I believe you have a general idea of the mission objectives for our Third Unit from Holy Spirit Serena, so let’s hear the report from the First Unit, which went to the Adventurer Guild. Elise, could you please give us your report?”
We sat down in the chairs around the large table in the conference room and decided to receive the report from the First Unit, led by Elise.
The First Unit comprised Elise as the leader, along with Alicia, Mai, Freya, and Liliana. Elise is the副長 (sub-leader) of the ‘Princess Harem’.
Their objective was to go to the Adventurer Guild to cash in the items they collected during the Second Expedition Trip and to gather information about the ‘Knights of the Azure Moon’.
“Yes, Master Hal. First, regarding the sale of spoils collected during this Second Expedition Trip, primarily from Twin Peaks Mountain, the total amount was 127 gold coins and 8 silver coins (equivalent to ¥12.78 million). As for our main objective, the ‘Knights of the Azure Moon’— their members have bounties on their heads.”
According to Elise’s report, the members of the ‘Knights of the Azure Moon’ were considered troublesome criminals by the Espana Imperial Kingdom, which currently occupies and governs this land. Therefore, they each had a substantial bounty placed on them.
A bounty poster, detailing their profiles and the reward amounts, was displayed on a bulletin board.
Currently, five members of the ‘Knights of the Azure Moon’ have been identified.
The first is a female knight named Melissa Rililbach de la Schläena, who claims the title of Knight Commander.
Melissa is described as a boyish beauty, the third daughter of Viscount Schläena’s family.
Liliana explained that Melissa’s former position was that of a Royal Guard, tasked with protecting Princess Yuliana.
Liliana initially assumed that Melissa would have perished with the Crystal Palace when it fell.
The bounty on Melissa is a considerable 10 gold coins (equivalent to ¥1 million).
The second is a female knight named Isabel Mamaria de la Rascana, who claims the title of Vice Commander.
Isabel appears to be the second daughter of the Baron Rascana family, though Liliana herself has no recollection of her.
The speculation is that her family’s low standing meant she rarely caught the attention of royalty.
Her background is unknown, but she likely holds the title of Vice Commander, much like Melissa, because she was also a Noblewoman.
Incidentally, Isabel’s bounty is 7 gold coins.
The third is a female knight named Jose Shamitt, one of the surviving members of the knight order.
Jose, despite being of commoner birth, was promoted to female knight due to her exceptional swordsmanship. She appears to be the vanguard of the ‘Knights of the Azure Moon’.
Her threat level is considered higher than that of the Commander, Melissa, and the Vice Commander, Isabel. The bounty of only 5 gold coins is likely due to her not being of noble birth.
The fourth is a female knight named Rachel Papillon, a colleague of Jose.
She is also of commoner origin, but while Jose is a typical headstrong brute, Rachel seems to excel at tricky maneuvers.
Unusually for a knight, her preferred weapons include twin whips and a bow.
She serves as the middle guard in the ‘Knights of the Azure Moon’, and her whips, unleashed from behind Jose, could be a significant threat. Her bounty, like Jose’s, is set at 5 gold coins.
The fifth and final member is a magic swordsman named Arches Lilinda.
Her fighting style is similar to Sister Shera’s; she is a troublesome opponent who intersperses offensive magic with her swordplay.
She serves as the rearguard of the ‘Knights of the Azure Moon’, but her swordsmanship is also considerable, so she may sometimes fight alongside Jose in the vanguard. Her bounty is 7 gold coins, the same as Vice Commander Isabel, likely due to her being proficient in offensive magic.
Their activities include assassinating invading army officers and important figures of the Espana Imperial Kingdom, as well as assisting the main force of the rebel army led by Princess Yuliana, the second princess.
“Liliana, do you have anything to add?”
“Well… I would prefer if we could capture them alive. Please leave the negotiation to me.”
It seems Liliana is unfamiliar with any of them except Melissa, the one claiming to be the Knight Commander. However, as the First Princess of the Yangas Kingdom and the heir to the throne, she will likely find a way.
“Alright, let’s continue with the report from the Second Unit, Ly. Please proceed.”
The Second Unit, led by Ly, included Swan Hilda, Kirika, Tirna, Edele, Dietlinde, Astarotte, and Safiya. They were further divided into smaller groups to conduct investigations within the city.
“We worked diligently to gather information, but… it was difficult because so few people were willing to speak. I suppose the reason is that our target was the anti-establishment organization led by Princess Yuliana, the second princess of the Yangas Royal Family. The Yangas Royal Family enacted good governance, and there are still many who admire them.”
Although Ly stated that gathering information was difficult, she seemed somewhat pleased. This was because it proved that the prestige of the Yangas Royal Family, to whom she was related by blood, had not yet faded.
It seemed certain that the anti-Espana forces were currently being organized under the leadership of Princess Yuliana, the second princess. However, based on information from Count Kol, it seemed unlikely that she was still alive.
According to Liliana’s explanation, her half-sister Yuliana was frail and rarely left the Crystal Palace. Perhaps she was using a body double.
While I was contemplating this, Ly’s report continued.
“From the information we gathered, it is said that the members of the ‘Knights of the Azure Moon’ skillfully utilize gondolas. And regarding Princess Yuliana, the ringleader of the rebel forces, there have been several testimonies of her being spotted recently in Schwerin.”
Schwerin, the former capital of the Yangas Kingdom, is an ancient city characterized by a crisscrossing network of canals. With the devoted cooperation of its residents, the ‘Knights of the Azure Moon’ seem to appear and disappear at will. The news that Yuliana had entered Schwerin, where we are, was welcome indeed. I hoped we could persuade Yuliana and bring her under Liliana’s wing somehow. First, we would need to meet her directly and ascertain if she was the real person.
Then, we discussed our future course of action. If we could meet Yuliana, the person we wished to see, it would be ideal, but that seemed to depend on sheer luck. If so, it would be more probable to proceed steadily through the ‘Knights of the Azure Moon’ lead. However, the discussion continued in circles, and we could not reach a conclusion.
*Thump-thump, click, creak*
“Master Hal, Noella Sante has woken up.”
As the conference room fell silent, exhausted from the heated discussion, the door was knocked and Tirna appeared. It seemed Noella had awakened.
“Tirna, thank you for your care. Let’s go see how Noella is doing now that she’s awake. It would be too much of a shock for Noella if too many of us went at once, so only I, Tirna, and Liliana will enter the bedroom. Liliana, please put on your usual mask and hooded robe. It would be problematic if the First Princess, who is presumed dead, suddenly appeared.”
“Yes, Master Hal. Understood.”
Liliana and I, guided by Tirna, headed to the bedroom, which had been converted into a sickroom. The other party members followed at a slight distance behind us. They didn’t seem inclined to interfere, but they were clearly curious.
“How are you feeling, Lady Noella Sante?”
Upon entering the bedroom, we looked towards Noella lying on the bed. Noella, having just woken up, seemed to be in a semi-conscious state. I decided to speak first.
“…Who… are you…? And… where… is this?”
Noella, with a dazed expression, replied. She seemed to have forgotten our conversation at the infirmary earlier.
“My name is Hal Raymond.”
“Master Hal Raymond…? Do… you need… something from me…? My body… is already broken… so I’m… useless… even as a prostitute… Please… leave… Right now… I just… wish for… a peaceful end…”
“Your body should be healed by ‘Healing Magic’?”
“…Even if you… try to carry… this pathetic me… Wh-what?! My right arm, which was supposed to be broken, is moving?! And there are no severe scars either!?”
Noella tentatively moved both her arms, which she had been hiding under the duvet. First, she was surprised that her right arm, which had been fractured in the upper arm, was moving. Then, she was startled again upon seeing her bare skin revealed from the sleeve of her hospital gown.
“M-my body…”
Noella, sitting up, was examining her own condition. Her eyes seemed filled with surprise and joy. Tears welled up in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.
“Master Hal Raymond. You… you have healed my body. But… what do you want from me!?”
Noella’s eyes regained their strength, and she cast a sharp, questioning gaze at us, demanding to know our true intentions and identities.
“Noella, that’s not the kind of look you should give someone who saved your life.”
Tirna, standing behind me, reprimanded her.
“I apologize for my rudeness… But I don’t understand the intention behind using precious ‘Healing Magic’ to heal a broken street prostitute. Please, tell me why you helped me. And where is One-Eyed Adams, who has me bound by debt?”
After bowing to Tirna in apology, Noella fixed her gaze intently on me, pleading for an explanation.
“We wish to meet Princess Yuliana, the second princess, who is said to be the ringleader of the anti-Espana forces. However, that seems difficult, so we tried to make contact with the members of the ‘Knights of the Azure Moon’ as a starting point. But they are elusive and we haven’t been able to meet them. In that situation, we found you as someone who might know their whereabouts. Please, could you tell us where they are? As for One-Eyed Adams, I have torn up the debt contract, so you are finally free.”
I explained the situation in one go, hoping to secure Noella’s cooperation, but as I spoke, her expression gradually grew stern.
“You dogs of Espana! I will never betray Princess Yuliana, even if it means death. I have nothing to say!!”
Noella, her eyes burning with anger, glared at us defiantly. It seemed that Noella Sante, despite falling into prostitution, had not lost her spirit and had not forgotten the knightly spirit of the Yangas Kingdom.
“Master Hal, from here on, I will persuade her.”
Liliana, who had been standing behind me, slowly stepped forward.
“Noella Sante, your loyalty to Yuliana is commendable for a noble Yangas knight. However, I need to meet Yuliana.”
“I will tell no one!”
As Noella maintained a stubborn attitude even when Liliana addressed her, Liliana slowly began to remove her disguise. She took off the hooded robe and let it fall to the floor, revealing her somewhat bluish, lustrous silver hair. Although her face was hidden by a mask modeled after a Valkyrie, her facial contours suggested she was a remarkably beautiful girl.
“Wh-who are you!?”
Noella, watching this unfold, wore a bewildered and curious expression. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks. Meanwhile, Liliana removed her mask, revealing her true face.
“Noella Sante, don’t you remember my face!?”
Thus, Liliana’s beauty, capable of captivating a nation and known as the ‘Melancholy Azure Moon Princess’, was revealed before Noella’s eyes.
“Y-you are… supposed to be dead…”
Noella’s eyes widened, and she froze, trembling.
“I… shamefully survived as well. I wish to meet my half-sister Yuliana. As a means to do so, could you tell me the whereabouts of the ‘Knights of the Azure Moon’, Noella Sante?”
“Princess Liliana!! To behold the noble countenance of Your Highness, I am extremely honored.”
Recognizing Liliana, Noella sprang from the bed and curtsied, offering a gesture of deference. Noella, who had been bedridden and unable to get up, seemed unaware due to her deep respect when addressed directly by her beloved First Princess Liliana.
“Regarding your question, I have heard that the ‘Knights of the Azure Moon’, named after Your Highness, are based in the basement of the former Knights’ headquarters in the commercial district.”
Her demeanor was not that of a street prostitute nearing death’s door, but that of a trainee knight sworn to loyalty to the Yangas Royal Family. Even so, Liliana’s aura as a princess was quite impressive. Behind Liliana, Ly, still wearing the Valkyrie-like mask, nodded with apparent joy.
“Noella Sante, can you guide me to their base?”
“Yes, I will guide you, even at the cost of my life.”
“Thank you.”
“Hahaha.”
Thus, we learned the location of the ‘Knights of the Azure Moon’s’ base. So, the ‘Knights of the Azure Moon’ were named after Liliana… We hoped to reach Princess Yuliana, the second princess, by using the ‘Knights of the Azure Moon’ as a stepping stone. And if possible, I strongly wished for a future where Liliana and Yuliana could both be happy.
Thank you for reading.
This concludes the serialized posting of episode 37, “Alicia VI and Eria III”.
The full version of episode 37, “Alicia VI and Eria III: The Fiancée’s Anxiety and the Connections of the Roses Blooming in the Flower District”, will be posted simultaneously at midnight on October 25th, the day after tomorrow.
Please note that the ‘serialized posting’ and the ‘full version posting’ contain the same content.
Also, my father recently passed away, and I am currently in a state of disarray, so I do not have time to dedicate to writing. I will announce the resumption of episode 38 in the activity report.
