First Year First Semester – Q of Hearts – Mansion (Part 2) Note: Please don’t read it in the little pop-up for the reader. For some reason it doesn’t reflect my later edits (which I often make a lot of after publishing), so please click ‘view original’.
Raiga swung his sword with violent intensity. You understand once you see this, but he’s strong. He might be as good as the guards in the castle, or maybe even better. What he’s using is a sword imbued with magic. As expected of royalty, they have nice things. His sword is a special one that blocks magic, and can tear through magical barriers. …The things called ‘magic items’ are troublesome stuff. I’m really glad that I didn’t make an enemy out of Raiga!
Flying the quill around, I fired wind magic as I toyed with the enemies. The men who were sent flying by the wind collided with the wall and lost consciousness. So that I wouldn’t burn down the mansion, I held back on ignition type magic. Even I consider that much. Losing unexpectedly, the enemies were brought down by Achille with certainty. Probably because he wanted their statements as evidence later, Achille encased them all in ice. It was a magic that would return the people inside back to normal, once you thawed the ice.
Unlike ten years ago, I could feel us making progress. I could even feel that we had leeway. We’ve grown. Both Achille and I.
All too easily, we suppressed the forces in the hall. Probably because they were hired soldiers, once they lost leadership, their strength also varied. They weren’t professionals who had undergone training. That was also one of the reasons we won.
“Let’s hurry up and chase the lights.”
Raiga hurried on ahead. We nodded and were about to follow him… But. In the hall, the lights that had up until now been together went two separate ways. The light that showed Mei’s location continued straight ahead, whilst the light for Royce-sama was wandering about in the centre of the hall. It seemed that Royce-sama and Mei were in different places in this mansion.
“Raiga-sama…”
If you asked me who I would be going after, then Achille and I prioritised Royce-sama.
“It’s fine, you two came here for that, right? Royce is here too, huh… I’m going to go after Mei.”
“Sorry. We’ll be going after Royce-sama, it seems.”
Since arriving in this room, the light that was chasing Royce-sama had become a little unstable. Wandering this way or that way, heading towards the floor…
“It’s weird huh, this odd movement. It’s heading towards the floor.
“His Highness may be moving around, perhaps.”
If Royce-sama is being moved, then we have to hurry. Thinking that, after taking a step towards the light, my foot stepped on something. I heard a ‘click’ sound.
“Eh…”
“Camille!”
Achille called my name in a panic, but it was already too late. A hole suddenly opened up at my feet.
“Gyahhh! Another traaap!?”
I was sucked into the pitch black hole. I shut my eyes in terror. I absolutely hate confined places, and dark places.
“I’m falling!”
It’s over, I’m just going to hit the ground. I didn’t have the composure to manipulate gravity to lighten myself. It’s already too late. I wonder just how well the automatic defence tattoos will work… Or so I was thinking, when something caught my body. After making a revolution in the air, I fell with a thud. There’s no pain. In excange, I can feel something like fabric on my skin.
I slowly opened my eyes, and what I saw was… bright blue.
“Achille!?”
What I fell on, was Achille. The moment I fell down the hole, he’d probably fallen in with me to protect me… He’s good at looking after people, so he’s liable to do it. My G.o.d! Even though the blunder was mine! Even though there was no absolutely no need to become a sacrifice for the sake of someone like me!
“Achille, Achille!”
What do I do, even when I call him and shake him, there’s no response.
“Achille, get up…”
Even still, he’s not moving, and is showing no signs of opening his eyes. Because of me. W-W-W-W-W-What do I do? For now, I’ll try spamming my strongest healing magic. It’s something that uses no trifling amount of magic power, but Achille’s life is more important. Even if I collapse from mana exhaustion, if it saves Achille then it doesn’t matter.
“Achille, get up. I don’t want you to diee!”
“…-, Camille.”
“Achille?”
Achille’s expression changed. After that, he opened his eyes, and I could see his beautiful cobalt pupils.
“You don’t have to make such a tragic expression, you know. I just got hit… You’ve already healed it, so I’m fine already, though.”
“You’re really honestly okay? You’re not forcing yourself?”
“I’m not. I immediately used magic to reduce the impact, after all. I should be asking you. Firing away advanced recovery magic for something like that… Are you okay? Can you stand?”
Speaking of which, I’m still on top of Achille. I tried to stand in a fl.u.s.ter, but just as Achille said, the mana consumption was too great, and I was lightheaded from the response, so I fell right back down on top of him. This time alone, it seems that my mana economising tattoos didn’t have much use.
“Uu… S-, Sorry.”
Even when I propped myself up with my arms and tried to raise my body, I couldn’t find the power.
“Honestly, you really don’t think about consequences.”
Still on the ground with me on top of him, Achille embraced me, and then rolled a half-turn.
“Wha-…”
Before I knew it, I was squished under Achille, in a position like I was being pushed down. This is bad, my heart’s starting to go thumpthump. I really, have no resistance against Achille.
“Umm… Achille?”
“Magic power. You’re out, right? I’ll give you some, so sit still.”
“G-, Giving magic power… not through a potion, but directly?”
“Giving it directly recovers it more quickly, right? The potions I have with me right now are all weak ones.”
When you run out of magic power, besides recovering through potions, it’s primitive, but there are also methods to transfer magic power from person to person. The method being what it is, there are few amongst magicians who will actually put it into practice, though…
Transferring magic power from the insides of one person to another… In other words, orally. Kissing. ……Kissing!?
“Ah-, Achille, wai-…”
But I wasn’t allowed to speak to the end. In a position where I was being pushed down, slowly coming down on me, my lips were stolen by Achille.
“Nn… Nnnn-”
Hang on! Unlike last time, isn’t this time a little bold? If it’s mana transfer, is there any need to suck on each other’s lips like this? Achille’s tongue ran along the lip of my lips, and I unconsciously parted the lips that had been shut until now. Achille didn’t overlook this chance. A tongue entered my mouth and forced my lips apart, and mana flowed in.
While this was happening, I could feel Achille’s mana flowing into me. Little by little, the power in my body returned.
I recovered my magic power, but it feels like something else has been considerably worn down. But, is my dizziness gone now, perhaps?
But I wonder why. Achille is showing no signs of getting off me. Clad in this amorous atmosphere, he’s gazing at me.
“Umm, could you move a little…”
“Shall I have you recover mana for a little longer?”
After saying that, with his amourousness increasing, Achille’s face drew near a second time…
“Ahh, ahem ahem. Could you possibly leave it at that, you two? If any more of that stuff happens before my eyes, I’ll be troubled for a reaction. Also, Achille, please don’t forget that this is enemy territory.”
“I know that.”
Turning in the direction of the familiar voice that suddenly rang out, Achille replied. Using that chance, I crawled out from under Achille.
“Royce-sama~!”
The owner of the voice was the person we had been looking for. I can’t believe it, that Royce-sama would just be normally in front of my eyes like this… He’s safe, he’s sound. I’m really so glad.
“I’m glad that you two are both safe as well. I believed that you two would come for me.”
“Isn’t that a given!? We wouldn’t leave you by yourself in such a place, you know.”
I declared rea.s.suringly.
“By the way, Your Highness. Why were you wandering about in such a place? I was sure that you would be chained up somewhere…”
Achille asked Royce-sama. Mn, I’ve been wondering that too.
“Originally I was shut up in a jail cell, but because I heard an explosion outside, I made a break for it. Because the guard was getting slack, I easily escaped. I guess that n.o.body thought the sheltered prince would do something like a jail break, huh.”
He seems extremely satisfied, having stolen a march on the enemy.
“Well then, what shall we do?”
Normally we would now bring Royce-sama outside and complete our duties. Achille already contacted the castle, so even if we leave them alone, soldiers from the castle will arrest the abductors. However, right now Mei is here too. I’m sure she was captured as well.
Right now, Raiga is heading to save her.
“Going to save Mei Zakro, right?”
“Royce-sama, why do you know…”
“I heard one of the guards on watch speaking about bringing her here. The criminal is an ambitious count, so I understand his aim.”
“He’s probably starting going on about how he’ll hand the throne over to the Royal Prince, huh.”
“Yeah… Alright, let’s go save Mei Zakro!”
“Royce-sama? …Is that alright?”
I was shocked at Royce-sama’s response. Even I thought that he would say something about leaving it to the soldiers.
“Don’t you think that if we buy some favours now, things’ll be fun later on?”
Royce-sama said something like what Achille would. Why do I get the feeling that his personality is slipping in a weird direction.
“Camille, is your magic power okay now? Did Achille give you lots and lots?”
“Ah-… Yes. I’m absolutely fine!”
I’m afraid about what Achille who’s next to me would do, if I said that I didn’t have enough.
“It’s about the guy who aimed for me, but he was an abnormally strong guy… And I get the feeling that I’ve seen him before, huh.”
“In other words, the culprit is an acquaintance?”
“Might be. If we question the mastermind, I’m sure we’ll find out.”
We once again made for the top floor.
I created another light for searching for Mei-chan. The light continued straight down the bas.e.m.e.nt hallway, before going up the stairs. Halfway up the stairs, another arrow came, but they were all blocked by Achille. Achille’s magic is exact, and wastes little.
“Camille, make sure you don’t waste too much magic power… Even if we say that you recovered, you’re not in your normal condition, right?”
“Uu… Are you okay, Achille? You did give me mana.”
“I’m still completely fine. If you want more, say so at any time.”
He used a flirtatious sidelong glance just now! Foul play! My heart rate and breathing were a mess, so I averted my eyes in a panic. This is bad for my heart…
Advancing together like this let me understand that Royce-sama was also quite a war potential. He wasn’t specialised in fighting the same way Raiga was, but he was quite adept with magic too, and rather than holding us back, on the contrary he contributed a lot. Also, finding enemies in hiding, or finding traps and the like seemed to be his specialty as well. He really is too reliable. Just because we spent so much time together, when it came to combat even our breathing was perfectly in sync. With us three together, aren’t we quite amazing?
“But still, you two have sure gotten close like engaged couples are supposed to be, huh. I’m relieved as well, you know.”
“Wha-…”
Royce-sama suddenly brought us up. He probably completely saw all of that mana transfer from earlier. I couldn’t sense his presence in the slightest though…
“It seems that Camille has finally graduated from idealising me by overlapping some other person onto me, so I’m glad.”
Royce-sama continued.
“Idealised?”
“You weren’t aware of it yourself? You’ve been looking at me, but not really, you know? Through me, you’ve been looking at someone else, right? Or maybe it was that you were comparing me to somebody else.”
“That’s…”
“Originally I was wondering if you perhaps had an interest in me, but I immediately realised that that wasn’t it.”
“Royce-sama…”
Looking at somebody else through Royce-sama… I had no intention of doing anything like that, but… What does he mean? Just who is he saying that I overlapped onto him? While I was holding confused feelings about this, we arrived before the door of the room Mei was probably in. I timidly placed my hand on the door.
TL Note: Was just a little bit worried it would turn into Fate/Stay Night for a moment.