A Prayer to the Planet by Sisbell the Witch

As one of the three daughters born under Mirabella, who was the eighth queen of the

Nebulis Sovereignty, Sisbell Lou Nebulis IX was blessed with powers as a direct

descendant of the Founder.

She had Illumination.

She could play back events that occurred within the past twenty years within a

thousand-foot radius. Her astral power was one of the time-space interference variety

and was especially rare among that type of power.

"…Do you know of the rumors about the queen?"

"I heard she wants to pass down the throne to Princess Aliceliese—not to the eldest

princess or to the youngest one."

She didn't let even a trivial piece of conversation slide in the royal palace.

Weaponizing her ability to snoop out information, she had once caught a spy from the

Empire.

"Princess Sisbell, you have been commanded to go on an expedition to the independent

state of Alsamira."

She was in the palace—the "Queen's Space."

Sunlight streamed onto the houseplants and flowers that decorated the sacred space.

A voice echoed through the area.

ThecurrentqueenMirabella

The queen was her biological mother, but they were not allowed to speak on familial

terms.

"We've received information that the desert country is proactively accepting people

from the Empire."

"Yes."

"Alsamira is not like the neutral cities. They have not declared neutrality… Under

certain conditions, they may choose to become an Imperial state."

That would make them an enemy of the Sovereignty.

Because of that, Sisbell had been chosen for dispatch.

With the astral power of Illumination, Sisbell could even reproduce verbatim secret

meetings that occurred in the state.

In other words, they would be able to eavesdrop on their meetings.

"It's your duty to determine if they are sleeping with the enemy. Out of concern for

your safety during this expedition, I will send one of my guards with you."

"Please do not worry about me." Sisbell politely turned down the queen's offer.

She didn't need a guard.

To be more exact, Sisbell did not trust her subordinates in the Sovereignty.

"I will do just fine with my keeper, Shuvalts. I will be acting the part of a tourist. There

will be no reason for them to suspect me if I can help it."

"Understood." The queen let a sigh leave her lips.

She had thought as much. Her sigh must have expelled a combination of worry and

exasperation. It was difficult for Sisbell to watch her mother's face when she was like

that.

…I'm sorry, Mother… I have reasons that I can't tell even you.

She was doing this to protect her mother's life.

Sisbell couldn't allow anyone into her heart within the Sovereignty—even her oldest

sister, Elletear, or Aliceliese.

"Then I will take my absence from the castle."

"I will leave the matter to you."

Sisbell turned her back on the queen. Please stay safe while I am away , she wished

from the very bottom of her heart.

But Sisbell couldn't say it out loud, so she swallowed her words in silence.

It all started with simple curiosity.

With the astral power of Illumination, Sisbell Lou Nebulis IX could re-create anything

that had occurred within a thousand-foot radius and a twenty-year span.

Every secret deal in the royal palace could be seen by her.

Which meant the public only had the option to hold these meetings away from the

royal palace, putting them beyond range.

Sisbell had been waiting for them to walk right into her net, caught up in the lies that

she'd spread herself.

…Don't underestimate me… I'll show you the true power of the Revered Founder and her

descendants.

Because Sisbell could reproduce the events occurring within a thousand feet and

twenty years of her location.

Even if the noble families were conversing outside the royal castle to avoid her prying

eyes, Sisbell knew all about them.

All because she was curious about trivial conversations.

Sisbell, who was sociable and overflowing with intellectual curiosity, had just wanted

to know what kinds of conversations others were having.

It had broken her.

She had been burdened with information from a power on par with omniscience. This

knowledge included dark schemes and the existence of unspeakable "monsters"

beyond her imagination. It was too much for an innocent girl of fifteen to shoulder.

It was no longer human.

There was a monster hidden within the royal family of the Nebulis Sovereignty.

Though it wore the mask of a human, when the time came, it would fling off its disguise

and reveal its true nature.

And steal the country from the queen herself.

…Her life is in danger… But if I tell her, they would only begin by targeting me.

The Nebulis Sovereignty would collapse.

Not from the Imperial Army. But from those who targeted the queen's life. The three

bloodlines—the Lou, Zoa, and Hydra Houses—would have nothing to do with it.

The royal family itself could be destroyed by that monster.

"…Stay brave, Sisbell. I will protect my mother. Who else would be able to protect her?"

She was in a corner of her room.

Sisbell was shivering on that day and chanting as though trying to convince herself. It

couldn't be her oldest sisters, Elletear or Aliceliese. She had no idea who was the

mastermind behind this plan.

Though Sisbell knew one of the people who was part of the scheme, she didn't know

how many more in the Sovereignty were traitors.

…If my sister Alice is a traitor, that would be the most dangerous situation… If she

wanted to, even our mother would be…

Aliceliese's power had surpassed the current queen's skills.

If she planned to overthrow the government and the queen, she could easily succeed

at a coup d'e tat. That was why Sisbell had turned into a recluse. She couldn't leave the

country. Even during the times when her sister Elletear was traveling abroad or

Aliceliese was heading to the battlefield, Sisbell elected to not leave the royal palace.

She was entirely engrossed with the idea of protecting her mother.

"If I'm by my mother's side, the traitors shouldn't lay a hand on her…"

She would protect her mother—and the country.

That was the resolve that Sisbell could tell no one about.

"…But…"

She continued to search alone for the traitors planning to overthrow the country,

locked away in her room. She was under pressure, never knowing when her life might

be in jeopardy.

It was too harsh for a fifteen-year-old girl to handle.

"Isn't there anyone who's on my side…?" She held a handkerchief to her mouth to

conceal her sobs.

Someone. Anyone! Wasn't there a knight in this world to support her…?

Though her astral power was expansive, it served little in battle. Her only confidant

was her keeper, who was too old to possibly fight.

Sisbell's physical strength was as good as nonexistent.

"Where can I find… a strong ally…?"

She needed powerful subordinates in the Sovereignty to challenge the monster and

the traitors who followed it. But the people in the royal palace wouldn't suffice. She

hadn't been able to identify the traitors, which meant she couldn't heedlessly ask them

for help.

"…" She hugged her own knees, which she couldn't stop from trembling. "…Who can I

rely on…?"

She had no allies. At least, not in this country.

Because of that, she recalled something that had happened a year ago.

She ended up thinking about the Imperial soldier who had let her out of prison.

"I've got a thing or two to say about the Empire's policy of rounding up all the astral

mages, especially someone like you. You're still a kid."

The Saint Disciple Iska.

Though he was under the direct command of the throne, he had helped a captured

witch.

…Back then, I was hiding my astral powers… Did he just think I was weak?

Why had he let her escape?

The reason was still unclear, but she thought it over suddenly. Though she knew it was

just a convenient fantasy and an easy escape, she couldn't help but let her imagination

expand.

If he was here… If the man who saved her was here, could he become her ally?

Back to the present.

In the urban area of Alsamira, Princess Sisbell forgot to breathe as she looked up at

the boy in front of her.

"…"

She gazed at his dark-brown hair and gentle face that didn't look like it belonged to an

Imperial soldier. His face was unmistakable. He was the Saint Disciple Iska—the one

she had happened on a year ago.

This wasn't Imperial territory. Because he was wearing his own clothing instead of his

battle uniform, she had thought it was just someone who looked like him.

"You're from…"

"Ngh." Sisbell's eyes opened wide as he mumbled.

I knew it! He's that Saint Disciple!

If they had been out of the public eye, she would have shouted that at the top of her

lungs. She didn't care what kind of fate had brought him here.

He was her only beacon of hope.

Maybe.

This swordsman was the only one she could rely on. He was the only person she knew

outside of the Sovereignty.

Fight fire with fire.

To stand against the monster in the Sovereignty, it would be necessary to bring in a

blazing fire from outside the country—especially someone who was the strongest,

highest-ranking soldier in battle, especially a Saint Disciple.

"Uh, um…!" she rasped, too nervous to speak out.

She tried desperately to force her voice to come out of her dry mouth.

"Sorry for the wait, Iska!"

An unfamiliar girl sporting a ponytail had run up to them.

Was she one of the swordsman's acquaintances? That would mean she was also an

Imperial soldier.

This was bad.

"Nh." She gritted her molars and turned her back to him to run down the intersection.

Anyone from the Empire was an enemy. That still hadn't changed. Sisbell wanted to

talk to Iska, and she didn't plan on trusting anyone else from the Imperial military.

…I have no reason to panic.

…The Saint Disciple Iska is here. That by itself was incredibly worthwhile to learn.

"My lady!"

After Sisbell crossed the street, her black-suited attendant called out to her. He was

her keeper, Shuvalts. With his neat salt-and-pepper hair, the elderly man ran over to

her, out of breath.

"I was searching for you. I beg you: Do not push my old body."

"…I found him."

"Pardon?"

"Listen, Shuvalts! I've finally found him—my dream guard!" Sisbell sprinted over to

the old man in the suit as though to hug him in her arms.

As Rin was with Aliceliese, this old gentleman had accompanied Sisbell since her youth.

He was her one and only subordinate in the Sovereignty who she trusted with all her

heart.

"Oh, I have no idea where to start…" She couldn't slow down.

Her wildest dreams had actually manifested. Now that she had gotten this far, she

would make sure to see this through.

"Shuvalts, there's something I must discuss with you immediately. Let's get back to the

hotel first."

She grabbed the older gentleman by the hand and started striding toward the shopping

area.

"We'll wait until nightfall… I'll make sure we succeed. For the sake of our country."

She would be the next queen.

Sisbell Lou Nebulis IX would protect both the current queen and the country.

The frosty wind whistled in the great desert of the east.

The sunset burned on the horizon, and the curtain of night drew closed over the sky.

Though the shopping areas of Alsamira were still illuminated by glaring neon lights,

there were not as many people as there had been in the afternoon. Most of the tourists

had gone back to their hotels to go to sleep.

"Achoo!"

"My lady. I recall I informed you the desert cools at night."

"Yes, I underestimated how cold it would get…" She nodded in agreement with the

older man who walked beside her.

Though she regretted her choice of a thin dress, Sisbell did not allow her pace to slow

as she stalked down the streets.

…I'm always holed up in the warm royal palace.

…I wonder how long it's been since I've walked outside at night.

Thtfhthtfdfthift

Since Shuvalts was an astral mage, he could handle a small scuffle. But if they happened

across a group of thieves carrying guns, they would be in a bit of trouble.

…This is when I wish I had stronger astral power… Not that I'm complaining about mine.

The mages were born with their powers.

Even among the descendants of the Founder, there was a large difference between

these natural-born powers, particularly their use in battle.

For generations, the queen of Nebulis wished for powers that were suitable in battle,

because they could lead the astral corps against an Imperial Army invasion.

"I'll totally turn these customs on their head…" She balled her hands into fists in the

cold.

Sisbell continued to walk down the illuminated road and eventually arrived at the

familiar intersection—where she had come upon the Saint Disciple Iska earlier that day.

"Fortunately, no one else is around. It's too cold. They're all in taverns."

"We can't be careless. Make sure to stand guard, Shuvalts."

She couldn't let anyone see this.

Even outside the Imperial territories, some citizens feared witches. Basically, there

was no advantage to anyone finding out about her powers.

"Please show me your past, planet."

Beneath Sisbell's collarbone and near her chest, her astral power started to glow

through her thin dress and into the empty night.

The light gathered. Like a projector, the image of a lone boy formed in the air.

"Iska, what's wrong?"

"…Uh, nothing. We need to go shop at the market. Move it, Nene."

The boy with dark-brown hair nudged the back of the girl with the ponytail and

started to leave. Sisbell could even reproduce their images walking, which meant she

could track their movements. That was another part of her powers.

"Is this him?"

"Yes, let's go, Shuvalts."

They followed after Iska. Even if someone else witnessed this, it would seem as though

Iska was actually on that road.

…The girl called Nene must be an Imperial soldier… But I don't think Iska has told her

about me.

Iska and Nene strolled through the shopping area.

They had an easygoing conversation as they headed to a market. After buying things

that seemed to be their dinner, they were back on the street again.

Sisbell had thought Iska would mention her in that time.

"He hasn't even said I'm a witch. I guess he was working alone a year ago."

Iska had lost his position as a Saint Disciple due to the incident where he broke her out.

Which also meant he had been the only one who'd been punished.

Even to this Nene girl, he couldn't just talk about that event. After all, she might be

suspected as a coconspirator if she knew the details.

"They're staying at the Germrick Hotel," her keeper noted.

Iska brought them right to the hotel.

Looking up at the building that towered over him, Shuvalts quietly started to murmur.

"A well-established hotel corporation. They own hotels in resorts all over the world.

Their ratings are often average or higher."

"Which makes it an appropriate choice for an Imperial soldier on vacation?"

"If he was here on secret orders, Imperial headquarters would have put him up in a

higher-rated hotel. Or they would have chosen an Imperial hotel."

But that wasn't the case.

Iska hadn't come to Alsamira as a part of his duties.

"That makes things easier. We'll go through with the plan, Shuvalts."

"Are you sure you will do this alone?"

"Yes. I want to discuss this with him alone. If both of us go, it'll just put him on guard."

…I can't believe I'm sneaking into a boy's room in the middle of the night… My face is

burning. I'm so embarrassed.

Sisbell grounded herself and headed to the hotel lobby.

Using her astral power, she found out the room number that he had headed toward.

She made sure he had gone inside alone.

He was on the fourth floor.

With stifled footsteps, she inched down the silent hallway.

"This is it…" She held the key card over the door's sensor.

Sisbell had pretended to be Iska's girlfriend and gotten her hands on the key in

exchange for a large wad of money.

It opened.

She held her breath as she put her hand on the door and slowly pushed it open.

The corridor was dim. Beyond it, she could see the living room was unlit. He must be

already asleep.

…It's better that way… I would prefer it over him noticing the door opening.

With her hands, she felt her way down the hallway.

Once her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, Sisbell approached the bed in the back of

the room.

"Um… excuse me…"

Would he be surprised if she called him by name? What could she say to him while he

was asleep? She reached out to the bed, unable to figure out what to say.

"An assassin, huh?"

What?

Why had his voice come from behind?

She didn't even have time to think about it as she felt an impact against her shoulder.

Her world started spinning, and she felt faint for a moment.

"Nh?!"

When she realized it, Sisbell was being pinned down to the carpet. He was straddling

her as she was lying faceup.

"Who are you working for? The Sovereignty? Or is it—?"

"Y-you've got it wrong! This is a misunderstanding! I'm not planning on doing anything!"

Since he was on top of her, she couldn't move an inch. He closed his hands around her

throat.

Sisbell desperately yelled out with her mouth, the only free part of her body.

"I just came here to see you, Saint Disciple Iska. I have something to ask of you!"

"…?"

The lights came on.

She caught sight of the boy who had pushed her down.

He was in the same clothes from the afternoon.

Though it was late at night, he still hadn't even taken a shower, much less gone to bed.

"Wait… You're…"

"It's been a whole year."

Iska was taken aback.

When she sensed he had loosened his hold on her, Sisbell flashed him a big smile to

hide her nerves.

"Saint Disciple Iska, I have something I must ask you," she repeated, pressed on the

ground.

Sisbell addressed the boy who looked down at her.

"Would you accompany me to the Sovereignty?"