Epilogue: That is Her Way of Life

—Some time after the signing of the Armistice of Valois—

When Fuuga's forces had fully withdrawn from the newly decided

borders of the Euphoria Kingdom and the world was at peace once more,

Souma and Maria appeared together on broadcast receivers in fountain

plazas around both of their countries.

"Hey! Look at Lady Maria's hair!"

"Yeah. But she looks so peaceful now—like she's been set free from

something that was possessing her."

"She's so pretty... I wish I could be like her."

Many in the crowd were surprised by Maria's short hair. However, there

was no shadow over her expression now. Seeing the peaceful look on her

face, they were relieved to see that she hadn't been forced to cut it or

anything like that. For the citizens of the former Empire who had watched

her throw herself from the balcony in despair, it was a relief to see her alive

and smiling so peacefully.

"We have something to tell everyone in the Kingdom of Friedonia and

the Euphoria Kingdom today," Souma began, and then Maria stepped

forward.

"It involves what has happened so far, and the futures of our countries."

Then, the two of them went on to explain the Armistice of Valois to the

people of both kingdoms. The northern territories of the former Empire

would become part of the Great Tiger Kingdom, while Maria would

abdicate the throne to take responsibility for their loss in the war, and her

sister Jeanne would reign as the new Queen of Euphoria. They also

explained the Euphoria Kingdom would join the Maritime Alliance.

Souma had prepared a new map of the continent, showing that the

Maritime Alliance rivaled the Great Tiger Kingdom in size. Because he

showed them a physical map rather than just telling them, it put the people

of both kingdoms at ease. For the people of the Euphoria Kingdom who had

narrowly escaped destruction at the hands of Fuuga, having their security

guaranteed for the immediate future made them welcome this alliance.

"Now then... Jeanne."

"Yes."

When Maria called her sister's name, Jeanne appeared on the broadcast

and knelt in front of her. She placed the tiara that had marked her as queen

on Jeanne's head, saying, "From now on, I entrust you with this country's

future."

"Yes, ma'am! I will work with all due diligence so that I don't bring

shame upon your name, Sister."

With the formal transfer of power completed, Maria announced that to

strengthen their country's bonds with the Kingdom of Friedonia and also

ensure that her influence in the Euphoria Kingdom would not be a

hindrance to Jeanne, she would be marrying King Souma, the head of the

Maritime Alliance. At the same time, they announced that Hakuya the

Black-robed Prime Minister would be marrying the new Queen Jeanne as

her royal consort.

Because Souma had saved Maria during the war and rescued the Empire

from its plight, people in both countries supported the marriage.

Although the Kingdom of Friedonia and the Euphoria Kingdom were

two separate nations, they would move as one. The people would

informally call the combination of these two countries the Gran Friedonia

Empire. And Souma, who was to become Souma Euphoria Friedonia,

would be called Emperor Friedonia.

◇ ◇ ◇

With the curtain falling on the conflict, we left Hakuya, who was now

prime minister of the two nations, with Piltory and his family in the

Euphoria Kingdom and took Maria back to the Kingdom of Friedonia with

us.

There was a mountain of work waiting for me when I got back to

Parnam Castle. Now that we were working with two countries under one

system, the amount of work that came my way had increased.

Liscia and I both looked at the high piles of paperwork with dismay.

"You know, this sight brings back memories," Liscia said, and I agreed

entirely.

"Yeah...and we don't have Hakuya with us this time. Though, we do

have more people than we did back then."

"R-Right! I'll do my best to help!"

I glanced sideways at Ichiha, who was clenching his hand with

enthusiasm.

The moment I got back, I'd appointed him, Hakuya's protégé, to be

acting prime minister in his teacher's absence. He had Hakuya's seal of

approval, and he'd be taking over Hakuya's role in the Kingdom going

forward.

"Huh?" Liscia tilted her head to the side. "Come to think of it, where's

Madam Maria? She'd be a lot of help..."

It was true, considering Maria had supported a great nation all by

herself, that having her administrative abilities would be a great help. Not to

mention her charisma. She could more than fill the hole left by Hakuya.

"Ah...I wouldn't count on Maria to help," I warned Liscia. "I mean, if

we really can't manage, she might lend a hand occasionally."

"Hm? Why not?"

"As soon as we got here, she ran off, saying she had things she wanted

to do."

"Things she wants to do, huh? Well, we can't force her if she doesn't

want to do it then." Liscia sighed and shrugged.

Maria had worked herself to the bone for her people and country before

now. We all felt that since she was finally free, she should do as she pleased

for a while.

I clapped my hands and tried to change gears.

"Well then, how about we get to work? Liscia, call Roroa and Colbert...

He's going to need to put up with this for a while before assisting Mio."

"Got it. I'll send a messenger to the Carmine domain."

"Ichiha, send any documents that need royal assent to me."

"Will do, sire."

Some time after that, Roroa and Finance Minister Colbert were in the

governmental affairs office to discuss the budget.

Bang! The doors of the office flew open.

"Wh-What's goin' on?!" Roroa exclaimed as this unannounced guest

came in without so much as a knock at the door.

Colbert and I were both surprised. We looked towards the door to see a

"casually dressed" Maria wearing overalls and a shirt. The white hat she

was wearing was just barely fashionable, but everything below that

wouldn't have looked out of place on a farmer.

Behind her was Naden, looking exhausted.

"Souma!"

Maria strode on over, walking past Roroa and Colbert to stand in front

of my desk. Then, she laid a map of the country with a bunch of marks on it

down in front of me.

"There's been repeated crop failures in the village of Osahl, halfway

between Red Dragon City and Lagoon City. It looks like harmful insects

and lack of sunlight are responsible. It could lead to a famine there if we

don't do something." We all looked at the map as she talked. "I'm

requesting you send agricultural gelins to eradicate the pests and food aid to

support the people for the time being."

"R-Right. Got it. I'll get on that right away."

"Also, Roroa."

"Whuh?!"

"The village of Ryan in the northwest is a center of trade and has a large

population. I want to set up a school there. Do we have the budget for it?"

"Uh, listen, if you just ask me that all of a sudden, I'm not gonna be able

to tell ya anythin'..." Roroa said, dodging the question, but Colbert signed

and stepped in.

"We have the profits from the recent lorelei event, don't we? Couldn't

you use those?"

"No, no, I was plannin' on puttin' those towards the next event..."

"I do believe I helped you with that lorelei event, didn't I?" Maria said,

rounding on Roroa with a pleasant smile.

Her beautiful and intense smile is intimidating Roroa... I could relate.

"You used my publicity to make that money, yes? Calling it a dream

collaboration between the Prima Lorelei and the Singing and Dancing

Former Empress? You're going to tell me I can't use that money?"

"Augh, fine! Take the money, ya darn thief!"

"Oh, goodness, a thief? That's not a very nice thing to call someone."

Maria chuckled.

She had Roroa right where she wanted her. Well, it wasn't easy

outmaneuvering the woman who once ran the Empire in these sorts of

negotiations. I sure as hell couldn't...

This is what she wants to do, huh? I thought, looking at the smile on

Maria's face.

The night I'd arrived in Valois during the war, she'd told me with tears

in her eyes...

"I didn't want to just be nice to everybody!"

"I wanted to play favorites!"

And Maria had chosen to do just that. She began helping the people she

really wanted to, those left behind by society without support. Shortly after

arriving in the Kingdom, she had hounded Naden into flying her all over the

place so she could investigate the situation in this country. Now that she'd

found all these potential seeds of future discontent, she was going around

remedying them one by one.

Basically, she wanted to do philanthropy. It was also the reason she'd cut

her long hair.

Because going into the hinterlands usually meant getting dirty, the long

hair was likely to get in her way. Without the pressure she'd been under

before, Maria had now become incredibly aggressive about getting things

done.

Having attained the result she wanted, Maria rolled up the map again

and smiled.

"Okay, I'll be taking off for a while. Oh! And I'm borrowing Naden

again too."

"Hold on! You've been riding me however you please, but the only one

who's normally supposed to ride me is my partner!"

"The partner of your partner is your partner. Come on now, let's go."

Maria talked Naden into it, then led her out of the office by the hand.

Jeanne had said before that Maria was like a tempest, and, well...that's

exactly what she was like.

Then, as she was almost out the door, Maria stopped and turned to face

me. "Oh! I'll be back for our wedding. Love you, Souma."

As she said that, Maria blew a kiss in my direction.

◇ ◇ ◇

After that, Maria refused to become a primary queen because she didn't

want the restrictions, and went on to do great things as our third secondary

queen, a lorelei, a medical practitioner, a philanthropist, and in a variety of

other roles.

She built fountain plazas in areas where the broadcast could only be

listened to before, and rolled out equipment so it could be listened to in

areas where even that hadn't been an option. She built schools where there

were none nearby, and supported industry in areas that suffered from

poverty. Maria even made the case for improving our system of medicine,

and got the motion to increase taxes to improve medical coverage to finally

pass the national assembly where it had been defeated before.

"That was faster than I thought..."

"Sure was."

Roroa and I were both flabbergasted when we heard this.

And with the funds she procured, we would go on to build hospitals and

clinics all over the Kingdom. Sometimes she would hold charity concerts

with Juna and the other loreleis, directing the money they raised to further

help the needy.

And so, she came to be called the Angel of Friedonia.

"Wait, that's a rank up from being a saint!"

"Hee hee, I wonder why."