The Annals of the Flame Kingdom (WN)

Not for long, just the two of us. In addition to Ayano's "bomb," Erica, who would sometimes "argh," this time calmly - well, I blushed - calmly, when I sighed small, I lowered my hips to the chair in the center of the room.

"... if you sit down without standing up, Courta?

"... Ah, yes"

It was Kota who was disturbed, one way or another, and somehow, Erica smiled bitterly at Kota, who really somehow lowered her hips from Erica to a chair that was a distance away.

"... you don't have to be so far apart to eat something else, do you?

"Oh, yes, no! That's not why..."

"Well, I don't even know what Coata feels like because Ayano said that, but you know what? Still, I can't even float after what happened to Lotte on the boulder, can I? Not a little rude, Coata?

Kouta also makes herself smaller to Erica, who has a slight gaze. Erica's right, I feel bad about myself, and if I had a hole, I'd like to go in.

"I'm sorry about that."

"Just kidding. And Lotte... well, she's gonna laugh and forgive me."

That's what I said, smile small, and Erica stretches her spine hmm.

"Still... I knew it, but Lotte is amazing."

I have no objection to Erica's words. Kota nodded small, too, continuing his words.

"Because it is a system in which His Majesty and Mr. Lotte, with whom His Majesty places full confidence, make the final decision, while having a bureaucratic mechanism called the Wang Fu. I think it's pretty good as a form of state, without a multiplier."

Democracy is basically an excellent form of politics. However, it would be an assessment that the top of the dictatorship or oligarchy political system is not good, but is born for it. It makes sense that faster decision-making is better, and if the top is good, there is nothing wrong with a dictatorship. In that sense, the Kingdom of Flame can also be described as a happy nation.

"Lotte, there's some reflection that I'm relying too much on... but maybe I can't help it either"

"Right. If those people were up there... and they were there, I'm sure they wouldn't grow up down there."

"One man, Lotte."

"I don't know the area. Well, I can imagine."

Loosen her cheeks strangely to such Hauta's words, Erica takes a seat. Walking to Kota's side with a smile on Kota's face with a surprise look on his face, he lowered his ston and hips to the chair next to Kota's.

"... not if it's floating?

"I'm not floating... what is it? I thought Lotte was amazing."

"... in what sense?

"What about Liz? Lotte, she's... she's gone, she's very upset, right?

"... right"

"What's that? Liz and Lotte are close... no. I think it's because it's too close."

"... oh"

"You know what?"

"Yeah. Everyone, because the death inside you is sad. In particular, Your Majesty is still young, and it will take time to accept it."

"Take it to Liz. Lotte was a substitute. So... the..."

Erica, just to say the least. Staring at that figure, Kota waited for Erica's words. As he had decided on such an attitude of Hota, Yuzu and Erica still opened their mouths.

"... you know... you might be despised, right? I'm not as sad about Lotte's death as Liz."

"... no, I don't despise you"

"Ah! Chi, you're not? It's not sad, it's not hard! Of course, I want to take revenge! But... but right? Here's the thing...... what do you say?

"It's okay, I get it. Because I have experience, too."

"... even on the Coata?

"My grandmother died in the third grade of college. My mother was grieving with tears in her coffin. My aunt and uncle were sad... but I couldn't cry."

……

"Whatever, it wasn't that sad, was it? But my grandmother lived in Kyushu... Yep, a long way from where I lived, so I stopped seeing her inside every time I got older. So it was sad to never see you again... right, that's all I had emotions for. If I go back to where I live, I'll forget about it, and I'll only remember it every time I remember my grandmother."

It is only natural that the death of a person should have the greatest impact on a human being whose presence is' everyday '. For Kota, her grandmother is "the body she meets once in a while," and for Kota's mother, "the body she has spent with since childhood." Naturally, the impact of Hota's mother is determined to be greater.

"So it's only natural to take it from Erica that Mr. Lotte's death isn't as sad as His Majesty's."

Liz, who was face-to-face every day, and Erica, who has only met me counting since I left the royal castle. I can even say it's stranger that there's no difference in grief.

"... yes, it is. It's only natural for me to be without Lotte, and when I get back to Terra, I'm going to tell you about Lotte... you know, forget about it, I think you'll encourage politics."

"... Yes"

"What about me? I thought Lotte hated me. But, you know, Liz said Lotte would accept Terra's bonds unconditionally and wouldn't even remind her. And just now... you told me about me, and, you know, my little girl."

……

"... so? Maybe Lotte, I was expecting this to happen - I think so. Me too... well, if you spoiled me as easily as Liz could understand, I'm sure if something like this happened, I wouldn't be able to do my job sadly."

"... so dare you turn away?

"... yeah. Maybe I think too much..."

Just a little self-indulgence. With such a gentle stroke of Erica's head, Kota took over the words.

"... Mr. Lotte would be able to do that."

"... wouldn't it?

"It's just an imagination though. But, Mr. Erica? I'm pretty sure you love Erica."

"... really?

"There was a time the other day when His Majesty called you to come to the Royal Castle of Larchia, wasn't there? That's when Mr. Lotte told me. Don't do anything more. If the city develops too much, there will surely be people in charge of 'you'. And it's" unhappy. "

"... yeah"

"But right? Before that, Mr. Lotte said. Terra's success and failure are Erica's things. Then don't you think it's a funny story to be in charge of 'me'?

"If Terra succeeds, I'm the one in charge, Erica Orenfeld van Flame?

"That's right. And that will surely be a disturbance that will bisect the country. Erica is the king's sister, isn't she? Mr. Lotte, I was wondering if you wanted to avoid that... well, now I suppose."

At the time, I could only think that the 'country' would be unhappy. However, with so much information, Kota can also reach Lotte's sincerity.

"... you're really a parent idiot, that guy"

Nothing, it's just that I didn't want to see a future where Erica and Liz, both of them, would be sad.

"... it's really hard to understand, that idiot"

"... right. I think so too."

"Besides, if that's the case, I feel like I'm just losing it. Oh, your sister's a loser."

"Well...... I have a sister downstairs too, and I feel like I know the area"

"Even I just wish you were adorable. It's hard to understand love, Lotte."

……

"... a little more, plainly cute, isn't it, that idiot lotte? Oh, my God! I wanted to try it sweet, too."

……

"... okay, about... he spoiled me!

……

"What if I did? Even I'm as sad as Liz! Hey, Coata? Don't you think?

Placing her hands gently on Erica's head, Kota strokes her head. That signaled, Erica's tear glands decimated, and whether she didn't like being seen with it, Erica buried her face in Kota's chest.

"... you don't have to be strong, Erica"

……

"... it's good. It's fine, Mr. Erica. Because I know. I know."

"... Hiku... Egg..."

"If it's hard, you can cry. If you're sad, you can cry. If you miss me, you can cry. You don't have to work hard because you're my sister."

"... here... I..."

To the audible voice, Hota turns her arm around Erica's back and hugs her just a little more forcefully.

"- Good day, Mr. Erica. Nice work, huh?

That's the word, the signal.

"-! Coata! Kota, kota, kota, kota, kota, kota, kota!

Like Liz earlier, Kota continued to gently stroke Erica's crying back.

◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆

"Well... is that about it? Wow, Atsu! You're burning good!

East Avenue with fierce fires. The boy, who was walking lightly, as if skipping, through a voice for help here and there, an encouragement voice, and a sock with an anger, suddenly stops that stride in the appearance of a girl coming down from the roof.

"Hey. Was it too late?

The girl coming down from the roof sighed and showed her as if she didn't even show a surprise bare wave and, on the contrary, one hand up as normal.

"... you're a little more surprised, aren't you, Eric?

"I thought it might be time to come. Besides, on the roof, it's Lorna's favorite place, right?

"Didn't Eric tell you?

The girl who says so and shows it - to Lorna, the boy - Eric shows her shoulders flapping.

"Well, if they say so, maybe so."

"I don't care if you say so."

Again, after a frightened sigh, Lorna shows her lips tied together. To that appearance, I felt the atmosphere switched to a serious story, and Eric also corrected his residence.

"- Confirmation of the death of Sir Lotte Baumgarden, as well as the fire on East Street, was taken. Eric, thank you. That's the end of Eric's" job. "

To Lorna, who says so and lowers her head, Eric loosens her cheeks small.

"... confirmation of a fire. You'll see."

"Format matters, this kind of thing. Anyway, Eric, you're tired. On behalf of" The Princess, "thank you."

"He said it wasn't enough to thank me. It was originally my goal, and revenge."

Now Lorna loosens her cheeks to Eric, who tells her to look like nothing. Then when I took one of the apples out of the bag I put on my hips, I showed Eric pompous.

"Come on, this is my reward from Lorna."

"You're not a kid, are you? The reward is one apple... I mean, you've been pushing apples since we met, you."

"What? You don't like apples?

"No, I don't hate you. At least you like it better than the plan."

Keep it up, Eric on the apple. Lorna stares at that figure, with her cheeks still loose. Eric, noticing Lorna's gaze like that, twisted her neck small.

"Why? Lorna's last job, don't you have to?

Lorna's cheek, which was loose, hardens.

"... Sa, your last job?

"That's my last job. After that, Lorna, you're gonna end up killing me with a knife in that chest pocket, right?

It was for a moment that I was stunned by Eric's appearance like it was nothing.

"... since what time?

"What?

"Since when... since when did you realize that you were going to 'kill' Eric?

Lie your eyes down, and Eric twirls an apple to the core like that to Rhona.

"Mmm, it's been decided from the beginning, isn't it?"

"... from the beginning?

"Think about it normally, see? I said I wanted to avenge your sister, Jesse. So, normally, is it Lyme who drove your sister Jesse to suicide, or is it revenge for the Kingdom of Larkia that couldn't stop her like that? Why would I have to assassinate the Prime Minister of the Flame kingdom without any connection?

"It's... the first cancer I said. Because Flame's prime minister has been talking about harmony, Eric is..."

"That's the story that took away my place of death, isn't it? Jesse, your revenge has nothing to do with it."

"-... yeah, bye"

"So I've noticed from the start, huh? Nothing about this, Jesse, she said it had nothing to do with your sister's revenge. I'm just being used... and I'm sure they'll kill me when I'm done."

Throw a core-only apple into a burning house with pawn. He looked disgusted by the patch and the spark that flew just a little, and Eric hand-paid the firepowder that broke out near his face.

"... that's it"

"Yeah?"

"I know so much... why didn't you take it?

"When I asked you, you said you couldn't go back, right, Lorna?

"Well, that's... yeah, but..."

"Later... well, you wanted to swing it down one way or the other, didn't you? The fist I mentioned."

……

"Jesse, your sister's dead, and she didn't seem to be alive, me. I was told that the Larkian army would recruit soldiers in the war against Lyme, and I went to the battlefield to be flushed, but I ended up living and surviving. I'm at peace, and after that, can you tell me to live my life? It's hard to find what it means to live."

That's what I said, one bitter laugh.

"... so maybe anything would have been good. If" Sister Jesse's Vengeance "had been named, wouldn't you have done it in a fishmonger or 800?

"... Eric"

"But well, it looks like it's going to be a long time in a fishmonger or eight hundred, and I think this turned out good. Traveling with Lorna also seemed interesting... but it seems difficult."

"... weren't you looking forward to it?

"Don't tell me he's going to kill you. It's not your fault."

"I know you're going to kill me, and that's what I promise. It's your fault. Don't flatter your maiden heart."

"Ha. Maybe if they say so. Sorry, Lorna."

"... no. It's not my fault. I'm sorry, Eric."

"Fine. Either way, you can't live as long as you're crazy like me. If you're going to die taking a thousand years of capital on the road, wouldn't that be fine?

That being said, Eric reached out his hands and indicated with his jaw the left chest - the position of the heart.

"Do as you wish, Lorna. I don't want to hurt you, okay?

It's not the human word that's going to kill me. To Eric like that, Lorna bites her lips off - and takes the knife out of her inner pocket.

"... Goodbye, Eric"

"Goodbye, Lorna"

The blade sparkles and Eric and Rhona's distance shrinks to zero for a moment.

"... I told you not to hurt me"

Another moment from Eric's mouth, when a mass of blood overflows.

"... sorry, Eric"

"... thanks, Lorna"

Eric's body collapses when he loses the power to support himself. Trying to cuddle that body, giving up on a sole weighing more than herself, Lorna shifts her body. Zud, and made a blunt noise, and Eric's body threw itself into the land of Larchia.

"... don't say thank you"

I look up at Eric's wreckage as Lorna overflows with tears. And I got a look at one familiar man there. All over her body, dressed in armor dyed in black monochrome, the man gazes back at Lorna with his emotionless eyes after staring at the remains of Chirali and Eric.

"You're done."

Taking that gaze, Lorna wipes the tears that were flowing. Put your tight arms in your eyes, tight enough to dampen your squeaking voice and dampen the tears that flow.

"... Yes. Without delay."

When I took my arms off my eyes, what was there was already a 'professional' face, not a crying face.

"Good. Then it's the next directive."

"Yes, please let me know."

"The fire that broke out on East Street confirmed the deployment of the Kingsguard knights within the Royal Castle of Larchia. This makes the royal castle thinner today. The time has come. Rhona, ask each 'base' to play a part in the transmission."

"... ok. Then I'll give you a message."

Tell me, I realize.

"Um... what? What should I preach? If it's detailed, if you can get a message or something..."

"What? The contents of the decree are not so difficult"

Say so and the man waves small.

"'More than this, we launch a total attack on the Royal Castle of Larchia. Aim only at Her Majesty's neck'"

Tell him this.

As earlier, the man told him so, with no emotional cage of sight.