Gekka no Utahime to Magi no Ou

Epilogue  – The Youth and the Maiden

In a brand-new residential area in the royal capital, a conspicous, new

gave off a sportive feel; people would expect it to be property for the rich

And on the top floor of the high-cla.s.s apartment,

A lone girl was digging her nails into the door.

She was bandaged in some places of her body like the nape of her neck, but it

fragment of sympathy could be felt for her.

Milla, carrying a wash basin with ice in it, sighed at her mistress" unladylike

"M-Milla! Is he alright? Is Lyle alright? He didn"t die, did he!?"

Milla"s expression was mournful, and Maria was greatly troubled.

"Well...... how about bringing the research papers that have been piled up in

"Research doc.u.ments! I"ll go get them right away!"

"......Dear me. We"ve finally gotten some peace."

A luxurious and calming guest room. On top of the bed was,

A feverish groan echoed in the room gloomily.

his head.

the gas in the envelope being released, the flying warship had sank

Three days have pa.s.sed since their escape from that flying warship, and now

Swimming in the lake during the start of spring was not overly unreasonable,

along with it might have caused some mental damage...... that was what Lyle

"Still, you could look at it as an honourable wound. You swam through Lake

"Ugh...... I didn"t expect both Maria and Lunaria to be like stones in the

Lyle"s sneezes mingled with his groans.

Milla smiled as she changed Lyle"s ice pack. What Lyle had done seemed to

While gallantly nursing him, Milla then said to Lyle. 

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an opening rather splendidly, it seems."

The feverish Lyle said, as though he was sleep-talking.

"―Hmm, how should I put it."

a gentle voice.

accomplished anything with it―it"s a waste, and various other criXcisms

"......Oh..."

do, Master Lyle. At the very least, I do not disagree with it."

If not for that prideful kindness, Lyle would surely be unstoppable. He would

perceived all humans as mere "numerals" and "calculations". Lyle did not want

Pride might have been too strong a word to describe it.

"Well...... I wish you would try and understand a woman"s heart just a bit

It looked like the feverish Lyle did not hear that small whisper.

Said Milla, rummaging through her handbag.And from that.she took out a

into the currently feverish-and-moaning Lyle"s mouth.

Right after a little mouthful, Lyle rolled around on the top of the bed. His face

"Geh! ...Ah, it tastes sweet, bitter, spicy, sour, salty, and a little fizzy..."

the southern archipelago, they call it―the [Dead Raiser]."

"Well, the real thing starts from now onwards."

"The [Dead Raiser] comes in a set of two parts."

"Yes. Of course, this one is a suppository."

"Now then, Master Lyle, please keep still obediently and let me insert this

"I-I think I"ll be fine with just the first half..."

"T-That"s because of the medicine..."

and relax yourself." 

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Lyle. 

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"......And with that, I"m done."

heaved a sigh of relief.

her feet.

Lunaria took out , which had been crammed beneath the sofa.

been already released from the magic of "Puppetry" and returned to their

readily returned to normal, probably due to how unrestrained and easy-going

The magic sword of the «Nosferatu» that was pa.s.sed down in the

remaining Nebulablut. There was even the possibility of it bringing chaos into

gain.

Lyle had said, while feverish and faint.

time round, it would be that we had taken back that sword. If you had told

Just as she thought, he did not give any reasoning, like that it was for

making her feel angry.

Stroking the sheathed , Lunaria whispered quietly.

Her own powerlessness was not yet cleared away. However, she thought that

Powerless and worthless, yet she was proud to stand as one of the

her very own eyes.

science―she would see his future with her own eyes.

have been the answer.

There would be no reply―that should have been how it was,

A voice said.

open.

"It"s just "Maria"... you cleaned the room up pretty well, I see."

"......It was seven years ago."

"I used to be a complete tomboy. Because of how uptight it was, being a

their big boss."

conversation that had abruptly been started, but Maria continued to speak.

adventure. One of my friends, a girl, got injured pretty badly. It was in the

rock, and started bleeding profusely, but she wasn"t afraid. She just stood up,

"You were worried for her―"

my mind."

""It couldn"t be helped, since you were a child then"? However, the fact that I

puking, eh. The first person who took action in that situation was Lyle. He

along―he used magic."

The girl was given emergency treatment with Lyle"s magic, and then, under

"Everyone was deeply grateful to him, for saving the girl. However, as the

It"s only natural, right? In the midst of the , a

that magic was dodgy and demonic. And right after that, Lyle moved to the

Because of how sudden it had been, Maria only learnt that he had moved

The next time they met each other had been a while later, in the royal

The young Maria had felt that it was inexcusable of her to have caused Lyle

secret that her childhood friend, whom she thought she knew, had.

was alright. And then, he said that―"

not regret it. The one you should be worried about is her, not me."

someone at that age, losing your friends should have been devastating. Yet

and was even considerate of her.

"Yeah. That is my most important secret."

head high, and cleared away the pessimism which had hardened within

It was then, that Maria Highline had fallen in love with Lyle Waldstein.

"I promised to, didn"t I? If I "fessed up, then it wouldn"t be fair for you to keep

things he said."

"Like, "If you do not seek compensation for your kindness, then what is it, but

Maria smiled bitterly, looking downcast.

with the Ingenious Engine. What others cannot do, he can. What others do

think about receiving help from them."

"Yeah. Essentially, Lyle probably does not need anybody."

Lunaria fell into silence.

Hence―Lunaria waited for Maria to conXnue.

As Lunaria predicted, Maria had a defiant smile.

wanted to make him acknowledge me, that was what I thought, don"t you

"―Yes."

She thought it was unfair. She felt vexed, that she was the only one who had

She wanted to see it with her own eyes―that was the reason she had

"Yeah. I don"t know if this is the right way to put it... but I felt like he was a

"A "kindred spirit"...?" 

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Saying that, Maria smiled cheerfully.

Lunaria felt a certain pressure on her chest, and continued to speak, to

"Does a "kindred spirit" mean... a "friend"?"

"For me... this is the first time that I"ve made a friend."

"?"

Without blinking, Lunaria looked intently at the copper-haired girl.

"Well, at the very least, you can go ahead and think that."

hair upwards.

Lunaria bowed her head. And then, she looked right back into Maria"s eyes.

"Yeah. The same goes for me―unXl I make Lyle fall in love with me, that is."

It was just then.

"Lyle?"

The girls stared in wonder, at Lyle who had jumped into the laboratory.

breath, an overcoat over his body, and his pale face had not a trace of the

"......Ah, no need to be alarmed. I"m almost fully recovered...... I think."

"Hmm? Oh, whatever."

rest."

changed."

"Might it be your imagination?"

conspired beforehand, each took one of Lyle"s arms, dragging him to the sofa

"......Did something happen, after all?"

Answered the two of them in unison as they feigned innocence. Lyle"s

"Do you really want to know?"

Lyle nodded, as though it was obvious.

cold, y"know."

"―Too bad for you, it"s a "secret" between us."

Maria"s smile was impish, while Lunaria"s seemed sarcastic, and they giggled.

Looking at Lyle, the girls smiled even more.

Hexe», from then and on.

Fin