Princess – Part 17
As soon as Aria shifted back from rapier to human form, she collapsed onto the muddy, rain-soaked ground. Sweat poured off her as she violently retched into the dirt.
“A-Aria, are you all right?” Cecily called out, though she, too, collapsed from exhaustion, not caring that her body was drenched in filthy water.
“That was… rough… ugh…” Aria groaned.
“Sorry… I pushed you too hard.”
Aria managed a weary smile, shaking her head. “Actually… I feel a weight off my shoulder.”
“What?”
“I’ve been stressing over stuff lately. But you’re right—I just need to figure it out. How to be happy… yeah, I’ll think about it. I’ll figure it out. Ugh, I’m starving!”
Cecily gaped at her. The sound of crumbling debris caught their attention. Doris, battered and bruised, was standing up from a pile of rubble. She coughed through the dust.
“Margot! Penelope! Are you all right?” she called out.
Two heads popped up from another heap of rubble. Margot and Penelope, too exhausted to speak, waved weakly in response.
“You win, Cecily,” Doris admitted, bowing her head. “I know I’m in no position to ask for anything, but please get them treated. They’ve lost too much blood.”
Cecily had no reason to refuse.
As the battle ended, the area started to buzz with onlookers. City officials who had been helping evacuate citizens returned. Cecily quickly asked one of her colleagues to tend to Margot and Penelope.
“Doris, you should get treated too.”
But Doris didn’t move, her gaze fixed on the crowd. Cecily followed her eyes and spotted a familiar girl, drenched from head to toe.
“Your voice carries well, Cecily. I could hear it even through the rain.”
“Charlotte…”
“When I woke up, the girls were gone. I had a feeling, so I came outside—and, well, here we are.”
Charlotte looked around, her expression darkening. Cecily knew why. She had tried not to think about it, but the reality was staring them all in the face.
The government office was half-destroyed. The area where the battle had taken place looked as though a bomb had gone off—walls and ceilings blown apart, floorboards torn up to reveal the mud beneath. It was just a section of the building, but the damage was severe. Important documents could be lost, and they’d have to explain themselves and apologize to the residents. Cecily didn’t even want to think about the cost of repairs. And how on earth would she explain this to the Captain? Or the mayor?
Ahh… Dropping to all fours, Cecily hung her head in despair.
“I’m sorry,” Charlotte murmured, lowering her head. “I apologize for the girls causing so much trouble. I’ll accept any punishment.”
Doris closed her eyes, offering no defense. Cecily and Aria exchanged glances before letting out a long, exhausted sigh.
“Our demand is simple,” Aria said.
“Hurry up and seek asylum,” Cecily added.
Charlotte hesitated, holding back her response. “But this much damage can’t be overlooked.”
“We’ll deal with it,” Cecily said. Her own words sent a chill through her. “Don’t worry.”
“Please… just stop,” Charlotte groaned, pleading. Her shoulders were shaking. “Don’t make me feel worse. What’s the point of all this?” Her voice grew louder, more frantic. “To be pitied, to betray the Empire, to live in fear of its shadow, sheltered by the Militant Nation. And then to live aimlessly—what’s the point?”
“It’s better than dying.”
“It’s just surviving, nothing more.”
“You can’t preserve your dignity dead. Besides, my job is to protect. If you’re dead set on rushing to your death, at least do it somewhere I can’t see you.”
“So, you’re really forcing me to seek asylum.”
“If you refuse, then pick up the sword. I’ll fight you as many times as it takes.”
Cecily pulled herself up, unfastening the short sword from her waist and holding it out to Charlotte. She accepted it almost reluctantly, staring in disbelief. Cecily, battered and bruised, faced her head-on.
“Come at me. I’ll crush you again and again.”
Charlotte stayed still for a while before finally unsheathing the short sword. She tossed the scabbard aside and gripped the sword in a forward stance. Its tip quivered.
Raising her head, she hardened her gaze. But when she spoke again, her voice trembled with emotion.
“I wanted to honor my mother!”
Cecily nodded.
“I wanted her to be happy!”
Cecily nodded again.
“I wanted her to live!”
That last cry came out as a desperate scream, cutting through the air like a plea for help.
“Yeah.”
Cecily imagined the scene: a daughter clinging to her lifeless mother as three attendants stood frozen in shock. The daughter soon made up her mind. She would give meaning to her mother’s life and death. She would turn her into a distinguished woman who bore a child of royal blood. A desperate wish born of grief and longing.
She would make sure her mother’s name and presence endured in this world.
Cecily’s imagination merged with the reality before her. The girl was biting back tears. She wiped them away, replacing sorrow with sheer determination as she charged forward. Her foot dug into the mud. Her small frame twisted as she lunged, eyes bloodshot, the deadly gleam of her blade flashing in the air.
Charlotte E. Firobisher rushed forward, fueled by her dream, while Cecily Campbell stood firm, ready to shatter it.
Cecily swatted the sweeping sword aside with her right fist. The impact was so intense that it felt like her bones might break, but she pushed through the pain and, clenching her fist, struck Charlotte across the face, sending her crashing into the mud.
Aria watched silently. Doris bit her lip, trying to hold back her emotions. The rain had let up.
“As of right now, Charlotte E. Firobisher is dead,” Cecily said. “You don’t have to keep putting on a brave face.”
Lying on her back, Charlotte let out a small, choking sob. She turned her head toward Doris and stretched out a hand in her direction. Her fingers grasped at the air as if reaching for her mother.
Doris stumbled forward and pulled the girl tightly into her chest. Charlotte clung to her, wailing like a child throwing a tantrum, tears streaming down her face. Doris couldn’t hold back her own sobs any longer.
Their cries echoed through the moonlit night.
“Thanks for all your help.”
Wasting no time, they departed just a few hours after the scuffle.
At sunrise, they quickly packed their things and were seen off at the third main gate of the Independent Trade City’s Fifth District.
The city, surrounded by sturdy stone walls, promoted free trade, so there was no toll at the gate. The gates were open from sunrise to sunset. Beyond the gate lay vast plains, with a road cutting through the landscape. Charlotte and her group would follow this road in a carriage, passing through the Crowd Powers on their way to the Militant Nation. It would be a long journey.
Housman, upon seeing the state of the government office in the morning, cradled his head in despair. Hannibal, on the other hand, burst into uncontrollable laughter. Cecily couldn’t understand what he found so amusing.
When reporting the incident regarding the half-destroyed office, Cecily mixed in some lies.
“Cecily, I take it most of the damage was caused by their Infernal Blades?” the mayor asked.
“No, Mayor. The damage was caused by my mishandling of my Infernal Blade. They’re not to blame.”
Cecily had been placed on suspension, and upon her return, she’d be tasked with helping to recreate the lost documents. The repairs would be carried out under House Campbell’s name, though Hannibal had promised to shoulder the majority of the cost. In Cecily’s eyes, he was like a god. She could almost worship him for it.
Charlotte’s defection proceeded quickly and as planned. The four Infernal Blades, including Evadne, would be returned to the Empire, while a false report would be made stating that they had escaped. Housman’s resourcefullness shone when he mentioned using the half-destroyed government office as part of the cover for the story.
From here on, Charlotte and her group would reside in the Militant Nation in exchange for information about the Empire.
Under the towering shadow of the city’s stone walls, Charlotte and her group stood with the bright sun behind them. Cecily, Aria, and Lisa had come to see them off. Luke did not.
“I’m really sorry for all the trouble we’ve caused.”
Charlotte bowed, and her attendants did the same. Despite their injuries from the fight with Cecily—severe enough to make standing difficult—they kept their heads lowered for what seemed like an eternity.
Margot and Penelope shared a few parting words.
“Thanks to you, I can’t hate well-endowed women anymore,” Margot said.
“That’s your final thought?”
“Well, it’s our last time, so I might as well pay my respects. Penelope, join me.”
“Why are you dragging me into this? A-Anyway, Cecily, Aria, Lisa—thank you for everything. I won’t forget your kindness.”
Lisa handed over a small bundle. “For the journey,” she said. Penelope took it with a grateful smile.
Doris stood to face Cecily. “I hope we meet again.”
“We will.”
They exchanged a firm handshake. There was no need for more between warriors who had crossed blades.
As the girls boarded the carriage, Charlotte, summoning her courage, spoke up. “Cecily, there’s something I need to confess.”
“Hmm?”
“Someone instigated this whole affair.”
Cecily came to a late realization. Not a lot of people knew about the existence of the Infernal Blades. Aria was even treated as a rare commodity in the city. Why, then, did Charlotte’s group possess four of them when they were supposed to be in exile?
“It was that person who lent us the four Infernal Blades. They hinted the Emperor was collecting more and searching for blacksmiths. I was told that this city had both, and if I obtained them and presented them to the Emperor, I’d be welcomed. They said that if the situation called for it, I could use the treasured sword to reveal my identity. Thinking back now, I wonder why I fell for such smooth talk.”
“…”
“That person is the commander of a newly formed band of warriors in the Empire. It’s a strange group—half of them are warriors, but the other half are Inhumans.”
“Inhumans?”
“Yes. They say this group tames Inhumans.”
Inhumans referred to beings that were, as the term suggests, not of human origin. It was often associated with dangerous beasts, though even harmless creatures sometimes bore the same label.
The Merchant the Knight Guard had been tracking also tamed Inhumans. Could it be the same person? If so, the city’s enemy was the Empire.
“Wh-What’s their name?” Cecily asked.
“Siegfried. Don’t forget it.”
Cecily nodded grimly.
Charlotte sighed. “It’s time to go.”
“Ah… yes, I suppose it is.”
“I know I keep saying this, but thank you. I truly appreciate everything you’ve done. No, wait.” Charlotte straightened up and bowed deeply once more. “Thank you very much!”
Startled, Cecily stepped back. Charlotte lifted her head and grinned. Cecily couldn’t help but smile in return.
“Take care,” Cecily said.
“We will.”
“Watch out for Inhumans. There are still some who attack travelers near the borders of the Crowd Powers.”
“We’re invincible. I’ve got reliable companions,” Charlotte said proudly. “Cecily, I’m abandoning the name ‘E.'”
Her gaze was unwavering. The marks of tears were still visible around her eyes, and her cheek, where Cecily had struck her, was red and swollen.
“But this isn’t the end.”
Her bright expression showed she’d overcome her sorrow.
“Watch me.”
“I will. My respect goes to your mother who gave you life and the three who raised you.”
“Thank you. We’ll meet again someday.”
With no regrets, Charlotte straightened herself and strode confidently toward the carriage.
Cecily stood silently, watching her go.
The carriage set off, moving out from the shadow of the stone walls and into the sunlight.
That day, a girl cast aside her name and claimed her freedom.
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