. Usually powered boats would be floating within the vicinity of the lake, however their figures could not be seen now.Several small boats were pulled into the ship depot, and the pier used by the castle, which could be noisy due to the unloading of daily necessities depending on the day, was quiet.
At the foot of the small lighthouse in front of the pier, Meriela crouched down hugging her knees.
Grasped tightly in her hands was a letter corresponding from an officer working in the capital’s air base.
The details of the capital"s status quo were written inside the letter, crushed to the point of being crumpled.
『The mercenaries a.s.sembled by the pro-Emperor n.o.bles were walking around the main street acting as if they owned the place, and looting shops’ articles outside the sights of the palace guards.
There were beggars wearing rags and lying down at the back alley, and a young girl laughing madly while being semi-nude after seemingly injected with some medicine.
Mercenaries occupying the house during the husband’s absence, raping both the wife and daughter, and though the palace guards came rushing, the wife had to turn them away due to her daughter being held hostage.
However, due to the palace guards, soldiers and mercenaries disliking disputes, nothing was done. If they were to go wild now, the capital would be further hit by storm of outrage. To prevent that from happening, though annoying, it could not be helped that a few unlucky victims had to be sacrificed.
Though the upper stratum of military departments, controlled by the pro-Emperor n.o.bles, ordered the capital defence unit, it was rejected due to the absence of a person with supreme authority, the Emperor. Conversely, it means we are unable to take any actions.
The capital defence unit did not fall into their hands. It may be one of the few fortunes in this current situation that the gigantic fort cannon is not facing the Mira plains where the alliance and friendly troops are.
If it’s you, you may know what will become of the supporting-n.o.bles’ territories.
They disregarded the taxation law established by the successive Emperors to increase their own profits, imposing heavy tax on the citizens. And now, that gold is entering the mercenaries" pockets.
The gold acquired from the act of imposing heavy taxes on the citizens, killed and oppressed them.
Meriela, princess of the prideful White Dragon.
You must never come to the capital.
I understand. If you were in my position, you may have pierced through your own throat by holding a fountain pen. That’s why, you cannot come to the capital, and you cannot see the figures of the citizens.
But if you are to come here, I want it to be the time when you can save this place.
The time when we see your figure in the sky, we will discard our soldiers’ equipment and stand up as just citizens.
We are waiting. We will continue waiting, without fail.』
◊◊◊
That list of words was enough to tear apart Meriela’s heart.
Although she understood that people were being oppressed, the letters received from friends of various places increased her new misery.
If this continued on, the country would fall apart. But, Meriela wasn’t able to do anything.
Being a n.o.ble, she received education. It included fostering of love for both the country and citizens.
And because of that love, she couldn’t help not suffering.
「Uu……」
She bit on her own lips to inflict harm onto herself and a pain coursed through her body which was oozing blood.
「Bu……」
She clenched her fist, and with her nails digging into her palms, blood trickled out.
「Not yet……」
Gathering magic, she cut her back of her hand with a thin blade.
She did not truly understand the meaning of what she just did.
She reasoned that by wounding herself, she could share the people’s pain.
Though whether that really is the reason, would it not been seen as merely escaping from a third-person view?
「Gomennasai, gomennasai」
Drawing her knees strongly to herself, and hiding her face downwards, Meriela’s beautiful clothing was stained by her tears.
It was painful not being able to do anything, and that pain might somehow turned in real pain.
「Gomennasai… gomennasai…」
At this moment, she might have known someone else was wounded.
Thinking this way, she felt an enormous sense of bitterness just from her own existence.
Like a child, Meriela curled up her body. Nothing less from a dragon tribe, she wouldn’t die even if she flung herself into the lake in front of her.
The fact that she wasn’t able to do anything, she could only continue moaning about it.
Until that moment.
◊◊◊
*Bashan*, there was the sound of water.
Meriela raised her head, surveying the surrounding. She had thought waterfowls were feeding on baits but there wasn’t a single one in the vicinity.
Due to Meriela of the dragon tribe possessing unstable and strong power, wild birds avoided her.
So what could it be, Meriela thought as such and stood up.
While returning to the castle, she glanced about restlessly, trying to ascertain the ident.i.ty of the sound. At the moment her vision came across a foreign body, she stopped.
At the stairways connecting the castle’s landing area and the pier, something seems to be caught in the pillar beneath the pier.
There were a person"s clothes swaying slowly.
「Eh？」
Meriela opened her big eyes, her breathing coming to a stop.
Her heart beat such that she could even hear her pulsation clearly.
「Some…Someone…」
It was a miracle that she could speak.
At the very least, that was what she remembered in the distant future.
「Is there anyone around?! There is a person who’s nearly drowned! 」
She screamed, and began running.
The heart of this girl during this time did not grate.
◊◊◊
Raising his aching body, his face grimaced while muttering a groan.
「–Did I wake up?」
Although the words he asked himself was somewhat inappropriate, at the very least, that was the words which left his mouth first and foremost. Was he awake? No, that was not the issue, in the first place, what was he doing?
Confirming his limbs had not gone numb, he inhaled the air to ascertain its scent. There was a faint sweet smell.
Next, *kasakasa* he wet his dry lips — he felt pain. He distorted his face due to the indescribable pain, and finally lying himself down, realized the place was an extremely luxurious bed.
He looked around timidly, trying to see the articles’ quality inside the room, and without a doubt, they were compatible expensive furniture.
The furniture of unknown materials gave off an overwhelming sensation. It could be replaced with the word 「dignity」.
In the corner of his mind, he thought these were beyond his means, and accelerated his thinking process further.
(What on earth…)
Dreadful. Whatever the pretext was, he couldn’t grasp it, or so he thought.
People may experience a sense of dreadfulness when their feelings of being unable to calm down cross a certain threshold.
「Where is this place?」
And while thinking where this place was, he wondered who he is.
Even though he should know, he couldn’t grasp it. He couldn’t understand, and when he tried to, his self-consciousness weakened, making it impossible.
As he was about to begin immersing himself to remove the distortion mixed within his thoughts, a small yet audible sound could be heard from the door in the corner of his vision.
「–!!」
「Konkon」「Konkon」. Simultaneously, his shoulders trembled.
Although he was worried on how to response for several seconds, the door opened on its own accord.
「Excuse me」
With the door opened, his focus fell upon a desirable woman with pale sky-blue hair tied into a bundle, approximately in the latter half of her teens.
He knew — it was in his memories — she had a pleasant appearance that signified her as a maid. Without an indication of expecting a reply from him, she entered into the room with that single notice. It seemed as if she was treating his existence similarly to the furniture around them, and without giving him a single glance, proceeded towards the large window opposite of the door.
Ignoring the fact that the carpet absorbed the sound, the sound of her footsteps was extremely faint. Upon arriving by the window, she pulled aside the thinly-clothed curtain, nonchalantly looking at him.
What happened was as expected; she met the gaze of the man who didn’t even take his eyes off her once.
A mutual silence, and only a few seconds after, at the moment when he realized the pupils of her large opened eyes were reddish-brown —
「Hi, hime-samaa!!」
「–!!」
Crying out loudly while rushing out of the room, her graceful figure until now was completely ruined,
The sounds of footsteps *dotadota* and cries of 「Hime-sama Hime-sama」continued far away.
With the young man being alone, he could only tilt his neck.
◊◊◊
Vilia almost fainted when she heard that her mistress, who went out for a change of mood, came into contact with a man whom she found, at the water spirit lake at the corner of the castle serving as the White Dragon imperial residence.
However, while worrying about the man, Meriela seemed to have regained her spirit, more so than her usual. Therefore, Vilia was unable to harbour any ill feelings towards the man in question to a certain degree.
With a butler’s a.s.sistance, the doctor employed at the castle would perform a medical examination twice a day. Vilia’s task was to report to Meriela after comprehending the man’s condition from the duo.
There was times when she would confirm the man’s state herself, as she realized Meriela would be relieved this way.
「I believe his complexion seems good today」
Just from the reports of the doctor and butler adding on one after another, just slightly, Meriela displayed her smiling face.
Since the start of the civil war, Vilia wasn’t able to see Meriela’s smile despite much effort.
By no means was Vilia harbouring ill feelings towards that man, yet for the first time, she felt envious of him.
And thus today, she chased after her mistress who threw away her work upon hearing the awakening of that man. As expected, Vilia felt envy from her heart.
◊◊◊
「–You! Is your body alright?!」
Towards the woman who flung open the door and rushing in with a question, he was rendered speechless.
（Since she went to call her hime, might this person be her?）
With her pretty blushing cheeks on her white skin, and her moist bright golden eyes looking directly into his, her delirious sigh gave off an indescribable charm.
While a little surprised from feeling that, he showed a slight smile.
「Eeto….」
A light green dress fitting for young women; simple yet giving a splendid impression, though it might be difficult to run in this manner. He was perplexed whether to praise her for running till here in high-heels or to admonish her for the dangerous act.
In actual fact, before she arrived at this room, several servants were thinking about the same thing. Though there were some among them who wanted to dissuade her, she had run quickly away in front of them.
They came together to give her a rebuke in the future. To rebuke her was the duty of the va.s.sals, according to Carl’s policy.
Meriela, not knowing that was in store for her, slightly approached towards the man. Towards the other party holding a vigilant stance, she was unable to display either a cautious approach or a straightforward att.i.tude.
「Do you understand my words?」
Meriela took a breath to calm herself down and asked a question once again.
In the case whereby words were unable to get through, telepathy was necessary reach a mutual understanding. However, to perform telepathy, raw material for a day worth of translation magic had to be gathered.
But it seemed unnecessary this time.
「Ye, yes」
In front of Meriela, the man definitely nodded his head.
「I’m glad, jyaa, can you answer some questions?」
「Yes, I don’t mind」
「Thank you」
Upon sitting down on the chair besides the bed, Meriela ordered Vilia to prepare some paper and writing materials.
After presenting stationery decorated with ornament, Vilia withdrew out of the room on Meriela’s order, whereupon she turned towards him with a serious expression. With that look, she turned in the direction of the man’s forehead, the truth which she was really interested in laid there.
(Yoshi)
Even if her priority was to extract 『a certain truth』, for Meriela who was taught『To risk your all to protect the citizens regardless of good or evil』 since young, she had to care for the young man who collapsed at her clan-controlled territory without fail with their reputation and pride at stake.
Not wanting to miss a word, Meriela approached towards him. Placing her hand on the bed, her face drew near, wearing an expression of not permitting any lies.
Was it because he just woke up, she can’t say his complexion was good due to his pale face. If possible, it would be best to quickly finish her task and call the doctor.
Having decided, she began immediately. With the pen in her hand, she started her questioning.
「Firstly, what is your name? Are you from the opposite sh.o.r.e, ? 」「Kuriado2…?」
The man tilted his head. And with that suspicious p.r.o.nunciation, he did not seem to know the name of the town. However just to be sure, Meriela asked again for confirmation.
「Yes, are you from there?」
「Iya…Probably not」
「I see, then where are you from? Before that, what is your name? 」
From his appearance, he did not seem to be lying.
Having confirmed that, Meriela inquired even further. Originally, she should have asked that from the beginning, yet to have forgotten about it, she could only laugh bitterly inside her heart.
(It is pointless to be impatient. Since he has yet to get used to this place…)
Towards Meriela whose thoughts were somewhere else, the young man tilted his neck.
「Name…?」
Having being asked, part of his memories resurfaced. Information about characters forming his name rose up to the surface of his consciousness.
Trying to p.r.o.nounce these words —
「–Tsu」
However his throat wasn’t able to give out all the sounds.
To be more accurate, he couldn’t bring out the p.r.o.nunciation.
「–?」
Though his mouth could move, the p.r.o.nunciation wouldn’t come out.
Somewhere within his consciousness"s, a thought of「that is different, that is not my name」 caused him to pause. Though his mouth wanted to speak out, his body was preventing it from doing so. With his consciousness and memories clashing against each other, he was a.s.saulted by a sense of dizziness momentarily.
「U…」
「Are, are you alright?」
Though Meriela became fl.u.s.tered at his appearance, she was troubled over whether the inquiry would be cancelled.
During this time, the man further pursued his thoughts.
(I can’t remember my name?)
Nay, the memories were also missing. He thought, recollecting his memories, his name was on the tip of his tongue, but when that portion was about to come out, it became pure white.
Rather than being unable to remember, he realized that it didn’t exist from the beginning. He was shocked.
Seemingly concerned, Meriela continued looking at his face.
The young man noticed her appearance, though with that being said, he couldn’t do anything.
However, shifting his eyes suddenly and at the moment when he saw the golden eyes of the bright girl whom he had never met until now, his voice came back.
「–Leti…val. Letival」
「Letival? Is that your name? 」
(That"s my name?)
He wasn’t confident. However, he couldn’t find any other words to represent himself.
He was bewildered. But, for Meriela who doesn’t know of his inner thoughts, smiled and nodded once. Moving her pen, the first thing to be noted down on the paper was his name.
「Meaning 『person of the moon』in ancient language huh. It is a good name, though I don’t know whether your parents are priests of a temple, it is probably related to your eyes that have a gentle colour」
Having a good name was proof of being born out of love.
If she inquired about the name at the temple and government, Meriela thought she might be able to obtain a little more information, hence she further added on next to the name.
「Eyes…?」
Even if his eyes received such a.s.sessment, Letival who had not looked into a mirror once, couldn’t understand his appearance. However, Meriela failed to recognize the fact that Letival wasn’t aware of his own appearance.
Towards Letival’s att.i.tude, Meriela remembered his slight sense of discomfort, and replied while sliding the pen.
「Yes, you have beautiful silver eyes」
Being told beautiful, those were her heartfelt words. She might be captivated by those eyes holding a gentle light inside them.
But Meriela covered up her heart and asked a question which she had always wanted to. That is, not only her, but something which could greatly affect the whole country.
「There is just one more thing I want to ask but…」
Thereupon, she hardened her facial expression and let her eyes fell upon the stationery. Before long, after nodding to decide her thoughts, she began to ask a question while looking at him with upturned eyes.
Her voice slightly trembled.
「Is your –hair white by birth?」
Not understanding the meaning behind her question, Letival could not help but tilted his head.
The he of this moment did not know that her question would greatly change his fate.
Thus by the time he realized this, he was at a point of no return.
There was a person who once held such fate in his chest, seeking the possibility of creating a country.
And now, without knowing his fate, a young man holding possibilities appeared.
And it was because this young man’s life was recorded, that the 『Legend of the Empire of the White』 which people knew, loved and at some point of time forgotten, existed.
End of Chapter 2
1多くの次元の壁を隔てた先で.
2Same p.r.o.nunciation but written differently. The former was in katakana, used for p.r.o.nouncing foreign names, クリアード while the latter was in hiragana くりあーど.