"Yes. My mother is a fairy." Alicia responded calmly.
"That's... not the 'one-of-a-kind' I ant—but oh. You are half-fairy, half-human?" asked.
Alicia gave a small nod.
"Though Papa said I leaned too heavily into the human side."
But was that really true?
At a glance, she bore human features, yes—but I could not, in good faith, call her one.
"I ruled over the House of Blonde," Alicia said, lifting her chin. "All, except for Papa. He refused to bow."
Well, when he was the Lord of the house... and likely its last thread of dignity...
"He was so shocked by the authority I'd seized, he challenged to a duel. To settle who deserved to sit at the top."
I should be concerned that Bond challenged a three-year-old to battle...
But we are speaking of Alicia.
"We went into the woods," she said with growing fervor. "Away from the mansion. But once we began throwing hands, we sohow moved back there. So stones got flung back and struck the mansion. Papa was very upset."
She was excited. No—thrilled, reliving the tale as if it were her coronation.
"But how did you, a newborn, even fight Bond—the sa Bond who has been around for centuries?" I asked.
Alicia blinked at , her face blank.
"Hm? I just ran at him and tried to punch him." She said it as if it were the most obvious course of action.
"But he kept dodging, of course. Each ti my fist flew, the forest bowed as if lashed by a storm."
Of course it did.
Bond would not casually suffer a hit like that—not even from his own monstrous child.
"Then Papa started using flashy tricks—presumably magic. I wouldn't have known at the ti. Whatever it was, nothing I did worked anymore. By the ti our duel ended, half the mansion was a pile of ash."
Poor Bond's mansion.
"I was frustrated. Furious. 'How could a re insect defeat ?' I thought, holding back tears."
"Alicia," I said with a wry smile, "you were a very dangerous three-year-old."
She raised a brow.
"Co now. I was young. Aren't all three-year-olds like that? Don't they also seek empires?"
I don't think so.
At least, not the mortal ones. Maybe when they reached ten or twelve?
(Note: Levina's outlook was also warped.)
"I gathered myself again, ready for another round." Alicia leaned forward, tone dropping with gravity.
"Papa had turned away, more interested in the wreckage we'd caused. But the mont I asked for another go..."
Her giddy smile shifted. Then one of reverence took its place.
"...Papa looked at . That was the first ti I feared for my life. I thought he was going to kill ... and I started to cry."
"So you were a child after all," I muttered.
"Mama ca, scolded Papa, and took into her arms." Her voice quieted.
"I couldn't sleep that night. The look in Papa's eyes... it burned into my mind. Haunted . That's when I accepted it: Papa was very powerful."
We both turned our eyes to the distant forest, the wind winding through our hair like imaginary fingers.
"So..." I began, cautiously. "How does that lead to Bond being God?"
Alicia turned to , as if just rembering.
"Ah, yes. The next day, I went to apologize. And then I asked him why I lost. Because honestly, that just didn't seem like sothing that should happen."
"How exactly do you view yourself, young lady?!"
"Then Papa told ... he was actually God. He said he walks among humans because of divine political reasons."
...That's got to be a huge lie!!
Though, if I were in Bond's shoes, I'd have done the sa—pull rank on a power-drunk three-year-old before she crushed my kingdom with her fists.
"So that's it," Alicia concluded. "That's why Papa's sleeping spell worked on —"
Huh? Was that what we were talking about?
"—I couldn't move, but I could still hear everything around —how Ruby made a Pact with Papa to protect , how he fought against Pluto and put his life on the line too."
Her warm smile returned.
"I was so glad with the adventures; I think I partially broke out of the spell. Then Pluto and Ruben worked together to put back under. But..."
She leaned in, eyes gleaming with mischief.
"I only pretended to be asleep that ti. I resisted the spell with everything I had."
I suppose Master Raven never knew that.
And I don't think I'll be the one to tell him either.
"To dispel Papa's spell initially," Alicia continued, "I must've expelled a large amount of magic unintentional. My vessel began to break. According to Pluto, I would've died unless it was restructured."
Pluto was ready to help her?
What would he gain from that? Master Raven's loyalty, maybe?
"So how did Pluto reinforce your vessel?" I asked, examining her.
"Because your body is preposterously strong now. Like... greater dragon level."
"While they were trying to figure that out," she replied, "so foolish lad—that wasn't even Ruby—tried to touch . So I burned him with the fires of my will."
"Why?!"
"Later, I realized he was supposed to stabilize my magic and keep it from tearing apart. So I stopped burning him. But sadly... he'd already beco ashes."
"..."
"But all wasn't lost," she added casually. "Pluto used the boy's residues to reinforce my vessel. So his existence wasn't completely wasted. Pluto changed Ruby's appearance and na, and also gave him so equipnt—including Bone Saw—then Ruby carried . Next we left for Pison, where we fought a man nad Sarvest, t Miss Dearth, and eventually, you."
"Wait, wait, wait!" I raised a hand, nearly shouting. "Your pacing is too fast! You t Sarvest?!"
So the "overpowered stranger" Master Raven ntioned...
That was Sarvest?!
"How did you all leave his presence without even a permanent wound?" I asked, my voice barely steady, eyes trembling in near disbelief.
"He was a troubleso opponent, I tell you." Alicia said it the way one might complain about a cockroach that simply refused to die.
"He had this broken ability to completely evade perception. But still... Ruby made him feel pain."
"Eh? Really?" I leaned in, curious. "Even I can't fight Sarvest. Nothing I do works, and everything he does goes."
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"Heh." Alicia smirked. "Don't even put yourself in the sa level as Ruby. After Papa, he's the only one who can bring to my knees."
"Ehhh?" I groaned. "But I did defeat him though. Albeit... a little difficult."
"Hah! You slithering serpent forever bound to the ground!" Alicia snapped.
"I don't understand why I'm being abused, however."
"Ruby was tired, you see," she explained matter-of-factly. "He'd been carrying for hours, just finished fighting a very elusive and powerful opponent in Sarvest... then you ca around. He had no ti to rest."
Oh... but his Pri Value was several tis lower than mine when I saw him...
If what Alicia says is true, then Master Raven must know of Pri Value too.
And maybe... just maybe... he knows how to manipulate and conceal his own existential significance.
Heh. That man just keeps getting more fascinating with everything I learn.
Alicia had stopped talking, now munching on so roasted fruits she'd tucked away earlier.
I smiled as I watched her.
My first friend... and (not first in strength, but first in love) rival.
'Maybe I should do sothing bold now.'
With that reckless spark, I leaned sideways and laid my head on her lap as we sat on the grassy ground.
"Wh-what do you think you're doing?" she asked, cheeks flaring as red as mine felt.
"F-feel free to ignore ." I mumbled, basking in the spicy-sweet scent of her form—like fire and flowers... and scripts(?)
This was... surprisingly good. I might just get addicte—OW-OW-OW!!
"What in the depths of Styx are you doing?!" I cried, clutching my swollen cheek as she yanked it without rcy.
"Hmph." Alicia scoffed, looking away. "Only Ruby is allowed to do that. No one else."
"Then say so!" I snapped, rubbing my poor, abused cheek. "My cheek pains now—!!"
But before I could finish complaining, Alicia dropped her head on my lap.
Eh?
She was trying so hard to hide it, but that blush gave her away.
"Only Ruby can use as a lap pillow..." she mumbled. "But I wouldn't mind... using you as my lap pillo—owowow!!"
She squealed as I yanked her up by her cheek.
"What was that for?!" she shrieked, clutching her cheek with watery eyes.
"Where do you get off turning into a pillow?" I barked. "My lap and body is exclusively for Master Raven!"
Alicia bent her head like a sulking puppy—
Then suddenly lunged, grabbing a fistful of my hair.
I thrusted my arm pulling her's too.
"You damned water leech! Let go!" she scread.
"You stop pulling first, impudent little brat!" I yelled back, grabbing her arm and yanking hard.
We wrestled, tugging hair, throwing words and dignity into the wind, rolling in the grass like feral cats.
*
Trigger stood at a distance watching the chaos unfold.
"Those two certainly get along, huh?" he said, amused.
"Ara?! Is that... what it looks like?" Tamayō asked, genuinely confused.
'Was fighting just another form of affection? Maybe I should attack my Lord then?'
(Note: Ruben is already in danger from his own ally).
*
anwhile, outside Coastelle...
Sowhere in the scorched and cursed land that kissed the edge of the sea, Ruben stood—
Still.
Wide-eyed.
Alert.
And in front of him, four black-clad, human-shaped figures were kneeling—heads bowed low.
To him.
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