"Who are you?"
The young woman knitted her bold brows and regarded Shichen calmly, without a trace of panic. She happened to have her back to him, head turned over her shoulder; even standing there, all he could see above the water's surface were half of two pale, round curves—high and smooth, flawless and white.
He couldn't see her from the front—that was the main reason she could stay so composed. Though, truth be told, he'd already seen everything he needed to.
"I'll start. I'm here because Sayaka asked me to come get you two out," Shichen said, openly letting his gaze rest on her.
"Sayaka? …In that case, it can't be helped. But if you don't mind, could you turn around first?"
His direct stare was starting to get to her. The situation was what it was—she could only accept it. It wasn't that she didn't care; it was simply a fact accomplished. But she didn't want to be stared at forever. What lousy luck—to take a quick bath and get seen.
"Why?" he countered.
"'Why'… Do you always stare at people's bare bodies like this?" she asked, speechless.
"I'm not the one coming out behind," he said, unconcerned.
"Even so… you ought to show a little gentlemanly decorum, shouldn't you?"
"Gentlemanly decorum? Can that be eaten? With such a beautiful view right in front of me—if I don't look, am I still a man?"
"You really are… You must have heard something about my identity from Sayaka, right? Are you sure you can afford the privilege of 'enjoying the view' right now?" Her tone flipped; she smiled—coolly.
She'd already decided what to do next. If the man who'd seen her turned out to be someone formidable, she could let it slide. If he wasn't—well, since he had come to help, she might spare his life, but he could forget keeping his memories. The royal family's dignity doesn't suffer such things, and she was not the sort to shrug off having her body seen.
"Sayaka said you were a VIP, but didn't tell me specifics."
"No wonder you dared to gawk."
"Dared? In this world, there may be no one qualified to use that word on me," Shichen said with a smile.
"Is that so?"
Her brows drew together; she began to doubt his identity. "Who are you, really?"
"Me? You can call me Shichen."
"Shichen… That name—could it be…? I see." She smiled again, warmer this time.
When she'd planned her trip to Itogami to investigate, she'd familiarized herself with the situation here. Of course she knew the name of the island's master.
"Forgive me, Fifth Primogenitor," she said, turning in the water, sending ripples splashing as she bowed to him.
For a moment, she left nothing to the imagination—open, entirely unashamed. Even Shichen was taken aback. That bold?
"What are you doing?"
"If Shichen-sama wishes to look, I have no reason to refuse," she replied with a smile.
"…I never said I wanted to look. I was just acting according to circumstances."
"Really? So my figure isn't to Shichen-sama's taste? I'm rather confident in myself," she said, presenting herself without fuss, shifting her stance.
"It's quite good," he nodded.
"Is it? I'm glad… Oh—almost forgot my introduction. I am La Folia Rihavein, Crown Princess of the Northern European Kingdom of Aldegia," she said, elegantly.
"A princess? That is a big deal," Shichen said with feigned surprise—he had known already.
"No—compared to you, Shichen-sama, I'm no great person."
"No need to be so formal—just call me by my name. Consider it compensation for me having seen you."
"In that case… Shichen," La Folia smiled.
"Mm… Back to the point—why are you suddenly so… indifferent about all this?" He gave her a curious look. It wasn't exactly appropriate to say—he had been staring—but it was strange how readily she let him.
"Indifferent? More or less. I was planning to kill you afterward," La Folia said brightly, the words themselves chilling.
"Were you? So why 'indifferent' now?"
"Because there's nothing I can do about you. And when you arrived, you'd already seen everything, hadn't you? Since you've seen it all, I might as well not bother hiding."
"That part's on me… I didn't expect you to be bathing here."
"I felt a little dirty and couldn't help it," La Folia said, embarrassed—sounding like an ordinary girl for once. Which, in this sense, she was—whatever the circumstances, being clean came first.
"Alright then…"
"I'm going to get dressed—if you don't mind?"
"Shouldn't that be your line?"
"I don't mind, of course."
She waded to shore, picked up her clothes, and began to dress.
"Wait—you're still wet."
"I don't have a towel," La Folia said, unconcerned.
"Can't you just… forget it." Shichen raised a hand toward her; a pull formed in his palm, and the droplets on her skin seemed to come to life, streaming toward his hand. In an instant, she was dry.
"As expected of Shichen," La Folia said, a note of admiration, and dressed in front of him—bending, lifting her legs—without hiding a thing.
She really wasn't much different from Kanase Kanon—just a bit taller, a touch fuller. One of the Four Sacred Beasts grows quite… well.
Shichen's eyes reddened and he had to clamp down on the thirst. Restraining a vampire's urge wasn't easy.
"Shichen, I'm done—sorry to keep you," she said a moment later.
Her outfit looked like a Western honor guard's uniform: a tailored set with a skirt, bare long white legs above lace-up boots, and at her belt a massive pistol dressed up like a brass instrument.
"If possible, I wouldn't have minded waiting longer," Shichen said honestly.
"Is that so? If there's a chance, I'll let you have a proper look," La Folia laughed, unbothered by the innuendo.
"…Now I'm the one feeling awkward."
"Hehe~ I'm embarrassed too, actually," she said, sticking out her tongue.
"I can't tell."
"It's true—I'm just good at controlling my expressions."
"Comes with being a crown princess."
"More or less… That said, I'm surprised you're interested in my body."
"How so?"
"The records say you're a lolicon, but I'm certainly not a loli," La Folia said, puzzled.
"…Those records are wrong. I'm not a lolicon," Shichen said, deadpan.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Let's say that's true. It benefits me anyway."
"Benefits you?"
"Nothing. Let's go find Sayaka—it was quick thinking of her to call you."
"We get along pretty well."
"Do you now… Then you really aren't a lolicon."
"…"
"Hehe~ Great. Sounds like the Fifth Primogenitor is easy to get along with. It's not because you saw me naked, is it?" she asked, smiling.
"It isn't," Shichen said, stone-faced.
"I thought I might get special treatment. No matter."
La Folia took two steps and slipped her arm through his, pressing close—noticeably fuller than Kanon.
"Let's go~" she said, sounding rather excited.
"Then hold on."
Her sudden familiarity didn't bother Shichen—he was getting the better end of it anyway.
"What…—oh~"
He slipped an arm around her waist and lifted them into the air. La Folia only grew more excited, hugging him fully and reveling in the flight.
He didn't fly fast; after a while they reached Kirasaka Sayaka's position. Unlike La Folia, Sayaka had never let her guard down; she'd been on the move the whole time, searching for the princess.
"Sayaka!" La Folia called as they descended.
Sayaka looked up to see Shichen and La Folia dropping toward her.
"Shichen! Your Highness!"
Shichen set La Folia down gently before Sayaka.
"Your Highness—you're safe," Sayaka exhaled in relief.
"Yes. I didn't expect you to have Shichen come for us," La Folia said.
"Shichen? You know him, Your Highness? And why are you still holding onto him?" Sayaka asked, incredulous.