Chapter 28

「I managed to escape from the marriage talks by going overseas, but there was no purpose in the journey itself. At first a raging feeling of “I have to do everything by myself” coursed through me, I started cross-dressing as a male and I was on good terms with the guild by taking requests from them so my life began to stabilize. There weren’t any pursuers from Malgaroid, and in the end, I went about adventuring here and there without any care」

She struggled to escape from a grim future.
Looked for ways she could survive by herself.
And when both sides finally settled down, she spent her days in a place where she couldn’t be found.

……It’s not like I haven’t heard similar stories before.
My own experiences are also somewhat similar.
If there was something like a god of fate somewhere, it definitely is an incredibly meddlesome and cruel one. Jokingly pitting the mirror-like Feria-san and me together by a twist of fate.

「The exile of that man was a good opportunity, so I decided to stop my aimless adventuring and go back home. I wanted to apologize to my parents and older brother for the sorts of hardships and worries I caused by suddenly disappearing. That’s what should’ve happened but……life sometimes just doesn’t go as planned」

Feria-san kept holding my hand even after she finished talking.
She looked right into my eyes.
Like a sinner waiting for judgment, or a lamb waiting for revelation.

I was a little envious of Feria-san. She was walking the same path as me, but she was just a bit ahead of me. She was visiting everyday without entering, and trying her best to reach her goal of reconciliation with her family. Thus, I wanted to support her as a “junior” walking the same path. Let’s have a karaage party with her family once she reaches her goal.
It’ll be quite a heartwarming scene.

Anyhow, I should stop getting ahead of myself here. I should address the problem right in front of me soon as my hand is starting to hurt.
I made up my mind, it’s been a while since I brought up Altirea’s original story, but ultimately in the end she will suffer from the downfall of her household. The reason was due to her father’s close connections to a foreign country and it seems a sort of conspiracy within the Empire was also involved.

From my previous life’s perspective as an average citizen, diplomatic and political affairs were something that occurred beyond myself, so my overall awareness towards those matters were rather weak. Not to mention, I would even go as far as to procrastinate in studying for exams or doing summer vacation homework regarding those subjects.
No, this won’t do. I usually leave intelligence gathering to Kajero, so naturally I tend to become absentminded midway.

…….Anyways, my thoughts wandered off yet again. First of all, let’s deal with Feria-san.
How should I go about handling this?
For now I can only comfort her, but I would also like to help her obtain the future she wishes for.
In order to achieve that, I need both Feria-san and her mother, Eska-san, to be involved.
And according to the information the knight doll Walf just sent me it might even be possible.

(Eska-san’s presence, it appears she hasn’t moved at all from the entrance)

I stood up from the bed and grabbed Feria-san’s hand pulling her up with me.

「Let’s go again, back to Eska-san’s place, I’m sure she will still be waiting」

Apparently the parent and child were both staring across the entrance hoping that the other party would approach first.

Perhaps….just like how Feria-san feels guilty towards her parents, Eska-san also feels guilty towards Feria-san. She was unable to help out her own daughter when she was suffering and forced her to have to run away from her own home. She was glad that Feria-san came back for the first time in two years but she didn’t know how to handle it and avoided her.

……This was just my own assumption, but I feel it’s not too far from the truth. Although I haven’t been living at the Louivas house for that long, I still know Eska-san’s personality more or less. She was kind but also a bit timid. So it’s quite possible she panicked when she came face to face with Feria-san.

「But for her to ignore me like that, she must be mad over――」

「There is no such thing, Feria-san visited the mansion yesterday but also ended up turning back too. Isn’t it because your heart still wasn’t prepared yet? Eska-san is the same, she was just surprised at the appearance of her daughter after two years. You still have to make up with Phillka-san and your father, what will you do if you get caught up here? It’ll work, I can promise you that. You even said so a while ago, I am the Mystic-eyed Doll Princess right? I have already “foreseen” a good future, so please believe in me」

I stared straight into the eyes of Feria-san with unwavering conviction.

Of course I don’t actually have the power to predict the future. It’s all just a very grand lie.
Praying that she didn’t notice, I placed all my strength into my gaze.

Eventually, Feria-san’s expression began to soften.

「I am truly a useless person, not only do I need to cling to the 10-year old you, but I even need you to support me from behind. It seems only my swordsmanship became stronger in the last two years, my mind is still a long way off. Thank you Alty, you are right. It’s far too early to go down here」

「In that case」

「I will try talking to her once more, to be honest I actually noticed already. My mother’s presence never left the other side of the entrance,
but I still wasn’t able to do anything. I hate myself for not taking action, but I am alright now. I will go now, so Alty you wait right here, I feel completely pitiful for putting so much on you all this time. So I will end this off myself, it’s the least I can do as the older one」

And with that Feria-san stepped out of the “Bustle of the Wharf” with a look as bright as the sun. She was still attracting quite the amount of attention from the surrounding people, but it seems she was too preoccupied with what lied ahead and didn’t notice.

After seeing her off until her back disappeared beyond the streets, I also began pondering about the future.

To begin with, let’s have Kajero gather more intelligence.
Whether father was truly connected with a foreign country. If there was a possibility it would likely be Malgaroid. I often hear rumors about invading the Empire from the sea. It might even be best to return to the Empire at once. If there is some conspiracy in the works against the Wisp House I’ll like to prepare in advance. I will do anything that I can, but I’m worried about my father and the servants.

Ah, that’s right.
Where is the actual heroine and what is she doing right now?
I want to find out her whereabouts.

……As a general future plan began forming up, a bead of sweat streamed down from my forehead forcing me to close my right eye.
The sun was already at its peak and the heat was becoming gradually worse.
It was already to the point where even the water spirit pendant around my neck couldn’t resist it.

But just as I thought about heading back inside to cool off and turned around towards the entrance into the inn.

It was really all too sudden.
It was as surprising as Feria-san’s appearance yesterday.
But Feria-san was just secretly looking around, while this was far more direct and dire――

A sword slashed down towards me.

The screams of the surrounding people overlapped under the scorching sun.