◇ ◇ ◇
(Sigh... As I thought, I am simply not cut out for this atmosphere.)
I had come to Daluane alongside Her Highness Lucila—Lucy—acting as her assistant. My work had been constant since our arrival.
The negotiations with the foreign envoys who had gathered at Lucy’s request had concluded successfully. It had just been decided moments ago that the Allied Forces would officially be organized. To celebrate, a party was being held to foster goodwill among the participants.
I had become an explorer specifically to distance myself from noble society. On the surface, the environment was all airy and light, but beneath that lay a murky, viscous reality that never failed to make my skin crawl.
That said, I had still been forced to attend several parties since starting my career as an explorer. Even though I knew that as the eldest daughter of the Claudel House, such appearances were an unavoidable duty, they never failed to leave me feeling depressed.
Lucy, my current superior, stood at the heart of the venue. She sported a textbook-perfect smile as she engaged in lively conversation with a variety of guests. I, too, suppressed my own emotions and donned the mask of a noble lady, somehow managing to endure the event until its end.
"Fufu, as I thought, seeing Selma at a party is a fresh delight. I never tire of it," Lucy teased with a light, melodic laugh.
With the party over, Lucy, her guard Loretta—Lore—and I were holding a secret night meeting in my private room at the Claudel House manor. The three of us had been classmates at the Noble Academy and had spent much of our student days together; we remained close friends to this day.
"I’m an explorer now, Lucy. I only attended this time to save face for you, but it’s still not for me."
"I’m sorry for dragging you along to something you hate. But having you there made a huge difference, Selma. After all, you’re a beautiful explorer famous in all the surrounding countries as the 'Continent's Greatest Enchanter.' I wouldn’t be surprised if this affair brings in a few marriage proposals from abroad."
"...Marriage, huh. I suppose I’ll have to do it eventually, but for now, I want to keep living as an explorer as I please."
The three of us were all twenty-three this year. Among the nobility of other nations, it was an age where one might already be married, but in this kingdom, it was the age when one typically began searching for a partner.
I personally wouldn’t mind being demoted to a commoner, but I knew my father would never permit such a thing. As a member of the nobility, I was prepared to marry for the sake of the house and didn't intend to be overly picky, though I did hope for someone I could actually talk to.
"Well, marriage is an inescapable reality for royalty and nobility," Lucy noted. "Until recently, there were even whispers of marriage proposals for me within the royal castle. Of course, with the Empire's recent movements, it’s no longer the time for such talk."
"Selma, did you know?" Lore chimed in. "If it weren't for the trouble with the Empire, Lucy was actually considering Orun as a candidate."
"...Huh? You mean Orun, the explorer from my clan?"
Lore’s sudden revelation was so unexpected that my mind ground to a halt.
"Lore?! What are you saying all of a sudden?!" Lucy stammered.
"What do you mean 'what'? It’s what you said yourself, isn’t it? 'As the Hero of the Kingdom and the true key figure who prevented the First Imperial Invasion, his achievements are more than enough to be granted a Knight Rank.'"
Noble ranks in the Nohitant Kingdom were divided into five grades: Duke, Marquis, Count, Viscount, and Baron. However, a commoner who achieved merits the state could not ignore could be granted a Knight Rank as a non-hereditary title.
Such individuals could be counted on one hand in the kingdom’s long history, but it was certainly true that the state would want to secure a talent like Orun. As long as he remained a free explorer, there was no guarantee he would spend his life in Tsutrail or even within this country. Though, as a member of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky, it was unlikely he would move abroad permanently, even if he traveled.
Still, I didn't think Orun had any desire for a title. Having spent the last year working with him, I could easily imagine that trying to force him into the nobility would not end well.
"I did say that! But it was a joke!" Lucy protested, flustered even more than I was. For someone who usually enjoyed playing with people in the palm of her hand, she was surprisingly weak when the tables were turned.
"Was it? When you said it, Lucy, your expression looked entirely serious to me," Lore teased.
"Always making fun of me, your master! What about you, Lore? Are you not going to get married?"
"Oh, I have a fiancé."
""Eh?!""
Assuming Lore was as far removed from marriage as the rest of us, Lucy and I cried out in surprise in unison.
"I-I haven't heard a word of this! Since when?! When did you get engaged?!"
"It was decided around last autumn. The country was in such a state of chaos that only our two families were informed. Oh, wait, I think the Crown Prince knows."
"Why did you tell my brother but not me?! That's not fair! I won't accept this! Tell me everything, right now!"
After that, the three of us spent the night chatting as if we had returned to our student days. It was rumored that the war between the Kingdom and the Empire would begin any day now. In fact, it was possible the information simply hadn't reached Daluane yet and hostilities had already commenced.
Whether we liked it or not, we were members of the ruling class. Tomorrow, we would have to work for the Kingdom again. It seemed it would be a while longer before I could return to being an explorer.
◇
The next morning, I was walking through the manor to meet Lucy.
(...Hm?)
During my walk, a strange, indescribable sensation washed over me. I recognized it immediately. My Ability had captured the presence of someone who shouldn't be here.
...Sophia?
Eh? Big... sister?
Sophia’s voice echoed directly into my mind. My Ability was [Telepathy]. It allowed me to communicate with anyone within a radius of several kilometers without speaking. Through an Expanded Interpretation of this Ability, I could also sense the presence of those within its range.
However, I could only identify specific individuals if I spoke with them frequently via telepathy—people like the members of the First Unit, Estella, or the Grandmaster. Unfortunately, sensing their presence didn't tell me their exact location. It was a difficult effect to utilize effectively.
Naturally, Sophia, with whom I spoke most often, was someone I could identify instantly.
'Impossible' was the only thought in my mind. It was physically impossible to send a telepathic message from Daluane, on the eastern border, all the way to Tsutrail in the center of the kingdom. Therefore, the fact that I could reach Sophia meant only one thing: she was within the range of my Ability.
Sophia, where are you right now...?
...S-Sorry, big sister. Just... forget... about me!
W-What are you saying?! Hey, Sophia! What do you mean?!
With those final words, Sophia severed the connection. Even now, my [Telepathy] could sense her presence nearby. The fact that she wasn't responding meant she was deliberately rejecting my mental call. Her final words had been so faint, she sounded as if she were on the verge of tears.
What had happened to her while I was away from Tsutrail?
"Selma? What are you doing, standing around in the middle of the hall? You're in the way."
A man's voice called out from behind me, jolting me out of my shock. I turned to see a man in his late twenties with the same scarlet hair as Sophia and me. He was looking at me with a suspicious gaze.
"...Brother."
His name was Marius Claudel. He was my older brother and the next head of the Claudel House.
"You look pale. I heard you invited Princess Lucila to your room last night, but did you talk until you were sleep-deprived? Try not to overdo it."
Though his tone was blunt, there was a trace of genuine concern hidden beneath the surface. He was the person I had respected most as a child—brilliant, kind, and beloved by the people. He was the "ideal brother" who had taught me so much and protected me when I failed.
—For me, at least.
I still respected him, but he maintained a stance of absolute indifference toward our other sister, Sophia. I had confronted him about it once, but he had dismissed me, saying he had no time to waste on a "stain on the family." Since then, the emotional distance between us had only grown.
"...Where is Sophia?" I asked, my voice coming out colder than I expected.
".......... Why are you bringing up that name now?"
Marius frowned for a split second before his expression shifted into a blank mask.
"...So you intend to feign ignorance."
"Hmm..."
As I continued to glare at him, Marius put a hand to his chin, seemingly in thought. Then, looking me straight in the eye, he spoke.
"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about. I have matters to discuss with the old man, so if you'll excuse me. ...Selma, you’re tired. As I said, you look terrible. If the others see you like that, they’ll only worry. It would be best if you stayed in your room and didn't show yourself to anyone for now."
Having denied any knowledge of Sophia, my brother left me with that advice and walked past.
◇ ◇ ◇
After leaving Selma, Marius visited the office of his father, Count Claudel. At the Count's side stood his right-hand man, Aldo.
"Old man, I have a few things to ask you. Got a minute?"
"Young master, we have foreign delegations visiting. Our current policy is to maximize our trade deals with other nations. Is this really the time for you to be idling about?"
Marius had addressed the Count, but it was Aldo who answered.
"I don't want to hear that from someone who botched his job," Marius countered sharply.
"...What exactly are you suggesting I botched?" Aldo’s voice trembled with sudden, sharp anger.
"Reports are coming in from all over the city about sightings of a scarlet-haired girl with twintails."
""—!?""
Both the Count and Aldo’s eyes widened as Marius revealed that Sophia had been seen by the people.
"I assume you’re plotting something using my sister, but you’ve been incredibly sloppy. As Aldo said, Daluane is currently crawling with dignitaries from every neighboring country. Spit it out—what are you planning? I'll refine the plan for you. And when it comes to explaining things to the people, I’m the one they actually like around here. I’m the best fit for the job, right?"
"............"
The Count glared at Marius with pure resentment, but after a long silence, he let out a heavy sigh.
"Fine," the Count said. "It was at the beginning of the year, shortly after the news of the King's death arrived. An Imperial noble visited this territory in secret—"
Slowly, he began to explain.
The Imperial noble had informed them that the Empire possessed the means to artificially trigger a Labyrinth Stampede. Currently, the labyrinths near Daluane were teeming with powerful magic beasts that usually only inhabited the deep floors of a Great Labyrinth.
The Imperial noble had promised to prevent the stampede if Sophia was handed over to them. Under the pretext of a political marriage, the Count had agreed to deliver Sophia to the Empire.
"It’s for the sake of the territory," the Count insisted. "If that girl alone can save our people, it’s a small price to pay."
"...I see. I’ve grasped the situation," Marius said. "As I thought, I can’t leave something as important as the lives of our people to the likes of you. I’m taking charge of this matter. Since you've already failed by letting her be seen, you have no room to complain, right?"
"Very well. Marius, I won't tolerate any more failures."
With the Count’s consent secured, Marius turned to leave the room.
"I don't want to hear that from a beast blinded by his own lust for power," Marius spat as he walked out, his words heavy with contempt. Neither man answered him.