"You've got a pretty good look on your face, Yufi."

Consciousness emerges that was blurred in the voices spoken. With all this happening these days, I look up to embarrassment. It was your father who spoke to me.

Dinner seats at my parents' house now. He's a busy father, but he seems to try to show his face for dinner on the day I return to my parents' house, and this is how we have more opportunities to face each other.

"Caind was worried. I'm still not being honest with you."

"... I let you get stubborn, so I can't help it"

Naturally, there was also a Caind, my brother, in the dining table with his family. But when will be the last time we have properly exchanged words? Caind will soon be out of the room, even at the dining table, as they will be avoided face-to-face in the house.

When it's time to talk to Caind, things seem to change dramatically and go on losing sight of what I should be doing. I'm just reflecting on whether that's why I showed a gap even in front of your father.

"Uffi. Would you talk to me if I could?

"Mother..."

"But things have changed a lot lately. You are different from before. I just want to ask you something. What bothers you and what makes you anxious? Until now, you've failed just to be tough on you."

"Don't tell me you failed, Mother. … but yes,"

I also feel ashamed of how much I had exposed myself to my thoughts if I had even heard from my mother about my worries. But it's a problem that I can't help myself with.

And I wanted to ask Father again. Because it was no other father who advanced the restoration of Lord Annis' right to inherit the throne. What is your father thinking now?

"... father. What do you think about Lord Anis' reign in queen?

To my inquiry, your father narrows those sharp eyes. It seems to me that some people are staring at me, but I'm used to it, so I don't care.

After a little silence, your father opened his mouth.

"No matter how you say it. It is Princess Anisphere who now has the right to inherit the throne. Princess Anisphere will have to be queen and set the country up. On the contrary, what bothers you so much?

"... I'm worried that Master Anisphere should really be king like this"

"It's not a question of whether it should be. You must be king. Prince Algard has become obsolete, and the only direct bloodline is Princess Anisphere."

What your father says is an unchangeable reality. Yes, in the end, we just have to break it off.

...... but I unwittingly grip my fist. I know. I know.

It really brings a smile to Master Anis's face. And the way emotions fall out of that look and freeze.

"... if you become king, that man loses his freedom"

"That's what a king is."

"I know.... I know. Still, I don't want to tie Lady Anise's heart. If you become king, you will be told that you will inherit. Didn't your father think that all of them?

"... the only way to do this is to fulfill the wishes of Princess Anisphere whenever possible. In order for you to accept the inheritance."

Again. I kind of see how your father thinks that way. I didn't know that if Master Anis were to be king, he would want us to have children any day.

"So what if Master Anis says he wants to focus on magic?

"That's what you'll need to choose a king's mate. Or Yufi, there will be a hand in you taking on politics in one hand, but you will not be enough on your own. Which way, there should be more hands to use"

This is also reality again. It's something you can't change. I know.

"... you look unconvinced"

"I'm not convinced. … he should not be king."

"Ho...?

"Master Anis is a vessel of kings. If you brush your talent, it will glow. But it's... it's not. Then Lady Anise's glow will fade."

"Being a researcher in magic is what Princess Anisphere should look like?

"Including that. It's not like we should just let them do research. I am also well aware that I am not well informed. I just think. Being free is his irresistible charm."

I want Lady Annis to remain free to choose. I want you to decide whether you want to be royal or immerse yourself in the study of magic.

"Isn't that compatible with being a king?

"I can't. The name" shackles ”is" king. "Once you become a symbol, you cannot escape. If we want freedom on top of that, that is what needs to change the shape of the country. And he pulls it off forever."

- I don't care.

"... Huh?

"If you want to lay a dictatorship, you can lay it, and if the degree has passed, we can advise you. That one is not stupid. It seems to me that if you advance, you will listen to me. That means giving it up to the king. The king's words are the future of the country, the way the country should be. If you have overlapping thoughts there, stand together, and if you are different, ask the right questions. That's my loyalty."

It is. I shut my mouth trying to keep the words going. Surely then will Master Anis's wishes come true? Then should I be like that, too? As your subordinate, stay on its side and don't break your heart...?

Is that the form of the future I want? I can't swallow it like a thorn stung my heart. If that's right, I think it's okay. Undrinkable emotions twist and stay in my mind.

... I don't know. Because I never had such thoughts in me.

"... but that's my loyalty"

"... huh?

"What do you think? Yufi."

Asked the other way, what do I think? Your father said he was loyal. Reason tells me that if Anis is free to lay down a dictatorship, I should serve him for it.

But every time I get caught in the heart, this is...... I'm sure it's not rational.

"I do not want the crown of Tsu to be worn by Master Anis. I just don't like it. It's that guy who gets tied up. It is named King. That freedom is" something that is allowed. "

I just want that guy to be free. Who it could be with, what it could be for.

Oh, yeah. That's why it was easy. I just don't like being given a name that doesn't suit a king.

You don't have to name Lady Ennis King or anything. You don't have to behave like a royalty by acting like a wreck. I just want it to be for someone, for a dream.

"It's easy to tie it up. But it's not the same as letting you choose to be here or you choose to be. I don't want to tie you up, I want you here."

... Ah. Finally, I get it.

The failure I've made to Master Algard must have been “this”.

I could only be a restraint. It was just a decoration. I had to have it before I could be asked to have the ability.

Not to make you choose, but to make you choose. Not to bind, but to take your hand. To walk together, to defend that freedom of choice.

"I'm not convinced that I have no choice but to be king. I want Anise to know that I can choose to be king. Right now, this situation is only a matter of pressing against Master Anis. That's not true. I want to give him the right to choose."

"... but no more Prince Algard"

"Still, if you give it up, it's not" my loyalty "!

Said it was my loyalty to protect that person's freedom. Give that man his heart, his world, his choice. Protecting the future I choose for myself is what I want.

Now I finally felt that way with my chest up. As they say but not as they wish. To choose and challenge any difficulties there may be. It's not enough to just act the way you want, as you are given.

"............... right. Is that your loyalty? Ku, ku, ha, ha, ha!!"

I accidentally rounded my eyes. Your father laughed. And just say it's funny. Raise your voice. I've been blinded by a trick that doesn't make me too much of a father.

"... I'm sorry. It was so funny."

"... I understand you're being childish"

"It's not. No, maybe it is. Right, freedom. You're not like me, are you? Then it can't even work."

"? What..."

"It was just a matter of course that you didn't do well with Prince Algard just because you did my imitation. I guess you had your core. I didn't realize that, and even if I put you in the shape of me, it would be" as good as I can ". … what you're trying to say is, I'm sure it's not the same as it is in essence."

To one convincing and laughing father, without grasping the guidelines, I would tilt my neck. What the hell was your father's laugh bump...?

When I was perplexed, my mother, who had ever been static, raised her voice.

"Yufi, you must be different from our generation."

"? Is that... what?

"You know that when His Majesty Orphans took office, the Kingdom of Palletia was in a messy world, right?

"... Yes. I didn't know there was a lot of turmoil until His Majesty came to power."

That's what you learn in history class. It is now stabilized by His Majesty's hand in internal affairs and the Queen's diplomacy, but he said it was a series of hardships and misery until he was on track.

He said there were times when he was about to go to war with another country. Such signs are now faint, and that must also be a gift from the Queen's diplomacy. And I know that the country has stabilized because His Majesty served it.

"We had to tie together. In a disturbed world, there was no room for unified ideas, stability for the people, preparedness for external illnesses... and that's what I couldn't afford to choose."

"... Yes"

"On the other hand, maybe you're the generation that's ready to choose."

With her hands on her cheeks, her mother smiles. That's not always the kind of grin you see, but somewhere with a soothing, joy-seeping grin.

"For example, if it was a time of war, we would have strongly preferred Princess Anisphere's magic to a knight."

"......"

"Is that all there is to it? Dear Annis, I have heard of your work. But I didn't have to. Yeah, that's what we protected. It must have become abundant for you, the children, to be able to choose that way. Choice means that it's an idea that doesn't come out unless it's rich."

... Sure, if you ask me, I did. To say you can choose is because you have room to choose.

I say to your fathers that they didn't have such an idea, because times are probably different. And this world is what your fathers connected us to.

"We had to protect ourselves. Next, to connect to the next. But I guess you don't have to“ inherit the same "to connect the next..."

"... I didn't forget my respect for my ancestors"

"Yeah, I know. Still, it is not something that must be protected and inherited. That's what I'm talking about, Uffi. Well, maybe Princess Anisphere is what we wanted."

"Master Anis?

"Rich the country, everyone can live with laughter. We've come to do our duty to hope for such a country. Would Princess Anisphere's magic props bring us closer to that dream ideal?

Maybe that's what your mother said. Lady Anis' magic props have many things to help her with her life. Both flying magic props and magic props to help you live.

That is not a privilege granted only to the nobility. Lady Anis said it could be used by anyone, even civilians who can't use magic.

"Ufi."

"... father"

"I still want Princess Anisphere to be king. She has enough“ value ”to hold you accountable for it. of the country we protected, as the next symbol. He wants it to be the foundation of the country with magic and to build a new era. Now I've strengthened that thought."

Your father tells one of the words with a definite force. I can feel the strength of your father's faith in just one word.

"But I don't live in your time to build. Of course, as long as I have this life, I will devote myself to this country... but your generation is the one who walks with the most anise, Yufi."

"Yes."

"And you want Princess Anisphere not to be king, but to be free. Then another king must be set up. But Master Algard, who was that candidate, is no longer here. Still want it?

"... Yes. If you give it up, I feel like I can't be me anymore."

What do your fathers want and wish for us? Even if we can pass on what kind of ordeal we've been through, I'm sure we won't feel the same way and hold our thoughts.

That's why I want to believe in my beliefs. I inherited it from your fathers, the right I felt. Not just foolishly believing, but overlapping, thinking, and accepting.

There is no more cloudiness in that thought. Still, whatever prayer there was. Again, I do not want Master Anis to be king.

"There's nothing..."

"Huh...?

"I have no means. But that's a dream story. That may be the idea that contradicts Princess Anisphere's magic."

"... what does that mean?

"Princess Anisphere has the talent she decidedly lacks as king"

"... magic?

"Yes."

Your father nods loudly. Indeed, the Kingdom of Palletia has walked with the Spirit and continues to develop as a country of excellence in magic. The idea is still handed down as a faith.

Magic is a privilege allowed to the aristocracy, something that our country should be proud of. That is also why I was wanted by the next queen. In that perspective, Master Anis is not talking about falling apart.

In other words, in terms of magic alone, you can also view that Master Anis cannot be a symbol or a king.

"Master Anisphere's legitimacy is a feat of blood muscle and magic. Well, there's been some behavior so far. He said to himself that there was some support gathered, but the wind direction from the nobility running the country would not be good."

"... no matter how much faith is gathered from the people, it is nobility who moves the country"

"That's right. Without the people, nobility can be formed, but it is not civilians who move the country.... that's what Princess Anisphere's reign is all about. If it's goodwill, it can't be done right now."

It is true that such a future could also be possible if magic developed and spread throughout the country.

Sometimes magic can be used as a nobleman, but it's a small part of it. That's what makes a handful of people like Baron Cyan, Raini's father.

"Return to the story. In other words, it is fatal that Princess Anisphere lacks the talent of decisively magic in order to be king. Whether we bury this with magical merit or not, it will not be tolerably acceptable in the nobility of our country, which is rooted as a faith. I'm proud to have defended my country by its magic."

"... that, I know"

"Then I'll have to poke you there."

"Poke there, what?

"We have no choice but to build a new king's bloodline. You remember how interested this country is? Yufi."

To your father's words, I accidentally stood up and laid my hands on the table.

"... a new king, the beginning of this country, you mean the" Spirit covenant ”!?"

"That's right. The beginning of the first king to entertain the kingdom of Palletia, and with that merit, to make the Spirit Contractor the blood of a new king."

"Well, I still don't think it's acceptable!?"

"Naturally. Still, it's not like we can cross the tradition of lineage."

"If so..."

"Then it would be nice to have“ royal blood ”. Even remotely."

Remote, but?

To that word I breathe in the facts that have surfaced, and your father turns his gaze straight to me.

"Uffi, will“ you ”be king?

"Wow, but... but?

"Even though my Magenta family is now remote, there is royal blood flowing. I mean, it's thin for proof of lineage, but it doesn't mean it's not justified at all. And you are also recognized as the next queen. [M] You will raise your name there as king with the qualification based on the first generation of the Spirit Covenant. If so, isn't it enough as Princess Anisphere's opposing horse?

... the words your father tells you do not swallow well and sit down powerlessly in the chair as they are.

"If you want it... you can turn down my blood."

"Huh?"

"If you want the throne, abandon the House of the Duke of Magenta. And be adopted by His Majesty. Otherwise, my Magenta family will be the spark of contention for seeking to seize the throne. Whatever path you have, Princess Anisphere, it will be a spark... but remember, you have such a future."

Drop the house.

What your father says... I understand.

But that's too much of a dream story, and I don't really feel it.

I just couldn't say anything, and I just couldn't help but keep sitting.