The Way Back Home

Some time after their parting.

In the drawing room of Count Pelgaroin's castle, Ashley stood at a window.

The garden had changed since spring. The bright flowers that once filled it with color were gone; only a few pale-crimson bindweed blossoms remained. Heat hung over the grounds, and under the heavy clouds even the finches had disappeared.

It had been a month since Theorad left.

When they had walked in that garden together, it had seemed so full of life.

“Miss.”

Ashley turned.

The head maid stood behind her with her hands folded, worry plain on her face.

“You've been looking out the window for an hour. Is something troubling you?”

Ashley shook her head and returned her gaze to the garden. Beneath her glossy blond hair, her blue eyes were somber.

“No. Everything that was troubling me has been taken care of.”

It was true, at least as far as her place in the family was concerned.

The spring Great Hunt had concluded successfully. Ashley had overseen the first half of the preparations, and the participating nobles had praised her work.

At the subsequent gathering of the family's potential successors, the faction supporting her as the next head of House Pelgaroin had edged ahead.

The groundwork was done. If Benelia succeeded in consolidating power after the coming war, Ashley believed she would have a path to the family title.

Her rival brother, Maldon, had all but abandoned the contest. He remained shut up in his room and scarcely showed his face.

Everything seemed to be progressing as planned.

But…

Even a smooth voyage could conceal reefs beneath the water.

Ashley wanted the Pelgaroin inheritance for Theorad's sake. If something happened to him, gaining the title would mean nothing.

And she had reason to fear for him.

News of the extraordinary magic he had demonstrated over the river had reached even this far into the Empire.

That must have been the elf's doing.

She did not know why the elf had chosen to make Theorad appear to be a magical genius. From Ashley's point of view, the decision raised far too many questions.

Fame makes enemies.

With war so close, envy and jealousy were inevitable. Someone might decide that Theorad's sudden renown made him a threat.

Ashley cut off the thought before it could grow darker.

For now she could do little. Until she held real authority over her house, all she could do was trust the elf to protect him.

The elf was powerful. Ashley had never doubted that.

Yet the reassurance did nothing to quiet the unease deep in her chest.

She pressed a hand to the windowpane.

“Lord Theorad…”

I want to see you.

Her words vanished into the empty room.

---

At the same time, the café near the university's Mage Tower was overflowing.

“Move aside!”

“Don't push ahead!”

“Stop shoving!”

The crowd filled the café and spilled out into the street. Most were female students, though a few young men had joined the line.

They all wanted one thing: Theorad's autograph.

He had rarely appeared outside the Mage Tower's Royal Suite, and today he was leaving the tower altogether. The students had seized their final chance to see him.

“Your name?”

“Karnan. Karnan Saina.”

Theorad sat at a table, dutifully signing the sheets passed to him.

The elf had advised him to maintain a cold, unapproachable demeanor. But on his last day here, turning these students away seemed needlessly cruel.

“Karnan Saina. Here you are.”

He returned the signed paper.

Karnan bowed, visibly delighted, before giving up her place to the next student.

The girl behind her stepped forward with an eager grin.

“What is this line supposed to be?”

The irritated voice carried over the chatter.

Theorad turned to see Princess Benelia approaching.

Her long, gray-black hair fell behind the formal uniform she wore despite the heat, and a sword hung at her side. She frowned at the crowd, made a curt gesture, and the students parted.

Before Theorad could offer a proper greeting, she sat in the chair opposite him and surveyed the room.

“What are you staring at? Theorad made an appointment with me, not with any of you.”

A few students muttered, but no one dared argue openly with an imperial princess.

The queue dissolved. Benelia watched the last of the autograph seekers retreat, clicked her tongue and straightened in her chair.

“Viscount Theorad.”

Her golden eyes narrowed.

“I told you to wait in the café. Why were you holding an autograph session?”

“My apologies. I thought I might occupy myself while waiting—”

“Enough. I don't need to hear how popular you are with young women.”

She raised a hand.

The café owner, who had been watching anxiously, rushed over and bowed.

“Y-Your Highness! What may I bring you?”

“Two cups of whatever sells best. Put plenty of sugar in one.”

“Of course. Right away!”

The owner hurried off, shouting instructions to the staff.

Theorad watched him go, then turned back to the princess.

“Your Highness, where are your guards? Have you come here alone?”

“I told them to wait outside. Marching armored men into a café would serve little purpose beyond decoration.”

“Outside? In this heat?”

Benelia tilted her head, genuinely puzzled by the objection.

“Why should the heat matter? Does an escort cease obeying orders because of the weather?”

“…No.”

He could hardly dispute that. Feeling awkward, he changed the subject.

“Then may I ask why you wished to see me? You must have more pressing demands on your time.”

“I wanted to see you. Is that so strange?”

Theorad gave a helpless smile. There seemed no graceful way to answer something so direct.

Fortunately, Benelia noticed his discomfort. She smiled at the sight of him beginning to sweat.

“That was only half a joke. I did want to see you once before you left the Mage Tower. But it isn't the reason I arranged this meeting.”

“Then what is?”

“Saintess Rastain has asked to meet you.”

Theorad blinked.

“The saintess? She asked to meet me?”

“Yes. Apparently there's something she wants to check with you. I don't know the details. The fact that she asked me to pass on the message suggests she's being cautious.”

Benelia settled back in her chair.

“She doesn't expect to meet today. Someone will contact you in the near future.”

Theorad was bewildered.

Could this be because the elf pretended to be a god?

Perhaps the saintess had misunderstood something.

He would have preferred to decline. But a saintess had sent her invitation through an imperial princess; refusing would be almost impossible.

“I am honored. I shall look forward to meeting her with due reverence.”

Benelia gave a faint, knowing nod.

“Thank you for waiting!”

The café owner arrived, carrying two coffees.

He placed the cup served with sugar cubes before Benelia and the plain coffee in front of Theorad.

“Please enjoy them!”

The owner bowed with exaggerated respect and quickly withdrew.

Benelia examined the dark surface of her coffee before lifting the cup.

“Do you like coffee?”

“I don't dislike it.”

“I do. Unlike alcohol, it helps clear the mind.”

With that much sugar, isn't it the sugar she likes?

Theorad thought better of saying so.

“It suits you.”

“That's a rather awkward compliment. Stop trying to flatter me. You needn't court my favor; I already regard you well enough.”

“I wasn't trying to flatter you. I simply thought it suited you.”

“Oh? And you expect that to please me?”

Despite her words, the corners of her mouth rose.

She sipped her coffee and glanced idly around the café. In one corner, a couple were talking so intently that they seemed unaware of the imperial princess nearby.

Benelia watched them for a moment.

“I've visited the Mage Tower quite often lately. Seeing the students enjoying their youth makes me think about things I usually wouldn't.”

“What sort of things?”

“What my life might have been if I hadn't been born into the imperial family.”

She set her cup gently onto its saucer.

“I would probably have studied here. I'm rather good at magic. And if you hadn't been born heir to a noble house, you might have come here too, instead of remaining in your territory to succeed your father.”

Theorad considered the possibility.

“That would have been an amusing life. We might have known each other as senior and junior students.”

“Oh?”

Benelia turned to face him. Interest softened the curve of her golden eyes.

She leaned nearer and lowered her voice so that only he could hear.

“Senior Theorad.”

His shoulders jolted.

Of all the things he had expected an imperial princess to say, that was not among them.

He stared at her, unable to reply.

Benelia laughed quietly, then leaned back with a mischievous smile.

“Look at you. I was only teasing.”

She raised her coffee again.

Theorad could only watch her in stunned silence.