Off to Vacation

"Iska! Over here! C'mon! Pick up the pace!"

"H-hey, Captain Mismis, what are you doing?! I'll wait over here so please go ahead

with Nene!"

"It'll be fine. You're just tagging along with some girls on a little shopping trip. Doesn't

that sound like fun?"

"You've got to be kidding me!"

Yunmelngen, capital of the Empire, the largest nation in the world, backed by the most

militant army to ever walk the earth.

In a shopping mall built in the business zone, Iska had been apprehended by Captain

Mismis, who now dragged him down its aisles.

"Look at your little red face! You're overreacting, Iska. We're only picking out some

clothes together."

"…I'd really rather not." He sulked, yanked around by his captain, who showed no signs

of easing up.

Iska would be seventeen this year. He had dark-brown hair. He was part of the Special

Defense Third Division in the military, which meant he had a duty to protect the

populace from the witches of the Nebulis Sovereignty, the Empire's greatest enemy.

…At least, that was what he should've been doing… instead, they were at the mall.

"Every fiber in my body and soul is crying out for a vacation, Iska!" The petite captain

whirled around, clenching her fist.

Captain Mismis Klass was more than a whole head smaller than Iska and sported a

friendly face. She looked exactly like a child despite being a grown woman at twentytwo.

"We risk our lives fighting every day! Sometimes you've just gotta put your duties on

hold and give your mind a break. Right?"

"Sure."

"In that case, it's your duty to accompany your captain on her vacation!"

"What about my plans?! I'd like to forget my responsibilities and take it easy, too."

"Oh, that's not very mature, Iska. As a member of society, you shouldn't forget your

place in life. You're under my supervision around the clock, even on your time off. Hehheh." Mismis looked at Iska with glee.

As the captain mentioned, they were in the middle of a long holiday—sixty days off.

Iska had never had a break that long.

"Iska, come on! Nene is waiting for us."

"…"

"It's been a while since I've worn one of these! I'm so excited! What kind of pattern

should I go for? What do you think, Iska?"

"…I don't even know what to say," he offered meekly, looking down in embarrassment.

Every other customer was a woman. Because he was a boy, Iska stuck out like a sore

thumb as the only male. Everyone was shooting daggers at him.

"Whoa! Get a load of this, Iska. This swimsuit is so scandalous! I mean, it's basically

just a few strings!"

They were in the section for women's swimsuits.

Mismis was browsing through the overflowing racks, pointing out the best ones in

amusement. As for Iska, he couldn't even raise his head.

The stares from the other customers were so painful.

Iska was the only man in this section of the store.

Why is he in this store? He felt he could hear their internal monologue.

"You were all for it at first. What happened?"

"You told me we were going shopping. I had no idea you were talking about swimsuits…"

"Hee-hee. Oh, come on."

His superior picked up a leopard-print swimsuit that was very mature. It was as if she

was intentionally trying to draw his attention.

"Iska, be honest."

"…About what?"

"That seeing me in a swimsuit makes you the happiest man in the world."

"Nuh-uh."

"So do you like this one or the one with the strings? Hmm? Neither? You're so bold,

Iska! Hee-hee. What's a girl to do?"

"…As long as you're enjoying yourself, Captain." Iska heaved out a sigh as she continued

to browse the store in high spirits.

Why was he here?

For starters, it was strange that headquarters had ordered them to take a long vacation.

But there was one thing he knew for certain: They needed to use this vacation to allow

Captain Mismis to leave the capital as soon as possible.

In her current state, she was an enemy of the Empire… because she had become a

witch—one who brings calamity onto the Empire.

It had all gone down ten days ago.

Right after Iska had escaped from the Paradise of Witches and the clutches of Alice the

Ice Calamity Witch, making his return to the Empire.

The Heavenly Empire. The unified stronghold. Also known as the Empire for short.

Lauded as a mechanical utopia, the country had the greatest military in the world,

backed by an expertise in machinery that lent itself to weapons development.

Was war the goal of the army?

Headquarters would answer no to this hypothetical question.

Its purpose was simply to purge the world of witches and sorcerers.

Ultimately, they claimed their reason for being was to protect humanity. For the sake

of their mission, the military grew by the day.

At the gate from the military zone in the central capital…

"Test subject: Iska.

"The physician has finished a full-body examination and evaluated any risks for

contamination. The psychiatrist has analyzed his mental state. All clear."

Psssh. The door to the classified room opened in the military medical center.

"The inspection is complete. Please make your way outside," instructed a woman's voice

from the ceiling.

It was monotone, as if a machine were using human voices to speak.

"Thank you for your service. You have been granted permission to enter the capital."

"…Are you going to tell me the results of the examination?"

"The institution has already notified headquarters."

Meaning he didn't have the clearance to hear the report.

Iska noted this, nodding with a pained smile. "And the others?"

"We have found nothing unusual with Captain Mismis or the other two individuals.

Please join them in the first-floor lobby."

"Okay… Thanks."

He changed from the white medical gown into his fairly worn combat uniform before

following the instructions to head to the lobby. Three familiar faces were waiting for

him.

"Hey, Iska's back! They said I was fine!"

Nene was the first one to call out, trotting over to him as her voluminous red ponytail

swayed behind her.

She was their communications engineer and already recognized as a top-tier mechanic

at fifteen years old.

"Nothing went wrong with the exam, right? Right?" Nene pressed.

"Obviously."

"Thank goodness." Nene calmed her racing heart.

That seemed dramatic, but even Iska had been tense as he was waiting to hear his

results.

…Of course the government would be suspicious about whether I came back in "one

piece"…even though I'm an Imperial soldier who's made it out alive from a hostage

situation in the Sovereignty.

The Nebulis Sovereignty. The Paradise of Witches.

Just days before, Iska had been captive as their prisoner.

"I'll defeat him.

"In exchange—as the condition for my release—you must promise that you won't

interfere while my unit and I return to the border."

They had passed the Sovereign border and reached an Imperial airbase by traveling

through a few neutral cities. Once aboard air transport, they had managed to return

home eight hours ago.

Did that mean everything was settled?

Well, headquarters gave them all orders to undergo physical examinations—

essentially, health checks.

"What did they examine, Nene?"

"Um, just this—to observe how my mark has been changing."

Nene stretched out her arm as though she was looking at a wristwatch. A faint red

mark pulsed on the back of her hand.

It was an astral crest, the mark of a witch possessed by astral power.

If this had been a real one, Nene would have been apprehended on the spot.

"I think yours is starting to disappear, Nene."

"Yeah, Risya said it'd last a week at most."

Nene's crest was fake, like an artificial tan. She had been irradiated with a small amount

of astral energy, which caused this mark to appear on her skin.

…Brief exposure isn't enough to possess anyone with astral power… which is why she

hasn't become a witch. That's their logic.

Iska had a vague understanding of the theory, but he couldn't even imagine the

technology that could make this happen.

"What about you, Jhin?"

"Mine hasn't changed yet. Seems there are slight individual differences."

Jhin was the sniper sitting in one of the chairs, lazily leaning onto its backrest.

He was a year older than Iska at eighteen, a young man with silver hair that stuck

straight up, sharp gray eyes, and a tough face. He wore a gray combat uniform and kept

a case carrying his sniper rifle tucked under his arm.

His artificial crest should have been on his ankle, which was hidden by his shoe.

"Mine is already concealed, but you should wear gloves or something, Nene. Things

could get annoying if some soldiers witnessed it without knowing about our special

mission," Jhin said.

"O-okay."

"Twelve other units were subjected to astral power. That's fifty-one people. Ninetynine percent of the Imperial Army has no idea what's been going on."

"I'm having all four of you infiltrate the Nebulis Sovereignty undetected.

"Your special mission is to infiltrate the Sovereignty. Then capture the current Nebulis

queen."

The Saint Disciple Risya had ordered them to execute this operation: They would need

to get past the Sovereign checkpoints with their artificial crests and pull off a top

secret mission to kidnap the queen of witches.

…Our unit is back… but I imagine the other eleven units are lying low and waiting for

their opportunity to strike.

Most Imperial soldiers didn't even know a single detail about the special mission,

which meant Iska's unit needed to make sure they didn't let anyone see their crests.

"And? Iska, what about you?"

"Me?"

"Your exam took the longest. I imagine they were thorough for your investigation, huh."

"Nope, just the usual. I was checked by a physician and a psychiatrist. And then they

checked if I'd been contaminated by anything in the Sovereignty. They also took an Xray to check whether their government hid anything in my body."

An Imperial soldier had come home after being imprisoned.

That wasn't always a joyous thing. After all, the soldier could have been "remodeled"

by the hands of the witches.

"And they examined me for astral energy."

"Really? But they didn't give you an artificial crest. You wouldn't test positive for astral

energy," Nene pointed out.

"You can be brainwashed into possessing it, but it's a really rare skill."

Astral power could manipulate a person's mind.

Iska could have been affected by these mind-controlling tactics while he was in

Nebulis, locked away in the land of the witches. The government had to investigate

him to cover all their bases.

"They also kept pestering me about whether I'd been tortured or interrogated."

"What did you tell them?" Nene asked.

"Exactly what I told you. Since I was taken away while on a sedative, they couldn't do

anything to me until I woke up."

A half-truth.

He hadn't been tortured or threatened. That much was true. Though he'd been in

handcuffs, Iska had been put up in the penthouse suite of a hotel without a want in the

world… with Alice, the princess of the enemy nation.

"I'll watch you personally from now on. Think of it as a privilege."

If there was one lie in Iska's testimony, it was in the part that nothing had happened.

Even headquarters wouldn't have imagined that Iska and the Ice Calamity Witch had

witnessed each other's real faces on the battlefield.

…Not that they would believe me if I told them.

…Even if I let it slip, they'd suspect I'm a Sovereign spy.

After all, he had been the one to help a witch break out of prison a year ago, which had

caused him to lose his title as a Saint Disciple.

Iska felt guilty for lying to Jhin and Nene, but he was afraid this knowledge would put

his companions in danger of getting charged for conspiracy.

And if he was to tack on one more thing…

"…Well… could you do something about your clothes soon? Or at least put on some

underwear?"

"Ahhh?! I-Iska! You're shameless! Where do you think you're staring?!"

"You're the one who came out to show yourself off, Alice!"

It would be better to not go there.

Alice had come stark naked out of the bath, which had been too much for a boy of his

impressionable age. Just thinking about it was enough to make him blush.

…I'll forget it ever happened. I have to forget. I need to.

…Or I'll never be able to sleep again.

"Iska? Your face is red," Nene observed.

"I-it's nothing. I'm fine!… I should have addressed this sooner, but…"

Behind Jhin, a sleeping girl with blue hair was sprawled over the waiting chairs. Well,

she wasn't technically a girl. She'd be mad if she was treated like a child.

From her posture, everyone would think she was a cute kid, though she was a fullblown adult.

"What are you doing, Captain Mismis?"

"…"

"Captain?"

"An escapist tactic," Jhin answered for her, turning to the seats behind him and jerking

his chin in her direction. She continued concealing her left shoulder as she slept. "Hey,

wake up, boss. They just need to check your crest again. So what? You still have a whole

week until your next appointment."

"Aaaah?! Stop! Don't talk about it!" The captain sprang up from her seat. "Oh, Iska, Iska,

Iska. Your time has come. I risked my life to rescue you from the Sovereignty. It's your

turn to come save me!"

"Calm down, Captain. What's gotten into you? Did they find something in your exam?"

Iska asked, even though he knew the announcement had told him they hadn't found

anything in the four of them.

"No, but we're all getting inspected again," Nene said.

"Why?"

"Well, because our astral crests haven't disappeared yet," she explained, stroking her

prided ponytail. "They said we're getting exams until the astral crests go away. That's

why we have to come back in a week."

"…Huh."

Their skin should have returned to its original state after a short time, like a sunburn.

At the longest, these artificial crests made by a special technique should have lasted

one week. After that, the astral energy would dissolve and disappear from the skin.

"I know my mark and Nene's will definitely be gone by then. Our next appointment

will just confirm that. The real issue is the boss's—"

"Stop! Don't say another word, Jhin!" begged Captain Mismis, clutching his back to stop

him from finishing his sentence. "If someone hears you…"

"I wasn't going to say it. Not in this stupid facility," Jhin whispered.

It wasn't like he could speak the truth.

Unlike the other two marks, Captain Mismis's astral crest on her left shoulder was real.

She had become a witch.

Because she had fallen into a vortex, which was the eruption of astral energy, Captain

Mismis had been possessed by astral power.

…Even though Jhin's and Nene's crests will eventually disappear, Captain Mismis's is here

to stay.

…In other words, they'll find out it's real during the next exam.

It wasn't difficult to conceal a crest to the eye. A skin-colored bandage usually did the

trick. Or even surgical tapes to hide skin lesions.

"But the real issue is astral energy leaking out of the bruise. You can't hide that with a

bandage. Specialized machinery will detect it."

"…Wh-what should I do?"

"Calm down, boss. Nothing about our situation has changed with this mission. We

needed to find a plan for the astral crest anyway. Now we just have a concrete deadline.

A week."

"…And if we can't figure anything out?"

"Just leave it to us," Jhin assured the timid captain looking at him imploringly. The

sniper with silver hair didn't miss a beat as he nodded. "We'll get you out of the capital

before you're caught. We should look into escape routes."

"Jhin, could you please take this seriously?"

"I'm dead serious. And don't talk so loudly. If somebody hears your voice— Huh?"

Clack… There was a footstep.

Two women appeared at the entrance of the medical center. One of them was wearing

the uniform for the Imperial Army, and the other wore a black suit.

"That's illegal, Risya. I'll have to report this incident to the Imperial Senate."

"I saaaid I'm sorry, Mickey! I was in the wrong. Okay?"

"It's Michaela. Please refer to me by my full name when we're on the job."

"Senior Doctor of the United Medical Team at HQ Mickey."

"My full name , not my full title. Never mind. Pick up the pace."

"Ow! Ow!" yelped the petite woman, yanked forward by the taller one.

Iska knew one of them. This was his first time seeing the other person.

"Oh, Risya!"

"Well, well, well… Mismis, glad to see you in good spirits." The Saint Disciple managed

to wave, remaining slumped over.

Risya In Empire.

Her face was shrewd and graceful, accenting the black-rimmed glasses that made her

look smart. On her slim and tall stature, even a normal combat uniform looked put

together. Iska was shaken up to see her make an appearance at the outskirts of the

Empire.

After all, she was the Saint Disciple in the fifth seat, meaning she didn't go too far from

the throne, except on missions, as an officer who reported directly to the ruler. In any

normal situation, she wouldn't be here but in the Imperial capital.

"What're you doing here, Risya?" Mismis asked.

"Oh… Well, you know. Ha-ha-ha…"

"Don't play stupid, Risya," warned the woman in the suit, grabbing Risya's hand. "It's

nice to meet you, Unit 907. My name is Michaela." She bowed. "I work in the

headquarters supervising medical teams. My specialty is in legal medicine, and I lead

other teams related to medicine as part of my duties."

A medical officer. A soldier with special skills who served in the Imperial military and

held a medical license.

…If she works in the headquarters… she must be in a higher rank than Captain Mismis.

Headquarters had a hierarchical structure from the First Division to the Sixth Division.

If she was working for them, she must have ranked high despite her age.

"N-nice to meet you. Uh, um, did we do something wrong?" Mismis asked.

"We have a terrible problem."

"Wh-what is it?!"

There was no way… Could they have found out that the captain had become a witch

after she fell into the vortex? Her face paled. She was practically an open book.

"Risya needs to apologize for something."

"…Excuse me?"

"Headquarters manages battles engaged by all Imperial armies. In particular, legal

medicine makes medical recommendations to optimize swift recovery."

"…I see. And?"

"I checked all your service records."

They must have been stored in the clipboard tucked under her arm. Dr. Michaela

flipped through bundles of printed papers.

"We recognize you've all worked overtime. According to military law, the Third

Division can engage in battle for a maximum of thirty consecutive days. In emergency

conditions, an extension to forty-five days can be granted. We do not only count actual

combat. We include practices that require an equal amount of physical exertion. We

can see you've all clearly exceeded the limits and—"

"Wait. The boss isn't following your explanation." Jhin patted Mismis on the back as

her mind drifted off into space. "Please summarize."

"You're overworked." The physician held up a paper covered in red circles. "And it's in

violation of the regulations."

"What?! B-but we were ordered to deploy."

"Exactly. The onus is on your superior. This person." Michaela pointed at Risya, who

was looking away. "Isn't that right, Risya?"

"…Well… it was only a little."

"A little what?"

"L-listen, I said I'm sorry, all right?! It was all my fault. Don't look at me like that!" Risya

seemed uncomfortable, offering a dry smile. "It was necessary for the Empire. What

else was I supposed to do?"

"There are other elite units in the military. We'll be decried by the populace if we abuse

a single unit to the point they can't work anymore." The doctor pointed at Risya's chest

with the clipboard. "After their battle with the Ice Calamity Witch, you ordered them

to search for the vortex immediately. Right? Both orders were after purebreds. Right?

"

"…W-well, yeah."

"Which is the same as sending them to their deaths. Twice. If they were a normal unit."

An edge of the clipboard poked Risya in the chest.

"It all comes down to the special mission to capture the queen of Nebulis. Just four

days after the search for the vortex, you dispatched Unit 907 to the border! Three

dangerous areas in less than two months. That's just too much."

"…"

"Three times, they've almost been annihilated! Word hasn't spread because there have

been no victims, but if the other units find out, they could question if headquarters

can make sound judgments."

"It's all good. As long as we don't get caught, right?"

"It's! A! Huge! Problem!" Michaela barked, brow furrowed. "Risya. You're not taking

this seriously. It doesn't matter if you're a Saint Disciple, which affords you a slightly

high position. This is what headquarters has decided. Even I can't let this slide as your

friend. If you didn't have connections in legal medicine, you wouldn't even be able to

get that drug —"

"Okay, Mickey. That's enough."

"Nh!"

Risya had placed a fingertip over the doctor's lips. Dr. Michaela turned red, bewitched

by this surprising move.

"Anyhoo, sorry!" The Saint Disciple put her hands together in apology and bowed her

head. "I was surprised when Mickey pointed this out to me. I never would have

guessed you were overworked! Imagine my surprise."

"Risya, you're terrible!" Captain Mismis squawked back, unable to bottle it up

anymore. "I had a feeling your demands were unreasonable! I can't believe these were

all according to your whims! Thanks to that whole vortex incident, I'm a—"

"Boss."

"Oh— Yow?! Aha-ha-ha-ha… N-never mind." Mismis went quiet for a moment after

Jhin kicked her in the rear. "S-so what are we supposed to do?"

"Follow regulations." Michaela immediately stopped blushing and cleared her throat.

"In the event that a soldier exceeds the maximum for consecutive combat, you are

granted a special work leave to encourage rest and recuperation. I believe you would

receive a sixty-day holiday at minimum."

"Sixty days?!"

"Let me repeat that Risya's orders would have killed you all three times. The medical

team judged that any more combat will place you in danger."

The papers in her clipboard notified them of these decisions.

Michaela handed the documents signed by headquarters over to Captain Mismis.

"Unit 907, you have been ordered to go on special leave for sixty days. This has been

decided by headquarters. It supersedes all orders except those directly given by the

throne. We will give you notice of more details sometime today, but if you have any

questions, you may ask them now."

"I have one," Jhin said.

"Go ahead."

"Why are you 'ordering' this? Usually, you would 'grant' it to us."

"Excellent question." Dr. Michaela nodded and smiled cryptically at Risya next to her.

"This isn't a privilege but a command. We're not telling you that you may take a

break—we're ordering you to take one."

"Meaning?"

"For the next sixty days, you are forbidden from participating in any voluntary training

or practices. Even if a certain Saint Disciple tries to coerce Mismis into working

because she's bored on break." The doctor looked pointedly at Risya, who was staring

in another direction. "I know it can be difficult to turn down a Saint Disciple's request.

I imagine one of them might ask you to participate in 'independent study sessions' or

'hang out,' which just happens to be more training."

"Seems likely. A favorite trick of a certain Saint Disciple," Jhin agreed.

"To prevent that, we're ordering you to take time off."

A sixty-day compulsory leave.

During that time, they could ignore all orders.

"It would be best if you went somewhere far away. Somewhere outside the capital. Or

even beyond our borders. Then even she wouldn't be able to proposition you to do

more things. How would you feel about resting in an ally nation on the outskirts of the

Empire?"

"But we've been told to be on standby for another exam in a week."

"That has been postponed."

"—"

Jhin and Nene nodded just the tiniest bit. The doctor mustn't have caught Captain

Mismis's eyes glittering with hope.

"I know the situation surrounding the astral crests, which means headquarters

understands, too. We've already done enough sample tests to know they'll disappear

in a week. We can wait to reexamine you until you've returned to the capital, though I

imagine your astral crests will be gone by then."

"Uh-huh. Right, boss?"

"What?! Ah, right!" Mismis nodded over and over.

"That's all there is to say. We're going back, Risya. We have work to do."

"Mickey, I'd like some time off, too."

"You're a Saint Disciple, which means you're out of the jurisdiction of headquarters.

Please discuss that with the throne."

"Aw, come on!… Ugh. Bye, guys. Enjoy your vacation. 'Cause I'm gonna work you to the

bone when you get back!" shouted the Saint Disciple as she was dragged out of the

lobby.

They were alone again.

"Erm?" hesitantly started the girl with the ponytail. "That means we've been saved,

right? Now Captain Mismis has some time until—"

"Neeeeeene!"

"Whoa?!" Nene staggered when the tiny captain pounced on her.

"Yay! We're on break! We don't have to worry about Risya's unreasonable demands,

and we can postpone our next appointment! This is awesome!"

"This is not 'awesome.' Context clues." Jhin leaned back in a chair again and looked up

at the ceiling. "It's what that doc just said. Those three expeditions all could have

annihilated a normal unit. We were at death's door this whole time. Headquarters is

implying that just sixty days of special leave is adequate exchange for our experiences."

They had repeatedly sent a single unit to the verge of death.

Their compensation was a measly sixty days of special leave written off as

recuperation. Jhin was right: It was a reward that didn't suit the reality of the situation.

…And if I take it a step further… I imagine they're going to send us out into harm's way

in sixty days.

Of course, Iska had guessed that, too. But the difference between the two boys was

that one of them would stay silent about this revelation and the other wouldn't.

"It's true we escaped death by a hair," Jhin said.

"R-right! And our deadline has changed from a week to sixty days! It's going to be a

piece of cake!" Captain Mismis nodded. Her voice was filled with spirit, which was

totally different from just minutes earlier. "Okay!… Um, Iska, what should we do?"

"Let's get out of the Empire. We need to leave the capital at least. Pretend we're going

on a trip."

There were traps to capture witches in the streets within the capital—to detect astral

energy. As military personnel, Iska's unit knew their general placements. If Mismis

entered those spaces, the traps would immediately activate.

…From the streets, to public bathhouses, to grocery store doors… The capital is packed

with detectors.

At present, Mismis had been staying put in the women's barracks, while Nene had

been going out to shop in her place. If this kept up for too long, people would start

suspecting something.

"I agree!" Nene said. "The capital is dangerous. It'd look more natural for us to pretend

we're going on vacation. I think we should return in exactly sixty days. I guess all that's

left is figuring out where we're going… Ummm, opinions?" Nene asked.

"…Maybe a neutral city?" Iska suggested.

"No way!" Nene cried.

"Rejected," warned Jhin.

"Do you even hear yourself, Iska?" Mismis yelped.

His idea was viciously turned down.

"Iska, haven't you reflected on what happened?" Nene asked.

"You were just carried off to the Nebulis Sovereignty when a certain person poisoned

you in a neutral city."

"That was such an ordeal."

"…I—I said I was sorry! That wasn't why I suggested it… Hey!" Iska waved his hands

to dispel their distrust as they continued to glare at him.

The three of them were convinced that Iska had been kidnapped because of the

brutality of the Ice Calamity Witch. He alone knew that Alice hadn't meant to do anything.

"I-it's not what you think! I didn't want this!

"I didn't mean for this to happen at all! Rin did it on her own without me!"

This hadn't been Alice's plan.

She exploded at her attendant, Rin, to ensure the incident wouldn't be repeated, which

he knew about. That was why Iska had let his mouth slip by suggesting the neutral

city.

…Right. Jhin, Nene, and Mismis… all consider the neutral cities unsafe.

If Iska tried to head over to one, they were sure to object, which meant he wouldn't be

able to go to the neutral cities anymore.

In other words, he wouldn't have any more chances to "accidentally" run into Alice.

That meant he would actually need to stumble across her… somewhere in this

expansive world or on a distant battlefield… It could take years… Even if he offered his

entire life, it was a coincidence that might never be realized.

…What am I doing?

…There isn't the time for that. I need to think about what I can do to save the captain.

They would head out of the capital, but not to a neutral city.

"We could go to one of the Imperial allies like Dr. Michaela just suggested. Or an

independent nation, which could be far."

"Which would you prefer, Iska?" asked Mismis.

"The latter. I think it'd be safer to go to a place that isn't an ally."

The allies were a group of countries that openly cooperated with the Imperial Army.

They weren't anti-witch enough to declare war on the Nebulis Sovereignty, but their

defense industry did export a substantial amount of energy to the Empire.

"I think it'd be possible for headquarters to surveil us there," Iska said.

"…You're right."

He sighed.

Captain Mismis folded her arms, speaking in muted tones. "We should try going

somewhere with as few ties to the Empire as possible. And it has to be a place far from

Nebulis. And a known vacation spot…"

"I'll look into it!" Nene raised her hand immediately. "We just went to that casino, so I

think we should find someplace in the south! I wanna go to a resort with huge beaches

and pools! What about you, Captain?"

"A place where we can all have a barbecue together."

"And what about you, Jhin?" Nene asked.

"Nothing in particular."

"All right. And you, Iska?"

Did he have any requests?

Iska stared at the ceiling for a few beats while the girl with the ponytail looked at him

expectantly.

"Nothing from me, too. Let's prepare to leave as soon as possible."

They would leave the capital. That was their highest priority.

This "mechanical utopia" was no paradise for a witch like Mismis.

And that was how they had come to the present.

Iska continued to gape at the swimsuit section of a shopping mall in the capital.

…Something is off. Something is definitely weird.

…We were taking this so seriously yesterday… Why am I here?

Why was he looking at swimsuits in the women's section? Everyone else was a young

woman. It was weird that Iska was mingling among this crowd.

Was he like a wolf hiding among a flock of sheep? Not quite.

If anything, Iska was the sheep surrounded by a pack of wolves.

"Iska, over here!"

He heard Nene call out from the back of the store.

She had poked her head out of the curtain to the changing room, which was fine, except

he could see a sliver of her pale skin from beyond.

Of course, she wasn't wearing underwear, much less any clothes.

Her thin torso and navel were bare for all to see…

"Nene! Your clothes!"

"I had to take them off. I'm trying on swimsuits. Hey, what do you think of this?"

The girl with the ponytail pulled the curtain open and leaped out of the changing

room. She was in a red halter top that was very exposing.

Nene was born with the long limbs of a model, though she looked more like a fit athlete

from days of intense training. Her taut stomach and curvy thighs were silky smooth.

"Heh-heh. How's that? I bet this is enough to make even you horny, Iska."

"…'Horny'? Where'd you learn that?"

It was obvious Nene had matured over the past year or two. Iska almost eyed this

change for too long, but he managed to shake his head in a fluster.

That wouldn't be good. This was the women's swimsuit section. He couldn't look too

closely at a girl in a swimsuit. What would the other customers think?

"…It's cute, but don't you think it's a bit too risque , Nene?"

"You think so? It might be a little too mature for me. Hmm, then maybe I'll go with this

one. But I don't really want to rule out this one, either."

"Nene, it's great that you're choosing a swimsuit, but…"

Though he had scruples about throwing water on her fun, he couldn't let her get

carried away. They weren't going to the resort to have fun, after all.

"We're going to escape the capital, and I'm sure Captain Mismis is taking this

seriously—"

"You called?"

Someone poked him in the back.

Iska turned around to find Captain Mismis holding a gigantic paper bag in both her

hands.

"…Captain, what's with those sunglasses?"

"Hmm? We're going on vacation, silly. If a proper adult woman will be traipsing around

beaches, sunglasses are in order."

A pair of flashy sunglasses was perched on her baby face. They really didn't look good

on her at all.

She had a child's floating device over her shoulders and a large sun hat balanced on

her head. Every piece of her outfit clashed.

"You look like a kid who got tricked by a fashion magazine into wearing the latest

trends…"

"H-hey!" The captain clutched the paper bag in both her hands. "Hee-hee, I've already

picked out my swimsuit. I can't wait to go to a luxury resort far from the Empire—

surrounded by nothing but desert! I've always wanted to go!"

"…Glad to see you having fun, Captain."

Even her skin was glowing. Just the other day, she'd been pale, as though they were at

the end of the world. But right now, she smiled, as if she didn't have a care in the world.

…She said Nene showed her the brochure for the resort last night… and that's what made

a difference.

Or was she just putting on a brave face? Iska had contemplated this possibility until

they'd arrived at the mall, but it seemed she really had cheered up considerably.

"It's your first time at the independent state of Alsamira, right, Iska?" Captain Mismis

asked, looking up at the ceiling from her sunglasses. "It was created in an oasis in a

huge desert east of the Empire. I heard the entire country is basically a resort. You can

swim in a pool during the sunrise! And at night, you lie in the desert and sleep under

the stars. How romantic…!"

"And we're leaving tonight."

"Yup. Jhin made a reservation for the bus. We're gonna transfer to get there," Mismis

said.

They were going out of Imperial territory from the capital, and they would go by way

of a neutral city and head to a far-east desert. It would take over three days to travel

there one-way.

"I let Jhin handle all the formalities. Do you think he's okay? Apparently, the request

for a special leave is more trouble than I thought," Mismis said.

"Jhin will be fine."

He had stayed behind in the Imperial base as Iska escorted Nene and Mismis.

But Iska knew the truth: Jhin had volunteered to shoulder this responsibility because

he hadn't wanted to pick out swimsuits with the captain.

"…That was unfair, Jhin," Iska complained to himself.

"What's wrong, Iska?" asked Nene.

"Nothing. We should hurry back and pack."

Iska could feel the icy glares of the employees on him as he turned tail and ran out of

there.

A century prior, the Empire had been extolled for dominating the world using military

force even greater than its present army. It took over other nations, giving rise to its

glory.

But one day, the Empire stumbled upon a planetary secret: astral power, an almost

impossible source of energy that had seeped out of the planet's core.

As it broke through the surface, it began to possess humans, bequeathing them with

powers out of magical fairy tales. They became more powerful than weapons of mass

destruction, and the Imperial populace began to fear them, labeling them as witches

and sorcerers. That was when the persecution had begun, making way for an era of

witch hunts… until a certain witch bared her fangs at the Empire that had used

excessive force to oppress them.

This started the rebellion of the Grand Witch Nebulis. She had been in only her teens

when she founded the Nebulis Sovereignty, which would become a nation with power

rivaling the Empire.

The Empire was trying to eliminate all witches and sorcerers.

The Nebulis Sovereignty blazed with feelings of revenge.

The war between the two greatest nations of the world showed no sign of abating,

even a century later.

The sunset pierced into the Star Spire of the palace in Nebulis.

In the small room used for official duties, not a single footstep could be heard.

Even the noise of dust filtering through the air seemed loud. The only detectable sound

was the quiet sweeps of a pen as a blond girl wrote in a frenzy.

"…" She glanced over a report and signed it.

Then she picked up another document to sign, which she continued to do for the next

twenty documents before glancing at the edge of her desk.

"These are from two weeks ago."

Thud , echoed the mountain of documents dropped on her table.

"You'll be done after reviewing these reports and the ones from this week and last

week, Lady Alice."

"Please have mercy!" Alice yelped, leaping out of her seat without meaning to.

Aliceliese Lou Nebulis IX. The second princess of the Paradise of Witches, known by

its residents as the Nebulis Sovereignty.

Her silky golden hair was radiant. Her ruby eyes housed a certain air of sophistication.

Though she was only seventeen, she had developed sensual curves early for her age,

which made her captivating. Her body contained astral powers consistent with her

status as the direct descendant of Nebulis.

She was the leading candidate to become the next queen, which afforded her a certain

reputation.

Except she was close to backing up against a wall in the study and crying, No more! No

more!

"I can't do this anymore. Look, Rin! Look at this calloused hand! I've been holding my

pen for too long! This is the last of the work to assist the queen. Right?"

"But you have a whole other hand. That one can hold a pen, I'm sure."

"Do you want to torture me?"

"…Joking aside, how about we take a short break?" suggested Alice's attendant, Rin,

carrying a bundle of paper in her arms.

Rin Vispose.

Her chestnut hair was parted evenly down the middle and tied into two bundles. She

was one year younger than Alice.

Though she appeared to be in the dull uniform of a housekeeper, Rin had skillfully

concealed daggers, metal needles, wires, and other instruments for assassination as

Alice's guard.

"Hey, Rin. I'd like some tea. With lots of milk and sugar."

"I will have it prepared shortly."

In a learned manner, Rin spread out the tea set in the corner of the study.

Alice observed.

"…I'd like some excitement in my life," the princess muttered as she sat back down in

her chair. "I've been holed up in this place all day helping Mother. This routine is

making me drowsy. I wonder if there's any work more fitting for a princess."

"This is still part of your royal duties. Even if it's work behind the scenes."

"But, Rin…"

"And didn't you get enough adrenaline the other day?"

"…" Alice took the hint. She didn't have anything else to say.

"Now you're under my watch!"

"Ha-ha, this could be fun from time to time. To have a powerful fighter from an enemy

country attached to you. It's kind of exhilarating."

She felt she'd had a conversation like that when they had captured the Imperial soldier

Iska and brought him to the Nebulis Sovereignty. That whole incident had happened

only ten days ago.

Alice had been keeping watch over Iska as he was captive for days.

…I know this makes me a bad princess… but my heart raced when I was with him.

She had felt safe with Rin by her side, but there was a part of her that was excited and

nervous to be around him, reminding herself to not let down her guard.

And she couldn't forget that pleasure.

…Plus… it was my first time sleeping in the same place with a boy of my age.

Alice was still a young girl, even though she was a princess.

Even though Iska was a soldier from an enemy country, she was bound to feel

something when they shared meals and conversations.

Alice had gotten a taste of excitement for the first time from eating and sleeping with

Iska.

"You should have put that Imperial soldier in a cramped storehouse rather than the

presidential suite. Then we wouldn't have had to worry about him attacking you in

your sleep, Lady Alice."

"Rin," she gently warned her pouting attendant. "Iska wouldn't do that."

"…"

"You know that, right?"

"…I can't deny it." Rin's expression was dutiful. "That Imperial soldier is the enemy, but

I imagine he can exercise reasonable discretion as a human. Even if he wasn't in

handcuffs, I guess… he wouldn't have tried to attack you in your sleep."

"Right? I knew you'd come around."

On the battlefield, even Alice shivered from astonishment at his strength.

But outside of these arenas, Iska was an entirely different person—easygoing and

demure without a discriminatory thought about witches, even though he was an

Imperial soldier. He certainly seemed intelligent.

That was what made him so great.

If he had been rough and rowdy, Alice wouldn't have been as merciful to her captive.

"It's not as though I was being compassionate to an Imperial soldier. It's just that Iska

is a special case."

"You almost had a panic attack when he saw you naked."

"Gah!… I don't care! I'm not embarrassed of my body! If anything, I wanted to show

him!"

"That's what a pervert would say!" Rin didn't even hide her sigh as she brought the tea

set over. "Here's your milk tea. I've put in heaps of sugar. Stir it well before drinking."

"Thank you, Rin." Alice lifted the steaming cup, picking up the bitter notes of tea

coming through the sweetness. "Hmm? I've never smelled this one before. Is it new?"

"Yes. We imported some tea from a distant region. A desert far to the east."

"They can make tea in the desert?" Alice asked.

"Yes, at a farm on an oasis. The area is known for its resorts. I hear their tea is topnotch."

A desert oasis. A resort.

Something about those two phrases sounded very attractive to her.

"Hey, Rin! Let's go during our next break. I'm sure we can enjoy ourselves in a resort.

We could swim to our hearts' content in a pool in the morning and lay out a towel in

the desert to sleep under the stars. Isn't it romantic?"

"With your current schedule, the earliest opening is in two years."

"…So a far-off dream." Alice slumped back in her chair when she learned of the

unforgiving situation.

That was when she heard fanfare from outside the spire.

It must have been coming from the courtyard. The palace filled with sounds of trumpets

and brass instruments with a cadence that made all want to march with springing

steps.

The people must have been able to hear it downtown, too.

"A fanfare marking a return. And this song is…"

"It must be my elder sister, Elletear."

This song was used to signal the return of the eldest of the three princesses of Nebulis.

Elletear, the eldest daughter.

Aliceliese, the middle child.

Sisbell, the youngest.

All three of them were mages born with rare astral powers and candidates to be the

next queen.

They were siblings by blood.

But they would need to viciously fight one another in the conclave to select the next

queen, even though they were sisters.

…For generations, the queen has given up her throne early… We have two years until my

mother abdicates. Maybe three.

They would be a step behind if they waited until then to decide the next queen.

The fight for the throne was already brewing below the surface. This was especially

true for Elletear. For the majority of the year, she traveled abroad without spending

time in the castle.

The reason was for her to lay groundwork.

"She returned quickly this time. I wonder if that's an indication of favorable meetings

with the electoral group for the throne."

"Rin," Alice scolded.

But it was true. While Alice was staying in the royal palace, her sister was visiting the

nobles to bolster her support.

"Lady Elletear will be at the palace shortly. Would you like to welcome her, Lady Alice?"

"…Hmm. My heart isn't in it, but she is my sister."

Alice basically dragged her heavy legs as she headed out of the study, following her

attendant.

"Oh!" Rin exclaimed when she opened the door.

Was there someone other than a soldier outside?

"What's the matter, Rin? Is it Elletear?" Alice peeked into the hallway from behind Rin.

Alice wasn't focusing on the beautiful first princess but the young and petite third

princess.

"Sisbell?"

"…"

She had strawberry blond hair and an adorable face. Her large eyes reflected the light

from the sun, glittering like jewels.

Her royal garb had a soft gradient that made her seem as though she were wearing

something out of a fairy tale.

As her eyes bored into Alice, her gaze housed a certain darkness. Alice wouldn't go so

far as to call it hostility, but her sister was obviously vigilant.

"Sisbell, are you going to welcome our sister, too?"

"…"

"Perfect timing. Rin and I are going, too. Would you like to come with—?"

"Excuse me," Sisbell said curtly.

She turned on her heel and started walking down the hall before Alice could respond.

She wasn't going to greet their sister. She was heading back to her room.

"It seems we caught her when she's out."

"Yes. That's just how she always acts…," Alice lamented.

Even Alice could see that her younger sister was as cute as a doll. When they were

younger, she had been friendly and curious and boyish enough to rival Alice.

When had that changed?

When had Alice started to become frightened of Elletear and feel strange around

Sisbell?

…Elletear is bright and lively and I like talking to her… but Sisbell is an enigma.

Alice couldn't guess what Sisbell was thinking.

Her sister holed herself up in her room, preferring not to show herself to anyone. She

ate in her room most of the time, joining them at mealtime only if their mother invited

her. Even when they happened to pass by each other in the hallway, she would

immediately turn tail.

Was her sister scheming something unsavory?

"…Ugh!" Alice groaned, burying her face in her hands. "This is terrible. I'm gonna die

from fatigue with both my sisters back. I just want to get out of the palace!"

Alice had come prepared with excuses.

There was that incident when the transcendental sorcerer, Salinger, had escaped from

prison with the Imperial Army. How had the Saint Disciple Nameless's spies breached

the country borders? Alice couldn't figure it out.

On top of that, the Imperial Army still might have been in hiding within the Sovereignty.

"What if I left to patrol the country from the outside?"

"No."

"Why not?!"

"It's a good option. Even the queen has suggested this. Too many of our best astral

mages have gathered in the central state. We should be concerned about the Imperial

Army making their next move."

"…Doesn't that mean I should go on a patrol?"

If the Ice Calamity Witch was to go out, it would cause the Imperial Army to proceed

with caution. It would be effective for putting a check on any schemes to invade the

border.

"It seems Sisbell is about to leave. She will depart the Sovereignty tomorrow."

"Really?" Alice doubted her ears. "I wonder if she was the one to suggest it."

"I heard it was ordered by the queen. She will tour through an independent nation to

the east. It was a matter that could not be settled without Lady Sisbell's powers."

"…I see. They are very useful."

Sisbell Lou Nebulis IX's astral power was that of Illumination.

It did not suit direct battle, but there was no better ability when it came to information

wars. It was powerful enough that she was feared by the retainers and soldiers in the

royal palace.

"Which means you're minding the palace, Lady Alice. At least until Lady Sisbell is

back."

"…"

"Is that all you have to say?"

"…Fiiine."

Alice couldn't go against her mother's orders.

She planted her face on her desk in resignation.

The Imperial swordsman Iska must have already returned home. She wondered

absentmindedly what he was doing at the moment.

"I need more adrenaline…," Alice mumbled to herself.