Chapter 16
“Me too……”
I leaned deeper into the warm embrace. In truth, this was the embrace that had held me more often than Mother’s, who had always been busy guarding the border.
‘If only this person could stay by my side forever.’
But Marquis Matilda would escort me to the capital, complete all of Mother’s funeral rites, and once my residence was decided, she would return to the North.
Only then could everything Mother left behind be preserved intact until I came of age.
‘So I should enjoy it while I can.’
Just like when I had been even younger, I wriggled and adjusted myself, burying my head into her chest and rubbing my face against her. Through the chest my forehead pressed against, I could feel her soft laughter.
“……I want to become that too.”
As if speaking in my sleep, I let the words slip into her embrace.
A wish I hadn’t even known I carried seemed to awaken, something inside my heart growing clear.
“I’m Mom’s Asha.”
Which meant I didn’t want to be ordinary. Even now, I didn’t particularly enjoy pretending to match my actual age of three. Thinking about it, this wasn’t just simple defiance.
Because I was the clearest proof that Mother had once lived in this world.
And Mother had raised me as her successor. She wanted me to follow in her footsteps, to live as freely as she had, and someday to become someone even greater than herself.
‘So.’
I would live the most radiant and noble life possible.
For Mother—who had cut her own flesh and blood to give me life, shaped my bones, and then gave her life once more for my sake.
“……I’ll definitely do that.”
And so, until the day the name Rosalind Khaledro became eternal upon this earth.
“You will.”
“Mmm……”
Only then did I close my eyes peacefully and surrender my drowsy body to the oncoming tide of sleep.
The North and the capital were extremely far apart.
If one traveled by ordinary means at an ordinary pace, even two months would be barely enough. And with a child like me in the party, it would be even more difficult.
‘So how fortunate that magic exists.’
After racing across the wasteland for quite some time, we stopped at the location where the first teleportation magic circle was hidden. In effect, it was one of the Empire’s most important strategic bases.
Long ago, when magic belonged not to a select few but to everyone, traveling wherever one wished had not been particularly difficult.
Of course, teleportation had been high-level magic even then. But the predecessor of the Empire, the ancient Kingdom of Arcana—magically prosperous and abundant—had more than enough resources to install teleportation circles at major strategic points throughout the kingdom and open them for public use.
Even in an era when such absurd things were possible, teleportation had been high-level magic. Now, as magic withered away, it was even more so. At present, most could only teleport themselves or perhaps a handful of others, and even that required rare talent.
Fortunately, however, remnants of the ancient magical kingdom still remained in this land.
“I will open it.”
Ezekiel announced quietly and opened the carriage door. I was already seated inside, fully bundled and prepared to go out. ……Reflected in the window, I looked less like a person and more like a fluffy white ball.
‘This looks kind of ridiculous.’
Well, even if I looked ridiculous, I’d just look cuter.
I stepped down from the carriage with Ezekiel’s escort, and he extended his arms toward me.
“Now then, Princess.”
“Mmm.”
I was so bundled up that rather than moving toward him, I practically had to roll. From behind came suspicious groans—“Ahh…,” “M-my heart…”—but soon Charlene, Marquis Matilda’s younger sister, approached and blocked them from my ears.
“Now then, Princess.”
While she adjusted the slightly disheveled layers I’d disturbed from rolling, I darted my eyes around curiously. Finally, when Charlene stepped aside, the full view came into sight.
“……Wow.”
The place where the teleportation circle was installed—once called a station—looked like nothing more than a quiet pile of stones. At first glance, it resembled a ruined relic.
“I’ve never seen something like this!”
“Yes, Princess. It’s your first time. Amazing, isn’t it?”
“Yes!!”
I nodded so enthusiastically it almost made a buzzing sound, and soft groans and laughter broke out among the people around us.
‘But it really is amazing.’
When visiting Aunt Eugenie in Iblis, we used a smaller magic circle within the territory, much closer by. This was the first time—both for Beatrice and for Asha—that I had seen such a large ancient station.
“Waaah……”
Because the northern sun set early, the sky was already dyed a deep, dark blue edged with violet. Tonight there were no clouds, and the stars seemed so numerous they might spill down upon us. Beneath them lay the relics of a bygone age. Even without lighting any lamps, a faint glow illuminated everything around us. I couldn’t stop looking around.
“It’s really quiet.”
“There are no people here.”
“That’s what you said. I remember.”
On the way here, Marquis Matilda had explained: the remnants of the ancient Kingdom of Arcana still retained such powerful magic that demons and their corrupted offshoots could not even approach.
There was no need to guard it. The magic that remained still functioned, so it required no maintenance. Khaledro’s only great teleportation circle was deliberately placed in a remote area where even supply lines were difficult—Mother had personally ordered that no one reside here permanently.
Recalling that explanation as I eagerly looked around—
“The wind is rough.”
A low voice—both familiar and unfamiliar.
‘Ah, right. It’s not just us here.’
Turning my head, I saw Ezekiel had dismounted and was walking toward us.
“So lower your head, lest it be dangerous.”
“……I heard this place is safe.”
“That doesn’t mean we can be careless.”
He wasn’t wrong. But I didn’t feel like obediently agreeing.
“There are this many people here? If even I’m in danger, wouldn’t that mean the situation is hopeless anyway?”
“…….”
“And if that happens, I’ll regret not seeing everything I wanted before I die.”
“Her Highness the Princess is remarkably wise.”
Marquis Matilda lifted me into her arms and spoke proudly.
“Even when she was younger than this, conversing with elders was hardly any different.”
“So allowing her to talk back as she pleases—is that also part of Khaledro’s educational philosophy, alongside that self-defense of hers?”
“Rather than philosophy… she’s adorable, isn’t she? Right, Your Highness?”
At Matilda’s words, I grinned and played along.
“That’s right. Mom said the problem is that I’m too cute.”
“That’s true. And our Princess is especially generous toward those she gives her heart to. Toward ‘those people,’ she becomes particularly adorable.”
“My sister’s right. That’s why we’re all still trying so hard to win the Princess’s heart. We speak gently and always express our affection.”
“Of course. If someone is precious, you treat them gently. That way they can feel at ease. Isn’t that right, Your Highness?”
“Mmm.”
I wasn’t oblivious. I understood that this affectionate exchange between the sisters wasn’t simply praising me—it was, in effect, verbally beating Ezekiel without laying a hand on him.
