ACT 5
“Phew...”
Rífa slowly let out a long breath as she finished her song.
Her entire body felt sluggish—as though her limbs were made of lead—but she maintained a cheerful façade, her face beaming with a smile as she waved her hands toward the gathered masses.
A thundering mass of cheers and applause shook the air on a night where only the moon and torches shone through the darkness.
Thousands of the city’s common folk had poured into the space where Glaðsheimr’s Hliðskjálf had once stood. Once reputed to be the tallest building in Yggdrasil, the sacred tower had collapsed in the great earthquake, but now its towering form was replaced by the energetic thrum of the gathered crowd.
The masses had gathered to listen to Rífa’s song.
“Your Majesty! That was wonderful!”
“Such an amazing voice. I can feel it purifying my soul.”
“Listening to her makes my troubles feel so trivial.”
“Yeah, it makes you want to get up and get back to work.”
“Thank you gods for such a blessing!”
All of those gathered in the space were moved to tears, their emotions spilling from their eyes as they offered magnificent praise for their þjóðann.
The news that Rífa had calmed the rioters and defused the situation with her song had quickly spread through the streets of Glaðsheimr. It had been the only thing the populace could talk about.
After hearing that the city was abuzz with the news, Rífa had conducted public concerts each night in the hopes that her galdr would soothe some of the pain that the earthquake and its after-effects had brought about. Tonight had been the fifth such night where she’d woven her song for the sake of her people.
The crowds that gathered each night to hear Rífa sing had been so large that Yuuto had been forced to hurriedly create and issue tickets to organize the crowds into manageable sizes.
“All of you, thank you for your hard work today. Make sure you listen to Lord Yuuto and give it your all tomorrow too!”
Rífa’s voice rang out to the gathered masses, amplified by Fagrahvél’s rune, Gjallarhorn.
Fagrahvél could use her rune to amplify a specific individual’s voice so that it could be heard inside a given radius. She had previously used it so that her generals could rally their forces in battle, but it was an ability that was also perfectly suited to sending Rífa’s galdr out to a much wider audience.
In addition to their personalities, Rífa and Fagrahvél were quite complementary in terms of ability.
“Lady Rífa, that was absolutely amazing!”
The moment that Rífa was out of eyeshot of the audience, Mitsuki glomped on to her and gave her a huge hug. Rífa returned the embrace and smiled.
“Oh, you always exaggerate. I’m sure you’re tired of hearing it by now.”
“Nuh-uh, never ever ever! Every time I hear it I’m so moved my tears practically run dry!”
Because Mitsuki’s voice was faintly raspy from weeping, she was particularly persuasive. Rífa could really feel that she was sincerely moved by the song.
“I see, I see.”
Rífa nodded happily and gently patted Mitsuki’s back.
Rífa was, of course, well aware that it wasn’t just her voice that was tugging at people’s heartstrings—it was the galdr’s psychological effects that were having the biggest impact on people.
There was a part of Rífa that felt a twinge of guilt for “cheating” with the use of magic, but this power was also an inseparable part of her identity, something that was uniquely hers and hers alone.
Rífa sang with a pride that was fueled by the awareness that this was something only she could do, something that she was uniquely able to accomplish.
“Well done. Tonight’s song was as wonderful as always. The odd rumors have all but stopped lately. It’s all because you’ve done so much to talk me up, Rífa.”
“Heheh, well, it’s a good woman that talks up her husband in public, I’m told!”
Rífa puffed out her chest proudly, jokingly holding her nose up in a little display of playful arrogance.
“Ack!”
She had puffed out her chest a bit too far—she soon lost her balance and almost fell backward.
“Perhaps going a little overboard there, Lady Rífa,” Fagrahvél said as she moved over to catch Rífa right before she ended up sprawled on the ground.
“There’s more to do tomorrow, I’m afraid it’s time for you to rest.”
Fagrahvél then took advantage of having Rífa in her arms to drag her away.
“Sheesh, you’re always going to be overly protective of me, aren’t you?” Rífa said as she pouted at Fagrahvél to show her displeasure. In spite of that, however, she made no effort to stop her. “She tends to give me quite an earful if I resist too much, so I’ll head out for the night. Good night.”
Rífa waved to Yuuto and Mitsuki as she was dragged away. She waited until she felt no one else nearby, glanced around to confirm her suspicions, then finally turned to face Fagrahvél.
“I’m always grateful for your help, Fagrahvél.”
“No, this is the very least I would do for you, Lady Rífa... Are you feeling okay?”
“I feel the same as always... As bad as always.”
Rífa let out a self-deprecating chuckle as she quipped about her health.
“...Perhaps you should stop with these efforts, then?”
“We’ve already gone over this plenty of times, haven’t we?”
“But!”
Fagrahvél raised her voice in an effort to argue, but Rífa’s commitment was iron-clad.
“I don’t have much time left. At least let me enjoy that time, mm?”
“...”
Rífa smiled bravely, as though to spite the tragic hand that fate had dealt her. Her unwavering determination and spirit in defiance of despair was enough to reduce even Fagrahvél to silence.
Rífa herself had realized the change in her body shortly after she’d regained consciousness in the Sword Clan’s territory.
It had gotten much harder for her to exert herself and she tired much more easily than before. Further, she struggled to make her right hand obey her.
At first, she had thought it was because she had woken from a six-month-long coma and needed to get used to moving again.
She had expected things to get better as she reacclimated herself to her own body, but after ten days, she had realized that her health wasn’t getting any better—if anything, she was slowly growing weaker. Rífa hadn’t wanted to admit it, but she was forced to face that reality.
The fact that she had overexerted herself when bringing Yuuto back to this world was probably the root cause of her weakness.
Rífa clearly remembered her right hand feeling as though it had shattered completely when she had cast the second Gleipnir during that ritual. It had been one of the last things she had felt before she lost consciousness.
That was probably why her right hand was behaving oddly.
And it was from that right hand that Rífa felt her life force rapidly draining away.
The day that Rífa had coughed up blood, Fagrahvél had summoned several healers regarded to be the greatest in Glaðsheimr and had them examine Rífa, but all of them had shaken their heads, declaring that they couldn’t identify a cause.
Fagrahvél had then sought out the assistance of Sigyn, the former patriarch of the Panther Clan and a powerful seiðr wielder known as the Witch of Miðgarðr. Fagrahvél had hoped that a seiðr wielder—especially one of her caliber—could determine what was wrong with her.
However—
“Your spirit’s right hand has been blasted away. Your ásmegin is bleeding out of that wound. Honestly, I’m surprised that you’re still alive at all. Ordinarily, in this state, the body would quickly weaken and die. I believe it’s your remarkable power as a twin-runed Einherjar that’s keeping you alive.”
That had been Sigyn’s diagnosis.
Fagrahvél had grabbed Sigyn and demanded to know if there was anything that could be done, but in spite of Fagrahvél’s desperation to save her sister, Sigyn could only shake her head and say there was nothing left to do.
Rífa had agreed with Sigyn’s diagnosis. Rífa herself was also a seiðr wielder, so she was well versed in wielding ásmegin. That knowledge and experience was enough to make her realize the truth—that she simply didn’t have much time left.
It took Fagrahvél some time to accept that fact.
She had convinced herself that Rífa would get better if she ate better and got plenty of rest, but Rífa couldn’t accept that ‘remedy.’
Rífa had spent her life locked away in the deepest depths of the Valaskjálf Palace. The last thing she wanted was to return to the gilded cage she had been trapped in and die there.
She wanted to spend her last days doing things that she hadn’t been able to do until now. She didn’t want to have any regrets when her time came.
“Fagrahvél, for the first time in my life, I actually feel alive. This is my last selfish wish. Let me do as I want.”
Those words. Those were the words that forced even Fagrahvél, tears flowing from her eyes, to acknowledge the truth and accept Rífa’s wishes.
“Heheh, if I leave such a powerful impression on them—Lord Yuuto and the others, as well as Glaðsheimr’s people... They’ll all remember me, I’m sure of it.”
Rífa proudly chuckled to Fagrahvél as she peeked out at her sister from under her bed’s blankets.
She had been dragged to her room by Fagrahvél and had been put to bed regardless of her objections.
The truth was that Rífa’s excitement hadn’t settled yet, and she wasn’t sleepy at all. However, because Fagrahvél was allowing her to do as she pleased, Rífa supposed that a bit of overprotectiveness on her big sister’s part was unavoidable.
Yes, Fagrahvél was respecting her wishes, but Rífa knew that deep down Fagrahvél still hoped that Rífa would live as long as she possibly could.
She felt a faint flush of shyness at that knowledge, but that was overshadowed by the joy and gratitude she felt toward her.
“Yes, I believe they’ll tell their children and their grandchildren just how wonderful your song was.”
“I feel like that might be overselling it a bit. You’re far too partial to me.”
“It’s only natural as a vassal to love and respect one’s liege and to favor them above all else. At the very least, I plan to leave it as a family lesson and teach my children and grandchildren, and every generation after them, just how wonderful your songs were.”
“Oh? If you’re going to proclaim it that boldly, then surely you must have someone in mind to have those children with?”
“Th-That’s not what I meant! I was talking about the people of the Sword Clan.”
“A pity, considering how beautiful you are.”
“I’m nothing so special! Particularly next to your radiance, Lady Rífa! You’re a far lovelier woman than I!” Fagrahvél energetically shook her head and said with complete, sober earnestness.
“You always say that, but...”
Rífa shook her head and let out a sigh of exasperation.
Frankly, Fagrahvél was a woman of extraordinary beauty. If she were to walk down the streets of Glaðsheimr, nine out of every ten passersby would turn their heads to follow her. To be called beautiful by a woman like that, well, honestly, some of it sounded like an excess of false modesty, but...
“I’m well aware that you don’t like your appearance, Lady Rífa. However, this is a point on which I can’t possibly bend!”
As could be seen in Fagrahvél’s attitude, she was in fact deathly serious—completely and utterly committed to that belief.
No matter how many times Rífa had tried to argue otherwise, she’d not budged an inch on this matter.
“You know, there are times when you’re absurdly stubborn.”
“The first time I saw you, I was in awe at your beauty. Perhaps the reason I’ve served you for so long is because your beauty had grasped my heart that day and has never let go since.”
“That’s quite enough about me for now! We’re talking about you!”
The amount of praise heaped upon her was too much for Rífa to bear, and she forcefully tried to change the subject.
“Ah...”
In stark contrast to her attitude until now, Fagrahvél’s reply sounded utterly indifferent.
Evidently, she had absolutely zero interest in her own appearance.
“You have been blessed with such magnificent beauty. You are of a good age, so go and find someone to marry already.”
“Haha, surely there aren’t any men who’d want a spinster of my age.”
Fagrahvél waved her hand dismissively and laughed.
In Yggdrasil, it was typical for a woman to marry in her mid-teens. In that sense, the fact that Fagrahvél was unmarried in her mid-twenties made her a proper spinster and old maid, but Fagrahvél herself showed no sign of concern. She was, perhaps, beyond help.
“You know, Fagrahvél. I sincerely appreciate the fact that you’ve served me so loyally over the years, but I want you to start thinking about your own happiness.”
“My happiness comes from serving you, Lady Rífa.”
Fagrahvél replied to Rífa’s statement without a hint of hesitation. No doubt she meant every word, which made it all the more problematic for Rífa.
“You say that, but you have a long life ahead of...”
“Please don’t say that. No matter what happens, I’m your vassal, and as presumptuous as it is, your elder sister. That won’t change, not during my lifetime, or even beyond it!” Fagrahvél declared flatly. There wasn’t even a hint of an opening for Rífa to exploit.
In spite of everything Fagrahvél was saying, Rífa sincerely wanted her beloved older sister to find as much happiness as there was to have in this world. Fagrahvél had served her so loyally without question over the years... Rífa didn’t want her to be tied down to the memory of her after she was gone.
The night wore on as she pondered just what to do about this problem.
“This is it, this is it.”
Rífa pointed at the market stall and grabbed Yuuto by the arm, dragging him along to the stall in question.
Glaðsheimr’s main street was filled with countless tents manned by merchants hawking their wares. The city had regained much of the energy that had been dampened by the earthquake.
“Huh, this does look good.”
Yuuto peered into the stall where the savory smell of grilling meat made him swallow.
He had come down to the city in disguise to see how daily life was going for the populace now that the situation in Glaðsheimr had settled down somewhat. Rífa had taken advantage of the opportunity and accompanied him on his inspection.
Rífa was able to walk about normally outside so long as it was in the evening, during the fading sunlight.
“See? I noted it when I passed by in my carriage a while back. I’d wanted to try it ever since.”
Rífa nodded as though Yuuto had hit the nail on the head with his remark.
The stall served a simple dish—pieces of beef skewered on wood skewers and grilled over a charcoal flame. It was simple, almost primitively so compared to the luxurious meals served at the palace, but there was something about the flame-grilled scent that excited the senses.
“Well then, let’s get some.”
“Hold on. Let me do it. I’ve never done this before, so I want to try it at least once.”
“Oh, sure. Here you go then.”
Yuuto nodded as though he understood, then reached into a leather pouch, produced a piece of silver the size of a bean, and handed it to Rífa. With the silver piece held in her palm, Rífa then walked over to the stall and showed it to the vendor as she spoke.
“Vendor, give me five beef skewers.”
“Thank you for your order! Hold on a moment. Oh, hey, it’s silver. How bold. You a lady from a good family?” the vendor asked, his expression warming into a smile.
Yggdrasil had no real concept of money, and most trade was direct barter. One of the items that was most appreciated for barter was silver. It was rare, easy to work, and had high value regardless of the region.
“Mm, yes, that about covers it.”
“Huh, well, you’re quite the beauty, Miss. Has the infamous reginarch of the Steel Clan made any advances toward you?”
“Oh, yes, I’ve had him approach me before.”
“Figures! He’s going to make our þjóðann his wife, but he’s already off cheating on her. The reginarch’s a hell of a womanizer, ain’t he?”
The vendor shook his head in mild exasperation. Rífa couldn’t resist breaking into a grin and glancing toward Yuuto. Just as she expected, Yuuto was frowning, almost pouting—drawing more laughter from her.
“Hehe, we only exchanged pleasantries. Still, you, calling Her Majesty ‘your’ þjóðann. You’re quite loyal to her, aren’t you?”
“Huh? Wait, could it be that you’ve never heard Her Majesty’s song?”
“Mm? Oh, well, no, I haven’t. I’ve never had an opportunity to listen to it properly.”
“That’s a crying shame. If you’re a resident of Glaðsheimr, then you need to hear her sing at least once before you die.”
“Oh? Is it that good?”
“Indeed it is! Everyone says that we’re blessed to live in a time where she walks among us!”
“O-Oh?”
Rífa couldn’t stop herself from smirking at the remarkable amount of praise being heaped upon her by the vendor standing in front of her. It was a little embarrassing to listen to, but at the same time, it was also extremely uplifting and comforting to hear.
“I lost my house in the last earthquake m’self.”
“O-Oh, my condolences on that one.”
“Yeah, I was in a deep hole, not sure what to do about tomorrow, but then I heard Her Majesty sing, and I felt my fear melt away. It made me want to keep trying, to work hard each day to rebuild what I’d lost.”
“I-I see.”
Rífa drew back a bit as she made noises of agreement, a bit overwhelmed by the vendor’s passionate sermonizing. She could feel just how strongly he loved and respected the þjóðann and her song.
“Which is why you need to hear it at least once. Here, all set. A couple for your husband, eh?”
With a hearty shout, the vendor offered the skewers to Rífa and Yuuto with both hands.
As they accepted the skewers, Rífa chuckled to Yuuto.
“Heh, well here we are, husband. It seemed we looked like a couple to him.”
“So it seems.”
“...Hrmph, you’ve certainly become a dry one, haven’t you?”
Rífa pouted, seemingly a bit put off by his reaction.
She found it irritating since it felt like she was the only one who was giddy at the compliment. She could have sworn that a year ago he would have shown a bit more life at the remark, whether it be from embarrassment or panic.
“Yes, he’s no longer nearly as fun to tease.”
A voice from below noted their agreement with Rífa’s sentiment.
It was Kristina, who was accompanying them on their inspection.
“Indeed.”
Rífa nodded as Kristina struck the nail on the head with her observation.
“I must say, it is interesting how no one notices! Even considering the fact that we’re in disguise, your power is still a really useful one. Here, this is for you.”
Rífa handed Kris a skewer as she spoke.
“You honor me with your praise.”
Kristina accepted the beef skewer with a cool, flat expression completely at odds with her words.
Kristina’s rune, Veðrfölnir, the Silencer of Winds, could hide not just Kristina’s presence, but the presence of those who held her hand, making it harder to notice them in a crowd. She was invaluable when going out in disguise to inspect the city.
“Your Majesty! One for me! One for me, too!”
Their other companion, Albertina, wiped the drool off her chin as she begged for her own skewer.
Although she looked exactly like her twin sister, Albertina’s reaction was the exact opposite of her younger sibling Kristina.
“Here, there you are.”
“Your Majesty, a moment.”
Just as Rífa was about to hand it to Albertina, Kristina took the skewer.
“Huh? What?! Kris?!”
Of course, Albertina was reduced to tears as the morsel was withheld from her, but...
“Oh Al, you know that only those who work are allowed to eat. I’ve been doing my job hiding their presence, but you haven’t done anything yet.”
“Huh?! I-I’ve been protecting them all this time!”
“Don’t lie! It’s obvious that you haven’t been paying attention to guarding them and that you’ve been distracted by everything going on in the street.”
“Errrm!”
Albertina’s words dissolved into a soft murmur as she failed to find the words to respond. It seemed that Kris had hit the mark.
“If you really want to have one, then you should show off a talent to entertain Father and Her Majesty.”
“A t-talent?”
“Yes. Shake.”
She had been thoroughly trained by her sister—Albertina reflexively placed her hand on Kristina’s, as though she were a dog being commanded to shake hands.
“Beg.”
Pfft. This time, Albertina placed the opposite hand on the ground.
“Turn three times and bark!”
She did as she was told and spun on the spot three times, and then...
“Woof!”
“Well done, here you go.”
“Yay! Thanks, Kris!”
Albertina took the skewer offered by Kristina with a look of utter delight. She had been reduced to the role of a dog.
“Mmm! Yummy!”
However, Albertina showed no signs of caring about what had just happened and let out a murmur of delight as she took a bite of her skewer.
Kristina nodded as she watched Albertina eat.
“Father, Your Majesty, we’ve finished testing the skewers. They should be safe to eat.”
“Did you just use me as a poison taster?!” Albertina said with a look of shock, tears welling in her eyes.
The exchange between the twins was too much for Rífa, who burst out in laughter.
“Ahahahaha, you two haven’t changed at all! Al, you, in particular, are as entertaining as I remembered!”
Rífa gazed fondly at them as she continued to chuckle.
During Rífa’s stay in Iárnviðr, she had spent quite a bit of time in Albertina’s company. Albertina’s cheerful innocence and her lack of concern about Rífa’s rank, or suspicion about Rífa’s actions, had been a source of comfort for Rífa, and they had gotten along well.
“Ngh...”
It appeared Albertina wasn’t quite satisfied with the situation, and she let out a murmur of displeasure as she pouted out her lips. To Rífa, that expression also struck her as adorable.
“Now then, Lord Yuuto, why don’t we eat as well?”
“Yes, indeed.”
“Let’s see...” he said, taking the time to stuff his face with the skewered meat before continuing, “Mm, just like in Iárnviðr. The flavoring is simple with just a touch of salt, but that’s what makes it so good.”
“Agreed. The dishes the chefs produce are delicious in their own way, but there are times where I crave this kind of simplicity.”
“Quite!”
Rífa nodded in agreement and took several more bites. She quickly gobbled up her skewer then took in the sights and sounds of the city with affection.
Her eyes caught many a collapsed building and she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness at the sight. She would have liked to have walked the city before it had been destroyed by the earthquake.
Despite all the tragedy, however, the city’s people had dusted themselves off and started moving on with their lives. Her music had contributed, in some measure, to this recovery. Rífa could appreciate her own contributions as she watched the city go about its business.
“Lord Yuuto, thank you for bringing me out here. I won’t ever forget this.”
“Heh, now you’re just exaggerating. All we did was take a walk through the city and have a snack,” Yuuto responded with a surprised smile, as though caught off guard by Rífa’s sudden remark.
It was true. At first glance, he hadn’t done much for her; this was just a walk in the city, as he had said.
For Rífa, though, that simple act had been something that had long been far out of her reach. For her to be able to indulge in that little act, and with the man she loved by her side no less—she couldn’t have asked for anything more. She had never imagined the experience would be so fulfilling.
For those reasons, Rífa simply couldn’t stop herself from smiling.
“Heh, this is the greatest indulgence that I could ever have hoped for.”
“We’re holding the ceremony in three days?!” Rífa exclaimed in surprise as Yuuto suddenly dropped the announcement when he appeared in her room the next morning.
The ceremony, of course, referred to the marriage ceremony between Yuuto and Rífa that had been delayed due to the people’s anger and frustration in the wake of the earthquake and the resulting misery that had followed.
The ceremony was something that Rífa had looked forward to. However—
“Father, isn’t this a bit sudden?” Fagrahvél, who had been standing next to her, asked, as though speaking on Rífa’s behalf.
She couldn’t keep the anger from showing on her expression.
Fagrahvél’s anger was understandable. A þjóðann’s wedding would ordinarily require at least six months of preparation.
Forgoing that preparation and conducting it in a mere three days’ time was a clear sign of disrespect toward the þjóðann. Given the supply shortages forced upon the capital from the response to the earthquake, it was difficult to imagine that the ceremony would be anything close to adequate.
“Yes, I’m well aware that it’s lacking in respect. But, I humbly request that you accept the proposal.”
“Whatever the reasons you may have, to treat Her Majesty this way...”
“Now hold on, Fagrahvél. Lord Yuuto wouldn’t make this sort of proposal without putting any thought into it.”
Rífa held up her hand to quiet Fagrahvél and calmly looked over to Yuuto.
Up until very recently, her combination of a lack of confidence in her own worth and anxiety would have pushed her to bombard Yuuto with questions about his plans, but now that Rífa had discovered a purpose, she had the emotional breathing room to take a step back and wait.
Rífa also had a fair idea of why Yuuto would be in such a hurry.
“Yes. The earthquake has already happened. The people have calmed down enough now, removing any further reason for delay,” she said, attempting to illuminate a frustrated and confused Fagrahvél to Lord Yuuto’s current thought process.
“I thank you for your understanding.”
“Lady Rífa?!”
In spite of Rífa’s attempts, Fagrahvél was left unable to follow the conversation, merely blinking her eyes in confusion. It was perhaps unavoidable given that she didn’t have all of the information necessary to make sense of the exchange.
“Besides, it’s something I’ve wanted for a long time.”
“Ah!”
Once Rífa glanced knowingly at Fagrahvél and smiled, Fagrahvél appeared to have come to an understanding.
Rífa, like Yuuto, didn’t have time to keep holding off the marriage.
If she was being honest, she wasn’t sure if she’d even be alive in six months. Three days from now was the perfect timing from Rífa’s point of view.
“Mm? What are you talking about?”
It was now Yuuto’s turn to tilt his head in puzzlement.
He couldn’t help it, of course, seeing as he was out of the loop concerning Rífa’s state of health. She had no intention of cluing him in, either.
She didn’t want to live under the weight of being treated like a dying woman. If these were to be her last days, she wanted to be able to live them happy and at peace.
Rífa gently placed her index finger against her lips.
“It’s a maiden’s secret.”
“Still, I have to admit, it’s quite nerve-racking.”
Rífa was visiting Mitsuki’s room that night. She swallowed to clear the lump in her throat and took several deep breaths to calm herself.
This wasn’t the first time she had been here. Given that she and Mitsuki got along as though they were long-separated twins, she was a frequent visitor to Mitsuki’s room.
However, this night of all nights, she honestly wanted to turn on her heel and sprint away as fast as her body could take her.
“Will they really accept me, I wonder?”
The reason Rífa was here tonight was because she had been invited to a tea party hosted by Mitsuki.
The rest of the party consisted of Felicia, Sigrún, Albertina, and Kristina—all women who made up Yuuto’s inner circle.
She could tell, based on their interactions with Yuuto, that both Felicia’s and Sigrún’s relationships with him were much more than platonic—though, certainly, the twins were not involved in such ways, as they were still too young for that.
Rífa was the newcomer in all this, and despite being the newest addition to the group, she was going to be his second official wife, placing her above the others in terms of hierarchy. In their place, she couldn’t imagine being amused by her presence.
As þjóðann, Rífa was well-acquainted with the entire concept of a harem. While it was all elegance and beauty on the surface, beneath that surface lay a murky swamp of envy and scheming. She was also aware, at least in the abstract, that matters of romance would blow away any semblance of friendship between women.
However, those gathered for today’s tea party had also been the friends she had broken bread with. Other than Fagrahvél, they were the first friends that Rífa had ever been able to relax and be herself with. She knew it would be difficult, but she wanted to be on friendly terms with them.
“Lady Rífa, I’m here with you.”
“Mm.”
She nodded a bit meekly at Fagrahvél’s words.
Rífa did, in fact, find Fagrahvél’s presence next to her to be extremely reassuring.
Taking in some courage from Fagrahvél’s presence next to her, Rífa opened the door to the room.
“Welcome, Your Majesty.”
She was welcomed into the room by a flaxen-haired young woman. The woman was Ephelia, Mitsuki’s lady-in-waiting, and someone that Rífa had met multiple times in the past, and more recently, had exchanged many a conversation with.
“Lady Rífa, thank you for coming!”
Mitsuki, tonight’s hostess, stood up and held out her arms in welcome.
Rífa let out a small sigh of relief upon seeing Mitsuki’s joyful face, but she wasn’t able to relax entirely quite yet.
Seated around the round table in the middle of the room were Felicia, Sigrún, Albertina, and Kristina, who had all arrived before her.
Rífa didn’t share a special soul-bond with them like she did with Mitsuki. Her interactions with them here would be the moment of truth.
“I appreciate your invitation. I know it’s not necessary, but allow me to properly introduce myself. I’m Sigrdrífa, soon to be Yuuto’s new wife. It’s a pleasure to be with all of you.”
Rífa felt her heart hammering in her chest as she finished her introduction and waited for the other women to react.
Each moment felt like an eternity as she waited, but eventually, she was greeted by a pattering of applause.
For Rífa, it was, honestly, a tad anticlimactic.
For a moment she suspected they were welcoming her in name while hiding their true feelings, but a look at their faces wiped that suspicion from her mind.
“It’s a pleasure to welcome you to our gathering, Lady Rífa,” Mitsuki, representing the others, said with a warm smile.
Rífa was overcome with a feeling of heartfelt gratitude, having realized that Yuuto’s first wife had welcomed her with such warmth. It stood to reason that the others would have followed her example and done so themselves.
“You don’t need to address me as ‘lady’ or use formal language. After all, once I’m married, you’ll be higher in the hierarchy than I am.”
“If anything, Your Majesty, you should probably be the one using formal language. Right now it still sounds like you’re higher ranked than her,” Kristina stated matter-of-factly.
There it is, Rífa thought, her chest tightening as she maintained her cheerful façade.
She had to admit that she was somewhat impressed. Being able to speak in that tone to the þjóðann, a being revered as a living god by most of Yggdrasil, took quite a bit of nerve.
That aside, Kristina did have a point.
“Y-You’re right... I, uh... I wish to ask for your forbearance... Lady Mitsuki...?”
“W-Wait, none of that, please! There’s no need to get all formal all of a sudden!”
“I must admit that it feels really odd for me as well, so if we can just dispense with all that, that would be wonderful.”
“Of course!”
“But, um, you don’t need to call me Lady anything. Just call me Rífa. I want you, my dearest of friends, to call me that, Mitsuki.”
“O... Okay! Rífa.”
Mitsuki and Rífa nodded to each other and they both reached over to embrace the other.
Soon after, the atmosphere at the tea party settled into a more cozy spot, and the discussion moved to lighthearted topics—something very common for such gatherings.
“I’ve gotta say, Yuu-kun really doesn’t understand women, does he?! I mean, three days from now? Really?!”
The subject, in due course, turned to that of the wedding ceremony that had suddenly been scheduled for three days’ time.
“There’s no way they can make you a proper dress in that short of a time. We’re gonna have to take one of your old dresses and make it into a wedding dress! All this despite the fact that a wedding dress is one of the most important dresses a girl will ever wear! It’d be one thing if he was poor, but he’s probably the richest guy in all of Yggdrasil!”
Strangely, it was Mitsuki, rather than Rífa herself, who was getting worked up into a frenzy over the rather brief timeline.
“I-I understand what you’re saying, but surely Big Brother has his reasons...”
“You know, Felicia, you’re always too easy on Yuu-kun!”
Felicia tried to calm Mitsuki’s anger, only to have her blast the effort into smithereens.
Given that Mitsuki wasn’t aware of the extenuating circumstances, perhaps it was unavoidable and Felicia could only offer a dry laugh in response.
Interestingly, it was Fagrahvél that perked up and passionately voiced her agreement with Mitsuki.
“Yes, he’s not valuing Her Majesty enough.”
“I know! It’s terrible!”
“Indeed! I am ever so glad that you, our great Mother, agree with my sentiment! I was, in all honesty, concerned about Lady Rífa joining Father’s harem, but if a woman such as yourself is there to support her in your position as the first wife... Well... it’s an enormous weight off my shoulders, Mother.”
“E-Err, really?”
“I can gladly entrust Lady Rífa to your care. I ask that your friendship and affection for her will continue for a long time to come.”
“Sure, you can count on me! You know, Miss Fagrahvél, you don’t feel like a stranger to me. It’s like I’ve known you for a long time.”
“What a coincidence. As presumptuous as this may sound, I feel the same. At first, I had thought it was because you looked exactly like Lady Rífa, but I feel like there’s something else...”
“I know, right? I look forward to getting to know you better, Miss Fagrahvél! I’m sure we’ll have a lot to talk about!”
“Yes! You honor me greatly.”
Mitsuki and Fagrahvél seemed to hit it off almost at once.
For Rífa, Mitsuki was her best friend, and Fagrahvél her milk-sister.
She had hoped the two would get along well, but to actually see it happening... She had to admit there was a part of her that couldn’t help but feel a tad bit envious...
“You know, speaking to you all like this, it reminds me of that meal we shared.”
Rífa thought nostalgically back to that time as she sipped her tea.
It had been the day after New Year’s, a year ago now, in the dead of the previous year’s winter. She had been huddled around a hotpot with the women of Yuuto’s inner circle.
“Hotpot? Oh, I hadn’t realized that you were the þjóðann at the time, Lady Rífa, pray forgive me for the disrespect at the time.”
Sigrún bowed her head in apology, as though she’d just remembered what had happened that day. Rífa casually waved off the apology.
“No, no. I was intentionally hiding my identity, after all. It was a fresh experience to have someone put another person over me.”
“Oh, yes, that was rather nerve-racking.”
Felicia placed her palm against her forehead and sighed.
“Wait, you knew?”
“Yes. I am, after all, Big Brother’s aide.”
“You weren’t exactly fully put together that time, either, if I recall.”
“Whaaa?!”
“You got drunk, went on a rant, then started taking off your clothes.”
“A-Are you sure about that?”
“Indeed, so it was, so it was. That was quite the sight.”
“Please erase that from your mind.”
Felicia shrank into a ball in embarrassment, her face flushed beet red.
Although Felicia ordinarily gave off the impression of being an extremely talented and capable woman, she tended to get rather wild when drunk.
“Are Linnea and Ingrid doing well? I should like to see them again.”
“They’re quite well. Though, they both seem to be quite busy. Lady Linnea is dealing with the rebuilding efforts from the earthquake while Lady Ingrid is busy with the weapons development that Father tasked her with,” Kristina calmly stated in response to Rífa’s question.
It seemed she had a solid grasp of what was happening in far-off Gimlé. Little wonder she served as Yuuto’s eyes and ears.
“Mm, I should like to soothe them by singing them a galdr, but I’m afraid to say that even I can’t reach Gimlé with my song.”
“Heh, true. I definitely wish we could have those two listen to your song, Rífa,” Mitsuki said, a look of rapt admiration on her face as she remembered Rífa’s song.
“Yup! Her Majesty’s song is really great,” Albertina said in agreement, closing her eyes as if remembering.
“Yes, it’s a song that could be described as heavenly.”
Felicia, who was a galdr wielder herself, sang Rífa’s praises.
“Yeah! The first time I heard it, I couldn’t stop crying!”
Ephelia eagerly added her own observation, momentarily forgetting the differences in their ranks.
“Definitely. While I know little about music, Her Majesty’s song really speaks to the soul.”
“Indeed. If she were a commoner, I’d have loved to recruit her into my Vindálfs.”
Even Sigrún and Kristina, known for their calm, even dry personalities, lavished praise upon Rífa’s song.
“Right, right! Her song is amazing!”
Mitsuki nodded repeatedly in enthusiastic agreement. She seemed to revel in the praise directed at Rífa as though it were her own.
While Rífa enjoyed the praise, she also found it a little embarrassing to hear it expressed so directly to her face.
“I-It isn’t much to speak about.”
“Please don’t say that! It’s amazing! Really!”
“The ones that are truly amazing are all of you here. I’ve heard that all of you have used your remarkable abilities to support Lord Yuuto through his time here, thick and thin. While it’s true that Yuuto is a hero that even outshines the sun, the achievements of the Steel Clan are only possible due to your hard work.”
With that, Rífa then drained her cup of tea.
She meant every word of what she had said, but a part of her felt like she’d let the mood nudge her into saying just a bit too much.
Perhaps because of her anxiety, her throat was dry as a desert.
“Mm?”
When she glanced over at the others, everyone other than Albertina was staring at her with their mouths agape.
“H-Have I said something wrong? Forgive me if I’ve offended you.”
Rífa hurriedly bowed her head in an anxious apology, but the women on the receiving end of that apology were, if anything, even more panicked at the gesture.
“N-No, not at all! You didn’t say anything wrong, Rífa!”
Mitsuki, who had come to her senses before the others, rapidly shook her head from side to side.
“Y-Yes, you haven’t said anything wrong... It’s just... Well... How do I phrase it... You’ve grown, haven’t you, Your Majesty?” Felicia said as she struggled to bring some order to her thoughts.
“Yes, you’re a much more impressive person than you were a year ago.”
Sigrún nodded gravely in agreement.
“Hm?”
Rífa furrowed her brow in confusion, not grasping what was being said.
From her perspective, she had only said what had seemed perfectly obvious, and she hadn’t said anything that should have earned her any praise. She couldn’t understand why they were praising her.
Oddly enough, it was Kristina, the one who had landed the blow earlier, that offered her the insight needed to grasp the situation.
“Lady Rífa, a year ago, even if you had offered us praise, you wouldn’t have shown any modesty in the process. No doubt you would have tried to show your own power and basked in a sense of superiority.”
“...Oh.”
Once again, Kristina spoke up with a complete lack of restraint, despite the fact that she was addressing the þjóðann. Rífa was honestly grateful for the lack of tact.
She hadn’t been entirely aware of it herself, but in hindsight, she could recall being desperate to show off her own power when she’d been with them last year.
“That’s probably because I’ve finally found some real self-confidence,” Rífa said quietly, chuckling with a note of self-deprecation.
It was only now that she understood that the arrogance she had carried herself with at the time was nothing more than an act—a defense mechanism to make up for her lack of self-confidence.
She had knowledge, so she deserved to be respected.
She had power, so she deserved to be respected.
She had authority, so she deserved to be respected.
Rífa felt like she had tried to get others to respect her so that she could use that to make up for her lack of confidence.
However, that sort of respect—forced respect and acknowledgment—did nothing to actually fulfill her.
Instead, she could feel it hollowing out her heart, leaving her to demand more from those around her, but in the process, she always ended up driving them further and further away.
That had been the loop that Rífa had been trapped in.
Until...
“I sang for my people. They were sincerely moved and truly acknowledged me as their þjóðann. I suppose I no longer feel the need to demand that people respect my authority.”
Rífa had always felt a sense of inferiority based on her appearance. She had felt that everyone only knelt before her and praised her because she was þjóðann.
No longer, though. She had come to understand that the tears shed by the people who heard her song were genuine. So too were their serene expressions. Their expressions of joy.
It was something that Rífa had accomplished with her own abilities. In achieving that, Rífa had finally, for the first time in her life, felt proud of herself. She had finally been able to accept her own intrinsic worth.
If she had changed—if she had matured—it was because she had finally found that confidence.
“I don’t think I could have managed this on my own, though...”
Rífa was as certain of that fact as she was anything else.
Her heart was weak.
If Fagrahvél hadn’t been beside her, no doubt she would have withdrawn further from the world, hated her place in it, and ended up a thoroughly hollow shell of a human being.
“Fagrahvél, it’s all thanks to you. If I’ve grown it’s because you continued to support me and offer me the push I needed to move forward.”
“Lady... Rífa...”
Deeply moved, Fagrahvél held her hands over her mouth, tears welling in her eyes. The tears immediately started to spill down her cheeks.
Seeing that beautiful relationship between master and retainer, all of the women present couldn’t help but tear up as well.
“Lady Rífa. I... I... I’m truly blessed to be able to serve you...”
“How long do you plan to keep this up? I had no idea you were so prone to such hysterics.”
Fagrahvél’s weeping showed no signs of letting up as she and Rífa made their way back from Mitsuki’s room after the tea party. Rífa glanced briefly at the heavens and let out a sigh as Fagrahvél continued to sniffle and sob.
While Rífa had meant every word that she’d said, she hadn’t expected Fagrahvél to fall so completely to pieces at the statement.
“Sheesh, just as things were getting cheerful and fun, you put a wet blanket over all of it with your crying.”
“M-My apologies, b-but... That’s just how much that entire occasion filled me with joy. I had never seen you smile and laugh so happily before...”
“Yes, true, it was all quite fun.”
Indeed, Rífa had thoroughly enjoyed it. Her time at the tea party had passed quickly, and it was over before she knew it.
“Lady Rífa, you have finally, at long last, made friends with whom you can relax and be yourself with.”
“Friends, huh? You’re right...”
Rífa blinked in surprise at that word.
She had always been “special.”
In terms of rank.
In terms of appearance.
That specialness meant that all those around her had always kept a certain distance from her, but today, she didn’t feel anything even remotely resembling the distance that ordinarily separated her from others.
Perhaps it was good that she would be the second formal wife—the second-most important rather than the most.
In the circle of women that had gathered for Mitsuki’s tea party, she wasn’t particularly “special.”
She was just one of the group that loved the same man and was just one among the many who tried to support him.
That was what made it so comfortable for her. She felt like she was one of them.
“It certainly does seem that I’ve finally made friends.”
“Yes! I’m so glad. I’m so very glad! I, Fagrahvél, am content with my life. I can die in peace now!”
“Now now, don’t you go dying on me. I need you to be around to support Yuuto even after I’m gone.”
“Please, don’t mention that! You’ve finally been accepted by the others, and you’re just getting started! You’ve finally found your happiness!”
“Heh, yes, you’re right. I’d like to...”
She had gotten that far in her sentence before she felt her consciousness suddenly slip away. Her sight went dark and she couldn’t tell which direction was up or down.
She knew she was in enormous trouble, but she couldn’t do a thing about it.
“Lady Rífa?!”
The last thing Rífa heard before her consciousness slipped into the darkness was Fagrahvél’s shocked exclamation.
“Where... am... I?”
When she opened her eyes, Rífa saw a familiar ceiling above her. She had usually resented the unchanging scenery, but today she was happy to see such a familiar sight. It seemed she wasn’t in Valhalla quite yet.
“Lady Rífa! Are you awake?!”
Fagrahvél’s voice cracked with emotion as she peered in on Rífa. The moment their eyes met, tears spilled from Fagrahvél’s eyes and started wetting Rífa’s cheek.
“Lady Rífa! Thank god. I was so worried about you...”
“Wait... Yuuto?! And Mitsuki and Felicia too? You told them, didn’t you, Fagrahvél?!”
“F-Forgive me, but...”
“She doesn’t deserve that anger, Lady Rífa. Why didn’t you tell us?” Yuuto demanded to know, his voice edged with anger.
“Yeah, really. When I heard you’d collapsed, I felt the blood drain from my face.”
“We were really worried that you might not wake up again, you know.”
Mitsuki and Felicia’s voices quavered from a mix of deep worry and a touch of anger. There was no point in trying to maintain the charade now that they had seen her collapse. Rífa let out a long sigh of resignation.
“I’m sorry. But if I’d told you, you would’ve told me to stay in bed, would you have not?”
“Of course!” Yuuto, Mitsuki, and Felicia all said in perfect unison.
She could feel that all three of them were sincerely concerned about her well-being.
“Why didn’t you tell me? If you’d have just mentioned it, I wouldn’t have made you sing through it.”
“That’s exactly why. At least let me live the way I want before I die.”
“You don’t need to be so despairing... I’m sure you’ll be fine if you get enough rest. Felicia, we need to delay the—”
“No!”
Rífa couldn’t help but shout, cutting Yuuto off mid-sentence.
“But in your current state, well... I’m not saying we’re not going to do it at all, just that we’ll wait until you’re better...”
“That won’t happen!” Rífa said simply.
Given her current state, even raising her voice took effort, but she felt the need to shout anyway.
“I know my own body best. I’m only going to keep getting weaker, even with rest.”
“Lady Rífa, they say that sickness starts with the mind. If you let yourself believe you won’t recover...”
“Mitsuki, Felicia, you two can tell, yes?”
“...”
As Rífa turned her gaze to the two of them, Mitsuki and Felicia’s expressions twisted into painful silence.
They were both seiðr wielders skilled in manipulating ásmegin. If they used their spirit sight to look upon her, there was no mistaking the verdict—
There was nothing that could be done for her.
“Hey, why aren’t you two saying anything?! What’s going on?!”
Yuuto looked from Mitsuki to Felicia, demanding an answer. He was the only one who didn’t know what was happening.
But they couldn’t answer him, turning away from his gaze with pained expressions.
“The flames of my life are just about extinguished... That’s all.”
“That can’t be!”
“Don’t make me repeat myself. It’s not easy for me, either.”
“...Tch!”
Upon hearing her say that, Yuuto had to bite down on his lower lip to quiet himself.
She knew it wasn’t fair to him, but there was nothing to be gained by continuing the exchange.
As þjóðann of the Holy Ásgarðr Empire, Rífa had a duty to fulfill as her death approached. A duty she owed to her empire, her people, and to herself.
“Please. Let me fulfill my duty.”
“Your duty...?”
“Yes, Yuuto. No doubt there will be many walls that will stand in your way. When you have to climb over those walls, no doubt the title of þjóðann will be a great help to you.”
“Well... Yeah, that’s true.”
“You need to be given the title from me, though. Unless I transfer the title to you willingly, people will merely see you as a usurper.”
“Yes... But, if you die in the process...”
“Yuuto... My life, or the life of the people of Yggdrasil. Surely you of all people know which should outweigh the other?”
“...!”
Yuuto let out a pained grunt as he bit down harder on his lower lip. He, too, was well aware of what needed to be done—of the fact that he needed to become the legitimate þjóðann.
He also knew very well that a ruler sometimes needed to abandon the few in pursuit of the needs of the many.
“I beg of you...! If I am to die, then at least let me die as your wife,” Rífa pleaded to Yuuto as she gazed intently into his eyes.
She couldn’t stand the thought of dying without performing this last act. The last thing she wanted to be was a burden to Yuuto. She wanted to die as his wife—she wanted to die having left something for him that would help him.
She hoped that her emotions would reach him.
“...Okay.”
Yuuto finally nodded after a long and painful silence. Though it sounded like he had to force his voice from his throat, he had acquiesced to her wishes.
“Mitsuki is a thoughtful woman, you know.”
The room was lit by the gentle light of a small lantern. Two shadows wavered upon the wall.
The others had recently left as Mitsuki noted that Rífa and Yuuto would probably like to discuss some matters alone.
No one could argue with Mitsuki and so the two had been left alone in the room.
“Thinking about it, I think this is the first time we’ve been alone, just the two of us.”
Rífa clapped her hands together as though the thought had just come to her.
Both of them were too highly ranked to ever be unattended. Rífa always had someone protecting her, as did Yuuto.
The fact that they had never spoken without anyone else present was an odd little fact when considering that they were going to be married in two days.
“Yes, that’s true.”
“Thinking about it, I’m a little nervous now.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
Yuuto repeated the same words as a response.
His expression was stiff, and he seemed rather distracted. Perhaps he was yet to accept that Rífa didn’t have much longer to live.
“Hey!”
Rífa slapped her hands against Yuuto’s cheeks and grabbed him by the face to snap him out of it. She then gazed intently into his eyes and spoke.
“Rather rude of you to spend your first night with your new wife with your head off in the clouds, no?”
“A-Apologies!”
“That, too!”
She clapped both hands against his cheeks a second time.
“We’re going to be husband and wife, and you’re going to talk to me like we’re strangers? No more of this Lady Rífa stuff, either.”
“Yes—I mean, yeah, you’re right.”
Rífa nodded intently.
The fact that there was now someone who would speak to her as an equal filled with her joy.
“Don’t look at me with such pity in your eyes, Yuuto. I’m quite happy.”
“Rífa...”
Yuuto called out her name, his eyes wavering anxiously.
When was the last time someone simply called her by her nickname?
Even more importantly, it was the man she loved calling her by that name. There was nothing that could possibly make her happier.
“I really am happy, that is no lie. As þjóðann, I was able to eat delicious food, wear beautiful clothes, and sleep in soft, warm bedding. Those are things that are out of the reach of many.”
“...”
“And now? I’m even together with the man I love, and I’ve made so many friends. Asking for more would just invite bad luck, would it not?” Rífa said rather rapidly and let out a boisterous laugh.
She intended to laugh it all—her cares, her anxiety—away.
“O-Oh...? Oh.”
She blinked in surprise as tears spilled from her eyes.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. There was nothing left to do about her body. Tears would do nothing, they would just hurt Yuuto and possibly drive him away.
That was why she had no intention of showing that weakness in front of him, and why she just wanted to leave fun memories before she died.
“Dammit, stop! Stop! I don’t have time to be weeping...”
“It’s fine.”
Yuuto grabbed Rífa’s arm and pulled her against his chest. The embrace was warm. The warmth that radiated off of him seemed to warm her to her very core.
“You can cry. No, if anything, you should cry. Cry as much as you need to.”
To have him top it off with those words—there was no way Rífa could hold back her tears.
The levee that had held back her emotions melted and let loose a torrent.
“I don’t... want to die.”
Rífa couldn’t help but say those words.
She had sworn she wouldn’t say them.
She had shoved them deep down and put a lid on them, with the intent of keeping them bottled up within her until she passed.
“I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!” she yelled out at the top of her lungs, tears still streaming from her eyes. “I finally managed to escape my cage! I’m finally with the man I love! I finally have friends I can confide in! Why must I die now?!”
There was no way that she could accept her fate.
Why did it always have to happen to her?
She wasn’t even able to walk beneath the sun.
She had been sickly, often ending up confined to her bed.
She had been disliked, viewed with suspicion and fear not just from her retainers but by her own family.
The treacherous Hárbarth had taken her freedom.
She had finally been liberated from all of those shackles and had true happiness within her grasp.
She was finally about to live the life she had dreamed of.
She finally had found a reason to want to live.
And now she had to die.
There was no way that she could simply accept that fate.
Rífa was only a seventeen-year-old girl. How could she possibly accept this?
“I want to live... I want to live! Who cares about the þjóðann?! I want to live with you, I want to have your children, and live a happy, lively life with everyone. I wanted to be... With you all for longer... I wanted to be with you for so much longer...!”
She couldn’t help but cry and weep.
Once the emotions had been unleashed, they just wouldn’t stop. Everything she had bottled up inside came gushing out in a wild flood.
“Yeah, you’re right. I want to be with you for a lot longer, too.”
Yuuto pulled her in closer and tightened his embrace.
Rífa clung to Yuuto like a child, sobbing and screaming uncontrollably.
She couldn’t stop herself.
She wept and wept until her tears ran dry, at which point she felt the faintest amount of relief.
“I’m sorry...”
Rífa mouthed words of apology as she sniffled.
The tears had come as a complete surprise. She’d had no intention of looking so pitiful and weak in front of him.
She had intended to carve herself into his memories as a beautiful image—unmarred by weakness, just a joyful memory, though it hadn’t felt at all bad to have unleashed her emotions upon him.
If anything, she had fallen even deeper in love with him. The fact that he had so readily accepted her weakness had made him all the more precious to her.
For that precise reason, the words she spoke next came naturally to her—
“Make love to me, Yuuto. I want you to carve into my body and soul the memory of loving and having been loved by you.”
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