Kimi to Boku no Saigo no Senjo, Aruiha Sekai ga Hajimaru Seisen - Volume 5 - Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3 

Sister War 

1 

Nebulis Sovereignty. Liesbaden. 

The clean streets were painted by the morning sunlight. The narrow, cobbled paths were bustling with children on their way to school. The roadways were crowded with commuters in cars. 

…I realized yesterday…their roads are cobbled, not made of asphalt like the Imperial capital. 

There was something about Liesbaden that felt like the neutral cities—vestiges of a land that had once been an independent state. 

“Iska, could you close the curtains?” 

“Oh, right.” 

He drew them over the view of the city from the living room in Room 901. 

Behind him, Sisbell was lounging on the sofa. 

Commander Mismis and Nene were next to her, sitting on the carpet. 

“What an early departure.” Jhin sat in a chair next to the table, staring at the princess. “Shuvalts, right? He’s not in the hotel anymore. Is that right?” 

“He’s heading to the central state ahead of us,” Sisbell quietly confirmed. 

Her hair had been let out of her usual pigtails, flowing straight down her back. It made her seem more mature. Iska had done a double take when he first saw her. 

“His astral powers are suited for working undercover. He will arrive at the central state tomorrow. I imagine he will be able to receive an audience with the queen the day after. We will wait for his message.” 

“And what happens after he meets with the queen?” Jhin’s hand went to his sniper bullets. 

When will I need to use these? his silence seemed to imply. 

“I can think of two possibilities. The queen may dispatch her own confidants. If that doesn’t happen, I think she would use her connections to secure our safety.” 

“What would trigger the second possibility? That seems like a last resort.” 

“Some people raise objections to every single one of the queen’s actions. As I’ve told you, the royal family is not a monolith.” 

“That Mask guy?” 

“When it comes to him, everyone is in agreement, even her haters.” 

“—So. We’re on standby until then? Looks like we’re just killing time for four or five days.” Jhin propped his chin up in his hand on the table. 

On top of the desk was the state map. A circle in red ink indicated the hotel. 

“Every two days, we’re going to change our hotel. Hiding out in the same place is dangerous. If we stay long term, the hotels will get suspicious of us, too.” 

“I will leave the decision-making to you. It’s what you specialize in, after all.” 

Sisbell was wearing glasses with nonprescription lenses. In Iska’s eyes, today’s hairstyle and glasses were sufficient to make her look like a different person. 

“Just as we planned, Iska and I will head over to be on lookout. We’ll be at the terminal. If there are assassins dispatched from the central state, I believe they will use this railway,” Sisbell said. 

Their strategy was to take more of the offense and find the assassins before the assassins found them. 

With Sisbell’s Illumination, they could track them as much as they needed to after they were discovered once. 

The only problem was that Lord Mask’s team knew Unit 907. 

“Here, Iska. Put these on and break a leg out there.” Mismis handed him a paper bag. 

It held a pair of glasses for a disguise. 

“You want me to wear these, too?” 

“Of course. Try them on… Wow! They look great! What do you think, Nene?” 

“You look cool! You almost look smart!” 

“…Not exactly a compliment.” Iska sighed in front of the mirror. 

2 

Liesbaden. The terminal station, South Altoria. 

This station was practically on the southern tip of the vast state, connecting to the central state by continental railway. It not only functioned as a terminal station but also incorporated a shopping center, hotels, and a composite of other establishments. 

“We have arrived at South Altoria. Please remember to take your belongings with you.” 

“Let’s go, Rin.” 

“Coming. Just wait a moment, Lady Alice. This is heavy.” 

Alice hopped out of the rail car. Rin pulled along bundled-up carts, trying to catch up. 

“We need to find her.” 

“You’re in too much of a hurry. It’s already evening, and we need to find a vacant hotel. Especially since that will become our base of operations.” 

“Oh. I didn’t realize we hadn’t settled on a hotel yet.” 

“…Before I could make a reservation, you had already leaped onto a train, Lady Alice. We were supposed to take the one after that and arrive in the middle of the night.” 

Rin was tuckered out. She had on the most unusual attire of sweat clothes instead of her usual apron and uniform. Though Alice was in the dress that she saved for the neutral cities, she had her hair tied up behind her. 

“Lady Alice.” 

Coming out from a different car, two apparent businesspeople—one man and one woman—passed by them, whispering covertly in her ear. 

“We have arrived. We will disperse in the terminal station and commence the search. The second party is scheduled to arrive on the next train.” 

“All right. I will ask you to convene at nine o’clock at night.” 

“Understood.” 

They left as though nothing had happened. The queen’s agents traveling with Alice wore suits that were completely wrinkle free. She watched as they blended in with the other travelers. 

“…What if she’s already gone to a different state?” 

“She was spotted at the checkpoint yesterday. If she felt like it, Lady Sisbell would be long gone.” 

However, they had come to search for her here, as instructed by the queen. 

“My mother thinks she’s here, right?” 

“Yes. She said if your sister is thinking things through, she would bide her time here and send her attendant as a messenger to the palace.” 

To Sisbell, the palace was a den of adversaries. 

Rather than approaching the castle, it was safer to have her attendant head there as a scout. Alice could see where she was coming from. 

“Of course, even if she is here, finding her will be difficult. There are several hundred thousand people in this state alone.” 

Rin pulled the carts along behind her as they headed to the exit. They looked around the storefronts of the station that were lined up in a row when Rin asked, “She is your sister, Lady Alice. Do you have any leads?” 

“If I did, this job would be easy.” Alice shrugged. “She was always shut away in her own room. I don’t know anything about her. I don’t even know if she likes cake or pudding.” 

“Please make use of your innate luck. Activate your ability that allowed you to meet a certain swordsman at the neutral cities.” 

“My encounters with Iska were purely coincidental.” 

If she had the power to do that, she would have already used it forever ago to find her sister. 

She would have used it for Iska. 

…I want to run into him on the battlefield…not neutral cities or anywhere else. 

She wasn’t lucky—she was losing. 

The fate of the planet seemed to toy with Alice’s predictions. 

“But right. It might be fun to think of what kind of places Sisbell might hit up. With an area this big, I’ll need to use my brains to conduct this search.” 

Alice looked between the businesses filled with travelers, pointing at the sign of a fresh-squeezed juice shop. 

“That one!” 

“Uh. Are you being serious, Lady Alice…?” Rin looked at her dubiously. “It’s a juice bar, just like in any other terminal station. All they offer is juice squeezed from fruit. There is no reason for Lady Sisbell to go to there.” 

“Obviously to quench her thirst.” She beckoned Rin over with her hand and started to walk toward the juice bar. “This building is hot and stuffy from people passing through the terminal. The air is dry from the AC. I think she would feel like drinking a cup of refreshing fruit juice. Let’s go inspect the place. I think we ought to have some for ourselves.” 

“…Are you sure you don’t just want to drink the juice, Lady Alice?” 

“I’m just trying to think like Sisbell.” 

Obviously, there was no Sisbell in line. 

“Aw, shucks. I was wrong.” 

“I knew it. Which one do you want to drink, Lady Alice?” 

“Hm…” 

There was an apple-flavored green juice packed with nutrients and a banana smoothie made with soy milk and kinako , sweet soybean flour. There was even a strawberry shake made with farm-fresh berries. 

They all seemed delicious, but Alice wanted to have a juice of the people, which she rarely had an opportunity to drink. That meant a deluxe melon soda topped with a whopping amount of fresh cream. 

“I’ve decided. Rin, I’d like a—” 

“Excuse me. Could I get a melon soda and one strawberry shake?” 

“…Hm?” 

Rin hadn’t been the one who ordered. Nor Alice. 

A boy with dark brown hair had casually joined the line in front of Alice and Rin as they were still deciding. He had a gentle face and wore black-rimmed glasses. 

He looked like Iska. And he sounded a lot like Iska… 

Alice caught herself staring at him, as he turned around with the drinks in hand. 

“…………Ah.” 

“…………Oh.” 

Their eyes met—the boy from the Empire in his new getup and the middle princess in her disguise. 

“Wait. Is that you, Iska?! What’s with those glasses?!” 

“Alice?! Why are you here?” 

She was supposed to be looking for her sister. Instead, she had wound up finding an Imperial subject! 

Rin pointed at him. “You! Why are you in our country…? You were supposed to be in the desert. Have you no shame?!” 

“……” 

“What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue? Yeah, we see through your cheap disguise!” 

“Who might you be?” 

“…I-it’s me! …Come on! You have to recognize me, right?!” Rin raised up her brown hair with her hands to simulate pigtails. 

It wasn’t just her hairstyle that was throwing him off—she wasn’t in her housekeeper’s uniform. Iska must have thought she was a different person entirely. 

“So what’s the meaning of this?” Alice appraised Iska, looking him over from head to toe, focusing particularly on his glasses. 

She didn’t peg him for having poor vision, and he hadn’t been wearing them at the neutral city. What else could they be, if not part of a disguise? 

…He doesn’t look bad in them… With his gentle face, they make him look like an intellectual and… Wait! What am I thinking?! Alice snapped back to her senses. 

The issue wasn’t his disguise. It was that he had to know he was trespassing. 

“Are you on an Imperial mission? In that case, I cannot overlook this.” 

“I-I’m not! This is a misunderstanding, Alice!” Iska backed away, balancing drinks in both hands. “This isn’t a mission for the Empire. I mean, I’m not here voluntarily…” 

“What’s the difference?” 

“Um…like I said, um, so, uh,” Iska fumbled. 

Of course, Alice had no intention of going easy in her interrogation. Someone from the Empire trespassing in the Sovereignty was a serious crime. She needed to know his motivations. 

“I’ll hear you out once we get out of the terminal station. Iska, you’re coming with—” 

“Lady Alice.” 

Someone had called out behind her. 

“You did not need to wait for us. What an honor.” 

“We’re here.” 

“Y-yes?!” Alice’s voice cracked when they called out her name. 

—They were two agents of the queen. 

The pair were young, wearing matching gray suits. 

“Lady Alice? Who might this be?” 

The agents looked at Iska. He had gone tight-lipped, picking up that they were different. 

Terrible timing. 

…Just as I was about to question Iska… It would have been bad if the agents were to see. 

Iska was an Imperial soldier. 

If they found out why Alice had been able to declare his origin, she would come under suspicion. 

“Uh! I’m giving him directions! He got lost in the station, and I was telling him the closest exit!” 

Some things required sacrifice. Gritting her teeth, Alice pushed Iska from behind. She was telling him to shoo . 

“You know where to go now.” 

“Huh? Uh, yeah.” Iska speed-walked away, even though he was confused. 

“See?” 

“Of course. Excuse us. We called your name at a bad time.” 

The pair lowered their heads respectfully. 

To all around them, Alice appeared to be the daughter of a company president, while they were employees. No one would guess they were the royal family’s agents. 

“Proceed as planned. We will assemble at nine o’clock at night. Make sure one of you is available.” 

“As you wish.” 

The envoys of the royal family disappeared into the crowd. Alice exchanged a look with Rin, waiting for them to go out of sight. 

“Rin.” 

“Yes. The Imperial swordsman headed to the eighth exit. He is carrying two cups in his hands, so he shouldn’t be able to run.” 

“Two. That’s important. He’s with someone else.” 

They sprinted toward the exit. 

It had to be another member of his Imperial unit. She guessed it was Commander Mismis, whom she had met at a neutral city, though that would make it difficult to greet her. 

“You cowards!” 

“What did you do to Iska?! You know the rules of this place and still dared to act so brazenly.” 

Mismis regarded Alice as a coward who had attacked her subordinate. That misunderstanding had yet to be resolved, and Mismis still resented her for it. 

…I need to get over it… Even if it’s her, I can’t let Imperial forces trespass. 

She would find and restrain them. If they tried to run, she could chase them up to the border. Alice had no qualms using force if they resisted her. 

“Lady Alice, over there!” 

Under a sign indicating the eighth exit, Iska was looking around, seeming flustered. 

“I can’t believe he’s bold enough to stand in such a conspicuous place. Toting his two drinks with the utmost care. Lady Alice, what should we do? 

“…He’s acting odd.” 

Why wasn’t he running away? If Iska devoted his energy to escaping, Alice and Rin would struggle following him. 

“There is a possibility he’s waiting for someone.” 

“Yes. Then we should take the second person hostage. I do not know who it could be, but I doubt they would be stronger than him.” Holding her breath, Alice hid in the shadow of a building. 

She wouldn’t target Iska, but the other person. 

In other words, she was going for the weaker one. She would take that person hostage and demand that Iska surrender. She visualized this strategy in her mind. 

“Iska.” A girl came skipping over. 

She had vibrant strawberry-blond hair and wore smart-looking glasses. Though she appeared to be younger than Alice, they were equal in terms of looks. 

“Sorry for making you wait. Thank you for the drink.” She grinned at Iska. 

Though her hair was down and she was wearing glasses, Alice immediately recognized her younger sister, Sisbell. 

“What?!” 

Iska had been waiting for her sister ? She couldn’t have invited an Imperial soldier into the country as princess! 

…What is going on?! …This matches Lord Mask’s story! 

Alice had thought Lord Mask’s theory was unfounded conjecture. Was this, in fact, the truth? 

“She concealed her whereabouts. Isn’t it rational to think she has the help of the Imperial forces?” 

That couldn’t be right. Alice had no idea why Sisbell had brought an Imperial soldier with her. 

…Her involvement with Iska should have been a one-time thing from a year ago… They had met again in Alsamira by chance, but she’d told me that nothing else had happened. 

In reality, her sister had brought an Imperial soldier along with her. Alice couldn’t come up with an explanation for this, based on what she had been told by Sisbell. Were there still more secrets connected to her relationship with Iska? 

“This is…very interesting.” Rin had knitted her eyebrows together. “Looking at the facts, it appears as though Lady Sisbell is trying to betray the Sovereignty as Lord Mask has said. However, this seems too unbelievable.” 

Iska’s face had been identified. If Alice had been able to recognize him, it wouldn’t be surprising if someone else from the Sovereignty could also identify him. 

“Sisbell, let’s go. Hurry! Before we’re found!” 

“Huh? Wh-what’s gotten into you, Iska? Why are you so worried?” 

The two of them started to run. Iska had walked outside the station to avoid making Sisbell realize he was panicked. 

“Do you think Iska will tell my sister that we found him?” 

“He cannot,” Rin said, jogging after them. “Let’s say he tells her, ‘This is bad, Sisbell! Alice saw me!’ How would she respond?” 

“What do you mean, Iska?” 

“Are you so acquainted with my sister that she can instantly recognize you through your disguise?” 

If he explained himself, Iska would be further questioned by Sisbell. So he wouldn’t tell her about running into Alice. 

All Iska could do was run out of the station. If he did more than that, Sisbell would suspect him of something. 

“This works in our favor, Lady Alice. That Imperial swordsman has to slow down to match Lady Sisbell’s pace. Let’s follow them from behind.” 

“I have no objections.” 

They continued to tail them. Iska and Sisbell walked along the crowded walkways. It wasn’t hard for Alice to follow them, but… 

What was this strange emotion? 

Illuminated orange from the evening sun, they looked like they were in love. It was like they were a couple walking side by side. She was bothered by that. 

…Why do I feel irritated? …I’m doing my job by following them! Meanwhile, Sisbell is… 

There was a small change. Her sister took one of the drinks from Iska. 

“Lady Sisbell took a drink!” 

“…I have eyes.” 

The two of them slowed to a walk along the path, sipping on their beverages. 

Was Alice just imagining it, or were they acting too chummy? 

They were close—too close. Their shoulders were almost touching now. 

“They’re attached at the hip…! They’re way too close! I mean, he’s an Imperial soldier?!” 

“Lady Alice, look!” Rin pointed ahead. 

Upon finishing her drink first, Sisbell grabbed onto his arm, clinging with both her dainty hands wrapped around Iska’s elbow. Since he was still in the middle of his juice, he couldn’t shake her off. 

“W-wait a second! She’s putting him in a tough spot…!” 

Even from afar, she could tell he was troubled. Her sister just seemed to look up at his reaction in delight, showing no sign of letting go. 

And most of all, her smile seemed to light up her entire face. 

…I’ve never seen Sisbell like that… She’s never looked so pleased in front of me or my mother! 

Her cheeks appeared flushed, and her eyes were almost dewy. In the evening hour, they didn’t give off the vibe of a Sovereign princess and Imperial subject. 

She seemed like a girl in love. 

“……” 

There was a visceral reaction in her body. Something she’d never felt before. 

She felt like she couldn’t breathe. 

Her face was so hot, she was worried of burning herself. It felt like her blood was boiling, causing her to sweat profusely. She didn’t know why…but she couldn’t take her eyes off them. 

“Lady Alice? Is something the matter?” Rin looked at her with wide eyes. 

She must have though it strange that her mistress had gone quiet. Alice did not have the capacity to answer her. 

“—Look, Iska. The sky is so beautiful.” Her sister pointed out the setting sun, beaming at him. 

Alice’s heart almost leaped out of her chest when she saw her sister’s smile. 

“Lady Alice?” 

“Hff… Hah…! Ugh!” 

“Wh-what’s wrong, Lady Alice?! You’re panting like an enraged cat, and your face is bright red!” 

“This is serious!” 

Her mind was just about to go blank from frustration. She couldn’t watch the situation with composure for another moment—she knew this was the most disgraceful experience of her entire life. He was about to be stolen from her . 

“Iska is my rival. How dare Sisbell—!” 

“Lady Alice, look!” 

Past Rin’s trembling fingertip, Sisbell stopped Iska at a corner of the main street. Smiling mischievously, the youngest princess went on her tiptoes, reaching her fingers out to him as Iska turned around. 

They grazed his cheek…wiping off some cream that had snuck itself away from his mouth. 

She didn’t use a handkerchief or a paper napkin. She used her own fingertip. 

Of course, Iska was surprised. His face was beet red. He was saying something quickly, but they couldn’t hear the distant conversation. 

…H-h-how could she…do that in public? …I’m jealous…I mean, gross! Even Iska is shocked! 

This wasn’t something a princess could do. 

It was absurd. Had their mother seen, her face would have been bright red with shame. 

“Lady Alice!” Rin cried out again. 

Alice snapped her head up. Iska was searching his surroundings—to check if they were being followed. Rin was pointing, not at him but at Sisbell behind him. 

Iska had turned away, taking no notice of Sisbell behind him. She was looking at the cream on her fingertip. 

While he wasn’t looking…she brought her finger to her mouth. 

No way. 

That crossed the line. Even if Sisbell was her little sister, Alice couldn’t turn a blind eye to that. 

“No, Sisbell. That’s—” 

Nom. The youngest princess carried the whipped cream into her mouth…which had been on his mouth. 

She had licked it. When he turned around, Sisbell pretended like nothing had happened. She was blushing from satisfaction, looking at him with upturned eyes. 

She was smitten. 

“…” 

In that moment…something snapped in Alice. Audibly. 

Her entire vision flooded red. Her blood chilled instantly. Even the trembling of her fingertips abruptly subsided. 

Her heart quieted. 

“? This. Means. War.” 

“Um, Lady Alice…?” 

“? I get it now.” 

Sensing something was up, Rin went pale. 

Alice beamed at her. “I realized something. My worst enemy wasn’t the Empire.” 

“P-pardon…?” 

“Wait here. This will be over quickly.” She left Rin in the shadow of the building, storming to the main road. “I’ll turn her into an ice sculpture and sell her off to a jeweler. For the crime of laying a hand on my Iska , I’ll carve—” 

“No carving! Lady Alice, please come back to your senses!” 

Rin used every ounce of strength in her to pin Alice’s arms behind her back. Though she was dainty, her tempered arms weren’t easy to shake off. 

“L-let go, Rin! Y-you can’t grab me here! We’re in front of other people!” 

“This is the only way I can stop you, Lady Alice!” 

“B-but…!” 

Iska was going to be taken from her! 

With crisis around the corner, Alice’s brain reached its capacity. She suddenly couldn’t care less about anything else. 

Who knew about an order from her mother, the queen, to protect her sister? 

Or their confrontation with the House of Zoa? 

Or the conclave? 

All of it seemed trivial, compared to what was happening before her very eyes. 

…Because…because if Iska isn’t here anymore….what will be my life’s purpose?! 

Battling the Empire was an astral mage’s mission. 

Born as a princess of the Nebulis Sovereignty, she was destined to claw her way through the conclave. 

Unifying the world was her duty. She had to do it. 

Born under the fate of the stars, those truths of her life were inevitable. 

But Iska was different. 

Alice had decided on him of her own volition. She had chosen him as her greatest foe. 

“Peace negotiations. I want to stop the war.” 

“That’s why I thought of catching a direct descendant from Nebulis’s bloodline. I thought even the Nebulis royal family would waver if one of their relatives was in danger. That way, I could make them come to the negotiation table even if they didn’t want to.” 

Those lofty aspirations were an impossibility. They would never come to be. 

But…she had been charmed by his conviction and way of life. 

He was her foe . He had barreled into her, certain of his ideals. He was the one she wanted to settle things with. 

…I don’t care who wins or loses the battle…as long as the battle is just between the two of us! 

Out of all things that could have happened, someone was going to swipe him from under her nose. 

“Hey, Rin.” 

“Y-yes?” 

“I wonder if my mother would allow me to have a duel against my sister.” 

“Obviously not!” 

“…Gah. This is mortifying. I can’t believe all I can do is watch.” She gritted her teeth and endured. 

The beating of her heart still hadn’t settled, but it was paramount that she face reality. 

“…It barely missed his lips. It was just his cheek. In that case, I suppose the duel is postponed.” 

“What are you talking about?!” Rin looked up at her, clutching onto Alice. “I have a proposal. Would you allow me to handle them?” 

“You? You mean that you’ll make contact with them?” 

“Yes. With all due respect, Lady Sisbell still doesn’t trust you. If an attendant were to approach her alone, we may be able to map out a deal.” 

“……” 

Rin’s eyes were looking straight at her. 

Alice understood she wasn’t going to back down. Rin had already made up her mind. 

“…All right. I will watch over our luggage. I trust you.” 

“Thank you! Then I will see you soon!” 

The attendant ran like the wind. 

Alice took in another deep breath. 

Alice was enraged—and anxious. 

“Agh, Lady Alice! What has gotten into you?!” Rin said to herself as she raced down the alleys, chasing after those two. 

…This is the first time I’ve ever seen Alice this flustered… She must have been so enraged, she didn’t even know how to cope. 

There was something unusual about Alice’s attachment to the Imperial swordsman Iska. Though he was an enemy, she had developed a connection with him. 

Rin had served Alice since childhood. He was the first person that Alice had taken any kind of interest in. If someone were stealing him from her, she wouldn’t overlook it, not even if that person was her sister. 

If this continued, Alice would explode. 

She’s become stubborn. She should have just protected Lady Sisbell! That would have prevented this…! 

First she would pry apart the princess and the Imperial swordsman. That was the easy part. 

The complications started after that. Even if she were able to reunite the two siblings, there was a chance a sisterly feud would break out—seeing that Alice was seething. 

“I need to pacify Lady Alice. Otherwise, her inner circle will be tortured—meaning me. Do you understand that, Imperial swordsman?!” 

Her method of pacifying Alice was…harm reduction. 

Option one. Could she offer Alice a sweet treat? 

—No. Alice would remember the earlier melon-soda incident and explode in her face. 

Option two. Would it help to take her to admire the arts? 

—No. There wasn’t an art museum nearby. Plus, she might grow indignant and claim to turn her sister into an ice sculpture again. 

Option three. Let her get a good night’s sleep. 

—No. That would only mean dreaming about this scene and fuming. 

“None of those will work! Ugh! This is the only option! You take responsibility for this, Iska!” 

She ground together her back teeth in frustration and then leaped out from a back alley into the main street. 

She launched herself in front of them. 

“Ahh?!” 

“—Rin!” 

“Lower your voice. And Imperial swordsman, zip it.” 

Sisbell blinked at her in surprise. Rin bowed to the youngest princess, careful not to overdo it, which would draw the attention of normal people on the streets. 

“We were searching for you, Lady Sisbell.” 

“…That’s a new look for you, Rin. I can’t believe you would wear a sweatshirt.” The strawberry-blond girl scowled. Her shy smile had slipped off her face. 

“Lady Sisbell, what are you doing here?” 

“What does it look like? Educating myself. I’m wandering through the states to develop my views. Same as Alice’s trips to neutral cities.” 

“Let me ask you directly.” 

Rin looked Sisbell straight in the eyes through her glasses. 

“Lord Mask is looking for you under certain suspicions. Do you have any idea what those could be?” 

“Gh!” Sisbell trembled. 

Rin noticed Iska’s eyes immediately narrow. Instead of expressing surprise, he had upped his defenses. 

—In other words, he already knows. 

Iska already realized Sisbell was targeted as though it were a matter of fact. So why was he traveling with the witch princess? 

…Imperial soldiers as guards? …Lady Sisbell, did you sell your soul to the Empire? 

Rin was starting to doubt her. As someone who served the Lou, the attendant could not overlook it. 

“Neither Lady Alice nor I have any ill will against you, Lady Sisbell. We came here under orders from the queen to protect you.” 

“…No.” 

“No to what?” 

“I haven’t asked for protection. I will only return to the palace at my own pace. Please relay the message to Alice.” 

She wouldn’t accept charity from her older sister. The trench between the sisters ran deep. 

“Allow me to ask one question. I cannot go back until I hear a direct reply.” 

“You want to know why I’m here?” Iska was the one who replied. 

Was he trying to protect Sisbell? Rin thought it seemed that way. 

“It has to do with my commander,” he declared. 

“Iska…?!” 

“I’d rather clear up any misunderstandings. If we keep silent, they’ll just suspect us both.” 

“…If you insist.” Sisbell looked down as though she wasn’t so sure. It didn’t take long until she choked her words out. “…All right. I will tell you myself.” 

“May I call over Lady Alice?” 

“No. Please just relay the message. I would like only to tell you.” 

“Understood. I will record the conversation and have Lady Alice listen to it.” Rin pulled a small recording device out of her back pocket, turning it on and bowing again to the young princess. 

“If you please, Lady Sisbell.” 

3 

Room 901 in the Felix Hotel. 

The setting sun dyed the shopping streets red, sinking in the ravines between buildings. 

“We’re back.” 

The door was nudged open. On standby, the three unit members were there, awaiting Iska’s return. 

“Welcome back… Huh? What happened to her?!” 

Mismis was looking behind him. Three pairs of eyes focused on Sisbell on his back. 

“She got a little tired.” Iska was carrying the youngest princess. 

Though she was already tiny and delicate, Sisbell was slumped over without an ounce of strength to hold onto Iska’s back. 

“We were patrolling to make sure no one was following us. The new experience tuckered her out.” 

“…What he said.” The witch princess stretched out onto the sofa. 

—They hadn’t lied. Technically. 

There was one thing omitted. In the middle of their patrol, they had run into exactly what Sisbell feared—a search party, and one sent by the queen. 

…We knew it was possible… We went outside to get a lead on them, but they got us instead. 

Sisbell wasn’t tired from all the walking, but from her inexperience with negotiating. Rin had forced it on her during their conversation. 

“—Zzz .” 

“Huh? Hey, Jhin, she’s already asleep. She must’ve been super-tired.” Nene had on a slightly strained smile as she pointed at the witch who had started to snore quietly in her sleep. 

“What should we do?” Nene asked. “We were saying we’d eat when you came back, Iska. Do you think she’ll be mad if we shared a meal without her?” 

“Probably. Based on her personality, I can imagine her making a scene if she were left out. If we want to be safe, we should just wait.” 

“Ugh. But the commander and I are hungry…!” Nene pouted, pulling a drink out of the fridge. “Oh well, guess I’ll have a drink and just wait for her to get up. Commander, you want some? The fridge is stocked with anything you can think of.” 

“Yes, please! A ginger ale for me!” 

“Commander, that’s your third one of the day. Jhin, you want anything?” 

“Water.” Jhin was operating as usual. 

At the moment, he was sitting next to the table, in the middle of reading. From a distance, it appeared he was absorbed in some sort of document published in the Sovereignty. 

Iska watched him. “Jhin, could I ask you to hold down the fort one more time?” 

“…You planning on going out?” 

“Just to the hallway. I want to scope out the hotel just in case. Besides, we can’t do anything until she wakes up.” 

“Keep it under an hour.” 

Iska nodded, slipping out of the room again and heading to the hallway. 

Guests passed him, heading out to dinner, and none seemed to pay him any mind. They didn’t even imagine someone from the Empire was walking out there in the open. 

He went up one level to the tenth floor using the elevator. In the open hallway, the brown-haired girl greeted him. 

“You came alone as promised. The rest of your unit stayed in the hotel room, correct?” 

“If they hadn’t, you would have made a huge commotion about it.” 

“Of course.” Rin crossed her arms. “Where is Lady Sisbell?” 

“Tired out and asleep. Because of a certain someone’s interrogation.” 

“That was part of my professional duties. If I were to go further, I would also say that was brought about by Lady Sisbell’s actions. To think she would request Imperial soldiers to guard her… If the people found out, it would be a scandal,” she whispered to herself and sighed. “I cannot believe a failed Saint Disciple has stepped foot in our country—not once, but twice.” 

“Not of my own volition. Sisbell told you earlier.” 

“……” 

“We would rather take our compensation and immediately leave the borders.” 

An hour ago…there were three things that Sisbell had told Rin. 

First, she had needed guards to return to the Sovereignty. 

Second, she had found out the Imperial commander had become an astral mage. 

Third, mages were kin. Because of that, Sisbell had proposed a trade. 

“The Sovereignty and Empire treat the neutral cities as an armistice area, right?” 

“I applied that logic to the independent states and temporarily agreed to a cease-fire and exchange.” 

This had been her logic. Alice had been informed by Rin that Sisbell would be providing Commander Mismis with bandages to hide her astral crest as compensation. 

…No problems there. Alice already knows about Mismis. And she’s chosen to be quiet. 

Rin started walking through the hall. Foregoing the elevator, she headed to the emergency stairwell. 

“If it wasn’t you, I wouldn’t have believed that Lady Sisbell had an Imperial soldier as a guard.” 

“……” 

“There is something I advised to Lady Alice in my own way.” Rin went up the stairs. 

Sisbell’s room was on the ninth floor. They were currently on the tenth floor. She was heading up another two floors. 

“Lady Sisbell’s reasoning is forced. Even in the direst situations, it is social death to hire an Imperial unit. No one in the family would trust her. It would be terrible if the Zoa were to catch wind of it.” 

“The Zoa?” 

“……I’ve said too much. They are the blood relatives of Lord Mask.” The brown-haired girl turned around. 

Two steps ahead, Alice’s attendant sighed, which was a rarity coming from her. 

“So we should feign ignorance. This was my suggestion to Lady Alice.” 

“She’s going to pretend she didn’t see us?” 

“We will not concern ourselves with this . We won’t pay any mind to Lady Sisbell’s hires or location. Things will be settled once she reaches the palace on her own. If she fails—if your trade with Lady Sisbell comes to light—she will be the only one taking the fall.” 

Alice wouldn’t report to the queen about this incident. 

By foregoing this report, the youngest princess would be the only one to suffer from the weight of her crime if she were caught. It would be like a lizard abandoning its own tail in face of greater danger. 

…I did that a year ago…when I didn’t tell Unit 907 about helping the witch escape from prison. 

Iska had wanted to act on his own. 

Had he spoken a word of his plan, Commander Mismis, Nene, and Jhin would have been charged for his crime. 

“Lady Alice has said she would like to hear your story directly from you.” 

“I’m prepared for that.” 

He had no right to refuse. At the snap of Alice’s fingers, the Imperial soldiers would be immediately subdued by the astral corps. 

“This is it.” 

She exited the stairwell, heading back into a hallway and stopping in front of a room. 

“You go in alone.” 

“Huh? But what about you, Rin?” 

“Me? Another unit is waiting in the lobby. While Lady Alice is with you, I will buy some time… Hey! Stop trying to get information out of me!” 

“Ow?! W-wait! It’s unfair to use a knife!” 

She had tried to stab him. Rin had prodded at him with a blade hidden in her sleeve. 

“You little—! You intend to use your silver tongue to uncover Lady Alice’s plans. I misjudged you! I didn’t think you would use an underhanded trick!” 

“You’re the one who’s revealing everything?!” 

“Silence! …Agh. You always trip me up.” The attendant pointed at the door of the room with the tip of her knife. “Hurry up and get into Lady Alice’s room. Be subjected to questioning or torture or whatever!” 

“Huh? Torture? You say it so casually.” 

“I’ll tell you one thing.” Rin prodded his back with the knife. “For reasons I cannot fathom, Lady Alice’s emotions are all over the place. To put it simply, she’s fuming.” 

“What? But why…?” 

“No idea. But who cares about that? I’m more interested in finding the appropriate sacrifice for her to lash out on. I’d rather not be the target of her anger.” 

“Neither would I!” 

“Go in already. Go forth and become the one that quells her rage!” 

“Wait?!” 

The door opened. He was kicked in the back, stumbling into Alice’s room. 

The living room was an expansive reception area illuminated by glittering lights. A lone girl was sitting wordlessly on a luxurious sofa, looking at him. 

“……………” 

Something was off. 

Alice’s bearing was different from usual. 

She was on the sofa cradling both of her knees as though she were a child. This would normally be the part where she politely thanked him for coming, but all she did was stare at him in silence. 

There was something intense about the light in her eyes. This terrible mood of hers had already reared its ugly head, as Rin had said. 

…She can’t be thinking of attacking me, right? I had to leave behind my astral swords, which means my only defense would be to try to make a break for it. 

But he had to keep a level head. 

He had been summoned by Alice. Since she said she wanted to hear about things regarding her sister, he liked to think the chances of a surprise attack were low. 

“Uh. Hello?” 

“……” 

“Rin led me here. She said you wanted me to give my word about Sisbell’s statement.” 

“No thanks.” 

“Huh?” He doubted his ears. 

The witch princess had replied in a slovenly tone that he had never heard from her before. 

“……Nuh-uh. That’s not why I called you here.” 

She sounded like a sulking child. But Iska didn’t even get the opportunity to point that out. 

“How do you explain yourself?!” she shrieked, her voice echoing throughout the room. 

It was bloodcurdling. 

She seemed like she would burst into tears at any second. Her voice trembled as though she were desperately trying to keep it from cracking. 

“…How do you…explain yourself…?!” 

The golden-haired girl rose to her feet. 

Her ruby-colored eyes quivered like the surface of water. The Sovereign princess had her hands balled in fists. But Iska still could not understand the intensity of her anger. 

He knew she was upset, but where did that emotion stem from? It was so baffling that even Rin was in the dark. 

“Explain what? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

It was silent again. 

“During the daytime.” Alice was timid. “You were walking with her.” 

“…You mean Sisbell?” 

Alice bobbed her head up and down. “I was watching.” 

“Didn’t Rin tell you it was part of our duties? We headed to the terminal to scout together because we thought that Lord Mask’s group would come through that station.” 

And they hadn’t been wrong. 

Even Alice had used the station. They only failed in their scouting duties because of Sisbell’s reckless request. 

…If she didn’t tell me she was thirsty…Alice wouldn’t have found us. 

He didn’t understand why Alice was upset. 

“Rin told me that Sisbell’s hiring of us isn’t forgivable for either country. And I have to agree. Are you mad about that?” 

“No.” The witch princess shook her head. 

She was now standing upright. She kept trying to say something but then clamping her lips shut. 

“Alice. I know this sucks, but I won’t know what’s wrong until you tell me.” 

“……” 

How long did the silence between them last? 

He sensed Alice swallowing her breath. 

At last, she spoke. “……You were walking with her .” 

“Pardon?” 

“You were holding my sister’s hand. You snubbed me.” 

“I mean, I was supposed to be guarding her.” 

If he were showing signs of taking security precautions, they would have looked suspicious. They needed to try to act very casual and blend in—and most important of all, he’d done that to protect Alice’s own sister. 

Was there something about what he did that an older sister would find upsetting? 

“…Like I said! You need to be more sensitive to these things! You’re always…” 

“…?” 

“Fine, I’ll tell you!” She swept aside the bangs covering her eyes. 

The Ice Calamity Witch Aliceliese turned to Iska, pointing her finger at him. 

“It’s unfair that you’re doing everything with Sisbell!” 

Her declaration echoed. 

“……Excuse me?” Iska cocked his head to the side. 

Alice took one step, then another, toward him, still pointing. 

“It’s a betrayal!” 

“A betrayal of what?!” 

“You promised to be my rival, but you’re acting as her yes-man!” 

“I am not… We’re putting our lives on the line. I don’t think what we’re doing is immoral.” 

It was all a deal to hide Mismis’s astral crest. 

In fifty days, Unit 907 would have to return to the Imperial capital. If not for this arrangement with Sisbell, when that happened, they would all be caught without any way to conceal it. 

“I refuse to accept it!” 

“Let me ask you this instead… If we were to stop guarding Sisbell immediately, would you give us the same reward in exchange?” 

“Th-that’s impossible. I can’t aid my enemies!” 

“Then what other choice do we have?” 

“Ughhhhhh!” 

“Um, a childish protest will get you nowhere.” 

“…Hmph.” Her shoulders slumped. “You’re probably the only one in the world who could be so incompliant.” 

“It’d be weird if I was compliant. We’re supposed to be enemies.” 

“Yes. That’s why I won’t insist…it’s fine. I feel like seeing your face has cleared my mood.” 

The golden-haired princess took a long, deep breath. Malice evaporated, and her gaze became gentle. 

“Let me just say one more thing. I’m not mad at you.” 

“Really?” 

Then who—? He decided not to pose the question. Alice might end up getting upset again. 

“Then you’re not mad at Sisbell either.” 

“No! I am furious at her!” 

“With Sisbell?! Then what are you going to do about it?” 

“Good question. I’m going to decide that right now.” Alice nodded in satisfaction before looking around the living area where they were alone. “I called you here to act as a witness. As the second princess of the Nebulis Sovereignty, I have the right to pass judgment on a lower-ranked princess.” 

“…Do you really?” 

“Once we return to the palace, I will pass that law and create a legislative committee.” 

“Aren’t you going out of your way to punish her?!” 

“Just cooperate. If we don’t get this done soon, Rin will come back.” Alice went to stand in the middle of the room and beckoned him over. 

It was pitch-black beyond the glass wall. Night had come. Looking down from the upper floor, they could see the streets of the Sovereignty brightly illuminated. 

“Ahem. Well then, Iska.” 

“…What do you plan on doing?” 

“Checking to see what you did with Sisbell this afternoon. As your one and only rival, I have the right to know.” 

After she had emphasized that she was his only match, Alice drew closer, stepping up to him, even though she could have been anywhere else in this giant living room. She didn’t say anything as she held Iska’s hand. 

“…Y-you were holding hands—like this.” She squeezed. 

He could feel Alice’s warmth radiate from the palm closing over his almost passionately. 

“Uh, um…Alice?” 

“D-don’t move!” 

He tried to shake his hand free on reflex, but Alice’s grip wouldn’t let him. Iska peeked at her face. Alice seemed to be only be concerned with his hand—as if observing how it felt. 

“I-I see. So this is what my sister was doing.” 

“…I think you could tell from looking.” 

“That’s not true. I can’t know unless I try it out myself. Um, so…your palms are rough. I wonder if it’s because you carry a sword.” 

“You’re so shifty!” 

“I’m launching a real investigation here!” Alice objected, face flushed red. 

She finally let go of his hand. She continued down, grabbing his elbow this time, enveloping it between her two arms…like Sisbell had done earlier that day. 

Like lovers locking arms. 

“And then you did this… Th-this is so shameless. The princess of a country, walking around linking her arms with an enemy soldier!” 

“…Says the one doing the same thing, Alice.” 

“Th-this is for research! This might pose as a real threat to the Sovereignty. That’s why I must do my due diligence investigating this.” 

“Your due diligence?” He had added fuel to the fire. Iska realized that exactly one second later. 

“She was even closer to you than this!” Alice clung onto him, crossing her arms over his. 

That wasn’t all. She entwined both her arms around his right bicep, placing her weight on him. Alice’s chest pushed against Iska’s arm. 

“I-it was like this…!” 

It wasn’t a light touch. 

Alice’s twin peaks encroached upon his space. Though they were soft, they also had a heaviness to them. They felt like nothing Iska had ever experienced before. 

…And is that perfume? It smells nice. 

…No, no, no. This is not good on all fronts! 

Her sister had already done enough damage, but Alice was on another level. As she pressed against him, his arm sank snugly between her cleavage, as if her breasts were trying to consume him entirely. 

“A-Alice…um, uhh…what are you doing…?” 

“I-I’m copying my sister’s behavior! No more questions!” 

Of course, Alice knew what she was doing. 

Despite being feared as the Ice Calamity Witch, Alice was blushing all the way up to the tips of her ears. There was no mistaking that she was shaken up by bashfulness and hesitation. 

However, Alice did not attempt to stop. 

“Th-this is sick. It’s sinful…! It’s unfair…I mean, brash…” 

“Then let go of my arm, Alice.” 

“No!” A blunt rejection. 

Like a kitten clinging to its mother, she latched onto Iska’s arm desperately, refusing to let up. 

He noticed her breathing. Maybe because she was so close? It seemed strangely sweet and rougher at times. Was his imagination just playing tricks on him? 

“…Ah…haah………ngh…” 

“What are you doing?!” 

“Y-you’ve got the wrong idea. It’s nerves! From standing so close to a powerful enemy. Of course my breathing would become more labored!” 

“Then let go of my arm.” 

“No! Th-there’s still more I need to investigate!” 

She shot him down again. She pushed her chest more forcefully against him so that Iska’s arm was practically buried in her cleavage. Suddenly, Iska heard a quiet whisper brush against his ear. 

“……I don’t want to let go.” 

“What?” 

“N-nothing! Y-you’ve got it wrong. I…was trying to step into my sister’s mind!” Alice raised her face in a fluster. 

Her large eyes were wet and teary. She was an enemy. Iska knew that, but he swallowed his breath in the face of her overwhelming beauty. 

“……” 

“……” 

He was rendered speechless. 

Their arms entwined. He could feel her body heat as she leaned on him. He couldn’t take his eyes off hers. Even he didn’t know why. 

On the other hand, Alice’s feverish eyes seemed to take on a hint of uncertainty. 

“Um, so Iska. This is very important. Even though we’re rivals, I’d like us to grow close—” 

“Are you safe, Lady Alice?!” 

“Eek?!” 

When the door was thrown open, Alice jumped up. Rin had come rushing in. 

“Wh-what are you doing, Rin?! I-I was right in the middle of something momentous!” 

“And what was that?” 

“Um…” 

Wrong word. Alice finally came back to her senses and looked around herself. 

“I-it’s nothing. Weren’t you supposed to be downstairs…?” 

“I thought it would be too perilous to leave you alone with an Imperial swordsman and came running at top speed…Lady Alice?” The attendant inspected Alice’s face. “For some reason, you look like you’re glowing. You were so deathly pale just earlier.” 

“Y-yeah…?” 

Her skin was clear, like a pearl glistening with water droplets. 

Rin was old enough to know what was going on. She immediately perceived the change in Alice. In the short period of time since she had left Alice, her skin seemed to glow as though life had been restored to it. 

“Lady Alice, did something happen?” 

“…Nothing! Nothing at all!” Alice averted her gaze. 

Rin stared her down. “Your face seems red.” 

“I-it’s just your imagination!” 

“…Hm, Lady Alice, if you’ll pardon me.” She planted her hand on Alice’s forehead. 

After keeping it there for a few seconds, Rin’s eyes opened wide. 

“Oh no. You’re burning up, Lady Alice! You must have caught a cold from our extended trips. You must rest right this minute.” 

“That’s not true! I-I don’t have a fever. Rin, I’m feeling better because—” 

“Imperial swordsman!” Rin’s anger was directed at Iska. “Your crime for overlooking her fever is a grave one!” 

“You’re misinterpreting the situation!” Iska exclaimed. 

“Silence! The queen’s agents will be gathering now. You have two seconds to make yourself scarce!” 

“You’re the ones who called me here!” 

Rin had once again pulled a knife on him. Iska scrambled out of the room at full throttle. 

…I can still feel Alice’s warmth on my right arm… Wait! What am I thinking? That was just a stray thought—I’ve got to forget about it…! 

He could still feel the sensation of her chest. 

Weighty, but soft. It hadn’t been unpleasant, even if he had virtually no say in the matter. In fact, it felt almost as though it had brought him some peace and— 

…That sensual panting. 

“Ugh! It wasn’t like that!” 

Trying to shake off his thoughts, Iska sprinted down the emergency stairs.