340 - The Divine King Festival, AKA the Lost Child Event
When they called that the preparations were ready, I moved to the living room. The three of us lined up and pressed our handprints onto the thin layer of ash spread over the hearth. The precocious Elke seemed embarrassed, feeling she was past the age for putting handprints on the hearth, but as for me, it has been decided as an annual tradition until I come of age. I might even be made to continue it after adulthood.
Well, when you have been carried off by spirits twice, you know?
I do not know how effective it is, but as guardians, they probably do not want to miss even a superstitious consolation. At the very least, when I was first taken by a spirit, I returned to the hearth. Even if it was the one at the distant Mandez residence.
"Christina, please do join us this year."
"I said the same thing last year, but my friends who came from Grenore also cannot spend time with their families, so I would like to spend this year with them as well."
When I said, "Please enjoy the Divine King Festival with just family," Felicia graciously backed down, for which I was grateful. People who change their approach and wording like that are a bit troublesome, and I am not good at dealing with them.
"...What about Alf? I know it is odd for me to say as his sister, but I recommend him."
I think the gist is, "If you become family, the problem is solved." It is true that becoming family would remove one reason to hesitate, but becoming the bride of Felicia's younger brother comes with its own set of different problems.
"I do not want to be in a position with such heavy responsibility as a prince's bride."
"Christina has good sense, which makes her hard to win over. Normally, becoming a prince's partner is something people would want even if they cannot have it..."
Felicia shrugged, saying that although the King Father, who would normally object, along with the princess sisters and prince brothers, all welcome it, Tina herself will not agree. As far as I am concerned, I think only princesses with flower gardens in their heads would be happy to be told "Come be a prince's bride." Whether it is a prince who will inherit the throne or not, a prince is a prince, with responsibilities and duties. Becoming their partner would naturally mean bearing heavy responsibilities, and without solid resolve, one should not stand by their side. And as for me, who proudly proclaims my preference for being a shut-in, I have no such resolve to stand beside a prince.
"Alf, you must come this year too. Last year you only showed your face and left right away, did you not?"
"No, I will be spending this year with Christina at the detached palace as well. I would be uneasy leaving the children alone."
As Alf gently pushed back against Felicia by putting his adult responsibilities forward, I tried to gauge the real situation behind it. As Alfred, he had said last year that he was avoiding his mother's pressure to "get married soon," but the one inside is Alf. Perhaps he is avoiding Alfred's family gatherings, worried that his mother might see through his true identity.
"If that is the case, I will station myself at the detached palace."
"We did not call for you, Vard-san."
"Please go hide in the detached palace, Vard-san."
"Oh my, you are actually being useful for once, Mr. Ran-whatever."
As Rannvald, who had not been called but showed up guided by Ulrika, we each expressed three different reactions. Mine and Alf's were unwelcoming, while Felicia was unusually welcoming to Rannvald. It was a bit surprising, since Felicia had not seemed welcoming of Rannvald ever since he had been holed up in the annex.
"Are you all not being a bit cold to me? Feli, do not smile only at times like this. You are too beautiful, it is scary."
"Oh my, if my smile looks scary to you, could it be that you have a guilty conscience about something?"
Felicia's smile was genuinely beautiful as she said this with a soft laugh, but even to me, it seemed almost too beautiful and unsettling. In any case, it was a very powerful smile.
"Well, anyway, I will stay at the detached palace, so you should come to the family gathering too. It is only about once a year, tonight, that the royalty all gather."
Though Felicia was glaring at Rannvald, since his argument was essentially the same as hers, she could not drive him away or interrupt. She probably also was aware that when she tried to persuade her younger brother Alfred, he would slip away evasively.
"...We will be fine looking after the place alone, but is that really alright for you, Vard-san? Your family is gathering, is it not?"
"I cannot exactly show my face now, and besides, tonight's gathering is for my brother... His Majesty the King's family. It would be strange for me to show up, would it not?"
Rannvald insisted he could handle babysitting and urged Alf to go, and Alf reluctantly complied. In terms of not being a child of Christoph's family, Rannvald and Alf were in the same position. Alf probably felt hesitant about attending the dinner.
"We have received 'Itsurateru's Four Blessings' from His Majesty King Christoph again this year."
Saying this, Rebecca brought and showed us what looked, like last year, like an egg tart at first glance. It was actually a cheesecake. Rare cheesecake still was not to be seen, but when I asked Kalisa about it, she said she would contact Salisa about it and have her come up with a recipe. Come to think of it, the triplet sisters each had areas of expertise. Kalisa was good with calculations, and Salisa was skilled at cooking.
Like last year, I had Solana cut the cake, and we held a board game tournament to decide the order for choosing from the uneven cake slices. A cat-headed boy was peeking in from the window, pressing against the glass, so I looked up thinking I might invite him to play for once, but the moment our eyes met, he ran away. Just what is that cat-headed boy trying to do?
"...Were you in Grenore city before?"
"Yes, I was."
While flipping Reversi pieces, I made small talk with my opponent Rannvald. Today's topic was, for some reason, about Grenore city. Or rather, perhaps it was about how I came to leave Grenore city.
"So that means the 'Spirit's Favored Child' who recently appeared in Grenore..."
"If your 'recently,' Vard-san, means within the last few years, then yes, that would be me."
Since I have been in the capital for over a year and a half, unless a new Spirit's Favored Child was found during that time, the one who "recently appeared" would be me.
"...Do you have business with the Spirit's Favored Child, Vard-san?"
"No, I just heard you were from Grenore, so I asked. I stopped by Grenore myself a little before coming back to the capital."
"So that would be information from about a year ago."
Since Rannvald appeared on the night of last year's Divine King Festival, roughly speaking, his information would be about a year old. As I thought, the 'Spirit's Favored Child' Rannvald mentioned was probably me.
"Did you live shut up in a residence like this every day in Grenore too? It is unhealthy. Act like a kid and go play outside."
"I think I went outside fairly often. I walked to the Menhishumi Church too."
"...Walked? Was not that where your tutor taught? You have a tutor, do you not?"
Rannvald sounded slightly surprised. I could not tell if he was surprised that I, living a young lady's life, walked there, or that I attended the Menhishumi Church, but I felt a small sense of satisfaction at having surprised him.
"Hermine-sensei is my teacher for ladylike education. I attended Menhishumi Church because Leonyaldo Big Brother-sama wanted me to make friends my own age."
I introduced Elke and Petrona as the friends I gained from attending Menhishumi Church. Like last year, the two of them were on holiday today, treated as guests at the detached palace.
"You could have attended Menhishumi Church from age seven, could you not...?"
"I started in the autumn when I was nine. Since I took the winter off, I finished the basic studies in the autumn when I was ten."
"So that means you are twelve now, so..."
As Rannvald started calculating something, "two years ago," I took advantage of his distraction to place a white piece in the corner. The sight of the black board turning white was, from my perspective, spectacular. It seemed to have been a scream-worthy moment for Rannvald holding the black pieces, but I did not care.
...Come to think of it?
I started to wonder a little why he was asking so much about the Menhishumi Church. I had thought he was asking about life in Grenore city, but ever since I mentioned attending Menhishumi Church, his questions were all about the Church. And the more answers I gave, the more Rannvald hung his head and clutched it, so I had no idea what was going on.
"...Vard-san, what are you looking so pained about?"
"Listening to you talk, all the stories I have heard here and there are suddenly connecting, and I feel like shouting 'Ahhh!'"
"Ah, I know that feeling. That sort of thing."
When I continued, "I like it when things clear up like that," Rannvald stared intently at my face.
"...What is it?"
"No, it is just... I am sorry."
"What? Really, what is this about all of a sudden?"
"I have no idea what you mean," I said, dropping my gaze to the board. I thought a harsh counterattack might be coming, but that was not the case. The earlier reversal had been decisive, and Rannvald had almost no opportunity for a comeback.
"I just thought I ought to apologize..."
"If there is something you need to apologize for, should you not just not do it in the first place?"
"Why is that a question?"
"Because you apologized so suddenly that I do not even know what you are apologizing for."
"That is fair," Rannvald said, changing his demeanor and lifting his head. But by then it was already over. There were almost no places left to place black pieces, and it was my turn indefinitely.
As a result, the Reversi match between Rannvald and me ended in my victory.
...Long live ladylike education.
I felt a chill seeing the porcelain crown that emerged from the dismantled 'Itsurateru's Four Blessings', knowing that if this had been a few years ago, it would have come out of my mouth. Fortunately or unfortunately, from the 'Itsurateru's Four Blessings' that had been broken apart on the plate, a porcelain crown split in two emerged. Having a crown appear was fortunate, but having the precious crown broken might be unfortunate. However, thanks to my ladylike education, eating the 'Itsurateru's Four Blessings' while breaking it apart on the plate, I was able to find the broken porcelain before it went into my mouth. That was certainly lucky.
"Lucky or unlucky... it is complicated."
For now, thinking, "I hope this year I can get some Adorutoru eggs and make panto medicine," I set the broken doll aside on the plate's edge. Since other fragments might be mixed in too, it was a bit wasteful, but I would have to discard the section where the porcelain appeared.
Giselle's plate yielded a flower doll, and a dragon doll appeared from Rannvald's plate. The flower doll symbolized 'blooming of talent' and 'those in the midst of hardship will find their path opening.' So for Giselle, who seemed to have gone through a lot at last year's Divine King Festival, this year should be a good one. The dragon doll symbolized 'wisdom' and 'longevity.' So Rannvald probably will not die even if killed this year either.
"The fourth one was an oak staff, right?"
"...Yes."
As the staff doll emerged from Kalisa's plate, I recalled its meaning. A staff might seem like a symbol of longevity, but since the dragon doll covered that, it had a different meaning in 'Itsurateru's Four Blessings.' The staff meant health and freedom from illness. From the association with splints for broken bones and walking with canes, it meant not getting injured or sick, and even if one did, it would not become serious. I sometimes get fevers and have to rest, but I have never seen Kalisa bedridden, so this year too, Kalisa will probably be working energetically.
...I wonder if Alf-san is getting a crown at the royal family dinner right about now?
He had said he gets a crown every year for some reason, so he might be getting one this year too.
When night fell, Rannvald invited me to the night festival, but I decided not to go this year. I had not taken a nap in preparation for that, and last year Petrona got lost. Even if half of it was an act. And I had once been taken by spirits and gotten lost myself. I had only ever spent Divine King Festival night safely at Aurelia's house and when I was in Mey Village. Something or other had happened in recent years, so this year I chose not to go out. Elke and Petrona looked disappointed, but since they had already been once last year, even if briefly, they agreed to keep me company. I told them that if they ever got a sweetheart, they could go out together, and Petrona's face turned bright red, so it seems her first love is still ongoing. On the other hand, Aaron's reaction was completely indifferent, so it is a mystery whether this love will come true.
As Felicia returned to the detached palace, Rannvald declared his babysitting duty over and waved as he left. It seems he is still hiding out at Ethelbert's detached palace.
I saw him off thinking I would bring him some snacks or something next time, but the next morning I was woken by the attack of Rannvald's guards who came galloping to the detached palace.
"...What is going on?"
I could not very well meet people in my nightclothes, so I greeted them in Kalisa's wearable blanket. A cozy onesie. This blanket had a dog's head on the hood, and when I pulled it on completely, I became a brown dog. Incidentally, pulling the hood over my head completely hid my just-woken-up appearance, which made it useful for sudden visitors.
...Well, I wonder what a proper lady would think of this.
It was a questionable look for a lady, but since it was a matter of urgency, it could not be helped.
"Is Lord Rannvald here!?"
"Vard-san, you mean?"
Waking someone up for this, a missing middle-aged delinquent, I felt like going back to bed immediately. Feeling my interest rapidly drain, I pulled my hood down further.
...It is excellent for hiding yawns too.
"If you are looking for Vard-san, he left for the detached palace last night as Felicia-sama was returning."
"If you doubt me, please ask Felicia-sama," I stifled a yawn under my hood. I felt like going back to sleep, but my mind was starting to work as I talked.
"That Rann... lord has not returned since last night."
"Has not returned... huh?"
Come to think of it, I considered. Yesterday, Rannvald had appeared at the detached palace guided by Ulrika, but the two guards who were usually with him were not behind him. I had seen them at the library before, so I thought he had sent them on an errand or they were behind the door, but it seemed otherwise. He had disappeared into the night without a single attendant...
"Ah, that is it!"
Something suddenly clicked into place, and I was wide awake. I had shouted without thinking, and hastily covered my mouth with both hands. For a lady, this was truly terrible behavior.
"Christina-sama, do you know something?"
"It is about Vard-san's mysterious comments yesterday. He mumbled an incomprehensible apology, 'I am sorry.' I think that was probably a sign he was planning to sneak off!"
Thinking back on Rannvald's suspicious behavior, other things came to mind too. Even his volunteering to babysit was suspicious, and he had also invited me to the night festival. I decided against it this year since things had been unlucky, but if I had gone to the night festival with Rannvald, he had probably planned to slip out of the city under cover of the festival. If I had gone with him, this time an adult going missing would have caused a commotion. And though I did not go with him, one adult has indeed disappeared.
"If he seemed quiet lately, it was because he was waiting for the guards to let their guard down."
First of all, I should have realized something was wrong when I saw the guard knights at the library acting oddly. The very fact that the knights assigned to 'guard' him under Christoph's orders for surveillance were acting away from Rannvald was strange. By that time, Rannvald had already been luring the guards into letting down their vigilance, creating periods where they were gradually separated from him.
"Well, having been confined for a year, would not Lord Christoph be happy just that his supposedly dead brother is alive?"
"Father was delighted. He doted on his younger brother even more than his own children, you know. This past year, his mood has truly been wonderful..."
After hearing the full story and seeing off the two guard knights who galloped off to search for Rannvald, Felicia invited me to breakfast. I tidied myself up and made my way to Felicia's sitting room, where Alf, who seemed to have heard the same news, also arrived at the detached palace.
"My uncle who has disappeared again... I hope he does not go wild..."
"Eh? Does Lord Christoph go wild like that? The sort of wild that involves rampaging?"
"He does not rampage, but it is hard to calm him down. ...His mothers especially."
Eating breakfast in a funeral-like atmosphere, I heard about Christoph's state during the previous disappearance. Well, properly speaking, last time was a disappearance via faking his death. Christoph grieved so deeply over the sudden news of his brother's death that he could not eat and wasted away, mourning until his tears ran dry, throwing aside all his duties as a Royal Peerage and shutting himself away. Since it was still Ethelbert's reign back then, just one Royal Peerage throwing in the towel did not shake the government, but now Christoph is king. If he mourns until his spirits lift the same way as last time, it would eventually trouble the people.
"...Ah, but he probably will not shut himself in for months this time. His favorite Leonardo will be returning from the Lugmilama Fortress soon."
"But Leonardo is going to return to Grenore with Christina someday, you know? That would only be a temporary fix."
The sister and brother, sitting face to face, both looked at me at the same time. They even called my name in unison, so I answered without missing a beat.
"I am not giving him up. Leonyaldo Big Brother-sama is mine."
I said that he managed to recover last time, so he would probably be fine this time too, but apparently that was too optimistic. Last time, he was able to achieve closure because he thought his brother was dead, but this time it was after finding out he was actually alive. Closure like last time was impossible. He could no longer use Leonardo, whose features resembled his brother's, to remember him by, because he knew his real brother was alive somewhere.
"...Alf."
"I have already increased the search party. He should not have any escape funds, so before he can go too far..."
"As for escape funds, I think he has some."
"What are you saying?" I had to interject. If you are going to chase after the escaped Rannvald, having overly optimistic expectations would be a hindrance. Whether Rannvald disappeared or not, my reaction was more or less "Oh, is that so?" But if it affected Christoph, and through that, the lives of the people, I could not pretend I had not heard.
"Vard-san painted several pictures of me, and each time he came to get permission to sell them. Apparently, there is a scarcity value to me dressed as Ashtate, the goddess of arts, since few people have seen it, so it should have fetched a decent price."
When I pointed this out, Felicia and Alf held their heads in their hands. I do not know the final sale prices, but Felicia and the others probably could imagine the amounts.
"...Henrieta provided funding too, did she not?"
Despite finding Rannvald's existence troublesome, Felicia seemed unable to deny his skill with painting. She had him paint the white owl spirit in an adult version of my likeness.
"I thought it might at least cover the cost of paint."
"Since paint costs were covered by Lord Christoph, it seems Vard-san's wallet was never affected at all."
In other words, it was all pure profit. That was the last thing I remembered from this morning.
When I next came aware, I was mindlessly stroking Kokumaro's back. I realized immediately that I had lost time, and tried to search my memory, but I absolutely could not recall the conversation at the breakfast table. No. I could remember the content of what was said, and I could remember Alf's expression, but only Felicia's face from that moment was cleanly erased from my mind.
An angry Felicia-sama's expression was so fierce that Tina erased it from her memory.
Will fix typos and errors at a later date.