Side Story.19

“I must have told you dozens of times not to run wild like a beast that’s lost its senses.”

“……Why should I listen to you?”

“Are you deaf? Still don’t get it?”

Of the twelve beasts that once disrupted the world, nearly half the species had been wiped out.

It was an achievement made in just over a year since Adelstein and Hyperion began their massive extermination campaign.

“You arrogant brat, you don’t even know when to speak or not anymore.”

“……The truly arrogant one is you. Listening to your screams isn’t my hobby, but since you can’t understand words, I have no choice. You brought this on yourself.”

“Enough, both of you.”

But what did it matter, when fights broke out almost daily.

Maia sighed deeply and stepped in to mediate between Aeterna and Hyperion, who were caught in an escalating atmosphere.

Sharp green and brilliant gold eyes found Maia and wavered.

“Hyperion. I understand your feelings, but you must admit you’re a bit harsh with Aeterna. And Aeterna, I hope you’ll be more careful, thinking of Adelstein’s concern.”

“……Alright, I’ll try.”

Aeterna answered Maia’s admonishment in a calmer tone.

Still, as if some resentment remained, he shot Hyperion a glare before quickly leaving.

Soon, only Hyperion and Maia remained.

“……You always appear to stop me whenever I try to lay a hand on that guy.”

Maia was a bit flustered by Hyperion’s unexpected remark and turned to him.

“Don’t defend him. He’ll get spoiled. He’s not a child.”

Tap, tap, tap.

Each word, heavy with sentiment, Hyperion looked down at Maia.

Seeing her surprised and flustered, he turned his head and said,

“Adelstein and you should not always cover for him.”

“Ah, yes…… Thank you for the advice.”

But it didn’t seem to be just advice. No matter how she looked at it.

Maia smiled awkwardly, thinking so.

“What did you and Adelstein talk about for so long in the wasteland?”

“……You knew?”

“Of course.”

Hyperion answered confidently, as if stating an obvious fact, then, after a moment, added in a slightly hurried manner,

“After Adelstein said he was going to see you, he left with the soldiers, and only returned with you after a long time, so I guessed based on that.”

“Ilarya Kingdom sent me a message to return.”

Hyperion stopped in his tracks.

Maia, stopping as well, looked up at him.

When they first met in the distant past…… he had looked so young.

“……Why? Are they planning to push for a marriage between you and Adelstein?”

Hyperion’s low, hardened tone held an indescribable pressure.

“I can’t say they aren’t. But it won’t go as they wish. If Adelstein and I refuse, can they really force it?”

Maia answered with a faint smile.

Still, Hyperion seemed dissatisfied, frowning slightly as he looked ahead.

“……You don’t plan to marry?”

“……What?”

Maia was taken aback by the sudden question and asked again.

“……Adelstein might be a bit naïve, but he’d make a good partner. If you don’t dislike him, he seems to care about you, too…….”

Hyperion spoke in a dry tone, avoiding Maia’s gaze.

Listening to his words, Maia unconsciously grabbed Hyperion’s hand.

The warmth startled her, and she tried to pull away, but she held on tight.

“……Please don’t say things like that.”

Ah, she knew she shouldn’t……

Ignoring reason’s warning, Maia looked straight into Hyperion’s eyes.

“I will not marry Adelstein. ……Nor Aeterna.”

From the distant future, she had promised him.

Since he had devoted himself to her for so long, she would give him all her remaining time.

“I mean it.”

“……You.”

Marriage had brought her nothing but pain, but a future with him was something she could sincerely imagine.

Because every day with him was truly peaceful and comforting.

His pale face flushed uncontrollably.

Hyperion could not take his eyes off Maia.

He could only gaze endlessly at his own reflection in her quiet eyes, filled with feelings he could not understand.

He could not dare to do or say anything else.

“……Oh, it seems I’ve interrupted.”

Their eternity-like stillness shattered as an untimely guest arrived.

“Polaris.”

With all traces of emotion coldly erased, Hyperion turned to Krshunie Polaris.

The young man, wearing a flawless smile, had appeared and was watching them.

“Sir Adelstein is looking for Lord Luar. ……But, I didn’t expect you to be having an intimate conversation with the princess, so I seem to have intruded.”

Intruded, he said.

Maia slowly released Hyperion’s hand and gazed at Krshunie with wary eyes.

“There’s nothing intimate. So do something about your gaze.”

Hyperion replied in his characteristic, merciless tone and began to walk.

“What are you waiting for? Go ahead. Didn’t you say Adelstein is looking for me?”

“……Princess, will you come with us?”

What scheme was he plotting now?

Maia quietly faced Krshunie.

She tried to read his true intentions from his sly gaze, but as always, she only felt unease.

“I’ll stay. You go ahead.”

“Understood. Then.”

Krshunie smiled brightly and turned his body, taking the lead before Hyperion.

“……Don’t wander around, stay in your room.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Hyperion spoke with a hint of concern.

The sense of alienation Maia felt when facing Krshunie seemed to melt away without a trace.

“Alright.”

Maia answered with a gentle smile.

* * *

As time went by, Krshunie Polaris slowly began to reveal his true nature.

Rather than saving humans by exterminating beasts, he showed greed for the byproducts that fell from the corpses of beasts.

Adelstein hesitated to drive out Krshunie, who was always loyal to him and came up with ways to kill beasts without relying on Hyperion’s magic.

“We can’t depend on Hyperion for everything. ……Achieving our goals by leaning solely on him is too deceptive, isn’t it?”

However, Krshunie’s cruelty became a dark rumor among the soldiers, and even tales spread that he experimented on humans.

After long consideration, Adelstein decided to relocate their base.

“We need a new ally, not Hyperion or Krshunie.”

The beings he wished to contact were those who occasionally appeared in the eastern seas of the continent, passed down in legend among the people.

They were the merfolk.

* * *

A salty wind gently brushed Maia’s hair.

Merfolk.

Maia stared at the wide horizon, recalling the now-extinct race that only appeared in fairy tales she’d read as a child.

Later, a port called Llanos would be built here, becoming the center of all continental maritime trade.

“So desolate…….”

But for now, it was just a remote countryside with few homes.

“…….”

With resolute eyes, Maia looked down at the staff in her grasp.

The cause that sent her to the distant past, making her experience countless things.

The First Grand Duke Aeterna’s relic.

Its mysterious power, whether magic or something else, had only manifested once when she fell into the past; no matter what she tried, it never showed that power again.

She couldn’t show it to Hyperion. If she did, she would have to reveal her circumstances and inevitably her true identity……

No matter how many things she had experienced in the center of the founding legend, she could never decide to do that.

She couldn’t risk how a single mistake would twist her relationship with him; how could she ask Hyperion for help and bear all that?

“So my last hope is.”

The creator of all existing magic and the highest transcendent was Hyperion.

But the merfolk, even longer-lived than Hyperion, possessed their own mysterious and powerful abilities, fundamentally different from magic.

Getting help from the merfolk to find a way back to the future—

That was Maia’s only hope.

“……Even figuring out how to summon them is a challenge.”

Even if she didn’t plan to return to the palace, she was still a princess; she couldn’t just camp out by the sea.

Maia sighed, troubled.

“Maria.”

“……Adelstein.”

Just then, Adelstein approached Maia and spoke.

Maia quickly wiped away the deep worry from her expression and smiled faintly.

“You said you were curious about the merfolk, didn’t you?”

“Yes. But seeing them in person is said to be as hard as plucking stars from the sky…….”

The Emperor, now more a young man than a boy, answered with a gentle smile.

“I think I can grant that wish.”

……What?

“Huh?”

Maia asked, flustered.

“I heard Krshunie is well acquainted with the merfolk. After he bathed in seawater, several merfolk actually appeared. They’re still here, so let’s hurry and……”

“I’ll go! Right now! Let’s go!”

Good heavens, that troublesome Krshunie Polaris is actually useful for once.

Maia, excited, forgot her usual demeanor and urgently grabbed Adelstein’s arm to lead him.

“Yes, let’s go.”

Adelstein looked at Maia with surprise, then smiled brightly and guided her.