[265] The Kingdom of Kazura (2)
Even after arriving at school, Shirone and Reina kept talking as they walked toward the dormitory.
Shirone's face flushed at Reina's teasing, which only made Reina giggle at how cute he looked.
The boys watched Shirone with envious eyes.
Reina was not only beautiful but also a famous pianist—an idol among the nobility.
Walking arm in arm with her made Shirone look elevated by association.
Amy and Seriel stopped in their tracks when they saw the two walking side by side toward the dorm.
They had been heading back to the dorm to meet Shirone too, but seeing the affectionate pair, they couldn't bring themselves to greet them.
Amy already knew Reina was Rian's sister. But the atmosphere was completely different from three days ago.
At first they'd been distant, but now they'd gone so far as to walk practically pressed together.
Seriel, bubbling with excitement, nudged Amy's shoulder.
"Oh my, Amy! Look at that. They're really not just acquaintances, right?"
"How would I know? She's Rian's sister, so they must be close. When he was a steward before, they probably lived together, right?"
"No, that's not it. I checked. During the one year and six months Shirone spent as a household steward for the Ozent household, Reina was enrolled as an apprentice to a famous pianist, taking lessons. There wasn't time for them to become intimate. For them to be this close in such a short time… could it be—?"
Amy pushed Seriel.
"Ugh, enough. Let's just go."
Apparently Seriel had been so curious about the two that she even did background checks.
Amy felt uneasy too, but Shirone's matter was more important now, so she swallowed her feelings and followed.
The boys' dorm was normally off-limits to girls, but they made an exception for the day Shirone was leaving. The event that might produce Kazra Kingdom's first prince was impactful enough to override the rules.
An Ozent family carriage waited in front of the dormitory.
The teachers chatting at the entrance merely nodded perfunctorily at Amy and Seriel's greetings and went back to their conversation.
Before they even reached Shirone's room, Reina's laughter rang from inside. Amy felt a pang in her chest but deliberately looked away and continued walking.
When they opened the door, Iruki and Nade were snickering, and Shirone and Reina were embracing and dancing.
It looked like Reina was teaching him how to dance for the ball at the royal palace. If that were all, it would be harmless, but seeing Shirone's flushed face twisted something unpleasantly inside Amy.
Shirone's dancing was awkward.
Of course, it would be absurd to say the kingdom's top aspiring mage had no athletic sense. He was obviously frozen by Reina's affectionate gaze.
"Ah? A—Amy."
Shirone scrambled out of Reina's arms when he noticed Amy entering.
Amy pretended not to notice and stepped into the room. She ignored the foolish duo of Nade and Iruki swallowing audibly.
Reina gave a coquettish wink and raised her hand.
"Oh, Amy's here. Hello?"
Amy returned the greeting with the proper, if formal, politeness.
"Hello. Today's the day you leave, right?"
"Yeah. I was doing a last practice with Shirone. He's surprisingly hopeless at dancing."
Shirone flailed his hands in protest, indignant.
"No, that's because I'm just nervous...!"
Reina covered her mouth and laughed.
"Hohoho! Nervous? Come on, you mean from practicing with me?"
When Shirone stammered, Amy felt a flash of anger.
Even if it was a staged relationship, it was still technically dating. Reina had been told that, so Shirone should at least act accordingly in public.
But he clung to Reina as if he couldn't be separated from her.
There might be some special rapport between them, but Amy couldn't figure out what it was—and didn't want to.
She set the thought aside and asked Shirone.
"Are you ready?"
"Yeah. But I'm worried. I feel like I'll mess up."
"What is there to worry about? Any small mistake will be laughed off."
Amy caught a flicker of nervousness in Shirone's eyes for an instant.
She had assumed his mind was blank because he was distracted by Reina, but he was at least partly aware.
On the surface it was a parent-child reunion, but the situation had many odd aspects the more you thought about it.
Reina patted Shirone's shoulder to reassure him.
"It'll be fine. Since the Kazra Kingdom announced it, there shouldn't be much danger. Kazra isn't particularly powerful compared to Tormia, and our family isn't just standing idly by."
Her words alone eased some of the anxiety.
Reina was clearheaded, well-informed about the kingdom's politics, and understood the dynamics among royals and nobles.
If she took responsibility and led the way, nothing too strange was likely to happen.
"Okay. I'll trust you, sister."
Shirone smiled, and Reina returned the smile, fondly ruffling his hair.
Then she suddenly glanced at Amy as if remembering something. As expected, Amy's face looked pale.
'I'm a little sorry,' Reina thought.
During the three days of preparation, Reina had carefully checked the people around Shirone.
Overall his friendships looked healthy, and Iruki and Nade seemed like they would be solid companions for his future.
The problem was Shirone's relationship with Amy.
They claimed to be lovers, but their conversations didn't match that. A real couple would show a distinctive intimacy, but Shirone and Amy gave off none of that.
Yet they had been pretending to be lovers for a year.
Unless they were masters of emotional tightrope walking, they should have either drifted apart or clung together after a year. Reina had seen many cases where things settled into a plain friendship over time.
From her perspective, the two had no real relationship.
Of course, there was always a chance things could ignite, but given their personalities, that chance was slim.
Her impatience made her itch to interfere, but the idea of actually helping them together made her blood boil, so she forced herself to hold back—she knew it was a kind of jealousy. If there were no rivals, she told herself, there was no need to get involved.
'Heh, then again, I'm hardly in a place to lecture others,' she thought wryly.
Reina checked the time and told Shirone.
"Then let's go. We should leave soon if we're taking your parents along."
Amy stepped forward.
"Wait. Let me talk to Shirone for a bit."
"Huh? Go downstairs and talk. It'll take time to prepare the carriage anyway."
She knew time was tight, but Amy needed an answer from Shirone.
"It'll only be a moment."
Amy cut straight to the point and asked for a short amount of time. Reina blinked and, seeing she couldn't refuse, said reluctantly,
"Alright, I'll go downstairs and get ready. Shirone, come down when you're done talking."
When Reina left, Nade and Iruki bowed respectfully.
Whatever sly thing she'd done, the two fools had clearly fallen for her.
Amy snorted and shooed everyone out of the room except Shirone.
Shirone, who had packed a change of clothes in his backpack, slung one strap over his shoulder and turned.
"I'll be back, Amy. Study well for the exams."
Amy got straight to the point.
"Something's off. You know it too."
Shirone gave a bitter smile.
"I do, but... I don't want to think about it. If they really are my biological parents, I feel like I shouldn't be thinking about it that way."
Amy understood his feelings. Everyone focused on the possibility of Kazra's first prince, but for him it was a journey to meet blood relatives.
Even if they were his real parents, it was a problem. They had abandoned him. They'd carved an unhealable wound into Shirone's chest.
"Are you really okay with that?"
"I don't know. Right now I don't know anything. I'll see when I go. I don't want to decide anything yet."
Sadness and anxiety crossed Shirone's face together. Amy, watching silently, mustered her courage.
"Do you want me to go with you?"
"Huh? What are you saying?"
"If I go with you, it'll help. There are no classes now anyway."
Shirone felt his chest tighten, but he shook his head. He couldn't take away the most important period of Amy's life for his own selfishness.
"I'm fine. Reina's here."
He flinched at a chill in Amy's eyes. Fortunately it passed quickly, but his response carried an odd edge.
"Alright then. Let's go. I'll wait for Reina."
Amy left without looking back. Shirone was still bewildered, but his own turmoil left him no time to probe her feelings further.
Outside the dorm, Reina was checking the carriage's luggage with a file in hand.
Shirone said his goodbyes as his friends saw him off. It was only about a ten-day trip at most, but for some reason it felt like a final farewell.
Nade said, "Have a good trip. If you become king, you have to buy the biggest cream bread at the shop."
"Haha! Got it. But if I'm back, it'll be vacation."
Reina watched Shirone chatting with his friends with fondness.
Both Rian and Shirone had changed a lot over the past year.
Most of all, Shirone's defeat of Dante, once the kingdom's best, was something the Ozent family took pride in.
Rian hadn't been mistaken.
Nor had Reina.
As Reina looked at Shirone with affection, Seriel trembled with anger and clenched her fists.
"Shirone, I'm really disappointed. A man should draw a firm line in situations like this."
Turning to Amy as if seeking agreement, Seriel was surprised.
Amy, who had previously let things slide, had her eyes narrowed and glared at Reina.
"Seriel, I'm going."
Seriel went pale. They'd talked about this, but she hadn't expected Amy to actually decide.
"Amy, are you sure?"
Seriel's eyes filled with worry.
The graduation exam was only two weeks away. There was no room to be distracted.
"I'll be fine. Classes are over anyway. Think of it as a break and a trip abroad."
Seriel knew better than anyone that wasn't the whole truth.
Part of her envied Amy for being able to throw everything into something in a situation like this.
If Amy was going, she ought to send her off wholeheartedly. Make it impossible to look back. Leave no regrets.
Seriel pushed Amy's back.
"Go. This sister gives you permission."
Amy hurriedly added, "I'm not doing it because I'm worried about Reina or anything! I just worry about Shirone..."
"Hohoho! I know! Who's going to say anything? Go and put her in her place!"
With Seriel's encouragement, Amy climbed into the carriage.
Shirone, who was just about to get in, turned and waved a farewell.
"Amy, good luck! You have to pass. I'll do my best too."
"Could you move?"
"Huh?"
Shirone didn't understand. Amy waved her hand in irritation.
"Move. Haven't you heard of 'ladies first'?"
She pushed Shirone aside and boarded the carriage. Reina registered a stunned look, but didn't do anything. Whatever happened, she didn't want to admit it aloud.
"Hello. Please take care of him while we go."
"Oh my, where are you off to?"
Amy, riled up, answered plainly. She had watched Amy closely for days and found her careful in everything—but now Amy was as hot-headed as Rian.
Reina regretted having sparked something unnecessary, but it was already too late.