kscans

Chapter 55 - The Calling

"Lupia."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

How did it come to this? was written all over Lupia's face. Meanwhile, Rod, the one responsible for summoning his dear, sweet niece, was beaming.

"Lupia, a letter for you."

"…Why was it delivered to you, Your Majesty?"

"You'll understand when you read it."

"I see."

Rod chuckled with amusement while Lupia grumbled, a conflicted look on her face. She still wasn't used to this room and this environment.

After passing the Knight Order exam, she had reported for her first day, only to be told by an apologetic vice-captain to come here. To the very King's Office she was in now. That's odd, she'd thought, I was sure I was assigned to the Knight Order as a trainee. She had trusted that perhaps there was some necessary procedure for her enlistment. So why was she being summoned directly by the king and performing duties like an aide every day? It had been three days now. Come to think of it, her father and mother had looked terribly apologetic. Could it be they knew? Various thoughts swirled in her head. She wanted to focus on the letter in her hand, but the situation wouldn't let her. When she glanced up from the letter, her eyes met Rod's, and he gave her a knowing, meaningful grin.

"It's because your written exam scores were in a league of their own. Your father's parental affection played a part, too."

"…Your Majesty, please refrain from reading my mind."

"My apologies. I have a soft spot when my subordinates plead with me."

"I, too, am weak to my father's requests. If you had just told me the reason from the start, I wouldn't be making such a face."

"You're absolutely right about that."

"However, I was interested in this kind of administrative work. Although my memories of the Crown Princess education have been erased, if I am to inherit the house someday, no knowledge is ever wasted."

"Having a capable niece is a great help."

"All's well that ends well, as they say. But as I've said many times, I believe it's necessary to confirm these things with the person involved first."

"On that point, you are absolutely, unequivocally correct."

His voice was apologetic, but apparently, this personnel decision had been made unanimously. She had hoped to join the Knight Order, but her score on the written exam was reportedly unprecedented. She hadn't been told the exact score, but she'd heard the gap between her and second place was quite large. She regretted not requesting to see her results, but it was too late now. Incidentally, the one who had so fervently wanted her was Rod's aide in the palace administration department—the very man in the room with them now, who had pleaded with both Rod and Aristerios, 'Please, lend us her strength!' Rod had grimaced, thinking it improper to snatch away someone already assigned to the Knight Order, but he understood his subordinate's feelings. Excellent personnel were something you'd give an arm and a leg for.

So, they had reached a compromise: a 'one-year limited' term. Aristerios, the doting father, and Rod, the doting relative, had both predicted that if she joined the Knight Order from the start, she would undoubtedly be promoted in no time. They approved the urgent transfer request on two conditions: the term would be limited to one year, and she would be allowed to participate in Knight Order training. It was Aristerios's single comment, "It would be good for you to experience various duties," that made Lupia nod in agreement. She had heard that Aristerios himself had experience as an aide in the past. Of course, arrangements had been made so she could participate in the Knight Order's training. Otherwise, she certainly would not have agreed. As this conversation unfolded, she could hear the man who had requested her transfer apologizing profusely, 'I am truly sorry!' but she had to bite back the urge to say, 'If you're sorry, don't do it in the first place.' When someone apologized so earnestly, all she could say was 'It's alright.' Though she still felt a little unsettled, her life until now had, in a way, gone too perfectly according to plan. Now that she was off that track, things like this were bound to happen, but she was frustrated by her inability to control her feelings. She almost crumpled the letter in her hand but hastily caught herself.

"…Well now."

The sender was Liam. The familiar handwriting, the elegant script. Ah, how nostalgic, Lupia thought as she took the contents out of the already-opened envelope and began to read.

It was addressed to the King, but her name was included as a recipient as well.

That was why Rod had his aide check the contents first, then reviewed it himself before showing it to her. The aide, apparently remembering the contents, wore a solemn expression. The apologetic atmosphere from moments ago had vanished, replaced by a look of someone who had seen something utterly disgusting. Rod's cheerful face had also shifted into that of a 'King.' And as Lupia read on, her own expression grew increasingly grim.

"This is… What is His Highness the Crown Prince of that country thinking, now of all times?"

"Ah, I thought the same. With what face does he summon you?"

"…The tone of this letter is as if he's already at the pinnacle of the nation."

"…It's not a pleasant thing to read. Was he always like this?"

"No."

Lupia shook her head without hesitation in response to Rod's question. It was at that moment.

"Eh?"

She tried to fold the letter and put it back in the envelope, but it wouldn't leave her hand. A bad feeling crept over her, and in the next instant, it was realized.

Luuupiaaa-samaaa.

A strange aura and voice emanated from the letter, and a black mist billowed up from it.

"Lupia!!"

The mist quickly took a human shape and floated in mid-air. It had a human form, but no face. There was something like a smooth, featureless head, and then a long, horizontal slit suddenly appeared where a mouth should be, its corners twisting into a slimy grin. The voice was a bizarre pitch, neither male nor female, a grotesque 'sound' that made one wonder how and from where it was being produced.

We await… your… arrival.

So, this is from that thing, she thought, and her face twisted in disgust. The mist extended a hand-like appendage, trying to touch her cheek, but a royal guard in the room sliced it off.

Or so he thought.

"What is this?!"

The soldier later said he had felt the impact of the cut. But though he had cut it, the appendage remained attached. It hadn't fallen.

"Lupia!! Let go of the letter!! Let go of it now!!"

Rod shouted sharply, but Lupia simply glared at the mist before her, her eyes filled with fury, and uttered a single word.

"——Get lost."

Someone might criticize her for her unladylike language, but she couldn't care less. It was impossible to suppress the rage welling up inside her. But her anger-filled words seemed to have struck their mark; the mist retreated slightly. Next, Lupia caused her mana to flare up and instantly incinerated the letter in her hand.

Ah, aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh—!!

They were not ordinary red flames, but blue flames generated purely from mana. The dense, highly compressed mana burned the letter to nothing, and the mist that seemed to be attached to it writhed in agony and vanished.

After the mist disappeared, scattering sounds like 'ah, ah,' Rod and the guards, who had been standing stunned, rushed to Lupia's side.

"Hey, are you alright?!"

"Are you injured?!"

"…I'm fine, but…"

Her eyes were filled with such fury that even Rod froze for a moment.

"I will accept this declaration of war."

"Are you sane?!"

"…Your Majesty, and everyone. I will explain the reason."

I will tell them everything, she thought. The reason for her anger, the reason she came to this country. There was nothing to hide. She burned the envelope for good measure and was about to begin her story when the letter she had just incinerated appeared on Rod's desk, perfectly intact.

"What… is this? You just burned it."

"…The Will of God (System). That is what it called itself."

"…What?"

"Most likely, it 'undid' the event of the letter being burned. Or perhaps it rewound time so as not to affect our actions. There are many possibilities."

Everyone in the office except Lupia was stunned. They were shocked that Lupia could speak of such impossible things so calmly. They were shocked by the possibilities she presented. They didn't know what to be shocked about anymore. But Lupia continued to speak calmly, her face impassive.

"And the one who borrowed its power, drove me away, and now sits as the Crown Princess is Falty-Ardia."

So this is what it feels like to be speechless, Rod thought. The woman who had borrowed the power of some inscrutable, incomprehensible entity to twist fate and make it her own was the Crown Princess of a nation. Everyone immediately understood and was simultaneously horrified.

"…That black mist from before, was that…"

"Yes, that was likely the Will of God (System)."

"Likely?"

"It changes its form at will. Once it understands an entity and its appearance, transformation is probably easy."

Rod, the guards, and the aide were finally speechless. They were terrified of Lupia, who answered so casually, and of the prospect of having to face such a thing.

"I will not cause you any trouble, Your Majesty. However, as the letter stated, I will go to that country. For that, I would like to borrow your strength just a little."

"Name it."

"Yes. There is a tool I would like to borrow."

"…?"

Rod tilted his head, wondering what sort of thing Lupia would want to borrow.

"In case something were to happen to you, Your Majesty, I'm sure something like it exists. A sort of scapegoat talisman… let's see, um… do you have any such magical device? Or perhaps an accessory imbued with such magic?"

The aide and Rod both gasped. Such things did exist, but what Lupia was planning to do seemed so terrifying that their faces instantly paled.

"You, what are you—"

"I cannot cause Your Majesty any trouble. Therefore, I will go alone."

Was this girl prepared for the worst-case scenario? She had just graduated from the academy, barely past eighteen, a child who should still be protected. Just when she could finally walk toward various futures, Rod's face soured. The aide bit his lip. He never imagined it would come to this. If I hadn't been greedy and called her here, would this have happened? he thought.

"Everyone, please do not make such faces. I'm just going to settle things. So please, lend me just a little of your strength."

Dropping to one knee, Lupia placed a hand on her chest and bowed her head deeply.

"Lupia-Calmond humbly begs this of you."

Her dignified posture and voice. The girl who had made her resolve in an instant… it felt as though they had no other choice but to help her.