Episode 223
"Augh, aaah..."
Raphael, her arm severed, was teetering without even being able to scream.
- Pzzzt...!
At the same time, enveloped in intense ruby energy and fading away, she grit her teeth and muttered.
"Be... prepared. Frey... I will..."
But before she could even finish speaking, she vanished from the mansion's courtyard.
"...Frey?"
Klana, who had been watching Raphael until the very end, turned to look at Frey and spoke.
"Why, why did you stop me?"
She could have definitely finished Raphael off. Her fist already held a sufficient amount of the sun's mana, and there was plenty of time to land an attack before Raphael disappeared.
It would have been enough to simply extend her fist and pierce the heart of Raphael, who had been torn apart by Frey's attack.
"Why...?"
But Frey had blocked Klana's fist, covering it with his small, soft, yet calloused hand.
Thanks to that, the attack didn't reach Raphael, and she successfully escaped.
- Bzzzt...
Leaving behind a terrible mark on Frey's left arm where her arm had been attached.
"Don't tell me... you just let her go?"
That was why Klana, lost in thought, asked while watching Frey's expression.
"Are you trying to give her another chance?"
Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have asked such a question, but the person before her was Frey.
The naive, overly kind boy who, in all those regressions, could only hate everyone after manipulating his own mind.
"No, not at all."
But that was mere worry. The Frey reflected in her eyes was wearing a frigid expression.
It wasn't the fake, exaggerated, comical anger he usually displayed. It was the cold expression that only appeared when he was truly enraged.
"The place that bastard escaped to... is the Demon King's Army."
"Demon King's Army? Then that's even worse... Ah."
Only after hearing those words could Klana understand.
Currently, the leader of the Demon King's Army was none other than Frey. In other words, Raphael had essentially fled to Frey's headquarters.
"B-but why go to such lengths? Isn't that troublesome? And... why would you go so far as to make your arm like that...?"
"Ah, this arm is fine. No problem."
As Klana stroked Frey's arm with a pale blue expression, he smiled and rotated his arm.
"When I treated Cania a long time ago, the nerves were severed. So this part doesn't hurt no matter what happens. So don't worry."
"........"
"Ah, keep this a secret from Cania."
Hearing that, Klana stood with a dazed look for a moment, and as Frey carefully covered his blackened arm with star mana to hide it, she began to gaze at his face.
"...Klana, did you forget?"
Then Frey grabbed her shoulder and began to speak.
"That bastard, she's the one who drove you to hell."
"T-that's true, but..."
"In the previous iteration and this one, while I just watched... do you know how much my blood boiled?"
The expression on Frey's face as he spoke was cold once again.
"She sold even her soul on her own whim and fell to corruption. Now it's time to repay all the humiliation you've suffered. But I can't just kill her like this. That would be a waste."
"........"
"I'll explain things to the Demon King's Army. The disposal is entirely up to you. If you want to kill, kill. If you want to torture, torture. I won't interfere."
Frey smiled faintly as he spoke.
"It's not enough to repay you for saving me, but this is all I can do right now... I'm sorry."
He said that and smiled with his eyes.
- Trickle...
Then, a single tear flowed from Klana's eyes.
"...But why did you say that earlier?"
Frey, who quickly wiped away her tear with his hand, frowned and asked.
"Don't say such things. I've told you many times. There's definitely still a chance left."
"S-sorry. Sorry... Frey."
Looking at Frey, Klana spoke with a teary voice.
"I know that too... but I'm anxious. I was so anxious. I don't know why I'm like this either, but... the thought that you might disappear... I can't keep my sanity..."
Her expression looked quite unstable.
"It's not just me, the others too... Cania, Irina too. I don't know why exactly... but it feels like you might disappear. That terrifies me."
Having directly possessed their past selves in the third trial and felt the greatest regret among countless regrets across numerous iterations.
And thanks to the aftermath that occurred when the third trial, which Perloche had intentionally manipulated, ended, they were affected several times more strongly than other heroines.
It was inevitable that the emotions embedded in their souls would burst forth.
"Frey, I. We wanted to make you... happy during this break."
Thanks to that, Klana, who had been trembling, quietly took Frey's hand and began to speak.
"So we decided on periods to take turns caring for you, so that it wouldn't interfere with your rest."
"Hmm."
"If we all stayed by your side constantly, we wouldn't be able to do what needs to be done... and people's eyes would be drawn to us."
Pausing mid-speech, Klana quietly observed Frey's complexion.
"Keep talking."
"B-but... seeing things like this keep happening to you, I don't think it'll work. Should we call everyone together now? The work might be unreliable, but we could leave it to the investigation team..."
Hearing that, Frey chuckled and spoke.
"Forget it. I saw the investigation team this time... they're not trustworthy. The only ones I can trust are you girls."
Frey, who said that, began to quietly look at Klana, and she, receiving that gaze, fell into thought.
"Frey, I have something to ask."
"Hm?"
Then she asked in a quiet voice.
"You don't dislike us doing this, right?"
Despite having awakened as the Hegemon who would rule the empire, she wore a rather cute, frightened expression.
"We're doing this because we want you to be happy... you don't dislike it, do you?"
"......."
"If you dislike it, we'll stop right away. If you're not happy, there's no reason to do it. Or... do you perhaps want all of us to serve you? T-then... I'll convey that."
Hearing her words, Frey said.
"...I like it."
He spoke with a light smile.
"It felt like a dream, these past few weeks."
R-really?
"Yeah, I was so happy. It passed too quickly, and I was scared. I hoped it would continue as long as possible."
I see...
"And don't call everyone. We need to investigate the Western Continent too, and it would attract attention."
Yeah...
"Anyway, don't worry. I'm very satisfied with your service."
Hearing that, Klana closed her eyes gently and said.
"I'm glad. Truly."
Then, silence flowed for a while.
"...Then, can I make you happy now? Frey?"
Before long, Klana embraced Frey's left arm and spoke.
"It's an opportunity to use... the person who will become the highest rank in the empire to your heart's content."
Then, turning her gaze, she recited the lines she had memorized over and over.
"...For the next few weeks, why don't you try placing the empire beneath your feet?"
At that, Frey wore a curious smile and was reaching his hand toward her when.
"Hem, hem..."
From the side, Serena's fake cough was heard.
"W-when will the conversation... end..."
Due to her status as a princess, and because Frey had told her not to approach.
She sat with a sullen expression in the spot where Raphael had disappeared, holding a vegetable basket in her arms.
- Swish, swish.
Even though quite some time had passed, for some reason, the time of the two who were chatting affectionately showed no sign of ending.
Serena, who had been picking up branches from the ground and swiping at the ruby traces Raphael left, or scribbling "I love you Frey," or pretending to investigate the scene with a serious expression.
"I need to go to the mansion soon... and prepare lunch... I need to feed you something delicious..."
She said while watching Frey's reaction.
"Lady Serena, hello."
Klana cautiously greeted Serena.
"Ah, Your Highness. Please continue your conversation."
After some somehow quite awkward exchanges, Serena's moon-colored eyes turned toward Klana's golden eyes.
"Hemm... hem..."
Then, carefully setting down the fruit basket on the ground and putting her hands behind her back, Serena paced around the two of them.
"...Hem, hem."
After wandering around them for a while, seeing that the two weren't talking and were looking at her, Serena cautiously inserted herself between them.
- Rub, rub.
Skillfully rubbing her body against Frey's left arm to overlay her scent, and pressing her back against Frey's front to completely hide him, Serena said.
"Um, well... Your Highness."
With a timid expression.
"What exactly is the relationship between Your Highness and Frey right now?"
Then Klana began to look troubled.
"Dealing with daytime Serena is difficult..."
She had a deep friendship with nighttime Serena who had memories of the previous iteration, but she hadn't yet decided how to treat daytime Serena.
"Y-Your Highness. Legally, I am still Frey's only fiancée."
Serena began to look at Klana with an anxious expression.
Cania and Irina who served as her future husband's servants, Lulu the pet, and Isollet who was suspected of having an affair.
These were people Serena could suppress with her power and charisma if needed.
"T-that's right? Right?"
But Klana was different.
Now second in line to the imperial succession and a likely candidate for emperor, Klana's status exceeded Serena's, and the instantaneous charisma created by her dominant aura was no less impressive.
Also, for some reason, the gorgeous and beautiful dress that aroused wariness, her appearance which had blossomed with the help of her close associates, and her flowing golden hair.
Moreover, the fact that she was the one Frey had "proposed" to using the "Oath" that he could use only once, leaving Serena behind.
"T-to top it off, please answer me."
And the final touch, for some reason, the way her weak husband had been naturally smiling with his eyes and blushing whenever he looked at Klana.
If she stayed like this, the anxiety that she might lose him to Klana, who was superior to her in every way, was being aroused in her.
"That... I will explain at a future press conference."
In that situation, Klana looked at Serena with half-closed eyes and gave an ambiguous answer.
Although Klana had been worrying about how to treat Serena.
"There's nothing to worry about... so don't worry too much..."
"...A-are you hungry! Frey!"
Thanks to that reaction, Serena, who had instantly been cornered in her own mind, asked with a pale expression.
"I'll prepare restorative food for you! It's a menu I saw in a cookbook I just bought! If you eat this, it says your energy will be restored!"
"W-wait..."
"Wait! I'll prepare it quickly...!"
Before long, she ran toward the mansion, fluttering the apron she had been wearing to emphasize her "domestic woman" image.
"...Will she be okay?"
"Lady Serena... can't cook..."
Frey and Klana looked at her with worry.
"Well, let's go into the mansion for now. Klana, it's been a while since you came to the mansion, hasn't it?"
Eventually, with everything sorted out, Frey tried to lead Klana into the mansion.
"Ah, wait a moment!"
Klana stopped him by grabbing his arm, and he tilted his head.
"There's something I've really wanted to show you."
"Hm?"
"It's a technique I learned recently, and I'm only showing you now."
Klana, who had been looking at Frey with loving eyes, began to rummage through her clothes.
"W-what is it...?"
Meanwhile, Rosewin, who was hiding behind a tree at the edge of the courtyard, was watching that sight.
"What is she doing now...?"
She had been watching with trembling eyes.
.
Rosewin had started observing this situation from a few minutes prior.
"...Isn't that Rosewin?"
"No way. She wouldn't wear such neat clothes. Must be a punished holy slave."
Her hair messed up and clothes in disarray after being hit by Serena's bombardment magic, she had run to the edge of the courtyard.
When the guard unit and reporters rushed into the courtyard shortly after, fearing she might be recognized, she had no choice but to hide behind a large tree and sit blankly.
- Zap, zap...!
"What...?"
She had been dazed until the guard unit left, ruminating on the words she heard from Lulu, and then stood up unsteadily when she felt a tingling sensation in her body.
"Come with me... Frey..."
".....!"
What she saw immediately after was Raphael, who had become a demon, emitting such intense demonic energy that even she, with enemy sun mana, could react to it.
"What on earth is all this..."
After that, before she could do anything, Serena severed Raphael's arm, Raphael escaped, and Frey and Klana had an affectionate conversation. Rosewin watched all of this as if possessed.
"Just what... huh?"
Then, her eyes went round.
"T-that's...!"
What Klana had just taken out from her clothes was, when viewed through the telescopic magic tool she always carried, definitely something familiar to her.
"Remember? You gave it to me on your birthday, but I stupidly refused it. The canary flower."
As Klana spoke to Frey, Rosewin's suspicion became certainty.
"The petal of that flower."
"What is that, where did you get it?"
"There's only one, but... this should be enough."
That flower was what she had 'received' from him at his birthday party.
When she stupidly threw it on the ground and was about to stomp on it, she saw Klana, who had stopped her, picking up the petals with trembling hands, and she had secretly laughed.
And it was the canary flower petal that she had worn in her hair for a few days before throwing away because the missing petal bothered her.
'She's been keeping that...'
She had regretted quite a lot, thinking about what would have happened if she had kept the flower she received from Frey for the longest period among all the flowers.
Having immediately identified it, Rosewin thought with a blank expression.
'...She kept it all this time.'
Her gaze was fixed on the yellow canary flower petal that looked no different from back then.
"Hoo."
".....?"
But something strange happened.
Suddenly, Klana held the petal in her hand and blew on it.
"Huh, huh?"
The petal flew into the air, then was swept away by the winter wind to the other side of the courtyard.
"...Ta-da! The petal disappeared."
Watching that sight with a flustered expression, Klana spread her arms and spoke.
"...That's an interesting magic trick."
Frey, watching the petal fluttering and flying away in the cold winter wind that had been sweeping the courtyard, chuckled and looked at Klana.
"So, what's the meaning of that action just now?"
He asked with an expression full of curiosity.
- Flutter, flutter...
Even at that moment, the petal was being blown by the wind, wandering around the courtyard.
"T-that's it... That! If it's that...!"
At the same time, a gleam appeared in Rosewin's eyes.
"That's the flower I 'received,' right? Y-yeah... so if I take that, he'll listen to my story. Yeah, yeah."
Sunk in despair and helplessness, she was now filled with hope and headed toward the petal flying in the wind.
"See. It's not too late. It can still be turned back. Everything can be sufficiently turned back..."
Even wearing a smile as if she had known it would happen.
"...Hehe."
Rosewin, who had reached right in front of the petal flying in the wind.
"What should I say? Hmm, first..."
Whether by chance or miracle, she began to reach her hand toward the petal that had stopped in the air in a perfect position for her to grab.
- Bzzzt!
"Kyah?"
Just before it touched her hand, suddenly sparks flew from the petal.
"W-what...?"
Pulling her hand away involuntarily and staring blankly at the petal that kept sparking.
"Chirp~♪"
".........."
When a very small canary was born from within those sparks, she looked at the bird with dazed eyes.
"Chirp~ Chirp~♪"
Regardless, the canary sang with a sweet melody and flew toward where Klana was.
"Phew... I thought it failed."
Klana, who had been sweating cold sweat with her arms still spread, smiled and placed the canary on her hand, then extended it to Frey.
"It's a gift made from the petal of the canary flower you gave me."
"Wow..."
"Do you want to raise it? It's not that hard. S-sometimes you can pet it too... if you want."
"I'd love to. But receiving something like this so suddenly..."
Klana, who had been asking while watching Frey's expression, when Frey said that with an apologetic face.
"...Chup."
She embraced him and quietly intertwined tongues.
"Phew."
Quite some time passed.
"T-this is enough repayment..."
Klana, avoiding Frey's gaze with a red face, said.
"Chirp~♪"
The canary chirped a sweet song and rubbed its cheek against Frey's shoulder.
It had been a day with many events and crises, but the end of that day was quite peaceful and beautiful.
"............"
Watching that sight with a devastated expression.
"...Ugh."
Recalling Lulu's words that she should have done well when she had the chance, a single tear flowed from Rosewin's eye.