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As the victory gala wound down, the princess of the realm—Lucila N. Edelweiss—was among the first to slip away from the venue. She now waited in the garden of the Claudel manor, passing the time by admiring the flowers as she anticipated her guest's arrival.
Soon, a solitary silhouette emerged from the shadows and drew near.
Sensing her visitor had arrived, Lucila shifted her gaze from the blossoms toward the approaching figure.
"I have been expecting you," Lucila said, her voice steady. "Thank you for making the time to see me—Lady Fuuka."
With a practiced grace, Lucila pinched the hem of her skirt and performed a slight curtsy, showing the proper respect to the woman standing before her.
"…Drop the 'Lady.' I’m nothing more than a loser driven from her homeland now," Fuuka replied. "And I’ve never been much for formalities. Is it all right if I skip the polite speech?"
"Certainly. It is no problem at all. In that case, I shall take the liberty of addressing you simply as Fuuka as well."
"Fine by me. Let’s get straight to the point, then. I’m taking Orun to the Hitia Duchy. Lucila, I want you to provide the necessary justification to make that happen."
As Fuuka made her demand, Lucila’s expression noticeably stiffened.
"…So that was your goal all along—the reason you agreed to clear those labyrinths across the regions."
"Yeah. The Cult moved faster than I expected, so I was struggling with how to lead Orun there. Your request for the labyrinth conquests came at the perfect time, so I made use of it."
"What exactly are you—no, what is the Hitia Duchy plotting?"
"There’s no point in you knowing that, Lucila. This was the condition for the Kingdom to receive aid from the Hitia Duchy in the coming war. You don't have the right to refuse."
While organizing the allied forces of the neighboring nations, Lucila had also requested assistance from the Hitia Duchy, the magical powerhouse located in the central continent.
The Duchy's response had been singular: "If you grant Fuuka’s demand, we will support the Kingdom."
And that demand was to bring Orun Doura to the Hitia Duchy.
"…I understand. I will devise a reason to send Orun there. As you said, the debt we owe you is already far too great. There is no room left for negotiation."
In truth, Lucila had already surmised Fuuka’s objective to some extent. Because of that, the demand itself didn't come as a shock.
However, the domestic fallout from Orun—now hailed as the 'Hero of the Kingdom'—departing for another nation would be significant. The thought alone was enough to give Lucila a headache.
While explorers were technically prohibited from participating in human wars, Orun’s mere presence had a massive impact on the morale of the nation’s leadership, the soldiers, and the common citizens alike. His influence had grown exponentially over the past year.
"I appreciate you being reasonable," Fuuka said. "I’m not looking to cause a scene, either. Can I ask you something?"
"…What is it?"
"You don't seem particularly surprised. Did you know what I was going to ask for beforehand?"
"I had my suspicions. There is no doubt the Cyclamen Cult is pulling the strings behind the Empire. Opposing them head-on is the organization Amunzaas, which is backed by the Hitia Duchy. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that Amunzaas is the Hitia Duchy itself."
"…I’m impressed. Your country has figured out that much?" Fuuka’s eyes widened slightly—a rare display of emotion.
"No, the Kingdom knows nothing. This is a personal conclusion I reached by analyzing the movements of the Hitia Duchy and the circumstantial evidence surrounding the incidents caused by the Cult and Amunzaas. I have no decisive proof, so I haven't spoken of this to anyone. Rest assured, I have no intention of revealing it in the future, either."
Lucila had been hailed as a prodigy since her youth. She had achieved the highest academic marks in the history of the Noble Academy—a record that remained unbroken to this day.
What truly defined her genius was her peerless capacity for information analysis. From her position near the heart of the government, she had used her abilities to see through domestic crises and international maneuvers, accurately deducing hidden truths time and again.
She usually ceded the credit for these insights to her older brother, the Crown Prince, which meant very few people were aware of the true extent of her intellect.
"I think I need to re-evaluate how dangerous you are, Lucila."
"If possible, I would prefer we remain on good terms," Lucila replied, offering a smile that gave nothing away.
"You’re quite the handful."
"Hehe. I shall take that as a compliment."
"…Let’s leave it at that. I’ll be counting on you to handle the arrangements."
Fuuka cut the conversation short, making sure to drive her point home one last time.
"Yes, I understand. I will have everything in order by tomorrow."
With Lucila’s confirmation, Fuuka turned and vanished into the night.
"…Sigh. As I feared, the road ahead leads to a clash between Amunzaas, led by Orun, and the Cyclamen Cult, led by Beria Sans. But before I can worry about that, I have to somehow resolve this war with the Empire. Honestly… a peaceful world feels so very far away."
Watching Fuuka’s retreating figure, Lucila whispered the conclusion she had drawn from the fragments of truth she had gathered.