II
Two days after the victory banquet at Leticia Castle, Olivia, Claudia, and Ashton walked across the Sain Jerim Plaza under a cloudless blue sky. They were heading for the Royal Library. As always, many and varied kinds of stalls lined the market, and cheerful voices rang through the air. The excitement of the victory hadn’t yet faded.
Ashton was the son of a merchant family, so he wasn’t immune to the wild enthusiasm that filled the city. He was just thinking about how much time had passed since he’d last seen his parents.
“The cake and the banquet at the castle were so good, weren’t they? I wonder if I’ll get to eat there again... I hope I do...”
Olivia started humming as she went along, sticking her head mainly into shops that sold food. Now and then, the touch of the gentle breeze lightly tousled her silver hair, making the locks shimmer in the sunlight.
“Does that mean you didn’t get enough? Didn’t you stuff your face at the castle?” Ashton said in exasperation. Olivia looked at him, wide-eyed and blinking.
“Didn’t you know, Ashton? There’s no limit to how much delicious food humans can eat.”
“Uh, uh, that’s definitely just you, Olivia. Normal people have to stop at some point, no matter how good the food is. Lieutenant Claudia was at her wit’s end with you. Weren’t you?” He turned to Claudia beside him, seeking her agreement. Apparently, Olivia had shocked everyone with her display of gluttony at the feast. She’d even tried to take the leftovers home with her until Claudia had stood between her and the food to prevent this. Claudia’s haggard expression as she’d told him You could have fried an egg on my face had left a particularly heavy impression on him.
“Yes, I still can’t believe the amount she can eat when she’s so tiny. And yet she never puts on an ounce of weight. I wish I could do that.” Her smile was strained as she shot a glance at Olivia.
Looking at her properly, Ashton noticed that she kept rubbing her stomach. That gesture on top of what she’d said made it all click into place.
“Lieutenant Claudia, you’re not worried that you’re getting fat, are you? You don’t need to be. You’re still thin; it hasn’t made you any less attractive.”
She might not have been aware herself, but amongst the soldiers, Claudia was held in extremely high regard. With her almond-shaped eyes, sharp nose, and well-formed lips, she was a beauty by anyone’s standard. The way she engaged with commoners without prejudice only compounded her popularity. A little extra weight wouldn’t make a whit of difference.
Despite Ashton’s pure intentions, however, Claudia was clearly displeased by the comment. “Ashton Senefelder,” she ground out, using his full name. For good measure, an icy smile crawled across her face. By the time Ashton realized he’d spoken out of turn, it was too late. Claudia’s hand shot out, and she yanked hard on his ear.
“Ow, ow, ow!” he squawked. “Lieutenant Claudia, that hurts! Hey, that really hurts! Let go of my ear!”
Hearing his shouts, a woman passing by whispered Siblings? to her companion, who replied, Aren’t they sweet? They both tittered. Claudia cleared her throat once, then released Ashton’s ear with a huff.
“How is it that you never know when to shut up? I am actually a girl too. It hurts when you’re that blunt. You’ll never be able to get a girlfriend, talking like that.”
Ashton, his heart thumping, quickly looked around for Olivia. For some reason, she was keeping a few paces behind them. What was more, she was looking at them warily.
What’s she worried about? Ashton wondered, bewildered. Oh, well. No good worrying. It’s hardly the first time Olivia’s acted strangely. At least she isn’t asking any uncomfortable questions. Privately relieved, Ashton turned back to Claudia. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Whether you did or you didn’t, you ought to consider your actions a little more carefully. And to take particular care when commenting on a woman’s appearance.”
“Yes, ser. I’ll be careful from now on,” Ashton said, bowing.
“Good,” Claudia said shortly, then, as he continued to be despondent, she grinned and roughly tousled his hair. That really made him feel like her little brother. It was an odd feeling.
But if Lieutenant Claudia really was my big sister, that’d be no picnic... She’d probably lecture me over every little thing. When she gets married, she’ll be the one wearing the trousers in that relationship for sure. He glanced up in the middle of this insulting train of thought and saw a bird fluttering through the sky that let out a piercing cry. It was the distinctive call of the equinox bird. Throughout Fernest, their migration heralded the coming of spring. For those who tilled the land, the cry of the equinox bird was their signal to sow seeds.
“Spring is here already,” Ashton said.
“Hm?” Claudia looked up, then said, a little emotionally, “Oh, yes. Everything is so vibrant with life this season.”
“Did you know that there are all sorts of delicious things to catch in spring?” Olivia, appearing beside them, mimed shooting a bow as she said, “Patriarch lizards, giant grizzlies, then there’s spotted boar and vampire birds. Oh, and—” Every creature that she listed was classified as a dangerous beast, and class two to boot—that meant they were all dangerous to humans. Any ordinary person who encountered one would run for their life without thinking twice. It was too much of a bother to point this out every time, though, so Ashton decided to let Olivia talk.
“You’re truly unwavering, aren’t you?” he said at last.
Olivia giggled. “That’s what’s so great about me!” she said, then, starting to hum again, she strode away before them, her head held high.
About an hour after leaving the Ashcrow Inn, they passed by rows of stately mansions until they saw the Royal Library across the main street. Olivia ran over to the guardhouse and presented her knight’s badge.
“Hey, mind if I drop in?” she asked.
“Well, if it isn’t Major Olivia,” said the clerk. “Of course. All our doors are open to you.” He stood up and saluted smartly, then turned to his underling. “Well? What are you dragging your feet for? Hurry up and show Major Olivia in!”
“O-Of course!”
“I don’t need you to show me, I’ve already come here four times,” Olivia said, but the man immediately shook his head.
“I’m afraid that won’t do. Please, follow me.” The man set off ahead, stooping subserviently. This puzzled Ashton. He hadn’t been there for the first visit, but he hadn’t seen the clerks act like this on the other three days they’d come. Beside him, he saw Claudia grimacing. She seemed to know what was going on.
“What’s all this?” he asked. She stared at him, bemused.
“You are unexpectedly dense. It’s because they all heard about the major’s exploits on the Central Front.”
“Oh, so that’s it.”
If the story of Olivia vanquishing all the enemy generals and saving the Second Legion from certain doom had reached the clerks, that certainly would explain their attitude. The guards’ reactions were even more transparent—they stood stiffly to attention and didn’t budge.
“They’re a bit over the top, but this is more or less the norm for the military. Especially when we’re at war, like now.”
“I suppose Olivia’s exploits are somewhat exceptional, aren’t they?” Ashton said. There’d even been talk of promotion.
He was just thinking that for Olivia, promotion was a done deal, when Claudia said seriously, “Don’t think this has nothing to do with you, Ashton. You may end up getting special treatment.”
“Me? As if.” He snorted with laughter, but Claudia grew frustrated.
“This is no laughing matter. The top commanders think highly of your talents. As I’ve told you before, you should acknowledge your own achievements.”
“Oh, come on. You need to work on your material, Lieutenant.” Claudia looked at him in stony silence. “You are joking, right?”
To his bewilderment, she let out a long, deliberate sigh. “You listen to me,” she said, with the air of one explaining something to a child. “After the fall of Kier Fortress, the Royal Army saw nothing but defeat. The empire had a knife to our throat. Are you with me so far?”
“Um, yes,” Ashton said, nodding jerkily.
“Since you and the major showed up, the state of the war has changed entirely. The Imperial Army withdrew from the south and the north, and now they’ve been driven from the central front. The empire still has the upper hand, but it’s a dramatic shift when you look at where we were a year ago.”
“I appreciate that, but that was pretty much all Olivia’s doing.” Ashton acknowledged that he’d had his own share of success, but he wasn’t shameless enough to allow himself to be put on the same pedestal as Olivia.
“It was yours as well. That’s why the top commanders value you so highly. It goes without saying that that includes the major.”
Ashton felt suddenly weighed down as he was struck by a vision of the future of the entire kingdom resting on his shoulders. If his parents heard this conversation, they’d pass out from shock. A year and a half ago, he’d been nothing but an ordinary student.
“The truth is,” he said at length, “it’s hard. This is too heavy a burden for me.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t want to put pressure on you. But I’m here with you. If you’re ever in danger, I’m at least strong enough to protect you,” Claudia finished, then patted her sword. The kindness and strength of her words made Ashton feel pathetic for whining at her. This endless war must have weighed on Claudia as well, but she said she’d protect him. How could he call himself a man if he stopped here?
“I hope you’ll continue to give me guidance, ser. And lectures, where necessary.”
Claudia snorted. “This is what I’m talking about. You talk too much.” She tapped him lightly on the forehead, then held her hand out to him. “But anyway. I’m counting on you too, Ashton.”
As they exchanged a firm handshake—their second—a voice like a bell called out from ahead.
“Ashton, Claudia, what are you doing? Hurry up!” Olivia was waving at them, beaming. Ashton and Claudia looked at each other, then, without knowing why, they found themselves smiling.
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