Chapter 2: Fourier
Rutile was now officially Ruri’s assigned bodyguard. That being said, Ruri was already surrounded by Kotaro, Rin, and the other spirits, so she was in absolutely no danger. Rutile’s role essentially went from bodyguard to chatting partner, and this worried Ruri.
“Um, are you really sure it was a good idea to become my guard, Rutile-san?” Ruri asked her.
“What might you mean by that?” Rutile inquired.
“I mean, according to Ewan and the other dragonkin, you’re the strongest and most capable soldier after Finn-san. I just think that making you be a conversational partner who’s a guard in name only is a waste of your talents. It makes me feel bad just thinking about it.”
Rutile could have been in a more relevant position, but she was here instead. It seemed more like a demotion, if anything. Ruri was worried that Rutile might be dissatisfied with being her personal tea-drinking buddy on an almost daily basis.
Rutile was as much of a flirt as Jade had said, and she was extremely popular among everyone—including women. Once the castle’s ladies found out that Rutile would be around Ruri twenty-four seven, they seethed with envy. The maids would come to Ruri’s room more frequently than usual and do chores that didn’t necessarily need doing. They would then casually chat with Rutile all the while and leave looking satisfied.
This hadn’t happened just one or two times either. A maid who’d been disappointed that Rutile was absent when she came informed Ruri that a secret war was being waged over who would get to see Rutile next. Ruri wanted to quip about their ulterior motives when they were supposed to be her caretakers, but it just went to show how popular Rutile was.
From what Ruri had heard, once the decision was made to send Rutile off to the Imperial Nation, the women had all flooded Jade’s office to complain. Jade must have had a hard time dealing with all of that; it wasn’t hard to imagine how much of a panic it had caused at the time. The women must have been so happy they could cry now that Rutile had returned.
The maid had suggested that Ruri turn a blind eye to their actions since she suspected that the “Rutile fever” would last for quite some time. While Ruri didn’t mind, she was starting to worry about Finn being engaged to someone as popular as Rutile, seeing as how someone could attack him one day out of jealousy. It was fortunate that Finn was second only to Jade in terms of strength. If he wasn’t, then he probably would’ve been six feet under a long time ago. Still, Finn had to be vigilant moving forward, a fact that he knew all too well. He was the embodiment of bravery for deciding to get engaged to Rutile.
Ruri would have loved to hear how they ended up together, but Rutile would always skillfully dodge the question with that smile of hers. It was a shame, but at the moment, she was more concerned about whether it was okay for her to keep a celebrity like Rutile all to herself.
Ruri had just asked her that, but Rutile smiled softly and replied, “His Majesty told me that you lacked awareness as a Beloved, and it seems that is true.”
“Oof, sorry,” Ruri said, remembering how Ewan had chewed her out for the same thing before.
“I don’t mean it out of anger,” Rutile explained. “However, you are a Beloved, and Beloveds are very, very special in our world. The only people who would think that guarding a Beloved was a demotion are those who don’t believe in spirits. For most people, serving in such an illustrious position would make them tremble in overwhelming joy.”
“Hmm... A lot of people have told me that Beloveds are important, and I get that, but I guess I’m still not used to being one. Or more like, I can’t really believe it,” Ruri said. She’d been treated the complete opposite of that for decades in her world, so despite people repeatedly telling her that she was so important to this and that, it had never quite clicked for her. Values ingrained since childhood couldn’t change overnight.
“His Majesty must have his work cut out for him,” Rutile said, sounding a bit awkward in spite of her normally cool demeanor.
“Jade-sama is a worrywart,” Ruri stated. “Kotaro always has a barrier up around me, so I’d never get injured.”
“Yes, but it is in a dragonkin’s nature to worry about their spouse. You should be careful not to let him worry too much, or he might end up confining you indoors. There have been past precedents, you know.”
“Ha ha ha... Don’t worry, I will!” Ruri replied, hoping that confinement would never be an option.
“Changing the subject...if the Spirit of Wind is giving you his protection, then would you care to go out into town?” Rutile asked.
“But you just said that I lacked awareness as a Beloved,” Ruri noted with a giggle, realizing that Rutile was contradicting herself.
“This is different. You must feel it’s stuffy being cooped up in the castle day in, day out, yes? You need a change of pace. Also, there’s something special happening in town, and if you miss it now, you will have to wait decades for it to happen again.”
“What would that be?” asked Ruri.
“You will just have to find out,” Rutile said with a smile, choosing not to elaborate.
The prospect of something “special” was alluring. Ruri had the urge to go, but there was an issue and his name was Jade.
Doubtful, Ruri said, “I wonder if Jade-sama will allow me to go?”
“If he doesn’t, then we will just sneak out,” Rutile replied with an impish grin.
“If he winds up trying to lock me up because of this, then you’re going to bail me out, okay?” Ruri declared, a grin forming on her face as well.
“But of course. His Majesty even told me himself to heed your orders first and foremost, so I will do all I can to help you. I am your personal guard, after all.”
Having gained a powerful ally, Ruri immediately walked into Jade’s office and asked to go out. He quickly and painlessly approved. In fact, he gave his permission so easily that Ruri started to worry instead of rejoice.
“Huh? Wait, what is wrong with you, Jade-sama?! You usually won’t allow me to go out. Did you eat anything strange?” Ruri even had her bracelet ready in order to turn into a cat and beg, just in case he said no.
“Ruri, what do you take me for?” Jade asked.
She wanted to say, “an overprotective cuddling addict,” but she bit her tongue.
“I had originally planned on showing you the capital,” Jade explained, “and this is the only chance you’ll get to see it for a while.”
“Rutile-san said something similar, that something special is in the capital. What actually is it?”
“You should go and see for yourself. I honestly wanted to take you, but work has piled up. I’ll feel assured with Rutile accompanying you, though. She’s in your hands, Rutile,” Jade called toward the back of his office where Rutile stood.
“As you command, sire,” she replied, a sweet smile on her face.
◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
Ruri’s hair and eye color would instantly clue people in that she was a Beloved, so she put on her brown wig to disguise herself. When she was all set, she stepped out of her room, where she found Rutile dressed in men’s clothing. Her androgynous features only drew out her attractiveness even more. Simply put, she looked absolutely stunning.
Rutile, who’d been waiting for Ruri in the hallway the entire time, was getting some very passionate stares from everyone around her, mostly from the women of the castle, but Ruri could understand where they were coming from. After all, she couldn’t help but be captivated as well.
“Are you all ready, Ruri?” Rutile asked.
“Y-Yes!”
“Then shall we be off?”
“Yes!” Ruri yelped, silently apologizing for the tingly sensation she’d felt in her heart.
She went to follow after Rutile, but then she felt a very strong gaze fixed upon her, and she stopped in her tracks. Turning around, she saw Kotaro, staring back at her intently.
“I’d like to go too...”
She’d instructed Kotaro to stay at the castle this time around since people would instantly recognize her if she ventured into town with him and his massive body. For that same reason, she was only bringing Rin, whom she could fit into her pocket.
Ruri reached out and petted Kotaro’s head apologetically. “Sorry, Kotaro. I’d stand out too much if I brought you.”
“But what if something happens to you?” said her other overprotective guardian.
“Rin will be with me, so I’ll be fine. Rutile-san is coming too. Isn’t that right, Rin?”
“Yes, yes. Leave Ruri to me,” Rin said as she fluttered around Kotaro before settling in Ruri’s breast pocket.
“Okay, I’ll be back soon,” Ruri assured him. “I’ll bring you back something nice from the city.”
“Hmph...”
Leaving the cranky Kotaro behind, Ruri tried to catch up with Rutile, but this time, a different voice stopped her.
“Oh, my dear sweet Ruri~! Where are you going, all disguised like that?” asked Gibeon, who was passing by, apparently running an errand for Euclase.
“I’m going to the capital,” she replied.
“Huh? Oh wow, that sounds like fun. I’ll come with you!”
“Aren’t you working?” She glanced at the large stack of documents in his hands.
“No problemo! A date with you is way more important!” Gibeon said before flinging his papers into his pocket space.
“Don’t come crying to me if Euclase-san chews you out for this later.”
No, not if. Euclase was definitely going to chew Gibeon out and perhaps even give him a hard knock on the noggin.
“Don’t worry, don’t worry. C’mon, let’s go!” Gibeon exclaimed, casually wrapping his arm around Ruri’s shoulder.
Rin wasted no time in slapping his hand away. “Don’t you dare touch Ruri like you’re all buddy-buddy. I still haven’t forgiven you for pointing a weapon at her.”
Ruri assumed that Rin was talking about the sacred beast kidnapping incident. Gibeon had taken Ruri hostage and pointed a sword at her. Ruri hadn’t been afraid because she knew that Kotaro had his barrier around her, so she’d been nonplussed about the whole ordeal. However, now that Rin mentioned it, Ruri realized that Gibeon had been receiving some stern glares from not only Rin, but Kotaro and the other spirits as well. Ruri was sure they were all still fuming over Gibeon’s actions, just like Rin.
“Wait, wait, I’m the one who had it the roughest! You saw how the Spirit of Light hit me, right?! I mean, like, what the heck is that paper fan made out of? It hurt like crazy. So much so that I passed out!”
“That was your just deserts,” Rin remarked.
“Okay, okay. Let’s stop the bickering and get going, all right?” Ruri interjected, putting Rin in her pocket and rushing off to Rutile, who was standing a short distance away.
The capital city was more lively than normal, bustling as if some sort of festival were taking place.
“I feel like there are more tourists here than usual,” Gibeon said.
It wasn’t just a feeling; it was a fact. There was indeed a large number of people who seemed to be sightseers from different lands.
“It’s not the time of year for festivals, though, so what is going on here?” Ruri asked.
Rutile had stated that something special was happening in the capital, but she had yet to actually tell Ruri what it was.
“Aah, could it be that the fourier are coming?” guessed Gibeon.
“Fourier?” repeated Ruri.
Gibeon seemed to have a hunch as to what was going on, but Ruri had positively no idea what he was talking about. She looked at Rutile, but Rutile was simply smiling, amused by the situation.
“I was told that you were not of this world,” Rutile said, “and now I see that must be true, especially if you don’t know about fourier.”
“Huh? You don’t know what a fourier is?” Gibeon asked, his face one of disbelief.
“Are they that famous?” Ruri inquired. It almost seemed as if everyone but her knew who or what this “fourier” was.
“Well then, allow me to fill you in—up close and personal,” Gibeon murmured, grabbing Ruri’s hand.
Ruri, baffled by the fact that he still hadn’t learned his lesson, gave him a wry grin.
From the side, Rutile stuck out her foot and kicked Gibeon hard across the shin.
“Ngh!” Gibeon crumpled to the ground with tears in his eyes, unable to speak. He looked up at Rutile with an expression that seemed to ask what the big idea was, but Rutile simply smiled as if nothing had ever happened.
Rutile stated, “I am under orders from His Majesty to exterminate any bugs I find.”
“Bugs?!” repeated Gibeon.
“Looks like Jade-sama is finally calling you a bug...” Ruri remarked.
“That’s so mean, Mr. Dragon King!” Gibeon covered his face with his hands and whined, but even Ruri could tell that it was just crocodile tears.
“Anyway, that aside, what’s this ‘fourier’?” Ruri asked.
“‘That stuff aside’? You’re not going to ask if I’m all right after I just took a dragonkin kick to the leg?! Your precious part-time lover just got his shin obliterated, and that’s your response?”
“Yeah, yeah. If you’re making that much of a ruckus, then you’re just fine. Now, forget that and tell me about fourier.”
Rutile stepped in to explain in place of Gibeon, who wasn’t giving a straight answer at all. “A fourier is the magic beast you see adorning the area.”
“Magic beast?” Ruri looked at the shops around them and saw lines of merchandise depicting a light-blue whale. She had been wondering what that was about for a while now. It wasn’t just one or two places either; every shop and stall were selling light-blue-whale goods. Whale cookies, whale cakes, whale plush dolls, whale-embroidered bags—the whole place was filled with whales.
“Do you mean that light-blue whale?” Ruri asked.
“Whale? I don’t know what that is, but that light-blue creature is indeed a fourier,” replied Rutile.
“Is it going through some sort of boom in popularity?”
“I don’t know if you would call it a ‘boom,’ but fourier will be arriving in the capital soon.”
Ruri cocked her head in confusion.
“Fourier travel around the world and visit the Nation of the Dragon King’s capital once every fifty years,” Rutile explained. “And since year fifty is almost upon us, tourists are here from foreign lands to catch a glimpse of the fourier, which explains the crowds.”
“Wow, neat. Will I be able to see it too?” Ruri wondered.
“Yes. In fact, I believe you can see it from your special seat up in Sector One of the castle.”
“But isn’t that too far away?”
Sector One sat above the clouds, so Ruri was doubtful as to whether she would be able to see the whales—the fourier—swimming in the ocean from so high up, but Rutile assured her it would be “just fine.” Ruri decided to believe her. Besides, it wasn’t as if she could miss the ocean from Sector One, and if she found it too hard to see, she could always get closer by riding on Kotaro.
Many of the shops were selling fourier goods exclusively during this time, so Ruri picked out some gifts for Kotaro and Jade since neither could make it out. Ruri sent a plush fourier doll that was big enough to ride on to Lydia inside the pocket space. She was sure that Lydia would be pleased, because she knew that the Spirit of Time was a huge fan of cute things.
The doll was so fluffy and comfortable that Ruri even bought one for herself. Her lips naturally spread into a grin as she thought of using it as a big, comfy body pillow, but Ruri did wonder if Jade would get jealous if she cuddled it too much. Kotaro was proud that Ruri always petted his soft fur, so he might get jealous too if he saw her always hugging a doll instead of him. Ruri decided to buy Kotaro a big pack of fourier-shaped cookies instead.
Because Jade hadn’t let her leave his side ever since getting married, Ruri hadn’t been able to visit the capital, so she wanted to take this chance to enjoy a little shopping. As she bought everything and anything that caught her fancy, she spotted a familiar face in the crowd. It was the woman who was managing the hot spring facility that Ruri had built recently. She was selling candy labeled as ‘fourier candy’ at a stall, but they were just regular candies. Nothing about them screamed fourier. If she was here hawking merchandise, then who was running the facility?
“Amarna-san,” Ruri called to her.
“Well, well, if it isn’t you, Lady Belo— I mean, Lady Ruri!” Amarna replied, noticing Ruri’s disguise and catching herself before she spilled the beans.
Although thankful that she was so perceptive, Ruri still wondered what she was doing in the city. “You’re vending here? I thought I left the hot spring facility in your care, Amarna-san. Should you be abandoning it like this?”
“Oh, you needn’t worry about that!” Amarna exclaimed. “The workers are taking care of the facility. They are working so hard that no one would dare make fun of them for being kids from the slums anymore!”
“That’s very encouraging,” Ruri said. She felt guilty for leaving the facility that she’d built herself solely in the care of others, but she was also relieved that the children from the slums were growing up to be more and more reliable.
“And now, since I can safely leave the facility to my employees, I’m taking the opportunity to make a killing in my main business! Tee hee hee hee!” Amarna said with a giggle, her eyes filled with greed. However, when she glanced behind Ruri where Gibeon was standing, her eyes went wide. Gibeon’s eyes bulged in a similar fashion, and the two of them stood with their mouths agape as if they’d seen a ghost.
“Y-You’re Amarnaaa!” Gibeon cried.
“Gibeon!” Amarna growled with just as much energy.
They pointed at each other in shock as Ruri wondered what she was witnessing.
“Do you two know each other?” she asked.
There was a short pause, then Amarna flashed a happy saleswoman smile as if nothing had happened. “Oh, heavens no. I have no idea who this cheeky little brat is!”
“Yeah, and I don’t know who this money-grubbing wench is either!” Gibeon remarked.
“Uh, but you called each other by name just a second ago. Plus, you both described the other’s personality to a tee,” Ruri pointed out. Saying each other’s names as clear as day only to be total strangers was too much of a stretch.
“If I said that I don’t know him, then I don’t! Is that clear?!” Amarna barked.
Ruri winced from the intense grip Amarna had on her arm. “Y-Yes,” she stuttered, nodding in agreement. If she hadn’t done so, Amarna probably would have crushed her shoulder to dust. It appeared that the two were familiar with one another, but not on the best of terms.
“Okay now, you’re interrupting business, so I humbly ask you to hang around someplace else, Lady Ruri!” Amarna insisted.
Although it was extremely rude to tell a Beloved that they were interrupting anything, Gibeon quickly put his arm around Ruri’s shoulder and started to lead her to a different shop. “Let’s not stick around here. They’re selling way cooler things over there, so let’s check it out,” Gibeon suggested, though it sounded as if his true intention was to get away as soon as possible.
Gibeon quickly looked back at Amarna with a sour expression, and sparks flew between the two. After they died down, Gibeon went right back to his usual goofball demeanor. He seemed adamant about avoiding the subject, so Ruri held her tongue and made her way to her mother’s shop. By the time they all arrived, Gibeon was acting as if he’d forgotten about what had happened.
Ruri held off on pursuing the matter and entered the shop. Once she stepped through the door, she spotted Heat, who was clad in a light-blue-whale graphic t-shirt and hitting on a female patron.
“Heat-sama, what are you doing?” Ruri inquired.
“Oh, it’s the brat. You’re here, eh? You can see what I’m doing, can’t you? I’m servicing a customer.”
Normally, an employee didn’t tenderly hold the customer’s hand when offering service. Ruri shot Heat a disappointed look; he hadn’t changed one bit even after leaving the castle. She then tried to find Heat’s chaperone, Riccia, but she was nowhere to be found.
“Heat-sama, where’s my mom?” Ruri asked, turning around only to find that Heat was now holding Rutile’s hand instead of the woman’s from before. She couldn’t help but be impressed by how fast he worked.
“What might your name be, O beautiful one?”
“My name is Rutile. And yours?”
“Rutile, is it? What an exquisitely beautiful name. What would you say to a date with me?”
“Sorry, I’m guarding Ruri at the moment.”
“You can leave that little brat behind. People may call her a Beloved, but she is nothing more than a pug-nosed kid. She is not worthy to receive your protection, O beautiful one.”
Rutile knit her brow. “I do not approve of you speaking of an esteemed Beloved in such a manner,” she said, harshly warning Heat, but he just let the advice go in one ear and out the other.
“You’re wasting your breath, Rutile-san. Heat-sama is the supreme-level Spirit of Fire, so he won’t listen to any person’s orders,” Ruri explained. The only one who Heat would listen to was Riccia.
Rutile looked back at Heat in shock. “I had heard that a large congregation of supreme-level spirits had come to the kingdom while I was away, but I did not expect you to be one of them. A thousand apologies for my insolence,” Rutile said, offering him a polite apology.
Heat, flattered by her display of humility, brashly replied, “Heh heh heh. No worries. I wouldn’t make allowances for the brat, but I will for you, O beautiful one.”
“Wait, how come I’m excluded?!” Ruri cried.
“Shut up, brat,” Heat replied. “That’s the kind of treatment a kid like you deserves.”
“That doesn’t make any sense and you know it.”
It wasn’t the first time that Heat had been rude to Ruri, but it was still a mystery as to why he discriminated against her so much. Maybe he should take note of the best and most loyal boy—Kotaro. Heat would probably learn a little kindness if he did.
“Leave that brat behind and come on a date with me. Right this instant,” Heat insisted.
“But, I can’t just...” Rutile trailed off.
“Heat-sama, quit bothering Rutile-san!” Ruri ordered.
“Silence. I’m in the middle of an important conversation, so butt out.”
“Oh my. And exactly how important is this conversation that you can just skip work?” Riccia said with a smile, emerging from the back room of the shop.
The second Heat heard Riccia’s voice, his body shot up straight and he started quivering. His dignity as a supreme-level spirit faded away in an instant.
“Heat-chan. You need to mind the store like a good employee should, don’t you?” Riccia cooed.
“Eep!” Heat yelped and quickly let go of Rutile’s hand.
Riccia finally turned her attention to her daughter. “Welcome, Ruri. I see you have a very cute and very suave companion with you today. I think the ‘beauty in men’s clothing’ angle is divine. It’s stirring up my creativity.”
“This is my bodyguard, Rutile-san. She is also Finn-san’s fiancée.”
“Oh my, Finn-san’s? He is a lucky man, indeed.”
Ruri agreed vehemently with her mother. She’d never expected Finn to have such a gorgeous fiancée.
“I noticed Gibeon-kun came here,” Riccia said, “but was he with you, Ruri? Would you mind if I borrowed him?”
“Oh, come to think of it, where is Gibeon?” Ruri asked, realizing that he had been awfully quiet for a while. She then realized that Gibeon had vanished.
A pathetic-sounding voice came wafting from the back. “Ruuuriiii~!” Out came Gibeon, wearing a shirt and pants adorned with light-blue whales—fourier—printed on them. Heat was also wearing fourier apparel, but his was more stylish and mature—an outfit that no grown man would be embarrassed to be seen in. The outfit Gibeon was wearing, on the other hand, had fourier printed on it in a more in-your-face, cutesy pattern, and it looked exactly like something children would wear.
“I hate thiiis!” Gibeon bellowed, desperate to take off the kiddy outfit.
“If you take it off, you’re going to get punished,” Riccia threatened.
Her words took effect immediately, and Gibeon simmered down, holding back his tears. He looked at Ruri, silently asking for help, but Ruri promptly ignored him. Being Riccia’s daughter, Ruri knew better than anyone that you did not want to disobey her mother.
“He looks so adorable now, doesn’t he? I want to have Gibeon-kun help me with promotion, so leave him here, will you?”
“Master, heeelp!” Gibeon screamed, clinging to Heat as tears rolled from his eyes, but it was an effort made in vain because Heat couldn’t disobey Riccia either.
“Well? Can I?” Riccia asked.
“Sure, I don’t mind,” Ruri answered.
“You’re terrible, Ruri! You’re going to abandon me?! Your lover?!” Gibeon clung to her and pleaded that she change her mind but to no avail.
Ruri shot the young man a neutral expression, patted him on the shoulder, and told him, “Good luck.”
Leaving Gibeon in the throes of despair, Ruri exited the store and went on to greatly enjoy her stroll around town.
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