24. Peshut (1)

Though I’ve been acting foolishly lately, I do possess some capacity to learn.

As half-joking punishment for seducing Master, I had to become her pet brush.

She painted a picture using my fluids as paint across the snowy canvas.

Even after such an experience, I’m not bold enough to squirm around on Jane’s back.

Piggybacked by her, I remained perfectly still, clinging tightly.

“Heeing.”

“Bored?”

“I don’t want a rattle or a pacifier.”

“What a shame.”

Jane blocked out the sound of wind knocking against the protective barrier, saying it was too noisy.

As a result, I had to struggle desperately to fight off the drowsiness creeping in.

“You can sleep if you’re tired.”

“It’s proper etiquette for the one being carried to stay awake.”

“Huh?”

“Aren’t you sleepy, Jane?”

“Not particularly. Maybe because I’m carrying Lily.”

Despite flying continuously for nearly a full day – over 24 hours – Jane didn’t yawn even once.

Though she seems completely immune to drowsiness, I still felt guilty about being the only one dozing off.

“Umm… ah.”

Rubbing my cheek against Jane’s back, I felt the smooth texture of her shirt.

As curiosity struck me, I rested my chin on her shoulder and casually asked:

“Master.”

“Hm?”

“You said there’s an auction happening in Peshut where we’re going, right?”

“Correct.”

“So are we just going to watch the auction and come back?”

Upon hearing my question, Jane pinched my cheek lightly before letting go.

Then she shook her head slightly in negation.

“Peshut is a highly developed commercial city. There’s plenty to see besides the auction.”

“Huuung.”

“And though I’d rather not go, we’ll probably need to visit Buder across the river too.”

“River? Buder?”

A different city name than usual came from Jane’s lips.

After organizing her thoughts briefly, she slowly began explaining:

“Buder and Peshut are special cities. They face each other across the mighty Duner River.”

“Ooh.”

“The Duner is an extremely long river – it crosses the entire continent. Compared to it, the Thames in Londinium is just a tiny stream.”

Living in the Kingdom of Albion, Jane naturally disparaged Albion.

Not that I particularly felt like defending Albion either, so I quietly listened.

“Though the river is long, it’s not very wide. So the distance between Buder and Peshut is quite close.”

“Close enough to walk?”

“Yes, there’s an ancient bridge. A sturdy one that survived the Great War.”

“Ooh.”

“That’s why people usually call Buder and Peshut together as Je-do.”

I suddenly recalled the continental map I’d once seen in Jane’s lab.

Most other nations had their capitals in locations easily accessible by sea.

But the Je-do we were heading to, while situated along a river, was inland.

Jane’s eyes widened slightly at my next question.

“What an unexpectedly thoughtful question. That little head of yours was working after all?”

“That feels oddly insulting.”

“I thought Lily lived completely thought-free.”

“Eep!”

When I protested being ignored, Jane blatantly disregarded me.

But since she was just teasing, I didn’t take it to heart.

“I’m glad. That Lily isn’t actually stupid.”

“Eep!”

Retracted.

I’ll definitely remember that one.

Chuckling, Jane returned to the main topic.

“As I said earlier, Buderpeshut is a very special city.”

“…Yes.”

“To humanity, Je-do holds profound significance.”

The birthplace of the First Emperor.

The final battlefield where the Great War ended.

“The First Emperor proclaimed the Empire there after slaying the Demon King.”

“Ooh, a hero.”

“Exactly, a hero. The Demon King who destroyed humanity’s first empire. The Emperor who slew that Demon King.”

Jane explained that the current Empire was humanity’s second, founded then.

“So that’s why the capital is inland?”

“Yes. There were proposals to move to better locations too. When they’d reclaimed most of the first empire’s territory by pushing back the monsters, some suggested moving to that original capital.”

“But they didn’t?”

“Right. Before the authority of the Emperor who slew the Demon King, geographical concerns seemed trivial.”

Jane looked genuinely happy explaining the history.

Especially when talking about the First Emperor, she seemed truly proud.

“That’s how Buder began. As for Peshut across the river, I explained before, right?”

“You said they held auctions to sell rare treasures offered to the Emperor, and that’s how the city formed.”

“Yes, our Lily is so smart.”

“That’s different from what you said earlier?”

“Hehe.”

Jane’s stories were fascinating.

Enough to ignore the hand stroking my bottom with effort.

As we chatted quietly…

Jane whispered:

“We’re here.”

“Huh?”

Our rapidly flying bodies jerked to a stop.

Then began descending.

Unlike last time, we passed through the clouds very slowly now.

The sun was setting dimly.

Allowing us to take in the gradually brightening nightscape.

“Wow…”

After two days of travel, we’d arrived.

At the imperial capital, Buderpeshut.

***

-Thud

We landed where no eyes could see us.

And quickly flipped up our coat hoods.

“Black and white hair stands out too much.”

Saying this, Jane ultimately used magic too.

After changing her own hair and eye color, she grumbled while altering mine.

“The magic won’t work on Lily’s eyes.”

“Why not?”

“No idea. Mixed-blood Jewel Eyes strangely repel magic.”

Swallowing her disappointment, I pulled my hood deeper.

Jane, who’d been absentmindedly kneading my cheek, straightened up and said:

“This place hasn’t changed.”

“Huh?”

“Never mind, just talking to myself.”

I glanced around.

A dirty alleyway like any city has.

Jane, who seems nobly raised, didn’t fit such alleys at all.

Yet the emotion she showed was unmistakable nostalgia.

Holding my hand tightly, she walked very slowly down the dark, smelly narrow path.

***

We didn’t immediately exit the winding alleys onto a main road.

Specifically, Jane was looking for something.

A tall woman and a small child.

A terribly inadvisable combination for wandering dangerous slums.

Street thugs at every corner and ragged beggars eyed us with ill intent.

“Jane, Jane.”

I called my master in a hushed voice.

Not that I was particularly scared of the situation.

I just worried someone might pick a fight and get obliterated by Jane.

But Jane, lost in memories, half-heartedly dismissed my concern.

Then stopped at a certain clearing.

“Ah…”

Clear traces remained where a house once stood.

The walls had crumbled to ankle height.

Inside the ruins lay only trash even the slum’s beggars wouldn’t touch.

“It’s gone…”

Jane’s eyes looked so sorrowful that I squeezed her hand gently.

“When I was little… this is where I was born.”

“Ah.”

“And where my mother died too.”

Jane is nobility.

But I knew she wasn’t from Albion.

Madame Rosefield had told me.

And now, I learned Jane was imperial nobility.

And that her childhood had been unhappy.

I couldn’t find words for my reminiscing master.

Just stayed quiet, praying her past wasn’t too painful.

“Lily.”

“Yes.”

“Just felt like calling you.”

“Okay.”

For the first time, her hand was drenched in sweat.

As if she were crying.

***

“Whaaaaa!”

The moment we emerged from the alleys.

My jaw dropped in amazement.

Part of me wanted to shake off the gloomy mood.

But another big reason existed.

This was the most crowded place I’d seen in this world so far.

I immediately hugged Jane’s waist and grumbled:

“There’s too many people.”

“Indeed.”

The streets of Londinium where we lived emptied completely at sunset.

The only places with activity were places like the flower district.

The curfew probably contributed too.

But Peshut’s streets were absolutely packed.

Bright lights illuminated the roads despite nightfall.

Some shops were just now opening their doors.

Suddenly, amidst the bustle, I felt familiar nostalgia.

“Haa…”

Then my vision suddenly darkened.

Jane had wrapped me in her coat.

“Huh?”

“You seemed uncomfortable.”

“Ah, right.”

Since awakening in this slave body, I’ve avoided people’s gazes.

Feeling like everyone stares at my eyes, at my collar.

The only respite was the Fairy’s Playground filled with Master’s presence.

And I’d briefly forgotten that, dazzled by the splendor.

“Agh.”

Realizing I was in unfamiliar territory, my body began trembling uncontrollably.

Jane patted my shoulder and said:

“Let’s secure lodging immediately.”

“…Will there be rooms?”

“If not, we’ll make one appear.”

“Huh?”

The prestige of an Archmage seems far greater than I imagined.

Hugging Jane’s waist tightly, I walked very slowly.

Master matched my pace considerately.

Jane’s scent, Jane’s warmth.

Gradually, the trembling stopped.

With some composure regained, I peeked at the streets through the coat.

Then noticed something odd.

“Master.”

“Hm.”

“There are many soldiers.”

“Indeed, what’s going on?”

Armed soldiers were stationed throughout.

Occasional knights patrolled on horseback.

Far too heavy security for mere peacekeeping.

Clearly something was happening.