TL/ED – Miso

The Capital was noisy from broad daylight.

Countless crowds surged like waves, heading somewhere, and we held hands so as not to get separated, exchanging puzzled looks at each other.

“What is all this?”

“I’m not sure either…”

Elysia, bewildered, seemed to have only heard that something was going on, without knowing what exactly was happening at this plaza.

Of course, I had Current Sense. Even at this very moment, I could hear the voices of people around me, so I quickly figured out what all these bustling people and the cordoned-off main road were for.

[Seriously, why are they holding a knighting ceremony on this scale?]

[I heard a ton of knights died this time around. They can’t send Attendants to the front lines, so they’re just handing out empty titles instead.]

[Is that why they’re making it this big? So everyone knows?]

[How did the Empire end up like this…]

Some of the opinions were mixed in from drunkards planted in taverns, but since most of the conversations mentioned knights and whatnot, the part about a knighting ceremony being held at least seemed true.

I had no idea there was an event like this. I asked Elysia, who was pattering along beside me.

“They say there’s a knighting ceremony. Did you know about it?”

“Ah, so that’s what it is? They’re holding it earlier than I expected.”

Before I could stop her, Elysia pulled a hood over her head and made her way toward the cordoned-off main road where people were gathering.

After barely managing to follow Elysia through the crowd that had come to watch, we arrived at a secluded spot, and cheers erupted from beside us.

“Oh, ohhh…!”

“It’s the knight orders!”

Walking down the wide main road were magnificent warhorses, and atop them, waving their hands while clad in Armor polished to a gleaming shine as if rubbed with fragrant oils, were- knights anyone would recognize.

Even for those living in the Capital, it seemed direct encounters with knights were not all that common, as citizens went wild with excitement every time one of them waved.

The procession of knight orders seemed endless. Enough to leave no one who saw it doubting the Empire’s strength and prosperity.

Elysia rested her chin on her hand as if bored and muttered.

“That’s strange. Usually only a few knight orders come out and that’s it…”

Perhaps they were conscious of public opinion.

This was probably the time when the Empire was most shaken since Sharmia’s appointment, so it might have been a means to show everyone that it was still strong.

While I was lost in such uninteresting thoughts, the final knight order appeared.

“…Hmm. I’ve never seen them before.”

“…?”

They were- not riding horses.

Most of their Armor was small and unimpressive. A few wore similarly thick full plate, but they seemed to have no intention of polishing it.

And they were the only ones gripping the hilts of their swords.

Ready to draw at any moment.

Naturally, with nothing but wariness and irritation etched on their faces, they did not wave to the citizens.

But-

“Wahhh…!”

“Th-those are the ones who…”

They were also the ones getting the biggest reaction.

“Wax Wings…!”

“…Ugh.”

I scowled deeply.

Because the Insignia I was wearing as a necklace was connected to them.

‘So those are supposed to be my subordinates or something?’

I fingered the Insignia tucked inside my clothes, recalling what I had been told.

Wax Wings, the mark of the Vice Knight Commander, or so it was called. Whether they would actually regard me as their superior, I had no idea.

Honestly, I hoped they wouldn’t. Setting aside their strength, they were so overflowing with killing intent, rage, and hatred that calling them a band of murderers wouldn’t have been far off.

The fact that they were receiving the loudest cheers was rather ironic.

…It must have meant the Empire’s citizens’ fury toward the Crimson Circle had reached its peak.

“Wow! Jern! Look, look, they’re coming!”

“What?”

After the Wax Wings, who had decorated the finale of the march, passed by with grim expressions, Elysia’s eyes lit up again.

What else was coming now? A secret group of assassin knights who had been training in hiding?

No. It was a band of cute monkeys dressed in red uniforms, marching while beating drums.

-Caw! Caw!

“Oh no, oh no, oh no…! They’re so cute!! Ah, that one’s the kid who was drumming last time! It came out again!”

“…”

Apparently, Elysia had zero interest in the knights.

***

Given her level of disinterest in knights, I naturally assumed she would have no interest in the ceremony either.

“Then let’s head ba…”

“What? No way!”

“Why?”

“If it’s a knighting ceremony, there’s an after-party show once it’s over! That’s where an elephant does a handstand with its trunk!”

…I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious.

Unfortunately, however, only those who had received prior invitations could attend the ceremony, and by the time we arrived at the hall at the far end of the plaza where the ceremony and show were being held, everyone who was getting in had already gone inside.

“Is there any way we could get in? This child is Alletu…”

“I’m sorry. Unauthorized personnel are not permitted.”

The guard shook his head sternly even after seeing Elysia’s face.

Over a mere knighting ceremony… was there something more to it?

Of course, with just a quick glance, I could find several paths to sneak in. When I signaled Elysia, she quickly nodded and stepped back.

“Alright. Nothing we can do about it, I suppose.”

“I appreciate your understan…”

“…Wait.”

Just as we were about to walk away from the entrance.

A voice cold enough to send chills down my spine stopped us in our tracks.

What the, I thought, and turned around to see- a group in black armor, exuding a somber aura, with their hands positioned at their waists ready to draw their blades at any moment, slowly approaching and surrounding us.

The slender young man who appeared to hold the highest rank among the group briefly looked down at me and Elysia, studying us, then cast his gaze at the guard and asked.

“Who are these people?”

“Pardon? Ah, yes. They appear to be children of noble families, but they weren’t on the authorized list, so I was in the process of turning them away.”

“Then you should have called us first.”

The knight who said that shot me a sidelong glare. Despite my being in a child’s body, the hostility was unmistakable.

Naturally, they were members of the Wax Wings.

“Pardon? But…they’re still young…”

“Young or not isn’t what matters. You are aware of who is inside, aren’t you?”

“Ah, yes, I am.”

“Don’t try to make judgments on your own. Remember that our enemies can be young or old.”

While the flustered guard was getting grilled by the Wax Wings, I lightly used Water Pressure to create an opening. Getting tangled up with annoying people like these was the last thing I wanted.

“Wait, you, where do you think you’re…”

The Wax Wings members instantly placed their hands on their hilts as if ready to fight, assuming a defensive stance, but then their eyes suddenly fell on my chest.

The chest where the Insignia hung. As if spellbound, they stared at the Insignia, all that earlier commanding presence gone, then swallowed hard and asked.

“C-could you be… Vice Captain Jern Aspandal?”

“I didn’t exactly ask for the position.”

“P-please, speak comfortably with us.”

“No, I’m younger than you…”

“No. We are the younger ones.”

-Thud, thud, thud!

The three Wax Wings members immediately dropped to one knee, offering me the highest respect a knight could show.

And that wasn’t all. The hostility that had been directed at me was nowhere to be found; in its place was something closer to reverence, or perhaps awe.

It was actually harder to deal with than malice. Careful not to let my expression twist, I cautiously asked.

“Um, why are you going this far for me? I’m just a parachute appointment, aren’t I?” [TL: “parachute” refers to someone given a position through connections rather than merit]

“Ha ha ha! You jest well.”

“If Vice Captain Jern were a parachute appointment, then the Wax Wings would be a knight order not worth existing.”

What was this about?

Since Sharmia had forced the Vice Captain position on me, I had assumed it was just a nice-looking empty title and hadn’t planned on getting too involved with the Wax Wings. I could only tilt my head in confusion.

“I haven’t done anything in the Wax Wings, though?”

“You may not be aware, Vice Captain. There is only one reason the Wax Wings exist. The annihilation of the Crimson Circle.”

They gritted their teeth, the hatred gleaming in their eyes shining once more.

“Because of that, our ranks consist solely of those who lost friends, family, or lovers to the Crimson Circle before joining, or those who lost them after.”

“You could call it a gathering of avengers. That’s why there is only one way to distinguish rank within our order. Results.”

A female knight with somber eyes blinked, then continued.

“In that regard, Vice Captain, you have produced results… no, achievements that no other member of the order could even hope to approach. How many times have you taken down Upper Tier members, and you continue to operate on the front lines against the Crimson Circle even now. In fact, we couldn’t accept anyone other than you holding the position of Vice Captain.”

“Is that so? What about the fact that I’m a Fallen?”

When I folded my arms and asked mischievously, she replied with a faint expression.

“What we hate is the Crimson Circle, not the Fallen. That is why we learn of information regarding the Crimson Circle even before Princess Sharmia does.”

“So there’s no way we wouldn’t know. We are fully aware of how much you have done behind the scenes. To be honest, we respect you, Jern, even more than our Commander.”

“I always knew we would meet you someday, but to think we would have the honor of seeing you in person like this. Even a dull escort mission has its perks.”

“…”

The three of them, chattering excitedly as if they had met their favorite celebrity, looked less like the bloodless, tearless Wax Wings who had been marching earlier and more like obsessive fans.

They didn’t seem dangerous. Thinking that Sharmia hadn’t shoved me into the Vice Captain position without any thought- I let out a sigh.

“I appreciate the kind sentiment. Would it be alright if we went inside?”

“Of course. We will personally arrange seats for you. Idrin!”

“Yes.”

The knights hurried inside and leaned in to whisper something into the ears of the nobles seated in the best spots.

The nobles went pale and scrambled out in a hurry. I checked with Current Sense what had been said, but it seemed better to forget, so I did.

“Vice Captain. Should you ever need our help, please do not hesitate to call on us. Of course, we are aware that you prefer to operate alone, but…”

“R-right. I will.”

“We will keep today’s encounter strictly confidential. Even from the rest of our order…”

The Wax Wings knights saw me off with smiling faces until the very end.

Only when they had completely disappeared from sight did Elysia, who had been quietly standing by the whole time, look at me in amazement.

“…Jern, you really are incredible! The whole knight order couldn’t do a thing!”

“Sorry you had to see something weird.”

“It’s fine! I’m actually glad we got to kill time!”

The hall we entered was dim.

It wasn’t as though the Empire had fallen so far it couldn’t afford to light the place, so it must have been intentional staging. Since the people inside the hall weren’t making a sound either, Elysia and I quietly moved to sit in the seats the Wax Wings had prepared for us.

“Looks like it’s about to start.”

“How long does an Investiture Ceremony take?”

“Hmm? Even if it’s slow, it shouldn’t take more than an hour. It’s just the start that’s slow. Ugh…”

Elysia, whispering with a pained expression, suddenly looked startled.

“Oh right, Jern. We have a problem!”

“What is it?”

“I’m thirsty…!”

“…”

“Can’t you take out some Deep Sea Water?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Wait here.”

“Thanks, love you!”

I had spent more time with Elysia than expected. If I brought her water because she was thirsty, she would soon whine that she was hungry, and once she ate, she would whine that she wanted dessert.

So, to find fruit that could solve all of those problems at once, I headed to the buffet section near the hall where preparations were underway for after the ceremony, and grabbed some grapes, apples, and so on.

Wondering if they might also have plums, which Elysia liked, I swept Current Sense around and…

“…Huh?”

A familiar face appeared in my Current Sense.

It was a face I hadn’t seen in quite a while. She was even alone in this buffet area, which, given her status, was extremely unusual.

I cautiously approached and spoke to her.

“Ahem, Princess Lumia, Your Highness?”

“…?”

Inside an antique dress embroidered with gold thread was a cute girl who looked barely a year older than me.

The Empire’s second Princess. Lumia.

She looked at me. Our eyes met, and I ended up in a staring contest with her blank expression for about three seconds.

…What was wrong with her?

‘Oh no!’

Only then did I realize my mistake.

Lumia had feared me ever since her overwhelming defeat in battle. If the very source of her trauma suddenly appeared, she might burst into tears.

I was too afraid to even imagine what the punishment for making a Princess cry at an Investiture Ceremony might be. Just as I was desperately thinking of a way to survive, Lumia threw me a lifeline.

“Ah, yes. It’s you.”

A gentle smile. A composed face. An expression brimming with confidence, without a shred of fear.

I had no choice but to admit I had underestimated Lumia too much. She shared the same blood as Sharmia; how childish of me to think she would still be afraid of me just because she lost one battle.

Feeling my cheeks flush slightly, I offered a proper, deep bow.

“I apologize for addressing you so suddenly, Your Highness. I couldn’t help myself.”

“It’s nothing. I’m not the kind to be startled by a mere greeting. However, I would appreciate it if you kept my presence here a secret.”

“Of course. But may I ask why you are here…?”

“Ahem. Embarrassingly, I was so nervous that I hadn’t eaten anything since yesterday. Just before the ceremony was about to begin, I was suddenly struck by hunger. Quite shameful, really.”

Lumia said this with an embarrassed little cough. I understood the implication behind her words and nodded.

“Ah, so you’re the one presiding over this Investiture Ceremony, Princess Lumia?”

“That’s right. My sister is quite busy. As you well know.”

As Lumia said this, only gentle emotion filled her eyes.

In the past, she used to explode with inferiority complex and go on a rampage whenever her sister was mentioned, but time truly had a way of changing people.

“Do you not… resent her?”

“Heh heh… There was a time I did.”

Lumia smiled lightly and brushed her hair back.

“That’s all in the past, from my immature days. My sister does her best in her role, and I do my best in mine. That’s all there is to it. The scale doesn’t matter. The moment you get hung up on it and covet what belongs to others, that’s when you start walking the path of ruin.”

“…Your insight is truly profound, Your Highness.”

She had matured to a remarkable degree.

No, was it even possible for a person to change this drastically all of a sudden?

Lumia, seemingly unused to compliments, cleared her throat, then glanced at a nearby clock and warned me with a startled look.

“Oh dear. My Guardian Knight will be returning soon. If I’m caught with you, it could cause trouble, so go on ahead.”

“Ah, yes. Understood.”

As I was about to leave, I noticed that the paring knife Lumia was using to peel her apple was the dagger I had given her as a gift.

To be precise, Alletus had given it to me, and I had gifted it to Lumia to cheer her up, but- seeing her actually using it put me in a good mood.

Looking at her hand, I offered one last farewell.

“Then I wish you good health, Your Highness. Ah, though it may be a humble thing, I’m glad to see you using my gift. It seems it was to your liking.”

“…”

Lumia glanced down at her right hand, then…

“Humble, you say. Don’t speak of it that way.”

She answered with words that held nothing strange about them at all.

An ordinary exchange. But within it- I felt a chill run down my spine, a sense of wrongness that froze me to the bone.

I turned my head ever so slightly to look at her.

“Hm?”

A serene smile. A somewhat cute appearance, and hair redder than blood.

It was the Lumia I remembered. Even Current Sense insisted that she was the same person from before, that I was sorely mistaken right now.

She was certainly not Lump. And there was no way anyone else could mimic a person in a way that even Lump couldn’t.

“Ha ha, nothing is quite as humble as a plain gold ring without any decoration. Seeing that you still wear such a thing, it pains my heart.”

And yet, my mouth spun a lie.

“…”

Lumia did not call it out.

Just like that, one second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

“…Knowing that you gave it with all your heart, how could I take it off? That sentiment alone is enough to warm me.”

Watching her pull her left hand, the one wearing the ring, close to herself as if it were something precious, without sparing a single glance at the dagger on the table, I realized it.

-That something had gone terribly wrong.