Fireworks and Revelations
"Wait, the Crown Prince's eyes are blue. But..."
Uncle Zimmer's eyes were brown too. But Parmes, now the Emperor, had red eyes...
If Britain had used that method to change hair and eye color?
The thought reached a place she hadn't considered before, and her heart sank.
"Still, it doesn't make sense logically. Their personalities are completely different."
Mas was blunt and quiet, while Crown Prince Britain was bright and gentle. Above all, the Empire's Crown Prince staying in a backwater village like Galnem for a year because of me? He had no reason to go through such trouble.
But...
"Thinking back, Mas's family said they were doing business in the city. Could that be..."
No, the Mas I lived with in Galnem and Crown Prince Britain felt completely different. I shook my head back and forth.
Just then, a knock came from outside the window.
A moment later, the window opened, and Mas, whom I was meeting today, slipped into my room.
"...Mas!"
He wore his usual black clothes and white mask. And he was about half a foot taller than me.
I smiled at the boy, but the earlier thought still lingered in my mind, making me uneasy.
Could Britain be...
Mas approached me and extended his hand. I hesitated for a moment, then took his hand.
The boy stepped closer, tilted my body, and lifted me up gently, as if holding a princess.
"..."
This had never happened before!
Unlike my flustered self, Mas calmly strode to the window. Then, holding me, he jumped straight down.
"From the third floor...!! Agh!!!"
Feeling like I was falling off a roller coaster, I clung to Mas's neck.
"Yikes!!"
What is this! I'm scared!!
After landing on the mansion's wall, Mas jumped again toward the street. Then, soaring up and dropping down again.
But when Mas's feet touched the ground, the impact wasn't as strong as I expected. Still clinging to Mas's neck, I slowly opened my reflexively closed eyes.
How could such a small body absorb the impact so well? No, more importantly...
"There were safer ways..."
My room is on the third floor...
I thought my heart would drop.
When Mas set me down, I, who had been frozen with tension, awkwardly muttered while steadying myself.
Outside, excited voices echoed.
"The fireworks are about to start!"
"Let's hurry to the square! The Crown Prince is giving a speech."
"Really? The Crown Prince?!"
A group of people hurried past.
Hearing their words, I turned to look at Mas. And realized how absurd my earlier thought had been.
What expression would Mas make if he knew my misunderstanding?
"..."
Without realizing it, a smile escaped my lips. Is this what they call excessive self-awareness?
At least the misunderstanding was cleared up without falling into unnecessary thoughts.
When I took Mas's hand, his black eyes flickered faintly for a moment.
"Let's go the opposite direction!"
I didn't want to head to the square where Britain's speech would be. The fireworks would be visible from far away anyway.
"It's so nice seeing you like this for two days, right?"
"..."
"Well, if only I feel good, what can I do."
We passed through crowded alleys and headed toward the hill. At the top of the hill was the Economic Academy managed by the Economic Affairs Chancellor. As we approached the building, the cityscape came into full view.
By the time the red hues of sunset had vanished and everything turned pitch black...
Puff-
Something erupted, and beautiful colored fireworks began to paint the sky. The alchemical fireworks' colors were so beautiful I momentarily lost my senses.
"Wow..."
The night sky in Galnem with Mas was so dark. There were many stars, but they always looked the same, which was a bit boring.
So I had wished to see colorful fireworks with Mas. And today, it felt like that wish came true magically.
"It's so pretty...! Right?"
While admiring the fireworks decorating the night sky in vibrant colors, I turned to look at Mas.
"..."
The white mask on the boy's face was also lit up with the colorful fireworks. And inside the mask, his black eyes reflected red and blue fireworks, spreading like a festival.
Seeing him focus like this... Mas really looks like a child.
I swallowed a tingling feeling and looked back at the fireworks spreading across the night sky.
* * *
The fireworks, created by alchemists, lasted about forty minutes.
As the fireworks were nearing their end, Britain looked at Arinell, who was asleep leaning on his shoulder. Her blonde hair was a bit messy, and her long eyelashes cast a rich shadow under her eyes.
A faint smile played on Britain's lips.
Before the fireworks started, Arinell had studied in the Maila family's library and received education from Lady Alence. So she must be tired.
"Mmm..."
Even after the fireworks ended and silence fell, Arinell slept obliviously. Arinell, once asleep, wouldn't wake even if the world ended.
The boy who had spent a year with Arinell in Galnem knew her better than anyone. Slowly removing his mask, the boy's lips moved, forming silent words.
You must be very tired, Arinell.
Britain gently brushed a stray hair from her cheek with his long fingers.
When she said it was nice seeing him for two days, did she have any idea how he felt?
You know?
As the clouds covering the moon slowly moved away, his black eyes gradually turned blue.
My heartbeat sounded louder than the fireworks.
Arinell, who saw him only as a steadfast friend, would drift away forever if he expressed his feelings. Unless she was the gentle and radiant fiancée, Britain.
His brown hair also lightened under the moonlight.
"The Emperor himself giving the founding anniversary speech was surprising."
"Right. I thought the Crown Prince would do it. I was too scared to look up. If I'd known, I would've watched from somewhere else..."
"Well, everyone knelt. If you resist even a little, you lose your life. What could you do?"
"By the way, Albreon's technology is amazing, isn't it? I've never seen such long fireworks. The Emperor changed, many nobles died, but this time it feels like things might be different..."
The conversations of people heading home drifted softly.
I wish I could stay longer, but the night is getting cold.
It felt disappointing.
Britain adjusted Arinell's body to rest fully against him and stood up, holding her. It was time to take her home.
"..."
Arinell, held in Britain's arms, briefly lifted her head and opened her eyes. But her eyes closed again out of habit, and Britain sighed softly.
The boy began to walk.
* * *
"...What did you just say?"
Parmes's cold, murderous gaze made Adam feel his throat constrict. No, literally, he couldn't breathe. Parmes, a Sword Master, was an opponent whose very presence was overwhelming for a mid-rank knight like Adam.
He couldn't understand why Parmes was so angry over Arinell rejecting a tea time invitation.
"I'm sorry, but she said she had a lot to do today, so I couldn't insist..."
"It's your fault."
Adam's spine chilled at the interruption and accusation.
"You must have forgotten to mention the cherry sherbet and strawberry cake."
"I told you."
"Then you must have forgotten about the wine glasses filled with pumpkin candies Arinell loves."
"I told you that too. Everything Your Majesty prepared... including the banners and flags with Arinell's initials."
"But why did she refuse?"
Parmes seemed utterly unable to understand Arinell's refusal.
Even the formidable Duke Siegfried couldn't match Parmes's cold rationality. But right now, Parmes seemed to find it harder to understand Arinell's continued refusal of tea time than to grasp that 1+1=2.
Feeling the pressure on his throat, Adam brushed his hand over his Adam's apple.
Parmes Aslet, who rejected everyone's attention with humiliation, acted like a love-starved adult only toward Arinell.
I don't understand His Majesty's feelings, but...
Arinell certainly sparkled more lovingly than anyone. She must have been the same in Galnem, which is why he had designated her as the Crown Princess.
"I think I'll move next to Arinell's house."
Parmes's serious expression flickered.
If he did that, the lady who already complained about looking ten years older might sigh even more deeply.
Adam devised a new plan to escape this dilemma. Everything was for Arinell's sake.
"Your Majesty, perhaps..."
Parmes's eyebrows twitched.
"How about hosting a new event for the lady?"