Volume 2 – The World Sneered
After leaving the ruins, Mary and the group changed cars thanks to Majoram’s help.
They wanted to be careful in case they were being tailed.
They took a bigger detour than planned, but they only lost around an hour at most.
They still had some leeway on their journey to the royal capital.
They drove towards their next destination, the commercial town of Luvana.
Sitting in the backseat, Ami put her chin on the shoulder of the driver’s seat and asked Cutie:
“Shouldn’t we disguise ourselves too if we’re changing our car?”
“I think it’s more convenient that we stand out.”
“Why?”
“The majority of the people support Princess Mary, and even more supported Francis. I think it’s actually safer that we make it clear Mary is with us. But, yeah…… we should think about it.”
“I didn’t expect them to try to kill Mary while involving the people – rather, I thought they wouldn’t want something like that.”
“Leaving aside the Slava Territory, the people living in other places are important for King Henry too, you know? It’s hard to understand.”
“Involving the public will cause the people’s dissatisfaction towards King Henry, who is under suspicion for the Mary and Francis affair, to explode.”
“Our fight in Feedam was already written in the newspaper I read earlier.”
That was in the restaurant they had stopped by to rest in.
Majoram’s officials were cooperating in providing information, and almost the entire kingdom was informed of what had happened the next morning.
It was astoundingly fast.
“They were forcing us to look like heroes again.”
“Perhaps Philias got on board too, since there were a few articles hinting at the involvement of Edward.”
“We’re becoming famous, aren’t we!?”
“That’s desirable while we’re fighting against King Henry, but…….”
They heard the news coming from the radio inside the car.
Mary listened carefully before speaking out.
“Starting with the farming villages, it looks like there are protests happening even in the royal capital. My father’s situation is getting worse.”
“But no one is stepping out in front…… what is he thinking right now, I wonder?”
“Does he think that he does not need the people if the world is going to be destroyed anyhow?”
“He should just give up if he doesn’t like being the king any more. I don’t get it!”
“We’ll just have to keep cornering him like this and gradually reduce his power.”
“Yeah…… Luvana is a busy town with a high population. If he attacks us and involves the people there, that’s the end for him.”
The faint silhouette of the town became visible ahead of the tranquil landscape.
Mary prayed that they would not come across any arcana users this time, but she knew that this wish would not come true.
◇◇◇
Cutie and the group parked their car in the employee parking lot behind the hotel, and went inside through a special entrance.
The manager who welcomed them seemed apologetic.
“I apologize for welcoming you through such a small entrance, my lady.”
He took the luggage and spoke while guiding the four to their rooms.
“I’m the one who asked for this, thanks for answering my unreasonable demands.”
“I am unworthy of those words. However, my lady, you do not need to be so cautious; no one takes the warrant out on Princess Mary’s arrest seriously.”
“I know.”
“I’ve mobilized the staff to guard the area, but we haven’t seen any suspicious activities.”
“Thanks. Please continue being cautious, there’s no knowing when they’ll attack.”
“……Yes, understood.”
The manager, who must have been very confident in his security system, seemed downhearted as he replied.
The party received their keys from the manager and entered their rooms in two groups, Mary and Calaria, and Cutie and Ami.
This room allocation was decided by lottery in the car.
Ami was battered by this defeat while Calaria boasted of her victory. Cutie pouted for being left out, and Mary smiled.
This pleasant scene had unfolded around an hour ago.
The door closed.
The manager moved out of earshot from the room and muttered while looking at the empty floor.
“The four targets have entered room 401 and room 402.”
◇◇◇
Around 30 minutes after entering their room, as Mary and Calaria relaxed while having a friendly chat, the bell rang.
Mary looked outside through the door’s peephole and saw two unfamiliar women standing there.
“……Who are they?”
Mary tilted her head.
She kept looking through the peephole, and the girl with long blonde hair raised her head.
She showed her teeth and smiled in a friendly manner.
“A-Ami!?”
She hurriedly opened the door and saw Ami in a wig, wearing a different dress than the one she always wore.
And next to her, it was Cutie with her hair down.
“Why did you two disguise yourselves like that?”
She welcomed them into the room.
Calaria also seemed surprised by the two’s appearance.
“Are you going out somewhere?”
“Ami really insists on going to the marketplace.”
“Because Cutie says there’s lots of delicious stuff there.”
“I doubt just me and Ami being there would create a disturbance, but you can never be too careful.”
“Now that you mention it, Luvana’s marketplace is quite famous. Please have fun.”
“I’ll buy lots of presents, sis, so look forward to it!”
“Okay, I’ll wait with a hungry stomach.”
Ami and Cutie headed outside while holding hands.
They looked like sisters while doing so.
Mary and Calaria looked at each other while sitting on the couch, and broadly smiled at pretty much the same time.
“That looked fun, didn’t it?”
“Ami and Miss. Cutie are really starting to get along, huh?”
“Well, I’m sure she would rather go with you, Mary, but yes.”
“Really? Then I can still-”
“She’s probably worried about your health. Your face is still a little pale.”
“Oh…… Y-Yeah. There’s been way too much new information, so it probably shows on my face.”
“So, the Gods who created this world are human beings who were around the same age as us…… Even if you already knew the myths about this world being a manufactured one, actually watching it happen must have been really shocking.”
“I was fine with it, but it might make some people feel that this is a worthless world.”
“Did Henry see that?”
“Who knows? That place was built so that only Magician can enter it.”
“Maybe he learned of that truth by a different route……? Or perhaps he has a completely different reason…… Well, let’s not think too deeply about it. We’ll just tire ourselves out going around in circles.”
“Yes…… We finally have some time to relax, so I want to chat about something fun.”
“Something fun? Okay, I’ll tell you my best stories from my mercenary days.”
“That sounds great!”
Mary leaned forward and started listening.
Her reaction put Calaria in a good mood, and she started talking about her memories.
◇◇◇
A woman was staying alone in a room of a desolate hotel in a back street of Luvana.
The woman with a purple ponytail glared at the communication device installed on top of a table.
“Target C, D have left the hotel.”
“Target C, D are heading for the marketplace.”
“Target A, B, are talking in room 401. Target A’s position is chair B.”
“Target C, D have purchased skewered meat. Target C is heading for the next store while filling her mouth with food.”
Mary and her group’s conduct was being reported without any interruption.
“What a creepy system.”
The woman almost spat out her words and sighed as she stopped walking.
She then took a wooden bow into her hands, which had been placed on her bed, and aimed at a window with closed curtains behind it.
“Cupid’s Arrow.”
She pulled the bowstring, and her fingers emitted a pink light as a mana arrow was formed.
The woman’s eyes glittered bluish-white.
Normally, she should have only been able to see the curtain blocking her sight.
But she could see through it all when she looked with her mana-charged eyes – the other side of the window, the buildings in the way, and the hotel’s walls which were hiding Mary and Calaria.
“Fire – Love is Dead”
She let go.
The arrow was fired.
It pierced through the obstacles and flew towards Mary in a straight path.
◇◇◇
“……Ah!”
Mary’s body suddenly shook during their conversation, then she stopped moving.
“What’s wrong, Mary?”
Calaria looked at her face with worry.
Mary slowly moved her gaze, and the two’s eyes met.”
“Ah, err…… Umm……”
Her cheeks were painted red.
Then, while seemingly confused, she slid out of her chair and ran away from Calaria.
Mary started acting even more strangely as she put her hands on her cheeks and sat down on the floor while averting her eyes from Calaria.
“What’s wrong? You should rest on your bed if you’re feeling unwell-”
“No!”
Mary shouted when Calaria’s hand was about to touch her body.
“……Do you hate it that much when I touch you?”
“N-No! It’s not like that! It’s the opposite – err!”
“Opposite?”
Calaria curiously tilted her head, and Mary could not keep herself from saying it.
“My heart beats faster when I look at you, Miss. Calaria!”
“……Hm? Oh……. You mean……”
“Seriously, it happened so suddenly. When I’m near you, when I smell you, that alone makes me feel like my heart is going to explode! If you touch me, then I’ll…… I’ll……”
Mary was looking at Calaria with the eyes of a young girl in love.
Calaria also noticed this.
She covered her red face with one hand to try and hide it.
“But…… But, I want to be touched……”
“Mary?”
“I’m scared…… but I can’t push these feelings down any more……”
“H-Hey, Mary!?”
Mary was trying to distance herself just now, but she started getting closer to Calaria instead.
Mary chased Calaria with a red face, almost like she was delirious with fever.
Calaria backed off.
But she had her back against the wall, and nowhere to run.
“W-Wait, Mary! This is strange, it’s too sudden!”
“I think so too, but…… But…… I’m sorry, Miss. Calaria!”
Saying that, Mary put her hand on the wall with a thump.
Calaria definitely had nowhere to run now.
“Miss. Calaria…… Miss. Calaria…… I love you…… I love you……”
“W-Wha…… What’s going on……!?”
Mary clung tight to Calaria’s body as they exchanged body heat and could hear the sound of each other’s heartbeats.
She could hear. She could feel.
Her flushed body thumping and pounding with love.
Calaria, despite not having any such intention, was also affected by Mary’s seductiveness and suddenly noticed how soft her body was.
Her eyes were glued to the soft lips approaching closer, and then-
“Hnh, nnh……”
“Hnnf…… Ah……”
The two’s lips met.
(This is my first kiss……)
Their thoughts melted away in the sensation of the kiss, which felt like a soft fruit.