Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 

THE DAY AFTER they’d confirmed Kyle’s arrival in the capital city, Rishe was once again disguised as the brown-haired boy Lucius. She sat on a bench in the corner of the training grounds.

I can’t breathe!

She was already sweaty, the cloth she had wrapped around her chest making all the heat settle in her torso. Although she was on break, her lack of stamina and the muscle pain had left her completely exhausted.

“You okay, Lu? Pull yourself together! Here, I’ll fan you!” The recruit sitting next to her flapped a paper handout to create a little breeze.

“Thanks, Fritz… That’s nice and cool. I’m fine, though—rest while you can. We have sparring after this.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. It feels better when you have someone else do it, right?”

Printed on the paper Fritz was using to fan her was their midweek assessment following their first three days of training. It listed all the trainees’ names along with scores from 1 to 5. Next to Lucius’s name were Rishe’s scores for stamina and strength, both a measly 1. Apart from Rishe, everyone had at least a 3. Fritz had a 5 in both, but he didn’t seem to consider the ratings terribly important.

“We finally get to use wooden swords today, right? Ahh, I can’t wait! Oh, Lord Lawvine.”

Fritz and Rishe hurriedly made to rise as the count appeared, but Lawvine waved them off.

“There’s no need to stand. Use your breaks to recover and maintain your stamina. Lucius Alcott, you didn’t rest enough yesterday, did you?”

Rishe gulped. The count had seen right through her. Well, what did I expect from Prince Arnold’s chosen instructor?

She’d spent all of yesterday afternoon wandering around the castle town with Arnold. After Prince Kyle’s carriage arrived, they’d followed him to confirm the inn he was staying at, and they hadn’t returned to the palace until nightfall. She’d been planning to go to bed early, but she needed to tend her field and sort medicinal herbs. Ultimately, Rishe hadn’t made it to bed until after her usual hour.

“I apologize for not being able to manage my condition.”

“I am not criticizing you. You will be sparring after this, however. Speak up right away if it becomes too much for you.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you.”

In normal knight training, pushing through the pain was seen as a way to hone the mind and body, but Galkhein seemed to favor slower, more precise training.

This is how they create a country with absurd military strength in just five years.

Lawvine’s training wasn’t simply slow and steady; the upcoming matches were evidence of that. On their third day of training, recruits would be tiring of the harsh, monotonous work. Sparring with wooden swords was fun. Not only would it spice things up, but it would also show everyone how much work they truly needed to do. The cadets would be more passionate in their training afterward.

I wonder if Prince Arnold has told Count Lawvine about Prince Kyle.

He had to know something, but Rishe had no idea how much information the prince had shared. Facts or strategies that Arnold may have told Lawvine and not shared with Rishe. After all, Count Lawvine has been under Prince Arnold’s command before. It made Rishe wonder what he was like as a commander.

“Lord Lawvine, if you don’t mind my asking, could you share some war stories with us new recruits? Perhaps…regarding the defense of Ceutena, Fritz’s hometown?”

“Oh! I would love that!” As an Arnold fan, Fritz was all for it. “Especially anything about the prince!”

Lawvine was passionate about educating young people. He mused, “Well, let’s see… In the defense of Ceutena, Galkhein’s forces numbered seven thousand. We faced fifteen thousand enemies attacking by ship.”

“Wow… They had double our forces, then.”

“The difference in our numbers was even more dramatic than that—Prince Arnold stood on the front lines with a mere three thousand troops entrusted to him by the emperor.”

“Huh?! You were already outnumbered, yet he didn’t even use all the soldiers he had?” Fritz blurted.

“The remaining four thousand were hastily trained young knights and farmers who’d had weapons shoved into their hands. Prince Arnold saved them for low-risk diversion missions, evacuating the citizenry, and logistics. He met the enemy with combat-ready soldiers at his side.”

“And His Highness still won.”

“That’s right. He made use of the heavy rainfall that day, utilizing the terrain of the port town as well as the enemy’s position. He overturned a massive difference in numbers with strategy, rendering our side’s casualties down to the absolute minimum.”

Fritz’s eyes shone.

“There was another battle around the same time with similar circumstances. Galkhein was victorious again, but we lost thousands of soldiers. The casualties were almost all new recruits.”

“So what you’re saying is…numbers aren’t everything in battle.”

“Indeed. It’s always better to have superior numbers, but hurling hordes of untrained men at the enemy is meaningless. Prince Arnold has proven this in real time.” Lawvine’s voice dropped slightly. “His Highness spares not a thought for the weak. He would never let a weak person onto the battlefield just for a chance at military achievement. However, this policy also ensures the fewest losses.”

Rishe lowered her eyes, thinking. Arnold didn’t send the weak into battle. What he wanted was an army with nothing but extremely powerful knights.

Is he strengthening the country to make war on the rest of the world in the future?

“The world is peaceful now, but the lives lost during the conflict are gone for good.” Lawvine smiled softly. It was an awkward expression, but kind. “Many young people were killed. I feel a measure of responsibility.”

Oh! Rishe had heard that line spoken somewhere before.

“Many young men around my age lost their lives in the war. And I couldn’t even stand near the battlefield.”

She could still remember it clearly to this day. In her life as an apothecary, Rishe had said, “Prince Kyle, do you remember what my master told you? Staying alive is a royal’s most important duty.”

“I just can’t agree when it means sacrificing my own people.”

Rishe felt her gaze moving toward the palace.

“Your break will be over soon,” Lawvine was saying. “Try to get some rest before then.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you very much.” Rishe and Fritz sketched a bow as Lawvine left to speak with some of the other cadets.

“They really are incredible, huh? Both Prince Arnold and Lord Lawvine.”

Rishe nodded and said simply, “They are.”

She had much to think about and so much to do. She was growing impatient, but she knew she had to take things one at a time. And for that, I’ll need stamina. Training comes first!

As she was lighting the flame of her motivation, several other cadets walked past.

“Yo, Lucius. Lord Lawvine really seems to like you despite you scoring all ones in the assessment, huh?”

“…Sven.”

The smirking Sven was a particularly talented recruit. According to the scores, his stamina was a 4 and his strength was a 5. “It’s nice that he spends so much extra time helping people with no talent. I envy you.”

“Hey, Sven. I told you to leave Lucius alone.”

“That’s so nice of you, Fritz. We’re all just trying to be nice here, you know?” Sven and his friends grinned down mockingly at Rishe. “Kids from the slums might not be aware, but this country’s knight corps works on the merit system.”

“Right,” Sven’s friend added. “Hey, Last Place. It doesn’t matter how hard you work. You should find a new job. Training is a waste of time for someone like you.”

Typical. That was the extent of Rishe’s feelings on the matter, but Fritz appeared to feel differently. His usual sunny smile had been replaced with an angry scowl. “Knock it off, Sven. Lu is taking his training seriously. Don’t mock another person’s hard work.”

“Hah! You seem confused. We’re not here to make friends.” In contrast to Fritz’s sober anger, Sven shrugged, sneering. “But you always get so angry when we laugh at Lucius. If you really want to be a knight, don’t you think you should have the guts to climb your way to the top no matter how many people you have to step on to do it?”

“Fritz, have you been standing up for me?”

“It’s not a big deal. I just can’t stand people badmouthing my friends.”

Rishe let out a little breath at Fritz’s bold declaration. Break was nearly over; it was almost time for their spar. The matches were round-robin—Rishe would be crossing blades with each one of them.

I hope they don’t pick on Fritz just because he chose to befriend me.

 

---

 

“Swords down!”

The short command echoed through the training grounds. Rishe and Sven had faced off, and their bout had just been called. It hadn’t even taken ten seconds.

“Thank you for the match,” Rishe told Sven, pointing her sword down at him. He was sitting on the ground, his face pale and mouth flapping as the blade stopped just short of grazing his nose.

The training grounds were dead silent. Lawvine was probably the only one not completely blank with shock.

“What the… How did you…?” Sven choked out.

Rishe extended her hand. “Can you stand, Sven?”

“This is impossible! You don’t have any stamina at all! Or strength!”

“Which is why I didn’t use either to take you down.”

The spectating trainees were utterly stumped. Sven shook his head, unable to stand their gazes. “How? How could I lose to you?!”

“I’m sorry if I scared you, but it’s important to me not to cause Fritz any trouble.” Rishe knelt and looked Sven in the eye. “Personally, I’d like us all to be friends.”

“Agh!” Sven shot up.

Rishe hadn’t meant to be aggressive but had evidently upset him. She watched Sven scurry back to his companions, then backed away herself.

Fritz ran up to her, his eyes sparkling. “Lu! You were amazing, just like I thought you’d be!”

“Looks like I have been making things harder for you. I’m sorry about that.” Rishe lowered her head apologetically.

He stared at her. “Why are you apologizing? Anything I did, I did because I wanted to. Now you’re making me feel like I should apologize to you.”

“I didn’t do this for you. It was a good lesson for Sven—if he gets into the habit of underestimating his enemies, he’ll end up dead.”

Fritz’s eyes went wide.

“Plus, now I know that Sven has incredible reflexes. It would be a bit of a waste if Lord Lawvine didn’t pay him more attention.”

Their training period was only ten days long, making every moment of personalized coaching crucial. Rishe was considering all this with deep sincerity as Fritz grinned at her. “You know, you’re pretty weird, Lu.”

“Oh yeah, and about the way you call me ‘Lu’…”

“Oh! I thought it was a good nickname. Y’know, short for Lucius. Should I stop?”

Rishe shook her head. She’d had the same nickname in her life as a knight; it was very nostalgic. “No, I like it. Thanks, Fritz.” When she smiled at Fritz, he clutched at his chest. “What’s wrong?”

Is he unwell? It didn’t seem like it.

“Nothing, it’s just… Um, I dunno…” Fritz cleared his throat. “Er… Oh, that’s right! We were gonna go eat in town after training today. But I guess you’ve got work, huh?”

“Yeah… I have a pretty important job to do after this.”

 

In the afternoon, Rishe shed her disguise, took a bath, and dressed to the nines. She put up her wavy coral hair halfway for a tidy look and donned a dress the color of soft moonlight. She wore pearl earrings and painted her fingernails light pink. Then she accompanied Arnold—who wore a cape and white gloves with his usual military uniform—to a reception room.

As they strode through the palace, Rishe whispered, “His Highness Prince Kyle greeted His and Her Majesty this morning, correct? Did anything strange happen?”

Arnold looked extremely irritated. “My father apparently granted Coyolles’s prince permission to stay here for as long as he likes. Though I have no idea how long someone who can’t attend my wedding for undisclosed reasons would wish to remain.”

Rishe pulled a taut smile at his prickly response. Arnold was right to be annoyed; Kyle was breaking social etiquette.

That’s what I find so strange about this, though.

Kyle was diligent and courteous. Rishe knew that better than most.

“Your Highness, thank you for drawing up those notes on your condition after you took the medicine.”

This had happened during her life as an apothecary—right after she’d taken over caring for Kyle from her master. With his official duties over for the day, Kyle had continued to shut himself in his study, running a pen across paper.

“I beg of you, please rest. If you collapse, this will all be for nothing.”

“Don’t worry. I’m not pushing myself, Weitzner.” The prince, who called her by her last name, had spoken as he formed each letter on the page with care. “I understand the pains you and your master have taken to develop this new medicine. I wish to help in any way I can. I can’t cut corners.”

“I think my master forgot all about those pains the moment we perfected the medicine. And if she hasn’t, she surely will when you make a complete recovery, Your Highness.”

Rishe’s comment had been somewhat flippant, but Kyle had given her a solemn look and said, “I’ll do my best.”

He always interacted with me sincerely and politely when I met him in my other lives too. At the very least, he’s not the type to barge in on someone without considering the circumstances of the people putting him up…

As she mulled it over, they arrived at the reception room. The knights on guard opened the door, and she stepped inside with Arnold.

Arnold would sit first, but Rishe couldn’t follow suit. She may have been engaged to him, but as they were not yet married, her position was merely that of a duke’s daughter from Hermity. As such, she was not permitted to sit in on a meeting between a crown prince and a foreign royal. Until the two men were finished with their greetings, she would wait in the corner of the room.

“His Highness, Prince of Coyolles, Kyle Morgan Cleverly.”

Rishe fell into a bow. She would not rise until Arnold and Kyle had finished greeting each other and thus could only hear them.

“Congratulations on your engagement, Prince Arnold. I, Kyle Morgan Cleverly, have come from Coyolles in place of my father the king to wish you a blessed union.”

“I sincerely appreciate you making the long journey. Your country’s blessing will ensure a bright future for my own nation.”

As the eldest princes of their respective countries, the two of them should have been on equal footing—but the way they spoke suggested otherwise. Coyolles was small fry compared to Galkhein.

The difference in their standings is obvious even with Coyolles’s wealth of gem and gold deposits, Rishe thought. The problem was their other resources. The country is covered in snow all winter, which makes procurement and transportation of food difficult. They burn through firewood rapidly. They can’t produce enough food and fuel for their country on their own.

They had wealth, but that just made them a juicier target for more powerful kingdoms. Their tenuous position was maintained with vigorous diplomacy and political marriages. Coyolles could absolutely not afford to make an enemy out of the militant Galkhein across the sea.

Five years from now, Coyolles will stand with the rest of the world against Galkhein…and fall to invasion.

Coyolles’s central issues were the fragility of both its military and its heir Prince Kyle. The fact of Kyle himself braving a harsh journey by ship to come here spoke volumes.

Eventually, the exchange of greetings came to an end, and Rishe sensed Arnold looking her way. “Rishe.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Rishe raised her head. She paced over to Arnold—who hadn’t yet sat down—and stood at his side.

“This is Rishe, my future bride. We appreciate you coming to congratulate us.”

“I’m very pleased to meet you.”

Rishe looked at Kyle head-on. His skin was white as porcelain and his hair was silver, almost illuminating his expression as it framed his face. His eyes were a light blue, a levity to them that belied his strong will. They were like the clear surface of a lake.

He really is like an ice spirit. She recalled the way the girls in his own country would blush when speaking of him.

“My name is Rishe Irmgard Weitzner. I’m honored to make Your Highness’s acquaintance.”

“I am Kyle Morgan Cleverly.” Kyle knelt fluidly before Rishe. It was a perfect display, as if he were a knight instead of a prince. His eyes lowered, and the light shone through his eyelashes as if they were sculpted from ice. While down on his knee, Kyle spoke without a hint of self-consciousness. “Your beauty is like that of a goddess.”

Goodness me…

Looking up at her with an earnest gaze, Kyle went on, “I’m delighted to meet you. I pray you forgive my rudeness at daring to speak in your divine presence. I had assumed that His Highness Prince Arnold’s fiancée would be beautiful, but how was I to imagine a woman of such exquisite grace?”

O-ohh… That’s right.

“All the gold my country boasts could not possibly compare to your radiance, Lady Rishe. Even flowers in bloom would be ashamed of the poor display they make against your splendor.”

Forcing a straight face, Rishe recalled an important aspect of Coyolles culture: Men practically worshipped women. This etiquette was pushed from their youth. If a man spotted a woman in Coyolles trying to walk down a muddy path, he would drop whatever he was doing and escort her to her destination in a gentlemanly manner. The higher the status of a man in Coyolles, the more he practiced this behavior.

I’d heard it was all for the harmony of the household. They spend long winters trapped in close quarters, but…wow.

As this was merely the custom, Kyle had no ulterior motives for complimenting her in such a way. However, as a man known for his diligence, he delivered these compliments with such fervent sincerity that he’d largely convinced ladies on the other end he meant every word.

“I hardly deserve such praise, Your Highness.” Rishe smiled and let the compliments go in one ear and out the other. She had other things to focus on.

Prince Kyle is so pale! Her heart sank as she looked down at the man kneeling before her. I mean, he’s always pale, but now he’s almost blue. His index nail is cracked all the way to the skin. Even his inner eyelids have a ghastly pallor! His posture is lacking, and his voice is quieter than usual as well.

She quickly calculated the nutrients and medicines necessary to treat the prince’s current condition. During all this, Kyle continued to extol her.

“Your bride is beautiful down to her very fingertips. It’s as if she’s dripping with gems.”

“Oh!” Rishe exclaimed. “Thank you! We’ll be manufacturing this nail polish here in Galkhein in the future. I hope it makes it to Coyolles as well! Say, Prince Arnol—”

“…”

Rishe glanced at her fiancé and was shocked by the ice in his eyes as he looked down at Kyle.

Huh?! Did I miss something?

The look on Arnold’s face was so cold it could have sent a bystander running in fright. There had to have been some crucial clue in Kyle and Rishe’s conversation just now.

Before Kyle noticed, she reached out and tugged on Arnold’s sleeve. “Your Highness…”

“Yes?” His expression softened somewhat, and he addressed Kyle once more. “That’s enough pleasantries. Please, sit. Relax. Make yourself at home.”

“I graciously accept. Lady Rishe, please do excuse any impropriety on my part in the face of a divine beauty such as yourself.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. For that matter, I am not yet a member of the royal family. Do not feel you have to treat me with any overabundance of courtesy.”

After that, they were finally able to sit and chat. When the conversation began in earnest, Arnold displayed the usual surliness without a hint of his earlier chill. They spoke for a good half an hour without Kyle’s intentions becoming any clearer.

“We’ll have a servant escort you to your room. I do hope you recover fast from your exhausting journey here.”

“I appreciate your concern. I’m thankful for the opportunity to rest.”

Rishe and Arnold stayed behind after Kyle left the room. Rishe leaned back in her seat and took a deep breath, tired after the tumultuous downpour of social pleasantries. Being alone with Arnold helped her regain some of her equilibrium—although this comfort struck her as odd.

“Did you learn anything from that, Prince Arnold?”

“Not at all. He only brought up safe subjects. I have no idea what he’s doing here.”

“Huh? Then why were you looking at him like you were trying to murder him with your eyes?”

Arnold brought a hand to his chin, completely indifferent to Rishe’s surprise. “More importantly, it seems Kyle’s brought a couple of scholars with him from Coyolles. There will be an information exchange between them and some of our own. Would you like to attend?”

Rishe perked up at the unexpected opportunity. “You wouldn’t mind?”

“We’re entertaining him, so we might as well get something out of it.”

“He is here to congratulate us, at least ostensibly. I’d like to be there, though. Oh, and I’ve heard that His Highness is sickly. I have some medicine for him to try.” She hadn’t expected to see him now, but Kyle had been invited to their wedding. Rishe had the cure to his illness prepared to give to him whenever he was here. She knew all the medicinal herbs required for his recovery by heart. “If the scholars from Coyolles can verify my methods, then I won’t have to sneak it into his food.”

“…What?”

“Well, if I just handed him some medicine, would he take it? He’d be suspicious.”

In her non-apothecary lives, Rishe had sent anonymous letters informing her former master of the medicine that would cure Kyle. The ambitious woman would do anything in the name of research, so despite how suspicious Rishe’s letters had been, she had followed the instructions regardless.

“I’d like him to start taking the medicine sooner rather than later—adding it to his food just seemed expedient.”

Arnold frowned.

“Just…kidding?”

“That doesn’t sound like a joke, coming from you.” Arnold had said something very similar once before. In truth, she was half-serious, but she decided to stay quiet about that.

“In any case, brace for the next annoyance tomorrow. We’re holding a welcome party for Kyle. As much as I would love to skip it, we’ll have to attend.”

“Right. I’ll be ready.”

“The best way to let Kyle and Lawvine meet naturally will be at the party. I’m sure Kyle will catch on to our warning and handle it diplomatically… Hey, what’s with that look?”

Arnold frowned, seeing Rishe stiffen with surprise. But her promise to Theodore left her unable to reveal her inner turmoil.

If Lord Lawvine comes to the party… It was perfectly reasonable for him to come, but Rishe still broke out into a cold sweat. The count’s attendance would make interacting with him unavoidable.

He’ll find out that I’m Lucius!

 

---

 

That night, Rishe headed for her field with her guards in tow, as always. She wore a deep blue dress that was easy to wash and didn’t show stains, her long hair tied up in a ponytail. As she silently harvested her medicinal herbs, she considered her newest worry.

If I meet Lord Lawvine at the party, he’ll expose “Lucius’s” identity. I knew I’d need to make an apology after the training period is over, but I’d hoped to keep it a secret until then.

Rishe wanted to learn about Galkhein’s knights; she wasn’t participating in the training just to toughen up and build stamina.

This will help me get closer to understanding just what Emperor Arnold Hein plans to achieve in five years’ time…

With a sigh, she thinned out the sprouts budding in her field and steeled herself for what she needed to do.

I have to welcome Kyle, fool the count, and avoid stoking Arnold’s suspicions. I’ll use a proven technique at the party. It’s tiring, but the lessons I learned in my fifth life will come in handy!

She dusted the dirt from her hands and stood, basket in hand. A night breeze caressed her cheek. Spring on this continent ended with a brief rainy season—the wind tonight was a pleasant precursor. The fireflies would come out soon. Maybe she could find a place on the palace grounds to watch them.

While she was considering this, several lights flickered to life in a distant tower. She’d never seen it lit up before.

One of the knights followed Rishe’s gaze and said, “The scholars from Coyolles are staying in that tower.”

“Oh, that’s where they are?” Rishe was acquainted with a few of them—although in this life, it was only one-sided.

I wonder if Gideon is here. Greg hates traveling by ship, so I assume he stayed in Coyolles. As she recalled the familiar faces, her mind lingered on one in particular. This should be the era when Master is traveling all over to seek out books of medicine.

In her life as an apothecary, she’d met her master around a year and a half from the current moment. Rishe had caught her eye as someone whose knowledge of medicine was self-taught, and the woman had bestowed even more upon her. Rishe was with her for two years, but there was still so much she could have learned.

I’m sure Master’s not with the group from Coyolles, but…if I could see her again, there’s a lot I’d like to ask her. And not just about Kyle; she wanted to make other medicines in the future. Her problem was her low supply of medicinal herbs. She had asked the Aria Trading Company to procure what they could, but some would be hard to get outside of Renhua, the medicinal capital of the world.

Still, Prince Kyle is my priority right now. I’ll have to convince his scholars to let him try my medicine for at least a few days. The difficulty lay in how absolutely terrible it tasted: The concoction was bad enough that it would be hard to convince them it wasn’t poisonous.

I must get it into him, though. If I don’t, he won’t even be able to stand up five years from now.

She had crossed paths with Kyle in her first life as a merchant. She’d traded in gems, giving her an opportunity to do business with the king of Coyolles. Kyle found working with Rishe convenient, and they continued to make deals, but his condition only worsened with time. Within half a decade, Coyolles gave up on its first prince and named its second prince—only five years old at the time—the king’s successor.

Come to think of it, Prince Kyle’s half brother will be born this year. I think his birthday is in the seventh month, like mine, so…next month. In Coyolles, the kind third queen was likely enthusiastically preparing to have her first child.

Rishe remembered how Kyle had spoken to her, voice hoarse, unable to even sit up in bed. “I have no interest in ascending to the throne. There’s no point. My only fear is my inability to repay my country and the people who have respected me as their prince for so long.”

I must ensure Prince Kyle recovers. Rishe knelt in the corner of her field, picking herbs for Kyle’s treatment. I wonder if Kyle ever visited Galkhein around this time in any of my previous lives. Has it happened in all of them? Or is this a first?

Kyle was here to celebrate Arnold and Rishe’s engagement. This is a departure from my previous lives, and it means everything’s going a little differently. If that held true, she had hope. There’s meaning in my decisions. I’m reordering things. Okay, I’m even more motivated now!

She wanted to change the world, to squeeze out even one more second of life than her last. Her ultimate goal was to sleep a solid ten hours every night, read books in the morning shade, and enjoy tea in the afternoon. She imagined the bliss of reclining in a hammock on her balcony at night, eating fresh fruit while her hair dried from the bath.

As she was indulging in her fantasies, one of the knights called out to her, “Lady Rishe, step back, please.” His voice was laced with tension.

Rishe caught on at the same time.

“…I’m surprised,” came a man’s soft voice.

Recognizing it, Rishe felt herself rising to her feet. The speaker stood in the shadow of a nearby building. She couldn’t see his face, but she could make out his white robe and the armband marking him as a citizen of Coyolles. That was the only reason her guards hadn’t drawn their swords.

“I figured the person tending this field would be in a profession like mine. To think it would be a noblewoman important enough for a two-knight watch.”

“You’re…”

The man ambled over to Rishe. When the moonlight illuminated his face, Rishe gasped.

He tucked his long blond hair behind one ear with graceful fingers, his robe undone far enough to dance in the breeze. When he smiled, his beautiful, almost feminine features made it difficult to guess his age.

There’s no way he’s here with Prince Kyle right now. There’s no grounds for it! I have no idea how he spent his days before I met him, but—!

The man held a lit herbal cigarette between his fingers, thin and fragrant, containing none of the toxins of a cigar. It just spread a sweet, flowery scent around him. Rishe knew that smell well. She’d learned it a long time ago at this man’s side.

“Good evening, my assumed colleague. What, precisely, are you planning to do with those herbs?”

Professor…

The man Rishe had once called her teacher, Michel Hévin, stood before her eyes.

 

---

 

“Mankind’s creations must be put to proper use.”

The last time Rishe met this man was on a moonlit night just like this one.

“I broadly agree with you, but that aphorism is imperfect. No one can agree on what ‘proper’ means.” The genius Michel Hévin had said those words with the same flowery herbal scent drifting around him.

“If I use this chemical I’ve created, the world will surely be thrown into turmoil. But what’s wrong with that?” Michel had smiled softly, tucking his light blond hair behind one ear. “Is it wrong to want to live to see the changes your work has wrought?”

“…Professor.”

His violet eyes focused on Rishe. It was a lonely look, but he still smiled as he said, “Farewell, my student. I hope your life is a ‘proper’ one in your own mind.”

That was the last time she’d seen him. But now, Michel stood before her once again. Rishe was frozen with shock, and her guards stepped forward to protect her. “My apologies, sir. I can see that you’re a guest, but would you mind telling us your name?”

“Hmm? Oh! Sorry if I startled you.” Michel bowed, moving with a strange fluidity, like he didn’t have a spine. “I’m Michel Hévin. Just as you’ve surmised, I’m from Coyolles.”

“The rooms prepared for you are quite a distance from here, sir.”

“If you’ve lost your way inside the palace, we’ll summon someone to show you back to the tower.”

Rishe’s knights—usually unfailingly polite—betrayed uneasiness as they spoke to Michel.

Michel, for his part, didn’t seem bothered in the slightest. He flashed a grin. “How kind. But I’m not lost; I’m just interested in speaking to this young lady here.”

“Sir Hévin, I apologize, but Lady—”

“It’s all right,” Rishe cut in.

At once, the knights took a step back. “Very well.”

She sent a silent thank-you for their dedication in protecting her and turned to face Michel.

Running into him here is surprising. However…

For the time being, she had to greet him as if they were meeting for the first time. Besides, she had a question for him. “I am Rishe Irmgard Weitzner. Sir Hévin, might you be one of the scholars His Highness Prince Kyle brought with him to Galkhein?”

“Well, I guess you could call me a scholar. I’m mostly concerned with research, though—I don’t get out much.” Michel chuckled. “Those nails…” He pointed at Rishe’s pink polish. She’d painted her nails before meeting Kyle in hopes of eventually pushing the product in Coyolles. “Is it gelwood sap? It’s usually white, but you’ve dyed it a different color, I see.”

Rishe swallowed. He can tell all that from just a glance? She had designed this nail polish herself. Michel couldn’t have known of its existence before today, but he’d analyzed its components almost instantly.

“How did you harden it like that?”

“I added lish grass, gibi nectar, and lapet grass, then combined it all with glue.”

“I see. Smart,” Michel said, impressed. He glanced down at Rishe’s nails again. “Did you avoid cyril grass to prevent excess bubbles in the mixture?”

“It’s just as you say. You’re well informed.”

“Well, it’s just a theory.” Michel gave her an impish look. “Do you think there’d be any change if you used estoma sap for that?”

She thought back to their days of experimentation. I handled estoma sap several times when I was studying with him, so yes, I do.

Looking at him squarely, she answered, “I believe it would harden into a much stronger polish—strong enough to glue a broken tooth back together. Also, it would probably harden clear.”

“Mm. I agree.”

“But that’s just a hypothesis. I would have to verify it with experimental trials.”

Michel’s eyes went wide before he smiled softly, nodding with satisfaction. “You’re a good girl, aren’t you? You hypothesize, come up with practical applications, and value experimentation and verification of your results. I’d love to have you as a student.”

“Thank you, Lord Hévin.”

He’d said the same thing to her in one of her past lives, but unfortunately, she couldn’t give him the same response this time.

“Becoming your student would prove difficult, but…I don’t suppose you’d mind teaching me for the brief time that you’re here?”

“Sure, I don’t mind. Though I’m still learning myself. There’s plenty I don’t know.”

“Thank you very much. I shall call you ‘Professor,’ then.”

“Professor, eh? Heh heh, that’s kind of fun.”

Rishe smiled at his amusement and began to think. The real question is what he’s doing here in Galkhein. If it’s for that chemical, then…

Impatience swelled in her chest, but she didn’t want to pry and raise suspicions. He might simply be accompanying Kyle on the prince’s orders.

While Rishe contemplated, Michel’s gaze shifted once again to the field. “By the way, my student. Can we return to my initial question?”

“Of course. What were you asking?”

“The plants in this field appear to be of a slightly different sort than what I study. I’m no expert, and this is only a theory, but…” Michel brought the cigarette to his lips. “You’re not planning to drug Kyle, are you?”

So much for not being an expert. He’d clocked this field instantly. One of her guards was even giving her a look of open-mouthed shock.

He wouldn’t even tell me his own specialty. He’d just say, “I’m not an expert; I don’t have perfect knowledge of all things. I can’t say I understand everything.”

Michel was the same as always. Well, not quite. She’d never met this Michel.

Rishe cleared her throat. “As a matter of fact, Professor, I’d love to speak about that.”

This was perfect. She’d use this opportunity to put him to work for Kyle’s sake.

That being said…

Some thirty minutes later, Rishe realized the situation she’d put herself in—and she was at a complete loss.

She’d arrived at a reception room in the palace, a smaller one than they’d used earlier. Along with Rishe were her guards, Michel, and Kyle, who had been summoned from his quarters.

…I didn’t think I’d be going straight to Prince Kyle!

Kyle greeted Rishe politely, though he seemed supremely stumped. “Thank you for this unexpected delight, Lady Rishe. To think I would be so fortunate as to lay eyes upon you twice in one day; I’m not sure how to express the joy I feel from such a wondrous opportunity.”

“Your Highness, I beg you—speak freely. Don’t concern yourself with propriety.”

“All right. As you wish.” Looking worried, Kyle turned to Michel beside him. “Michel, what exactly are you doing?”

Michel grinned. “I found this remarkable young woman in a courtyard. She’s got something interesting, and I wanted to introduce her to you right away.”

“Watch what you say, will you? This is the crown prince of Galkhein’s fiancée.”

“Oh, really? Eh, she just became my student a minute ago, so it’s fine.”

Kyle gave her a bewildered look. Rishe bowed her head to him, apologetic. Due to their past, she felt responsible for Michel’s behavior, as if she were a family member.

“She’s an aspiring apothecary, you see. I believe she has some medicine that would benefit you, Kyle.”

“An apothecary? Lady Rishe?”

“She told me she studied under a mentor from Renhua! From how she tells it, I think this mentor and I would get along well, isn’t that right, Rishe?”

Rishe could only laugh in response. “Aha ha ha…”

Michel plowed on. “These aren’t herbs I’ve studied myself, but I’m aware of their potency. This medicine should work, and its side effects shouldn’t impact your daily life overmuch. I think we should experiment with them, Kyle!”

“Professor, you cannot ‘experiment’ on the prince of a nation!”

“Huh? Was that the wrong way to put it? My, common sense can be difficult, can’t it?” Feigning surprise, Michel smiled at Kyle, who had quite a complicated look on his face. “I truly do pray for your full recovery, Your Highness. With every beat of my heart.”

Ah, Professor, you can’t say it like that…

Kyle had a very earnest, sincere disposition and thus was susceptible to others’ sincerity. He believed his frail body to be a burden. “I understand.”

Aaah.

Just as she expected, Kyle nodded his head gravely. Rishe was grateful for his cooperation, but she couldn’t help her concern for him. “Are you sure, Your Highness?”

“The foremost scholar of my country urges me to try it and stands by its efficacy. I am dedicated to doing anything it takes—I consider the possibility fortuitous.” With the utmost gravity, he added, “After all, a medicine prepared by such a goddess will doubtless have some effects simply by the very nature of its creator.”

“…I’ll just get it ready, then.” Rishe took a moment to collect herself, then stood. She would have to report to Arnold before she administered any medicine, so she asked one of her guards to deliver a message to his office, where he was sure to still be working.

The guard returned with Arnold’s reply: a simple “Understood.” Apparently, his intention to allow Rishe free rein still remained. Unsure of what he was really thinking, Rishe got to work.

First: mix the medicine!

Rishe hastened back to the detached wing with her basket of herbs. She lit the kitchen stove and set the herbs she had already prepared to boil. Asking a maid to mind the pot for her, she returned to the reception room to interview her patient.

“I see…” she murmured. “You weren’t eating much on your journey.”

“It embarrasses me to say so, but I was seasick for much of it… I was stuck in my cabin the entire time.”

“That sounds awful. How about after you arrived in Galkhein?”

“Well, then I spent the rest of the trip carriage-sick…” Kyle said dejectedly.

Michel smiled softly at his prince. “Kyle was a brilliant patient, though. He fought his nausea the whole time. I felt so bad when he threw up the fruit I gave him, but he managed to keep down water and ice. I’m not really suited for tending the sick, though…”

“Michel,” Kyle said. “Could you stop patting my head?”

“You should have brought a normal apothecary with you,” Michel went on, “instead of someone who doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

Kyle frowned. “The queen is about to give birth. The royal family’s supply of apothecaries is not limitless; as many as possible should remain with her, should they not? Perhaps I should have left you there as well…”

“No way. Childbirth is way out of my wheelhouse.”

“You just came back covered in blood a few days ago, saying you attended the birth of a calf,” Kyle protested. “Was that not for your research?”

“Nah, I’d just never seen it before. I was interested, so I got a little overexcited.”

“You terrorized Coyolles Castle for that?”

The familiar banter warmed Rishe’s heart. There are moments when the professor looks younger than eighteen-year-old Prince Kyle. Of course, no one knows how old he actually is…

The reason for that was simple: Michel himself didn’t know it. He looked to be in his mid-to-late twenties, but he occasionally displayed the innocence of a much younger man and the wisdom of an older one.

“At least he was able to eat dinner tonight. He’ll improve gradually,” Michel said.

Kyle’s face remained glum. “I feel pathetic for failing to manage my own condition. I must be stricter with myself—”

“Your Highness. It’s not discipline you lack, it’s compassion. You must value yourself more. You need to let yourself rest, take a long bath, and eat something tasty and nutritious. I request that you exercise to the best of your ability, stay positive, and practice self-love.” Rishe smiled at Kyle. “Part of being healthy is enjoying life.”

“Enjoying life…” Kyle repeated, considering the words.

Rishe nodded. “Don’t worry about the return trip. I’ll brew medicine to prevent seasickness and send it home with you. That way, you can appreciate the scenery on your journey.”

Kyle looked surprised for a moment before he bowed his head deeply. “Thank you very much, Lady Rishe.”

“Please don’t mention it.”

“While the medicine’s brewing, would you care to take a look at my writings?” Michel artlessly gestured toward a bundle of papers.

“Professor, is this…?”

“Oh, your research,” Kyle remarked. “You showed me just the other day.”

“That’s right. People keep saying I should write things down. I don’t think it’s for me, though. I keep it all up here in my head.”

“But you forget everything that isn’t directly related to research you’re interested in, right? Your notes are too complex, Michel. I’m not sure what a person who’s just met you could possibly make of—”

“Wow!” Rishe breathed as she paged through the notes.

Incredible! This is the experimental data he’d already burned when I met him! He told me he didn’t remember any of it. I was dying to see it for myself!

Michel dropped most experiments once he’d satisfied his own curiosity, but several were awfully promising—they just needed to be studied a bit more in-depth. Rishe got the feeling that if she started reading this, she wouldn’t be able to stop.

“You can understand Michel’s notes, Lady Rishe?” Kyle asked. “I’m impressed.”

“Heh. You really are an interesting girl.”

Rishe grilled Michel for close to an hour, then returned to the detached wing to check on her herbs. They had boiled down enough, so she let them cool before transferring them to a small bottle.

She returned to the reception room and summoned Kyle, who was resting in his chambers. Thrusting the bottle into his hands, Rishe said solemnly, “This is the completed medicine. However, I must lead with one big caveat.”

Michel raised an eyebrow. “Side effects? I figured it would just make him a bit drowsy.”

“No, it’s not side effects.”

“Please tell me, Lady Rishe. I am willing to surmount any obstacle in order to overcome my illness.”

Rishe’s eyes fell, and Kyle’s expression hardened to match her. He gulped.

“This medicine tastes absolutely awful.”

“It tastes awful,” Kyle parroted, and Rishe nodded.

Michel broke into a smile and said, “What, is that all? Kyle can handle it. He’s a strong kid—earnest and hardworking. Right?”

“Professor, please don’t put words in his mouth!”

“No, Lady Rishe, I won’t complain. If this is what I must do, I will go to any lengths.”

“I know,” Michel said. “I’ll feed it to him. Say ‘aah’!”

“Eep! Professor, don’t! At least give him some water!”

Michel put the vial to Kyle’s lips, giving Rishe no time to stop him. Kyle, who had opened his mouth to speak, quickly found it flooded with muddy green liquid. The prince immediately covered his mouth and hung his head, going stock-still. He must have been struggling to swallow, but the longer he held it against his tongue, the more he would suffer. Rishe rushed to her feet, just as he gulped it down.

“A-are you all right?”

“I—” Kyle started, but a coughing fit cut him off. It seemed he was not all right. Still, he resolutely raised his head and squeezed out, “I’m fine. It was easier than that one time my father told me to eat dirt.”

“This medicine is liquid, you know!” Comparing the palatability of liquid medicine to something solid like dirt was madness.

“Hey, Kyle, how did it taste?” Michel asked, giddy. “Come on, tell us!”

“It’s got bitter and sour notes, and on top of that, there’s a very overpowering…unique smell. And there’s this strange, sticky sweetness on my tongue even after I swallowed it… Ugh…”

“Your Highness,” Rishe interjected. “We don’t need commentary. I’m sorry, could one of you knights get him some water?!”

“Why don’t you try paying a little more attention to the taste this time,” Michel said. “Here, try another swig—”

“Professor!” Rishe shrieked.

The reception room was thrown into chaos, but they eventually got things back under control and returned Kyle to his bed. Regardless of the medicine’s efficacy, he still needed rest. Rishe allowed the knights from Coyolles to escort him, staying back in the reception room with Michel and her own guards.

“You should return to the scholar’s tower and get some rest yourself, Professor. I’ve summoned a knight to escort you. Just give him a few minutes to arrive.”

“Got it. Thanks.”

It was already ten o’clock, and Rishe needed to head back to the detached wing to sleep as well. She had training in the morning, meaning she had to remove the polish from her nails. As she went through a mental checklist of her bedtime routine, Michel looked eagerly at the half-empty vial. He scooped a bit of medicine up with a finger and licked it. How nostalgic.

I never thought I’d see the day I’d call this man “Professor” again.

She recalled an incident in their laboratory. Michel had recently gotten hold of the ingredients for a certain chemical. The day held nothing out of the ordinary, but every time Rishe saw that chemical used, she felt a twinge in her chest. No doubt she let her unease show on her face more than once.

“You really don’t like this stuff, do you, Rishe?” Michel had said when he caught her, smiling faintly. “You’re a clever girl with heaps of intriguing knowledge, though I’ve no idea where you learned it. In fact, your one flaw as a student is your dogged insistence that your wisdom and skills must only be utilized for the betterment of others.”

The brilliant scholar’s smile soured then. “I’m not sure who gave you the right to decide what betters someone’s life.” He ran his fingers over the chemical’s recipe. “To use an analogy: Something that was born poisonous could only truly fulfill its purpose by poisoning—by worsening a life.”

Michel didn’t need the chemical. He’d burned the research notes his lord had ordered him to write. The only thing that remained was this recipe, which he’d written unprompted.

“I created this, and I want it to fulfill its purpose. Maybe this is what being a parent feels like,” Michel joked.

“I respect you, Professor, but I don’t understand your position,” Rishe told him.

“What can’t you understand?”

“The part about a poison’s purpose.” Perhaps she should have held her tongue, but she couldn’t accept what he was saying. “Can a poison really never better someone’s life?” Michel was surprised by the question, but Rishe was serious. “It’s not like you to decide that something came into this world just to make it worse. I mean, that’s just like—”

“You don’t need to worry so much. It’s not complete yet anyway,” Michel cut her off, still smiling. “Sure, I have the formula, but I don’t have anyone to test it on. At least, not the way I’d like.”

“What sort of person would you need?”

“Hmm? Let’s see…” Michel put a finger to his lips, his smile wide and bewitching. “I’ll keep that a secret until I find them.”

The conversation ended there. Michel had looked down, leaving the rest unsaid.

The professor and I never came to an understanding about that chemical. Eventually we parted ways, and I never saw him after that. Now that she had crossed paths with Michel on her seventh life, she couldn’t help but wonder, Did he ever find the person he was looking for?

A knock interrupted her reverie. A single guard stood outside, watching the hall. Sensing a new presence, Rishe assumed that the knight she’d requested to guide Michel had arrived.

“Pardon me, Lady Rishe. Your escort is here.”

Just as she thought. Rishe thanked the knight and turned to Michel. “Thank you for waiting, Professor.”

“No, Lady Rishe, it’s not Professor Hévin’s escort…”

Rishe turned, curious, and found an unexpected figure in the doorway. “Rishe, come with me.”

“Huh?”

Arnold, who would usually still be working at this hour, stood there looking handsome as always. Rishe felt her jaw go slack with surprise.

Why did Prince Arnold come to pick me up?!

The question must have been plain on her face because her guard leaned over and said, “When I requested the guard for Prince Kyle, I stopped by Prince Arnold’s office as well. He told me to call him after the medicine had been administered.”

“N-no, that’s not why I’m confu—”

“So, this is him. The scholar.” Arnold fixed his icy gaze on Michel, who was sitting on one of the reception room’s couches.

Brushing off her bewilderment, Rishe said, “This is Professor Michel Hévin from Coyolles. He’s very knowledgeable; I hope to learn as much as I can from him while he’s here.”

“Heh, I’m honored to make your acquaintance. I suppose I should be on my best behavior.” Michel rose from the couch and offered Arnold a graceful bow. His blond hair swayed with the movement. “Good evening. You must be the crown prince of this fine nation. I hear it was you who allowed us entry into your royal library. I appreciate that tremendously.”

Rishe nervously watched Michel offer his greetings. The researcher was, in general, very free in his personal relations. He didn’t much value customs or courtesy. He treated Prince Kyle and Rishe, a student, in the same fashion. She didn’t know anyone else who would dare to pat full-grown royalty on the head.

If he tries to pat Prince Arnold’s head, I’ll stop him at any cost.

She steeled herself for Arnold’s response, but his expression barely flickered. “As you’ll be sharing your knowledge with my wife, I will ensure you have everything you need. I believe our minister of foreign affairs is due to take you around the capital tomorrow, but let me know if there’s anything you require to make yourself more comfortable.”

Rishe couldn’t believe her ears.

Michel beamed at Arnold’s blank face. “How generous! Maybe I’ll take you up on that. Ask for all sorts of things.”

“Rishe, let’s go.”

“R-right. Good night, Professor.” Rishe scurried after Arnold.

On the threshold, a voice called her back. “Rishe.”

She turned to find Michel wearing a tranquil smile, just as she expected. It was the same one she’d seen so often in the past. Feeling nostalgic, Rishe smiled back.

“See you tomorrow. Think about what you want to learn, okay?”

“Yes. Thank you, Professor.”

The door slowly closed between them.

It feels like it’s been ages, Rishe thought, walking through the palace with Arnold. Their guards followed along behind them.

Arnold was the first to break the silence. “So…you believe that man is a capable teacher?”

“The professor? Oh, very capable!” She’d taken care to speak with Michel for a while before calling Kyle to cover for the fact that she knew so much about him. Making sure not to inadvertently reference future events, Rishe explained, “There’s no one in his industry who hasn’t heard the name Michel Hévin. Considering his accomplishments, it feels presumptuous to even judge his capacity.”

“What’s a guy like that doing in Coyolles? He doesn’t seem like a local.”

She knew the reason, but it wasn’t one Michel had disclosed in their earlier conversation. She opted to make something up. “M-maybe the cuisine there suits him?” Arnold appeared to have a low opinion of Coyolles, and she wasn’t sure why. She circled back to her earlier question. “Prince Arnold, why did you suddenly show up to escort me?”

“I was on my way back. They finished up moving some of my belongings into the detached palace.”

The move was finished, then. “Which means…we’re neighbors from now on?”

“I guess so.”

Perfect! For the time being, Rishe had successfully put some physical distance between Arnold and his father. She didn’t know what precisely would lead to the altercation that resulted in the king’s death, but she still wanted them interacting less, if possible.

Arnold shot her a curious look. “Why do you seem so relieved?”

“Well, this has been my biggest project since I arrived in Galkhein, hasn’t it? Cleaning the detached wing and setting up the maids with their study group. I’m thrilled that it’s finally ready to use, Your Highness.” Although she lied about the current source of her pleasure, it wasn’t wholly untrue. She made a mental note to thank her maids again tomorrow for all their hard work.

Arnold smiled. “Living in a run-down palace and watching you hatch your schemes from up close would have been fun too.”

As a former maid myself, I wouldn’t have allowed that in a million years! Rishe objected fervently on the inside. If Arnold had to be moved from the main palace, she wanted assurance that everything would be perfect.

“Oh! Just one thing, Your Highness. I’ll be out of commission until noon in the coming days. If you don’t see me in the palace, I’m just soundly asleep. Don’t worry about me, all right?” It was the same thing she’d told her knights and maids when, in actuality, she’d be off practicing with the cadets all morning.

Arnold looked exasperated. “Even if you sleep until noon, going to bed too late means you won’t sleep well.”

“Ugh… Well, I am trying to get to bed early.”

“That’s rich coming from someone staying up all night to play doctor.” Arnold stuck his hand into his jacket pocket. He withdrew an object and tossed it to Rishe. “Here.”

Without thinking, Rishe reached out and caught it with both hands. She opened them to find a shining gold pocket watch—the same one Arnold had constantly checked when they were in town. “Your Highness! You mustn’t treat something this valuable so carelessly!”

“What do you mean? You caught it just fine, didn’t you? Go ahead and borrow it. Keep it on you at all times.”

Rishe’s eyes went wide at the unexpected suggestion. “You’re…lending me your pocket watch?!”

The pocket watch had been invented around four years ago. The only “clocks” available prior to that were a wall-mounted model—of which only one existed in the world—sundials that depended on fair weather, and water clocks that froze on cold days. Obviously, you couldn’t carry any of those around, making telling time difficult. Then came the pocket watch. There weren’t many of them in circulation yet, rendering each piece incredibly valuable. Only a select few nobles and royals had ever seen them, much less owned one, to say nothing of the common people, who didn’t even know they existed.

“It’s so precious, though. You can’t just lend it out like this.”

“What, you won’t use it?”

Deep down, she would’ve loved nothing more.

Arnold went on, “They’re still so new that people doubt their reliability, but I can promise this one is accurate as long as you keep it wound. It’s a lot more useful than a sundial.”

Yes, I know that. All too well, in fact. Rishe could easily recall the smile of the device’s inventor.

“Since they’re portable, they came in handy during the war,” Arnold said. “I did spend some time verifying its accuracy before it saw any practical use, however.”

Rishe pondered Arnold’s dispassionate comment. “What do you mean, ‘came in handy’? Was it because telling the precise time made it easier to coordinate your units?”

“Exactly. Using the sun or other natural gauges for time leaves you vulnerable to sudden changes in weather.”

The war would’ve come to an end not long after the pocket watch’s invention. Clearly Prince Arnold is quick to integrate new technologies into his battle strategies. But he doesn’t trust blindly; he verifies their usefulness personally.

No wonder countries that clung stubbornly to the old ways couldn’t win against Galkhein. Up close, it was easy to spot the sources of wartime superiority that had escaped her in the past.

Michel’s words suddenly rang through her head. “There is no one willing to use this chemical the way I want it to be used.” She stopped in her tracks, a shiver running up her spine.

Arnold, who was several paces ahead, turned back and gave her a curious look. “What is it?”

“Nothing.” Rishe took a deep breath and rejoined him. “Well, I’ll accept your offer and borrow this, then. It’ll be useful for mixing and administering medicine.”

“Oh? Administering it?”

“The pocket watch was invented for exactly this purpose, did you know? The person who taught me medicine found it very useful. Though it frustrated her too.”

“Ah, the one from Renhua?”

“Yes. She was an oddball, but an extremely talented apothecary nonetheless.” Rishe felt her chest swell with pride.

“I can’t imagine anyone outside of Renhua could ever compare. Is there something about that man from earlier? Is he more talented than your old apothecary teacher?” Arnold asked her.

“Professor Michel isn’t an apothecary. But he does mix drugs as part of his research, and he has some medicinal knowledge. He said it’s not his field of expertise, though.”

While she explained, Rishe thought back to the first time she’d met Michel—when she arrived in Coyolles as an apothecary in her second life. Master despised Michel the whole time we were there. She’d say, “Don’t compare my medicine with this man’s research.”

Ultimately, Rishe had concluded that the two were similar and that they’d never get along. Every time they met in Coyolles Castle, Rishe’s master picked a fight. Hence Rishe’s awkward smile earlier when Michel had commented that he’d likely get along with her former master.

I never expected to reunite with Michel in a place like this. I wouldn’t have thought he’d be in Coyolles for another three years…

She’d been surprised out in the garden, but reflecting on it now, she found it naive. In my second life, I didn’t meet him for three more years. And in my third life, when I was his student, I met him a year from now. And he never exactly told me he didn’t spend time in Coyolles…

Interrupting her thoughts, Arnold asked, “Who is he, then?”

“He is…” What should she say? She hesitated before deciding the only solution was the truth. “He’s a scholar who studies the substances of this world and uses them to create new substances.”

“New substances…?”

“Yes. Apparently, he’s invented all sorts of compounds and tools to help him in his research.”

Arnold’s lips dipped in a slight frown. Evidently, he’d picked up on what she was alluding to.

“In Professor Michel’s case, I don’t think the creation of gold is his ultimate goal, but the most accurate term to describe him would be…” Rishe looked up at Arnold. “An alchemist.”

That was Michel’s profession—and, coincidentally, the title Rishe herself assumed as his student in her third life.

 

---

 

Early the next morning, Rishe disguised herself, donned the uniform of the knight cadets, and left before anyone else. Silent and still, the empty practice grounds had a sterile air to them. Training wouldn’t start for another ninety minutes.

I was especially careful when I snuck out. It took me about five extra minutes. Starting today, Arnold resided in the room right next to hers. He’d be sleeping right now, but she wouldn’t be surprised if the smallest of noises alerted him to her presence.

When I’m finished cleaning, I’ll stretch and then start my personal training. Okay!

Rishe gripped her broom tightly and began to sweep the training grounds. She organized the wooden swords leaning against the wall, then did her stretches. While she was getting limber, someone else walked onto the training ground.

“Fritz!” This was practically routine by now. She called out the same way she had the day before, but Fritz still twitched at the sound.

He offered a strained smile. “M-morning, Lu.”

“Morning! What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“Huh?! Oh, no! I just didn’t sleep much last night!” Fritz said bashfully, scratching his head.

Rishe couldn’t help worrying about him. He’d come all the way from Ceutena to the capital, spending his training living in unfamiliar circumstances. The smallest thing could negatively affect his health.

“Well, you don’t look pale or anything… Do you have a fever? How’s your appetite?”

“I ate breakfast like always, and I don’t feel feverish.”

“Could you pull down your eyelid for me?” She checked the color. It looked fine; he wasn’t anemic like Kyle. Still, she wanted to examine him a little closer. “Excuse me, Fritz.”

“Whoa!”

She took Fritz’s hand and placed two fingertips against the large veins in his wrist. Rishe frowned, not liking what she felt. “Your pulse is awfully fast…”

“Aaah!” Fritz pulled back, flustered, and managed another awkward smile. “I ran here from the palace gate—uh, as part of my training! I may not have slept a lot, but I’m full of energy! A-and I wasn’t losing sleep because I don’t feel good…”

“So why were you, then?”

Fritz took a long look at Rishe and then covered his face with both hands, embarrassed. “I might have fallen in love.”

“What?! Congratulations!” He’d mentioned he’d been sightseeing in the capital during his afternoons; he must have met someone there. Whatever the case, fostering new relationships was a wonderful thing. “Someone I know once told me that knights in love get stronger faster!”

“R-really…?” Rishe’s blessing put a complicated look on Fritz’s face. They were the words of another nation’s knight captain. Maybe they sounded suspicious to him.

While they were chatting, another person showed up. This was the first time anyone other than Fritz had arrived so early. Turning, they saw a fellow knight cadet.

“Good morning, Sven.”

It was the rude trainee from the day before. Sven kept silent, not returning Rishe’s greeting.

Fritz stepped in front of her. “Yo, Sven. You’re up early for a change.”

“W-well, you mentioned yesterday that Lucius comes to the training grounds before anyone else! I didn’t believe you…”

“That’s right. That’s how Lu beat every single one of us! He works hard!”

Based on their conversation, Rishe could guess what had happened after yesterday’s training. Fritz was still defending her against her will.

“C’mon, Lu. Just ignore him. Let’s start for the day.”

“Thanks, Fritz. Could you wait a second, though?” Rishe faced Sven and asked, “Want to train with us?”

“Huh?! What are you talking about?! What good does it do you to invite me?! Just leave me alone!”

Rishe tilted her head to one side in confusion. “Knights don’t gain strength just to be the best swordsmen in the country, do they?”

“Wh-what?”

“They gain strength to protect the ones they care about. That’s why it doesn’t mean anything unless everyone improves. Even if you’re the strongest person in the world, there’s only so many you can save.”

Sven stared at her, wide-eyed. She wasn’t a knight in this life, but she still remembered the things she’d learned.

“Besides,” she went on, “you stayed behind yesterday and trained by yourself some more, didn’t you?”

“H-how do you know that?!”

“Because the ground here looks different than it did after practice.”

She’d since flattened it down with the broom, but he had most likely sparred with someone. The dirt told her that story, as did the small bruises on Sven’s wrists.

“We have limited time—training together will be more efficient. So, what do you say?”

“I didn’t come here ’cause I wanted to train with you.” Sven clenched a fist and took a deep breath. “Spar with me again, Lucius.”

“Come on, Sven.” Fritz gave him an exasperated look. “Lu won yesterday because he’s strong. It wasn’t a fluke. I know you don’t want to admit it, but…”

“I know that!” Sven could barely get the words out. “Lucius and I are on completely different levels. I realized that when I lost to him! I’ve been thinking about it nonstop. I even talked to other people about what I’m missing—what I should do to get even a little stronger, or to beat him…” Taking a deep breath, he locked eyes with Rishe. “You’re better than me! I know that, but I’m still asking for another match. That’s the only way for me to figure out how to surpass you!”

Sven’s shoulders trembled, his face turning red. He looked like he was going to cry as his frustration, anxiety, and embarrassment threatened to overflow. Asking something like this of Rishe took a lot of courage. “Please, Lucius. Give me another chance.”

“Lu…” Fritz glanced at her.

Rishe nodded, smiling. “Sure. Let’s do it.”

Sven balked. “R-really?! That was so fast! I mean, I was so rude to you yesterday!”

“I don’t care about that. I just didn’t want to cause Fritz trouble. Besides, I’ve got a new technique I’d like to try.”

As Sven sputtered, Rishe went to the wall and picked up a couple of wooden swords. Along with the normal swords they’d used yesterday, there were also short blades about half their length. “By the way, can I ask what your conclusion was after all that?”

“You’re strong, but you’ve barely got any stamina. If I overpower you, I can force you on the defensive.”

“True, I’d struggle if you did that.” Rishe smirked, picking up two regular swords and two short swords. “Fritz, would you mind participating in this match as well?”

“Yeah, of course! I was gonna ask to fight you too!”

“Hah, good. I’m glad you feel that way.”

“Y-yeah…”

Rishe laughed with relief, though Fritz looked troubled. This sudden change in demeanor confused her, but she nonetheless handed him and Sven one sword each.

“I have another request.” Rishe held the two short swords, one in each hand, and smiled. “Don’t fight me one-on-one. Both of you come at me together.”

“Wh—”

“Together?!”

Fritz and Sven exchanged a look.

“Lu. You want to go two against one?”

“That’s right. Will you indulge me?”

Fritz agreed right away. “You said there’s something new you want to try, right? Okay, I’m in.”

“D-don’t just agree without me, Fritz!” Sven protested. “We can’t fight Lucius at the same time! That’s not fair!”

“Sven, we won’t be able to beat Lucius just by ganging up on him.”

Sven hesitated, but with the other boy already on board, he eventually held up his weapon too.

Rishe pointed one of her blades at Sven. “I’m ready when you are.”

“Let’s go!” Sven charged forward first with a wide, strong swing. He slashed out with all his might.

“Don’t rely on brute strength.” Rishe took one step back and dodged the blow. Sven immediately swung again, aiming for her shoulder. She swatted his sword away, and just that was enough to knock him off balance.

“Ugh…” Sven adjusted his grip. He was being hasty, but it was impressive that he hadn’t dropped his weapon in the scuffle.

“You don’t want to put all your weight into the strike. If you hit, it’ll be hard to maintain your position. If you miss, it’ll be even worse.”

“Yaaah!”

“Every time you attack, always be thinking ahead to your next move.” As Rishe explained, she blocked Sven’s blow with the sword in her left hand. Amid the loud clash of blades, she felt another one flying toward her. Rishe raised her right sword and blocked the attack from above.

“Whoa, you’re awesome, Lu!”

Grinning at Fritz’s enthusiasm, Rishe pushed the two of them back. She flipped her swords around and got in close to Sven. When she moved to jam a hilt into his gut, Sven blocked her.

“Nice moves! So close!”

Rishe spun around, swinging at Fritz this time. Fritz managed to block, but her attacks continued. If she couldn’t get a hit in on him, she switched to the other sword. Pushing Fritz back with her left, she swung at Sven with her right.

“Sven! Don’t block it, dodge it!”

“Augh!”

“Just like that! Sven, watch how Fritz moves—and Fritz, match your breathing to Sven’s!”

The two of them briefly looked at each other, then attacked Rishe as one. It still wasn’t enough.

“Almost there. If you were in the other person’s position, where would you aim for?”

“Ah…”

Sven shouted first. “Right, I get it! Fritz, get down!”

“Got it!”

At those words, Fritz dropped his hips without a moment’s delay. He went down so low that he almost scraped the ground as he tried to sweep Rishe’s legs from under her. The moment she jumped to dodge, Sven lunged. She brought up both hands, blocking his attack with her blades, twisting her upper body as soon as she landed. Caught up in her motion, Sven fell in front of Fritz. Fritz reached out to protect him, grabbing his arm and yanking him upright again, and the two of them immediately launched into another attack. Rishe blocked them with both swords.

Feeling the impact of the blows, Rishe couldn’t suppress her excitement. Amazing! They’re already way better!

They’d been attacking separately before, but the moment they focused on working together, their movements completely transformed. She had to wonder if they realized it. Even as she caught their swords, their eyes were still full of life. They were having the time of their lives, and it was clear as day on their faces.

“Fritz, we’ll push through on our next attack!”

“Yeah, let’s do it!”

“Good choice. But too bad!” Rishe took a short breath and then swiftly drew back.

“Huh?!”

Without Rishe’s swords to push against, the boys lost their balance. She took advantage of the moment to strike at Fritz’s sword, spinning the tip of her blade. Unable to withstand the coiling motion, Fritz let go of his weapon, which went flying into the distance. Rishe moved into Sven’s range next.

“Ugh!”

She brought her left blade down, and Sven blocked her with a horizontal guard. With his sword tensed for an impact from above, it was weak to a strike from below. Rishe batted her right sword upward, loosening Sven’s grip as well. His weapon spun in the air and hit the ground.

“Haah, haah, hah…”

Their match at an end, the two boys were in a daze.

Rishe whipped her swords through the air and beamed at them. “It’s just like I figured during our matches yesterday. You two have good combat compatibility.”

“M-me and Fritz…?”

“That’s right. I wanted to see how you’d work together. I’m glad I got an opportunity so soon.”

Both of them had talent, and it seemed they had a similar approach to swordsmanship. Otherwise, they wouldn’t work so well together with just a few words of advice. If they both became knights, she was sure they’d progress incredibly quickly. Rishe grinned, imagining that future for them—but Fritz and Sven were still slack-jawed.

“So the thing you wanted to try wasn’t a skill or a strategy…but us?”

“That’s right. It was really fun too. I’d love to do it again tomorrow!”

Sven’s expression hardened. “I can’t believe you…”

“Aha ha ha!” As for Fritz, he seemed to find the whole thing hilarious. “We’ll have to meet up for morning practice again tomorrow, Sven! Let’s have a strategy meeting so we can beat Lu!”

“Fine! I’ll be here, dammit! In fact, I’ll get here before you do, Lucius. I dunno when you come and start stretching, but you won’t beat me next time!”

I actually clean before I stretch, but that’s just a personal habit. I won’t mention it.

Then Sven squeezed out, “Sorry. For everything.”

“I told you it didn’t bother me, didn’t I?”

At that, Sven looked to be on the verge of tears. “…I’ll beat you one of these days.”

“Yeah. I don’t plan on going easy on you, though.”

“Damn it!”

Rishe smiled, then felt eyes on her. When she turned, she found Fritz staring at her hard. “What’s up, Fritz?”

“Huh?! Oh, no, it’s nothing! I guess I was just thinking you smile a lot, Lu!”

“You think so? Thanks. But to me, you’re the one who always seems so cheerful, Fritz.”

Deep down, she wished she could smile more, but when she let her mind wander, it tended to latch on to her worries. She fought to keep them off her face as she focused on the entrance to the training grounds. There was no one else around yet, but it was still early.

Lord Lawvine will be here soon… I have to gather as much information as I can during today’s training. I need to be prepared for tonight!

Thus, Rishe covertly hyped herself up for the coming party.

 

---

 

Rishe chose a deep blue dress to wear that evening. Her maid Elsie did her hair, braiding it together in the back and curling the loose bits around her face. The result was festive yet elegant and composed. Whenever Rishe moved, her pearl earrings swayed to and fro. Dressed up in the “understated but not conservative” look she’d requested of her maids, Rishe went over her strategy until a knock came at the door.

“Lady Rishe, I’ve brought you some mail.” The maid handed her two letters.

One was from a girl named Mary. She was the fiancée of Prince Dietrich, the man to whom Rishe had once been engaged. Mary and Rishe had been corresponding ever since she’d come to Galkhein.

Lady Mary… I see you’re still working hard for Prince Dietrich at the palace.

Mary—who had “stolen” Rishe’s fiancé from her—was still engaged to the prince, but now it had far less to do with marrying a rich man for her family’s sake. Apparently, Dietrich had been on the verge of being disowned by his father the king, and Mary was putting in a great deal of effort to his reform to prevent it. From the letter, Rishe gleaned that people did not always treat her well, but Mary was still doing her best to be both kind and strict with her fiancé nonetheless.

I’ll have to write a reply as soon as the party is over. Now for the other letter.

She turned over the second envelope to find “Crystal Light Jewelers” written in one corner—the jewelry store she had visited with Arnold. One of the items enclosed was the design for her ring. Rishe almost gasped in awe when she saw it.

It’s beautiful…

So beautiful, in fact, that she wanted to forget everything and stare at it forever. Yet she resisted the urge and forced her eyes to the letter, which contained a list of notes the proprietress had on her grandson’s design.

In addition, it read: “I mentioned the ring would take a month to make, but it seems some craftsmen from Coyolles have arrived in the capital. If I commission them, the ring will be completed much sooner, so you have that to look forward to.”

Rishe blinked her wide eyes, surprised. Simply assigning different craftsmen to work on the ring means it could be finished that much sooner? That’s great news, though. If the ring is ready fast, I can have my dress made to match. Mr. Tully did say I should choose the fabric sooner rather than later.

She glanced back at the design. Normally, the dress would come first, I suppose. But I find myself wanting to prioritize the ring…

“Lady Rishe. It’s time.”

“Oh, you’re right. I apologize.” Rishe took a deep breath, put her letters away, and headed to the party.

 

---

 

The gala was held in the largest hall of the imperial palace. Once again, Rishe entered with Arnold. The sparkling chandeliers and the extravagant costumes of the attendees made for a spectacular sight. Arnold—who didn’t like parties—already wore a dour look.

“Your Highness, your thoughts are written all over your face.”

“That’s fine. I’m putting them there.”

Their short exchange was interrupted by Kyle, the guest of honor.

“Prince Arnold, thank you so much for holding such a grand event for me.” Kyle bowed, turning to Rishe. “Lady Rishe, you were beautiful earlier today, but in a situation like this, your beauty surpasses words. You look akin to a mythical flower that only blooms under moonlight.”

“Thank you, Your Highness. I hope you have a wonderful time tonight.” Rishe smiled politely, ignoring his social pleasantries.

I’ve greeted Prince Kyle. There’s my minimum duties fulfilled.

Rishe looked up at Arnold. “Your Highness, I think I’ll go chat with the ladies.”

It was Arnold’s duty to introduce Kyle to the nobility in attendance. Conversations between a crown prince, a foreign prince, and several high-ranking nobles were no place for Rishe—who was merely a royal’s fiancée. This came as some relief; since they hadn’t yet married, she didn’t have to participate in the meeting between Kyle and Lawvine. But avoiding the count completely during her time in the hall would be no easy feat.

“I’ll see you later, Prince Arnold. Prince Kyle, please enjoy yourself.” With the most elegant curtsy, Rishe casually detached from the group. She wished she could take some countermeasures, but if she did anything strange next to Prince Arnold, people would notice.

I should be fine from this distance. Now, I need to concentrate…

Having escaped to one of the walls, Rishe took a deep breath. She strained her ears as she watched the party swirl around her. Conversations mixed with the clatter of shoes on the floor. She did her best to separate individual sounds from the morass. And not just sounds. All around her were brilliant dresses and capes, countless men and women on all sides. The more she concentrated, the wider her field of vision grew and the farther she could see.

There he is. Rishe’s honed senses drew her focus to one spot. He was so far away that she could hardly make out his face, but she’d found Lawvine. Given that she’d spent the last few days training under him, she was absolutely certain. She’d paid especially careful attention this morning, memorizing the feel of his presence.

Rishe sucked in another breath, closing her eyes. Now that she’d located him, she didn’t need her vision to tell he was moving. Opening her eyes to confirm, Rishe entered the next stage of her plan.

“Good evening, Lady Rishe.”

“Lady Barthel. Thank you so much for telling me about that wonderful brand of tea the other day.”

“Oh, Lady Rishe! That’s an amazing dress. May I ask which merchant supplied it?”

“I’m honored you think so. I got it from the Aria Trading Company.”

Rishe slipped through the venue, trading greetings with various women, taking care to not disturb the atmosphere or be rude. All the while, she made sure no one realized she was avoiding Lawvine.

He’s headed for the center of the hall. Prince Arnold and Prince Kyle are on the western side. From what I know of Lord Lawvine’s personality, he’ll move toward the prince as soon as he spots him…

Keeping a close eye on her mark, Rishe walked about the hall as naturally as she could, predicting his movements.

Ah, he stopped. He must be talking to someone. I’ve got time to strike up a chat, then, she decided, initiating a conversation with someone she’d met at a previous party.

When Lawvine’s presence set off again, Rishe swiftly ended her chitchat as well. This method took up a lot of concentration, but Rishe had no choice while the evening dragged on.

In my fifth life, I could have tracked someone like this for half a day at least… Come to think of it, concentration is also tied to stamina, isn’t it?

Once more, Rishe found herself wishing for a hardier body. While bemoaning her poor physical condition, she spotted Arnold and Kyle a distance away. They were close enough to see clearly but too far to overhear. Even while introducing Kyle to some noble or another, Arnold wore a listless look, like he was in a bad mood. Kyle, on the other hand, interacted with each of the Galkhein nobles in earnest. The group appeared to be swapping opinions on something.

They’re so picturesque…

Raven-haired Arnold and Prince Kyle with his silvery locks were cut from very different cloth, but both were incredibly attractive. All the nearby women’s eyes were glued to them.

A portrait of those two would make a killing. And if the image ever disseminated into the lower classes, that one painting could create enormous profit…

“My, Lady Rishe, what are you thinking about with such a solemn look on your face?”

“Good evening. I’m just negotiating how I can take in everything I’m learning this evening and transform it into economic stimulation.”

“How wonderful!” The marchioness speaking with her grinned. “I have just the person to introduce to you, Lady Rishe. Right here, Baron Weilman.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Rishe.”

“The honor is mine, Lord Weilman. I’m pleased to have the opportunity to make your acquaintance today.” Rishe curtsied, searching her memories. She’d reviewed information on all the Galkhein nobility.

Baron Weilman. Last generation’s head of the family was a merchant who bought himself a title through his success.

The baron smiled gently. It was a pleasant expression, and the man himself was well mannered. “Normally, someone like myself would never dare speak to the future crown princess, but I heard about you from my mother, you see. I simply had to meet you, so I asked the marchioness to introduce me.”

“Your mother, you say?”

“Yes. You recently visited her store, Lady Rishe.”

A stir went through the crowd.

“Lady Rishe did business with that moody old crone?!”

“Not even the previous empress could shop at that store, and she…”

Listening to gossip around her, Rishe hit upon the woman’s identity. “Your mother, would she happen to be…?”

“Yes. Thank you very much for purchasing that gem,” the baron said. “My mother was over the moon about it.”

“Did you hear that?! Lady Rishe really did buy a gem from that store!”

As the commotion grew louder, Rishe became flustered. While she had heard that store chose its customers carefully, she didn’t think it would lead to such an uproar. She hastened to correct the baron. “I merely chose the gem. I didn’t buy it from your mother—Prince Arnold did.”

“Wh-what?!”

“Prince Arnold bought a woman a gem?!”

Yeah, it surprised me too. Rishe decided not to say anything else. The baron smiled wider, effortlessly guiding the conversation in another direction.

“My son went home that day and immersed himself in the design. Feel free to let me know if there’s anything about it that doesn’t suit your fancy.”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly! It’s such a beautiful, detailed design. I’m greatly looking forward to the finished product.” Curious, Rishe asked, “Come to think of it, I heard that there were some craftsmen from Coyolles willing to complete the ring in much less time. Does a different set of hands really make such a difference?”

“Lady Rishe… The truth is, there are no skilled craftsmen in Galkhein.”

Rishe was flabbergasted.

“Anything designed above a certain level of detail requires supremely skilled hands, and the closest place to find any is across the sea, in Coyolles. That means most of our production period is spent on transport, but since the craftsmen are here in town now, that period was expedited. I believe that is what my mother meant.”

Listening in, the marchioness remarked, “I did think it was inconvenient that jewelry takes so long to complete. But why does Galkhein have no craftsmen?”

“Because of the war, madam.”

“I see…” The lady’s eyes went wide with the revelation, though Rishe had been expecting it.

“Military prowess is valued in Galkhein, isn’t it? Many young people train in swordplay and martial arts. Craftsmen were already rare before the war, but there are even fewer now.”

Rishe had seen the same thing in her life as a merchant. Fewer people were buying jewelry, so the craftsmen lost their jobs and became soldiers instead.

What I saw in the future war was just a repeat of the past war. Most of the countries skilled in handling precious metals weren’t active in the conflict. Coyolles—with their skilled artisans—mostly just supported their allied nations.

In Coyolles, people couldn’t even leave their houses in the winter. Their forced yearly quarantine, along with their ample supply of gemstones, made it the perfect place for such craftsmen to hone their skills.

“There are plenty of blacksmiths here, but iron-processing techniques for weaponry are completely different from ornamental metals… Oh, but this is hardly an appropriate topic of conversation for ladies like yourselves.”

The marchioness hurriedly agreed with the baron. “That’s right, Lord Weilman. You do just love to go on about the war, don’t you? Such talk is poison for ladies like us. I apologize for bringing up such a ghastly topic, Lady Rishe.”

“Not at all. It was very informative.” Rishe bowed her head politely and returned to her thoughts.

I always figured Galkhein obtained a great deal from winning the war, but even an undefeated nation sustains losses, I suppose.

She wanted to hear more, but there was no time for that. She feigned additional conversation and searched for her target. Lord Lawvine’s stuck in a discussion on the other side of the room.

In confirming that, Rishe realized something else. Prince Arnold and Prince Kyle are going out to the balcony…?

When she searched out their presences, she found Kyle leading Arnold out and away from prying eyes. Rishe said her polite goodbyes and quietly followed. Once she was close enough, she could tell that it was indeed only the princes out there on the balcony together. Arnold would likely notice any approach, so Rishe suppressed her presence as much as she possibly could. She could walk without making a sound, even in high heels. She hid behind a pillar and strained her ears, splitting her attention between the balcony and Lawvine across the room.

“Galkhein is truly a wonderful country. Its prosperity is a credit to you, Your Highness, and His Majesty as well.” Kyle’s voice was hard. He was attempting to start the conversation from a casual place and failing. His nervous determination was seeping into his words; there was no way Arnold wouldn’t see through him.

“There’s no need for prevarication or transparent compliments.” Just as she thought he would, Arnold cut through Kyle’s facade. “Get to the point. I want to know why you pushed yourself to make the journey all the way here despite your frail health.”

After a deep breath, Kyle said, “I truly respect all that you’ve achieved as crown prince, with every inch of myself. Your policies always have your citizens’ best interests at heart. I’ve come to you instead of your father because I thought you might understand my feelings.”

“…”

“I come seeking Galkhein’s help for Coyolles. And I don’t mean monetary or medical contributions.” Kyle paused and looked at Arnold. “I am requesting military aid.”

Rishe gasped. Coyolles was not a warmongering country. They were severely lacking in military might, after all. In an extremely cold region, surrounded by far more powerful nations, Coyolles maintained relations with its neighbors with savvy diplomacy and the wealth its resources afforded them.

“As you know, Coyolles’s military is almost nonexistent—but that’s not by choice. Our neighbors have long put pressure on us to keep our standing army small. We are suffered only as we continue to provide precious gems to nearby countries and by never building up any sort of strength to resist them.”

In another life, Rishe had heard Kyle say these words with the same bitter frustration. Which one had it been?

“The fate of our country is in the hands of other nations. The royal family is constantly threatened with destruction at our neighbors’ whims. I wish to escape those circumstances and do everything I can to protect my people. We must become masters of our own fate, and I beg your assistance in achieving this goal.”

Arnold’s response was more of a growl than usual. “In other words, Coyolles wishes to abandon its relationships with its neighbors and ally with Galkhein instead?”

“Yes, it’s exactly as you say.”

Silence descended on the balcony for some time, amplified by the din of the party just beyond it. Kyle’s anxiety seemed to fill the space to the brim.

After a while, Arnold’s cold voice broke the silence. “I’d been wondering what you wanted. Tell me, what is the point of royalty if they have gone senile with peace?”

The air on the balcony grew even more tense.

“Asking for military assistance from a country separated by the sea to wage war against your neighboring nations is foolish. And what could Coyolles even offer us in exchange for our assistance?”

“We would immediately move all exports of gems and precious metals from other countries to Galkhein. We will completely forgo profit and sell them more cheaply than the material you can mine within your own borders.”

At last, Rishe understood what Kyle was getting at. On the surface, he appeared to be prioritizing national defense at the expense of everything else. But it was clear to her that wasn’t what he intended at all.

You can’t do this, Prince Kyle. Rishe hung her head and imagined how she’d speak to him. You’re too honest. You’re not used to lying.

“Don’t make me laugh.” As expected, Arnold easily picked up on the hidden message behind Kyle’s words. “In your place, I would never make such a proposal to another country, and if I did, I would certainly put a time limit on it. Exporting gems—your country’s greatest resource—with no regard for profit is slow suicide.”

“That’s…”

“There must be a reason you felt no compulsion to limit the deal. Maybe one you aren’t even conscious of.”

Arnold was right. Rishe knew enough to back up his conjecture—that is, the shape Coyolles’s export industry would take in a few short years.

“Coyolles is running out of gems to mine, isn’t it?”

Kyle went quiet.

I see…

Rishe had interacted with Kyle in several of her lives, and she felt the two of them were pretty close in each, but she was only ever a lone merchant or apothecary. Naturally, he’d kept such weighty problems a secret from her.

Of course. He could only reveal something like this to the people most central to Coyolles’s government.

Coyolles had, in the past, protected itself with little more than political marriages and wealth. Without that wealth, its national identity would disappear. Once it had nothing left to offer its neighboring countries, it would only be a matter of time before they clashed—with the victor inevitably adding Coyolles’s territory to its own.

Something like that happened in the future…

When Arnold became emperor and declared war on the world, a country with no military might like Coyolles was forced to surrender before the fighting even started, doing its best to minimize the damage. But the countries surrounding Coyolles didn’t allow that. Ships from Galkhein had to enter the continent through Coyolles’s ports—enemy seizure of which would have been an unprecedented blow to the other northern countries. So Coyolles’s allied nations forced it to fight, threatening to invade Coyolles themselves if it refused. Having no choice, they entered the war. They mustered what few knights they had and lost almost all of them.

Rishe still remembered that from her life as an apothecary.

“Weitzner. I want to protect this country.”

It had happened when there were almost no knights left in Coyolles. Kyle had taken up a sword himself, not listening when Rishe tried to stop him.

“I’ll do anything it takes. Fortune has allowed me to live this long, and therefore I must shoulder this great task.”

Rishe didn’t know what became of Kyle after that—she’d lost her own life on a battlefield while providing medical aid.

“There’s a part of this I don’t understand.” Arnold’s tone proved he had no interest whatsoever in what he was asking. “Your actions are nothing but folly. Why would you come all the way here with no plan?”

Kyle answered quickly, “I won’t live much longer.” He slowed down, speaking with a sort of tragic determination. “New life will soon be born into our royal family. I need to use the rest of my time to preserve the future for that child, along with the citizens of my country.”

“Hah!” It was obvious that none of this mattered to Arnold. The words that came out of his mouth next were unexpected: “Want to know my secret to winning wars?”

“Pardon me?”

The hidden Rishe was just as surprised as Kyle. Arnold didn’t let Kyle’s reaction stop him.

“As a king, win the hearts of your people with your policies. As a military commander, choose resourceful generals who excel at leadership.” His footsteps echoed loudly. “Select skilled soldiers who will follow commands and maintain order without fail. Rewards and punishments for soldiers must be fair and they must be strict. Keep a firm grasp on the terrain of a battle and fight in favorable weather conditions whenever you can. There’s more, but that covers the basics.”

Arnold went on, “Even if you follow every bit of my advice, Coyolles still won’t win a war—you don’t have the power to apply it. Can your people stop chopping firewood for winter to undergo military training instead? Do you have time to quarrel with other countries instead of growing food?”

“I…”

“Past royals likely decided to try diplomacy for just this reason.” Arnold turned to Kyle and said mercilessly, “True talent consists of putting existing knowledge into practice. And I have no interest in those without talent… Not even a prince from another nation.”

“Please wait, Prince Arnold!”

“No. You seem to be laboring under a misapprehension, so let me speak plainly: In regards to this matter, the emperor and I are of the same mind.” The atmosphere went frigid. “I’d much rather conquer a country than ally with one.”

Arnold’s footsteps came closer, so Rishe hurried to leave before he noticed her. She ditched the hall, paying close attention to Lawvine’s presence all the while. Escaping the party’s chattering, she hid in a palace corridor. Hunching in the corner, she allowed her thoughts to take over. Her mind was roiling with the conversation she’d just overheard.

This is a turning point. Rishe took a shallow breath. Prince Kyle proposed an alliance with Prince Arnold. It might be a trivial incident in Galkhein’s history, but for Coyolles, this is a crucial moment that leads to the tragedy five years from now.

Coyolles only had two choices: face destruction at the hands of Galkhein or face destruction at the hands of its neighbors. If it were to ally with Galkhein here, and that alliance granted it the power to fend off neighboring countries, Coyolles need not meet the same fate.

I can’t mess up now. Rishe’s lips pressed into a tight line as she racked her brains. Kyle is willing to do whatever it takes to form an alliance with Galkhein. But that doesn’t matter. If Coyolles is bargaining from a subordinate position, they’ll just be swapping one master for another.

There was only one good solution. Coyolles, which doesn’t have much power, must form an equal relationship with the extremely formidable Galkhein.

Rishe felt like collapsing where she stood. Was such a thing even possible? She had no way to meet with the emperor of Galkhein—all she could do was focus on changing Arnold’s mind.

“I’d much rather conquer a country than ally with one.”

He’d sounded like he meant it. Rishe clenched her fists, despairing at the enormousness of the task set before her.