She was...silent, simply awaiting Lorenz’s next words.

“Forcing them to first live in destitution inspired a deep hatred of the rich and powerful in these children. Then, House Clausius would adopt and educate them. It was the perfect formula to create the ideal Serpents.”

“I see. How...wicked.” Mia fondly caressed Patty’s head, who responded with a nod as if to say she was all right.

Then, Patty spoke. “Then what happened to H—Marquess Hannes?” She sounded awfully timid.

“He was the younger brother of the former empress. Her Majesty was quite similar to Princess Mia, and was just as smart.”

“Similar?” Patty stared at Mia. Her expression...was not a scowl! Instead, she wore a slight smile, as if she considered the words to be a compliment.

My, is she happy? I’m not sure how to react. Mia was beginning to feel a tad uncomfortable, but she covered it up by taking a sip of her tea.

“As the young brother of such a sagacious empress, Lord Hannes was quite bright himself. He believed House Clausius would harm his sister and secretly maneuvered behind the scenes to dampen their influence on her. He refused all pleas for him to bear children and skillfully evaded all attempts on his life. But eventually, us Yellowmoons were entrusted with assassinating him.”

Patty tilted her head. “That’s...weird. Hannes couldn’t have defied the Serpents like that.”

Those words sparked Mia’s memory. “Yes, that’s right. I hear my Great-Uncle Hannes was suffering from illness. How was he treated? The recipe for the medicine was supposedly a secret held by the Serpents. Did you hand him something else when you brought him abroad?”

“No, not at all. In fact, I wasn’t aware Lord Hannes was ill.”

“Does that mean he recovered?”

“Do you remember which illness it was?”

Mia glanced at Patty, who slowly nodded. “I heard it was called Forbidden Fruit Syndrome...”

“That’s...quite the unusual illness,” said Lorenz, sounding as if he had perhaps accidentally spoken his thoughts aloud.

“Are you familiar, Duke Lorenz?”

“Yes, though it’s incredibly rare. It takes its name from our creation myth. The Secret Garden had two trees, one with the fruit of life, and one with the forbidden fruit. Our first ancestor ate not the fruit of life, but the forbidden fruit, and shortly died thereafter.” He took a sip of his tea. “This event inspired the name. In other words, it’s said to be a disease that afflicts those who reach for the forbidden fruit, thus depriving themselves a chance to eat the fruit of life. In early childhood, it appears as general feebleness, but once the child starts to grow, it begins to eat away at the body. Those afflicted grow gradually weaker until eventually, they pass away in their early twenties. It’s quite the horrendous ailment.” Lorenz shook his head. “A cure has yet to be discovered. While it’s treated by providing the afflicted child with as much nutrients as possible to extend their lifespan, it’s unclear how effective that method actually is.”

“I see. But you’re saying Marquess Hannes never seemed to suffer from this disease. Could it have been a lie by the Serpents?”

Lorenz scowled. “I can’t say. If they were trying to deceive us by naming an incurable disease, you would think they would have named a far more common ailment.”

“Then could he have been poisoned, father?”

Lorenz shook his head. “I considered that possibility as well. They could feign illness by periodically poisoning him, and it could certainly gradually weaken him. Perhaps Lord Hannes had discovered the poison they were feeding him within The Book of Those Who Crawl the Earth.”

“That would make sense. It seems like that book would naturally discuss poisons,” offered Mia.

Lorenz once again shook his head, this time with a defeated grin. “That’s exactly what makes it so difficult though, Your Highness. The Book does not only consist of the bad, at least in my opinion. If it speaks of poisons, it would naturally speak of medicine.”

“My, really?”

“Really. Let’s say, for example, one used their medicinal knowledge to become a doctor trusted by the people. Wouldn’t it be much easier for someone who used medicines for good to manipulate the populace than for someone who used poison for murder to do so?” He groaned. “Perhaps Lord Hannes was poisoned, but would House Clausius really go out of the way to poison the children they bothered to adopt? I think it’s more believable that Lord Hannes did suffer from illness and turned to The Book to search for a remedy.”

Something seemed off to Mia. But from what I’ve heard, Great-Uncle Hannes was an avid reader of The Book up until after he was cured. At least, I imagined him fervently flipping its pages right up until he disappeared. But why would he do that if he had already found the remedy?

Mia glanced at Patty and almost gasped. Patty’s eyes were wide, as if she had already hit upon the same possibility that Mia had. I figured it out! That must have been his goal. Duke Lorenz just doesn’t have enough information to realize it yet.

Mia took a calming sip of tea. She watched Patty as she put her thoughts together. Great-Uncle Hannes...must be planning on teaching Patty how to cure his illness. He’ll tell her the remedy that’s written in The Book of Those who Crawl the Earth—no, maybe even hand over the medicine himself. That would be a big blow to the Serpents of the past.

Patty’s brother could only survive if he regularly took medicine, so why had she been able to betray the Serpents? The answer was obvious—because Hannes had been freed from his illness early. But then how had he recovered? By drinking the Serpent medicine that Patty had brought back from the future.

Great-Uncle Hannes must be researching this medicine as we speak to save his past self and free his sister from the Serpents! That means if I fail...Patty will still be fettered to the Serpents, and the present...would change drastically.

Mia gulped.

Chapter 36: It’s Business as Usual for Mia, a Veteran Yes-Man!

Mia and her party departed Lunatear the following day. They were headed for a village near Tearmoon’s border with Ganudos, where they would meet up with Shalloak’s band of merchants to infiltrate the port country.

“I know our trip to the Clausius Domain has already given you some experience, but you mustn’t let up on your acting, okay?” said Mia, quite pompously. She was dressed in a cotton shirt and pants that were starting to fray—the plain uniform that would allow them to sneak into Ganudos.

One of her crew responded to her words with a deeply serious nod—Yanna. She had changed into a similar dress to Mia, along with a cap to cover the tattoo on her forehead. Kiryl stood next to his sister, wearing a matching outfit and expression.

Mia couldn’t help but find them adorable. Mia’s (age twenty-three) motherly instincts had been awoken!

Patty stood next to Kiryl, looking as expressionless as always. Actually, that wasn’t quite true, as a careful look revealed a slight tint of angst. The conversation with Lorenz must still have been weighing heavily on her mind.

I suppose it would be impossible to ask her to relax now that her path to freedom from the Serpents is starting to come into view. Well, anyways... The children seem to be taking this seriously, so I doubt I have to worry. The only problem is...

Feeling Mia’s gaze on her, Bel tilted her head.

“Just so we’re clear, we mustn’t be found out. Do you understand, Bel?”

She giggled. “Of course Gr—Miss Mia! Don’t worry!”

“There will be no adventures, journeys, or anything else that will draw attention. Got that?”

“N... Yes? Isn’t that more than obvious?” Bel gave an awkward laugh that suspiciously sounded like a “no” at the end. It inspired some fear in Mia.

“How shall we proceed, Your Highness?” Ludwig was standing behind Mia, his back held straight.

“Hmm...” She crossed her arms and took a moment to ponder this. Incidentally, Mia’s mind was quite quick when it came to these types of questions, and after a good deal of thinking...

“If I’m remembering correctly, Ludwig, you are already acquainted with the king of Ganudos, correct?”

“Acquainted? I’m not certain that’s the correct word, but Sir Dion and I once met with him, yes.”

“I see. Then, given your impressions of him, what would you recommend?”

She found a reasonable excuse to dump everything on Ludwig! Mia was a veteran yes-man, and her training allowed her to collect ideas from those around her with ease.

“Well,” Ludwig pushed up his glasses. “I believe it would be dangerous to denounce him based on what we have heard from Princess Orania alone. He may evade us, or perhaps even fire back when we least expect it.”

Dion spoke next. “He definitely seemed like the crafty type, after all. Like the kind of guy who’ll trip us up somewhere else if we try to march in head-on.”

“I see. Then I suppose it really will be necessary for Abel or me to witness their inhumane treatment of the Visalians ourselves.”

Mia’s strategy revolved around using the power of a royal to censure another. It would be nice if an expert of justice like Sion could share his opinion as well, but...

He would be acting separately during this operation. Esmeralda planned on dragging him to Ganudos, but his arrival would come after Mia and her party.

“Perhaps it would be best to ask Orania where the Ghetto is and see it for ourselves. Oh, that’s right, Yanna.”

Yanna sat up straight.

“Are you familiar with the place?”

Yanna looked down at the ground, seeming awfully apologetic. “I’m sorry. I don’t know much about it. I’ve lived my life trying to hide the fact that I’m a Visalian since I was always told they’d come get me if anyone found out...”

“Hmm...” Mia folded her arms and returned her gaze to Ludwig.

“Then there are Visalians who live within Ganudos and conceal their identities. A Pirate Hunt was carried out by the king two generations prior, and while those captured were forced into the Ghetto, the Visalians who abandoned pirating beforehand may be living throughout the nation and hiding their roots.”

“That’s gotta make these grudges even deeper,” remarked Dion.

Mia groaned once again. “In any case, it seems like observing this Ghetto is our top priority.” For now, that was the conclusion she came up with.

We now turn back the clock. After seeing Mia’s carriage off, Esmeralda returned to her manor and used the way there to do some thinking.

“Even if I suggest going to Ganudos, there’s a chance Prince Sion won’t listen. In that case...” She folded her arms and groaned. “Perhaps I should head for our villa with Prince Echard? Then, Prince Sion can follow us there, and we’ll hopefully return in time for Miss Mia’s Birthday Festival...”

Esmeralda was working out a plan to bring Sion to Ganudos, but she had let her mind wander.

“But moons, I had never fathomed such a thing was happening in Ganudos.”

She visited the Galilea Sea every year and had made countless visits to the royal capital. She had even walked its streets, yet she had never heard of the Visalian Ghetto.

“And Orania never mentioned it to me either! I’d have been happy to discuss things with her. There was no need to be so distant.” Esmeralda sighed. “No, perhaps there was. I’m sure she’d think it useless to open up about this to me, given how I once was. Plus...I’m certain she brought it up because Mia changed her as well. I suppose I should just be praising my best friend for her efforts.” For some reason, this thought cheered her up.

“I wonder if father is aware of the situation.” This was the thought that next troubled her. The Greenmoons undeniably had closer ties to Ganudos Port Country than any other nobles in Tearmoon. In the past, that distinction was held by the Yellowmoons, but that had changed. Thus...

“Could he really be unaware?”

Esmeralda knew her father well. He wasn’t the smartest man in the world, but he was far from incompetent. She found it hard to believe he’d overlook such actions by a family he was so well-connected with.

“Perhaps he did know...and chose to remain silent.” This thought hovered over her like a deep cloud of gloom.

Now that Esmeralda had finished her dinner, she wiped her lips with a napkin and let out a sigh. Then, she stood.

“Um, Esmeralda? Is something wrong?” That’s when Echard spoke to her. He wore a scowl, and Esmeralda tried to assuage her fiancé’s fears with a gentle smile.

“No, not at all. I was just thinking about something, but it’s nothing important.”

“Really? But...” He clearly had something to say.

“I’m fine. There’s no need to worry,” she said, trying to ease his fears.

Echard still looked as down as ever, but eventually, he clapped his hands as if something had suddenly occurred to him. “That’s right, Esmeralda! Could you wait here for a moment?” He spoke as if he wouldn’t accept “no” as an answer before running from the dining room.

Esmeralda found this curious, but after a short wait, Echard returned with Nina behind him. She was carrying a tea set.

“My, what’s this?”

“Tea leaves from Sunkland. Nina ordered them for me, and they’re finally here. They smell really good, and they have a calming effect too.” Echard picked up the tea pot.

“My! You’re going to steep it yourself, Echard? There’s no need to—” Esmeralda rushed from her seat, but Echard simply laughed her off.

“I considered letting Nina do it, but I really did want to steep them for you myself.” With that, he poured some tea into a teacup with refined movements. Then, he added in a spoonful of sugar and mixed it around. “I hear it’s best a bit sweet, but I’ll leave adding sugar to you for your second cup.” Then, he placed the cup before her.

Esmeralda took it into her hands and sipped it before it could get cold. A pleasant, refreshing aroma wafted into her nostrils as a tender sweetness and slight acidity spread over her tongue. She let out a sigh. “This tea really is quite calming...”

“I’m glad you like it. I’d always drink some whenever I felt jealous of Sion,” he said, sounding ashamed of his past. Esmeralda opened her lips to speak, but he shook his head with a gentle smile before she got the chance. “That was a long time ago. I almost never rely on this tea now, but”—he looked at Esmeralda—“I thought you might need some.” His cheeks were tinted red, and he sounded awfully embarrassed.

“My! Prince Echard!” He took care of her with the innocence of a child, and it had her heart skipping a beat!

A handsome boy the age of her younger brother had prepared her a cup of tea. Such heart-pounding situations were hard to come by! As a girl who had once amused herself by swimming at the beach or walking through town with an entourage of handsome men, Esmeralda was new to such pleasures.

Oh, I just can’t! Prince Echard is still just a kid. How has he already so captured my heart? Our engagement is not as definite as it once was, but still! He’s so cute!

She was so dizzy her eyes were doing circles, but she quickly composed herself by clearing her throat and taking another sip of her tea. Then, she let out a sigh. “Thank you, Your Highness. This tea is excellent.” She flashed him the composed smile of an older woman!

That’s right! Esmeralda had a younger brother of her own, and she wouldn’t let herself become putty in a young boy’s hands! That would be preposterous!

Echard giggled. “I’m really glad I made it for you then.” He looked so very gleeful, and it once again had Esmeralda’s heart pounding.

I must remember how I was saved by Miss Mia as well. She looked into Echard’s eyes and nodded. And given what I so proudly told Prince Echard, I can’t sit back and do nothing.

Back then, on their way from Sunkland back to Tearmoon, Esmeralda had told Echard he needed to be prepared to live a life suited for the saved and forgiven. Perhaps those words had been what inspired Echard to work so hard. Even in the faraway, unfamiliar lands of Tearmoon, he had dedicated his all to his studies at Saint Mia Academy. Thus...

“I need to do my best as well. First, I’ll do some research on Ganudos. My father’s room seems best for that. Or perhaps our villa in Ganudos would be better?”

Esmeralda had silently steeled her resolve.

Chapter 37: Mia Makes a Silly...Joke?

Ganudos Port Country was much smaller than Tearmoon. Nevertheless, the capital was filled with the ports that served as this nation’s keystones, as well as fish markets selling fresh seafood and large facilities, such as those for making ships. The people who walked through its streets were full of life.

“This port certainly is bustling,” remarked Mia. As soon as she and the others had stepped out from their carriages, they first headed to their inn, blending in with the other visitors until they reached their rooms and could finally heave a sigh of relief.

“Plenty of merchants frequent these parts, and plenty go out to sea for days at a time. There are even strangers who come here to work just for the season, so I doubt you’ll be discovered,” said one of Shalloak’s apprentice merchants with a sinister smirk.

They really must work for Shalloak! Their expression is mighty terrifying. Mia nodded as she turned her gaze to what lay outside the window. She could see the Greenmoons’ villa that she had stayed at once before in the wealthy district located closer to the castle. Mia had first planned on borrowing the villa, but had ultimately decided to stay at a normal inn once she realized the manor was likely under surveillance.

“Well then! Why don’t we have a snack while we wait for Orania? Hmm... Might we have any cake?”

“I received quite a novel snack, milady,” offered Anne after returning from her short trip at the perfect moment.

“A novel snack? Let me at it.”

“Of course. It’s dried fish pickled in some sort of sauce.” With that, Anne placed some sliced fish drowned in a brown sauce on a plate.

“Oh! Those are really yummy!” said Kiryl. He was watching from the sidelines, grinning from ear to ear.

“Oho ho! Then why don’t we share them? You should have some as well, Yanna.”

“Huh? Oh, but... I don’t need that many...”

Yanna was clearly hesitating, and so Mia laughed it away. “There’s no need to be polite! Children are supposed to eat as much as they want,” she said with a wink. “My appetite has always been on the smaller side anyway. I’m sure we’ll have extras.”

“Huh?” Both Yanna and Kiryl looked at her in disbelief, which Mia reciprocated.

Patty had been watching these proceedings, and she tiptoed up to Yanna and Kiryl and whispered in their ears, “It’s probably a joke.”

“O-Oh! That makes sense. Aha ha ha!” The children flashed her a vague smile, but Mia still didn’t quite follow.

A joke? What joke?

Suddenly, the door flew open. “Master Mia!” It was Orania.

“My! Greetings, Orania.”

“Thank you so much for coming to such a remote country...” Despite her dress, she kneeled before Mia in the pose of a loyal vassal, inducing visions of Tearmoon’s Ganudos domain that were frankly...annoying.

“Um, Orania? I don’t need such treatment. We’re both princesses, and that makes us equals.”

“Not at all...! You’re my master, so I need to give you the proper respect! That’s only natural considering you’ve made the journey to visit my nation yourself...” she said, looking awfully serious.

This inspired some fear in Mia. It had only been a short while since they last met, but Orania’s respect for her had ballooned! She couldn’t help but feel this was a premonition of a certain abominable golden structure to come.

“U-Um, I’d appreciate it if you dropped the title of master.”

“I could never...! I still have much to learn in the Way of the Princess,” she said, somehow looking even more serious.

“I-I see,” responded Mia with a forced smile. She cleared her throat and...

“‘Master Mia,’ you said?” Mia turned to the owner of that voice to find Ludwig, staring at her with an awkward grin of his own.

“Y-Yes. Orania apparently has much she wants to learn from me, so this is the title that’s stuck.”

“I see. It suits you perfectly,” said Ludwig in utmost honesty as a glint of light reflected off his glasses.

What does he mean by that?! I’m struggling over here, yet that stupid four-eyes is... That’s right!

Something suddenly occurred to Mia, and she turned back to Orania with a composed expression. “Orania, I’ve brought two of my dear vassals with me today. The man with the glasses is Ludwig, and the one with the sword who’s a bit—well, perhaps more than a bit—scary-looking is Dion.”

“Wow!”

Mia ignored Orania’s surprise and continued. “Ludwig is responsible for half of my brainwork!”

Mia exaggerated, overemphasized, and dramatized! Though quite frankly, there was room to question how much of that was really an overstatement. Anyways...

I absolutely need to rein in her respect for me!

Mia had two main goals here. One was to find Hannes, while the other was to prevent the assassination of Ganudos’s king, solve the issue of the Visalian Ghetto, and thus put a stop to that abominable golden creation. And for the sake of that last bit, she wanted to stay as low as possible.

Given her current attitude, she’ll go singing my praises even if she solves this problem herself, and then that thing will be built!

This meant Mia absolutely needed to reduce the respect Orania had for her. “I would have accomplished next to nothing without Ludwig here. He, Dion, Anne, and all my other dear vassals are what make me, well, me.”

Thus, Mia emphasized that no matter what she accomplished in Ganudos, it wasn’t an accomplishment that could be credited to her, thus implicitly imploring them not to build a certain, odd golden thing.

“So basically...you’re saying I need smart vassals like Ludwig, right?”

“Huh? Um, hmm... I guess so? The sad truth is that those of us at the top can accomplish little on our own.”

“I see...” With a ponderous expression, Orania took out a certain book. The awfully odd title was handwritten on the cover which read: Master Mia’s Words of Gold!

“Wh-What is that book?!”

“I’ve been writing down your words so I can remember them...” answered Orania as she moved her pen. “‘Worthy vassals are the first step to worthy princesses.’ You’ve taught me ever so much, Master Mia... You’re the best!”

“N-No, I’m not! I mean, I am, but...” Mia cursed under her breath. Orania was making it sound like enlisting Ludwig as one of her vassals had been Mia’s accomplishment! She had the feeling that the more brilliant Ludwig proved himself to be, the better she’d view Mia too.

Ugh! This is the exact opposite of what I wanted! I need to figure something out...

Mia was at an utter loss.

Thus, pavement had already been laid on the path to the Golden Mia Lighthouse.

Chapter 38: Strategy Meeting

While Mia was busy being flummoxed, Orania turned her attention to the children. “Oh, Yanna and Kiryl are here too...” she said affectionately as she approached the two young Visalians. They had grown close after the fishing tournament—actually, that wasn’t quite right. Orania put in all the effort, making sure to take frequent visits to check in on them. Perhaps Orania’s awareness of her people had changed, which in itself was a good thing.

Once Orania had arrived beside them, she began to pat their heads. Kiryl looked quite pleased, but Yanna’s face was twisted in embarrassment. Meanwhile, Patty retreated silently, clearly wanting nothing to do with this. Apparently, she wasn’t a fan of such overly familiar treatment.

“Would it be all right to ask that you fill us in, Princess Orania?” asked Ludwig, getting the conversation back on track and clearing his throat. “I hear you have requested Princess Mia’s help.”

“Oh, um...” Orania tilted her head. “I’m not too familiar with the details myself...” Still, she began to explain the current situation faced by the Visalians. According to her, they weren’t given freedom in Ganudos, and were instead forced to live in a Ghetto where they had to build ships without pay.

“Whenever Visalians are found out, they’re immediately captured and sent to the Ghetto, so...” Orania brushed Yanna’s forehead. “You can’t let anyone see the tattoo on your forehead like you were just doing now, okay?”

“Ah! Hey, don’t...” Yanna squeezed her lips into a frown as her bangs were thoroughly rustled. Her pouting face stared right into Orania’s, but the anger she expressed wasn’t the biting ire meant to keep others at bay. Instead, it was more the expression of a teased child.

Mia was pleased at the sight. When Yanna had first arrived at Saint-Noel, she had yet to find the peace of mind that allowed for affectionate touches and teasing.

“I’m sorry... You were just too cute, Yanna,” said Orania, completely unashamed. “They’re not so strict with sending everyone to the Ghetto anymore, so they might let the children go free. But still...” She breathed a heavy sigh. “Until recently, even I thought all Visalians were scary pirates since that’s all anyone ever told me... I never even questioned them being forced to live away from everyone else...”

I get exactly how you feel, Orania!

Mia identified with Orania from the very depths of her heart. Princesses tended to have little interest in their subjects unless they were directly connected. Just as Mia was ignorant about the Lulus and the struggles of her people, Orania was ignorant of the Visalians.

“Terrifying pirates, huh?” Mia quipped. “Treating them like the subject of ghost stories discourages anyone from trying to learn more... It’s the same strategy that was used with House Clausius.”

“House Clausius...?” asked Orania, flashing Mia an inquisitive look.

Mia filled her in on the story of the cursed House Clausius and the Chaos Serpents. At first, she wasn’t quite sure if she should divulge the latter, but she thought it best in the end. At this point, it was highly unlikely that Orania had ties with the Serpents, and Mia felt guilty hiding things from a girl who looked up to her as a “master.”

“There’s really such a terrifying group out there...?”

“There is. They’re drawn to the rot in nations, and work to amplify latent hatred. That turns into internal struggles and wars, which uproots order and leads the world toward chaos. They’re an incredibly crafty and slimy bunch,” responded Mia. But as she spoke these words, a certain thought occurred to her. Could the Serpents be involved in the king’s assassination as well?

All Mia had heard from Orania was the story of the Visalian Ghetto and the slave labor that was carried out there. Mia had inferred that this had been the root cause for the attempt on the king’s life and the internal struggles that would ensue, but she had yet to find any concrete evidence that the Serpents were moving behind the scenes as well.

The thing that really makes the Serpents so scary is that they incite incidents that could have occurred without their interference anyway.

“To return to the matter at hand, I believe our basic plan of action should be for Abel or me to see the state of the Visalians for ourselves and then air our grievances with the king,” said Mia, checking the expression on the source of her knowledge (Ludwig) as she spoke.

Ludwig seemed to notice this, as he first glanced at Orania before dramatically nodding his head.

“I see... The Visalian Ghetto...” For some reason, Orania seemed quite glum.

“My, is there a problem?”

“Well, going there might be difficult...”

“And why is that?”

Mia wasn’t doubting Orania’s words, but seeing the state of the Ghetto for themselves was clearly the best course of action. Not to mention, Orania didn’t seem too well-versed in the matter either given her earlier testimony. With that in mind, visiting really did seem necessary.

“Well, the Ghetto”—she pointed out the window, toward the blue, glistening water—“is on the other side of the sea.”

Chapter 39: Mia “Adult” Luna Tearmoon

Wanting to catch sight of the Ghetto, Mia and her crew followed Orania outside. Her retinue consisted of Abel, Anne, Orania, Ludwig, and Dion, while the others waited back at the inn. The children seemed quite exhausted by the journey, and Kiryl had already begun to doze off.

Mia wanted to do so herself, and she was desperate to crawl into bed for some good sleep. However, the king’s assassination was slated for tomorrow, which didn’t give her much time. I came at the last minute since I was afraid coming any earlier could change the future...

Perhaps it was thanks to this decision that Bel had confirmed that the date of the assassination remained unchanged, and instead had shifted from “assassination” to “attempted assassination.” That was all well and good, but...

As soon as I looked to see what happened next, it changed immediately. Mia had been hoping to get a sneak peek of the future and find the simplest route to a world without a golden lighthouse possible, and yet... This situation must be volatile. One small change or action could drastically change the future.

This differed wildly from the diary Mia had written. That was likely partly thanks to the fact that Ludwig was the author, and he was the type to prioritize accuracy. But even more importantly, the results of what would happen here in Ganudos must have been unsettled.

Or maybe...my actions have particular weight to them. Mia was starting to think that despite her innate faculties, she was a woman of great influence. She didn’t just influence the future, but even the past! She was a huge clump of influence (and just to be clear, that was metaphorically, and not physically).

What would happen should she learn of the future? Obviously, the future would change as soon as she did, as her influence was just too great.

Hmm... This is quite the predicament. Letting myself relax for one second could drastically change things. In that case, I really must leave it to Bel to inform me about the future, just as we originally planned. But she’s quite prone to playing hooky herself... No, maybe my understanding of things really needs to be that vague, muttered Mia.

She shook her head. “There’s no time for fun, no matter how much I want to live a life of lazing around in bed and eating sweets,” said Mia, uttering a dream that had practically already come to fruition.

That’s when the buildings gave way and a breeze carrying the scent of the salt water blew past them.

“It’s the sea!” whispered Mia, holding her hair down with one hand. The light reflected off the water caused her to squint. Abel was standing next to her, and she flashed him a smile. “Oho ho! This takes me back to that summer.”

“It does. That all feels so long ago, but it’s only been two years,” he said with a handsome grin.

Mia nodded. “That was such a valuable experience. I got to swim in the sea, whack the colossal man-eating fish, and even forage for edible plants in the woods. I could have never experienced any of that at the Whitemoon Palace.” Mia clasped her hands behind her back and brought the corners of her lips up flirtatiously. “And it’s also how I got to know you were so dependable.”

Mia gazed up into his eyes, fully set on teasing him. She had perfectly embodied the spirit of Mia Adult Luna Tearmoon! It was incredibly annoy—ahem, adorable, if you squinted.

Abel laughed. “I’ll do everything I can to keep those words on your lips and live up to those expectations.”

Abel fired back with an honest, straight shot. It left Mia so embarrassed she started choking on her own spit. She completely lacked any adult composure.

Yes, this was Mia Adult Luna Tearmoon!

Orania stood by, watching them flirt. “I see. So this is Master Mia’s strategy of love... She’s so flirtatious...!” she announced, happily writing another entry in her trusty book. Anyways... “Oh, Master Mia. Over there!”

Mia suddenly lifted her head. Orania’s finger was pointed at a single island sticking out on the other side of the sea. While it was a bit smaller than Saint-Noel Island, it was nevertheless quite big.

“Hmm... So that’s...” Mia tried to take a step forward, but she was interrupted.

“Oh? Has that island caught your fancy, young lady?” A single man stood on the other side of the road. He seemed to be in his twenties, and he wore a fashionable hat over his curly, white gold hair. He had a teasing smile, and it was clear in his eyes that he had taken interest in Mia and her band of friends. “Hmm... I take it you’re a young noble and her friends on an adventure?”

Abel casually and protectively stepped closer to Mia. This caused her to blush a bit, but she answered as calmly as she could.

“Nope. We’re affiliated with Shalloak Cornrogue’s band of merchants.”

“Oho! The Merchant King, you say? Then I take it you’re a merchant, or perhaps the daughter of one?”

“That’s right,” said Mia. “And I suppose you’re a traveling bard?”

The man chuckled. “I do like music, but my job isn’t anything so cool. I’m just a lowly, wandering adventurer.”

“My, an adventurer!” For a moment, Mia couldn’t help but feel relieved that Bel had stayed behind. She’d certainly have made a fuss about this. “I see. This is my first time speaking with an adventurer,” said Mia, her eyes quite serious.

The man flashed her a playful smile. “But...” He took off his hat and began playing with it in his hands. “You’ve come at a bad time. You probably don’t want to stay here too long, nor stick your heads into anything that has to do with the Visalians.”

A gust of wind rustled the man’s hair, immediately sparking Mia’s memory. “Hmm? Have we perhaps met somewhere before?”

She certainly recognized him, but she couldn’t quite recall from where.

He winked at her. “My apologies, beautiful young lady. Unfortunately, I have no memories of us meeting.” He placed his hat back on his head. “But if fate so chooses, perhaps we’ll meet again.” He gave her a smug-looking wink before gallantly making his exit.

“Your Highness. W-Was that...?”

Mia turned around to find Ludwig looking awfully shocked. His eyes were open as wide as the frames of his glasses, and his lips quivered. Seeing him like this induced some panic in Mia.

Huh? Does this mean I actually was supposed to recognize him?!

“Yes, you’re exactly right,” she said immediately, looking as if she knew exactly what he was talking about!

Wait! That was the wrong move! Now he’s not going to tell me who he was! Mia had realized her mistakes, but unfortunately, it was now too late. Ugh, I messed up. Ludwig seemed to know exactly who he was, so I just ended up following his lead...

“Um, are we not going to follow him?” Ludwig had launched another attack! But for Mia, this was a much-needed wave, albeit a small one. Mia subscribed to the Flotsam school of thought, which meant her brain didn’t move on its own. Instead, she truly shone when lazily floating up through the waves others had created!

Thus, Mia hopped on this wave and let her thoughts carry her away. Follow him... That means we should have gone after him, right? But who would we need to follow? Well, there’s the Serpents, people related to the Visalian Ghetto, and my Great-Uncle Hannes... Huh? Mia clapped her hands. That’s it! That man looked exactly like the portrait hanging in the Clausius manor!

And that portrait was supposedly of Mia’s Great-Uncle Hannes—Patty had even confirmed as much. That man looked identical to the one in that painting, which means...

“Great-Uncle Hannes... I can’t believe he truly looks as young as he does in that portrait.” Mia was regretting leaving Patty behind.

“My apologies. I was too shocked to stop him, myself. Shall I go after him now?” asked Ludwig.

Mia glanced at Dion, who answered. “It’s probably best not to. They might be trying to split us up.”

“You’re right. It’s possible that man was with the Serpents, and even if he was my Great-Uncle Hannes, he told us himself to not stick our heads into anything. We should assume doing so could be dangerous.”

But once that thought occurred to Mia, sending Dion Alaia after him was no longer on the table, and sending Ludwig would be too dangerous. Mia was the Great Sage of the Empire, but Ludwig was the source of all her sagacity. Anything happening to him would be disastrous for Tearmoon.

“Just knowing there’s someone out there who looks like Great-Uncle Hannes is a boon for us. Let’s just celebrate that intel for now.”

Mia was a woman who fundamentally didn’t overexert herself. Doing what could be done tomorrow today meant neglecting today’s tasks. There was a right time to sow every seed, just as there was a right time to harvest them, and Mia wasn’t interested in doing something as foolish as reaping the fruits of seeds she had yet to sow.

“Our first matter at hand is figuring out how to get to that island, I suppose. But...” Mia returned her gaze to beyond the sea. “It seems quite far. We’ll need to charter a boat.”

Orania frowned. “You’re right, but there are no boats in Ganudos that will take you there...”

“Really? Well, I suppose it’s been closed off on purpose, after all.” Mia nodded in understanding, but Orania shook her head.

“Yes, that’s one reason, but the waters around the island are full of reefs and unpredictable currents... The boats that carry provisions there consist of only the best sailors.”

“Then it really is closed off! This is troubling...”

“Then why don’t we swim?” said Dion, failing to make it clear whether he was joking or not.

Mia judged the distance from the capital’s shore to the island. It’s really...far. Just as she was questioning that option, Orania offered a helping hand.

“Like I said, the currents are unpredictable... Swimming would be hard...” She was scowling. “I tried to go fishing there before, and they stopped even me...”

“I see. In that case, we better give up on that idea. Yup!” Mia nodded away before letting out a ponderous groan. “But that means investigating the island ourselves will end up being rather difficult. In that case...” Mia nodded. “We’ll have to think up a new plan,” she said, glancing at the source of her knowledge.

“Another plan...? Do you have another idea, Master Mia?” Just as Mia was about to throw the ball of conversation at Ludwig, her disciple Orania slipped in the way!

Inwardly, Mia cursed, but outwardly, she folded her arms with a scowl. She had wanted to hear ideas from Ludwig and work from there, but she’d have to rethink that plan. And luckily, she was okay with that, because she actually had one of her own this time. “Hmm... Well, I have just one idea,” muttered Mia as she glanced at Dion.

To be honest, my job was practically over the moment I decided to bring Dion with me! Her plan was to first save the king from assassination, and in return, have him improve the situation of the Visalians—in other words, make him indebted to them. If I save his life and then ask to see the island, he won’t be able to refuse! I’ll be killing two birds with one stone, thought Mia, quite naively. The only problem left is to make sure these efforts aren’t all attributed to me. It’d be nice if I could thrust it all on Orania’s shoulders, but...

Mia glanced at Orania.

“Hmm?” She flashed Mia back an inquisitive look. She seemed to be deep in thought, perhaps about the plan Mia had up her sleeves.

Mia looked straight into her eyes. “Orania... I truly believe that there’s something more important than the methods we choose, and that’s what’s in your heart.”

“Huh...?” Orania simply blinked back at her.

“Everything depends on what you want to do. How should we treat the Visalians? What is the right thing to do? Our actions depend on what you think are the right answers to those questions, as you’re the princess of Ganudos.”

With Abel and Ludwig there, Mia wanted to make this absolutely clear. All of this was just Orania’s problem—and by extension, Ganudos’s. Thus, Orania’s wishes needed to be prioritized above all else.

“What do you want to do, Orania?”

She pondered this question for a moment. “I don’t think it’s right to persecute the Visalians...and I want to do something about it!”

“Then you want to fix the injustices in your country, right?” asked Mia, looking for confirmation. She thought it was important for Orania to say this clearly with her own words...as it meant Mia could just fall back into the role of helper.

I’ll just insist that what I did was all to realize Orania’s dream! That’s my only escape from that golden lighthouse!

“That’s right... I don’t want any kids to have to suffer what Yanna and Kiryl did, and I want to do something about it... That’s why I asked for your help, Master Mia!”

She was satisfied with that answer. “I see. Then I will do everything in my power to help you,” emphasis on help. “In that case, I suppose we’ve seen everything we need. Shall we head back to the inn?”

That’s when Mia turned her attention to the streets...and began to pat her stomach.

“It’s not every day I come to Ganudos. Shall we buy some souvenirs? Miss Rafina promised to come to my Birthday Festival, so I’d love to treat her to some snacks, at least. What would you recommend, Orania?”

“Ganudos has plenty of snacks, and our fish are particularly delicious. For example...” Orania skipped down the street with a huge grin and pointed to a single stall. “What about this? It’s dried queen squid...”

Mia looked into the direction of her finger and scowled. Orania had pointed to a creepy, dried something with ten legs.

“Um... It looks quite grotesque on the outside. Is it really edible?” asked Mia.

Orania nodded emphatically. “It’s really tasty... The more you chew it, the more flavor it has. It’s quite a popular souvenir...”

“I see. Well, I suppose Miss Rafina is from Belluga, after all, so she must like seafood. She might appreciate this sort of gift.”

Thus, Mia decided to buy some dried queen squid. When she eventually gave it to Rafina, she’d be met with a smile that seemed on the verge of tears...but Mia had no way of knowing that now.

Incidentally, Mia would become quite fond of dried snacks which grew in flavor as they were chewed. Not that it particularly mattered.

Chapter 40: A Vividly Etched Image

“Do you have any ideas...?” asked Orania. Still, Mia provided no answer, and on second thought, Orania found this natural. As a princess, I need to think for myself first before asking someone else for the answers.

Mia wasn’t a fountain of knowledge she’d always be able to access, and Mia would never accept Orania relying on her as such. This was the Great Sage of the Empire that Orania was dealing with—a genius who had solved countless problems and dangers facing her nation using nothing but her own wisdom.

Her vassal’s name was Ludwig, right...? Master Mia said she relies on him a lot, but... She inwardly giggled. She must be overselling it if she’s claiming that half of her feats can be attributed to him... She secretly snickered. But she’s probably not just being humble... She’s trying to teach me that I need to rely on my vassals.

Not everyone can be Mia Luna Tearmoon. Very few can put together perfect plans to solve anything like the Great Sage of the Empire could, and it was hard to find any among their numbers just lying about.

Well, Mia could often be found lying around in bed, but anyways...

Maybe she’s trying to tell me that I’m only human, so there’s no way I can do everything on my own...? She’s saying that since I have so little power, I’ll only fail if I try to accomplish things all by myself, so I need to gather some trusty vassals... Orania continued down this line of thinking. Or maybe, these are words of warning, and she’s saying that even if I’m certain I’ve thought up the perfect plan on my own, I still need to listen to advice from my vassals...?

Perhaps what truly made the Great Sage of the Empire deserving of that title was the fact she was never satisfied with her own ideas, and Orania’s very own Master Mia was trying to impart on her that her plans needed to be reworked and further polished with the opinions of her vassals. That’s what she was trying to say, right?

And just as those waves of delusion were growing larger and larger...

“I truly believe that there’s something more important than the methods we choose, and that’s what you want to do. How should we treat the Visalians? What is the right thing to do? You’re the one who should answer those questions, as you’re the princess of Ganudos.”

Mia’s words came crashing down, completely enveloping her! Their weight—the height of these nascent waves—was monstrous, and they easily pulled Orania’s heart straight out to sea!

What I want to do...? Orania pondered this matter. What did she want to do, and what should she do? As the princess of Ganudos, I...

That was it! She had found her answer!

Did she have hopes Mia would just cough up the answer? No, of course not! Hadn’t she been the one to ask Mia to teach her the proper path to walk as a princess? That was exactly why she had asked Orania to consider this matter from the perspective of the princess of Ganudos that she was.

Mia’s presence had led Orania to let down her guard, as she was expecting Mia to solve things for her. But that wasn’t right! Mia had only come here to help Orania take action.

“I don’t think it’s right to persecute the Visalians...” she said, coming face-to-face with what lay deep in her heart. Then, she put her encounters at Saint-Noel Academy and her feelings into words...and delivered them with princessly resolve. “...And I want to do something about it!”

Just as Orania was feeling disappointed in the banality and clumsiness of her words, Mia offered a helping hand. “Then you want to fix the injustices in your country, right?” She looked straight into Orania’s eyes as she spoke, and Orania naturally nodded.

“That’s right. I don’t want any kids to have to suffer what Yanna and Kiryl did, and I want to do something about it. That’s why I asked for your help, Master Mia!”

Mia seemed very pleased with this answer, and spoke with an expression that embodied the praise she had for her young disciple. “I see. Then I will do everything in my power to help you.”

She promised to support Orania in the first decision she had ever made as a proper princess, and to Orania, those words were like a guiding beacon. Master Mia is like a guiding light. She’s like... A certain foreboding image had popped into her mind! Like a lighthouse!

That image firmly took root in her mind, and not only that, she found it to be the perfect likeness of Mia! She was perfectly hooked on the idea!

That’s right, Mia’s words were the beacon of a lighthouse that illuminated the path forward to guide ships to shore.

Or maybe, hmm... Sailors often use the light of the stars to guide them, but Master Mia’s light is even brighter. She’s like the sun or the moon... That’s it! A moon lighthouse...

Orania giggled to herself and nodded, proud she had thought of such an amazing image. Unfortunately, this image would be etched vividly into her conscience.

Chapter 41: Terrible News! Someone’s Spring Is Over...

We now turn back the clock to a certain corner in the royal capital of Ganudos Port Country. The Serpent Shaman Ka Kunlou strutted through town with a hum at his lips, his lively footsteps giving off an amazing light. Quite simply, Kunlou had been in the best of spirits ever since he arrived in this waterside nation.

Every day, he wandered from place to place to casually and easily spread the seeds of evil. Friction existed wherever there were people, serving as a base to destroy order and lead the world toward chaos. Not to mention, this country had been strongly influenced by the ideals of the first Tearmoon emperor. This was where the Visalians—practically the progenitors of the Chaos Serpents—could be found, and the foundations of the government were littered with cracks Serpents could easily slither into. It was the perfect place to operate. Not to mention, the nuisance that was the Great Sage of the Empire and the terrifying Dion Alaia were nowhere to be found!

Kunlou was in jovial spirits, and his days were fulfilled. One evil deed per day—those were the words he lived by, and he worked indefatigably to live up to them. Today, he was headed for a house in the corner of the fishing district. It was neither big nor small, and looked just like any other. This choice of abode had him snickering.

Aha ha ha! I should’ve expected this from a survivor of the Crows. He sure knows how to blend in!

Kunlou opened the door with no particular qualms and stepped inside. A blade was immediately pointed between his eyes. “Whoa, there! You sure are quick to violence!” said Kunlou, stooping low. “Could you give me a break? I’m a friend of Jem’s.”

“What...?” The man didn’t drop his guard as he glared back at Kunlou. Though agile, he seemed self-trained.

Huh. I thought a survivor of the Crows lived here, but this guy’s...

“I don’t quite follow. Are you related to the Wind Crows? Maybe the White Crows?”

“Neither. Perhaps you’re familiar with the Serpents?”

“The Serpents?” The man’s glare grew curious, but Kunlou laughed it off.

“Oh, ignore me. It’s nothing. I’m a...personal friend of Jem’s. I’ve got the proper intel, so I thought I might be of use to you.” Kunlou noticed the other man’s guard drop a bit at those words. He shrugged his shoulders and continued to coax him. “But seriously, I’d never have thought a friend of the Crows could be found here of all places.”

There once had been an information network that spread nations, and it was all built by the special forces from Sunkland known as the Wind Crows. But after the rebellion in Remno, Sunkland eliminated this force. However... Information networks don’t disappear so easily.

While Sunkland could disband the Wind Crows, they couldn’t completely eradicate the countless men who had helped set up this network.

While the Great Sage eliminated all their conspirators in Tearmoon, you can’t do the same in Ganudos. He chuckled to himself. Seems I was right. Jem’s smarter than I thought. He just looked like a weakling! But this makes my job easier.

Kunlou offered a jovial laugh. “And are you a conspirator with the Wind Crows yourself?”

The man suddenly lifted his bangs, revealing a burn mark.

“So you’re a Visalian. I guess you must have burned your forehead to hide your tattoo.”

“It’s hard for us in this country, but not a single day goes by where I do not take pride in my people or forget the suffering of my brothers.”

“And that’s why you aided Sunkland?”

“The king of Sunkland prizes justice and fairness, right? I was sure he’d come and save us Visalians if he bore witness to our treatment here.”

There was nothing for Kunlou to doubt in those words. So rather than a Serpent, he’s more a conspirator of the Wind Crows, and a pure one at that.

Shocked that this man could be so moved by the ideals of justice and fairness championed by Sunkland’s ultranationalism, Kunlou decided his approach with the same heartwarming feelings inspired by gazing at a child who had yet to lose his innocence. “I know exactly how you must feel. Then let’s focus on that. We’ll create a disturbance Sunkland can’t turn a blind eye to and overthrow this monarchy.”

Kunlou spoke the words that appealed to his interlocutor’s deepest desires without second thought, just as he always did.

Upon his departure, Kunlou skipped his way back home. “Well, it won’t be as effective as toppling Tearmoon or Remno, but this will build a foothold into chaos, and that’s what’s important!”

If every nation was peaceful, stable, and filled with happiness, the road to chaos would only lengthen. But blowing seeds of doubt into any nation easily puts order and peace into peril.

“This small country is right next to Tearmoon, and if things get more dangerous here, they’ll have to intervene! And then... Bwah ha ha!”

Kunlou was in the best of spirits! He was singing the praises of the impending spring of his desired world! Thus, he happily and cheerfully made his way back to his hideout, but that’s when the Visalian assassin that had become his partner in crime (he had only learned of his name recently, which was Cateria. Not that Serpents called each other by their names, of course) casually dropped a bombshell.

“Did you hear? That group is coming to Ganudos.”

“That group? Who do you mean, exactly?”

“Who else could I mean? The Great Sage and her retinue, obviously,” said Cateria with a shrug.

Kunlou tilted his head. “Hmm?” His smile seemed awfully strained.

Chapter 42: No Way! Did She...?

The scene shifts once again to Sion Sol Sunkland, who now found himself in the capital of Ganudos for the first time in two years. He alighted from his carriage and let out a sigh.

“I really wasn’t expecting this,” said Keithwood, shrugging.

Sion responded with an awkward grin. “Me neither. I would never have thought we’d end up here in Ganudos.”

Sion had been hoping to visit the Greenmoons’ residence to check in on his brother Echard and had written a letter to Esmeralda to check their availability. Her response had been simple: “We’ll be in Ganudos then, so please come to our villa there.”

“I suppose the Greenmoons have been gathering intel on Ganudos as well, but I was hoping to observe the situation from a little farther away, if possible.” Sion folded his arms. “But conversely...”

“What is it?”

“This is just a simple question, but what do you think brings Lady Esmeralda here?”

“Hmm? Well...” Keithwood nodded, having connected the dots immediately. “She needed to drag us here to Ganudos. In other words, Princess Mia ordered her here. Is that what you’re thinking?”

“Isn’t that the natural assumption? This time of year isn’t ideal for swimming.” Sion looked up to the clouds in the sky, gray and heavy as if they were about to drop snowflakes down on them at any moment. They were at the Galilea Sea, but the wind that blew was frigid. “And Lady Esmeralda must be busy. Once the Holy Eve Festival is over, it will be Mia’s Birthday Festival, and I hear the Four Duke families are planning to throw a special party for her afterward as a show of their prestige. There’s no need for her to come to Ganudos when she already has so much to do.”

“You’re exactly right. It’s natural to assume that Lady Esmeralda is acting on orders from Princess Mia.” Keithwood nodded.

“Or perhaps... If we assume her main goal is to bring us here, then we’re the ones with a role to play. Maybe something will happen here in Ganudos that we’ll need to solve.” Sion shook his head and turned his gaze toward Duke Greenmoon’s villa. “In any case, our first step is to gather intel.”

“Indeed. Though knowing Princess Mia, I’m sure she’ll let us know when it’s our time to act.” But such frivolous thoughts were immediately upturned as soon as Esmeralda came to greet them.

“Your Highness! Keithwood! I’m glad you both made it here safely!” Esmeralda was in a panic hardly befitting the daughter of an eminent noble. Sion noticed Echard following behind her, his expression anxious as well.

“Greetings, Lady Esmeralda. And you too, Echard. I’m glad you’re both well. Did something happen?” asked Sion, scowling with worry.

“Well, you see... King Nestori Ganudos was nearly assassinated!”

Sion’s scowl deepened. “Assassinated, you say?”

“Yes, and Orania was arrested as the prime suspect.”

“What? Princess Orania was?! Just what the heck is happening here?!”

Keithwood stepped in to stop Sion’s hounding. “There are watchful eyes here, Your Highness. Let’s hear the rest inside the manor,” he offered, quite sensibly. “But first, um... This assassination didn’t have anything to do with poison, did it? Poisonous mushrooms, to be exact.”

For Keithwood, assassinations brought to mind one thing: Could Princess Mia be the culprit? Of course, he knew Mia wasn’t the type to order an assassination, nor did he suspect anyone else in her retinue. The actions of Ganudos were unjust, and the king was certainly responsible, but Mia would never resort to killing him! Instead, what Keithwood suspected was that Mia may have attempted to win over the king and inspire a change of heart via some tasty food—more specifically, that she perhaps had cooked some homemade mushroom soup to serve him.

It’s perfectly plausible! She’d happily offer up poison with nothing but love in her heart!

Keithwood’s faith in Mia never wavered, in both the good and the bad.

“He was allegedly attacked by a Visalian man.”

It’s now important to turn back the clock a few days.

Chapter 43: First Snacks, Then Strategy!

After the man resembling her Great-Uncle Hannes had left, Mia had bought some dried snacks as a gift for Rafina...and then ate more of Orania’s recommendations! Her current snack was called poya, and it resembled the monstrous fruits believed to grow in Hell. Its biting smell of the sea and its plump texture combined together into an enchanting delicacy. Apparently, these needed to be eaten fresh and weren’t well suited for souvenirs.

Well, I suppose they do look quite grotesque, and they’re more suited to Chloe’s tastes than Miss Rafina’s. Maybe I should invite her here sometime so we can eat these together. But will Miss Rafina feel left out if I don’t invite her too? I’ll just have to invite everyone and introduce the right snacks to whoever can make it!

Mia was awfully considerate and made sure to properly give mind to ensuring that Rafina felt included.

That reminds me—Orania isn’t a fan of sweets. I miscalculated a bit here, I see. Mia was perfectly pleased with the delicacies she had eaten, but her cravings could never be satisfied without some sweets.

“By the way, Orania, I hear His Majesty will be carrying out a ceremony tomorrow.”

“Oh, right... It’s the Northward Net Ceremony, meant to pray that the fish make it through the winter. I’m surprised you’re familiar with it, Master Mia.”

“Oho ho! I’m not too knowledgeable, really. But about that... I was hoping we’d be allowed to watch. Would that be all right?”

“I don’t think it’ll be all that fun, but...” Orania looked back at her, curiously.

Mia nodded. “I don’t mind at all. I was hoping you’d introduce me to your father, King Nestori, once the ceremony was over.”

“Oh, I see... You probably won’t be able to meet him using official means, but if you run into him during the festival tomorrow, then he won’t be able to escape...” Orania seemed to be on board with this plan.

“Farewell then, Orania.” After seeing Orania and her personal maid off, Mia turned to Ludwig. “Well, then. Why don’t we discuss our plan for tomorrow on our way home?”

“Our plan? I suppose you must be hoping to run into His Majesty tomorrow and negotiate then. Have you given up on visiting the island?”

“I have, but... It’s not so simple,” said Mia with a nod. “There’s something I need Dion to do.”

“You need me? Guess things are about to get tense,” said Dion as he patted the back of his neck, smiling. “I’ll do anything to protect you, little princess, so don’t worry.”

Mia smiled back at him. “I’m sure you will, but...” She shook her head. “Unfortunately, I’m not the one who will be in danger tomorrow.” Mia looked straight into his eyes and lowered her voice. “It’s the king of Ganudos. There’s a chance he will be assassinated.”

“Assassinated, you say?” clarified Ludwig with a scowl as he observed their surroundings. Thankfully, the streets were bustling, and if anyone happened to overhear, they’d likely dismiss it as a joke. “Where exactly did you get this information?”

“From your diary, Ludwig. But the moment I learn of what’s written there, the contents tend to change. We can’t rely on it completely.”

“Ah, I see. As it records your actions and the future they result in, they shift as soon as you learn the outcome.”

“Exactly. And for some reason, the entries are quite fixed about this matter. Dreams don’t shift to reality; the entries just disappear.”

Ludwig’s diary was a bit different from Mia’s diary and the Princess Chronicles. It should have been more reliable, as it included not just normal entries, but dreams believed to be memories from other timelines. Thus, its records included the most possible outcomes of the future, as well as the futures that shifts in the timelines would bring. However...

“It’s not very reliable this time around,” said Mia.

Ludwig scowled. “Perhaps...this may lead to my own death.”

Mia was shocked. “Your death? What do you mean, Ludwig?”

“It’s quite simple. If I, the observer, were to perish, I’d be unable to write any more entries. As I’d have no memories of what followed, I’d be unable to see them in my dreams.”

Dreams were memories of lost timelines, which meant an early death on one timeline would prevent those memories from being left behind.

“That’s...” Mia couldn’t help but groan. “Certainly a possibility, I suppose.”

Mia’s own diary only existed because she had spent so much time locked in the dungeon after she was captured by the revolutionary army. Fears of the guillotine consumed her, but it also served as an opportunity to reflect on her past.

But apparently, the dangers here in Ganudos were of a different sort, and likely, more direct. Whether there be an assassination or a revolution, involvement could very well lead to their untimely deaths.

“For now...I can’t just die at a moment’s notice. At the very least, I need to die in a way that will serve as a hint for you, Your Highness... No, perhaps even that is meaningless. It’s impossible for us to know how our actions now may relate to the information that Miss Bel has,” muttered Ludwig with an intense scowl.

Mia wagged her finger at him. “There’s no need to overthink things. I’d be in trouble if you died, so focus on staying alive, okay? As my trusty vassal, I need you to support Tearmoon with everything you have.”

“Your Highness...” His eyes were opened wide with emotion, but Mia instead turned her attention to Anne and Abel.

“Listen, you two. Don’t push yourselves, and be careful not to do anything that could put you in danger.” Finally, Mia turned her attention to Dion. “Anyway, you heard how it is, Dion. I’ll be counting on you to prevent this assassination.”

“Oh? You’re not gonna tell me to be careful too?” joked Dion.

Mia grinned back at him. “Of course not! You’re my sword, and I know you’re too tough to break at the hands of a single assassin.”

Mia had great trust in Dion. In a certain sense, at least.

Chapter 44: Is There Something for Bel to Do?

Mia had yet to return to the inn, and those who had been left behind were quite rowdy. There were five of them in total: Bel, Citrina, Patty, Yanna, and Kiryl.

“Oh! So you two lived a bit farther away in the more run-down part of town,” said Bel, holding her hand over her forehead to shield her eyes as she stuck her head out the window. She gazed at a red-roofed building near a hill.

“It’s dangerous sticking your head out like that, Bel. And a bit unladylike.”

Bel obediently listened to Citrina’s scoldings and plopped herself back on the bed. “And what else?” she asked, kicking her feet.

“Right. A priest from the slums saved us. If he hadn’t...we might not be here today,” said Yanna as she gazed out the window.

“I see. You lived your life protecting Kiryl all this time,” offered Bel, her tone solemn. She had once lived hidden in the ruins of Lunatear herself, and she knew exactly how hard it must have been for Yanna and Kiryl to make it on their own. Maybe there were kids like Yanna and Kiryl back there too. They must have had it so hard... But I hear that there are far fewer struggling children when Grandmother Mia is in power, so I just need to work to protect them too.

“That must have been hard,” kindly offered Citrina.

Yanna shook her head. “No, not at all. Kiryl’s always been a good boy,” she said, patting her brother on the forehead. He seemed quite pleased, but suddenly, that changed.

“Don’t pat my head too much, Yanna!” Having realized the older girls were watching, he was suddenly embarrassed! “U-Um, Bel? Do you have any siblings?” he asked, trying to change the subject.

“Huh? Me? Hmm... No, it’s only me. My mother wanted to follow in my grandmother’s footsteps and have more, but I don’t know if she ever actually plans on following through,” she said, tilting her head. “You have a younger brother, don’t you, Patty?”

“I do. His name is Hannes,” she said, nodding her head with the same expressionless look as always. “He’s a bit weak, but he’s really kind.”

All of a sudden, it was a boasting party, and the subject was little brothers! Apparently, Yanna’s praise of Kiryl had gotten to her.

“He’s really good at studying, and he’s handsome. I’m sure he’ll make a great noble when he grows up!” She cut off her words for a moment. “And I’ll do anything to protect him.”

Yanna nodded, as if in complete agreement with her words.

“Huh, Rina sees...” muttered Citrina, tilting her head and clearly not knowing exactly what to make of this. Bel gazed at the two with an equally confused expression.

The younger girls had completely beaten the elder two with their big-sister power! As only children themselves, Bel and Citrina just couldn’t understand how they felt.

“So, you’re searching for his medicine. That’s what your job is here...” muttered Bel with a groan as she gazed at Patty.

She nodded. “I think so. That’s why I came to the future.” Resolve filled her features. “I’ll find Hannes, and then I’ll find the medicine and bring it home!”

That would free Patty from the Serpents’ fetters, allowing her to move with some freedom and create the necessary circumstances that could lead to the advent of the Great Sage of the Empire. That was Patty’s purpose.

“You’ll pave the path needed for Miss Mia to be a part of this world’s history...” mumbled Bel. Patty knew exactly what she needed to do, and seeing the younger girl’s resolve brought Bel back to the same old question: What was she here to do? What was her job, and why had she come back to this time?

No, she hadn’t been slacking lately, nor had she forgotten her duties to instead play with Citrina, but she once again affirmed her resolve. “I guess what I’m here to do really is to deliver Miss Mia information from the future.”

“We’re back!” Suddenly, the others had returned. “Oh, I see you’re all already here. Tomorrow will be busy, so prepare yourselves. And Bel and Rina, we need to discuss what will happen tomorrow, so could you come with me for a moment?”

“Of course, Miss Mia! I’ll read Professor Ludwig’s diary with everything I’ve got!” Bel was completely fired up!

Mia lifted her hand to calm her. “You can relax, Bel. The incident tomorrow is now an attempted assassination, so... Actually, it’s probably best you keep things from me. Could you just make sure the entry hasn’t changed since yesterday?”

“Huh? But...”

Bel was awfully uncertain whether this was what she was really here to do.

Chapter 45: An Assassination at the Northward Net Ceremony

The Northward Net Ceremony was a rite based on Ganudos legend.

A long, long time ago, there was once a fisherman captain. One winter’s day, he led his band of fishermen out to sea, but though they toiled all throughout the night, they failed to catch a single fish. Just as the despondent men had made it to shore, they suddenly ran into a visitor from afar. He told them to cast their net on the opposite side of their boat, toward the north.

The seasoned fisherman belittled the visitor and his advice, but the captain alone chose to cast the net northward. Immediately, fish swarmed into his net, so much so that the boat almost sank.

When the men returned their attention to the shore, the visitor was gone. Had he perhaps been a messenger from the Holy Deity? At least, that’s what the fishermen thought, and so they resolved to hold a festival to commemorate and thank the man for their big catch.

One mustn’t rely on their experience alone, but must be humble enough to accept the Holy Deity. Only then can skills and experience be put to full use... At least, that’s what those men concluded.

“I see. So this ceremony is based on that legend.”

“Yes... It’s to pray for big catches this winter...”

Mia and the others observed this ceremony from a corner of the port. Numerous boats floated in the Galilea Sea, and standing at the bow of the grandest among them was King Nestori Perla Ganudos.

“My father’s riding the fishing captain’s boat...”

“I see. It really is an excellent ship, though I do think it might be a tad too decorated for fishing.”

The size was roughly that of the Emerald Star. An impressive figurehead adorned the bow, making it seem a bit too grand for a fisherman’s boat. That sense was only amplified by the numerous real fishing boats floating beside it.

“They say that fishermen who participate in the ceremony reel in a lot of big catches in the winter, so boats all across the country have come to join...”

“So they want to be blessed with good fortune! What an interesting ceremony,” remarked Mia.

Meanwhile, the king had headed to the middle of the boat and grabbed his net.

“First, he drops it to the south...and then to the north...” explained Orania.

“Hmm? What’s that?” Suddenly, something strange caught Mia’s eye—a black shadow traversing the sea. At first, she thought it was just a trick of the light, but it wasn’t! The man leaping from boat to boat heading straight for the king was no illusion.

Boat one, boat two...

The man’s bandana fluttered in the sea breeze.

Boat three, boat four...

The man flexed his eye-catchingly tall frame like a whip. He appeared to be walking on water.

Boat five, boat six...

Still, this was the sea, and the boats swayed in its waves. The average guard could see him, but they were unable to react. They would never have expected an attack right here and now when the king was at his most vulnerable, this being a ceremony.

Boat seven, boat eight...

Jump! The man flexed his body and swung his curved blade with all his might!

“Prepare to die, King Nestori!”

The king turned toward the voice with a momentary expression of complete bewilderment, the blade flashing right before his eyes. Unable to dodge, the king stood completely still.

Watching this, Mia couldn’t help but mutter, “H-How frightening!” Her eyes were trained on the assassin about to strike with his crescent-shaped blade—or really, the person standing right behind him. “Just what would be scarier? Being rushed by an assassin, or having Dion run up from behind you...?”

There was no way the assassin had heard her musing, but he contorted his body sideways as if he had noticed a presence.

“Aha ha ha! So you did notice me.” There was another man swinging a sword, and it was Dion Alaia!

“You bastard! You’re the Great Sage’s—!”

The assassin barely managed to reposition his sword before Dion’s strike collided.

The clanging of blades reverberated through the air. In the next moment, the assassin went flying. He hit the deck of the ship twice as he tried to recover his footing, but Dion chased after him! He prevented the assassin’s recovery with a swift kick to the shoulder.

“Ack!” The assassin’s back slammed into the ship’s mast, and he let out a pained scream.

“Huh? I think we’ve met before. In the former Clausius domain, right?”

“‘I am so humbled to have been remembered by the Great Sage’s sword!’ Is that what you want me to say?” The assassin stumbled to his feet. “You’ve got a surprisingly good memory,” he teased with a taunting grin.

Dion twisted his lips into a sneer. “Just barely.”

“Barely what?”

“That I remembered you! You’ve got mediocre strength and no wolves. You’re really a plain Jane. Remembering you was hard work.”

“You bastard!” Furious, the assassin thrust the tip of his blade at Dion.

“Then I guess this is the continuation of that battle, Serpent shaman. But you better work hard if you want me to remember it!” Dion leaped forth before he had finished those words and swung his blade down on the assassin.

However, the assassin blocked the strike with his own blade—seemingly without trouble. For a moment, even the assassin seemed puzzled, but then he began to laugh triumphantly. “What is it, Dion Alaia? Can shaky footing damper even your blade? You’ll regret the day you decided to fight me at sea!” Their swords were locked, and the assassin sneered at Dion.

“You probably won’t care since I doubt you’ll want to do it in the first place, but you really could never be a blade of our little princess.”

“Huh?”

“She’s rough with her vassals. She’ll drag me to the forest, then the ocean, then the plains, and then force me to fight two against one in the ruins of some castle. Her swords don’t get to pick their battles, which means a coward like you who always needs a land advantage just wouldn’t be a good fit.”

With that, Dion thrust his blade once again, piling on his body strength to push into the assassin. He was forced one step back, then two...

“Agh! Y-You...!” The assassin was starting to panic.

“I just thought running around this boat would be dangerous! Dang, I’m glad I got you cornered so quickly.”

With each step the assassin took backward, Dion took a step forward, their blades still locked together.

“Ack! Y-You...!” This time, the assassin decided to make his move. He thrust his blade forward with all his might. Then in the next moment, he pulled back with everything he had.

Dion swung his blade in an attempt to chase after him, but the strike only grazed the assassin’s forehead. He didn’t seem to mind the pain at all as he took a huge leap backward.

“So you forced some distance between us. That’s not a bad call, but...you quit quite easily for a friend of that Serpent’s. You got a personal grudge, or something?” Dion was staring right at the assassin, who now stood at the bow of the ship. He shrugged his shoulders as if he saw through the assassin’s murderous gaze. “Assassins need to know when they’ve failed and when to run. Your half-assed measures are what’s gotten you here. Some assassin you are.”

A single drop of blood fell from the man’s forehead. The bandana around his forehead fluttered and fell to the floor...revealing a black eye tattooed on his forehead.

“That’s...preposterous...!” bemoaned someone behind Dion. King Nestori was staring at the assassin with wide eyes.

The assassin picked up his bandana and reaffixed it to his forehead. “I see... I suppose I did lose my composure. I’ll be heeding your warning, then.” He immediately backflipped into the sea.

And Dion...didn’t chase after him. “It would’ve been nice to catch him here, but that’ll be difficult. He seems like a good swimmer.” Dion had given up on chasing the assassin the moment he had put distance between them. He had tried taunting the other man, but he unfortunately didn’t bite. “He’s got more composure than I was expecting. But jeez, things would’ve been easy if I could’ve taunted him into a blade-swinging rage...”

Under these circumstances, there was no guarantee that he was only facing one enemy. It’d be difficult to defend against arrows fired from afar, which meant he couldn’t afford to leave King Nestori’s side.

It was one of Dion’s very few weaknesses. While he could easily fight two-against-one, he couldn’t fight one-against-one in two places at once.

Dion grimaced. “Damn, I feel like I’m getting worse at making these calls. It seems like that little lady’s death at the castle was a bigger shock than I thought.”

Dion chuckled at himself while the ship carrying him and King Nestori quickly headed back to shore.

The boat had finally arrived at the harbor, and Mia let out a relieved sigh as she watched Ganudos’s soldiers run up to the king. Dion never disappoints! He managed to protect the king, which means it’s time for me to take over.

Mia needed to take advantage of the king’s gratitude to gain a chance to observe the island of the Visalians. But for that, she needed a good explanation—a perfectly sound one that would explain why Dion was there, and there couldn’t be any holes.

I hear the king of Ganudos is not one to take lightly. One misstep and he’ll be saying we were the ones who sent the assassin! I need to give him a believable story.

Despite these thoughts, Mia was feeling perfectly calm, for she had already thought of the perfect story while lazing around in bed the night before! That’s right, everything had gone according to plan, which meant Mia was feeling relaxed and confident!

First, I’ll have Orania...

“Father!” She cried out as she ran toward the man.

Mia followed. First, I’ll introduce myself. I need to make a good first impression, after all! Hmm... I suppose it would be fine to say I’m Orania’s friend?

But the moment Mia was pondering this, she overheard the conversation between the king and his soldiers.

“I’ll send a pursuant immediately,” said the man who seemed to be their captain.

“No, don’t!” The king suddenly raised his voice, but immediately shook his head in regret. “There is no need.” He spoke those words slowly, as if confirming them to himself.

“But Your Majesty, we can’t just—”

“I know who the culprit behind it must be. Chasing the man who carried out the crime is pointless.” His words were slow and majestic.

“The true culprit? And who is that?”

The king gave a grave nod. Then, he suddenly looked toward where Mia stood... Wait, Mia?

“Orania. It was you, wasn’t it?”

“Huh?”

That lifeless, foolish utterance was not from Orania, but her master, Mia! This unexpected tsunami had come right at the end of her plot, and it swallowed her whole.

For a moment, Mia’s mind was blank. But after two or three moments...

H-H-Huh?! Wh-Wh-What in the moons?! What’s happening?! Why Orania?! I-I need to calm myself! Take deep breaths, Mia...

Mia panted out some heavy breaths before returning once again to her thoughts.

Wh-Wh-What in the moons?!

She was still bewildered!

“F-Father...? Wh-Why me...?” Orania seemed equally confused as she approached her father, but he failed to even look at her.

“You have some reason to kill me. You want to eradicate me, yes?”

“Huh...?” For a moment, Orania was lost for words.

That’s when Mia knew things were about to get worse. Oh, this is bad. Orania is trying to save the Visalians from persecution, and that could add credence to his suspicions...

Mia took another big, deep breath. Then, she marched right up to the king. The soldiers watched her, but she reflected their gazes with a cool grin, her eyes locked on King Nestori Perla Ganudos.

“Who are you?”

“Master Mia!” Orania’s words sounded like a pitiful plea for help.

Mia lifted her skirt in a curtsy. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Mia...” Her greeting was perfectly calm and relaxed. “Mia Lunya...”

She choked on her words! She wasn’t relaxed at all!

“...Tearmoon! Mia, the princess of the Tearmoon Empire,” she said, smiling as if nothing had happened at all. Mia had made it through enough social battles to feign composure and pretend like she had never messed up her words at all!

“The princess of...Tearmoon?” King Nestori stared at Mia before shifting his gaze to Ludwig, who was standing behind her. “I thank you deeply for the introduction. But what are you doing here, Your Highness?”

“I’m currently on a secret visit to do some sightseeing now that I’ve befriended Orania at Saint-Noel Academy.”

“Sightseeing, you say? And that’s why you’ve come to watch this ceremony?”

“Indeed. I did some shopping at the market yesterday and bought some dried queen squid as a souvenir. And...that’s right, poya! Its flavor was incredibly sophisticated, and the texture nice and tender. I could get hooked on that salty aroma of the ocean...”

“Whoa! So she even ate poya. She’s quite the connoisseur...”

“And bought dried queen squid as a gift! She has good eyes on her!”

Suddenly, the people around were bustling! The ones who were mainly looking at her with admiration were, if anything, older soldiers and bureaucrats...and they were all men.

“Yes, I was enjoying all the delicacies Ganudos has to offer,” said Mia with a smile. The murmurs seemed to be in her favor. She had succeeded in establishing a bond with the people of Ganudos via snacks! She was an almighty princess who could even handle the more mature delicacies!

“How impressive. It’s excellent that you were able to enjoy what the Galilea Sea has to offer. However...” The king’s gaze grew sharp. “I would appreciate it if you didn’t stick your mouth into things that don’t involve you.”

“My, but it does involve me! The man who saved your life was Dion, my own sword. And Orania is my...”

She was about to say “disciple,” but stopped herself. If she, the master, had gone out of her way to help Orania, the disciple...then whatever that accomplished would be attributed to Mia! And that would be bad. She needed to shift that responsibility to someone else.

“Yes, my school friend, who I’ve studied beside at Saint-Noel. I can’t simply sit back and watch when my friend is in trouble...as someone who has studied under the same roof, of course.”

Saint-Noel Academy was the greatest learning institution in the entire continent, so Mia decided to attribute all her accomplishments to the school.

“Master Mia...” Orania’s eyes welled with tears. She must have been moved to see Mia come to her aid.

“School friends? Aha ha! So that’s what you are. I don’t know what ideas you’ve instilled in Orania’s head, but...” King Nestori failed to look at Orania and instead spoke to his guards. “Ganudos will solve the problems of Ganudos, and I’d appreciate it if you stayed out of the matter. What are you all doing?! Capture her!”

“Huh?!”

The king paid absolutely no mind to Mia’s plea.

“Father... Wh-Why? Why are you...?” Orania was dumbfounded, and simply stared at her father with wide eyes as the soldiers outstretched their hands to her thin arms.

“Stop it!” But suddenly, a small boy stepped between her and the soldiers. “Don’t bully Princess Orania!” Kiryl glared at the soldiers, his arms open wide in protection.

“Kiryl, you can’t!” Yanna chased after her brother, and Patty stepped forward to stop her.

This seemed odd to Mia. Kiryl was in danger, so of course Yanna would follow after. But why did Patty, who was always so calm and collected, seem so panicked? She glanced at Ludwig only to find panic on his face as well.

“Oh...” Mia was the last to notice. M-Moons, this is bad! If we let Kiryl and Yanna go over to Orania, then...

Unfortunately, it was already too late.

“Hmm? You’re...” One of the soldiers grabbed Yanna’s arm before she could make it to Kiryl. He forcibly turned her around and violently grabbed her by the bangs.

“Agh!”

The soldier spoke as Yanna’s face twisted in pain. “Your Majesty, this girl’s...”

“Indeed.” For a moment, it was impossible to read the king’s expression. He didn’t appear angry or hateful, just...defeated. Or perhaps... “So these children are Visalians. Then it’s certain,” he spat before turning back to his soldiers. “As you can see, my daughter Orania must be the culprit. To reiterate, there is no need to chase the offender from earlier. Understood?”

As soon as he barked those orders, the king turned his back to leave.

“Wait, father...! These children are innocent...!”

But Nestori failed to look backward. It was as if he hadn’t heard her voice at all.

The soldiers violently restrained Orania—as well as Yanna, Kiryl, and even Patty.

“What shall we do, princess? We can still take them back by force,” suggested Dion, catching Mia by surprise.

“If we resort to violence...I feel that would only put them in more danger. For now... Your Majesty!”

Though Nestori didn’t turn to face Mia, she had managed to draw the attention of his soldiers.

“Orania is my friend, and these children are students of Saint-Noel Academy and under my care.” She boldly raised her voice so that everyone around could hear. “If you suspect them of wrongdoing, then you may restrain them. But I will not allow you to hurt them!”

Mia watched as a soldier about to raise his hand at Kiryl suddenly froze.

“And I will prove to you that Orania is innocent!”

“Oho! I’m excited to see the brilliance of the Great Sage for myself.” Finally, the king had turned around, but plastered on his face was a sarcastic sneer.

“And you certainly will! I implore you to treat Orania and the children carefully until that time comes!”

Detective...Mia, with a mind as supple as the aurelia, was on the case!

Chapter 46: The Orthodox Princess and the Children Do All They Can!

“How...did things come to this?”

Orania and the children were currently in a carriage headed for the manor that belonged to the head of the shipbuilding guild. A princess like Orania couldn’t be held in the dungeon, so this manor had been chosen for her temporary house arrest. Orania had insisted that the children accompany her, and so they had.

Sitting right across from them was an armed guard.

“Ugh... Why does father suspect me...?” said Orania, slumping her shoulders in defeat. She was still as confused as ever.

Suddenly a small hand overlapped hers—or rather, hands. She looked up to find Yanna and Kiryl, who, despite their anxieties, had the admirable courage to try to cheer her up. She could feel their warmth through her own hand, and the realization that she alone had become the target of protection lit a fire in her heart.

“That’s right...! I need to do everything I can...”

A disciple of the Great Sage of the Empire couldn’t be moping about! Two of the three children were Visalians, and this was no situation for them to extend their own kindness. There was no knowing what might happen to Patty, even. Thus...

“I need to protect them...!”

Orania slowly looked ahead of her...and noticed a strong flash of light from outside the carriage!

“Eek!” Orania covered her eyes as the carriage came to a stop.

“What?! Hey, what’s happening?! Why did we stop?!” The soldier called out to the coachman and opened the door, but—

“Ack!” He was knocked out by the man who used that as an opportunity to step inside.

“Huh?!”

“Jeez... I’m not a fan of violence, if I can avoid it,” muttered the man as he removed the bandana that was sloppily tied around his head. After flicking himself on his smooth forehead, he shot a friendly smile at Orania.

“Wh-Who are you...?”

“Nobody, really. Just your savior,” said the man with a playful bow. He was overwhelmingly friendly and agreeable...but that only put Orania on edge.

“You came to save me...?”

“Of course. Moving on! This way, now! You too, kids.” He took hold of Orania’s hand with gentlemanly refinement he lacked before and beckoned her outside the carriage.

The sight Orania met had her drawing in her breath—the coachman had collapsed on the ground. “Did you kill him...?” she asked, firmly.

The man responded with a cheerful laugh. “Hmm? Oh. Aha ha ha! Of course not. There’s no way I would kill him, right?” He lightly kicked the coachman, who stirred with a groan. “I just put him asleep for a bit. I didn’t kill the soldier inside the carriage with you either. But anyway, let’s get going.”

“Going...? Oh! Are you with Master Mia?”

Orania had no comrades here in Ganudos. She spent her days slacking off to instead go fishing, which meant, naturally, the only person who would come and save her was her Master Mia.

Maybe Master Mia wasn’t willing to let the children get captured, and she decided to save me while she was at it too...?

As those thoughts ran through her mind, the man answered. “Yup, I am. I’m here on orders from Miss Mia. Anyway, come on. I’ll lead you to our secret hideout.”

His answer was just as she had expected. He had said...the very thing she was hoping he would. This fact caught on a corner of Orania’s mind, but the man was clearly ready to walk. She hesitated, glancing at the collapsed soldier.

Hmm... Well, I suppose I can’t be here forever. But just as she had resolved to follow him, she felt a pull on the hem of her dress. She turned around to find Patty, her expression serious. “My, Patty, what is it...?”

“I don’t think he’s one of Miss Mia’s friends,” she whispered.

Orania mulled this over for a moment before kneeling on the ground to bring her face closer to Patty’s. “And why is that...?” she whispered back.

“I don’t know of any friends of Miss Mia’s like him. And...”

“Huh? Something the matter?” asked the man. He still wore the same smile, and maybe it was just her imagination, but his eyes didn’t seem to match his mouth.

Patty stared back at him and took a step forward. “They’ll suspect us more if we run, and that’ll make things harder for Miss Mia too. The right thing to do is to believe in Miss Mia and wait, so we shouldn’t run.”

The man strolled right up to Patty. “Wow! That’s quite an interesting opinion. And who might you be?”

“You’re...trying to direct things toward chaos. You’re...our enemy,” she said, staring at the man fearlessly.

Orania drew in her breath. If the man before them was an enemy, then what might he do in retaliation for her attitude?

The man opened his eyes wide and sneered. “Oho! Really, who might you be? Your senses are quite sharp...” He placed his hands on his knees and brought his gaze down to match Patty’s. “You’re right. Princess Orania being captured isn’t good for us. We’ve gotta turn her into the assassin that killed the king, after all.” He turned to Orania and winked. “That’s why I kept the soldiers alive. We’ve gotta have them spread the rumor that it was the Visalians who saved you. Only then can we kill the king.”

He shrugged. “So, will you work with us here? I don’t want to threaten you and take you by force if I don’t—”

“That’s a lie. You’re alone, so you can’t keep track of us all. That’s why you’re saying that.” Patty cut him off. “Don’t listen to him, Princess Orania.”

The moment Patty turned to glance at Orania, the man placed his hand on her head. “Aha ha! I see, I see. You’re right. Walking around the city while armed would attract attention, and so would kidnapping you kids. I’d have a hard time keeping track of you all, but you’re in no position to run and ask for help either. If it was Visalians who came to save you, then they couldn’t afford to kill you and reduce their numbers. They’d have to take you with them. So, I see. It’d be rather difficult to take you by force. If we’re speaking logically, that is, little lady.”

He lovingly petted her hair before bringing his hand down to the back of her neck.

“Huh...?” She blinked.

The man maintained his friendly smile. “But you’d do well to remember this. Humans don’t need logic to kill. I might murder you just because your cheeky little attitude pissed me off. So, what will you do, little lady? I could easily snap your tiny neck with a little force...”

“If you kill that girl, then I’ll die too...!”

The man blinked. Orania knocked away his hand and protectively pulled Patty over to her. That was when she realized Patty was shaking. She squeezed her into a hug to comfort her as she spoke. “And I’ll also die if you take these children as prisoners... You won’t be able to capture me. You need me alive, right...?”

The man nodded, clearly amused. “I see. That would put me in quite the pickle. So? What’s your plan?”

“We’ll run away... If our capture isn’t good for you, then I believe this is a fair compromise...”

“Huh. So you’ll run, but not to us. Then you’ll hide somewhere? If you can make it without being captured, then it’s not a bad plan. That”—he chuckled—“will bring about some chaos too.”

Orania turned her back on the man’s fit of maniacal, gleeful laughter.

“Let’s run...!”

Dauntlessly, she grabbed Patty’s hand, called out to Yanna and Kiryl, and dashed away.

Chapter 47: Pandemonium

After Orania, Kiryl, Yanna, and Patty were led away, Mia and the others—namely, Anne, Ludwig, Dion, and Citrina—were brought to the palace. They were shown to a large room, and Mia immediately plopped onto the sofa with a dramatic sigh.

“I suppose it would be safe to assume we were brought here to keep us from acting freely,” remarked Ludwig as he looked around the room.

“Well, there’s no helping that, unfortunately. Orania’s been labeled as the culprit, and I went out of my way to exaggerate how deep our bond is.”

As a result, suspicions had been placed on Mia as well, and there was nothing more dangerous than a princess of a neighboring country who could have been a conspirator in assassinating the king of another. For Ganudos, the best thing to do was clearly keep her stuck in a room where she’d have to be quiet and obedient.

“Thanks to that, they might think you were trying to axe the king and take Ganudos as a territory,” joked Dion. Unfortunately, the suspicions placed on Mia were not a laughing matter.

“Still, I had no choice but to announce myself. If I hadn’t, he would refuse us an audience even when we do find the real culprit.” Not to mention, Mia had become “Master Mia” somehow or another, and she couldn’t just abandon Orania in her time of need! Now that the other children—especially Patty—had gotten involved, she had no other options. If anything happened to Patty, Mia’s very existence would be in the balance. She had simply done what was needed.

Patty is quite close with Yanna and Kiryl, and chasing after them is a good sign for her education. I can overlook this.

And there was Yanna and Kiryl to consider as well. As Visalians—especially ones Orania had made an effort to protect—they’d likely be interrogated as a potentially involved party. The chances of something bad happening to them were rather high.

“Announcing that the children are under my care should protect them. As long as we can catch the real culprit while we still have time, that is.” Something suddenly occurred to Mia. Wait, if I do find this culprit, won’t I be credited for the feat? In that case... Well, the king is still alive and safe, so I doubt it would be recognized as a “feat” quite yet, but... In later generations—especially Orania’s generation—there’s a chance that...

An image of Orania smiling ear to ear suddenly popped up in Mia’s head. “When my father suspected me as an assassin, you saved me... So to celebrate your grand wisdom, I used every last drop of my people’s hard-earned tax money to build you a huge, golden lighthouse! Take a look! Isn’t it amazing...?”

Mia shook the image out of her mind. “That won’t solve a single thing,” she muttered without thinking.

But Ludwig nodded in agreement! “So you thought the same, Your Highness.”

“Huh?” Mia’s expression was blank.

Ludwig continued excitedly. “The very same thought had just occurred to me.”

I don’t get what he’s saying at all! Um, I suppose it would be best to ask him, then. But just as Mia opened her mouth, someone else asked the very question.

“What do you mean, Ludwig?” It was Anne! Whenever she (Mia) didn’t understand, she asked the right questions with perfect timing! She truly was a brilliant maid.

“Of course, this is only a hunch. However...do you truly think His Majesty suspects Princess Orania? It would be one thing if he had long harbored suspicions of her, but given the current circumstances, there was no reason to doubt her.”

“You’re right. Yanna and Kiryl were there, but...”

“Exactly. The fact the two children are Visalians implies a possible connection between Princess Orania and the Visalian assassin, but the king suspected her before that connection was made clear.” Ludwig pushed up his glasses. “If, perhaps, His Majesty has another reason to suspect Princess Orania of this crime, there may be no point in capturing the true culprit and proving her innocence. We first need to look into His Majesty’s motives.”

“Jeez. King Nestori Perla Ganudos, was it? I always thought he was a tough nut to crack, but it’s not gonna be pleasant having to probe out his intentions when he’s probing out ours,” muttered Dion.

Ludwig gave a sharp grin. “Don’t worry. You won’t be the one doing that work. As Her Highness’s sword, you can leave the laborious thinking to me.”

“I’ll take you up on that offer.”

The sight of the two men grinning at each other put Mia’s heart at ease. “And luckily, we have a perfect method to conduct these investigations.”

“Lady Esmeralda of House Greenmoon, I suppose?” asked Ludwig.

Mia responded with a nod and glanced at Citrina. In fact, two messengers were already on the way to request Esmeralda’s aid. Namely, the two who were currently missing from the group: Bel and Abel.

When Mia had stepped forward to announce herself, Citrina had jumped into action. She had correctly predicted the circumstances Mia now found herself in and had thus decided to secure some outside personnel. As King Nestori seemed to have already noticed Ludwig, she enlisted Bel and Abel via the process of elimination. The latter had seemed quite surprised, but he immediately grasped the situation. Bel, on the other hand, had sensed an adventure, and her eyes were twinkling with excitement...

“This adventure might be the reason I came to the past!” Bel had exclaimed with glee...thereby inspiring a sense of foreboding in Mia.

Anyway, Citrina herself had stayed with Mia and the others just in case any of them was poisoned at the palace.

“Well, I suppose Bel won’t be born if I’m assassinated,” remarked Mia once she noticed it was clear that Citrina had wanted to go with Bel.

Citrina puffed out her cheeks. “You’re a bully, Miss Mia. Rina has never forgotten how you saved us Yellowmoons.”

“Hmm? Well, you have my apologies then. So you really decided to stay and protect me out of loyalty?”

Citrina slowly closed her eyes. “A heart has many faces and is the combination of many emotions. Rina is both grateful to you and wants to protect you so Bel will be born someday. It’s just that those two feelings aren’t of equal size...”

“I see... Wait a moment. So if you were to compare your gratitude and loyalty toward me with your friendship to Bel, then which one would be bigger?”

Citrina adorned her usual sweet smile. “It’s boorish to compare emotions, Miss Mia.”

Anyway, such a conversation had taken place, but it was time to return to the topic at hand.

“Sion should be with Esmeralda as well. I’m sure Abel will do everything he can, and Bel will be there too.” For some reason, that last bit inspired some anxiety. “By the way, Rina, do you have any clue as to who the man on the ship might be? I think he’s the Visalian Serpent we had already heard about, but this is the first time you’ve seen him, right?”

Citrina tilted her head. “At the very least, Rina doesn’t think she’s met him before.”

“I see. But you’ve fought him before, right, Dion?”

“Yup, at the Clausius Domain. But he’s really got some sea legs. This fight was harder than the last one, though only a little.”

That didn’t seem to be the case at all! In fact, he seemed to be having quite a lot of fun...

Mia folded her arms and groaned. “In any case, the Serpents are certainly involved with this incident. Hmm?” Noise suddenly started to seep in from outside. “What is it?”

Ludwig opened the door and grabbed one of the men hurrying through the hallway to ask what was on everyone’s mind.

“My apologies, Your Highness. Princess Orania has...”

“She has what?” Mia didn’t feel good about this.

“She has escaped, along with the three children.”

“Huh?”

It was pure pandemonium.

Side Story: Empress Patricia’s Hobby

It is common knowledge that the Great Sage of the Empire Mia Luna Tearmoon was a woman of many hobbies. She was skilled at dancing and horsemanship, reading and playgoing, playwriting and songwriting, and scavenging and mushroom-hunting, and had outclassed all others in the long line of imperial family in this regard.

However, there was one woman of the imperial line who had been her polar opposite, a woman known for the fact she had no hobbies at all—Mia’s very own grandmother, Empress Patricia. She had been a woman of rare emotion who never laughed, shouted, nor cried. Given her disposition, it perhaps seems natural that she never had any hobbies of her own. While she sometimes took to reading, it was hard to consider it a hobby of hers, and the records left to history state she was a woman who partook in no amusements.

However, one of her vassals once said thus: “No, Her Imperial Majesty does have just one hobby.” Which was...

Once her lessons at Saint-Noel Academy had concluded for the day, Patty returned to her room to relax. Ever since her enrollment here, she had started to spend more time spacing out and doing nothing. Her lessons here were trifling, but while they weren’t as revolutionary as the knowledge imparted to her by the Serpents, they served no harm either. Instead, her education was motivated by the virtuous wish to impart to the children the knowledge they would need to carve a path for their futures once they had graduated from the academy.

To a girl who had once been educated by the Clausiuses, these lessons were a comforting time to rest. On the other hand, she couldn’t shake a certain thought. Is it really okay to spend so much time doing nothing?

A certain sense of foreboding had adhered itself to Patty’s heart—the unease of knowing that she may once again have to return to the harsh environment she had come from. Should that time come, could she truly bear it?

Now that she had begun to relax, she couldn’t help but ponder what would become of her should she return in her current state. Was it really okay to bask in the warmth and happiness of this world? That was a worry that often floated through her mind.

“What’s wrong, Patty?”

Patty suddenly opened her eyes to find Bel, who was peering into her face with a worried expression. Bel was the granddaughter of Patty’s own granddaughter, though Patty didn’t know what such a relationship was called, nor did she truly feel as if she were talking to someone born far past her time.

Thus, Patty spoke respectfully to Bel, just as if she were talking to someone older than herself. “It’s nothing, Miss Bel.” She took a moment to think. “I’m just having a bit of a hard time understanding something from my lessons.”

Patty purposefully gave an excuse she knew would drive away Bel. She wanted to be left alone to have some time to think. However...

“Oho! Then I see I have no other choice but to show you how studying is really done!” announced Bel, completely failing to read the room!

Patty’s eyes shot open in surprise. The worry that had overtaken her was blown away in an instant!

Patty knew that her descendant was no fan of studying. In fact, she loathed it, so much so she could only be ordered to study and would never choose to do so on her own. And even when she was ordered, she’d do all she could to escape it until she absolutely couldn’t any longer. She’d put up a valiant resistance, the same type you’d see from a dog who needed a bath. She just hated studying that much.

Therefore, she would never offer to help her review the SEEC program’s lesson or suggest they study together. That just shouldn’t have been possible. She would never choose to study in her free time! That’s just who Miabel Luna Tearmoon was!

“Hmm? You’re thinking something mean, aren’t you?” asked Bel, tilting her head.

“No, not at all, Miss Bel.” Bel had hit the nail on its head, so Patty included a “miss” for good measure.

Bel stared at Patty with downturned lips. “You really aren’t quite yourself. Let’s go play outside!”

“Huh?” What happened to studying?

Bel seemed to have read Patty’s mind. “I mean, this is what a lot of people do before a big test, right? They fire themselves up to do some studying by reading a book or going on an adventure with their friends to unexplored lands!”

“No, only the people who run out of time to study do that,” retorted Patty.

But Bel took Patty’s hand, lifted her to her feet, and flashed her a mischievous grin. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to do lately, and Rina’s busy today! So let’s go, Patty!”

“Where?” she asked, slightly worried.

Bel puffed out her chest. “To Noelige Lake! We’re going fishing!”

Before Patty could figure out what was happening, she had been dragged fishing with Bel. She watched as Bel excitedly picked up a bucket and fishing pole, all the while wondering how she had gotten here.

But then, a thought suddenly occurred to her. Maybe she realized I was anxious...

That’s right, the girl before Patty was the granddaughter of Patty’s own illustrious granddaughter, whose partner was Prince Abel. He seemed like an honest, intelligent man, and Bel had been the daughter of a daughter born between him and Mia.

Did she see right through me and drag me out to cheer me up? Patty couldn’t deny that possibility. Perhaps, she even had an additional motive as well. Bel might have seemed like an airhead who often made careless remarks, but perhaps there was actually some high-level, deep thinking going on in that head of hers. She might be hiding her abilities on purpose to lower the guards of those around her.

And just as that thought occurred to Patty, Bel addressed her as if she had noticed the other girl was observing her, though she kept her eyes trained ahead. “Let me guess... You’re wondering why I invited you fishing, aren’t you?”

Patty gazed at her in wonder. Bel was right on the money. Having been trained by the Serpents, Patty was skilled in psychological warfare. She could easily hide her emotions, yet Bel had easily read them. She was so shocked she was at a loss for words.

Bel glanced back at her. “Fishing is obviously a way to procure food, right?”

It was an obvious question, and Patty gave a silent nod as her answer.

Bel seemed satisfied with this. “You’ll eventually have to go back to your own time, and you’ll have to fight the Serpents all alone.”

“I...will.” Oddly, Bel had brought up the exact thing Patty had been worrying about. It surprised her, but she managed a nod.

“So basically, you’ll be going on an adventure all by yourself!”

“Oh, that’s right...” Patty was about to get swept up in the flow of the conversation and mindlessly agree with her, but she suddenly regained her composure and managed to voice a question. “Wait, is it?” An adventure, was it? Did that really describe her battle with the Serpents?

“If you’re going on an adventure alone, then you’ll have to find food by yourself and learn all sorts of skills! Eating is our most basic need, after all!”

“I guess so...” Bel’s words were so oddly forceful and convincing, Patty responded with a stiff nod. But it was true that, as part of her Serpent training, she might be left in the woods or mountains to fend for herself. If such a time came, she’d need to be able to procure her own food.

That makes perfect sense! Patty was quite impressed. She was perhaps a tad...easily swept away by things.

“And I want to learn how to fish too if I’m going to go on adventures in my future! Gra—Miss Mia has even taken an interest in fishing as a way to provide food too!”

Now that Patty’s sagacious granddaughter had been mentioned, Bel’s words only grew more convincing. Fishing skills might be important. They could get me through some hard times once I go back to the past, she thought, her head slightly spinning.

“Anyway, we’re here!”

They had come to the shore of Noelige Lake. Getting to this spot had required taking some game trails, and it seemed like a well-kept secret of a fishing spot hidden behind the brush.

Except the spot already had another visitor!

“Oh... Bel, Patty... What are you two doing here?” asked the girl, using the length of her entire, tall body to toss her line into the lake. She handled her fishing pole like a swordsman making a downward strike, and the line at the end flew far over the water before landing with a splash. Satisfied with these results, Orania Perla Ganudos smiled at the two girls.

“Greetings, Princess Orania,” said Bel, lifting the hem of her skirt into a curtsy. Patty followed suit.

Orania, on the other hand, seemed to have no intention of putting her fishing on pause and only turned her head to look at them. “Anyway...what brings you here?”

“We’re trying to become fishing masters!”

Orania jumped. “My, then you two must have come here to fish...”

“We have! Santeri said this was a great spot to do some fishing.” Bel had gotten her intel from none other than Santeri Bandler, Saint-Noel’s very own wrangler angler!

Patty was once again deeply impressed with Bel’s ability to gather knowledge. She had begun to think that her granddaughter’s granddaughter was a capable young woman.

“Oh, I see... Shall we fish together then?” Orania’s expression suddenly grew serious. “But this isn’t a game, okay...? There are rumors that the real King of Noelige Lake lives here...”

Patty wondered what the real King could possibly be, but she was mature enough to keep the question to herself and not point out how ridiculous this sounded.

“Wow, the real King! How exciting!” Bel was ready to jump right in!

Orania’s expression was still as serious as ever. “Obviously, the real King can’t be caught by just anybody... One wrong move and you might even die.”

“Right! I’ve heard that there are plenty of dangerous things in the sea myself. According to Gr—Miss Mia, she even defeated the colossal man-eating fish with her bare hands near a deserted island!”

“Wow...! Master Mia is really amazing...” remarked Orania, all the while pulling up her line, which had a fish hanging at the end. “Anyway, if you’re going to fish for the King, then know that you’ll be risking your life... Fishing is a worthy cause for that, after all...”

“I see,” Bel said with a nod, finding nothing wrong with her statement.

Is...it? Patty, on the other hand, wasn’t so satisfied.

Bel and Patty took up spots next to Orania and let out their lines into the water.

“The fish here are smart, so don’t just let your bait stay still... Move it around like this, and... Oh!” Mid-demonstration, Orania reeled in her line. There was a large, round fish on the end that had puffed itself into a ball. “I caught a bluffer fish... They’re slightly poisonous, so you have to be careful when you eat them...”

“Wow, so some fish are even poisonous!”

“Indeed. This one will only give you a stomachache, but it’s still better to be careful...” said Orania, casting out her line before immediately reeling it back in. “Oh, this one’s a Belluga bass... It’s hard to catch these...” she said, all the while catching them with no trouble at all.

Orania cheerfully reeled in one fish after the other, all the while humming to herself. But suddenly, she turned to Patty. The younger girl was staring at her line and perfectly still. Her brow was furrowed, and while she occasionally shook her line, there were no signs of any fish biting anytime soon.

“Tee hee...! You’ve got a long way to go, Patty!” remarked Orania, still humming and reeling in fish after fish.

Her teasing had irritated Patty. Indeed, she had been teased by an adult, which ignited her competitive spirit and worked her up. For such a child, her reaction...was perfectly normal! She pushed her lips together and began to yank on her pole.

“You have to be more gentle... It has to look like the bait is alive, okay? Tee hee hee! But maybe that’s too hard for you...” said Orania, lightly egging her on.

Patty fully focused on her pole, and eventually...

“Oh!” She began to feel a tug. It went left then right, and she naturally strengthened her grip. However...

“Don’t panic... Relax and make sure the line doesn’t break and the fish doesn’t run away. Here, take some deep breaths, and...” Orania directed her from behind. “Slowly... Slowly... It’s going to wear itself out, so just wait until it does...”

Patty nodded, her eyes directed straight at the rippling water. The fish tugged and tugged at the line, but she continued to slowly raise her pole until...

“Whoa!”

A large, fat fish appeared from the water!

“My, it’s a Belluga bass... It might even be bigger than the one I caught!” sang Orania as she grabbed the net.

Patty’s eyes flew open wide as she gazed at the beached fish. The Belluga bass was as long as one of her arms!

“Wow, Patty! You’re amazing! I couldn’t catch any at all!” said Bel, praising her. A feeling of pride began to swell in Patty’s chest...not that Bel cared that Patty had beaten her to the punch.

“Hmm... You haven’t caught a single fish yet, Bel. Don’t you think that means you’ve failed as Master Mia’s sister...?” taunted Orania.

Bel wore an awkward smile. “You’re right. I’m very disappointed in myself, but you’re really amazing, Princess Orania. How can I learn to fish like you?”

“Hmm... First, hold the fishing pole more like this...”

“Uh-huh, and then...”

While Bel was learning to fish for the sake of her adventures, Orania’s teasing didn’t get to her at all. Instead, it just lifted Orania’s spirits and inspired her to impart on Bel all the knowledge she needed, and Bel even managed to catch the tastiest fish among all Orania had ever caught! The two made plans to have the chefs prepare it for them and enjoy it together, and Patty watched in awe at her dazzling skills.

I only caught a single fish out of stubbornness, but Miss Bel’s amazing! She might have even more grit than me and Miss Mia...

Patty had started to look at Bel in a new light.

Anyway, after returning to her room from her joy-filled fishing trip, Patty was at a complete loss.

Just what...was I doing? She was supposed to be worrying over her predicament in her room, but she had somehow been swept into fishing, and she had a ton of fun!

Do I get swept up in things easily? Patty had realized the secret disposition she always had, leaving her aghast.

“Wasn’t today fun, Patty?” asked Bel, grinning from ear to ear. The sight of it had Patty putting all her worries behind her.

“It was... But I don’t think it would be good to do this right before a test,” advised Patty in a last-ditch effort to protect her honor.

That night, Mia got ready for bed and returned to find Patty asleep and curled up in a ball. “My, it’s rare to find Patty asleep at this time.” She peered into Patty’s face and tilted her head, “She seems...happy. Did something good happen?”

Patty was snoring softly, and there was a slight smile on her lips.

“We went fishing today! We ran into Princess Orania there, and...” Bel giggled. “It was so much fun!” she said, sitting on her bed and kicking her feet.

“My, did you? That’s good to hear,” said Mia, wearing a gentle grin as she petted Patty’s hair. “I want her time here to be filled with as much fun as possible,” she muttered.

In the history books, it’s recorded that Empress Patricia Luna Tearmoon was a woman of little emotional volatility. She never laughed, cried, or shouted, nor did she have any hobbies. Overall, she was a woman who lacked individuality.

Yet some of her closest vassals claimed otherwise. According to them, Empress Patricia was not a woman with no hobbies. She had just one—fishing. Whenever Her Majesty headed to lakes or seas or rivers on official business, she made sure to bring her fishing pole, and she spent as much time fishing as was allowed to her. Only then did her expression change to one that was soft and gentle, her eyes trained not on her pole or the fish, but somewhere far, far away...

There is no way of knowing what she saw in those times. Perhaps her eyes were trained toward Tearmoon’s future, and her thoughts filled with the descendants she would leave behind.

But the true subject of her thoughts is a secret that will remain for all of eternity.

Princess Mia’s Deep Sea(food) Diary

My sudden excursion to Ganudos means I couldn’t participate in the Holy Eve Festival, which some might interpret as a slight toward Belluga. I don’t think they will, but just in case, I’ve decided to bring some souvenirs back for Miss Rafina.

But she probably won’t want just anything, so I’ve decided to give her some rare delicacies! As such, I’m going to record my notes on all the great foods I’ve tried in Ganudos in my diary.

Etoile Monkfish

Today’s lunch was Etoile monkfish! It’s a fish that has a lamplight on its head, a big mouth, and a scary face. Eating it takes some courage!

Apparently, they’re tasty in stews, so I had it prepared as was recommended. The flesh is tender, and it just melts in your mouth, spreading its umami flavor over your tongue. It was truly excellent, and it matched perfectly with vegetables. I think it would taste especially delicious in the winter, and it was so amazing I didn’t even mind the bones!

☆x5

Galilea Crab

Today, I was served giant red spiders for dinner! Eating these took some courage, and since the shell is quite hard, it took some grit too. However, the meat inside was fantastic. Its flavor was light, yet differed from white fish, and there was depth to it as well. It was truly delicious! The only problem is that it doesn’t keep well, so I’ll have to introduce the dish to Miss Rafina once we get the chance to come here together.

☆x4 (Only because it was so hard to eat!)

Poya

Dinner tonight was poya, which looked quite strange. In fact, it was so creepy that eating it took some courage. At least, that’s what I had thought! Once prepared, they looked perfectly normal, and I’m quite certain Miss Rafina could eat it without a problem. Probably. I think.

Despite how odd it looks before it’s cooked, the flavor is excellent. Its aroma is strikingly salty, and its texture hard to describe. It truly is a delicacy that can only be had in Ganudos! They were excellent, and I’d love to give Miss Rafina some as a souvenir.

☆x5

I tried so many delicacies in Ganudos, but few seemed suitable as a souvenir for Miss Rafina. Still, that just means I’ll have to bring her here so she can try them herself! We’ve grown quite close, so I’m sure she’d happily come on a trip with me if I invited her.

But for that, I first need to solve the issue revolving around the Visalians. I’ve got my work cut out for me...

Afterword

Hello, this is Mochitsuki. I hope you all are doing well.

This might be coming out of left field, but I’ve recently picked up jogging to stay healthy. There’s a lake the perfect distance away from my house, so I’ve set it as my goal as I gradually increase the length of my jogs day by day. A round trip probably takes around an hour, and I’ve really enjoyed getting to see new sights as I run.

On the topic of marathons, Tearmoon Empire has reached its fifth year of publication. This volume features Ganudos Port Country, which made an appearance in volumes four and five. I didn’t think they would ever return here, myself! Mia is really running all over the place...to get away from Lil’ Guil, that is.

Mia: “Hmm... Now that I think about it, I didn’t get to enjoy all of Ganudos’s delicacies the last time I was here. I need to make sure I try all sorts of Ganudos cuisine this time!”

Bel: “Oh, Grandmother Mia! The seafood bowls are really tasty! You told me yourself when you brought me here one time!”

Mia: “When I brought you...? But I’ve never had them before.”

Bel: “You’ll probably get to try it while you’re here this time.”

Mia: “Maybe, but... If I try it because you recommended it to me, then doesn’t that create a loop?”

Tearmoon Empire is a story full of such time paradoxes...or something. Anyway, I hope you’ll continue to accompany me through Mia’s story.

Now for some words of thanks.

To Gilse, thank you so much for your beautiful illustrations. Isn’t it fun to see them dressed like pirates? I’d also like to thank my editor F and my family for their continuous support.

Finally, I’d like to extend my gratitude to everyone who has read this book. I truly hope you’ve enjoyed Mia’s adventures!