Princess – Part 12
The long day finally turned to night, and the Campbell family was having a slightly late dinner.
“Tonight’s table feels festive,” remarked Lucy Campbell, Cecily’s mother, as she studied the faces around the table. Long red hair, reminiscent of Cecily’s but somewhat faded, framed her haggard cheeks. Weakened and often bedridden, she sat down with Fio’s assistance.
It certainly is.
Cecily glanced at the faces around the table and smiled. Until recently, it had been just her father, mother, Fio, and herself. After her father’s passing, it had become three, and with Aria’s arrival, they were back to four. Today, with the addition of four new guests—Doris had finally awakened—they totaled eight. The already cramped table felt even more crowded.
“This is my first time having dinner with so many people.”
Charlotte watched as Fio and Penelope placed dish after dish on the table.
Lucy gently placed her hand on Charlotte’s head, smiling warmly. “Eat up, dear.”
“Ah, y-yeah.”
Lucy had requested that she sit beside her. As the woman softly brushed her fingers through Charlotte’s hair, the girl lowered her head, feeling ticklish. She kept sneaking glances at Lucy’s chest, ample-sized despite her frail condition—proof that she was indeed Cecily’s mother.
Once everyone had settled into their seats, Lucy and Fio clasped their hands and began the city’s customary prayer, reciting phrases endorsed by the community in unison. Some citizens referred to the miracles brought about by Prayer Pacts as the work of spirits and worshipped them. This practice, known as animism, involved offering prayers before meals or sleep.
Cecily glanced at Aria beside her and raised an eyebrow. Normally, Aria followed along, but tonight she sat still, eyes downcast.
“Aria? What’s the matter?”
“I’m just… not feeling it tonight, that’s all. Haha.”
Her laugh came off dry. Since returning right before dinner, Aria seemed dejected. Cecily had tried asking about it, but Aria kept dodging her questions, offering nothing but vague responses.
“Aren’t you going to pray, Cecily?” Charlotte asked.
“That’s right,” Lucy chimed in with a sigh, resting her cheek in her hand. “This girl never prays, even though we owe the food and lights in this house to Prayer Pacts. They’re used a lot in the Knight Guard, too. But for some reason, Cecily stubbornly refuses.”
“Well, that might be true, but… didn’t Father never pray either?” Cecily pointed out.
Her father had refused to pray during his lifetime. He never imposed his views on the rest of the family or the servants, but he’d remained firm in his stance, and growing up watching him, Cecily had come to have some reservations about worshipping Prayer Pacts.
“Cecily’s definitely her father’s daughter,” Fio remarked.
“Fio!”
Cecily’s face scrunched into a pout. Lucy and Fio exchanged a chuckle.
Now that Cecily thought about it, neither Luke nor Lisa prayed either. In fact, she had never seen them use Prayer Pacts at all, not even for lighting fires. Lisa’s power also came from a Demon Pact, not prayers. They used jewel steel for forging katanas, so it wasn’t like they were low on supply.
“Well, let’s eat,” Lucy announced.
With so many people, the food was served in large platters. Fio carefully portioned out vegetables and handed a serving to Lucy. Charlotte and her attendants started eating as well, albeit hesitantly, but after a long day of fighting and cleaning, their hunger overtook them, and soon enough, any reservation went out the window.
“Charlotte, is there anything you don’t like?” Lucy asked.
“N-No, Mother taught me well.”
“I see. She must be a wonderful woman. Here, try this.”
“Oh, this is yummy,” Doris said. “Fio, what is it? I don’t think I’ve had it before.”
“That? It’s wild herb from the Ashen Woods. The girl at the smithy shared it with us. The forest’s got a crazy high concentration of Aetheria. Usually, you’d get Aetherial intoxication, though.”
“Cecily Campbell, why is everyone in your household so… well-endowed?” Margot suddenly cut in.
“Huh? Wh-What are you talking about?”
“Your assets, obviously. It’s clear it runs in the family when I look at your mother, but how is it that even your Infernal Blade and the maid are gifted?”
“Assets? Seriously, what are you going on about?”
“Is there some secret ingredient in the food? If I eat enough, will I end up like you and your sword? Hmm, Penelope, you should definitely eat more of this!”
“Why are you dragging me into this? And with such emphasis! I mean, don’t get me wrong. I would love to be just as big as her.”
“Wh-What do you mean by ‘big’?’”
A sudden clatter interrupted the banter, drawing everyone’s attention. Charlotte had stood up abruptly.
“Charlotte, dear?” Lucy asked, perplexed.
“Excuse me. I need to step out for a moment,” Charlotte mumbled before quickly leaving the room.
“She was crying.”
Doris, Margot, and Penelope sprang to their feet and hurried after their mistress.
Cecily stood up as well, intent on checking the situation. She quickly found them beneath the moonlight in the Campbell family courtyard, wrapped in each other’s arms. The sound of a girl’s sobs froze Cecily in her tracks.
“Will the Emperor… will Father help me? Will he love me, the child of a mistress? Can I even honor Mother’s life even a little?”
The girls enveloped Charlotte in a protective embrace, shielding her from the world’s evils.
“It’s okay, Lady Charlotte,” Doris said, her voice strained. “This might sound like empty words, but it’s going to be all right. We’re here for you. We will protect you. We’ve given up our family name to be your hands, feet, and eyes. We’ll always be together.”
“That’s right. You’re not alone.”
“So, please don’t cry. Don’t cry.”
Aria fell in beside Cecily, squinting as if looking at something too bright. “I wonder if she remembered her mother.”
“Probably.” Cecily nodded. “Though she seems strong, Charlotte is still just a twelve-year-old child. She’s desperately holding on in that small body of hers.”
The thought of Lucy reminded Charlotte of their deceased mother, likely contributing to the emotional release.
“But she has people to support her,” Aria said, glancing at the three fighters. “Charlotte will be okay.”
“Yeah.”
As long as someone cared, it would give her strength. Charlotte had three such supporters, a significant number. She would be fine.
“Aria, would you be willing to join me in my training starting tomorrow morning?” Cecily asked.
“Sure, but why?”
“I’m frustrated.”
Today, she had been utterly defeated by those three, which meant she had lost to the love and affection that surrounded Charlotte. But she wouldn’t back down.
Losing felt like a fracture in her will to protect the city. Despite wielding the Infernal Blade Aria, her skills still fell short. She couldn’t afford to stay this way. She needed to face her defeat head-on.
“I want to get stronger.”
She turned to her partner, and Aria, understanding her feelings, nodded.
“Yeah. Let’s get stronger together.”
“Thank you, Aria.”
“Cecily, I… I—” Aria hesitated. “No, it’s nothing.” She shook her head, offering a faint smile. “Let’s give it our all.”
“Yeah.”
And so, the night deepened.
Reflecting on yesterday’s battle, Cecily saw plenty of room for improvement.
It was three against one, and all of them wielded Infernal Blades. But that wasn’t an excuse. They had mastered their weapons, coordinating their abilities seamlessly. In contrast, she had blindly relied on wind power, without landing a single hit.
Wielding an Infernal Blade wasn’t just about swordsmanship. It required adaptability.
“I spent all night thinking about it.”
“…zzz.”
“D-Don’t fall asleep on me, Aria!”
The city’s nesting birds stirred awake, and the rising sun’s rays pierced the pale, glowing skyline.
Cecily and Aria stood in the Campbell family garden. Cecily, arms crossed confidently, basked in the soft morning light—with dark circles under her eyes.
Aria stifled a yawn with teary eyes, her shoulders slumping. Not a morning person, she’d often sit down, nodding off when she let her guard down, and Cecily had to shake her awake each time.
“Aria, please. I’m being serious.”
“I am too. I just didn’t sleep well last night.”
“Huh? Why?”
Aria let out a weary sigh, closing her eyes.
Cecily frowned. “Aria?”
“So, what did you spend all night thinking about?”
“Ah, right. I’ve been thinking a lot about you, Aria.”
“Huh?” Aria blinked awake, staring at Cecily. Her cheeks turned red. “Oh, Cecily, stop it. Not this early in the morning.”
“I don’t think I’m using your abilities to their full potential.”
“Ah. Yeah, figured it was something like that.” She sounded disappointed.
Cecily had stayed up all night considering how best to wield Aria’s power. So far, she’d mainly used it to launch wind attacks and create defensive barriers. But surely there was more. Her powers couldn’t be limited to just offense and defense. There had to be other possibilities.
“I need your help to figure that out.”
“That’s easier said than done. Most people who wield a rapier use it the same way you do. I can’t think of anything different.”
“There has to be something. Look at Doris and the others. Their Infernal Blades all have unique abilities. Yours seems… less defined.”
A claymore that could split the earth. A rhomphaia that extended its reach. A ballock knife that nullified Infernal Blade powers. Each had a clear, specific function. But Aria’s power, to “create wind,” seemed so abstract. Generate wind… and then what? Cecily believed the key lay in exploring that very question.
“Something more than just generating wind. Hmm.”
“Exactly.”
They stood there, arms crossed, lost in thought, muttering “something more” under their breath like two suspicious conspirators.
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