Aobara-hime no Yarinaoshi Kakumeiki

Chapter 10 (3 - 2)

A barren land, Heilland—

There, the Star Envoy had asked the humans who had narrowly escaped alive a question. This vast land, on which dwelled many spirits whose divine protection enveloped the land, was a rather harsh and relentless place for building a world for people. Still, they planned to settle on this land, like trees laying down their roots.

And so Estel answered the Star Envoy. We are a people who revere the stars as G.o.ds. As long as there exists a place in the sky where the stars shine, wherever it may be, we shall live following their guidance.

Pleased by his words, the Star Envoy entered into a contract with Estel and granted him his blessing for him to rule the land as the king. That was the beginning of the Kingdom of Heilland.

"Estel, in fact, did a good job. After repeated trial and error together with his people, he had succeeded in procuring a means of living in the unsparing nature. Whether he possessed my blessing or not, he did well, don"t you think?"

"I"ve already been forced to hear more than enough times by my history teacher about why you made a contract with King Estel. More importantly, tell me about your contract with me!"

Alicia impatiently urged along the Star Envoy, his eyes shut, overcome with deep emotion. While grumbling "even though I was getting to the good part", the Star Envoy opened his mouth to speak.

"My contract with Estel is actually deeply intertwined with my contract with you. Have you been taught what I said to him when I made the contract with him?"

"Uh…didn"t you say, "as the guardian star that protects Heilland, let us lead the kingdom towards everlasting prosperity"?"

"Yes! As you"d expect from a princess, that is what I said! However, despite this, I violated our contract and overlooked Heilland"s downfall, which occurred that night."

"Downfall!?"

When Alicia"s eyes went wide, the Star Envoy gave a surprised look.

"Didn"t you notice? With your death and King Fritz running off with his mistress, Heilland lost its leaders. Do you think that such a country could survive for long?"

"True…that was what happened."

Feeling a sharp pain in her chest, Alicia cast her eyes downward. She did not know what kind of sequence of events led up to that night, but regardless, she had let the glorious history of Heilland come to an end in her own generation. On top of that, it had happened at the place where the names of great individuals—individuals who had ceaselessly supported the kingdom—were engraved.

"I understand our contract now. Through your ability to manipulate time, you are granting me a chance to start over. In return, I will save Heilland in my second life and help protect your oath with the founding king. Am I wrong?"

"I like girls who are perceptive. Have you been told that you"re quite bright for a 10-year-old?"

The boy"s voice bounced with delight, at which Alicia"s expression darkened.

"This is absurd though. Changing the future…that"s just impossible. Besides I"d completely forgotten about my previous life until I saw it in my dream."

"What are you talking about…you"ve already chosen a course different from your previous life, haven"t you?"

The Star Envoy gently told Alicia, who was hanging her head in low spirits. Influenced by his optimism, Alicia lifted her face, and saw herself reflected in the boy"s light-coloured eyes. He was smiling affectionately.

"Clovis Cromwell."

The moment the boy"s finely shaped lips called out that name, Alicia felt her heart suddenly leap in her chest. Behind closed eyelids, the figure of a beautiful man kneeling with his head bowed, appeared before her.

"As you"ve concluded, there was absolutely no connection between you and Clovis in your previous life until that night. Yet, in your current life, a bond of great significance has been formed between the two of you through your tact. This is an amazing change and has exceeded my expectations."

Alicia recalled the face that, for an instant only, looked as if it would be moved to tears, as well as the eyes that fixed on her with respect and warmth. Alicia did not truly feel she had altered the future to the extent the Star Envoy had spoken of, but her impression of Clovis had certainly transformed considerably from the night of the revolution.

"Alicia, have a look at this."

The Star Envoy suddenly turned over his hand, a long and narrow wooden cylinder appearing in it. "Ah-!" Alicia let out a gasp at the sight of the familiar object.

"That night, you saw an object the same as this before you fell unconscious…this thing is called a kaleidoscope1. The artisan who crafted this resides in a town in the countryside. If you have the opportunity, it would definitely be good to go have a look."

While smiling mischievously, the Star Envoy pointed a finger at the sky before rolling the wooden cylinder in the palm of his hand. Looking up at the sky full of stars, Alicia was at a loss for words, stunned by the sight that jumped out at her. This was because the stars in the sky moved around and around with the simultaneous rolling of the wooden cylinder.

"What"s happening!?"

"I told you, didn"t I? This is a kaleidoscope. It"s a trick involving opposing mirrors that have been placed within the cylinder. Just through the holder rotating it, the projected image can shift in any way. It"s a rather interesting instrument."

What you are trying to do is equivalent to this.

While the stars twinkled, different skies formed one after another. The Star Envoy had spoken these words while again looking up at the sky as he stood beside Alicia, her eyes captivated by the wondrous, magical spectacle.

"People, and countries too—pieces that exist in the world remain identical as they were in your previous existence. However, depending on the choices you make, the scenes being painted can be altered in an infinite number of ways."

When the boy stopped rotating the wooden cylinder, the starry sky too ceased moving and returned to the prior tranquil night sky, which was beautiful to the point one felt like they were being engulfed.

"Even I don"t know how things will change from now on by your placement of Clovis Cromwell beside yourself. However, just as you have cleared open a new future by choosing him, depending on your decisions, it may even be possible to avoid the night of the revolution."

Alicia"s sky-blue hair gently fluttered, spreading in the breeze.

Alicia felt the anxiety and unease she had been smouldering within her chest ever since having the dream about her previous life, clearing away in a breath.

Of course, nothing about her situation had changed. Alicia still didn"t know anything about her past existence beyond what she had seen in her dream, and it also didn"t seem like the Star Envoy planned to tell her anything. However, the future seemed to shine a little brighter with the reality that a different path was already opening up.

"You only have one chance for redemption, and this is also the extent to which I can lend you a hand."

Rapidly, the surrounding landscape became hazy. Alicia intuitively understood that it was soon time for her to awaken from her dream. As she sensed the grand hill and sky br.i.m.m.i.n.g with stars moving further away from herself, Alicia reached a hand towards the boy.

"Will I be able to see you again?"

"Possibly. Even if you cannot find me, I will be watching over you and this country. That alone is something I hope you don"t forget."

For only an instant, Alicia"s small hand touched the boy"s slender fingers. However, that was a very brief moment, and the immense hill from where stars could be seen faded far away into the distance, and Alicia, having awakened on her bed, saw herself holding out her hand towards the canopy.

1.