The Tale of the Wizrain Kingdom
Signs of Recovery
Translated by: S3
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*****
Elna had received a new maid uniform and was trotting through the city with a piece of timber larger than herself perched on her shoulder. Occasionally, she heard voices calling out her name, 「Lady Elnalfia,」 while others let out startled yelps at the sight of her running with a heavy load that even a grown man likely couldn't carry. Although there were few people left who hadn't heard the rumors, it seemed everyone still doubted their own eyes when they saw that the reincarnation of a dragon was such a young girl.
Accustomed to being the center of attention since her previous life, Elna ignored the public’s reactions and focused on helping with the reconstruction efforts. While there were surely many things she could do at the castle as a maid, she had decided she could be of greater help here.
「Ah, Feliol. Good work today.」
「El—whoa, yikes!」
While she was carrying the wood, she happened to pass Feliol, who was conducting an inspection with some soldiers. As she greeted him, his face twitched at the sight of the timber she was holding.
「I—I know you’re fine, but looking at you is a little scary. I mean... I'm sorry...」
Elna decided that one probably shouldn't offer greetings while holding such a thing, so she set it down on the ground with a heavy thud. A cloud of dust billowed up, causing Feliol to let out a dainty sneeze.
「It looks like you're working hard every day... How are your injuries?」
「Same to you. They weren't serious burns to begin with. I'm fine, it just stings a little.」
(Does that qualify as being fine?) Feliol looked up at Elna with an ambiguous expression. Then, as if the conversation had hit a lull, Elna murmured after a short silence.
「Have you heard from Cross?」
「...No.」
The soldier standing near Feliol had distanced himself slightly and was looking away to give them some privacy. He was likely being considerate of them.
「He is probably still marching toward the Imperial Army. Message magic is convenient, but if we're careless, there's a chance the information could leak to the enemy...」
「I see.」
At the very least, it meant they had no way of knowing what was happening until some kind of resolution was reached. She swallowed a sigh just before it escaped. Elna wasn't the only one worried about Cross; for Feliol, Cross was his biological brother.
She searched for another topic to cover her awkwardness. Just then, energetic voices echoed through the area. "Heave-ho, heave-ho! Put your back into it!"
It was the leader of the self-proclaimed vigilantes and his companions.
「Alright! We’re tearing this building down now! Hey, you brat over there, get lost! You want me to knock you into next week?!」
「Watch your language! It should be, 'Please step back, it's dangerous'!」
「Please step baaaaack!」
「Baaaaack!」
Struggling with unfamiliar polite speech, they were working themselves to the bone for the sake of the city. While they hadn't exactly performed praiseworthy deeds in the past—having kidnapped Elna and caused trouble in town—their only real problems were their speech and behavior. For now, until Cross returned, Feliol had granted them temporary status as apprentice knights, and they were currently being whipped into shape. A final judgment would likely be made when Cross returned, but Elna felt certain he wouldn't treat them poorly after seeing how hard they were working now.
Incidentally, today’s instructor seemed to be Jipi, which Elna found a bit heartwarming.
The cityscape had changed completely, but this particular spot where Elna and Feliol stood remained much as it had been before. Since this was the place where she had met the Water Spirit and her protection was strong here, the fires likely hadn't burned as fiercely.
(The Water Spirit vanished immediately back then after lending me her power...)
She had appeared as a beautiful girl with golden hair and green eyes, but she was a peculiar spirit. True to her word, she would likely only lend Elna her power that one time. Even now, standing near the fountain, Elna couldn't sense her presence at all.
Elna thought for a moment about how the spirit had been the one to offer help. What would have happened if it had been the other way around? If Elna had prayed to the spirit for help? ...The girl likely would have turned her back. She had proclaimed with her whole being that she adored the human Elna precisely because of her farcical struggles. She might not have been inclined to help someone who wasn't a fool willing to dive into the flames alone.
(Still, that golden hair... Now that I think about it, I feel like I've seen it somewhere before.)
As she sat there brooding with a nagging feeling like something was stuck in the back of her teeth or throat, Feliol spoke in a suspicious voice, staring at Elna. Specifically, he was looking at the top of her head.
「By the way, I've been wondering for a while now, what exactly is the deal with that hamster?」
「Oh, this?」
At that moment, the Hamster Spirit was clinging to Elna’s head like a flying squirrel. It had maintained this position ever since they reunited after Elna had asked it to wait at the castle with Kyle. It seemed to be a physical manifestation of its refusal to be left behind again, but Elna wished it would stop, as it made it difficult to wear her uniform cap.
「Well, a lot happened.」
「A lot, huh.」
Feliol had a dead serious look on his face, rolling the words over his tongue as if trying to figure out what that meant.
「Ah.」
「Hmm?」
Looking at his face, the image of the Water Spirit overlapped with his. Feliol looked very much like Cross, but because of his youth, his aura was somewhat different. And the Water Spirit had been a young girl. Because the genders were different, the thought hadn't occurred to her immediately, but now she was surprised she hadn't realized it sooner.
(I see... Since she took a human form, there must have been a model for her appearance. Perhaps it's a member of the royal bloodline? Since she's a spirit, I don't know what era that person would be from, though.)
「Um, what have you been doing for the last minute?」
「Sorry, I was just thinking to myself. Hey, Feliol. Do you have any female relatives who look a lot like you...? Actually, never mind. It's nothing.」
Elna decided it wasn't necessarily something she needed to know and stopped mid-sentence. It was just a matter of spirits having their own stories. Feliol looked puzzled for a moment, but he didn't seem to care that much. When the conversation died, they both naturally looked up at the sky. Realizing this, they caught each other’s eyes.
「...It’s no use. I can't help but be worried.」
「Me too. I keep looking up at the sky to see if a pigeon is coming.」
「It’s alright. I'm sure Brother will be back soon.」
He didn't say it like a prayer, but like a statement of fact. While Elna also hoped Cross would return without a scratch, Feliol’s tone felt a bit strange to her. When she blinked and stared at him, wondering why, Feliol gave a rare, wide grin. That face reminded her slightly of Cross.
「After all, Brother isn't alone. Of course, the many soldiers with him will protect him, and he will protect them in turn. But Brother has an even more powerful support.」
「A powerful... support?」
「Yes. I was still young, so I don't really know the details. But...」
Feliol looked off into the distance with a steady gaze, as if he could see Cross out there somewhere.
「I am certain she—that person—will be there for him.」
***
In the middle of a dense, gloomy forest with poor visibility, they advanced slowly, masking their presence.
「The scouts I sent out earlier... have they not returned yet?」
As he muttered this, sweat was starting to bead on Cross’s forehead.
*****
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