Julius stood alone in the king's audience chamber. King Minophon sat with quiet dignity as he received him.
"What brings you here, Julius?"
"I heard something complicated has happened."
"Hmm…"
The king closed his eyes without replying. He might have nodded slightly, or maybe not at all. His expression suggested he had no desire to speak, but Julius pressed on anyway.
"What will you do if she doesn't return?"
Minophon opened his eyes.
"Are you saying something may have happened to the girl?"
"…Possibly."
Julius turned his head. Surely she wouldn't try to return to her world on her own… She wouldn't know how. Then again, there was no way to be certain. She could be conspiring with Mithys from somewhere. Or Leca might have told her how.
"If it comes to that, then that is the girl's fate. What sort of answer are you expecting from me?"
"..."
"You're not suggesting we send someone to track her down and bring her back, are you? Weren't you the one who opposed her coronation as queen?"
"I was. But this isn't just about becoming queen. This concerns one person's safety—her very life."
"I didn't take you for such a humanitarian, Julius."
That hit a nerve. Julius looked momentarily flustered. But after clearing his throat with a quick "ahem," he continued.
"Then… what if she does come back?"
"In that case, everything will return to how it was."
"And what about the phoenix and Leca's secret? What if it really is connected to her?"
"Speculation is meaningless at this stage. If she returns, then we'll decide then."
"I understand. Please rest well."
Julius turned and returned to his private residence. A mountain of work awaited him, but he couldn't focus on any of it. He flung aside the documents he had been reading.
"…I'm talking about the misunderstanding you have with my son."
Behemoth offered a calm smile again. Mia turned her face away.
"Of course you'd take your son's side."
"Oh no, I only want to tell you the truth. Now, milady—you believed that Leca was working with Mithys from the very beginning, didn't you?"
"…Yes."
"And Leca denied it?"
"He did. But…"
"Milady, spirits cannot lie."
"What?"
"Spirits are extremely unique beings… They live according to oath and truth. It is because of those two qualities that they can serve as the most loyal followers to humans."
Mia studied Behemoth's face. Could this be true?
"If you doubt me, you're free to return to the palace and ask someone. If a spirit tells a lie, it is instantly consumed by the element it's bound to."
"Gasp…"
"A fire spirit is burned in flame. A water spirit turns into a droplet. An earth spirit becomes a seed, and a wind spirit dissolves into a breeze."
"I… I had no idea…"
"So you see, my son couldn't lie to you even if he wanted to."
Mia's heart thudded in her chest. If that was true, then what had she done to Leca? She'd accused him so harshly… cornered him without mercy.
Behemoth, watching her visibly distressed expression, added thoughtfully:
"And one more thing—as I said earlier, I don't believe it's wise for you to return so hastily."
"This again? Why not? I signed a fraudulent contract! I agreed to stay as a queen candidate for six months and get paid by Mithys, and now—"
"And now you're stuck here forever, without the money?"
"…Exactly. In simple terms."
Mia wore a dark, bitter expression.
"Milady, the path of life is something one creates for oneself."
"What?"
"What would change if you went back now? You've been through hell, you haven't gotten a coin, and besides—look at your body now. A fae's form?"
"I'll just cut these stupid wings off."
Mia muttered sulkily.
"For the record, a fae's metamorphosis can happen without warning. If that shedding were to begin while you were living in your homeland, in the wrong setting… then what?"
Ugh. Just imagining it made her stomach turn.
Seeing her shocked expression, Behemoth said gently, almost with pity:
"If I were you, I'd stay here a little longer and see how things unfold. I heard you'll be going to Muria for training soon—who knows what answers you might find there."
"That's why I tried to go there myself. To Muria."
Behemoth chuckled and shook his head.
"Muria is an island. The journey is rough. You may have wings now, but crossing the open sea with your current flying ability? That's a fool's errand. Especially when you don't even know the way."
"You or Salamander could help me!"
"Me? If I helped you sneak into Muria, Sibareth would come storming in. Hahaha."
He laughed as if it were a joke, but somehow, it didn't sound like one. Didn't he say he was a royal mage from Naizman? If that was true, maybe this wasn't a matter to be taken lightly.
"Then Salamander—?"
"Salamander is a creature of the desert! Fire lizards can't do much over the sea. You should know that."
So there's really no way... Is this guy just talking to annoy me right now? Mia's face darkened visibly, and Behemoth spoke to her in a gentle, almost coaxing tone.
"As I said before, paths are created by will. Becoming queen doesn't mean you're chained to Sibareth forever. It all depends on what you choose to do."
"So you're saying… there's still hope for me?"
"There is always hope—for everyone, in every situation."
"Then I suppose… I have no choice right now."
Mia muttered weakly. Behemoth stood and gently patted her shoulder.
"Or, to put it another way—an endless array of choices is now ahead of you. Come, will you follow me?"
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see when we get there."
Behemoth swept his robe dramatically and strode forward. Mia followed obediently. He walked so fast that she had to jog just to keep up. After walking for a while, he stopped in the middle of the desert, raised his arms, and held up his staff.
"Come forth, Sylph of the wind! Bring me the soul of the hidden earth!"
Suddenly, a powerful sandstorm rose up. It swirled into a vortex, digging a massive hole into the desert floor. The wind was so strong, it wasn't just Mia's clothes—her whole body felt like it might get swept away.
Sand flew into her eyes, her nose, her mouth—pffft!—and through the blinding gusts, she saw three white, rounded objects. The wind, as if alive, laid those three things down before them and then vanished.
Mia slowly opened her squinting eyes.
"Go ahead—pick one."
Behemoth's voice was cheerful, like a waiter offering her a menu. In front of her were three large, oval, white objects.
They looked transparent and slimy, covered in some kind of sticky gel. The sight made her skin crawl. Each was slightly different in size, but all were roughly as big as a soaking tub.
"What… are these?"
"Eggs of giant white termites—found only in the Naizman desert."
"What? Termite eggs?!"
Mia recoiled in horror.
"They're fiends, not ordinary insects. They lay eggs that contain things humans covet. Consider this a gift. Choose one."
A gift? Then why only one? Can't I have them all?
Once again, Behemoth seemed to read her thoughts and let out a booming laugh.
"If it were up to me, I'd give you all three—but this magic doesn't work if you're greedy."
After a moment's thought, Mia chose the one in the middle. Behemoth clasped his hands and murmured an incantation. The egg cracked, and with a pop, it burst open like a giant egg.
From within...
A brilliant golden shield and a sword with a gold hilt emerged. Behemoth chanted again, and the shield transformed into a delicate golden anklet that fastened itself to Mia's ankle with a soft clink.
On his third incantation, the sword turned into a small earring, which flew to Mia's ear and latched on.
"Wow!"
"These are the sword and shield of the ancient temple warriors. They can cut down any foe regardless of the wielder's skill, and the shield can block even magical attacks. You chose well."
Mia was too stunned to speak.
"I… I don't even know if I deserve something this incredible."
"Think of it as a small token of apology for what my son put you through."
Behemoth smiled kindly. Mia's heart pounded in her chest at the overwhelming gift. With this, maybe she didn't need training or anything else. Jackpot!
"Keep them on you at all times so you won't lose them. Oh, and when you want to use them, just say 'Tiwaz' or think it in your mind. They'll return to their original form and appear in your hands."
Mia nodded eagerly.
"Thank you. Really—thank you!"
"Now then, let me tell you how to return to Sibareth. Head east from here, and you'll soon come across a nomadic village. In that village, look for the field where the sheep graze. There, you'll find a very large tree. If you inspect its trunk closely, you'll see something like a doorknob. Pull it. Then step inside and go down the stairs. You'll arrive in a forest—that's Sibareth."
"Now go, and may blessings be with you."