After arriving at a certain suburban area, Lux got out of the carriage and said to the driver,
“Could you wait here for just a moment? It won’t take long.”
“Ho ho~ Sure thing! Naturally, I’ll wait. With this fine weather, it’s perfect to relax and take a breather.”
The driver chuckled as he plopped down onto the grass.
Could this old gentleman possibly know that the girl he was conversing with was the sole imperial princess of the empire?
If he did, there’s no way he’d be acting so calm.
He probably thinks she’s just a noble young lady visiting the Robert family.
Even so, a seasoned veteran like him can remain composed around nobles, whether commoner or not.
“Just a short walk from here.”
“Ah, having a nice date, huh? Not bad.”
“…!”
Though said in jest, Lux seemed genuinely shocked by my words, her lips quivering slightly.
Looking flustered, she quickly began walking ahead of me.
Quietly observing her back, I noticed her ears had turned slightly red.
“Hmph…”
I reflected on my actions slightly.
I hadn’t expected such an exaggerated reaction.
Originally, I had planned to exchange light-hearted conversation but had to abandon that idea.
Embarrassment does tend to spread, after all.
“Nice weather, isn’t it?”
I awkwardly changed the subject to the weather.
“… Indeed.”
Lux quietly chimed in.
Although it was a topic brought up to spark conversation, it wasn’t without reason.
With the clear sky, warm sunlight, gentle breeze, and nameless wildflowers along the path blooming beautifully in various colors, it felt like a serene trail designed over years to attract tourists in some provincial city.
Not a single unsightly weed grew here, clearly indicating someone maintained it.
Most likely, the royal palace.
“We’ve arrived.”
Turning my head at Lux’s words while admiring the surroundings, I saw a clean white gravestone standing there.
A sense of warmth emanated from the tomb covered in pure white flowers.
“Magic, perhaps?”
“Yes. A permanent preservation spell has been cast to maintain these hundred roses.”
How much mana must it take to preserve living flowers forever?
Knowing roughly how expensive it is to maintain preservation magic, I understood how precious the royal family considered this place.
Materialistic thoughts might invite criticism, but nothing quantifies value as clearly as money.
“May the deceased rest in peace.”
I knelt on one knee and murmured quietly, a gesture akin to a knight’s oath, also serving as a ceremonial tribute to the departed.
After paying respects, I slowly examined the gravestone.
“An Empire’s light embraced beautiful woman rests here.”
Elegantly carved text surrounded by symbols representing the empire.
Beneath it, a small name was inscribed.
“Issis Stella Sirius”
“Issis… What a beautiful name.”
“Yes. Mother would have been pleased to hear that.”
A fresh breeze blew, swaying the white roses, as if Issis herself smiled happily.
“Well then, since introductions are done…”
I stood up slowly and smiled gently at Lux.
“Would you tell me about your mother?”
“… Yes.”
Lux gave a faint smile.
For a while, I listened to her story.
***
I heard many tales.
It felt like the day I’d learned the most about Lux since meeting her. Her stories were long and deep.
After all, anyone—whether a child, a newly adult youth, or an elder nearing twilight—has a life story vast like the ocean.
“When mother was clumsy, I…”
While recounting memories of her mother, Lux laughed, cried, and even got angry.
At that moment, she wasn’t the empire’s princess but an ordinary girl who had lost her mother.
“I see.”
I smiled gently and listened quietly, occasionally chiming in or adding interjections, but otherwise doing nothing.
“That day was the first time mother cooked for me…”
As Lux softly reminisced, the fresh wind carried the white floral scent.
Gradually, an image of Lux’s mother, Issis, formed in a corner of my mind.
The fact that she was a concubine unrecorded in history wasn’t particularly significant.
What mattered was that she lived her best life as the emperor’s wife and Lux’s mother.
“… That’s why mother rests here.”
Only after death did Issis receive the middle name and surname “Stella Sirius.”
She couldn’t be buried in the royal mausoleum where the imperial family rested.
Because she wasn’t of noble birth.
And because the emperor’s power back then wasn’t as solid as it is now.
Due to the current empress’s fierce opposition.
I could vaguely guess the situation.
Lux understood the empress’s feelings too.
How devastating it must have been for the empress to learn another woman bore the emperor’s child.
Still, hearing this from a student made me feel sorrowful.
“Is it okay to tell you all this?”
From a certain perspective… No, this was clearly information ordinary people shouldn’t know.
It was sensitive enough to put one’s life in danger.
“You don’t think Professor talks loosely, do you?”
“Of course, I won’t tell anyone, but…”
Seeing my troubled expression, Lux smiled faintly.
“I trust you, Professor.”
To hear those words of trust felt incredibly heavy.
Understanding her heart only made my chest tighten.
“Phew. This is the first time I’m telling this story.”
Lux turned her head, gazing at the sky with a relieved voice.
Feeling the cool breeze, she wore a content expression before resting her head on my shoulder.
“You don’t have to answer right away. Just conveying my feelings is enough for me.”
“… Saying that makes me what?”
By now, I should have come to a decision, yet I couldn’t understand my own feelings.
What kind of relationship do I want with Lux?
“…”
After much deliberation, I remained silent.
My mind was too complicated to reach a conclusion.
“Shall we head back? We’ve stayed longer than expected.”
Despite my silence, Lux brightly smiled.
Awkwardly scratching my cheek, I replied,
“Will you be alright? This doesn’t count as a wish.”
“It’s fine. Introducing you to mother is more than enough.”
Standing up, Lux brushed off her clothes and spoke toward the gravestone.
“I’ll visit again next time.”
A gust of wind blew.
Whooosh—
… For some reason, it felt rather sharp against me.
***
On our way back to the carriage, I continued speaking to Lux.
“To reiterate, this doesn’t have to count as a wish. Save it for something better later.”
“It’s alright. Honestly, it’s cheating. Buying someone’s heart with a wish is unfair. I’ll compete fairly. Someday, I’ll make you choose me willingly.”
“…”
A pang of guilt hit deep within.
Why does my heart not lean toward Lux?
It’s almost as if a curse forbids me from loving her…
If only it were a curse; it’d be simpler.
—
Spotting us from afar, the carriage driver stood up and called out.
“Ah! You’re already back?”
“I’m sorry. Did we keep you waiting?”
“Oh no, not at all! The scenery was so beautiful, I lost track of time.”
Lux apologized, but the driver waved his hands dismissively while smiling.
Then he launched into a lengthy speech about how picturesque the surroundings were.
Finding his antics amusing, Lux listened with a bright smile.
“…”
Something felt off.
Though I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what, something kept bothering me.
Observing the two chatting, I subtly expanded my senses without drawing attention.
“Birds chirping, insects buzzing, wind, flower scents… Nothing seems unusual.”
Compared to when we arrived, nothing had changed.
Yet, the uneasy feeling lingered.
What’s wrong?
“The sun’s setting. Let’s head back. If we leave now, we’ll arrive just in time for the evening festival.”
The driver opened the carriage door for us.
This wasn’t unusual behavior either.
He did the same when we departed from the Robert estate.
“Thank you kindly.”
Just as Lux approached the carriage with a smile,
– WOOSH!!!
Opheucus emitted a violent vibration.
Reacting instinctively, I leaped forward and pulled Lux into my arms.
BOOM!
Without warning, the carriage exploded.
Had I not moved, Lux, who was completely unguarded, would’ve been severely injured by the intense blast.
“… Professor?”
Lux looked up at me with a bewildered expression from my embrace.
“What just happened…?”
“Do you remember anything?”
“Excuse me?”
Though vague, Lux immediately grasped my meaning.
“I remember up until greeting the driver.”
“Right. That’s it.”
You were under its influence starting from that point.
The moment our eyes met with ‘that thing’ disguised as the driver.
“Hmm… Guess trying to deceive a star relic was a bit ambitious, huh?”
The driver, whose hand still clutched the broken carriage door, sighed.
Contrasting his gravelly voice earlier, this was eerily clear and unpleasant. I clenched my teeth as his mouth stretched unnaturally wide.
“Still, that was a decent enough greeting after so long, wouldn’t you say?”
“… Do you enjoy impersonating older men? Quite the nasty hobby you’ve got there.”
“Not a hobby, sir. Just adapting to the situation.”
“Enough chatter. Strip off that disguise already—it’s annoying. Or… shall I smash it again?”
Just as I activated Divine Power, ‘it’ shook its head.
“My my~ So impatient…”
Its elongated mouth melted away, and its entire body transformed into a pool of liquid.
Emerging from it was a woman with dull gray hair.
“It’s been a while, Colonel Allen. Or should I say, Professor Allen these days?”
The woman in a black robe adorned with a snake symbol bowed gracefully.
The black snake, representing ‘Pride,’ distorted the serene atmosphere.
The heretic who unsettled my heart on my first day teaching at Minerva Academy had returned.
“Let me reintroduce myself in case you’ve forgotten.”
The oppressive demonic energy warped the surrounding landscape.
“High Priest of Pride, Lucero del Alba.”
Her unwelcome smile was as haunting as ever.
