Chapter 79: Like a Shooting Star
“This is quite an impressive crater, isn’t it?”
With an air of detachment, as if she had come from afar as a tourist, Princess Marietta let out her impression upon seeing it.
Where there had once been an overgrown ruin, there was now a gaping, circular large hole. The part had been cleanly scooped out, leaving a bowl-shaped depression.
Its width was probably about the same as the grounds of our castle.
Fortunately, the Land God was positioned just barely outside the massive crater, slowly purifying this region of Garland.
“With such an impressive crater, couldn’t it become a new tourist attraction and make some money?”
“Don’t even joke about that.”
I’ve never heard of a princess talking about making money in someone else’s country.
Not that I’m really proper royalty myself, so I can’t say much either.
“But it’s fortunate that aside from this huge crater, there was no major damage. The Land God is also safe.”
As Charl said, aside from this crater, there was no noticeable damage. The Land God that we painstakingly purified was unharmed. The situation wasn’t great, but it wasn’t the worst either.
“…Wait. There’s someone at the bottom of the crater.”
At Noel’s words, I instantly raised my guard, ready to respond at any moment.
An enemy? Lucille? Loretta? The Helmeted Girl? Or could it be…Makina has returned?
With slight tension, wariness, and a glimmer of anticipation, I looked towards the bottom of the crater.
There were two figures. One appeared to be a child. A slender female physique…
“…Wait, isn’t that Nenel?”
That small back. Those slightly disheveled chestnut brown tresses reminiscent of a pale puppy’s fur.
There was no mistaking it. The girl who had lost her family to the Land God, fell into the path of vengeance using the Chaos Ring, but ultimately chose to look towards the future.
“Well, it is indeed Nenel. And the one beside her is…Elinne.”
Beside Nenel, who was crouched examining the ground at the crater’s bottom, was an elf woman dressed in attire from the far eastern culture, donning traditional robes. The “Legendary goldsmith” renowned for her skill in crafting magic rings – Elinne.
“Do you know them?”
“Yeah. It’s okay, Princess Marietta. Those two aren’t enemies.”
Realizing they were familiar faces and not enemies, we carefully but swiftly descended into the crater.
“What are you two doing here?”
“Nothing much. I’m just accompanying her. This is a rather ominous place for a child’s playground.”
So…Nenel had tried to come here alone, and Elinne was just accompanying her, huh?
“It’s not playing. It’s an investigation.”
“Investigation?”
“…If I search, I might find something that could help Alfred.”
Nenel had once become the “Child of Six Emotions” after being consumed by her desire for vengeance and granted power by the “Night Witch.” With the Land God’s help, the miasma’s power had since been purified from her, but perhaps she still felt some responsibility.
“My, what a proactive and capable assistant Alfred has.”
“I don’t recall ever having such a brat as an assistant.”
“If I’m a brat, then you’re a perverted prince.”
“Huh? What do she mean by that, Alfred?”
“Hahaha, who knows? I have absolutely no idea what kids are saying these days.”
As usual, she shows that ruthless candor unique to children.
But that merciless little weapon is only allowed for now. Once you grow up a bit more and enter school, you’ll quickly become an outcast. (I was one.)
“Do you know anything about this, Princess Charlotte?”
“Umm…well…”
Charl glanced at me with a troubled expression, but I couldn’t help but look away.
Please, I know I have no right to ask, but could you do something?
“…Ah, Alfred is also a boy, so…right?”
“Well, I suppose that’s one way to put it.”
What? What interpretation was that?
I wanted to ask, but felt like digging further might just unearth another bomb, so I kept my mouth shut.
“…So who’s that little girl over there?”
“My apologies for the late introduction. I am Marietta. Marietta Noll Ivelpe, the Second Princess of the Ivelpe Kingdom. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Princess Marietta elegantly curtsied with flowing motions.
Her actions were perfection itself, hardly seeming like the ruthless gambler she truly was. If one didn’t know better, she could easily be called the “Snow Fairy.”
“…Elinne.”
“Oh! Are you the renowned Elinne, the Legendary goldsmith? Even in Ivelpe, your name is famous. It’s an honor to meet you.”
“Ivelpe…Ah, where the Lilimbel household serves, correct? It’s been a while.”
“The goldsmith. You know of the Lilimbel family?”
“…Well, I did receive some help from them when I was starting out. The Lilimbels taught me swordsmanship. Thanks to them, travel became much easier.”
Now that it’s mentioned, Elinne did wield a sword…or rather, a blade, when she fought the Forbidden Magic Ring user Deophil, the “Ring Breaker.”
She had lost despite her efforts, but I see. So the Lilimbel household had taught her swordsmanship and combat techniques in the past.
“That family is rather unique among engravers. They are artisans, yet also warriors – engraving their experiences as fighters into their craft. When it comes to forging ‘rings for battle,’ they produce exceptionally high-quality pieces…But you people from the Ivelpe royal family would know that well.”
“…Yeah. My fiancée was from the Lilimbel family, after all. Though she’s no longer in this world.”
Noel’s fiancée – Liatris Lilimbel.
She is said to have been killed by the Helmeted Girl, the mysterious swordsman who manipulates miasma along with the Ragments and the Children of Six Emotions like Lucille.
That became the trigger for Noel’s intense hatred towards the Ragments, leading him to fight recklessly without regard for others or even himself. However, the battle to purify the Land God made him change his approach, and now he seeks proper vengeance.
“…Tch. It’s sickening. A good-for-nothing like me shamefully clings to life, while good people are gone in an instant.”
“…”
Nenel, who had also lost her goldsmith father to miasma, lowered her head with a dark expression, likely sharing those feelings.
Perhaps Nenel came here to investigate, hoping to get back at those who possessed the miasma that became the catalyst for her parents’ deaths, as well as the Land God’s involvement.
“…Which is why we must not stop moving forward.”
It was then, as a gloomy silence threatened to swallow the scene, that the first to raise her head and look straight ahead spoke those words –
Charl.
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“Nenel’s parents and Lady Liatris…They would have wanted you both to keep moving towards the future…Isn’t that right, Alfred?”
“…Yeah. I’m sure that’s what they’d want. All we can do is keep pressing on. Do what we can right now.”
As I nodded, Charl gave me a gentle smile.
…I can never quite match her ability to always say the right words so straightforwardly, no matter the situation.
It was the same when Elinne had closed herself off. Charl always shines so brightly. She possesses so many qualities I lack, her radiance like the sun itself…
“–No. I’m afraid I must ask you all to stop here.”
A chillingly cold voice filled the crater.
In an instant, accompanied by the sound of cutting wind, an iron collar attached to chains came hurtling forth.
“–! Nenel!”
Reaching out towards the approaching shadow, I grabbed the chains before their restraint could reach her.
“A magic-sealing collar for apprehending criminals…!”
Something like this could only be wielded by a kingdom knight, magic knight, or someone associated with the Institute of Magical Technology. It’s not something just lying around or usable by ordinary people.
“Well now. Why do you insist on interfering, Lord Alfred?”
The one who cast the restraining collar stood looking down at us from the crater’s edge.
Those cold, piercing eyes behind glasses. That slender, wiry physique. That aura of intellect and ruthlessness was familiar.
“Alfred, that person is…”
“…Yeah. No doubt about it.”
“You both know who that is?”
Charl nodded quietly at Princess Marietta’s words.
“Clifford Deurell, the eldest son of the Deurell Duke family. His father is the chancellor of this country…The Leuville Kingdom.”
“The chancellor’s son? Then why is he baring his fangs at us?”
“The term ‘us’ is inaccurate. Prince Noel Noll Ivelpe. More precisely, the dangerous individual called Nenel there.”
Nenel flinched at being identified by name.
“The chancellor’s son. Let’s have him withdraw these ominous chains immediately.”
“I’m afraid that’s difficult. Ah, could it be you’re a pedophile?”
“…I do indeed love children.”
“Oh brother…”
Princess Marietta seemed somewhat surprised by the response.
In the meantime, the chained collar unraveled on its own and returned to Clifford’s hand.
“Well, I suppose it can’t be helped…We had no intention of worsening relations with an allied nation, after all.”
“…Thank you.”
“Oh no, there’s no need for thanks. For you see, I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you all with one little thing. Please allow me to apologize in advance.”
“What? What do you mean?”
I had an inkling of what Clifford intended to say.
And as if to make that ominous premonition a reality—
“…A shooting star?”
Charl was the first to notice it, aside from me. Following her gaze, the others also looked up towards the sky.
Something was streaking through the blue, tearing its way down towards us.
“Watch out…Charl, everyone! Get down!”
Seconds after my warning—the earth thundered, a deafening roar like a howl accompanying a massive tremor that shook the ground.
It was as if an enormous bomb had detonated, the impact sending countless cracks spreading through the land.
“Wh-What is this!?”
“…You’ll see if you look.”
As I ushered everyone out of the crater, we all froze in stunned silence—
“………… What the hell is this?”
except Elinne, who managed to voice her bewilderment.
What our eyes beheld amidst the billowing dust
and the heady scent of destruction was a crater of the same immense size as the previous one, precisely carved into the earth—by a single fist.
“No way…Did he really make a crater this huge with just his fist?”
Noel’s shock was understandable. At the bottom of the newly formed crater stood a lone man.
“Well, I did ask him to make a low-key entrance, you know.”
“Hahaha! My bad! Seeing that nice big hole just got me too fired up! I couldn’t resist opening up a hole of my own!”
His platinum blond hair stood wildly on end, and his chiseled, muscular physique exuded an overwhelming presence.
“You’ve returned…Brother Robe.”
Robert Berg Leuville.
The Second Prince of the Leuville Kingdom, and my second elder brother.
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