After weeks of panic and uproar, things at Cephiro had finally calmed down a bit. Despite the Gallant Order continuing to keep everyone up to date on the Prophecy of the Broken Pillar, people were feeling at ease. News of Cephiro's Defenders preventing another of the prophesized calamities with zero casualties, had brought a ray of hope to the people. With citizens having already stocked up with plenty of food, necessities, supplies, weapons, and more, even the daily hustle and bustle had slowed down.
This same calm had spread to the Martin Manor as well, in the form of slowed down daily routines. With Lantis having been put in ice and later taken away by Eagle's branch of Autozam's military, almost everyone's lives had become a lot less busy. The only one who continued being busy was Hotaru, who still had to deal with the increase in monster numbers, but even his work load had lessened. With the people at ease, the Mayor of Martin, Präsident, had been able to uphold peace in the town without bothering his lord. But there were still things Hotaru had to take care of himself.
Five days after the storm calamity had been defeated, Hotaru was sitting in the main building's third floor study in the late morning. While it was a beautiful day outside, Hotaru was fully focused on a stack of papers on his desk. The papers were full of his calculations and notes, as well as several lines of Cephiroan writing. While there were plenty of papers, the desk was mostly covered in something far heavier; gold. Large walls of golden coins dominated the desk, each stack piled almost two feet tall. Leaning over his bookkeeping, Hotaru was struggling to divide the gold up appropriately, as he had no calculator or even an abacus to help him out.
What made doing his calculations even harder, were the sounds of explosions and gunfire coming from the third floor living room. With their chores done and not much else to do, the Magic Knights were playing on Hotaru's Autozamian game console. Having gotten used to the Autozamian text display, the trio were trying their best at a third person shooter multiplayer. Playing as different colored, giant ground-based robots, they were mowing down hordes of space aliens and downing enemy space crafts.
Despite playing the game on the couch, none of them were sitting on it. Hikaru was leaning forward so much that she had to prop herself up with one leg, as she stared at the screen in full concentration. Umi was on her knees next to her, her upper body swaying violently as she tried to break her high score. Fuu was laying on her side next to Umi, taking her time to collect pickups and make sure the other two had plenty of ammo. Each of the Magic Knights were wearing casual indoor clothes, with only t-shirts and shorts on.
Turning around on his hovering chair, Hotaru yelled, "Would you three keep it down over there!? If you need to play video games while I work, at least turn the volume down!"
"We can't find the volume controls on this set!" Umi yelled back. "Those Autozam guys make good video games but their menus are terrible!"
Snapping out of her concentration, Hikaru asked, "Umi-chan, when did you try out their food?"
"That's not what I meant!" Umi yelled, standing up on the couch, before hearing a warped explosion sound.
"PLAYER TWO, DOWN!" the game announced.
"NOOOO!" Umi screamed. "I need to start from the beginning to try and get my high score!"
Charging into battle again, Umi was adamant about obliterating every alien she came across, when the game console suddenly turned off. Seeing the screen go blank, the Magic Knights yelled in panic, worried they had broken Hotaru's game console. But as they inspected the device, they saw a small cylindrical object hovering up from behind it. The object was red with golden caps on either end, with the flat tips made out of bright-blue crystal discs.
"Is that a battery?" Fuu blinked, fixing her glasses.
"Catch it!" Umi yelled, seeing it hover away.
As the girls chased after the magic battery, they soon arrived in the study where Hotaru was, who stared at them with a serious expression. Seeing the battery gently land into Hotaru's extended hand, they realized their friend had pulled the plug on the game with his levitation spell.
"You can have this back after dinner," Hotaru said inflexibly, waving the battery in his hand. "Now let me focus on my work and go play outside."
Giving an exasperated sigh with her hands on her hips, Umi scoffed, "Fine, you just continue counting your riches in here! One would think you'd have enough money to not worry about it!"
"This isn't my money," Hotaru corrected her vexedly. "These are this month's taxes collected from the people of Martin."
"Taxes?" Hikaru blinked.
"So, you are in charge of the town's taxes, Mr. Hotaru?" Fuu inquired, looking over his calculations.
"Yes, but only the distribution part," Hotaru informed her. "Mayor Präsident handles the collection and then brings the gold to me to split it among different public services and civil servants. If I don't get these taxes sorted out today, people's wages are going to be delayed."
"I guess that's a good enough reason to pull the plug on us…" Umi admitted reluctantly. "But how come we didn't see you do this last month?"
"Last month I had Präsident take care of the distribution, since I was on honeymoon," Hotaru said frustratedly. "Gone to waste or not, now that it's over I am back to my duties as the Lord of Martin."
While Hotaru was keeping up a tough appearance, the Magic Knights couldn't help but feel bad, seeing the disappointment in his eyes. Hotaru and Alcyone had spent their entire honeymoon dealing with the calamities, fighting monsters, as well as taking care of Lantis. A far cry from the plans of travel and romantic getaways the two had told them about before the wedding.
Ever dutiful, Hikaru asked, "Is there anything we can do to help?"
Giving a chuckle, Hotaru quipped, "Just help us take care of these calamities so we can make up for the lost time. For now, you girls are just being a distraction."
As Hotaru turned back to his calculations, Umi slid next to him, before asking suggestively, "So tell me lord-sama; how much of this gold will end up in your pockets?"
"That is what I am trying to figure out…" Hotaru muttered under his breath.
"EH!?" the trio gasped, before Umi continued. "I was kidding! Heads of state shouldn't be pocketing people's tax money!"
Despite Fuu and Hikaru nodding in agreement, Hotaru answered unflinchingly, "This is a feudal world. My treasury is the state treasury. Anything that exceeds the 70000 gold coins required for the monthly budget is added to the reserves. If something bad were to happen, the money to fix things will be taken from my savings."
"So, you do not take any of the tax money for your personal use?" Fuu asked, trying to add up Hotaru's calculations.
"Only thing that goes into my personal funds is the six thousand I charge the people for living on my land…"
"You charge people to live here!?" Hikaru asked, trying to copy Umi's tone of outrage.
"It's just one gold coin per head!" Hotaru defended himself. "Were this downtown Tokyo, they'd probably be charged a hundred times as much!"
"That is probably true…" Umi admitted while rubbing her forehead. "So how much money does the richest person on Cephiro have?"
"Hell if I know, money comes and goes when you are in my shoes," Hotaru admitted, causing the girls to pratfall. "All I know for sure is that Alcyone's and my savings for our new home is 120000, so more than that."
"Right, you two did mention wanting to build another," Fuu thought out loud.
"Can't believe this place isn't enough for you," Umi crossed her arms. "Sure, it is a bit weird, but it has its charm and feels like home."
Before Hotaru commented back, a more mature female voice spoke up, "And it will make for a great country house for us to vacation in when we get our castle."
Turning around, they saw Alcyone in her casual clothes, which was essentially just her regular black leotard, but without the cape. What was unusual however, was that for the first time in many weeks, Alcyone was happily smiling at them, without hiding her true feelings.
"I will miss my gardens, but I think we can get a good groundskeeper to look after them," Alcyone pondered, her red lips curling upwards.
Sensing his wife's unburdened joy, Hotaru smiled back, "What has gotten you in such a good mood, my love?"
"Well, I figured that since everything is now peaceful for a change, we should take a vacation before the next calamity strikes," Alcyone suggested.
"We're already on a vacation," Umi facepalmed.
"That said I could use a vacation from this vacation," Fuu joked and pointed her finger up.
Seeing Alcyone's brow twitch slightly, Hotaru asked to calm her down, "Where would you like to go, dear?"
Calming herself down and getting more serious, Alcyone said adamantly, "There was one place I wanted to visit during our honeymoon. Now that we have dealt with three of the prophesized calamities, I think now would be as good a time as any."
"What did you have in mind?" Hikaru asked curiously.
Inhaling deep and gathering her courage, Alcyone announced, "The region my family reigned over, Subaru."
In the depths of the dark void they called home, the Mashins of Cephiro were standing still while facing the back of their new companion. It was dead quiet inside the void, as there was no wind, animals, or even background hum. Lifting his huge mechanical leg, Rayearth took a step forward, his leg creaking mechanically as it moved.
Quickly and with precision, Quatsar turned around while yelling, "Red light!"
Staring at the three Mashins behind him, Quatsar tried spotting even the slightest movement in their joints. But no matter how long he stared, none of them moved even a millimeter, with even Rayearth standing perfectly still with one leg raised.
Turning around slowly, Quatsar yelled, "Green light!"
After what felt like several minutes, he could once again hear the sound of mechanical creaking behind him. Calling red light, he turned around again, only to find Selece standing on one leg.
"…This is trickier than I thought," Quatsar admitted. "Green light!"
Staring out into the void, Quatsar tried listening to the creaky joints of the older Mashins that were a straight giveaway of their movements. However, instead of creaking or heavy steps against the floor of the void, Quatsar heard continuous, high-pitched whistling. He was about to turn around to see what was causing it, before remembering to call it.
"Red li—GHT!" Quatsar gasped, being tackled to the ground.
Having launched himself forward with his flaming jets, Rayearth had rammed into Quatsar's back, reaching the bigger Mashin in the blink of an eye.
"Tag!" Rayearth exclaimed stoically.
As Rayearth was getting off of Quatsar, the gold and silver Mashin tapped the ground with his fingers, "I don't think this game is suitable for us."
"We can play shiritori if thee would prefer?" Windam offered to the youngster.
"Not again!" Quatsar roared, rolling onto his back. "I want to play something new and fun! Something I can actually win at for a change!"
"To lose in a game is the first step towards becoming better at it, which is the first step towards winning in it," Rayearth spoke wisely.
"Yeah, but you keep getting better too!" Quatsar pointed out. "How am I supposed to beat someone with bajillion years of experience over me! We need something we are all new to…"
"If thee would forgive thy creator, maybe he could teach thee new ways of entertaining thyself," Selece pointed out, doing his best to mask his exasperation.
"No way!" Quatsar refused, stomping the ground. "I never wanna see him again!"
Seeing the youngster throw a tantrum, the guardian deities of Cephiro let out a collective, non-expressed sigh. While they had been forced to put up with Quatsar's antics for over half a year now, his behavior had gotten particularly demanding as of late. Every time the Mashins were summoned by the Magic Knights, Quatsar had asked them about their battles, and then moped in jealousy. They would try to find ways to entertain him, but Quatsar was too impatient to learn and a sore loser.
Once Quatsar finally calmed down a bit, Windam spoke up, "I know thee have traumatic experiences with thy creator. Yet from what we have seen working alongside him, even recently, we can tell he truly cares for the people of Cephiro and is an honorable warrior."
"He only acts that way to get what he wants," Quatsar crossed his arms. "As soon as something doesn't go his way or his own possessions are on the line, he only thinks of himself! I do not want to see his face ever again!"
"Pupu puu?"
"EVER!" Quatsar roared, before turning around in shock. "Huh?"
Standing atop the stone pillar in the middle of the void, was a tiny, white, speck of a creature. As Quatsar stepped closer to it, he saw the other Mashins kneeling before it, most likely to get a better look. Due to his greater height, Quatsar had to get down on his hands and knees to really get a good look at the little pupuuing creature. Staring at it with his four red eyes, Quatsar tried to make heads or tails of this egg-shaped fay with long ears.
"What are you?" Quatsar tilted his colossal head.
"Pupupu!"
"That doesn't answer my question…"
Before the silver Mashin could repeat his question, the red gem on Mokona's forehead glowed pink. Aiming the beam of light shining from it upwards, it spread out into a large image. Staring into the image, Quatsar could see moving images of the three other Mashins, as well the Magic Knights, and Hotaru.
They were fighting against green tentacle monsters, ginormous monsters even larger than the Mashins, and a massive storm that rocked the world around it. In addition to the fights, the images showed Hotaru putting his body on the line to protect the others, building shelters for people, and rescuing a man from flames. Beyond heroics, there were scenes of Hotaru standing up for his friends, educating children, and lending an ear to the masses. Finally, the images showed Hotaru talking sternly to the Magic Knights, while holding a cylindrical object in his hand, while sitting in front of a large pile of gold.
"As thee can see," Rayearth spoke during the clip show, "while thy creator is not perfect, he is resolved, protective, and supportive. Yet when the situation calls for it, he can be steely and stern."
"…That's not him being strict," Quatsar mumbled grudgingly. "When he shows discipline, he hurts, yells, and belittles."
"People can change, young one," Selece pointed out.
"…Or one can change people," Quatsar muttered, looking at Mokona. "Hey, you! Can you show me other worthy people? Someone else that I can lend my power to and partner up with?"
"Pupuu!?" Mokona jerked.
With the destination for their trip chosen, the Magic Knights had assisted Alcyone in packing while Hotaru finished meting out the taxes. Planning on leaving the manor for just a couple of days, the girls only needed to pack lightly. Without the girls bothering him, Hotaru had managed to divide and distribute the taxes in but a few hours. With all of this getting done quickly enough, the group decided to head off today, instead of waiting for tomorrow. As such they gathered at the main building's front door in mid afternoon, to make sure everything was in check.
"Did you all remember to take changes of clothing?" Fuu asked her friends.
"Mhm!" Hikaru nodded.
"I got a fancy dress in case we eat at a nice restaurant," Umi smiled proudly. "Though I am not sure if they will serve fairies…"
Looking up at Primera floating above them, the fairy looked at her indignantly. The blue-haired orchid fairy had invited herself onto their little trip, and had refused to leave.
"If it has no service for a pretty fairy like myself, it is no fancy restaurant," Primera huffed.
"Why are you butting in on our vacation anyway?" Hotaru asked annoyedly.
While Primera had not been invited, the little fairy had caught wind of their vacation plans. As such, she had invited herself at the very last minute. Although no one was complaining about her coming along, it did create a sense of tenseness among Hotaru and the Magic Knights.
"Because, I don't want to be left alone with the maids!" Primera said sternly, before looking uncomfortable. "Last time we hung out together, Livina made me wear doll clothes she had made in her spare time! It was so humiliating but I didn't have the heart to tell her…"
"Speaking of clothes, what about you Hotaru?" Hikaru asked, raising an eyebrow. "You seem to always be wearing the same clothes…"
Seeing the others also stare at her suspiciously, Hotaru leaned back instinctually, "What are you looking at? I change my underclothes daily and the maids wash this outfit for me often, and I know a spell for cleaning it. Besides, I don't see you criticizing Primera for always wearing the same outfit."
"That's because mine are made with magic," Primera said proudly. "Every time I finish a bath; I essentially make a fresh new dress for myself!"
"What about Alcyone then?" Umi pointed out. "I haven't seen her wear that many different outfits since the wedding."
"I think you will need to eat your words, Ms. Umi," Fuu laughed, pointing behind her friend.
Turning around, everyone saw Alcyone approaching them, wearing the least likely outfit they could have imagined. Instead of wearing her revealing leotard, her light summer dress, or anything ostentatious and gothic like her wedding dress, she wore simple garments. A light brown, loose fitting tunic with a black belt and short sleeves covered her top, with dark red, long sleeved woolen shirt beneath it. She wore a long skirt matching her tunic and simple black shoes, with what appeared to be dark red tights under the skirt. In addition, her ankle length dark hair was tucked underneath her tunic and dress, with the tips of her locks being visible from beneath her skirt. To further cover up, she was wearing a light, white scarf, and had taken off her forehead gem.
Lost for words, Umi quickly complimented her, "Ah, Lady Alcyone, I barely recognized you in that… Homely get up!"
Letting out a relieved sigh, Alcyone nodded, "Thank you very much."
"Why are you wearing so many layers?" Hikaru asked, tilting her head. "Is it cold in Subaru?"
Thinking about it carefully, Fuu thought out loud, "Should we have dressed up more warmly?"
"Not necessary," Alcyone assured them. "Subaru is the central region of the southwestern continent; it is plenty warm there."
"Then why you dressed up like that?" Primera raised her eyebrow, knowing Alcyone liked the cold.
Not needing to guess why, Hotaru simply shrugged, "Probably to keep herself from burning in the sun. What do you say my love; shall we go now or do you need another moment?"
Steeling her nerves, Alcyone breathed in deep, before opening her indigo eyes, "No need, let us go."
As Alcyone closed her eyes to focus, the others quickly saw their surroundings change in a flash of light. The lush courtyard of the manor was replaced by a cliff top view looking over an incredibly vast and colorful region. Surrounded by gently sloping, tree covered mountains, was a vast grassy valley dotted by forests. Many of the trees and the fields were covered in a variety of colorful flowers, with paved roads curving around the natural beauty. A large river with several inflows snaked across the valley, heading towards west, with several stone bridges and lumber mills built along its length. In the distance they could see farmsteads with orchards and fields, as well as inns and horse ranches. On the other side of the valley, they saw a large, walled off town, with the downstream of the river running through the middle of it.
"Amazing…" Hikaru gasped, staring down at the idyllic valley.
"Look at all those flowers!" Primera's eyes sparkled. "Tomorrow's Fay Moon will be glorious!"
"The rivers and roads are so pretty and natural," Umi complimented the cleanliness of them.
"Thanks," Hotaru said smugly, admiring his past handiwork.
"Is all this land the Subaru region, Lady Alcyone?" Fuu asked respectfully.
Letting her eyes rest on the familiar lands, it took a while before Alcyone answered, "This is just the central valley. The region continues beyond the mountains, though I doubt they would have been inhabited yet…"
Sensing the tenseness in his wife's voice, Hotaru wrapped an arm around her, "It is not hard to see where you get the inspiration for your green thumb. Where would you like to go first?"
Feeling slightly more relaxed, Alcyone smiled impishly, "I have a few places I would like to visit~."
Following Alcyone, the sextet walked down the grass hill they were on down to the valley. Instead of heading towards the town, Alcyone led them to a densely grown forest at the outskirts of the valley. Though unsure where they were going, Alcyone seemed to know the winding, not yet trodden path like the back of her hand.
Just as the forest seemed like it was getting completely dark, they could see light coming from a forest opening. The forest floor around the opening was covered in various herbal plants, and a small creek flowed down a large rock. The opening was almost overgrown by the forest canopy and only a little bit of light shone from between the branches. However, this light was amplified and reflected manyfold, by a large, elephant-sized crystal in the center. The crystal was purple in color, had multiple offshoots, and grew out of the ground at a 45-degree angle.
"Pretty!" Umi's eyes sparkled.
"Look at the size of that crystal," Hikaru gasped, staring at it glinting in the light.
Placing her hand against the crystal, Alcyone smiled at her reflection in it, "I used to come here from time to time, whenever I needed a break from my siblings, which was quite often. I would read books, take naps in the shade, let my imagination run wild… fantasize about a handsome stranger who would whisk me away."
Seeing Alcyone turn towards Hotaru, the others turned to look at him as well, causing the paladin to blush involuntarily. As Hotaru was trying to think of something suave to respond with, his trail of thought was cut up by a loud clanging sound, which startled the others too.
Turning their gazes back at the crystal, they saw Alcyone having taken out her sword and struck the crystal. The longsword had a bluish silver blade and a golden crossguard shaped like a bat, with twelve Olympia opals on the bat's wings and pommel. Although the sword seemed undamaged, a large cut span across the purple crystal's length, with small pieces having come off.
"I also used to practice my swordsmanship here, although my skills and weapon were a lot more rudimentary back then," Alcyone mused, picking up pieces of the crystal off the ground.
As the others got over the shock, they looked at the damaged crystal, with Fuu lamenting, "It is a shame such a beautiful crystal now has a crack in it…"
"It used to be covered in cracks," Alcyone shrugged, before offering the crystal shards to others. "Keating crystals, anyone?"
Seeing Alcyone put one of the longer shards into her mouth, the others followed suit carefully, with Hotaru fully trusting Alcyone's judgement. The taste of the purple crystal was very sweet and had an artificial berry flavor of some kind, however its edges were sharp and didn't seem quick to melt. Furthermore, as they continued sucking on them on their way to the next destination, their mouths and tongues started to slowly feel numb.
Next stop was a small but long river running through a natural orchard of palm trees and grapevines. The palm trees carried huge green fruits with spiky shells, and the grapevines had walnut-sized brown nuts growing on them in bunches. Walking over to one of the vines and plucking off a nut, Alcyone looked at the perfectly round sphere in her hand nostalgically.
"Many other kids used to come here when I was little. We would each choose either a biteku or taabo nut and float them down the river to race them," Alcyone smiled wryly, before throwing the nut into the river. "We would place bets on who would cross the finish line first, and throw the loser into the river if they couldn't pay."
"What did you bet…?" Umi asked worriedly, as the others stared hesitantly as well.
"Fruits, seeds, shiny rocks, our allowances," Alcyone listed, taking the keating crystal out of her mouth. "These were especially popular, and only I knew where to get some."
"I thought you hated gambling," Hotaru pointed out, remembering how much she used to resent Caldina.
"That's because I know from experience how out of hand it can get," Alcyone pointed out, looking at the crystal in her hand. "I never got pushed into the river but I did lose my entire allowance once or twice."
"How much was your allowance?" Hikaru asked curiously.
"About five hundred gold coins per month."
"HUH!?" the others' jaws dropped, hearing a sum equal to how much the Magic Knights' ballgowns had cost.
"I-Isn't that how much s-someone like Presea earns in a month?" Hotaru stuttered.
Sensing the looks of others, Alcyone stroked her bare forehead, "Yes, but my older brother and sister got even more. Besides, it did leave a bad taste in my mouth for gambling when I grew up, so it wasn't all bad."
As others smiled awkwardly, Primera brought up the elephant in the room, "How much did you lose in total?"
"…N-Not important! Let's keep going," Alcyone changed subjects, keeping on walking.
Continuing to follow Alcyone, the group made their way out of the woods and further into the valley. Though the view from up close was just as breathtaking as the view from clifftop, Alcyone didn't pause to enjoy the view while on the road. As the group meandered along the paths lined with light-gray stones, the sun dipped lower in the sky, signaling late afternoon. They veered off the beaten track once again, trailing behind Alcyone as she led them up a gentle hill. At the top, they were greeted by a sprawling meadow bathed in sunlight, bursting with colorful flowers and bordered by a variety of trees.
The meadow was covered in a large variety of flowers of different colors and sizes, ranging from tiny yellow bell flowers, to sunflower sized blue roses. The trees surrounding the meadow were almost as colorful, with some being entirely covered in pink and purple flowers, and others having blue or cyan leaves. Between the trees and among the plants, they could see small unicorn ponies, yellow furred deer, and small critters. The rainbow of flora was scattered around wildly, yet all the flowers and trees seemed to mingle in harmony.
Awestruck by the natural beauty, the Magic Knight inhaled the fragrancy of the meadow, "Incredible! The flowers smell so nice… It is a natural garden!"
"This is FANTASTIC!" Primera exclaimed. "The magic and nature here are so strong! It must be a fairy grove!"
"Fairy grove?" Fuu asked, before Umi could cover her mouth.
"An area guaranteed for new fairies to be born from!" Primera explained enthusiastically. "While each flower can only birth one fairy during its life, in a fairy grove, such flowers are in an abundance!"
Sighing in relief, Umi muttered under her breath, "At least this lesson was a short one…"
"I do remember seeing a few fairies emerging from these flowers," Alcyone admitted, gazing over the field at the animals. "I used to come horse riding here often with my father. We would feed the animals, pick flowers, and lay in the sun. When Master Mage Clef taught me how to summon Licorne, this was the first place I revisited."
"…Sorry for killing it," Hikaru repented, lowering her head down.
"…Don't apologize," Alcyone said softly, keeping her back turned towards the Magic Knights. "Licorne followed me on my foolish quest without knowing any better. Their fate was also my responsibility…"
Noticing Alcyone shaking, Hotaru reached over and gently held her hand, feeling her quickly latch onto it. When she turned to look at him, Hotaru smiled encouragingly at her.
"You ready for the next stop?"
With a nod, Alcyone then continued their tour, with the newlywed couple holding hands the entire way to their next location. Umi and Primera couldn't help but snicker and giggle behind their backs a bit, seeing the two tallest people in their party walking like school children. However, despite the laughs, Hotaru didn't let go of Alcyone's hand even for a moment, since he had a hunch as to where they were headed next.
As the sun began to set and the sky was starting to turn orange, they made their way to the other side of the valley. They were only about a mile or two away from the town's stone walls, when Alcyone turned towards a densely forested area up on a hill. The trek up was a long one and out of the way of everything else, but there was already a beaten path up it. Following it, they made their way to the top of the hill, revealing a large and wide top that overlooked the valley. The area was mostly overgrown with trees, aside from a round clearing in the middle made by lumberjacks.
Though there was nothing of note up here, Alcyone's grip on her husband's hand only grew tighter, as she looked at the sight before her.
"It… it really is gone…" Alcyone sighed, almost as if from relief, as tears rolled down her cheek.
Looking around them, Hikaru asked, "Where are we?"
"It looks like a logging yard," Fuu said, fixing her glasses.
"Why did you bring us here?" Umi asked in confusion. "It is just forest as far as the eye can see."
With her voice cracking, Alcyone sobbed slightly, "There… didn't used to be a forest here. This is… where I lived."
"Eh?" The four shorter girls gasped.
Turning towards them while holding onto Alcyone's hand, Hotaru spoke firmly, "This is the hill that the Subaru manor used to stand upon. It is where she was born and raised, and what her family used to call home."
"Ah!" the Magic Knights gasped, realizing their own insensitivity.
Before the trio could apologize, Alcyone spoke out in a quivering voice, "It's no big deal… Everyone lost their homes… and had to rebuild them… So it is no wonder there are no remnants of the Subaru manor, as no one has a reason to rebuild it…"
Hugging his softly weeping wife from behind, Hotaru asked gently, "Do you still remember what it looked like?"
Nodding slowly, Alcyone sniffed, "It was… around four times the size of Martin Manor, but didn't have a central courtyard. Several stories tall with brown brick and lumber walls, and steep red ceilings and turrets… The main building was ornate with rounded walls and several over the wall walkways, and had many rectangular extra wings and sections sprouting off of it. The entire hill was surrounded by a tall brick wall, with twelve guard towers…"
Imagining the towering building before her, Alcyone both longed and dreaded to return to it again, "We had no gardens, only courtyards for soldiers and servants to work and train in. The internal corridors were a maze of confusing paths and many similar doors, most of which were locked, as my family hoarded wealth behind them… It… It was my home, but most of the time, it felt like a prison…"
As Alcyone started sobbing out loud, Hotaru hugged her tightly, at which point Alcyone turned towards him and buried her face into his neck. With the grown woman crying so openly, the girls didn't know if they should give her and Hotaru privacy, or stay to listen.
"I was so happy, to finally be out of the house, when Clef took me in…" Alcyone cried, choking on her tears. "I barely visited my parents… or siblings… for they always asked the same questions! They wanted me to open connections to the Pillar, to bolster the Subaru name over the other great houses. But I could only think of living in the castle… as my happy place. I never wanted to come back here. But now, it's all gone…"
Holding his wife firmly in his arms, Hotaru waited for her to stop sobbing, while the Magic Knights watched from the side. The girls had never heard Alcyone talk much about her family, but they could tell Alcyone's memories of them weren't the best. Yet it was clear that the sorceress missed them just as much, as any of them would miss their family, if they were to never see them again. But from Hotaru's perspective, it was clear that it wasn't the loss of her family that made Alcyone sad.
With Alcyone's tears eventually drying up, the Magic Knights placed their hands on her shoulder and back, offering their support. Feeling this, Alcyone hugged Hotaru tighter before turning around, giving the girls a comforting smile.
"I'm just glad I now have a home I can feel comfortable in," Alcyone smiled, earning a kiss on her forehead from Hotaru.
Once Alcyone had recovered, Fuu asked respectfully, "Where shall we head next, Lady Alcyone?"
"You feel comfortable visiting the town?" Hotaru requested to know.
Thinking about it, Alcyone eventually shook her head, "I think I'll pass this time around. People would most likely recognize me…"
"In that outfit? I hardly believe that," Umi giggled confidently.
"Well, if it isn't Lady Alcyone."
Startled by an aged and creaky voice, the others quickly turned around, spotting two elderly people slowly walking up the hill with canes. The one that had spoken, was an old wrinkly woman with bad posture, gray eyes and hair that reached her waist. She was wearing a colorful scarf around her head and neck, as well as a long black and yellow tunic that reached her knees, with sandals on her feet. Next to her walked an old man with a straighter posture and a white moustache, wearing a gray Autozamian suit. Although the elderly couple didn't seem dangerous, they could see the old woman stare daggers at them.
"It has been a while…" The old lady greeted her, staring at her coldly.
Swallowing nervously, Alcyone kept up her poise, "…Yes, it has. I am surprised you recognized me, Mrs.…?"
Snorting loudly, the old woman spoke moodily, "Sahara, Mayor Sahara. I used to work as a maid for your father."
"And I am her husband, Riviera," the Autozamian gentleman places his hand on his chest.
"N-Nice to meet you both…" Alcyone tried to stay polite, while trying to remember a maid named like her.
"It is no wonder you do not recognize me," Sahara said in a sour tone. "Unlike you, some of us have to grow old. But I suppose we never met that often, with you being Princess Emeraude's sorceress and all. How did that work out for you?"
Seeing Alcyone freeze up, the old gentleman placed his hand onto Sahara's shoulder, "Please excuse my wife, she is a bit hot tempered. We recognized you from the wedding, Hotaru the Hero, so we figured this lady over here is your wife."
Like a bolt of lightning from the blue, Hotaru snapped suddenly, "Oh right! I almost forgot that I invited Mayor Sahara to the wedding… I'm sorry for not recognizing you, Lantis must have greeted you when you arrived."
"He was such a nice young man," Sahara smiled, pointing her cane at Alcyone. "Which is more than can be said for this trollop! If you weren't one of the only people capable of helping us, I would order you to be sent to the gallows!"
"Huh!?" Hotaru and the ladies gasped in shock.
"Apologies," Riviera bowed his head, "she means the pillory."
"Huh? Oh right… Always get those two mixed up," Sahara rubbed her head tiredly, causing the tourists to pratfall.
As Hotaru helped Alcyone up, Hikaru asked, "Ummm, you mentioned something about needing help?"
"Well, isn't that why you're here?" Sahara raised her eyebrow. "I figured that since the Gallant Order showed up at the town, you five wouldn't be far behind."
Hearing the Gallant Order was in Subaru, the group could immediately tell that something was up. However, Hotaru also knew that going to the town would be no easy feat for Alcyone. To make sure she would be okay with this, Hotaru looked at her silently, not wanting to give the old lady more reasons to bad mouth her.
With little to no hesitation, Alcyone nodded, before lying to the old lady. "We were just about to come and see you."
Following Sahara and Riviera to the town of Subaru, it was already evening by the time Hotaru and the others arrived. While they could have gotten to the town faster, they paced themselves to the geriatric couple. Despite the sun being low now, the town looked quite idyllic in its red glow, within the confines of its six-meter-high stone walls. Many of its two story buildings were made out of neatly cut stone and brick. Despite there being plenty of space, the buildings had been built right next to each other, leaving room for parks, gardens, and groves. The large river that had flown through the valley split the town into halves that were connected by several arched stone bridges and watermills.
Looking around, memories flooded Alcyone's mind, as the town started to give her uncanny feelings. While the architecture and ambiance were the same, the layout of the streets and number of buildings were completely different. She remembered a bustling city with densely packed buildings lining up every street, with artificial waterways used to move cargo. But now, despite it being late, the streets of the vast town seemed empty, even though most of the people were still out and about.
Escorted by the mayor, Hikaru and the others arrived at the town's market square on the northern side of the city. There they were met with a familiar sight of townspeople being gathered to listen to the Gallant Order's announcements, with two key differences. One of them was the fact that the Gallant Order members were all armed; each one carrying either a sword, a spear, or halberd, and shields. The other was that while Captain Darracq was present, he wasn't the one talking.
"…The tempestuous anger of the skies, held back until now, will tear the ground asunder! The hostilities quelled will stand up in arms once more, their withheld blood-thirst a thousand-fold! The world will be paved over by disasters, scorching the land and skies black as night!" A female figure in a dark robe and hood heralded with her arms wide. "And when the planet rings hollow with the echoes of the fallen, the reaper will collect his own! For this is the Wrath of the Broken Pillar!"
The Magic Knights listened as the crowd gasped in fear, listening to the Prophecy of the Broken Pillar for the first time from the prophet's mouth. As they had already seen half of the prophecy come true, they couldn't help but worry about what the second, much darker half promised them. The prophet continued speaking with fervor, capturing everyone's attention, with Hotaru furrowing his brow.
"With three sections of the prophecy having already come true and in order, the next part is all but guaranteed!" Sybil spoke with gusto, levitating off the ground and amplifying the volume of her voice. "Past hostilities that were quelled by the Pillar shall be reignited and wage war once more! This region of Subaru, mired in battles and death, will be the flashpoint of the war to come! Thus I have foreseen!"
"But do not dread!" Darracq spoke up afterwards. "The Gallant Order is here to protect you and to uphold order and law! Whatever conflict may rise, we are here to quickly end it!"
As the Gallant Order fell silent, the people of Subaru started muttering among one another skeptically.
"How do they plan on doing that?"
"With those weapons? Violence only breeds violence."
"What in the name of Cephiro could start a war here?"
"I don't think there are enough of us left for a war."
Listening to the people speak, Darracq lowered his shoulders annoyedly, "They don't believe us… We got these weapons to fight monsters, not solve conflicts…"
"Be patient, Captain," Sybil spoke softly. "Seeing how the previous predictions have come true, we may still have to use them."
As the mutterings continued, there was at least one person in the crowd who was smiling;Alcyone. Seeing the people of her home region think so level-headedly about the prophecy despite all they had been through, was an uplifting feeling. However, as she continued following their conversations, more and more eyes started to turn towards her direction.
Just like with Sahara, the people were drawn to the Magic Knights and Hotaru, and it didn't take long for them to realize who was standing with them. Though aware of her recent exploits, the people of Subaru became instantly cautious upon spotting Alcyone, with the exception of the few migrants from other worlds. Knowing full well the purpose behind those cold stares and seeing parents pull their children behind them discreetly, Alcyone froze in her tracks.
This is… Exactly why I didn't want to come here… People around Cephiro smile and greet me respectfully, but I can hear them whispering behind my back. They know what I did, they know what I caused, and these people…
"That's Hotaru the Hero," one of the women spoke up. "Which means that woman next to him… Is that Alcyone!?"
"Well, that explains it!" A middle-aged man yelled.
"Of course there would be conflict again with that warmonger around!"
"Probably here to wipe out the rest of us!"
"She certainly has enough help with her to do so!"
Realizing the townsfolk were referring to them, the Magic Knights started panicking, as it seemed like the entire town was about to turn into an angry mob.
"P-Please, everyone! Calm down!" Hikaru pleaded, waving her hands in front of her.
With some of the crowd coming closer, Umi hid behind Hotaru, "Why are they all so mad at us!?"
"We apologize if we have somehow offended you all!" Fuu expressed regret.
"Damn right you have!" An around retirement age citizen yelled. "You brought the worst war criminal of Cephiro back to our city!"
"She's not a war criminal!" Hotaru yelled, before thinking out loud. "Wait… does Cephiro have its own law of war?"
"Please calm down everyone!" a loud voice echoed throughout the market square.
Hearing Prophet Sybil speak up once more, the crowd silenced momentarily, turning towards her and taking some distance from Alcyone. With the crowd dispersing slightly, Hotaru could spot Darracq put his sword down.
"It seems that our noble Magic Knights aren't aware of Lady Alcyone's past," Sybil spoke in an understanding tone. "This ignorance cannot be blamed on them, but on those who refuse to tell them the truth."
"Truth?" Hikaru stared innocently, looking between Alcyone and Hotaru.
With Alcyone paralyzed by fear and Hotaru unsure how to explain it to someone as wide-eyed as Hikaru, the two of them struggled to comment. But this hesitation did not concern others.
"Captain Darracq," Sybil addressed the man next to her. "You are the most knowledgeable of us about Alcyone's military campaigns. Would you please share with them what you know?"
Darracq's eyes widened in shock as the prophet brought this up. Although Sybil's assertions had some basis, disclosing such information about Alcyone in front of a crowd that held her in contempt, felt deeply inappropriate. And yet, he had sworn to act according to the instructions of the prophet and he was a man of his word. Taking a strict stance and keeping his tone of voice neutral and facts in check, Darracq spoke as impartially as possible.
"Sixteen years ago, after High Priest Zagato overthrew Cephiro's governing elements to take over the world, the Subaru family was the first to ally with him. Amassing an army thirty thousand strong to fight in Zagato's name, the members of the family were ready to shed blood for their master. Three other noble families joined them, bringing the grand total of soldiers to over hundred thousand. While the Subaru family tried to convince the rest of the noble families to join in on their coup, the other noble families refused to betray Princess Emeraude. By their actions, the eight noble families of Cephiro clashed with each other in a war between the usurpers and loyalists," Darracq recounted the events that had taken place. "Being outnumbered by the loyalists due to the civilian militia siding with them, the usurpers would have been pushed back on the first battle. But thanks to the power of Sorcerer Alcyone, Sword Master Lafarga, and High Priest Zagato, the usurpers were able to deliver devastating losses upon the loyalists…"
"I was there that day!" a blonde middle-aged man spoke up, raising up a stump of an arm. "I lost my arm to one of Captain Lafarga's attacks that felled at least sixty other militiamen in one go! Those who survived were struck down by icicles! The blood… there was so much blood…"
Going pale by the graphic description, the Magic Knights barely dared to look at Alcyone. Although they had known she had done bad things in the past, the scale and heartlessness of it all left them speechless. With Alcyone's face half buried into her scarf and her forelocks covering her eyes, the sorceress's expression was left a mystery.
Seeing the situation getting tense again, Darracq continued, "…In any case, the battle ended in a loyalist defeat and retreat, but it was just the first of the many wars to come. With both sides having suffered losses and neither willing to surrender, this began a ten-year period of wars. Each side would recruit more militia and mercenaries on each other's sides, fight over territory and resources, and clash in major battles several times each year. Both sides became more and more desperate with each passing year, trying to rob the other side of vital resources. Priests, healers, and clerics became prime targets of the usurpers, to prevent their foes from recouping. In retaliation, the loyalists would attack the usurpers' farms, orchards, and plantations to starve them of food and supplies."
"We tried to defend ourselves…" An older woman cried, covering the ears of her youngest child. "I know we were helping the usurpers, but we had to defend our crops, yet the loyalists burned everything down… I lost both of my parents, and my eldest! He had never raised a sword in his life!"
Learning that both sides had done unforgivable things during the war, Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu were trying to justify what had happened. However, despite all that had happened, it was too horrible to imagine. At each turn, it was clear that Alcyone and her family seemed like the cause of it all.
"Once Cephiro no longer had enough people or infrastructure to wage war anymore, the loyalist armies split into resistance groups, while the usurpers withdrew into the royal castle. Little by little, the resistance members were weeded out, and people suspected of plotting against Zagato were summarily executed. Monsters became such a big problem, that all resistance against Zagato eventually faded, as the people were struggling to just feed themselves," Darracq finished his account of the events.
Able to fill in the blanks at this point, the Magic Knights stood still, paralyzed by the true extent of all the horrors that had happened before their arrival. Monsters, natural disasters, they had thought that had been the worst of it. But now, the small population of Cephiro they had seen, all of a sudden felt all too real and the cause for it clearer than ever. Yet, despite all they had been told, Hikaru knew this wasn't all there was to the story.
"Alcyone didn't do it out of malice!" she spoke up adamantly, clenching her fist against her chest. "She was only doing what her heart told her was right!"
"Hikaru…" Alcyone raised her head worriedly.
"Alcyone was only following the orders of Zagato, because she didn't know his true intentions! She wanted to help him take over Cephiro, to prove her love to him…!"
"Hikaru!" Hotaru raised his voice slightly, to try and silence her.
"But Zagato only wanted to love Princess Emeraude, and thus tried to destroy Cephiro to free her!" Hikaru continued shouting, as the crowd looked at her in shock. "Had Zagato not deceived Alcyone, none of this would have happened!"
As Hikaru finished talking, intense whispering spread amongst both the townsfolk and the order members. With the red-haired Magic Knight having let several cats out of the bag, Hotaru facepalmed slowly.
"She followed her heart?!"
"How could she have loved a monster like Zagato…"
"Was Zagato supposedly in love with Princess Emeraude?"
"Why would he need to destroy Cephiro in order to free her!?"
"I've heard a rumor where the Pillar was not allowed to love anyone but the Cephiro itself."
"If that's the case then he was both horribleand blasphemous!"
"But why did the Pillar need to die if Zagato was in love with her!?"
As the crowds started to throw around even more questions amongst themselves, the Magic Knights quickly realized the mess they had caused. The whispers soon turned into shouting, at which point one voice yelled out over the others.
"EEEEEEEENOUGH! This is not what we should be focusing on!" the one-armed villager yelled. "You! Magic Knight! You really think this all absolves her of all the pain and suffering she caused!? That she shouldn't be judged for her crimes, just because she was in love!?"
Seeing the man point a finger at Alcyone with his only good arm, the other villagers also turned their ire back towards the sorceress.
"That's not it!" Hikaru yelled firmly. "What Alcyone did was wrong and horrible! But there is no way Alcyone will be the cause of the war Sybil speaks of! She is no longer the same person she once was!"
"That's right! Alcyone has been nothing but kind to us and the people of Cephiro, ever since she helped us take down Zagato!" Umi stood up to the crowd. "She has healed people, helped this world recover, and was vital in our fight against Debonair!"
"Furthermore, she helped us take down two of the calamities," Fuu pointed out stoically. "She may… has hurt many of you, but she has also saved all of your lives thrice now."
Reminded of Alcyone's recent achievements, the people of Subaru found themselves in an annoying moral stalemate. Having lost many of their loved ones due to Alcyone's actions and yet still owing their current lives to her, was a dichotomy none of them enjoyed. However, in the face of ten years of warfare and wickedness, they weren't willing to let wool be pulled over their eyes with just a few good deeds. Especially with the elders.
"And how do we know that she isn't doing all of this to just try and take over the world once more at a later date?" Mayor Sahara asked the heroes of Cephiro, with no hostility in her voice.
Before Hikaru could answer this, Hotaru stepped forth, "If she wanted to do so, she wouldn't have to resort to violence. Master Mage Clef has already requested me to become the next King of Cephiro, but I turned down his offer."
Hearing the Hero of Cephiro reveal this with unflinching certainty, both the people of Subaru and Gallant Order gasped in shock,with Captain Darracq going pale. For the past year and a half, the people of Cephiro had wondered who their new sovereign would be now that the Pillar System was gone. However, if the Hero of Cephiro had been offered to become the King of Cephiro, then the queen would have been…
"My wife not once objected to my decision to turn down the crown, nor has she ever pushed me to reconsider my choice," Hotaru explained. "So, as you can see, she has had plenty of opportunities to rule the world already, but has not fallen back on her old ways."
Before the villagers could present further questions, the Sybil chimed in once more, "Your faith in Alcyone despite knowing of her past is admirable. But tell me, can we place our faith in you?"
"Pr-Prophet Sybil?" Darracq stuttered, not sure where she was going with this.
"You have already passed on the responsibility of being our king, have you not?" Sybil pointed out. "Was that done out of kindness, to not reign over us, or out of indifference and negligence? And what would you do if your wife requested you to change your mind and take the crown after all?"
Turning towards the Prophet, Hotaru answered with deadpan determination, "If Alcyone truly wanted me to take charge of this world, then I would do so without hesitation. If she saw my rule over Cephiro beneficial to it, then I know she would be right."
Caught off guard by the hero's words, the people didn't know whether to call him a fool or trust in him to keep Alcyone in check. The sorcerer herself felt comfortable for the first time since coming to Subaru, as she stroked the ring on her finger. Knowing Hotaru was still with her, reminded her of why she had found the courage to come here in the first place.
"You think you are willing to go to any lengths for your wife, but is that how you truly feel?" Sybil asked skeptically. "Do you truly believe you can place your trust in a heartless woman?"
"…What did you call her?" Hotaru asked, glaring at the prophet intently.
Looking the Hero of Hotaru straight in the eye, Sybil repeated, "That woman has no heart. She is broken, and cannot be trusted."
With everyone having heard the prophet's words, they turned to look at Alcyone who was clutching her chest. The blush on her face had instantly turned pale and a cold sweat dripped down the side of her forehead. Before anyone had time to question Alcyone's reaction or Sybil's words, there was a swift gust of wind, as Hotaru appeared before the figure in a dark robe.
Towering over the tall woman, the long-haired brunet paladin looked down upon the prophet with his gleaming lime-green eyes. Despite only seeing her lips from underneath her hood, Hotaru could tell the prophet was scared, just the way he liked it. With a swift motion of his hand, Hotaru grabbed Sybil by the neck before lifting her off the ground, presenting her to the crowd.
"Prophet or not, you do not have the right to judge those who have done more for this world than you ever have!" Hotaru yelled, dangling the prophet up in the air.
Acting without thinking, Darracq charged in, drawing his blade and placing it against Hotaru's neck, "Let go of her!"
Many of the Gallant Order members were also ready to draw their weapons, until there was a high-pitched 'tink'. As the captain's longsword struck against the paladin's neck, it reflected off of a much harder surface. Seeing the Hero of Cephiro stare at them with his piercing eyes, the order members quickly backed down, with the exception of Darracq, who was standing his ground.
Ignoring the captain, Hotaru looked back at Sybil, "You dare spout on and on about trust and trusting, but look at you! You cannot even be trusted to show your face to these people!"
Letting go of Sybil's neck and letting the choking woman fall to the ground, Hotaru grabbed hold of her hood midfall. As he pulled the dark cowl off and over her face, he was shocked by what he saw.
A head of long, ankle-length pure white hair cascaded down the woman's back that made her fair skin look almost tan. She had long dark eyelashes, plump peach-colored lips, and a delicate nose. While the prophet was beautiful and well proportioned, it was her eyes that caused Hotaru to freeze. Her irises were two toned, magenta at the top and cyan at the bottom, with the two colors smoothly transitioning in the middle. Sybil's large pupils were golden yellow, with a faint light shining from their depths. Her irises were so wide that her sclera was almost undetectable, giving her an almost animalistic stare.
Landing on her feet, Sybil stared into Hotaru's eyes, before slowly moving behind Darracq's back.
As the captain withdrew his weapon, Sybil spoke in a rather upset tone, "Do you find my appearance off-putting? I've often noticed that many cannot seem to pay attention to my words and prophecies when they look at my face."
Having been caught off guard, Hotaru grunted annoyed, before turning on his heels, "As if you ever said anything worth listening to."
Placing his hands in his pockets, Hotaru addressed the crowd loudly, "There will be NO WAR here today! We'll be staying in an inn outside the city walls for the night! If you need us, you know where to find us."
With no one daring to object the scowling Hero of Cephiro, the crowd gave him way and the Magic Knights and Alcyone followed him. Before taking her leave though, Hikaru turned around and bowed politely.
"Rest assured everyone!" She spoke with sincere confidence. "We will protect you no matter what happens!"
Watching Cephiro's strongest take their leave, the people of Subaru were both begrudging and relieved. While they were too weak to seek justice for the wrongs committed by Alcyone, the presence of Cephiro's defenders gave them a feeling of security.
"Alright everyone!" Mayor Sahara yelled out, waving her cane. "Disperse! This meeting has been going on for long enough!"
As the townsfolk start dispersing, Darracq asked the woman hiding behind him, "Are you feeling alright, Prophet Sybil?"
"I am fine," Sybil said calmly, placing her cowl back over her head. "Please make sure that our soldiers are well rested and on guard. A battle is bound to break out in this area. I have foreseen it."
"Will you be returning back to the Monastery?"
"Not yet; I wish to have some time alone with a visitor before that," Sybil stated with a smile.
"Very well," Darracq nodded, knowing who she was referring to.
Having spent most of its day in the dark pocket dimension of the Mashins, Mokona was starting to nod off. The young Mashin, Quatsar, had requested to view Cephiro to find someone suitable to be his new partner. With the other Mashins staying silent, Mokona had shown him many Cephiroan towns and villages, as well as many of the individuals living in them.
While Quatsar wanted to find a new partner, he had gotten distracted on a few occasions. He had spent an hour watching kids from different planets play a ball game together, until their parents called them home. He watched sailors load up a sailing ship that was preparing to take off, only to get bored 30 minutes into the preparations. He had even watched many of Cephiro's different spirits, such as mermaids, fairies, and satyrs go about their daily lives.
Seeing the world so freely for the very first time, Quatsar was filled with wonder and many questions. Questions which the other Mashins were forced to answer.
"Why is it darker in different parts of the world than the other?"
"Because it is a different time of day in different areas around the globe," Selece answered.
"How come some of the islands float in water but others float in air?"
"Former Pillar Saratoga thought the giant crystals of Cephiro looked beautiful in sunlight, so she lifted them up so their beauty could be visible from far away," Windam explained.
"Will Cephiro ever have as many robots as Autozam?"
"Cephiro's level of technology will depend upon the needs, desires, and wishes of its people," Rayearth answered. "Currently Cephiro hast no robots."
"Then, what are we?" Quatsar tilted his head.
"Hast thee not yet found a new partner for thyself?" Selece asked exasperatedly.
"Ah! Right! Hey you," Quatsar woke up the pink blob. "Can you show me the worthiest people of Cephiro?"
"Pupu?" Mokona rubbed its sleepy eyes before its forehead gem glowed once more. "Puuuuuuu…"
As the image changed once more, Quatsar was presented with a view of familiar faces. He recognized Hotaru, Alcyone, and the Magic Knights, but not the people surrounding them.
"Hmph, do we not have anyone else?" Quatsar grumbled at the lack of options. "…Hmmm? What's this…"
Looking at the projection, Quatsar saw Hotaru grab a dark hooded woman by the neck, after which a tall man in white armor charged at him. The man placed his sword against Hotaru's neck, looking at him intensely. While the other people in white armor backed away as Hotaru glared at them, this man didn't budge.
"That man is worthy," Quatsar said adamantly.
"Are thee sure of that?" Windam asked skeptically, looking at Captain Darracq.
Crossing his arms, Quatsar rationalized, "If he is brave enough to stand up to Hotaru, I doubt anything else can scare him."
"Brave he may be, but strong of heart this one is not," Selece said bluntly. "Their heart is not ready to don a Mashin, lest thine power were to crush him inside thee."
"…He is that weak?" Quatsar asked disappointedly. "Hmmm… I will keep an eye on him, in case he shows potential in the future."
"PUUU!?" Mokona shouted before fainting from exhaustion.
Leaving the town and making their way to an inn outside of Subaru, the innkeeper was shocked to see Hotaru, Alcyone, and Magic Knights all at once. Having explained the reason for their stay, Hotaru paid for four rooms. While the Magic Knights would have been fine sharing a room, the innkeeper informed them that they didn't have three person rooms. As such Hotaru paid for a single bedroom for each knight, and a double room for him and Alcyone. When asked if Primera would want a room for herself, she informed wanting to sleep outside, to enjoy the moonlit night.
Despite staying in a rustic inn during an adventure being a classic tradition, the Magic Knights and Hotaru never had the chance during their first visit to Cephiro. Having always wanted to experience this, Hotaru was feeling generous and a bit adventurous, and decided to splurge on their stay. In addition to the rooms, Hotaru also paid for a generous spread of different Subaruan dishes, drinks, and paid a traveling bard for dinner music.
To the Magic Knight's surprise, despite the region being so green, the food was very heavy. Grilled steaks, sausages, crawfishes; deep fried meat pastries and chicken dumplings; buttery stuffed breads, many types of beans, and cheesy casseroles covered their table. All the greenery on the dishes were garnishes, and the spices were strong and hot. As the three of them didn't care much for such rich food, they figured Hotaru would have to eat the lion's share of their buffet. But to their amazement, Alcyone was digging in with greater ferocity than they had ever seen before.
"Maybe you should slow down dear, before you choke," Hotaru urged her, slightly unnerved by her hunger as well.
"I can't help it," Alcyone said, eating quickly with sauce on her cheek. "I haven't had these dishes in so many years!"
With her eyebrow twitching, Umi grimaced, "Aren't you the one always telling us to mind our table manners?"
"To be fair I usually eat sushi just like that whenever we return home from Cephiro," Fuu admitted with a smile, surprising her friends.
After eating their stomachs full and taking a quick bath in the river, the group headed into their rooms. Opening the door of their second-story room, Hotaru and Alcyone were met with the woody smell of timber walls and roof. Despite having a decently sized double bed, the room was quite small, only having a nightstand and a small closet in addition to it. The roof was slanted and had a dormer window that faced towards the town of Subaru, but had its shutters closed up. The room was lit up by an oil lantern hanging from a roof beam, on a sturdy hook.
With her disguise blown, Alcyone had taken her magic gem out from its pocket and changed into her iconic black leotard. She stored the large stack of clothes of her disguise into her purple forehead gem, before stretching out relaxedly.
"Fuuuh! It feels good to be back to one's own skin," Alcyone breathed in deeply.
Sitting on the double bed and storing his clothes into his armored gauntlets, Hotaru mused, "You seem to be in an awfully good mood after the day we've had."
"It's all thanks to you!" Alcyone pounced on his back, wrapping her arms around him from behind. "Thank you for standing up for me."
Leaning into her embrace and holding her hands, Hotaru smiled, "I promised you I wouldn't let your past sins stand in our way. I love you more than the world itself, and that includes the other people in it. If siding with you makes me a villain, then the people will have to make do without their hero."
Letting a light chuckle, Alcyone kissed him on the cheek, "If only these foolish people realized just how similar to Zagato their great hero is. Was it true what you said? Would you really rule Cephiro if I requested you to? Even if it turned everyone against us…"
After packing away his clothes, Hotaru put his gauntlets and mobile computer down on a nightstand before turning around. Placing his hand on Alcyone's cheek, he gently pushed her down onto the bed, not breaking eye contact as he laid next to her.
"Without question. If ruling Cephiro is what would make you happy, or if you found it necessary, then I would claim the crown before the sun had set," Hotaru swore in a deep voice.
Looking at the window, Alcyone smirked, "What if it is night time?"
"Well then before the sunrise," Hotaru grinned back, before both of them laughed.
Laying down on their backs, the couple stared at the timber ceiling of their rustic bedroom. They had lived in the lap of luxury for over a year now, having almost forgotten the little tent they had shared after Debonair's defeat. Though neither of them said it out loud, it was refreshing to have a strange roof over their heads once in a while. Having enjoyed the relative silence, with people downstairs still drinking and talking, Hotaru turned to his wife.
"You have seemed quite stressed and moody as of late. Do you feel better now?" Hotaru asked restlessly. "I was surprised when you wanted to visit Subaru again…"
"…I guess I just felt the need to prove myself I could return here," Alcyone admitted, pulling a quilt blanket over her. "I thought I could never return home again, and in a way that is still true. Yet coming back here still feels kind of nostalgic."
As they smiled at each other once more, Alcyone's expression grew more serious, "And yet… My heart feels restless when I think of this land. There were so many people living here before, it feels almost like a ghost town now. These people tended to my family's lands, and after all I did to them, all we put them through, they still decided to return here."
Recognizing the face Alcyone was making, Hotaru said, "You're not the only one responsible for the pain they have been through."
"No, but I am the only one left to make it up for them," Alcyone stated calmly.
As a long silence fell between them again, Alcyone slowly shifted closer towards Hotaru, before asking, "Enough about me. How did you enjoy our little vacation?"
Sliding his arm under Alcyone's back and through her hair, Hotaru huffed, "Hmph, I was having a wonderful time until Sybil showed up with her clown posse. With her around, I am sure we'll be dealing with another calamity tomorrow. I swear, her and her order are more trouble than they are worth."
"Maybe, but it is thanks to them that we get heads up on the calamities," Alcyone admitted, before feeling her heart ache once more. "Speaking of Sybil… How did she know my heart is broken?"
Hearing her tone of voice, Hotaru kissed Alcyone on the cheek, "There is nothing wrong with your heart. As for how she would know about your condition, well… I had a theory."
"…What is it?" Alcyone asked, tilting her head.
"It was a silly theory but… Well, it's her voice," Hotaru stroked his forehead embarrassedly. "Doesn't it sound kind of familiar?"
Thinking back on their encounters with Sybil, Alcyone shook her head, "Not that I have noticed. Do you recognize it?"
"Well, it is not just her voice, as it is also her way of speaking," Hotaru corrected himself. "At times, she sounds like just Stella did."
"Hmmmm... vaguely I guess?" Alcyone thought back on it. "Though, you're not suggesting…?"
"Not anymore. She probably used those weird eyes of hers to see that part of you is missing. I just…" Hotaru hesitated, before embarrassingly admitting, "hoped it was her. Since she disappeared completely, I thought that maybe, somehow Stella had survived whatever Debonair did to her. That she was still alive, and would one day show up at our doorsteps."
Huddling closer to Hotaru, Alcyone nuzzled against him, "You really miss her, don't you? So do I."
"It's not just that. If Stella would have survived it, then it would meanyou too could have survived it," Hotaru explained, wrapping himself around Alcyone. "Meaning that maybe the version of you I couldn't save, would still be alive after all!"
"Right, but would she too be posing as the Prophet?" Alcyone chuckled before returning Hotaru's embrace. "Not everyone meets a happy ending, not even on Cephiro. That is a fact of life. My heart may be incomplete without Stella, but…"
Feeling Alcyone's arm move under the covers, Hotaru felt her delicate fingers stroking his hand, rubbing his wedding ring.
"…my life is complete with you," Alcyone smiled.
With his heart skipping a beat, Hotaru used his levitation spell to turn off the oil lamp, to hide his blush.
Author's Afterword: Not gonna lie, this chapter ran a lot longer than I had initially thought. As such I have decided to split it into two parts.
This first part is mostly about Alcyone returning to her roots as well as its coincidences. Coming from a noble and notorious family, there was a lot of history to cover as well as introspecting for the series so far. I was wondering if I should save the tax counting scene for the next chapter, but couldn't come up with a better start to this chapter.
Next up, let's see if our sorceress can bury the hatchet with the villagers?