“Mnnh…”

“---! ---! --- --- ----?!”

It was rather faint, the voices. They seemed like muffled whispers—nearly impossible to comprehend. However… however… the mix of emotions that came along with the cacophony was far from incomprehensible. Each one of them hinted fear and worry. Among them, there was one particular voice that shone among the rest.

With a hint in mind, I tried to form a smile. Whether she saw it or not, whether I managed to smile or not, I never knew. What I did know was that the worries of the owner of the voice were washed away in relief. That alone relieved me of my own pain and brought me back into a peaceful slumber.

“Hmm~♪ Hmm~♪” Kanna playfully hummed. Her lips curved into a wide smile, she laid her moist, satisfied eyes on the silver threads coiled around her fingers. With just a slight turn of her wrist, the silver threads skimmed across her skin.

“Aahhh~♪ This is a true recovery. Nothing beats being beside Lia.” Kanna’s gaze returned to Amelia’s peaceful face. “And although it has been a short while, Lia really has changed.”

Kanna could not explain it herself. However, when she compared Amelia’s expression from when they re-encountered each other, she felt a sense of change. Perhaps, a sense of growth.

“How to say this… It’s a little less… tense? Still, no matter what it is, every little bit of it is beautiful.”

Kanna rattled on with her notion—repeatedly mentioning how lovely Amelia was. Every time she recalled an image of Amelia’s embarrassing childhood, she could not help but snuggle her nose against Amelia’s shoulders. Despite all those, Amelia was, for all reasons, sound asleep.

Around six hours past sunrise, Amelia finally rose. And upon lifting the lid of her eyes, the first words she muttered were, “I’m inside a cabin?”

Her body creaking, she languidly sat up. However, when she tried, a weight on her right shoulder pushed her back into a bed. When Amelia shifted her sight, she was met by a face of a sleeping girl. The sleeping girl, Kanna, with a wide smile, had drool running down her cheeks.

‘’…” Upon setting the scene into memory, Amelia froze. For several seconds, her usual sprinting mind came to a complete halt. And when the cogs of her mind began to spin once more, she thought, Should I be happy or not?

A sense of relief and joy swirled around Amelia’s chest the first she saw Kanna. However, the drool running down her cheeks, and onto her shoulders, completely washed away the emotions building inside her.

In the end, Amelia’s left hand laid onto Kanna’s cheeks. For a moment, allowed her fingers to swirl around Kanna’s cheek. Afterward, the ends of her thumb and index finger casually met at the center of Kanna’s cheeks. Then, like an omen of mass destruction,

“Ow! Ow! Ow!” Kanna cried. “Stop! Stop! It hurts, Lia! You’re tearing it off!”

“You once said love hurts, right?”

“Yes! But this and that are diff—ow!”

“Really.” Amelia heaved a sigh a released Kanna’s reddened cheeks. “The first thing I see upon waking up is my friend taking advantage of my exhausted body.”

“Uuu…” Kanna rubbed her cheek. “Really, your strength is different from before. And what about taking advantage? More importantly, what friends? It’s supposed to be lovers. L-o-v—buhrs!”

Before Kanna was able to finish, Amelia pinched her lips.

Followed by a chuckle, Amelia said, “It’s nice to see you’re the same Kanna I know.”

“And I’m glad to see you still breathing, Lia.”

Each expressed an ever so relieved smile.

Once they relaxed, they began asking what each other had gone through.

For most of the part, Kanna wore a grunted expression while Amelia wore a wry smile. Despite that, the exchange kept going until Kanna broke her silence.

Slap!

“Don’t do that again!” Genuine anger smoldered behind Kanna’s eyes. Her frown expressed the depth of her irritation. And the strength of her slap bore her overflowing emotions. “That’s really, really, stupid! Have you forgotten you’re also a Chief?! If Sylvar and the others knew of it, they’d mobilize the wyverns in search of you!”

Amelia could do nothing but take Kanna’s flak. In every little sense, she believed Kanna’s anger was justified.

“I get that it was a sudden burst of idea, but you really had me worried sick! And not just me, your parents too! Even your soon-to-be sister-in-law!”

“I know.” Amelia nodded. Although I believe Argent and Clarissa will be much closer than ever due to the sequence of events... I guess that’s a silver lining.

“And you did all that!” Kanna’s loud voice suddenly toned down. “You did all of that just to strike a decisive blow to Libet?”

Amelia nodded. “I planned on overthrowing their plans at some point but… things did not go as planned. There’s also the thing about Surtur that I wanted to look into after guessing that it’ll be the transit point.”

“Transit point?”

“Think of it as moving from one boat to another in order to reach your destination. Anyway, the point is, Libet was able to tame Flameclads. Knowing their geographical location, only Surtur is their only possible source. And due to that… I was hoping to find a teleportation circle somewhere in Surtur after overthrowing their plans.”

Kanna nodded.

“Although the chance is slim, if I could get a copy of that teleportation circle, we’ll pretty much have a backdoor into Libet.”

“Then you’ll use that as means of infiltration?”

“Well, not really me in a literal sense. But if I had that access, I could get into the center of the enemy’s fortress, gather some intel while shrouded with illusion, and return unscathed.”

“That’s… pretty much a valid idea.”

“There’s also the disposal of or alliance with Evelyn. And lastly, the retrieval of the guards…”

“Hmm… All of those turned into… this?”

Amelia’s gaze shifted to her lap. Then, with a wry smile, she nodded. “It’s completely a different situation from what I imagined. To say the least, I didn’t know someone as after either me or Evelyn or possibly both of us. But the good thing is, he’s dead.”

“… Sorry to break to you Lia, but if I recall, you said that you fried your enemy with lightning, right? And when that happened, all three of you were on that giant block of ice.”

Amelia nodded.

“… We didn’t find anything that resembled burned body. You could say that the nearest example is that captain’s cauterized leg.”

“… But if he was alive, then I’d be dead by now? Or… this is just my… delusion?”

Kanna grasped Amelia’s shoulders. “This is reality. But you’re right. If an enemy of yours survived that… then you won’t be here in front of me. You won’t be the breathing Lia I wanted to see.”

“… Do I really impose the shadow of my own death?” Amelia knitted her brows.

“Yes,” Kanna answered with a straight face.

Amelia could only heave a sigh in response.

“Let’s discuss it in another time. I believe something is waiting for me beyond the door.”

“Well, if you’re fine now, then yeah, you’ll need to explain the situation and place a verdict on the caught men and the Hero.”

“Then, let’s go.”

After a light meal, exercising her right, Amelia took over command of the present captains and their units. The turnover of command was met with numerous plights of concerns. In particular, the captains voiced their will to return to Aves as immediate as possible. Due to Kanna’s unbreaking stand of keeping Amelia in a steady place for recovery, the captains’ concerns were set aside. However, upon seeing Amelia recover overnight, their desire to return hurled back.

“I know everyone is worried but do hear my concerns.” Amelia’s words were met by grunts and nods. “Thank you.”

As Amelia took her seat, her eyes wandered around the cabin of an anchored ship.

“First, I would like to know if a messenger was already sent to the palace informing them of my state.”

“We’ve already sent a ship this morning, Your Highness. It took some time to unload some the supplies, but the ship with the messenger will surely arrive at Aves later this afternoon,” one captain voiced.

Amelia nodded. “Those supplies, please give me an estimate on how many days it would last us if we remain here in Surtur. Please account the supplies contained in the other ships as well.”

“However, Your Highness, you must re—”

Amelia shook her head. “Not yet. As I said previously, there is a concern of mine on this particular island.”

“What would that concern be, Your Highness?” another captain asked? “However, whatever that concern might be, if we use this number of troops, the other kingdoms would surely be suspicious of our movements.”

“Half a ship’s worth of men will remain for a week or two. Whatever actions we will take afterward will depend on what His and Her Majesty decision.”

“I see,” the captain muttered.

The meeting continued until noon. As the meeting drew on, the relief in the captains’ expressions became more apparent. Although unfathomable in their minds, the usual, formal tone coming from Amelia’s lips eased their minds.

The captains’ feared that Amelia was deeply scarred by the event. However, her demeanor during the meeting washed away their fears. They did, however, recalled how Amelia had gone through worse—which give the thought how Amelia was able to cope in becoming a hostage.

Nevertheless, in the afternoon, Amelia and Kanna rode a boat towards the beach and met a crowd.

Among the crowd was Darwin sitting on the sand along with a few of his conscious men. On another side were Evelyn and her previous party apart from Dwight and Veight.

“Now that I notice, Veight isn’t anywhere,” Amelia muttered as her eyes swam around the beach.

“Oh, that butler-like man? He was sent as a messenger along with a few others. They said they wanted to confirm from the Queen herself regarding his identity.”

So that’s how it went.

“Anyway, let’s bring a close to this event.” Amelia stepped forward. In return, the soldiers in the surroundings tightened their guards.

“Before us lay a fair amount of citizens of Libet. Dwight and his men. Evelyn and her party. Both parties were involved in the incident.”

As Amelia gave her verdict, the soldiers surrounding both parties drew their swords.

“However, I am not heartless to those of my savior. Be they beasts or citizens of Libet, I swore in my sovereign right to reward gratitude with gratitude. Pain with pain. So please, brave soldiers of Laurel, sheathe your swords and hear my words.”

It’s been a while since I’ve used such tone and manner of speaking. How to say this, it’s… a little refreshing. Maybe because it’s a battle I consider far easier than a monstrous being?

“Thank you.” Amelia nodded with her hands crossed on her stomach.

“Just as I said before, I will reward gratitude with gratitude. And thus, Darwin, will you consider being a citizen of Laurel? Do please consider. Your answer will be considered as the answer of your fellow men.”

“…” Darwin kept his silence and stared at his lost feet.

“Once again, I apologize for your loss. Though I did what I could, I am not capable of reattaching a lost leg.”

Darwin shook his head. “Being alive is more than enough.”

“I believe so. Opportunity comes to those who are alive.”

“…” Darwin took a long, hard look on the faces of his living men. Once he considered all their circumstances, their families left behind, and their desires, he returned his sight towards Amelia. “Please let us serve under Her Highness.”

One after another, Darwin and his men bowed their heads.

“I will see to it.” Amelia turned her eyes towards Evelyn’s party. “Now then, Hero Evelyn, I would like exact my utmost gratitude for saving my life. Although it was both a hot and cold exchange throughout the journey, you have saved my life.”

A wry smile grew on Evelyn’s face. “Yeah, right, it was hot and cold. But don’t mention it.”

Wait, Evelyn thought. It’s all going through my head. Is she planning anything? Why is she announcing to everyone that ‘I’ specifically saved her? This scheming Princess. What could be going through your head?

“If you would be pleased, I’ll be willing to give you my grant all throughout Laurel. I may not be as powerful as the entirety of Libet, but I guarantee you I have connections that Libet does not have. So, will you consider joining my side?”

Amelia approached and reached out her hand. In response, Evelyn could only stare at Amelia’s outstretched hand. “Are you… serious? No string attached?”

“A Hero could cut through any form of strings or threads. Therefore, rather than waste time constricting a Hero, it would be better to support the said Hero.”

“I’m not really accustomed to you playing with words, but…” Evelyn recalled. She herself witnessed the scene of the second Queen lashing out on Amelia. Right, she could use me for that… Then… I could become a trump against that Queen. I’m pretty sure that’s a huge asset for her.

“Well, I guess I could give it a shot.” Evelyn grinned as she shook Amelia’s hand.

Amelia returned a tilt of her head and a light, eerie smile. “Let us continue our discussion later.”

“… Sure.” Evelyn inched backward after she responded.

“Now then, pain for pain.” Amelia turned her sight towards Marina and William. “Both of you. Frankly, I am not sure what to do with you. Even if you belong to Hero’s party, I cannot guarantee that you two are without guilt. After all, you were separated from the Hero.”

Both Marin and William, who expressed relief from the exchange between Amelia and Evelyn, stiffened.

“Wait—!”

“This is a different matter, Hero Evelyn. Although you were summoned from another world, both Marina and William, was it? From what I knew, they were direct recommendations from Libet itself. I could not possibly rule out the possibility of them being a spy.”

“Ahh…”

“Thus, though it pains me, both of you have to remain as captured soldiers. Your court trial under the suspicion of terrorism and act of treason. If both of you were deemed guilty, under the rule of Laurel, both of you will have to forfeit your lives.”

Marina and William’s sight sank towards their feet. “Yes…” They lethargically answered.

“For now, that is all.”

Later in the evening, Evelyn was called towards Amelia’s temporary chamber.

“So, what do you want?” Evelyn asked, her brows knit in confusion. “Is there anything we need to discuss?”

“Yes, there is.” Amelia approached Evelyn who had just arrived. “I’m quite thankful you accepted my offer.”

“You know, it’s not really sitting right with me when you speak like that. It feels like you’re scheming something unpleasant.”

“We are not that acquainted. There is also the fact that we have to draw a line between us.”

“Well… yeah… That will ease my mind. I can’t really…” Evelyn took a long look at Amelia. “After all that, I’m not really sure what to think or feel regarding you. But… I don’t think we can be considered friends.”

“I won’t consider you my friend,” Amelia shot back. “We are simply partners due to mutual benefits. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“Can’t really five a better phrase for it, but yeah. I think that suits us both.”

“Yes, however.” Amelia’s lips curved into a frown. Her eyes bore hatred. And she raised her hand, a loud slap followed.

Evelyn, who did not expect the attack, could only caress her cheek with her mouth agape.

“Remember this. Personally, I haven’t forgiven you. However, due to my position, I’m willing to betray my personal feelings. But know this. Once you turn tail to our agreement, I will definitely take your head no matter how many times it takes.”

“…”

At the very end, we might be at each other’s throats.

“But who knows? Someday, our differences might one day be bridged.”