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“Sorry to summon you so suddenly. You must be busy preparing for your journey.”
“Oh, no, please don’t worry about that! Honestly, I have no idea what I’m supposed to do to prepare anyway!”
“That in itself sounds rather concerning.”

The room the king had invited me to wasn’t that grand chamber with the waterfall wall, but a small private room with a wide window overlooking the city.

Small, but not cramped—the furnishings and table were all elegant. It was probably the kind of room the king used for private conversations.

The walls seemed soundproof too; neither the clink of our glasses nor our voices echoed. Most notably, there were no maids or guards accompanying the king here.

“Momo, if he tries anything strange, hit him. Don’t hold back.”
“Ha-ha-ha, how merciless, oh White One! And to think she can pierce my sound barrier so easily!”
“Jeez, Master…”

Still, since my cranky master was waiting just outside, this was probably the safest spot in the entire castle. Even if someone tried to assassinate the king right now, we’d probably be fine—the oppressive aura of her irritation practically radiated through the door.

“Hmm. It seems sound travels one way—she can send her voice in, but ours will not reach her. Good. That is reassuring.”
“Uh, so basically, this is a conversation you don’t want Master to hear?”
“More or less. First of all, how about a drink? Worry not, it is not alcohol.”

The king poured a clear liquid from a carafe into my glass. It didn’t smell like alcohol—or juice either.

I took a cautious sip as he offered it. It was water. Really, really good water. What is this?

It felt light on the tongue, faintly sweet, so clean it made me realize how chemical the tap water in Japan had tasted. Even bottled spring water couldn’t compare—what is this stuff?

“I see! So Your Majesty summoned me here in secret just to share this amazing water without Master finding out!?”
“No.”
“Oh… I see. Then, um, what is this about?”
“I’ll be blunt. How much longer does the White One have?”

I nearly spat the water all over the table. I managed to swallow it at the last second, but it went down the wrong way and left me coughing violently.

The king must have noticed my panic—he looked at me with a faintly sorrowful expression.

“Cough—hack—kweh! W-w-w-what are you t-t-talking about!?”
“You’re not very good at hiding things, are you? That honesty is one of your virtues, but you should be more cautious.”
“Sh-shorry…”
“Mm. You’re forgiven. Now then—how long until her limit?”
“…She said six months.”

When I admitted the truth, the wrinkle between the king’s brows deepened.

I’m sorry, Master. There’s no point trying to hide it anymore. I just can’t.

“I see. Shorter than I expected.”
“Um… if you don’t mind me asking, how did Your Majesty notice something was wrong with Master?”
“A wizard’s intuition. And besides, when you start spending all your time buried in the archives, something must be amiss.”
“That’s mean.”
“…Now, back to the point. Is there any way to extend the White One’s life?”
“That’s what I have to find out within these six months.”

I’d only just learned about Master’s condition recently—there was no progress yet, not even a clue where to start.

Honestly, I didn’t have the faintest idea what to do. It would help so much if the king could offer even a hint, but…

“…Degradation of the soul, is it? I’ve heard of no such affliction. My apologies.”
“It’s all right. There’s no need for you to apologize, Your Majesty.”

I’d hoped that explaining everything might lead to some kind of answer, but it was a dead end.

Solving Master’s problem wasn’t going to be easy. Could I really do it…?

“I shall conduct my own search as well. Even if the matter of souls borders on forbidden arts, my station allows me to bend a few rules.”
“Th-thank you so much… but, um, why go that far for us?”
“That much should be obvious. When I desire something, I never give up.”

The king drained his glass of water in a single motion—like it was liquor instead of water.

“But that one is stubborn. Six months is far too short to persuade her of anything. And besides, it would be a tragedy for her to die so soon.”
“If Master heard you say that, she’d definitely get mad at you, you know? For saying it like that.”
“Ha-ha-ha! Then let me rephrase it—I am fond of the way she is.”
“W-wow…!”

The confession was so direct that my face heated up before I could stop it.

Was that really okay, though? They say meddling in someone else’s love life gets you kicked by a horse, but Master looked like a grade-schooler.

Besides, even if she appeared like a girl now, she’d said herself that she used to be a man.

Should I even support this kind of love?

“Let me clarify—it’s not some lovesick fancy. What I feel is closer to reverence as a fellow wizard.”
“Reverence?”
“Indeed. To deliver sound into this room wrapped in wind magecraft—such precision is akin to threading sand through a needle’s eye without contact. And she does it without effort. You’d be hard-pressed to find another wizard of her caliber anywhere in the world.”
“Really? That’s so amazing—she is incredible, isn’t she?”
“She is. You, on the other hand, are the luckiest wizard alive, to have won her as your mentor. Tell me, what trick did you use to win her over?”
“I didn’t do anything! I was just desperate because I was about to die, and she was kind enough to save me!”

Even for someone as forgetful as me, that day remained perfectly clear.

I had fallen into a world of endless snow—and there she was, with hair that shimmered like starlight. That was when Master saved my life.

And because she saved me then… this time, it’s my turn to save her.

“Mm, as I thought—my judgment was sound. The White One is beautiful precisely because she is free. And yet, there’s a part of me that wishes to have her here, under my roof.”
“So… what will you do?”
“Let her fly free. And when all is done—when everything she seeks is fulfilled—she may return to Regulus and rest her wings. I will always welcome the two of you back.”

With that, the king set his glass down and placed a gold coin on the table instead.

It gleamed as if freshly polished, its surface inlaid with gemstones of every color. Just looking at it was almost blinding.

“A parting gift. Take it without hesitation.”
“Th-this… how much is something like this even worth? Wait, is this even money?”
“Indeed. The one and only Regulus Coin—this kingdom’s highest denomination! You likely won’t be able to spend it as-is, so exchange it when needed during your travels.”
“There’s no way I could use something like this!”
“Ha-ha-ha! Then keep it close. With that amount of value, my personal magecraft can track it no matter how far you go!”

Ah, so that’s it. With the king’s magic, he could sense the coin’s location anywhere.
Just like the little doll Ms. Hoshikawa had given me, this too was a charm—a wish for our safety on the road ahead.

“You’ve told me of my friend’s approaching end. It is my style to repay such favor with greater favor.”
“…Ah, Mr. Valka.”

I brushed my fingers across the staff fastened to my arm.

It might have been my imagination, but it felt a little warmer than the air around us.

“Mm. A fine staff indeed. The craftsman’s skill is remarkable… may I touch it?”
“Of course—please, as much as you like!”

The king reached out and gently stroked the staff, his touch as tender as one might use to soothe a newborn.

“…Perhaps this too is fate. I believe the two of you will accomplish something great. Valka—protect them well.”

There was no reply. But from somewhere far beyond the window, in the depths of the night sky, I thought I heard a dragon’s cry.

And somehow, that sound filled me with strength.

It’s all right. I don’t have proof, but I just know things will work out.

After all, so many people are cheering us on. Master will get better—no, I’ll make sure she does.