Was it because of the Pecilini incident yesterday?
An ominous feeling crossed my mind.
"Your Majesty, I'll see you at the party later. I'll go look for Rosie, Melanie, and Aoshi."
"I don't know where Aoshi is, but if it's Melanie, go to Hetor's cabin first,"
Linel said, putting on his uniform jacket.
Ignoring his advice, Rosie and I set out to find Melanie.
An ominous feeling crossed my mind.
"Your Majesty, I'll see you at the party later. I'll go look for Rosie, Melanie, and Aoshi."
"I don't know where Aoshi is, but if it's Melanie, go to Hetor's cabin first,"
Linel said, putting on his uniform jacket.
Ignoring his advice, Rosie and I set out to find Melanie.
"Let's start by checking the deck and working our way down."
"Yes, I should tell the crew in advance. They're not struggling in a net or anything, are they?"
"Melanie? Or Aoshi?"
"Both..."
Rosie hurried on, her face filled with worry.
The deck was busy preparing for the upcoming dinner and shipboard party.
After telling the crew and attendants to let me know if they saw Aoshi, I returned to the cabin and began to carefully inspect each floor.
“Your Highness Zelda!”
“Elan?”
As I went back down to the guest room where I was staying, Empress Elan suddenly appeared behind the stairs.
Rosie and I were both startled.
Seeing her unannounced arrival, it seemed this wasn’t a coincidence.
“Are you here to see me?”
“Yes, I have something urgent to tell you,”
Empress Elan whispered, looking around anxiously.
“Then let’s go to the guest room.”
“No, I just need to deliver the message.”
“What... is it?”
“Empress Roxana came to see Emperor Adrian a little while ago. She said the plan is for tomorrow night’s dinner! She was reluctant to reveal the details because I was there.”
Empress Elan spoke breathlessly.
She had come to me, risking her life, to tell me.
“Thank you for letting me know. We also expect and are preparing for that.”
I reassured Empress Elan.
But something felt a little off. They had openly revealed the date of their plans within earshot?
Even though she didn't say anything in detail, I had an uneasy feeling...
It might be groundless, but I felt like Empress Elan needed some kind of safety net for herself.
What should I do?
"Elan, it's best for you to go back now. Until we're done tomorrow, don't do anything that would arouse Emperor Adrian's suspicion."
"But if there's anything else I need to tell you..."
"Yes, I should tell the crew in advance. They're not struggling in a net or anything, are they?"
"Melanie? Or Aoshi?"
"Both..."
Rosie hurried on, her face filled with worry.
The deck was busy preparing for the upcoming dinner and shipboard party.
After telling the crew and attendants to let me know if they saw Aoshi, I returned to the cabin and began to carefully inspect each floor.
“Your Highness Zelda!”
“Elan?”
As I went back down to the guest room where I was staying, Empress Elan suddenly appeared behind the stairs.
Rosie and I were both startled.
Seeing her unannounced arrival, it seemed this wasn’t a coincidence.
“Are you here to see me?”
“Yes, I have something urgent to tell you,”
Empress Elan whispered, looking around anxiously.
“Then let’s go to the guest room.”
“No, I just need to deliver the message.”
“What... is it?”
“Empress Roxana came to see Emperor Adrian a little while ago. She said the plan is for tomorrow night’s dinner! She was reluctant to reveal the details because I was there.”
Empress Elan spoke breathlessly.
She had come to me, risking her life, to tell me.
“Thank you for letting me know. We also expect and are preparing for that.”
I reassured Empress Elan.
But something felt a little off. They had openly revealed the date of their plans within earshot?
Even though she didn't say anything in detail, I had an uneasy feeling...
It might be groundless, but I felt like Empress Elan needed some kind of safety net for herself.
What should I do?
"Elan, it's best for you to go back now. Until we're done tomorrow, don't do anything that would arouse Emperor Adrian's suspicion."
"But if there's anything else I need to tell you..."
"No, your safety comes first. This is enough."
"Yes, but you don't have to worry about me,"
Empress Elan said briskly, greeting Rosie and me before turning away.
"Just a moment."
I grabbed her wrist as she turned away.
"Huh?"
"If... you're ever threatened by them, say this."
I whispered to Empress Elan.
"!"
She looked shocked after hearing everything I said.
"You understand? If you're in danger, do as I say. And don't forget the deal of sparing Elan's life, of course."
"...Ha, but that's something you can't reveal, right?"
Empress Elan looked displeased.
“It doesn’t matter. Not anymore.”
I repeated it several times and dismissed her.
“Your Highness, what did you say?”
Rosie, who had been keeping watch over the hallway while I spoke with Empress Elan, asked with a curious look.
“The information that Roxana and Emperor Adrian are most curious about.”
That would be Empress Elan’s safety net.
“By the way, where did Melanie go?”
Melanie entered the pantry with the knight.
Contrary to the knight’s claim that it was full of rats and dust, the inside of the pantry was surprisingly clean.
“Oh my~! Where are you? Your master is desperately looking for you!”
Melanie shouted tirelessly.
The knight worried that her voice might awaken Hetor, who had passed out from the anesthesia.
“Damn it, why is your voice so high?”
The knight, following behind Melanie, cursed silently.
In any case, he was determined to keep her from going to where Hetor was tied up.
"Your Highness, no matter how hard I look, I can't find the cat."
As she neared the stack of sacks, the knight stopped Melanie.
As the knight had instructed, she searched the fairly spacious pantry, but she couldn't find Aoshi, not even a single mouse.
"That's strange... It was definitely Aoshi's voice. Hey, what's back there?"
"!"
Melanie asked, gesturing to the tall stacks of sacks in front of her.
"...As you can see, there are just sacks of sacks."
"Really?"
"Yes, then let's get out of here. I think you misheard..."
"Did I really mishear?"
Melanie stared at the sacks of sacks stacked high near the ceiling for a moment before turning around with a resigned expression.
At that moment, Aoshi's cry came again from beyond the sacks.
"Meow meow! (Over here, over here!)"
"Huh?! Did you hear that? It was a cat's cry!"
Melanie turned around and asked the knight.
The sound had to be small for him to avoid it, but it was so clear and cat-like that the knight nodded along.
"Oh, yeah, well..."
“It must be beyond that sack!”
“Well, as far as I know, there isn’t one...!”
“Meow, meow! (You’re talking nonsense. Melanie, your knight is here too!)”
This time, Aoshi’s crying was harsher.
“What are you pretending to know when you don’t?”
Melanie glared at the knight and scolded him.
“Your Highness, stay here. I-I’ll go in and get it!”
“Yes. I’ll bring you out.”
Despite the knight’s protests, Melanie quickly ran to where the sacks were stacked. There was a narrow passageway there, just wide enough for one person to pass through.
“So you went in here, you rascal.”
Melanie smirked and walked into the space beyond the sacks.
‘It can’t be helped since it’s come to this. I have no choice but to deal with that woman as well.’
The knight slowly drew the sword at his waist and chased after her.
“Aoshi, why are you here alone...?”
As soon as Melanie stepped behind the sack, she stopped walking.
Aoshi wasn't alone.
"...Who's that guy, tied up in a place like this? Eek?! What, what's going on! Hetor!"
Melanie lowered her head, examining the side profile of the unconscious man before collapsing onto the spot.
Aoshi was biting a piece of cloth from Hetor's trouser leg.
Then, seeing the knight with his sword drawn behind Melanie, he quickly hid behind the sack, still holding the piece in his mouth.
Melanie, unable to watch her rear, crawled over to Hetor and shook him awake.
"Hey, Hetor, wake up!"
He was still under the anesthetic, and there was no way he'd open his eyes.
"Why are you tied up here, huh? Did you get caught stealing something? No way. You wouldn't be pirating alone on a ship, would you?"
Melanie repeatedly slapped Hetor's cheeks with both hands and called out to him, but to no avail.
"Why is your face so bruised? Who the hell did this to you?!"
Melanie grumbled and tried to untie the ropes binding Hetor.
“Let go.”
The knight’s voice came from behind her.
“Yes, you’re better at untangling him than I am. Quick, untie him. He’s tied so tightly that there’s no blood flow.”
Melanie took her hands off the ropes, interpreting the knight’s words in her own words.
“Huh? What’s that stinging?”
Melanie felt a stabbing sensation in her back and turned around.
The tip of the knight’s sword was stuck right against her own.
“What are you doing? Who dares point a sword at me!”
Melanie glared at the knight and roared.
“That’s why it would have been better if you had just left earlier.”
The knight’s tone suddenly became harsh.
“Are you crazy! Don’t you know who I am?”
“I know. Aren’t you the poor concubine, the one the Emperor doesn’t even touch, despite her pretty face?”
The knight pressed the blade against Melanie’s neck and lifted her chin with his hand.
“Have you seen such a rude man! You are more ignorant than this barbarian King here!”
The knight flinched at Melanie’s unwavering struggle, but soon burst into laughter and picked up the rope he had dropped on the floor.
Melanie took the opportunity to rip off the sleeve of her dress, which was decorated with easy-to-rip lace, and flung it towards where Aoshi was hiding.
“You won’t be lonely. I’ll send you with that punk in a few hours.”
The knight who had brought the rope approached him, laughing bitterly.
“Hey, what are you doing! What did I do to tie you up? And where are you sending me?”
“On the way to the underworld, just chat with him.”
“...What kind of road is that?”
“!”
Did he really not know?
The knight who was wrapping the rope around Melanie stared at her with a bewildered expression.
“What are you looking at, you punk! Where is that! Is this the road in the Tebello Empire? Anyway, that’s fine. If you’re going to tie me up, tie me behind Hetor.”
“Why?”
"Yes, but you don't have to worry about me,"
Empress Elan said briskly, greeting Rosie and me before turning away.
"Just a moment."
I grabbed her wrist as she turned away.
"Huh?"
"If... you're ever threatened by them, say this."
I whispered to Empress Elan.
"!"
She looked shocked after hearing everything I said.
"You understand? If you're in danger, do as I say. And don't forget the deal of sparing Elan's life, of course."
"...Ha, but that's something you can't reveal, right?"
Empress Elan looked displeased.
“It doesn’t matter. Not anymore.”
I repeated it several times and dismissed her.
“Your Highness, what did you say?”
Rosie, who had been keeping watch over the hallway while I spoke with Empress Elan, asked with a curious look.
“The information that Roxana and Emperor Adrian are most curious about.”
That would be Empress Elan’s safety net.
“By the way, where did Melanie go?”
***
Melanie entered the pantry with the knight.
Contrary to the knight’s claim that it was full of rats and dust, the inside of the pantry was surprisingly clean.
“Oh my~! Where are you? Your master is desperately looking for you!”
Melanie shouted tirelessly.
The knight worried that her voice might awaken Hetor, who had passed out from the anesthesia.
“Damn it, why is your voice so high?”
The knight, following behind Melanie, cursed silently.
In any case, he was determined to keep her from going to where Hetor was tied up.
"Your Highness, no matter how hard I look, I can't find the cat."
As she neared the stack of sacks, the knight stopped Melanie.
As the knight had instructed, she searched the fairly spacious pantry, but she couldn't find Aoshi, not even a single mouse.
"That's strange... It was definitely Aoshi's voice. Hey, what's back there?"
"!"
Melanie asked, gesturing to the tall stacks of sacks in front of her.
"...As you can see, there are just sacks of sacks."
"Really?"
"Yes, then let's get out of here. I think you misheard..."
"Did I really mishear?"
Melanie stared at the sacks of sacks stacked high near the ceiling for a moment before turning around with a resigned expression.
At that moment, Aoshi's cry came again from beyond the sacks.
"Meow meow! (Over here, over here!)"
"Huh?! Did you hear that? It was a cat's cry!"
Melanie turned around and asked the knight.
The sound had to be small for him to avoid it, but it was so clear and cat-like that the knight nodded along.
"Oh, yeah, well..."
“It must be beyond that sack!”
“Well, as far as I know, there isn’t one...!”
“Meow, meow! (You’re talking nonsense. Melanie, your knight is here too!)”
This time, Aoshi’s crying was harsher.
“What are you pretending to know when you don’t?”
Melanie glared at the knight and scolded him.
“Your Highness, stay here. I-I’ll go in and get it!”
“Yes. I’ll bring you out.”
Despite the knight’s protests, Melanie quickly ran to where the sacks were stacked. There was a narrow passageway there, just wide enough for one person to pass through.
“So you went in here, you rascal.”
Melanie smirked and walked into the space beyond the sacks.
‘It can’t be helped since it’s come to this. I have no choice but to deal with that woman as well.’
The knight slowly drew the sword at his waist and chased after her.
“Aoshi, why are you here alone...?”
As soon as Melanie stepped behind the sack, she stopped walking.
Aoshi wasn't alone.
"...Who's that guy, tied up in a place like this? Eek?! What, what's going on! Hetor!"
Melanie lowered her head, examining the side profile of the unconscious man before collapsing onto the spot.
Aoshi was biting a piece of cloth from Hetor's trouser leg.
Then, seeing the knight with his sword drawn behind Melanie, he quickly hid behind the sack, still holding the piece in his mouth.
Melanie, unable to watch her rear, crawled over to Hetor and shook him awake.
"Hey, Hetor, wake up!"
He was still under the anesthetic, and there was no way he'd open his eyes.
"Why are you tied up here, huh? Did you get caught stealing something? No way. You wouldn't be pirating alone on a ship, would you?"
Melanie repeatedly slapped Hetor's cheeks with both hands and called out to him, but to no avail.
"Why is your face so bruised? Who the hell did this to you?!"
Melanie grumbled and tried to untie the ropes binding Hetor.
“Let go.”
The knight’s voice came from behind her.
“Yes, you’re better at untangling him than I am. Quick, untie him. He’s tied so tightly that there’s no blood flow.”
Melanie took her hands off the ropes, interpreting the knight’s words in her own words.
“Huh? What’s that stinging?”
Melanie felt a stabbing sensation in her back and turned around.
The tip of the knight’s sword was stuck right against her own.
“What are you doing? Who dares point a sword at me!”
Melanie glared at the knight and roared.
“That’s why it would have been better if you had just left earlier.”
The knight’s tone suddenly became harsh.
“Are you crazy! Don’t you know who I am?”
“I know. Aren’t you the poor concubine, the one the Emperor doesn’t even touch, despite her pretty face?”
The knight pressed the blade against Melanie’s neck and lifted her chin with his hand.
“Have you seen such a rude man! You are more ignorant than this barbarian King here!”
The knight flinched at Melanie’s unwavering struggle, but soon burst into laughter and picked up the rope he had dropped on the floor.
Melanie took the opportunity to rip off the sleeve of her dress, which was decorated with easy-to-rip lace, and flung it towards where Aoshi was hiding.
“You won’t be lonely. I’ll send you with that punk in a few hours.”
The knight who had brought the rope approached him, laughing bitterly.
“Hey, what are you doing! What did I do to tie you up? And where are you sending me?”
“On the way to the underworld, just chat with him.”
“...What kind of road is that?”
“!”
Did he really not know?
The knight who was wrapping the rope around Melanie stared at her with a bewildered expression.
“What are you looking at, you punk! Where is that! Is this the road in the Tebello Empire? Anyway, that’s fine. If you’re going to tie me up, tie me behind Hetor.”
“Why?”
The knight unconsciously asked about the absurd request.
“I’m just holding hands, why! It’d be better if you tied me up in front of him.”
“What the heck...”
The knight’s hand, which had been moving as Melanie instructed, faltered.
Melanie’s earnest threat, full of sincerity, almost complied.
In the end, Melanie, Aoshi, and even Hetor. Unable to find any of the three, they went up to the deck where a dinner party was being held.
They held the expectation that Melanie might already be having dinner with Aoshi.
"Nothing's going to happen, right?"
Rosie's frown, which had been furrowed since earlier, didn't relax.
"It'll be fine. As Your Majesty said, Melanie is likely with Hetor. "
I had the same feeling.
"Then that's fortunate. But we'll have dinner together, right?"
"...Huh? What?"
"Love..."
"Aha."
"Did I misunderstand?"
Rosie's face flushed, and she even stuttered.
I put my arm around Rosie's embarrassed shoulder and agreed.
"I don't know if they're in love, but I'm sure they're together."
Rosie tried to smile, hoping that would be the case.
The party on board was already in full swing. Dinner aboard was even more spectacular than I'd expected.
Small lanterns were placed everywhere, and the food was a feast of fresh-looking seafood and fish dishes.
There was no band, but the gentle sound of the waves filled the air.
Linel was clinking wine glasses and chatting with the guests. He met my eyes, raised his wine glass, and smiled brightly.
“I suppose Her Highness Melanie is with Hetor, but where on earth is our Aoshi? Moiya and Moni aren’t here either.”
“He must be hungry, so he’ll come when he smells food.”
“Yeah, right? But Aoshi hasn’t really eaten anything I give him since he got on board,”
Rosie said, picking up a chocolate cookie from the table and taking a bite.
“Really? Did one of the crew sneak fish into him?”
“Oh my goodness. Raw fish? He’s never had it raw, so he wouldn’t like it.”
“Or maybe he’s been wandering around the galleys or something.”
“Ugh, that sounds better than raw fish.”
Rosie laughed, her shoulders shaking.
We walked, keeping our eyes on the deck to see if Aoshi was wandering around.
“Where’s Melanie?”
He asked as we walked over to Linel, handing me a glass of juice.
“I couldn’t find her. She’s not here, is she?”
“I guess I haven’t seen her? Then you haven’t found Aoshi either?”
“Yes, I can’t see where you went. Have you seen Hetor?”
“No. I can’t see Hetor either.”
He shook his head and took a long sip of wine.
“Strange... He doesn’t seem like the type of person to break a promise.”
“Of course. You must be hungry, so eat first. The seafood dish looks quite delicious.”
“Your Majesty?”
“I’m fine. I was fine, but I think the morning sickness has started again.”
Oh no.
“What should I do...”
A sigh escaped me without me realizing it.
“It seems worse because I came up to the deck to eat. Don’t worry, and eat my share too.”
He said, handing me an empty plate.
“Then I’ll have to eat for three people.”
I took the plate and spoke as if making a promise, then absentmindedly lowered my gaze, startled.
“Meow meow! (We’re in trouble-!)”
Aoshi was at my feet.
“Where have you been?”
Rosie asked, quickly picking up Aoshi and looking him over.
"What is this?"
Linel bent down and picked up two pieces of cloth from the floor, seemingly from Aoshi's bite.
They were different pieces.
"That's the lace on the sleeves of Her Highness Melanie's dress!"
Rosie placed two pieces of cloth in Linel's palm, examining the purple lace one closely.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, that's right. Her Highness Melanie was wearing a dress of the same color earlier," she exclaimed.
"And these are Hetor's trouser legs?"
Linel murmured, examining the navy blue pieces closely.
"Why do you think Aoshi brought these two?"
"I think he knows where you two are?"
“I’m just holding hands, why! It’d be better if you tied me up in front of him.”
“What the heck...”
The knight’s hand, which had been moving as Melanie instructed, faltered.
Melanie’s earnest threat, full of sincerity, almost complied.
***
In the end, Melanie, Aoshi, and even Hetor. Unable to find any of the three, they went up to the deck where a dinner party was being held.
They held the expectation that Melanie might already be having dinner with Aoshi.
"Nothing's going to happen, right?"
Rosie's frown, which had been furrowed since earlier, didn't relax.
"It'll be fine. As Your Majesty said, Melanie is likely with Hetor. "
I had the same feeling.
"Then that's fortunate. But we'll have dinner together, right?"
"...Huh? What?"
"Love..."
"Aha."
"Did I misunderstand?"
Rosie's face flushed, and she even stuttered.
I put my arm around Rosie's embarrassed shoulder and agreed.
"I don't know if they're in love, but I'm sure they're together."
Rosie tried to smile, hoping that would be the case.
The party on board was already in full swing. Dinner aboard was even more spectacular than I'd expected.
Small lanterns were placed everywhere, and the food was a feast of fresh-looking seafood and fish dishes.
There was no band, but the gentle sound of the waves filled the air.
Linel was clinking wine glasses and chatting with the guests. He met my eyes, raised his wine glass, and smiled brightly.
“I suppose Her Highness Melanie is with Hetor, but where on earth is our Aoshi? Moiya and Moni aren’t here either.”
“He must be hungry, so he’ll come when he smells food.”
“Yeah, right? But Aoshi hasn’t really eaten anything I give him since he got on board,”
Rosie said, picking up a chocolate cookie from the table and taking a bite.
“Really? Did one of the crew sneak fish into him?”
“Oh my goodness. Raw fish? He’s never had it raw, so he wouldn’t like it.”
“Or maybe he’s been wandering around the galleys or something.”
“Ugh, that sounds better than raw fish.”
Rosie laughed, her shoulders shaking.
We walked, keeping our eyes on the deck to see if Aoshi was wandering around.
“Where’s Melanie?”
He asked as we walked over to Linel, handing me a glass of juice.
“I couldn’t find her. She’s not here, is she?”
“I guess I haven’t seen her? Then you haven’t found Aoshi either?”
“Yes, I can’t see where you went. Have you seen Hetor?”
“No. I can’t see Hetor either.”
He shook his head and took a long sip of wine.
“Strange... He doesn’t seem like the type of person to break a promise.”
“Of course. You must be hungry, so eat first. The seafood dish looks quite delicious.”
“Your Majesty?”
“I’m fine. I was fine, but I think the morning sickness has started again.”
Oh no.
“What should I do...”
A sigh escaped me without me realizing it.
“It seems worse because I came up to the deck to eat. Don’t worry, and eat my share too.”
He said, handing me an empty plate.
“Then I’ll have to eat for three people.”
I took the plate and spoke as if making a promise, then absentmindedly lowered my gaze, startled.
“Meow meow! (We’re in trouble-!)”
Aoshi was at my feet.
“Where have you been?”
Rosie asked, quickly picking up Aoshi and looking him over.
"What is this?"
Linel bent down and picked up two pieces of cloth from the floor, seemingly from Aoshi's bite.
They were different pieces.
"That's the lace on the sleeves of Her Highness Melanie's dress!"
Rosie placed two pieces of cloth in Linel's palm, examining the purple lace one closely.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, that's right. Her Highness Melanie was wearing a dress of the same color earlier," she exclaimed.
"And these are Hetor's trouser legs?"
Linel murmured, examining the navy blue pieces closely.
"Why do you think Aoshi brought these two?"
"I think he knows where you two are?"
As if he understood Linel, Aoshi broke free from Rosie's embrace and ran towards the entrance to the guest room as if telling her to follow him, then turned around repeatedly.
I was about to follow Aoshi, but Linel turned my shoulder.
"You stay here. I'll be back."
"Come with me."
"It's difficult for both of us to be away. And we have to feed our baby dinner first, right?"
He put his hand on my waist and smiled.
"Well, be careful."
“You need to be careful, Melanie and Hetor. I’ll catch them.”
Linel kissed me lightly and followed Aoshi down the stairs to the guest room.
“Nothing’s going to happen, right?”
I summoned the Avatar, hoping to console my anxious mind.
“It seems like something’s already happened?”
What?
I shouldn’t have said anything.
The Avatar only made me feel worse.
I tried to shake off the ominous feeling, but my eyes met with Roxana’s, and my appetite plummeted.
Roxana approached me.
Like me, she was holding a juice glass instead of a wine glass.
“The Avatar Sword is embedded in your heart, huh?”
I tried to remain expressionless, trying not to be moved by Roxana’s words.
Then Roxana whispered with a bitter smile,
“Empress Elan said so. The Avatar Sword and you were imprinted on each other. Ha, that’s why I couldn’t find it, no matter how hard I searched...!”
Ironically, Roxana sounded extremely aggrieved.
As if I had stolen something that was originally hers.
The red jewel embedded in the hilt of the Avatar Sword was now in Roxana's hands...
As expected, my guess was right.
Empress Elan had clearly fallen into a trap.
"What did you do to Empress Elan!"
I asked, suppressing the boiling heat.
"Zelda. Don't you think now is not the time for you to be worrying about others?"
Roxana stretched her hand holding the red jewel beyond the railing.
Then she asked sarcastically,
"Without this, you won't be able to summon the Avatar Sword embedded in your chest, will you?"
"...What are you doing?"
"If I can't have it, neither can you!"
Roxana released her hand that was clutching the red jewel.
The red jewel fell into the sea.
And at that moment, not far away, Galaco's cry filled the night sky.
I was about to follow Aoshi, but Linel turned my shoulder.
"You stay here. I'll be back."
"Come with me."
"It's difficult for both of us to be away. And we have to feed our baby dinner first, right?"
He put his hand on my waist and smiled.
"Well, be careful."
“You need to be careful, Melanie and Hetor. I’ll catch them.”
Linel kissed me lightly and followed Aoshi down the stairs to the guest room.
“Nothing’s going to happen, right?”
I summoned the Avatar, hoping to console my anxious mind.
“It seems like something’s already happened?”
What?
I shouldn’t have said anything.
The Avatar only made me feel worse.
I tried to shake off the ominous feeling, but my eyes met with Roxana’s, and my appetite plummeted.
Roxana approached me.
Like me, she was holding a juice glass instead of a wine glass.
“The Avatar Sword is embedded in your heart, huh?”
I tried to remain expressionless, trying not to be moved by Roxana’s words.
Then Roxana whispered with a bitter smile,
“Empress Elan said so. The Avatar Sword and you were imprinted on each other. Ha, that’s why I couldn’t find it, no matter how hard I searched...!”
Ironically, Roxana sounded extremely aggrieved.
As if I had stolen something that was originally hers.
The red jewel embedded in the hilt of the Avatar Sword was now in Roxana's hands...
As expected, my guess was right.
Empress Elan had clearly fallen into a trap.
"What did you do to Empress Elan!"
I asked, suppressing the boiling heat.
"Zelda. Don't you think now is not the time for you to be worrying about others?"
Roxana stretched her hand holding the red jewel beyond the railing.
Then she asked sarcastically,
"Without this, you won't be able to summon the Avatar Sword embedded in your chest, will you?"
"...What are you doing?"
"If I can't have it, neither can you!"
Roxana released her hand that was clutching the red jewel.
The red jewel fell into the sea.
And at that moment, not far away, Galaco's cry filled the night sky.
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