[The cover image was drawn by Bamb(祥竹:苺とか）of Pixiv.]
I am disturbed from my sleep by the calls of a maid.
"Lady Julia, please, wake up!" The maid repeatedly calls my name as she moves around the room.
I slowly rise up from my bed, taking off the silky purple covers as I bring my feet to the side of the mattress.
"Is it important?" I ask the maid grouchily.
"Yes, my lady. Emperor Seliph has been asking of your whereabouts all morning." The maid speaks in an exasperated manner, which makes me feel a little guilty for giving her a hard time.
"I suppose we can't keep the Emperor waiting then."
Suddenly, I was blinded by harsh sunlight as the maid pulled the curtains open. It took a few minutes for my eyes to completely adjust to the change in brightness of the room.
"Wh-What time is it?" I question her, albeit a little hesitantly.
"Just past noon, my lady."
That means I've missed the council meeting. Seliph would be so disappointed…
I make a mental note to slap myself later. So far, I was not doing a great job of being the Emperor's advisor. I look around the room and notice that the maid had packed away my clothes from the night before, as well as a fresh pair of mauve flowers by my bedside. I lean in closer to them and my nostrils expand in a gentle whiff.
They smell just like Mother…
I take a sorrowful sigh as I finally get out of my bed. The maid walks over with a brush to fix up my tangled hair, but I wave my arm to the side as I gesture for her to not worry about it.
"It's alright, I can manage myself from here. Thank you…"
The maid does a polite bow before she walks out. I walk across the room to my bathroom and almost yelp in terror when I see my reflection in the mirror. Dark bags are apparent under my violet eyes, and my silver hair looks like I had let a horse munch on it for hours on end.
"This won't do at all."
I take a brush from one of the drawers and I force it through my tangled hair. After what feels like three days of brushing (but was probably closer to ten minutes), I have my hair in a presentable manner. I put a few clips in it to keep my fringe off my face, which then I wash with soapy water. Then, I walk to my wardrobe to pick out a dress to wear.
Well, Seliph seems to be fond of the colour blue…
I take a deep blue dress with golden cuffs and change into it. Finally, I do one more look over in the mirror to make sure that I 'm not forgetting anything, and I head out of my room and towards Seliph's office, where he usually holds his official meetings.
Many servants and nobles greet me as I walk through the corridors, which are draped with cloth bearing the insignia of the royal family. At first, I was very overwhelmed by all of the attention I received as the imperial princess of Grannvale, but I have since then learned how to control my nerves and act more confident in myself. Unfortunately for me, the Emperor's office was almost completely to the opposite side of my bedroom in Belhalla Castle, which means that I will be greeting quite a few people on my way. Finally, I arrive at the big wooden doors leading into his office, and I knock gently.
"Come in." Seliph's voice calls from the other side of the door.
I resist the urge to slap my forehead in shame.
How many times do I need to tell you, Seliph? You can't be so informal as the Emperor…
I open the door and walk in. All of the walls in the room were filled with bookshelves, containing texts that covered everything that an Emperor of Grannvale could need; from the history of the continent to the laws and regulations of the (former) barbaric state of Verdane. Towards the back of the room, I could see the Emperor, in his usual white and gold robes, sitting at a desk filled with paperwork. He was holding a piece of paper in one hand, and his head in the other. It seems like he was reading something of great importance…
"You sent for me, Emperor Seliph?" Setting an example for Seliph, I speak in the most formal manner I can muster.
Of course, Seliph being Seliph, he greets me in the most casual way possible.
"Hey sis!"
He puts the paper down and gets up from the table to greet me with a hug. His moderately long hair flows behind him as he moves towards me, and his eyes, the same shade of deep blue as his hair, seem to twinkle a little bit. He wraps his arms around me with his slender, but firm, hands. I admit, his touch still gives me goosebumps… To which, he is completely oblivious about too.
At least, I think he's oblivious…
Sometimes, I wonder if Seliph purposely acts ignorant about our history so that he can forget he slept with his half-sister. In his defence, and my own, neither of us had the faintest clue that we had the same mother. While I know that it is wrong of me to want my half-brother, I can't help but think of the times we spent together when I feel lonely.
"…Sister, are you listening?" Seliph asks as he looks at me, a little worried.
During my ever-present daily conflict with my morals, I had zoned out so much that I didn't realise Seliph was talking to me.
"S-Sorry?" I stumble.
Seliph only sighs and releases me from his embrace. He sits back at his desk, and gestures for me to sit in the chair in front of it.
"I was wondering if I could have your opinion on something."
He hands me the piece of paper that he was reading. Before I look at it, I speak in a tired tone.
"This isn't another recipe you need help with, is it?"
Once, Seliph had made me look at a recipe for a dessert, of his own creation, to make sure that it wouldn't give the consumer food poisoning (which he managed to do with a previous recipe). He had wanted to perfect it so he could impress Lana at dinner that night.
If only he'd love me again like he loves her…
Seliph opens his mouth likes he wants to argue with me, but then he slumps in defeat.
"Just read it, please."
I skim over the page in front of me.
Blah blah blah 'free speech' blah blah blah 'legacy' blah bl- What?!
I place the piece of paper down on the desk and I look at Seliph unbelievably.
"Seliph… You want to legalise same sex marriage?" I call out in shock.
Seliph leans back in his chair.
"Yes I do. Is there a problem?" Seliph speaks calmly.
"Is there a problem?!" I repeat after him, unsure if he is truly ignorant to the effect such a matter will have on the nation. "Yes, there is a problem. The people of Grannvale will demand your head on a plate if you tried to pass this legislation through! For your own safety, I can't let you do this."
The only reaction I get from Seliph is a small smile, and I immediately know that I'm about to lose the argument.
"Actually, my dear sister Julia, I spoke to my public advisor about this beforehand. After organising a state-wide survey, he found that eighty-seven percent of the citizens of Grannvale, including the Duchies of the state, mind you, will support this law. It seems that after the tyranny of the Lopto Empire, people have a little more room for love in their hearts."
"I see…" I say slowly.
Even the Duchies?! The world seems to be moving so fast, and here I am, stuck in the past.
"But I still want your opinion before I finalise the document. So, tell me: what do you think?"
My thoughts still race through my head as to what this could mean for Grannvale and the whole of Jugdral, but I can't see any reason to refute the legislation if the population wants it.
"…You'll have Naga's blessings, as well as my own." I finally proclaim.
"Excellent!" Seliph beams rather excitingly. "Now, all I need to is to officially approve it and set a date to announce it to the public."
He takes the document back and gets ready to stamp it with the Royal Seal.
"I think that-" Seliph is interrupted by a knock on the door.
I look towards the door, and I make out a familiar face as it widens open.
"Seliph! Julia!"
A woman about the same height as I am runs into the room towards us.
"Lana!" Seliph calls out to her in joy.
She runs up to Seliph first and greets him with a kiss on the cheek, which makes Seliph blush slightly. Then she comes up to me and gives me a tight hug, her orange, wool-like hair tickling my nose and forcing me to giggle.
"It's been a while, Lana." I say to her, rather sadly.
Ever since Lana and her older brother, Lester, took up their positions as the Duke and Duchess of Jungby, I've been seeing them less and less outside of official business. I can't help but feel a little regret in not being able to spend more time with Lana.
"I know! We have so much to catch up on!" Lana takes my hands and is about to drag me out of the room, but then she stops halfway and turns around to Seliph.
"You are finished here, right?" Lana asks Seliph. "Because I kinda want to take Julia with me, and Lester is kinda looking for an audience with you. As soon as he's finished unloading our bags, of course."
I imagine Lana bossing around Lester, and I realise what Seliph sees in her.
She's a lot like me…
"You came just in time. Go on, have fun." Seliph's blush increases just a little bit more.
I wonder when they are going to 'officially' tell me that they're dating.
Lana smiles in delight, and continues to pull me along out of the room and back into the castle corridors.
"So tell me… How've you been, Julia?" Lana says as she loops her arms through mine.
She was never one to shy away from physical contact…
"Busy. Very busy. I can't remember the last time I had just a chance to go shopping for my own clothes."
I also can't remember the last time I had the chance to sleep early, but I don't share that with Lana, or she will seriously start to worry. When I look towards her for her reply, she seems to be only smiling.
"…Have I got something on my face?" I ask her quietly.
"What?" Lana snaps out of whatever she's thinking, and she looks at me a little apologetically. "N-No, I wasn't smiling because of that! I mean I was… But…"
She stops herself and takes a deep breath.
"Since you've been so busy and all, I was thinking that there's no way you could refuse a vacation! I have just the thing in mind, too."
Before Lana gets any further, I decide to cut her off.
"Wait a moment, a vacation?! I'm sorry, Lana, but I'll have to refuse…"
"Why?!" Lana's tone is a little hurt.
"Because I have duties to attend to! I cannot abandon my responsibilities so I could frolic around at…wherever you're planning to take us."
"See, you don't even know what I was going to say! Just hear me out. I promise, you'll like it."
"…Alright, tell me: what's your plan?"
Lana's face is more cheerful once again. Her eyes seem to shine in delight as she prepares to tell me what she's thinking.
"In honour of the return of Erasmus Day, the priest-"
I interrupt Lana again, almost without realising it.
"Erasmus Day?" I ask her, a little mystified.
She rolls her eyes at me as the conversation goes off topic once more.
"Before the rise of the First Lopto Empire, the citizens of Jugdral used to take part in a celebration called 'Erasmus Day'. Saint Erasmus was a priest of Naga who had travelled all over the continent and spread the message of love. Not only that, but legends say that he was so powerful that he could channel Naga's power using only his wooden walking stick."
Like I can, with the Book of Naga…
"But I thought that Saint Heim was the first person in our history to make the blood pact with Naga. How could…Saint Erasmus…channel her power?"
Lana just shrugs.
"It's called a 'legend' for a reason, silly! Anyway, Emperor Seliph decided to bring back the celebration starting this year. The royal heralds have announced that it will be held on the fourteenth of Yurbraef on the Gran calendar. Considering how significant Saint Erasmus is to the history of the Order of Naga, I'm surprised that Seliph didn't tell you…" Lana's voice goes quiet as she says the last sentence.
So am I…
"Anyway, back on topic…" Lana continues. "The priestesses of Naga have decided to organize a pilgrimage for everyone who would like to travel on the same path that Saint Erasmus did all those years ago, which, by the way, I really want to do. I was hoping that you would like to come along; I wouldn't mind a priestess of my own for the journey…"
Lana looks towards me with a silly grin on her face. I've found that the way Lana thinks is that 'the friends on the journey are more important than the journey itself', so I'm not surprised by her proposal at all. I wait for a few more seconds before I make up my mind.
"Lana, I can't go. I really do have too many responsibilities. Can you imagine how much chaos the kingdom will fall into without anyone to moderate Seliph's actions?"
I say that without a hint of exaggeration. If Seliph is left to his own devices, it is almost definite that he will use all of the royal family's money to build shelters for trees 'so they don't get sunburnt'. The expression that Lana gives me seems to only prove what I just said.
"Okay, now you're just making excuses."
Lana seems determined to change my mind, and that means I'm in for a long argument.
"I am not making excuses!" I can hear the anger starting to rise in my own voice.
Lana let go of my arm, and we both stop in the middle of the corridor as we turn to face each other.
"Yes, you are making excuses!" Lana's voice became louder to match the ferocity in my own. "Ever since that gods-awful war, you've been working day and night by Seliph's side. When was the last time you came to visit me at Jungby Castle? When was the last time you even left this castle?!"
I remain quiet. I honestly can't answer her question…
"Julia…" Lana's tone is more gentle now. Her hand moves to my upper arm. "You can't keep doing this to yourself. No one else in the Liberation Army has suffered as much as you have. You need time to heal, Julia. Please… If you won't do it for yourself, at least do it for your family. Do it for…Seliph…"
'Do it for Seliph'… I see it now.
"You're just jealous that I spend more time with Seliph than you do!" I snap at Lana.
A small voice in my mind was telling me to stop before it was too late, but Lana had brought up my dead family members and Seliph. I'm not in the mood to tolerate any more of her garbage.
"What?!" Her incredulous voice pierces through the air. "Th-That's not true! I- Wait, Julia!"
I start to walk away before I let her finish talking. I'm interested in her lies anymore.
"I-I'm not going to give up!" Lana's voice calls hopelessly behind me.
But you will. Soon…
I start walking towards my office. It was well past midday, and I haven't started sifting through any of the documents that would inevitably be waiting for me on my desk. I can feel my temper slowly rising as I play the argument with Lana in my head again and again. It isn't that I am angry at Lana herself, it's the fact that Seliph and her still refuses to tell me that they're dating.
She takes me for an idiot… She thinks I don't know what's going on between them.
I arrive at my office and I walk in as I look around the room. Everything is in the same place where I had left it last night; the papers I have to sort through are still on my desk, the gifts that nobles brought me are still sitting in the corner of the room, and the countless empty platters of food that the maids had brought me over a week ago are still on the floor beside my desk. The maids did offer me to clean up the mess whenever they came, but I refused them all. I'm too scared that a maid's lack of attention to detail may cause an important document to be lost. I sit down on my desk and get to work straight away.