Episode 62: A Request for Fiine
The bell at the shop’s entrance rang just as the clock struck noon.
Fiine’s body froze before she even had time to check the face of the person who’d come in.
She couldn’t run, and she couldn’t look away.
“…Mr. Burkhardt.”
She’d known he had her address, since letters kept arriving.
Even so, he had never once come to visit her himself.
So his arrival here was completely unexpected, and Fiine found herself unable to move.
“Fiine.”
Yuria moved at once and closed up the shop.
Fiine slowly drew a breath, then bowed her head to Burkhardt.
“…I-it’s been a while.”
“It has.”
For now, she showed Burkhardt to the sofa. Watching Yuria bring in tea for the guest, Burkhardt’s face took on an expression Fiine couldn’t quite read.
An awkward silence filled the room. It was Burkhardt who broke it.
“…I came today because there’s something I’d like to ask of you, Fiine.”
“O-of me…?”
“Yes. Not of the magic doll shop. A request to Fiine Fellner, personally.”
Burkhardt drew a leather pouch from inside his coat and set it on the table. It was packed tight with gold coins.
If it had been anyone but him, Fiine would have refused on the spot.
(But…)
She already knew, really. That she shouldn’t go on running from him forever, and that some part of her didn’t want to, either. Even the letters she hadn’t read, she was truly glad for, every time one arrived.
“…W-what kind of… thing…?”
The reason she’d vanished from in front of him too was that she couldn’t bear to let him see her in such a pathetic state.
But that didn’t mean the wish to repay his kindness had gone away.
“There have been more and more sightings of monsters near Mond lately. But it’s difficult for our country to conduct a large-scale investigation of Mond ourselves. You understand why, don’t you?”
“…Because it’s the place between us and the Kingdom of Lyon, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
To the northwest of our country, the Kingdom of Roselia, lies the Kingdom of Lyon.
There’s no great mountain or river dividing the two nations.
Instead, peace between them is kept by the independent city of Mond, which sits on the border and holds no military of its own, remaining neutral.
Even for the sake of investigating monsters, sending a large force from Roselia’s Magic Corps could easily escalate into conflict with Lyon.
“So we’ve decided to form a joint investigation team with Lyon, to look into Mond.”
“An investigation team, then.”
“Yes. Though it isn’t anything large-scale. Two from our side, two from theirs. Four in total.”
“…So instead, you’re sending your best, is that it…?”
In other words, they wanted to deal with Mond’s monsters quietly, in cooperation with Lyon, without making a big affair of it.
It was too politically sensitive a place to send a large army.
“That’s right. I have full authority over this matter. I’ve been to Lyon before as an envoy, so the task’s been entrusted to me on that basis.”
Burkhardt wasn’t only skilled in magic. He’d also thoroughly mastered the etiquette and manners expected of nobility.
For that reason, he was often given tasks in the Magic Corps that involved dealing with other nations.
“It’s work as a representative of our country. I need to bring people with me that I can trust.”
“…Yes.”
“That’s why I want you to come, Fiine.”
“M-me…? I’ve been away from the battlefield for so long, and, well, I don’t think I’d be able to communicate well with people from another country either, but…”
“Even so, I want to entrust this to you.”
Said with such conviction, she couldn’t find any more words to keep running.
(Mr. Burkhardt could have called on all sorts of people. And even so, he chose me…)
She’d thought she would never have anything to do with the Magic Corps again.
And yet, she wanted to live up to his trust.
“I’m asking you.”
Burkhardt held out his right hand.
If she didn’t take this hand, a chance like this might never come again.
“…Understood.”
She summoned her courage and took his hand. Fiine’s own hand was trembling faintly.
(It’s not some grand thing, for the sake of the country, or for the sake of the world. I just want to live up to Mr. Burkhardt’s trust, that’s all.)
Thank you, Burkhardt said, smiling.
At the softness of his smile, she felt, somehow, a little like crying.