☀️ Arselia and Akonia

— I sent a scout raven after you, whose eyes are as good as my own, but that Ravenedge-tencho-kun-san of yours killed it. Can you imagine? "I" am observing from a bird's eye view the little restaurant presumably owned by Trudesan, and a knife flies into "me." That was very rude of him, and he would be better off not doing such a thing in the future.

- Y-yeah, that happened... Maybe intra-species squabbles, ha-ha...

And so you understand my seriousness — I would send them to save some hypothetical queen of Zimivia, but not you, because you are dearer to me than an important piece on a political board. We are family, do you understand? Hmm... Speaking of which, I would like you to call me mother and address me informally. May I ask this of you? I have no wish to show any disrespect to your real parents, but the bond between us and the fact of your birth in this world are undeniable.

- To tell the truth, I don't even remember them. They were killed by demons, after which I was taken to the Temple of Yanagi; all this happened long ago. But would that not be improper? Your title is not just a position, but something above material law, ordained by the gods. ...And I hope that life circumstances will never force us to choose between the greater and the lesser evil. When a person has to choose between two terrible chairs, they should sit on the floor.

Do you remember the dwarf girl, for example? Aiko Viresencer. I would like to say "little," but they are all like that, so it would be incorrect. I am thinking of appointing her Minister of Economy when I become Empress. I have never personally seen a personality who handles money so skillfully while thinking first and foremost of the general good rather than their own enrichment. Ah, I have another servant, named Kenshiro; I think he could be sent on a rescue mission. He is essentially like my slave summoned from another world, but in other aspects, he is a very worthy person, and furthermore, he comes from a culture similar to yours. He is also busy with another mission right now, but I am thinking of releasing him from service upon his return, and then perhaps you could meet and find common ground?

- Aiko-tan? That... is an interesting thought. I know her very little, but she seems like a worthy person to me — responsible and hardworking, showing care for her subordinates as if they were her own family. The gold of her soul shines brightly, yet gently. I believe she is capable of bringing much benefit to the country, or perhaps even to the world.
- Kenshiro-dono? - the miko tilted her head to the side in an attempt to remember this worthy person, but the action yielded no result. - The name sounds Japanese, but unfortunately, I have not had the pleasure of meeting him. Etto... is he a warrior? If everything is as you say and the similarities are not just cosmetic, it would be hard to wish for a better employee. I do not wish to belittle the dignity of his fellow travelers on the path, but every samurai is trained not only for war, but also on a spiritual level, and is distinguished by steadfast life ideals. The embodiment of a "warrior-poet" as it is. Some would call them excessively proud and stubborn, but this stems from their strict life principles. It would be a great honor for me to meet him.

— As far as I know, the most common stereotype about Farellians among the inhabitants of the empire can be described in one word: "bumpkins," but in my view, their way of life and culture deserve certain respect.

- And that is understandable, given the scale and prosperity of the imperial way of existence, but this opinion does not become any less arrogant for it, - the priestess gives an important-affirming nod to confirm her words.

— The princess skimmed through the pages of the interview. — This work could be called a masterpiece if the second half of this conversation, namely my questions to you and your answers to them, had also appeared on these pages, but alas, so that this interview would correspond to the notions and prejudices of the average ordinary person, it has been terribly simplified. In the end, it reads like me talking to a wall. But thank you anyway, I accept this gift. — She takes the book.

- Unfortunately, that is not what interests the average reader... - Ayano answers reservedly, then smiles. - And yet I am glad that the beauty of your personality managed to be presented in an accessible form for a person who does not have the happiness of knowing or seeing you personally. Just so you understand — this task was not paid for by the editorial office; it was sponsored by Nadia Aquamarine-san herself, at great personal sacrifice. I believe she is a kind admirer of yours.

— You know, it would be funny if Mr. Ravenedge gave up his life over such a foolish thing, but this Heidi... Apparently, she is a very extraordinary personality. I have heard of gliders, but I would never have thought they could be used so effectively for aerial combat. This is very interesting.

- She looks very young and has a mischievous character, but in the air, she has no equal. I... I cannot say how you would feel about her — either your characters would not get along at all, or you would love each other, with no middle ground. But she is a very good person. She was sincerely concerned if everything was alright with me.

But, you say, he swore eternal love? I would love to see that. Now, wait... And what exactly is your relationship with him then? You must have answered him something, "yes" or "no"? And are you sure it's not some kind of joke? It seems to me that any self-respecting man in love would certainly try to make the object of his affections "his own," but you say he didn't even touch you. Suspicious.

- If it is a joke, then its setup has dragged on long enough to become a fact of life... But no, that is clearly not the case. This person is used to bending life circumstances to suit his needs, but he has done me no harm. I do not feel in myself such value as he attributes to me, but... maybe he just hasn't encountered "good women"? As far as I have the right to say such a thing about myself. But I think it would be better if you asked him yourself. As for the answer — please forgive me if this sounds harsh, it is not my intention, but for ordinary people, things are not always decided with a snap of the fingers. He was so kind as to give me time to figure out the situation.

— Hmm... Are you sure you've thought this through? — Nariya accepts the gift. — For me, the first princess of the empire, wearing the symbols of another country would be somewhat incorrect. But oh well! I'll place it somewhere in my chambers and associate it not with Farellia, but with your trip and the wonderful story connected to it. I truly think so. Given the circumstances, anything could have been expected from your visit there... Something like this: you are kept in a basement chained up, and all sorts of foul things are done to you. And you say you went on a lovely picnic and made good friends. Fantastic!

- Wearing it is not at all necessary; you have enough jewelry with which you could define your appearance. It is simply for memory — a souvenir from another place. In my culture, this symbolizes respect and warm feelings toward its recipient. Perhaps it was a bit presumptuous of me... But yes, the trip turned out to be unexpected, yet fairy-tale-like in its own way, and helped me look at life on Anuzish from a different angle.

- But allow me also to inquire — did anything noteworthy happen during my absence? And has our... patient come to her senses? Unfortunately, I didn't have time to clarify this with Tai-kun. Your servant who was looking after her. And... please accept my apologies for the fact that I had to reveal our connection to Bors Galahad-san. This whole situation is closely linked to him and at that moment I had no possibility of keeping it a secret, - she performed an apologetic bow. - But he is a good person and such a thing should not create unnecessary problems.