[Episode 86] — An Unexpected Guest (1)
“I only love Mother.”
Once the words “I love you” had left her lips, Titania felt even more certain of this emotion. Smiling with the corners of her eyes curved upward, Titania looked at Vivian. The confusion that had troubled her moments ago was gradually transforming into certainty.
Ah, I really do love Mother.
Now that she had realized it, there was no reason to doubt this feeling, nor any need to deny it. In her life, Mother was an “absolute” presence, and Mother was the one who had given her love all this time.
Wouldn’t it be stranger if she didn’t love Mother?
Unable to contain the pleasant warmth rising within her, Titania eventually burrowed into Vivian’s arms once more.
Pressing her body tightly against Vivian’s and breathing in, she was filled with the faint scent of her mother. These were things she had never paid attention to before, so why did they feel so pleasant now?
The gentle sound of her mother’s heartbeat beside her ear, the warmth spreading from her mother’s chest where their bodies touched, her mother’s even breathing, which rose and fell with every breath—all of it, every bit of it, felt wonderful.
‘Is this what it means to find someone adorable? Did Mother always feel this way when she looked at me?’
She hoped so.
She hoped this feeling was the same as her mother’s.
Eventually, unable to withstand Titania’s weight, Vivian’s body tilted, and she soon toppled onto the sofa with a soft thump. With Titania ending up sprawled over her, Vivian smiled as though she had no choice and patted Titania’s back.
“Honestly... Why are you being so affectionate today of all days?”
As she stroked Titania’s back, Vivian gave a rueful smile and gazed up at the ceiling.
Really, Vivian found it so troublesome that she did not know what to do with how lovable and adorable Titania was when she acted so sweetly out of jealousy toward the other young ladies. She wanted to hug Titania tightly just like this, and she also wanted to kiss her on the lips once more. What kind of expression would Titania make then?
‘She’d definitely make the cutest expression in the world.’
Her face might flush bright red as she grew embarrassed, or she might simply smile bashfully and say she liked it even more. Either reaction would surely be adorable and endearing. Imagining how Titania would respond, Vivian found herself giggling.
But... As much as Vivian cherished Titania, she also felt that the girl’s affection was becoming somewhat troublesome. It was not that she disliked it in the slightest. The moment Titania had told her she loved her, happiness had surged up from within her heart.
The problem was that Titania’s affection for her continued to grow as the girl grew older.
Rather than becoming independent from her as she grew, Titania was increasingly relying on her and acting spoiled, and that worried Vivian. Titania would have to live on her own two years from now, so Vivian needed to start helping her become self-reliant, but...
‘For some reason, she’s only getting more spoiled as time goes by... This is really a problem...’
Two years from now, once Titania entered the academy, she would have to live alone in the dormitory for three years, and after that, she would have to live alone in the royal palace.
Because Vivian would have to leave the royal palace.
There could be no “outcome” in which she stayed in the royal palace for Titania’s sake, or simply did not leave it. No—in fact, Vivian thought that she had to leave the royal castle precisely for Titania’s sake.
The “promise” she had made to the Queen Dowager and the ministers was one thing, but Vivian also felt that Titania’s current dependence on her was absolutely not good for Titania herself.
At this rate, Titania might still rely on her even after becoming queen. She might never be able to fall asleep alone, and even as queen, she might continue sleeping in the same bed as Vivian.
No matter how one looked at it, it was not a pleasant sight for the queen of a nation to depend on the former queen, with whom she shared neither blood nor the royal family name. And...
‘And... I need to free myself from Titania, too.’
*
At that moment—
Ainsel, wedged between Titania and Vivian, was having the time of his life in the worst possible way.
He wanted to wedge himself between the two of them right away and shout at them to stop, but as a fairy who knew how to read the mood, he kept his mouth shut and stayed still, as though he were merely a mirror.
The princess was expressing her affection for Vivian with great intensity.
Watching her, Ainsel felt a faint sense of worry. After all, the day when the two of them would inevitably have to part would surely come someday.
He was worried that, when that day truly arrived, the princess might be hurt and saddened. He had even once asked Vivian not to leave, but Vivian’s resolve was firm.
Ainsel was a fairy, so he could not perfectly understand the heart of a human like Vivian, but he could at least tell that Vivian’s choice was, in her own way, for the princess’s sake. Vivian surely liked the princess as well.
‘When that day really comes, what should I do?’
Ainsel fell into thought for a moment. Should he follow Vivian when she left the royal castle, or should he remain by the princess’s side? Or should he go back and forth between the two of them? Just what was he supposed to do...
As Ainsel, caught between the two of them, agonized over the matter, light began to enter the mirror.
Had the two finally finished embracing? When Ainsel cautiously lowered his head, he saw Vivian lying on the sofa with an exhausted expression, pinned beneath the princess.
Vivian slowly rose from the sofa, let out a small sigh, and stood while putting the wolf mask from the table back on.
“Haa... I’ll bring something for you to wet your throat with. Wait here.”
“Hehe, all right, Mother.”
Once Vivian left the room, Titania began humming to herself. At the pleasant sound of her humming—hmm-hmm, hmm-hmm-hmm—Ainsel raised his head and asked Titania,
—You really haven’t forgotten about me, have you...?
“W-What?! Of course not! How could I forget you, Ainsel...?”
Startled, Titania quickly lifted the mirror pendant hanging around her neck and looked at Ainsel. Seeing his face puffed up as though he were slightly sulking, Titania could not hold back her laughter and giggled.
—Haa... I kept a sharp eye on everyone else to protect the princess, but the princess forgot I even existed...
“N-No! I really didn’t forget you...!”
To be honest, she had completely forgotten him.
All her attention had been focused on Mother, leaving her no room to think about Ainsel. Apparently quite offended, Ainsel abruptly turned his head away and refused to look Titania straight in the face.
Thinking that she had to soothe him before Ainsel entered ‘that state,’ Titania hurriedly tried to speak to him, but—
—Haa... That’s right... How could a mere mirror like me possibly guard the princess...? I’m nothing more than a watcher for the princess... So of course the princess would forget me...
“Ainsel... Listen to me, all right?”
Throb. As a headache came rushing over her, Titania furrowed her brow. Letting out a deep sigh, she realized that Ainsel’s ‘day’—the one that came approximately once a year—had arrived at last. Ainsel’s ‘day’ was—
—No... I’m the one at fault... The princess has done nothing wrong... It’s my fault for being nothing but a useless mirror...
The day when Ainsel’s self-esteem hit rock bottom.
It was the day when he berated himself, saying he was useless and that mirrors were no help at all. It came about once a year, and honestly, Titania hated Ainsel when he got like this.
It was not a pleasant sight to see her only friend insulting himself. As though accustomed to Ainsel’s condition, Titania lifted the mirror pendant, looked at him, and smiled brightly.
“Ainsel, what are you to me?”
—...Your only friend.
“And what does it mean when you insult yourself?”
—It’s the same as insulting the princess...
“If you know that, then why are you doing it? No more mumbling! If you keep it up, I really won’t stay with you for a while!”
At those thunderous words, Ainsel hiccupped and fell silent. Once he stopped speaking, his eyes began to well up, as though he were about to burst into tears. As if this, too, were familiar, Titania let out a small sigh and gazed firmly at him.
“Really, I’ve told you this countless times, so stop it. And don’t try comparing yourself to another fairy like you did last time. I’m tired of hearing you say that having another fairy by my side would make you more helpful.”
—......
“I’ve always told you, haven’t I? I only need you. I don’t need any other fairy or anything like that. You’re the only fairy I have.”
—Prin... cess...
“Then stop crying!”
Sniff. Ainsel swallowed his tears and looked at Titania, trying to hold back his sobs. Through experience, Titania had learned that lavish praise would restore Ainsel to his usual self, so she stroked the upper part of the mirror and looked at him.
“They say that other people can see your strengths better than you can. From where I’m standing, Ainsel, you’re a truly wonderful fairy.”
—W-What part of me is wonderful...?
Ainsel smiled sheepishly and looked at Titania with eyes full of expectation, but Titania answered without a moment’s hesitation.
“Your face.”
—......You do know that my face is Vivian’s face, right...?
“I’m joking. Don’t make such a startled face, hehe.”
She had not been joking at all.
Ainsel, who had Mother’s face, was a precious fairy who allowed Titania to look upon Mother’s face anytime, anywhere. Through Ainsel, she could even see the childish expressions Mother never showed her.
Titania was happy simply to have Ainsel by her side for that reason alone. She had once heard from Mother that Ainsel could see distant places through his specialty, mirrors, but she had never been particularly interested.
No—perhaps she would be a little more interested from today onward.
A very good idea for making use of Ainsel’s specialty had just flashed through Titania’s mind. As the thought occurred to her, Titania’s eyes curved, and she smiled slyly.
“Anyway... Ainsel, you really are an irreplaceable and precious friend to me. So please always stay by my side from now on, all right?”
—Princess... If that is what you wish...
“Hehe.”
Ainsel smiled at Titania’s words. Watching his bashfully smiling face, Titania also smiled softly.
As they smiled at each other, they heard the lounge door creak open. Thinking that Mother had returned, Titania smiled brightly and looked toward the door, but—
“...? Who is that...?”
The person who entered through the open door was not Mother. The ‘woman’ who had come in slowly opened her eyes and looked at Titania.
Hair as white as snow piled across a frozen plain fell down to her back. Her dress was likewise a mixture of pure white and blue, making it seem as though winter had descended solely around her.
The woman, whose eyes were a deep blue like the sea, slowly—very slowly—approached Titania. Titania wanted to ask who she was at once, but for some reason, no words came out.
Was it because of the woman’s beauty?
Or because of the oppressive force that seemed to weigh down her body?
Though the woman was merely looking at her, Titania found it difficult even to breathe. It felt as though she had been trapped inside cold ice.
By now, the woman had approached her side and slowly stretched out a hand. Even when her fingertips came close to Titania’s eyes, Titania could do nothing but stare at them.
And the one who shattered the silence was—
—S-Stop!!!
It was none other than Ainsel. Spreading both arms wide as though trying to block the woman somehow, Ainsel shouted at her.
—What on earth are you?! Why are you here?!
“......Hmm?”
The woman tilted her head as though puzzled, then glanced down at Ainsel. The moment she laid eyes on him, a radiant smile bloomed across her face—a face so cold as ice that laughter seemed entirely unsuited to it.
“Ainsel, is that you? My, it has been a long time. But why are you here?”
—T-That’s what I want to ask you?! Y-You’re the one who shouldn’t be here! Why are you here?!
Ainsel shouted angrily, pointing a finger at the woman as he demanded an explanation.
—Why is the Great Witch of Coven here?!